Category Archives: Uncategorized

Journal Watch

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Journal Watch
Vaccines and Global Health: The Week in Review continues its weekly scanning of key peer-reviewed journals to identify and cite articles, commentary and editorials, books reviews and other content supporting our focu-s on vaccine ethics and policy. Journal Watch is not intended to be exhaustive, but indicative of themes and issues the Center is actively tracking. We selectively provide full text of some editorial and comment articles that are specifically relevant to our work. Successful access to some of the links provided may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher.
If you would like to suggest other journal titles to include in this service, please contact David Curry at: david.r.curry@centerforvaccineethicsandpolicy.org

Development of the WHO-INTEGRATE evidence-to-decision framework: an overview of systematic reviews of decision criteria for health decision-making

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BMC Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
http://resource-allocation.biomedcentral.com/
(Accessed 15 Feb 2020)

 

Development of the WHO-INTEGRATE evidence-to-decision framework: an overview of systematic reviews of decision criteria for health decision-making
Decision-making in public health and health policy is complex and requires careful deliberation of many and sometimes conflicting normative and technical criteria. Several approaches and tools, such as multi-c…
Authors: J. M. Stratil, R. Baltussen, I. Scheel, A. Nacken and E. A. Rehfuess
Citation: Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2020 18:8
Content type: Review
Published on: 11 February 2020

Safety and effectiveness of acellular pertussis vaccination during pregnancy: a systematic review

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BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 15 Feb 2020)

 

Safety and effectiveness of acellular pertussis vaccination during pregnancy: a systematic review
Infants < 3 months of age are at highest risk for developing severe complications after pertussis. The majority of pregnant women has low concentrations of pertussis-specific antibodies and thus newborns are i…
Authors: Sabine Vygen-Bonnet, Wiebke Hellenbrand, Edeltraut Garbe, Rüdiger von Kries, Christian Bogdan, Ulrich Heininger, Marianne Röbl-Mathieu and Thomas Harder
Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2020 20:136
Content type: Research article
Published on: 13 February 2020

EPI immunization coverage, timeliness and dropout rate among children in a West Cameroon health district: a cross sectional study

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BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 15 Feb 2020)

 

EPI immunization coverage, timeliness and dropout rate among children in a West Cameroon health district: a cross sectional study
Monitoring of the expanded program on immunization’s performance is not only limited to routine periodic reports but equally includes surveys. Based on unpublished national EPI surveillance data from the past …
Authors: Jérôme Ateudjieu, Martin Ndinakie Yakum, André Pascal Goura, Ayok Maureen Tembei, Douanla Koutio Ingrid, Beyala Bita’a Landry, Bruno Kenfack, Lapia Amada, Isaac Tadzong and Anne Cecile Bissek
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:228
Content type: Research article
Published on: 13 February 2020

Personal and social patterns predict influenza vaccination decision

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BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 15 Feb 2020)

 

Personal and social patterns predict influenza vaccination decision
Seasonal influenza vaccination coverage remains suboptimal in most developed countries, despite longstanding recommendations of public health organizations. The individual’s decision regarding vaccination is l…
Authors: Adir Shaham, Gabriel Chodick, Varda Shalev and Dan Yamin
Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:222
Content type: Research article
Published on: 12 February 2020

Network Analysis for Complex Neurodegenerative Diseases

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Current Genetic Medicine Reports
Volume 8, Issue 1, March 2020
https://link.springer.com/journal/40142/8/1

Bioinformatics
Network Analysis for Complex Neurodegenerative Diseases
Claudia Manzoni, Patrick A. Lewis, Raffaele Ferrari
Abstract

Purpose of Review
Biomedicine is witnessing a paradigm shift in the way complex disorders are investigated. In particular, the need for big data interpretation has led to the development of pipelines that require the cooperation of different fields of expertise, including medicine, functional biology, informatics, mathematics and systems biology. This review sits at the crossroad of different disciplines and surveys the recent developments in the use of graph theory (in the form of network analysis) to interpret large and different datasets in the context of complex neurodegenerative diseases. It aims at a professional audience with different backgrounds.

Recent Findings
Biomedicine has entered the era of big data, and this is actively changing the way we approach and perform research. The increase in size and power of biomedical studies has led to the establishment of multi-centre, international working groups coordinating open access platforms for data generation, storage and analysis. Particularly, pipelines for data interpretation are under development, and network analysis is gaining momentum since it represents a versatile approach to study complex systems made of interconnected multiple players.

