Using non-nutritive sucking to support feeding development for premature infants: A commentary on approaches and current practice

Non-nutritive sucking is often used with premature infants by either using a pacifier or an expressed breast nipple to support the introduction and development of early oral feeding. The pattern of non-nutritive sucking is distinct in that it involves two sucks per second in contrast to nutritive sucking which is one suck per second. Although some literature has identified that non-nutritive sucking has some benefit for the premature infant’s feeding development, it is not entirely clear why such an approach is helpful as neurologically, activation of non-nutritive and nutritive skills are different. A summary is presented of the main approaches that use non-nutritive sucking with reference to the literature. This paper also considers other factors and beneficial approaches to managing the introduction of infant feeding. These are: the infant’s toleration of enteral feeds pre oral trials, overall development and gestational age when introducing oral experiences, developing swallowing skills before sucking, physiological stability, health status, as well as the development and interpretation of infant oral readiness signs and early communication

CCS Networks for the UK: Benefits, Impacts and Regulation

What benefits might be offered by developing well planned CCS networks? A review of the drivers for and barriers to the coherent development of CCS networks in the UK is used to synthesise a limited set of possible network topologies. The benefits offered by each topology for UK carbon dioxide and other atmospheric emissions are estimated. Other potential benefits are considered qualitatively, and a range of uncertainties identified. The complexity of CCS networks means that addressing these uncertainties is a challenging task, and the need for a whole systems approach is evaluated. Finally, implications for CCS regulation and policy are highlighted

The CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter at the LHC

The CMS detector at the LHC is in the final stages of preparation. The high resolution Electromagnetic Calorimeter, which consists of nearly 76000 lead tungstate crystals, will play a crucial role in the coming physics searches undertaken by CMS. The design, status, and initial performance of the calorimeter, in test beams and with cosmic rays, will be reviewed.Comment: ICHEP0

Managing eating and drinking difficulties (dysphagia) with children who have learning disabilities: What is effective?

People who work with children who have neurological and learning disabilities frequently need to manage the health and emotional risks associated with eating, drinking and swallowing (dysphagia). Some approaches can support children to develop oral feeding competence or to maximise their ability to maintain some oral intake supplemented with tube feeding. However, some clinicians feel that oral-motor exercises can support eating and drinking skills as well as speech and language development, whereas there is little evidence to support this. The implied “beneficial” association between oral-motor exercises, speech and swallowing skills gives a false impression in terms of future outcomes for parents and carers of children with learning disabilities. This paper considers oral-motor approaches in the remediation of dysphagia and the need for a cultural shift away from this view. Realistic and useful outcomes for people with learning disabilities need to be an essential part of therapeutic intervention

Last Settler’s Syndrome and Land Use Change in Southern Appalachia

In many rural areas land use patterns are shifting from agriculture or woodland to residential development. This is especially true in areas possessing significant natural amenities like the sweeping vistas, white-water rivers, and blue-ridged mountains of Southern Appalachia. As in-migration increases, decisions about land use can become heated as the “newcomers” square off with long-time residents. Understanding how various groups value both the land (as productive resource) and the landscape (as scenic amenity) can help address potential conflict when land use changes. Two independent projects in Watauga County, North Carolina, reflect attempts to understand perspectives on land use through an economic framework and to address land use change from an environmental perspective. Both projects reveal evidence of “last settler’s syndrome”—a tendency among individuals to place a high value on what initially attracted them to a specific place. Both also reveal situations of potential conflict when ideas about land use clash as well as situations for cooperation as various groups share values about land use. Key Words:

Facile syntheses of building blocks for the construction of phosphotyrosine mimetics

The copper-catalysed zinc phosphonate chemistry described by Yokomatsu and Shibuya can be used to enter the classical organometallic coupling repertoire via Stille and Suzuki–Miyaura couplings. 1,4-Diiodobenzene underwent coupling with the organozinc reagent derived from diethyl bromodifluoromethylphosphonate with copper(I) catalysis to afford diethyl (4-iodophenyl)difluoromethylphosphonate. Higher yielding couplings were run with (4-trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy)- and (4-nonafluorobutylsulfonyloxy)-iodobenzenes. The iodide and the triflate coupled under palladium-catalysed conditions with a range of stannanes and boronic acids in moderate to excellent yields. Shibuya–Yokomatsu couplings were also successful with more functionalised iodoarenes and heteroarenes presenting the important phosphate mimic on a range of scaffolds