Increasing Awareness and Use of Iodised Salt in a Marginalised Community Setting in North-West Pakistan

Iodine deficiency is still prevalent in parts of Pakistan, despite the introduction of a national Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Programme in 1994. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding the use of iodised salt in a brick kiln community, and to use this information to design an intervention to increase its consumption. A cross-sectional survey was used to assess the use of iodised salt and focus group discussions explored the attitudes and barriers to its use. Thematically analysed transcripts informed the design of a 4-month intervention. Iodised salt sales and urine iodine concentration (UIC) were monitored to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. At baseline, 2.6% of households reported use of iodised salt and barriers included its higher cost and belief about a negative impact on reproduction. During the intervention, sales of salt labelled as iodised increased by 45%, however this was not reflected in an increase in UIC. This study highlighted the positive impact of education and awareness raising on iodised salt consumption in a hard to reach, marginalised community. However, issues regarding adequate iodisation by local producers and appropriate storage also need to be urgently addressed at a provincial level

The Black Caribs (Garifuna) of Livingston, Guatemala: Genetic Markers and Admixture Estimates

This is the published version. Copyright 1981 Wayne State University Press.The Black Caribs (Garifuna) are descendants of West African and Amerindian groups from St. Vincent Island who were transplanted to the coast of Central America in 1797. The founding population, estimated at 2,500 to 5,000 persons, gave rise to 65,000 Black Caribs who presently reside in 54 fishing villages spread geographically from Stann Creek (Dangriga), Belize, to LaFe, Nicaragua. This paper documents the genetic variation observed for 24 blood group, red blood cell and serum protein systems in one of the Black Carib communities of Livingston, Guatemala. Admixture estimates, based upon Gm, suggest the following parental population contribution for Livingston: 70% African, 29% Indian and 1% European

The use of microfluidics and dielectrophoresis for separation, concentration, and identification of bacteria

Traditional bacterial identification methods take one to two days to complete, relying on large bacteria colonies for visual identification. In order to decrease this analysis time in a cost-effective manner, a method to sort and concentrate bacteria based on the bacteria\u27s characteristics itself is needed. One example of such a method is dielectrophoresis, which has been used by researchers to separate bacteria from sample debris and sort bacteria according to species. This work presents variations in which dielectrophoresis can be performed and their associated drawbacks and benefits specifically to bacterial identification. In addition, a potential microfluidic design will be discussed

Bostonia

Founded in 1900, Bostonia magazine is Boston University's main alumni publication, which covers alumni and student life, as well as university activities, events, and programs

Fast neutron tomography with real-time pulse-shape discrimination in organic scintillation detectors

A fast neutron tomography system based on the use of real-time pulse-shape discrimination in 7 organic liquid scintillation detectors is described. The system has been tested with a californium-252 source of dose rate 163 μSv/hr at 1 m and neutron emission rate of 1.5×107 per second into 4π and a maximum acquisition time of 2 hours, to characterize two 100 × 100 × 100 mm concrete samples. The first of these was a solid sample and the second has a vertical, cylindrical void. The experimental data, supported by simulations with both Monte Carlo methods and MATLAB ®, indicate that the presence of the internal cylindrical void, corners and inhomogeneities in the samples can be discerned. The potential for fast neutron assay of this type with the capability to probe hydrogenous features in large low-Z samples is discussed. Neutron tomography of bulk porous samples is achieved that combines effective penetration not possible with thermal neutrons in the absence of beam hardening

Appropriateness of Emergency Department Use in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Quality Improvement Opportunity

We sought to characterize emergency department (ED) encounters for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to identify areas for prevention

Implementable Strategies and Exploratory Considerations to Reduce Costs Associated with Anti-TNF Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease:

A health care system is needed where care is based on the best available evidence and is delivered reliably, efficiently, and less expensively (best care at lower cost). In gastroenterology, anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents represent the most effective medical therapeutic option for patients with moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but are very expensive and account for nearly a quarter of the cost of IBD care, representing a major area of present and future impact in direct health care costs. The ImproveCareNow Network, consisting of over 55 pediatric IBD centers, seeks ways to improve the value of care in IBD – curtailing unnecessary costs and promoting better health outcomes through systematic and incremental quality improvement initiatives. This report summarizes the key evidence to facilitate the cost-effective use of anti-TNF agents for patients with IBD. Our review outlines the scientific rationale for initiating cost-reducing measures in anti-TNF use and focuses on three implementable strategies and four exploratory considerations through practical clinical guidelines, as supported by existing evidence. Implementable strategies can be readily integrated into today’s daily practice, while exploratory considerations can guide research to support future implementation

Benefits, Barriers and Enablers of Breastfeeding: Factor Analysis of Population Perceptions in Western Australia

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate knowledge and community perceptions of breastfeeding in Western Australia using a factor analysis approach. Methods: Data were pooled from five Nutrition Monitoring Survey Series which included information on breastfeeding from 4,802 Western Australian adults aged 18–64 years. Tetrachoric factor analysis was conducted for data reduction and significant associations identified using logistic, ordinal and poisson regression analyses. Results: Four factors were derived for benefits (it’s natural, good nutrition, good for the baby, and convenience), barriers (breastfeeding problems, poor community acceptability, having to go back to work, and inconvenience) and for enablers (breastfeeding education, community support, family support and not having to work).As assessed by standardized odds ratios the most important covariates across benefit factors were: importance of breastfeeding (ORs range from 1.22–1.44),female gender (ORs range from 0.80 to 1.46), being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 0.96 to 1.27) and education (less than high school to university completion) (ORs range from 0.95 to 1.23); the most important covariate across barrier factors was being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 0.89 to 1.93); and the most important covariates across all enabling factors were education (ORs range from 1.14 to1.32) and being able to give a time for how long a baby should be breastfed (ORs range from 1.17 to 1.42).Conclusions: Being female, rating breastfeeding as important, believing that babies should be breastfed for a period of time and education accounted for most of the statistically significant associations. The differences between male and female perceptions require investigation particularly in relation to returning to work