Summary
We will describe the era of big data in biomedicine and survey the major freely accessible multi-omics datasets. We will then introduce the principles of graph theory and provide examples of network analysis applied to the interpretation of complex neurodegenerative disorders.

Conclusions
The research community is witnessing a very productive moment in biomedicine, experiencing an exponential growth in the amount of data that is generated with many initiatives taking place to improve the way we analyse data to extract biologically meaningful information to be translated for the benefit of medical practice. Of course, even if the computational power, the statistical approaches and the mathematics of graph theory are available, such paradigm shift in basic and applied research is still in its infancy. There still are levels of complexity that need to be overcome; for example, networks are more static than dynamic objects, where both edges and nodes can reconfigure themselves as in the real biological context [76•], and many omics datasets still lack that critical cell specificity type of information that would be necessary to draw more comprehensive functional conclusions. A specific initiative called Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessment and Methodology (DREAM) challenge (http://dreamchallenges.org) has been launched in 2006 as a crowdsourcing effort, where teams from all over the world are competing to develop the best performing pipelines to address compelling, big data problems in biomedicine. Analytical pipelines are being generated at a fast pace; however, these will need to stand the test of time; particularly, the next critical step will be validating the in silico findings, thus develop useful functional systems to model disease and highlight efficient endpoints for therapeutic drug intervention.

 

Research co-design in health: a rapid overview of reviews

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Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 15 Feb 2020]

 

Research co-design in health: a rapid overview of reviews
Billions of dollars are lost annually in health research that fails to create meaningful benefits for patients. Engaging in research co-design – the meaningful involvement of end-users in research – may help a…
Authors: Peter Slattery, Alexander K. Saeri and Peter Bragge
Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems 2020 18:17
Content type: Review
Published on: 11 February 2020

Review of published evidence on knowledge translation capacity, practice and support among researchers and research institutions in low- and middle-income countries

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Health Research Policy and Systems
http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content
[Accessed 15 Feb 2020]

 

Review of published evidence on knowledge translation capacity, practice and support among researchers and research institutions in low- and middle-income countries
Knowledge translation (KT) is a dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to yield beneficial outcomes for society. Effective K…
Authors: Violet Ibukayo Murunga, Rose Ndakala Oronje, Imelda Bates, Nadia Tagoe and Justin Pulford
Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems 2020 18:16
Content type: Review
Published on: 10 February 2020

The Crisis in Yemen

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Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
Number 76, January 2020
https://odihpn.org/magazine/the-crisis-in-yemen/

 

The Crisis in Yemen
by HPN
This edition of Humanitarian Exchange focuses on the crisis in Yemen. Since the war there began in 2014, thousands of civilians have been killed or injured and air strikes and ground operations have destroyed hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure. An estimated 80% of Yemenis need humanitarian assistance.

In the lead article, Laurie Lee highlights the critical role Yemenis and Yemeni organisations are playing in addressing the humanitarian challenges in the country, and how NGOs can better support them. Genevieve Gauthier and Marcus Skinner reinforce this point with reference to two local organisations, the Yemen Women’s Union and Al Hikma. Warda Saleh, the founder of another Yemeni grassroots organisation, discusses the increased risk of gender-based violence facing women and girls, while Ibrahim Jalal and Sherine El Taraboulsi-McCarthy focus on internal displacement and the opportunities for a more effective humanitarian response. Reflecting on child protection programming in Yemen, Mohammed Alshamaa  and Amanda Brydon conclude that multisectoral approaches with local authorities result in better and more sustainable outcomes. Padraic McCluskey and Jana Brandt consider the ethical dilemmas Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) faced in trying to balance quality and coverage in a mother and child hospital in Taiz. Lindsay Spainhour Baker and colleagues reflect on the challenges involved in gathering and analysing information on the humanitarian situation while Lamis Al-Iryani, Sikandra Kurdi and Sarah Palmer-Felgate discuss the findings from an evaluation of the Yemen Social Fund for Development (SFD) Cash for Nutrition programme. An article by Kristine Beckerle and Osamah Al-Fakih details Yemeni and international organisations’ efforts to document and mitigate harm to civilians caught up in the conflict. The edition ends with a piece by Fanny Pettibon, Anica Heinlein and Dhabie Brown outlining CARE’s advocacy on the arms trade.

