1,039 research outputs found
The effectiveness of interventions to treat severe acute malnutrition in young children: a systematic review
No full textSevere acute malnutrition (SAM) arises as a consequence of a sudden period of food shortage and is associated with loss of a person’s body fat and wasting of their skeletal muscle. Many of those affected are already undernourished and are often susceptible to disease. Infants and young children are the most vulnerable as they require extra nutrition for growth and development, have comparatively limited energy reserves and depend on others. Undernutrition can have drastic and wide-ranging consequences for the child’s development and survival in the short and long term. Despite efforts made to treat SAM through different interventions and programmes, it continues to cause unacceptably high levels of mortality and morbidity. Uncertainty remains as to the most effective methods to treat severe acute malnutrition in young children.ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to treat infants and children aged < 5 years who have SAM.Data sourcesEight databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, CAB Abstracts Ovid, Bioline, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, EconLit EBSCO and The Cochrane Library) were searched to 2010. Bibliographies of included articles and grey literature sources were also searched. The project expert advisory group was asked to identify additional published and unpublished references.Review methodsPrior to the systematic review, a Delphi process involving international experts prioritised the research questions. Searches were conducted and two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were applied to the full texts of retrieved papers by one reviewer and checked independently by a second. Included studies were mapped to the research questions. Data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. Differences in opinion were resolved through discussion at each stage. Studies were synthesised through a narrative review with tabulation of the results.ResultsA total of 8954 records were screened, 224 full-text articles were retrieved, and 74 articles (describing 68 studies) met the inclusion criteria and were mapped. No evidence focused on treatment of children with SAM who were human immunodeficiency virus sero-positive, and no good-quality or adequately reported studies assessed treatments for SAM among infants < 6 months old. One randomised controlled trial investigated fluid resuscitation solutions for shock, with none adequately treating shock. Children with acute diarrhoea benefited from the use of hypo-osmolar oral rehydration solution (H-ORS) compared with the standard World Health Organization-oral rehydration solution (WHO-ORS). WHO-ORS was not significantly different from rehydration solution for malnutrition (ReSoMal), but the safety of ReSoMal was uncertain. A rice-based ORS was more beneficial than glucose-based ORSs, and provision of zinc plus a WHO-ORS had a favourable impact on diarrhoea and need for ORS. Comparisons of different diets in children with persistent diarrhoea produced conflicting findings. For treating infection, comparison of amoxicillin with ceftriaxone during inpatient therapy, and routine provision of antibiotics for 7 days versus no antibiotics during outpatient therapy of uncomplicated SAM, found that neither had a significant effect on recovery at the end of follow-up. No evidence mapped to the next three questions on factors that affect sustainability of programmes, long-term survival and readmission rates, the clinical effectiveness of management strategies for treating children with comorbidities such as tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori infection and the factors that limit the full implementation of treatment programmes. Comparison of treatment for SAM in different settings showed that children receiving inpatient care appear to do as well as those in ambulatory or home settings on anthropometric measures and response time to treatment. Longer-term follow-up showed limited differences between the different settings. The majority of evidence on methods for correcting micronutrient deficiencies considered zinc supplements; however, trials were heterogeneous and a firm conclusion about zinc was not reached. There was limited evidence on either supplementary potassium or nicotinic acid (each produced some benefits), and nucleotides (not associated with benefits). Evidence was identified for four of the five remaining questions, but not assessed because of resource limitation.LimitationsThe systematic review focused on key questions prioritised through a Delphi study and, as a consequence, did not encompass all elements in the management of SAM. In focusing on evidence from controlled studies with the most rigorous designs that were published in the English language, the systematic review may have excluded other forms of evidence. The systematic review identified several limitations in the evidence base for assessing the effectiveness of interventions for treating young children with severe acute malnutrition, including a lack of studies assessing the different interventions; limited details of study methods used; short follow-up post intervention or discharge; and heterogeneity in participants, interventions, settings, and outcome measures affecting generalisability.ConclusionsFor many of the most highly ranked questions evidence was lacking or inconclusive. More research is needed on a range of topic areas concerning the treatment of infants and children with SAM. Further research is required on most aspects of the management of SAM in children < 5 years, including intravenous resuscitation regimens for shock, management of subgroups (e.g. infants < 6 months old, infants and children with SAM who are human immunodeficiency virus sero-positive) and on the use of antibiotics.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Technology Assessment programme.<br/
Sam fox trot
No full textGift of Dr. Mary Jane Esplen.Piano [instrumentation]C major [key]Ragtime piano solo [form/genre]Fox [illustration]Dedicated to Irving C. Perkins [dedication]W [engraver]Publisher's advertisement on back cover [note
books piece profiling Portland author Alexander C. Irvine, and his debut scien
No full textbooks piece profiling Portland author Alexander C. Irvine, and his debut science fiction novel, A Scattering of Jades, published by Tor in 2002. Irvine has signed a deal with Del Ray to publish his next two books, and has been hired to write the next robot book for iBooks, who own the rights to extend Isaac Asimov\u27s legacy of robot future-history
Disarmament in the context of the international economic order
