Hair Cell Regeneration: From Animals to Humans

Cochlear hair cells convert sound into electrical signals that are relayed via the spiral ganglion neurons to the central auditory pathway. Hair cells are vulnerable to damage caused by excessive noise, aging, and ototoxic agents. Non-mammals can regenerate lost hair cells by mitotic regeneration and direct transdifferentiation of surrounding supporting cells. However, in mature mammals, damaged hair cells are not replaced, resulting in permanent hearing loss. Recent studies have uncovered mechanisms by which sensory organs in non-mammals and the neonatal mammalian cochlea regenerate hair cells, and outlined possible mechanisms why this ability declines rapidly with age in mammals. Here, we review similarities and differences between avian, zebrafish, and mammalian hair cell regeneration. Moreover, we discuss advances and limitations of hair cell regeneration in the mature cochlea and their potential applications to human hearing loss.

Estimating the social and economic burden of road traffic injuries in the Philippines

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Road traffic injuries (RTI) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Despite underreporting, the scarce Philippine data suggest that RTI pose a significant health problem in the country. It is imperative, therefore, to accurately quantify the burden of RTI in the Philippines.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> This study aimed to provide the first comprehensive baseline estimation of the socioeconomic burden of RTI in the Philippines for year 2014.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> The study was a mixed method study design that utilized both primary and secondary data. These data were used to construct parameters needed for the modeling estimates. Measure of socioeconomic burden estimated were (1) economic costs, (2) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and (3) healthy life years (HeaLY).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULT:</strong> Estimated deaths due to RTI in 2014 were 12,336 translating to 454,650 years life lost due to premature death. Injury episodes from RTI were estimated to be 2,798,088 in 2014 with 186,174 leading to admissions, translating to 56,224 years life lost to disability. The total DALY loss due to RTI in 2014 was estimated at 510, 874, while healthy life years lost were estimated to be 76,215,477.4. The estimated deaths and injuries for that year equaled to direct medical cost of PhP 1.213 B, productivity loss due to premature death of PhP 24.620 B, and productivity loss due to illness of PhP 685 M resulting to a total economic cost of PhP 26.519 B to the society.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The findings indicate that RTI is an important public health concern in the Philippines with substantial economic and health burden. Investing in preventive measures will likely yield significant economic and health gains for the Philippines.</p>

Describing the health service delivery network of an urban poor area and a rural poor area

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> This study aimed to assess the health workforce's service capacities within a health Service Delivery Network (SDN) of an urban poor and a rural poor setting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>METHODS:</b> This is a concurrent mixed-methods study implemented in Navotas and Masbate, an urban poor and a rural poor area, respectively. Health needs of the residents were assessed through records review, qualitative methods and a household survey. Health facilities in the identified SDN were assessed using the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool. Training data of Human Resource for Health (HRH) were also obtained.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>RESULTS:</b> SDN in the two areas are different in terms of formality where memoranda of agreement were prepared between Masbate facilities but not in Navotas. Health worker to population ratios were 12.1 per 10,000 in Navotas and 2.7 in Masbate, respectively. The primary care facilities in the two sites met the recommended level of trainings for health workers in obstetric care, immunization, childhood nutrition and tuberculosis. There was a lack of post-graduate training in non-communicable diseases in all facilities. Poverty and geography were significant factors affecting health service delivery.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> In terms of human resources, both sites have limited number of health workers and the ratios fall far below WHO guideline. Recommendations include: Primary health care staff complement should be increased in the two SDNs. HHRDB should conduct a study to settle the issue of continuing medical education requirements that are not congruent with WHO recommendations. The SDNs should include the access of medicines and commodities by poor patients in private facilities during times of stock outs. Also, during stock outs or unavailability of government health personnel, transportation should be made available via the SDN to transport poor patients to private or nongovernment facilities with the needed personnel. The DOH and HHRDB should investigate innovative strategies for telehealth services that do not require continuous electricity, nor telephone or cellphone signal.</p>

A financial forecasting exercise on the child restraints market in the Philippines

@#The use of child restraints such as car seats or booster seats inevitability increases with the implementation of laws mandating its use in the general public. This is of great importance to child health and injury prevention as child restraint use has been shown to reduce the risk of serious injury by 71% to 82% for children less than 1-year-old, and 45% for children aged 4 to 8 years old.2,3 In terms of averting death, child restraints were associated with 28% reduction in risk for death.4 It has been found that using ageand size-appropriate child restraints is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries in a crash.5 It is reasonable, therefore, that one study that investigated the association between child restraint law implementation and traffic injury rate among 4 to 6 years old children in New York State found that these children experienced an 18% reduction in traffic injury rate. (See full-text for continuation).