Finally, readers will note that this edition is shorter than usual, largely because it was very difficult to persuade potential authors to write on the Yemen crisis. Many of the individuals and organisations we contacted were either too busy responding or were concerned that writing frankly about their work could negatively affect their operations. HPN has covered many similarly sensitive contexts in Humanitarian Exchange over the last 26 years, but this is the first time we have experienced such reluctance to engage. A worrying sign.

Re-evaluating herd protection by Vi typhoid vaccine in a cluster randomized trial

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International Health
Volume 12, Issue 2, February 2020
https://academic.oup.com/inthealth/issue/12/2

 

Articles
Re-evaluating herd protection by Vi typhoid vaccine in a cluster randomized trial
Mohammad Ali, Dipika Sur, Suman Kanungo, Firdausi Qadri, Deok Ryun Kim …
Int Health, Volume 12, Issue 1, January 2020, Pages 36–42, https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihz069

The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health — The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China

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International Journal of Infectious Diseases
February 2020 Volume 91, p1-270
https://www.ijidonline.com/issue/S1201-9712(19)X0020-X

 

Editorial
The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health — The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China
David S. Hui, Esam I Azhar, Tariq A. Madani, Francine Ntoumi, Richard Kock, Osman Dar, Giuseppe Ippolito, Timothy D. Mchugh, Ziad A. Memish, Christian Drosten, Alimuddin Zumla, Eskild Petersen
p264–266
Published online: January 14, 2020

Sharing Health Care Data With Digital Giants – Overcoming Obstacles and Reaping Benefits While Protecting Patients

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JAMA
February 11, 2020, Vol 323, No. 6, Pages 491-580
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

 

Viewpoint
Sharing Health Care Data With Digital Giants – Overcoming Obstacles and Reaping Benefits While Protecting Patients
Robert M. Wachter, MD; Christine K. Cassel, MD
JAMA. 2020;323(6):507-508. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.21215
This Viewpoint proposes principles of security, transparency, and privacy to guide data-sharing agreements between clinical organizations and digital technology companies as both seek electronic health record (EHR) data to grow their business and improve health care delivery and outcomes.

Artificial Intelligence in Health Care – A Report From the National Academy of Medicine

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JAMA
February 11, 2020, Vol 323, No. 6, Pages 491-580
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

 

Artificial Intelligence in Health Care – A Report From the National Academy of Medicine
Michael E. Matheny, MD, MS, MPH; Danielle Whicher, PhD, MHS; Sonoo Thadaney Israni, MBA
JAMA. 2020;323(6):509-510. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.21579
This Viewpoint summarizes the 2019 AI in Healthcare report from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), which reviews best practices for AI development, adoption, and maintenance and urges prioritization of equity, inclusion, and human rights in AI health system implementation.

Clinical Practices for Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination Among US Pediatric International Travelers

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JAMA Pediatrics
February 2020, Vol 174, No. 2, Pages 109-217
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

 

Original Investigation
Clinical Practices for Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination Among US Pediatric International Travelers
Emily P. Hyle, MD, MSc; Sowmya R. Rao, PhD; Audrey C. Bangs, BA; et al.
online only
JAMA Pediatr. 2020;174(2):e194515. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.4515
This cross-sectional study examines clinical practice regarding measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination of pediatric international travelers and assesses reasons for nonvaccination of infants and children identified as eligible for vaccination.

Provider Experience Recommending HPV Vaccination Before Age 11 Years

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Journal of Pediatrics
February 2020 Volume 217, p1-224
http://www.jpeds.com/current

 

Original Articles
Provider Experience Recommending HPV Vaccination Before Age 11 Years
Providers had positive experiences recommending HPV vaccination before age 11 years. Routine recommendation before age 11 years may offer advantages related to fewer shots per visit, fewer missed opportunities, and reduction of parental concerns related to sexual activity.
Dea L. Biancarelli, Mari-Lynn Drainoni, Rebecca B. Perkins
p92–97
Published online: November 19, 2019

A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster

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The Lancet
Feb 15, 2020 Volume 395 Number 10223 p467-536, e28-e32
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

 

A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster
Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, er al

Safety and immunogenicity of the oral, inactivated, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli vaccine ETVAX in Bangladeshi children and infants: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 1/2 trial

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Lancet Infectious Diseases
Feb 2020 Volume 20 Number 2 p145-260, e26-e62
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

 