No full textThis paper focuses on an economic aspect of the disarmament question: the international market of armaments. I shall explore the thesis that arms trade is an increasingly important factor in North-South economic relations, that it affects not only international trade patterns, but also through trade, domestic patterns of economic development. Research assistance for this work was provided by Michael de Mello at Columbia University. In addition to the statistical sources in the references I shall be drawing as well on the results of a UNITAR study on technology, domestic distribution and North-South relations. (1)disarmament; armament; international market; international disarmament; arms trade; arms market; north; south; North-South; international trade; international trade patterns; domestic patterns of economic development; development; domestic economy; economic development; UNITAR; domestic distribution; technology; economic order; international economic order; export; import; commodity trade; trade patterns;
c-Fos whole-brain image stacks
No full textDownsampled image stacks of c-Fos-stained whole-brains for mice used for ClearMap analyses (Figure 2). Counts tables and statistical outputs for all regions analyzed in Figures 2-4 are provided as supplementary datasets. Raw image scans are available from the corresponding author (Sam A. Golden [email protected]) on reasonable request. </p
Physical dance performance: An investigation into the development of a performance technique based on the integration of certain Korean dance technique and contemporary Western styles of dance and physical theatre
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 04/10/2001.This development of a performer practice that integrates elements of traditional Korean dance technique and Western forms of physical theatre and contemporary dance is based on an approach to internal understanding and external execution. Central to the work is the concept of body energy, or Ki. This ancient Eastern term is translated into a contemporary practice that enables a performer to engage mental and physical training. Breath and the use of breath in performing are the principal means of achieving this level of engagement
Structural evaluation of 6-(10-mercaptodecoxyl) quinoline self-assembled monolayer on gold by reflectance absorption infrared spectroscopy
No full textSelf-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 6-(10-mercaptodecaoxyl)quinoline (MDQ) on gold was characterized by reflectance absorption infrared spectroscopy (RA-IR). The molecular orientation of MDQ in the SAM was totally evaluated by comparing the RA-IR spectrum of the SAM with a transmission spectrum of a KBr pellet. It was found that the alkyl chain exhibit a tilting angle of 24 +/- 5 degrees and a twisting angle of 50 +/- 5 degrees. The results suggested that the quinoline moieties in the SAM form an order layer upon the hydrocarbon chain and do not disturb the packing of the alkyl chains obviously. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.Materials Science, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)2ARTICLE,SI187-1908-
Attitudes Toward a Virtual Smoking Cessation Coach: Relationship and Willingness to Continue
No full textVirtual coaches have the potential to address the low adherence common to eHealth applications for behavior change by, for example, providing motivational support. However, given the multitude of factors affecting users’ attitudes toward virtual coaches, more insights are needed on how such virtual coaches can be designed to affect these attitudes in a specific use context positively. Especially valuable are insights that are based on users interacting with such a virtual coach for longer. We thus conducted a study in which more than 500 smokers interacted with the text-based virtual coach Sam in five sessions. In each session, Sam assigned smokers a new preparatory activity for quitting smoking and provided motivational support for doing the activity. Based on a mixed-methods analysis of users’ willingness to continue working and their relationship with Sam, we obtained eight themes for users’ attitudes toward Sam. These themes relate to whether Sam is seen as human or artificial, specific characteristics of Sam (e.g., caring character), the interaction with Sam, and the relationship with Sam. We used these themes to formulate literature-based recommendations to guide designers of virtual coaches for behavior change. For example, letting the virtual coach get to know users and disclose more information about itself may improve its relationship with users.Interactive Intelligenc
Systematic biochemical characterization of the SAM domains in Eph receptor family from Mus Musculus
No full textThe Eph receptor family is the largest subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases and well-known for their pivotal roles in axon guidance, synaptogenesis, artery/venous differentiation and tumorigenesis, etc. Activation of the Eph receptor needs multimerization of the receptors. The intracellular C-terminal SAM domain of Eph receptor was reported to mediate self -association of Eph receptors via the homo SAM SAM interaction. In this study, we systematically expressed and purified the SAM domain proteins of all fourteen Eph receptors of Mus musculus in Escherichia coli. The FPLC (fast protein liquid chromatography) results showed the recombinant SAM domains were highly homogeneous. Using CD (circular dichroism) spectrometry, we found that the secondary structure of all the SAM domains was typically alpha helical folded and remarkably similar. The thermo-stability tests showed that they were quite stable in solution. SEC-MALS (size exclusion chromatography coupled with multiple angle light scattering) results illustrated 200 mu M Eph SAM domains behaved as good monomers in the size-exclusion chromatography. More importantly, DLS (dynamic light scattering) results revealed the overwhelming majority of SAM domains was not multimerized in solution either at 200 mu M or 2000 mu M protein concentration, which indicating the SAM domain alone was not sufficient to mediate the polymerization of Eph receptor. In summary, our studies provided the systematic biochemical characterizations of the Eph receptor SAM domains and implied their roles in Eph receptor mediated signaling pathways. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.973 program grant from Minister of Science and Technology of China [2014CB910201]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [31400647, 81370522, 81572705]; Guangdong Natural Science Foundation [S2012010008170]SCI(E)[email protected]; [email protected]
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