Establishing a blueprint for nature-based products development and conservation for the Philippines

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Many of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the Philippines are controllable with nature-based products, either as agents of intervention, or prevention, as nutritional supplements or for the control of side-effects of medications. The different R&D programs on nature-based products in the Philippines are usually conducted in isolation, or through silos. These often lead to products that are shortsighted, duplicate products, or products with minimal innovation, not readily applicable to population and environmental sustainability.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> The study aimed to draft an internationally benchmarked and integrated blueprint for a population health and environmental health-led nature-based product development and conservation for the Philippines.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> The methodology consisted of a review of literature; regional educational visits; and a series of consultative meetings with stakeholders.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The study resulted in a stakeholder-validated blueprint that assigns the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to lead the way for Filipinos to produce more nature-based products that are of international quality and attuned with local health needs. The blueprint has identified "9 Optimizations" in the realization of this aspiration, including an expanded role for PITAHC, a national database, an ethical researchers list, and to produce at least five commercial products and 20 intellectual property rights within 5 years with an estimated total investment of approximately PhP 816 M.</p>

Cost of hospitalization of different types of schistosomiasis cases in endemic areas in the Philippines: Indicating the need to increase the coverage of government health insurance

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Schistosomiasis is endemic in the Philippines. Currently, the financial and economic costs of hospitalization due to schistosomiasis have not been studied or analyzed. This will be essential to the review of health benefit package of PhilHealth for schistosomiasis.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> This study estimated the cost of hospitalization due to schistosomiasis and its complications in the Philippines.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> This is a cross-sectional mixed-methods study. Nine (9) hospitals from schistosomiasis-endemic provinces were included in the study. Medical records and billing statements from year 2013 were retrieved and analyzed. Non-medical costs were calculated based on data from key informants and existing economic data in 2013.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> A total of 1,415 hospitalized cases were collected; 94% came from government hospitals. Fifty nine percent (59%) were classified under uncomplicated schistosomiasis. Overall hospitalization costs were PhP 8,489,524.39 (USD 200,006.70), with cases of hepatic complications having the highest costs among all types of cases. Combined nonmedical costs and productivity losses for 5,005 days of hospitalization were PhP 13,019,363.75 (USD 306,726.25).</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The estimated clinical cost burden and economic losses due to schistosomiasis in selected sites in the Philippines amount to PhP 21,508,888.14 (USD 506,732.95). Significant drivers of cost were the presence of schistosomiasis sequelae or complications, co-morbidities, and increasing length of stay. Estimated productivity losses and non-medical expenses of patients due to hospitalization were found to be more burdensome than the actual hospital bills. These costs stress the need for government to provide health coverage for patients diagnosed with schistosomiasis.</p>

Estimating the burden of dengue in the Philippines using a dynamic transmission model

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><b>OBJECTIVE:</b> This study aimed to describe dengue burden in the Philippines. Specifically, health and economic costs of the disease were estimated.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>METHODS:</b> A published serotype-specific and age-stratified dengue dynamic transmission model was populated with Philippine-specific dengue epidemiology and cost data. Data were gathered from literature and record reviews. Dengue experts were consulted to validate the model parameters. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the uncertainty of input parameters on model outcomes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> By 2016 to 2020, it is estimated that annually, average hospitalized cases will amount to 401,191 and ambulatory cases will amount to 239,497; resulting to USD 139 million (PhP 5.9 billion) and USD 19 million (PhP 827 million) worth of aggregate costs shouldered by the public payer for hospitalized and ambulatory cases, respectively. Average annual productivity losses may amount to USD 19 million (PhP 821 million) and DALY lost is expected to be 50,622.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The cost of dengue is high especially since the Philippines is an endemic country. Thus, there is a need to optimize government interventions such as vector control and vaccination that aim to prevent dengue infections.</p>

Relations between pregestational body mass index, gestational weight gain and birth weight of neonates among women in the Southwest areas of China: A prospective cohort study / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To explore the effects of both pre-gestational BMI and gestational weight gain (GWG) on the birth weight of neonates. Methods: A total of 5 395 pregnant women were selected from the Southwest areas of China (Sichuan/Yunnan/Guizhou) and were divided into groups as pre-gestational underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity, according to the WHO Recommendation on BMI Classification. Guidelines on Pregnancy weight were adopted from the Institute of Medicine to confirm the accuracy of GWG. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the associations between pregestational BMI and GWG, on the birth weight of the neonates. Results: After adjusting for related confounders, low pre-gestational BMI appeared as a risk factor for SGA (OR=1.91, 95%CI: 1.47-2.50), and was also associated with the decreased risk of LGA (OR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.47-0.66). Inadequate GWG was both associated with the increased risk of delivering SGA (OR=1.57, 95%CI: 1.21-2.03) and the decreased risk of LGA (OR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.41-0.57). Pre-gestational overweight/obesity (OR=1.85, 95%CI: 1.58-2.17) and excessive GWG (OR=1.87, 95%CI: 1.67- 2.11) were both positively associated with the risks on LGA. Data from the stratified analysis indicated that inadequate GWG was positively associated with the risk of SGA among underweight or normal weight women (all P<0.05), but not with those overweight/obese women. Conclusions: Pre-gestational BMI and GWG were important influencing factors on the birth weight of neonates. Health education programs for pregnant women should be intensified and gestational weight gain should also be reasonably under control.

Primary Leiomyosarcoma of Adrenal Gland with Tissue Eosinophilic Infiltration

No abstract available.