Article
Safety and immunogenicity of the oral, inactivated, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli vaccine ETVAX in Bangladeshi children and infants: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 1/2 trial
Firdausi Qadri, et al
Open Access

The promise and challenge of therapeutic genome editing

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Nature
Volume 578 Issue 7794, 13 February 2020
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

 

Review Article | 12 February 2020
The promise and challenge of therapeutic genome editing
The scientific, technical and ethical aspects of using CRISPR technology for therapeutic applications in humans are discussed, highlighting both opportunities and challenges of this technology to treat, cure and prevent genetic disease.
Jennifer A. Doudna

Communication, collaboration and cooperation can stop the 2019 coronavirus

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Nature Medicine
Volume 26 Issue 2, February 2020
https://www.nature.com/nm/volumes/26/issues/2

 

Editorial | 03 February 2020
Communication, collaboration and cooperation can stop the 2019 coronavirus
As the outbreak of a deadly new coronavirus in China and its rapid spread is rattling countries, only the collective international experience and advances derived from past outbreaks can accelerate its control.

Novel vaccine technologies for the 21st century

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Nature Reviews Immunology
Volume 20 Issue 2, February 2020
https://www.nature.com/nri/volumes/20/issues/2

 

Year in Review | 11 November 2019
Novel vaccine technologies for the 21st century
New approaches to vaccine development have generated exciting results over the past 18 months. Focusing on respiratory syncytial virus infection, influenza and tuberculosis, Fauci and Mascola discuss the impact of structure-based vaccine design, gene-based vaccine platforms and advances in adjuvant development.
John R. Mascola  & Anthony S. Fauci

The Magic of Randomization versus the Myth of Real-World Evidence

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New England Journal of Medicine
February 13, 2020 Vol. 382 No. 7
http://www.nejm.org/toc/nejm/medical-journal

 

Sounding Board
The Magic of Randomization versus the Myth of Real-World Evidence
R. Collins, L. Bowman, M. Landray, and R. Peto
Nonrandomized observational analyses have been promoted as alternatives to randomized clinical trials. However, randomization ensures balance between groups, whereas nonrandomized studies are often biased by between-group differences. Efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of clinical trials are preferable to relying on observational studies.

Big Data in the Assessment of Pediatric Medication Safety

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Pediatrics
February 01, 2020; Volume 145,Issue 2
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/145/2

 

Special Article
Big Data in the Assessment of Pediatric Medication Safety
Ann W. McMahon, William O. Cooper, Jeffrey S. Brown, Bruce Carleton, Finale Doshi-Velez, Isaac Kohane, Jennifer L. Goldman, Mark A. Hoffman, Rishikesan Kamaleswaran, Michiyo Sakiyama, Shohko Sekine, Miriam C.J.M. Sturkenboom, Mark A. Turner, Robert M. Califf
Pediatrics, Feb 2020, 145 (2) e20190562

Emerging priorities for HIV service delivery

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PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 15 Feb 2020)

 

Emerging priorities for HIV service delivery
Nathan Ford, Elvin Geng, Tom Ellman, Catherine Orrell, Peter Ehrenkranz, Izukanji Sikazwe, Andreas Jahn, Miriam Rabkin, Stephen Ayisi Addo, Anna Grimsrud, Sydney Rosen, Isaac Zulu, William Reidy, Thabo Lejone, Tsitsi Apollo, Charles Holmes, Ana Francisca Kolling, Rosina Phate Lesihla, Huu Hai Nguyen, Baker Bakashaba, Lastone Chitembo, Ghion Tiriste, Meg Doherty, Helen Bygrave
Policy Forum | published 14 Feb 2020 PLOS Medicine
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003028

Opinion: Sustainable development must account for pandemic risk

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PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/
[Accessed 15 Feb 2020]

 

Front Matter
Opinion: Sustainable development must account for pandemic risk
Moreno Di Marco, Michelle L. Baker, Peter Daszak, Paul De Barro, Evan A. Eskew, Cecile M. Godde, Tom D. Harwood, Mario Herrero, Andrew J. Hoskins, Erica Johnson, William B. Karesh, Catherine Machalaba, Javier Navarro Garcia, Dean Paini, Rebecca Pirzl, Mark Stafford Smith, Carlos Zambrana-Torrelio, and Simon Ferrier
PNAS first published February 14, 2020.

