Enteral lactoferrin supplementation for very preterm infants : a randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Infections acquired in hospital are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants. Several small trials have suggested that supplementing the enteral diet of very preterm infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein processed from cow's milk, prevents infections and associated complications. Methods: In this randomised, placebo-controlled trial, very preterm infants (born before 32 weeks' gestation) in 37 UK hospitals were allocated randomly (1:1) within 72 hours after birth to receive enteral bovine lactoferrin (150 mg/kg/day; maximum 300 mg/day) versus sucrose (same dose) once daily until 34 weeks' postmenstrual age. Web-based randomisation minimised for recruitment site, gestation (completed weeks), sex, and single versus multifetal pregnancy. Parents, caregivers and outcomes assessors were unaware of group assignment. The primary outcome was microbiologically-confirmed or clinically-suspected lateonset infection (occurring >72 hours after birth). The trial was registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number 88261002. Findings: We recruited 2203 participants between May 2014 and September 2017. Four infants had consent withdrawn or unconfirmed leaving 1098 infants in the lactoferrin group and 1101 in the sucrose group. Primary outcome data for 2182 infants were available for inclusion in the intention-to-treat analyses. In the intervention group, 316/1093 (28.9%) infants acquired a late-onset infection versus 334/1089 (30.7%) in the control group: risk ratio (RR) adjusted for minimisation factors 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86, 1.04). Pre-specified subgroup analyses did not show statistically significant interactions for gestation at birth (completed weeks') or type of enteral milk received (human, formula, or both). Interpretation: Enteral supplementation with bovine lactoferrin does not reduce the incidence of late-onset infection in very preterm infants. Funding: UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme (10/57/49)

Enteral lactoferrin supplementation for very preterm infants : a randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Infections acquired in hospital are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants. Several small trials have suggested that supplementing the enteral diet of very preterm infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein processed from cow's milk, prevents infections and associated complications. Methods: In this randomised, placebo-controlled trial, very preterm infants (born before 32 weeks' gestation) in 37 UK hospitals were allocated randomly (1:1) within 72 hours after birth to receive enteral bovine lactoferrin (150 mg/kg/day; maximum 300 mg/day) versus sucrose (same dose) once daily until 34 weeks' postmenstrual age. Web-based randomisation minimised for recruitment site, gestation (completed weeks), sex, and single versus multifetal pregnancy. Parents, caregivers and outcomes assessors were unaware of group assignment. The primary outcome was microbiologically-confirmed or clinically-suspected lateonset infection (occurring >72 hours after birth). The trial was registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number 88261002. Findings: We recruited 2203 participants between May 2014 and September 2017. Four infants had consent withdrawn or unconfirmed leaving 1098 infants in the lactoferrin group and 1101 in the sucrose group. Primary outcome data for 2182 infants were available for inclusion in the intention-to-treat analyses. In the intervention group, 316/1093 (28.9%) infants acquired a late-onset infection versus 334/1089 (30.7%) in the control group: risk ratio (RR) adjusted for minimisation factors 0.95 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86, 1.04). Pre-specified subgroup analyses did not show statistically significant interactions for gestation at birth (completed weeks') or type of enteral milk received (human, formula, or both). Interpretation: Enteral supplementation with bovine lactoferrin does not reduce the incidence of late-onset infection in very preterm infants. Funding: UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme (10/57/49)

Use of prior information in the consistent estimation of regression coefficients in measurement error models

A multivariate ultrastructural measurement error model is considered and it is assumed that some prior information is available in the form of exact linear restrictions on regression coefficients. Using the prior information along with the additional knowledge of covariance matrix of measurement errors associated with explanatory vector and reliability matrix, we have proposed three methodologies to construct the consistent estimators which also satisfy the given linear restrictions. Asymptotic distribution of these estimators is derived when measurement errors and random error component are not necessarily normally distributed. Dominance conditions for the superiority of one estimator over the other under the criterion of Löwner ordering are obtained for each case of the additional information. Some conditions are also proposed under which the use of a particular type of information will give a more efficient estimator.Measurement errors Exact linear restriction Ultrastructural model Reliability matrix Löwner ordering

Single crystal structure, electrical and electrochemical properties of the quaternary thiospinel: Ag<SUB>2</SUB>FeSn<SUB>3</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB>

Single crystals of Ag<SUB>2</SUB>FeSn<SUB>3</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB> have been obtained by heating pure metals and sulphur in evacuated silica tubes at 750 &#176;C. Structural analysis of Ag<SUB>2</SUB>FeSn<SUB>3</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB> by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis shows that it crystallizes in the Fd3&#176;m space group with a=10.5723 (4) &#197;. The room temperature resistivity for the above thiospinel is found to be 3.3&#215;10<SUP>4</SUP> &#x03A9; cm. The usefulness of this material as cathode in rechargeable lithium batteries is indicated by a discharge capacity of &#8776;107.7 A h/kg in 0.1 M LiClO<SUB>4</SUB> in THF when coupled with a lithium anode for several cycles

Investigation of cation-deficient quaternary thiospinels: single crystal study of Ag<SUB>1.4</SUB>Cr<SUB>1.47</SUB>Sn<SUB>2.53</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB>

Single crystals of the quaternary thiospinel Ag<SUB>1.41(1)</SUB>Cr<SUB>1.47(5)</SUB>Sn<SUB>2.52(5)</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB> have been obtained by heating stoichiometric mixtures of elemental metals and sulfur at 750 °C. Structural analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction shows that the above phase crystallizes in the View the Fd3̅m space group with a = 10.4142(3) Å (R<SUB>1</SUB> = 0.0156 and wR<SUB>2</SUB> = 0.0416). The Ag-deficiency has been confirmed by solving the structures of crystals prepared in different batches and was observed to vary slightly between crystals. Magnetic studies on a monophasic powder sample with a nominal composition of Ag<SUB>1.63</SUB>CrSn<SUB>3</SUB>S<SUB>8</SUB> indicates anti-ferromagnetic ordering at low temperature. The high temperature susceptibility leads to a magnetic moment of 3.45 B.M. suggesting that chromium exists predominantly in a trivalent state

Consistent estimation of regression coefficients in ultrastructural measurement error model using stochastic prior information

Consistent estimation, Measurement errors, Reliability matrix, Stochastic linear restriction, Ultrastructural model, 62J05, 62H12, 62P20,