Production Costs and Expected Returns; Alternative Crop and Livestock Enterprises; Clay Soils in the Northern Portion of the Rolling Plains of Texas.

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Children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition with No Access to Supplementary Feeding Programmes Experience High Rates of Deterioration and No Improvement: Results from a Prospective Cohort Study in Rural Ethiopia

Background: Children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) have an increased risk of mortality, infections and impaired physical and cognitive development compared to well-nourished children. In parts of Ethiopia not considered chronically food insecure there are no supplementary feeding programmes (SFPs) for treating MAM. The short-term outcomes of children who have MAM in such areas are not currently described, and there remains an urgent need for evidence-based policy recommendations. Methods: We defined MAM as mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of ≥11.0cm and <12.5cm with no bilateral pitting oedema to include Ethiopian government and World Health Organisation cut-offs. We prospectively surveyed 884 children aged 6–59 months living with MAM in a rural area of Ethiopia not eligible for a supplementary feeding programme. Weekly home visits were made for seven months (28 weeks), covering the end of peak malnutrition through to the post-harvest period (the most food secure window), collecting anthropometric, socio-demographic and food security data. Results: By the end of the study follow up, 32.5% (287/884) remained with MAM, 9.3% (82/884) experienced at least one episode of SAM (MUAC <11cm and/or bilateral pitting oedema), and 0.9% (8/884) died. Only 54.2% of the children recovered with no episode of SAM by the end of the study. Of those who developed SAM half still had MAM at the end of the follow up period. The median (interquartile range) time to recovery was 9 (4–15) weeks. Children with the lowest MUAC at enrolment had a significantly higher risk of remaining with MAM and a lower chance of recovering. Conclusions: Children with MAM during the post-harvest season in an area not eligible for SFP experience an extremely high incidence of SAM and a low recovery rate. Not having a targeted nutrition-specific intervention to address MAM in this context places children with MAM at excessive risk of adverse outcomes. Further preventive and curative approaches should urgently be considered

The comparative responsiveness of Hospital Universitario Princesa Index and other composite indices for assessing rheumatoid arthritis activity

Objective To evaluate the responsiveness in terms of correlation of the Hospital Universitario La Princesa Index (HUPI) comparatively to the traditional composite indices used to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to compare the performance of HUPI-based response criteria with that of the EULAR response criteria. Methods Secondary data analysis from the following studies: ACT-RAY (clinical trial), PROAR (early RA cohort) and EMECAR (pre-biologic era long term RA cohort). Responsiveness was evaluated by: 1) comparing change from baseline (Delta) of HUPI with Delta in other scores by calculating correlation coefficients; 2) calculating standardised effect sizes. The accuracy of response by HUPI and by EULAR criteria was analyzed using linear regressions in which the dependent variable was change in global assessment by physician (Delta GDA-Phy). Results Delta HUPI correlation with change in all other indices ranged from 0.387 to 0.791); HUPI's standardized effect size was larger than those from the other indices in each database used. In ACT-RAY, depending on visit, between 65 and 80% of patients were equally classified by HUPI and EULAR response criteria. However, HUPI criteria were slightly more stringent, with higher percentage of patients classified as non-responder, especially at early visits. HUPI response criteria showed a slightly higher accuracy than EULAR response criteria when using Delta GDA-Phy as gold standard. Conclusion HUPI shows good responsiveness in terms of correlation in each studied scenario (clinical trial, early RA cohort, and established RA cohort). Response criteria by HUPI seem more stringent than EULAR''s

Advent (Video)

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatschapelservices/7938/thumbnail.jp

Advent

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatschapelservices/7939/thumbnail.jp

Performance Monitoring of a Nearshore Berm at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida: Final Report

This report documents the placement and monitoring of an active nearshore berm at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. From May to July 2009, mixed sand and finer sediment dredged from a nearby inlet were placed in the active littoral zone in the form of a bar-shaped nearshore berm. Six sets of beach-nearshore profile surveys and two periods of sediment sampling along profiles were collected. The Ft. Myers Beach nearshore berm migrated onshore roughly 300 ft during the first 2 years. The elevation of the berm crest increased up to 2 ft. Nearly half of the onshore migration occurred during the first 9 months post-construction. Greater distances of onshore migration were measured during the more energetic winter seasons than during calmer summer seasons. No offshore migration was measured during the entire 2-year study period. The shape of the nearshore berm evolved from a roughly symmetrical bell-shaped bar to a highly asymmetrical shape with a steep landward slope, typical of a landward migrating bar. At the end of the 2-year period, the berm migrated to roughly 150 to 200 ft from mean sea level shoreline. The dry beach landward of the berm and along the adjacent beaches remained stable over the 2-year period. A primary concern of this project was the dispersion of fine sediment following placement. Results of sediment sampling indicated that some of the fine material initially migrated in to the nearshore trough and was then dispersed further offshore after several months. Onshore-directed transport and deposition of coarser sand fractions and offshore-directed transport and deposition of fine fractions were observed. The nearshore berm had negligible influence on the characteristics of the dry beach sediment, which remained to be well-sorted, fine sand. The constructed berm showed considerable longshore variation in morphology, including several gaps/depressions. These gaps were maintained over the 2-year period, although longshore and cross-shore migrations were measured. Future studies should include continued monitoring to document potential attachment of the nearshore berm to the dry beach

Growth and development of paediatric patients with beta-thalassaemia treated with deferasirox for up to 5 years

15th Annual Meeting of the European-Hematology-Association -- JUN 10-13, 2010 -- Barcelona, SPAINWOS: 000279051301361European Hematol Asso