Veridical data science

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PNAS – Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/
[Accessed 15 Feb 2020]

 

Veridical data science
Inaugural Article
Bin Yu and Karl Kumbier
PNAS first published February 13, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1901326117
Significance
Predictability, computability, and stability (PCS) are three core principles of data science. They embed the scientific principles of prediction and replication in data-driven decision making while recognizing the central role of computation. Based on these principles, we propose the PCS framework, including workflow and documentation (in R Markdown or Jupyter Notebook). The PCS framework aims at responsible, reliable, reproducible, and transparent analysis across fields of science, social science, engineering, business, and government. It can be used as a recommendation system for scientific hypothesis generation and experimental design. In particular, we propose (basic) PCS inference for reliability measures on data results, extending statistical inference to a much broader scope as current data science practice entails.
Abstract
Building and expanding on principles of statistics, machine learning, and scientific inquiry, we propose the predictability, computability, and stability (PCS) framework for veridical data science. Our framework, composed of both a workflow and documentation, aims to provide responsible, reliable, reproducible, and transparent results across the data science life cycle. The PCS workflow uses predictability as a reality check and considers the importance of computation in data collection/storage and algorithm design. It augments predictability and computability with an overarching stability principle. Stability expands on statistical uncertainty considerations to assess how human judgment calls impact data results through data and model/algorithm perturbations. As part of the PCS workflow, we develop PCS inference procedures, namely PCS perturbation intervals and PCS hypothesis testing, to investigate the stability of data results relative to problem formulation, data cleaning, modeling decisions, and interpretations. We illustrate PCS inference through neuroscience and genomics projects of our own and others. Moreover, we demonstrate its favorable performance over existing methods in terms of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves in high-dimensional, sparse linear model simulations, including a wide range of misspecified models. Finally, we propose PCS documentation based on R Markdown or Jupyter Notebook, with publicly available, reproducible codes and narratives to back up human choices made throughout an analysis. The PCS workflow and documentation are demonstrated in a genomics case study available on Zenodo.

Factors associated with adolescent HPV vaccination in the U.S.: A systematic review of reviews and multilevel framework to inform intervention development

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Preventive Medicine
Volume 131 February 2020
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/preventive-medicine/vol/131/suppl/C

 

Review article Abstract only
Factors associated with adolescent HPV vaccination in the U.S.: A systematic review of reviews and multilevel framework to inform intervention development
Serena A. Rodriguez, Patricia Dolan Mullen, Diana M. Lopez, Lara S. Savas, Maria E. Fernández
Article 105968

The Prioritization of Island Nations as Refuges from Extreme Pandemics

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Risk Analysis
Volume 40, Issue 2 Pages: 215-438 February 2020
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15396924/current

 

Original Research Articles
The Prioritization of Island Nations as Refuges from Extreme Pandemics
Matt Boyd, Nick Wilson
Pages: 227-239
First Published: 23 September 2019
Abstract
In this conceptual article with illustrative data, we suggest that it is useful to rank island nations as potential refuges for ensuring long‐term human survival in the face of catastrophic pandemics (or other relevant existential threats). Prioritization could identify the several island nations that are most suitable for targeting social and political preparations and further investment in resiliency. We outline a prioritization methodology and as an initial demonstration, we then provide example rankings by considering 20 sovereign island states (all with populations greater than 250,000 and no land borders). Results describe each nation in nine resilience‐relevant domains covering location, population, resources, and society according to published data

Why Have Immunization Efforts in Pakistan Failed to Achieve Global Standards of Vaccination Uptake and Infectious Disease Control?

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Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
https://www.dovepress.com/risk-management-and-healthcare-policy-archive56
[Accessed 15 Feb 2020]

 

Review
Why Have Immunization Efforts in Pakistan Failed to Achieve Global Standards of Vaccination Uptake and Infectious Disease Control?
Butt M, Mohammed R, Butt E, Butt S, Xiang J
Published Date: 12 February 2020

The effectiveness of influenza vaccination in pregnancy in relation to child health outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis

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Vaccine
Volume 38, Issue 7 Pages 1579-1868 (11 February 2020)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/vaccine/vol/38/issue/7

 

Review article Open access
The effectiveness of influenza vaccination in pregnancy in relation to child health outcomes: Systematic review and meta-analysis
J.R. Jarvis, R.B. Dorey, F.D.M. Warricker, N.A. Alwan, C.E. Jones
Pages 1601-1613