This study is a cross-sectional survey of adolescents in Basra, Iraq, from November 2020 to March 2021 about types of adolescent problems, the individuals and institutions adolescents turn to, and the role of public health centers in dealing with their problems. The survey found that psychological problems represent the largest proportion of health problems, and most adolescents turn to their parents to discuss their problems. The work indicates that there is an urgent need to pay attention to public health centers and provide health and psychological support to adolescents.
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Mutation of the Catalytic Cysteine in Anopheles gambiae Transglutaminase 3 (AgTG3) Abolishes Plugin Crosslinking Activity without Disrupting Protein Folding Properties
Malaria is a major public health issue, especially in developing countries, and vector control is a major facet of malaria eradication efforts. Recently, sterile insect technique (SIT), or the release of sterile mosquitoes into the wild, has shown significant promise as a method of keeping vector populations under control. In this study, the authors investigate the Anopheles gambiae transglutaminase 3 protein (AgT3), which is essential to the mating of the Anopheles mosquito. They show that an active site mutation is able to abolish the activity of the AgT3 enzyme and propose it as a potential target for chemosterilant inhibitors.
Read More...Percentages are a better format for conveying medical risk than frequencies
It can be challenging for the general public to understand data on medical risk. Weseley-Jones and Mordechai tackle this issue by conducting a survey to assess people's skill and comfort with understanding medical risk information in percentage and frequency formats.
Read More...Implementing machine learning algorithms on criminal databases to develop a criminal activity index
The authors look at using publicly available data and machine learning to see if they can develop a criminal activity index for counties within the state of California.
Read More...Investigation of the correlation between trihalomethane concentrations and socioeconomic factors in NY State
Trihalomethanes, probable human carcinogens, are commonly found disinfection by-products (DBPs) in public water systems (PWS). The authors investigated the correlation between trihalomethane concentrations and socioeconomic factors in New York State, finding a negative correlation between median household income and trihalomethane concentrations. The inverse association between trihalomethanes and household income may indicate socioeconomic disparity regarding drinking water quality and the need for improved efforts to assist small- and medium-sized community water systems to lower DBP levels in New York State.
Read More...Rhizosphere metagenome analysis and wet-lab approach to derive optimal strategy for lead remediation in situ
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports a significant number of heavy metal-contaminated sites across the United States. To address this public health concern, rhizoremediation using microbes has emerged as a promising solution. Here, a combination of soil microbes were inoculated in the rhizosphere in soil contaminated with 500 parts per million (ppm) of lead. Results showed rhizoremediation is an effective bioremediation strategy and may increase crop productivity by converting nonarable lands into arable lands.
Read More...Bacterial Load Consistency Among Three Independent Water Distribution Systems
Clean drinking water is an essential component to maintaining public health. The authors of this study tested the bacterial load of water from three different disinfection and filtration systems in order to determine which system might be superior.
Read More...Trust in the use of artificial intelligence technology for treatment planning
As AI becomes more integrated into healthcare, public trust in AI-developed treatment plans remains a concern, especially for emotionally charged health decisions. In a study of 81 community college students, AI-created treatment plans received lower trust ratings compared to physician-developed plans, supporting the hypothesis. The study found no significant differences in AI trust levels across demographic factors, suggesting overall skepticism toward AI-driven healthcare.
Read More...A Data-Centric Analysis of “Stop and Frisk” in New York City
The death of George Floyd has shed light on the disproportionate level of policing affecting non-Whites in the United States of America. To explore whether non-Whites were disproportionately targetted by New York City's "Stop and Frisk" policy, the authors analyze publicly available data on the practice between 2003-2019. Their results suggest African Americans were indeed more likely to be stopped by the police until 2012, after which there was some improvement.
Read More...Racial disparities in school discipline in Collier County, Florida
Here, the authorized analyzed data from the Florida Department of Education Office of Safe Schools regarding disciplinary outcomes in Collier County public schools. They reported that Black Students were more likely to receive both in-school and out-of-school suspensions than White students, which they concluded suggests racial inequities in school discipline that requires addressing as a society.
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