68 research outputs found
Professional Behavior Attributes: A Survey of Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives
Professionalism in occupational therapy has been challenging to define due to differing values and behaviors across contexts and professions. There is a difference between how occupational therapy students and faculty view and comprehend professionalism suggesting that occupational therapists may not have an established sense of professionalism when entering the health care field for the first time. The study\u27s purpose was to examine occupational therapy faculty’s perceptions of essential professional behavior attributes that students should possess to succeed in occupational therapy practice. This study utilized a survey methodology to anonymously collect opinions from 150 occupational therapy faculty members across the United States regarding professional behavior attributes essential for entry-level occupational therapy education. Researchers found that the five most frequently observed professional behavior attributes in occupational therapy students were empathy, enthusiasm, being personable, having a positive attitude, and responsibility. The top seven most important professional behavior attributes were being clinically competent and ethical, having communication and interpersonal skills, and being adaptable, responsible, and empathetic. The results of this study indicate that occupational therapy faculty perceive that many vital attributes contribute to professionalism within the occupational therapy field and that teaching professionalism is an integral part of occupational therapy education. This study contributes to the current literature of defining professionalism within occupational therapy to better equip occupational therapy students entering into practice
Initial findings from a novel population-based child mortality surveillance approach: a descriptive study.
--- - Label: BACKGROUND NlmCategory: BACKGROUND content:
"Sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia contributed 81% of 5\xC2\xB79
million under-5 deaths and 77% of 2\xC2\xB76 million stillbirths
worldwide in 2015. Vital registration and verbal autopsy data
are mainstays for the estimation of leading causes of death, but
both are non-specific and focus on a single underlying cause. We
aimed to provide granular data on the contributory causes of
death in stillborn fetuses and in deceased neonates and children
younger than 5 years, to inform child mortality prevention
efforts." - Label: METHODS NlmCategory: METHODS content: "The
Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS)
Network was established at sites in seven countries (Baliakandi,
Bangladesh; Harar and Kersa, Ethiopia; Siaya and Kisumu, Kenya;
Bamako, Mali; Manhi\xC3\xA7a, Mozambique; Bombali, Sierra Leone;
and Soweto, South Africa) to collect standardised,
population-based, longitudinal data on under-5 mortality and
stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, to improve the
accuracy of determining causes of death. Here, we analysed data
obtained in the first 2 years after the implementation of CHAMPS
at the first five operational sites, during which surveillance
and post-mortem diagnostics, including minimally invasive tissue
sampling (MITS), were used. Data were abstracted from all
available clinical records of deceased children, and relevant
maternal health records were also extracted for stillbirths and
neonatal deaths, to incorporate reported pregnancy or delivery
complications. Expert panels followed standardised procedures to
characterise causal chains leading to death, including
underlying, intermediate (comorbid or antecedent causes), and
immediate causes of death for stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and
child (age 1-59 months) deaths." - Label: FINDINGS NlmCategory:
RESULTS content: Between Dec 10, 2016, and Dec 31, 2018, MITS
procedures were implemented at five sites in Mozambique, South
Africa, Kenya, Mali, and Bangladesh. We screened 2385 death
notifications for inclusion eligibility, following which 1295
families were approached for consent; consent was provided for
MITS by 963 (74%) of 1295 eligible cases approached. At least
one cause of death was identified in 912 (98%) of 933 cases (180
stillbirths, 449 neonatal deaths, and 304 child deaths); two or
more conditions were identified in the causal chain for 585
(63%) of 933 cases. The most common underlying causes of
stillbirth were perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (130 [72%] of 180
stillbirths) and congenital infection or sepsis (27 [15%]). The
most common underlying causes of neonatal death were preterm
birth complications (187 [42%] of 449 neonatal deaths),
perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (98 [22%]), and neonatal sepsis
(50 [11%]). The most common underlying causes of child deaths
were congenital birth defects (39 [13%] of 304 deaths), lower
respiratory infection (37 [12%]), and HIV (35 [12%]). In 503
(54%) of 933 cases, at least one contributory pathogen was
identified. Cytomegalovirus, Escherichia coli, group B
Streptococcus, and other infections contributed to 30 (17%) of
180 stillbirths. Among neonatal deaths with underlying
prematurity, 60% were precipitated by other infectious causes.
Of the 275 child deaths with infectious causes, the most common
contributory pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae (86 [31%]),
Streptococcus pneumoniae (54 [20%]), HIV (40 [15%]), and
cytomegalovirus (34 [12%]), and multiple infections were common.
Lower respiratory tract infection contributed to 174 (57%) of
304 child deaths. - Label: INTERPRETATION NlmCategory:
CONCLUSIONS content: Cause of death determination using MITS
enabled detailed characterisation of contributing conditions.
Global estimates of child mortality aetiologies, which are
currently based on a single syndromic cause for each death, will
be strengthened by findings from CHAMPS. This approach adds
specificity and provides a more complete overview of the chain
of events leading to death, highlighting multiple potential
interventions to prevent under-5 mortality and stillbirths. -
Label: FUNDING NlmCategory: BACKGROUND content: Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation
Loss of ATM kinase activity leads to embryonic lethality in mice
Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) mutated (ATM) is a key deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage signaling kinase that regulates DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoints, and apoptosis. The majority of patients with A-T, a cancer-prone neurodegenerative disease, present with null mutations in Atm. To determine whether the functions of ATM are mediated solely by its kinase activity, we generated two mouse models containing single, catalytically inactivating point mutations in Atm. In this paper, we show that, in contrast to Atm-null mice, both D2899A and Q2740P mutations cause early embryonic lethality in mice, without displaying dominant-negative interfering activity. Using conditional deletion, we find that the D2899A mutation in adult mice behaves largely similar to Atm-null cells but shows greater deficiency in homologous recombination (HR) as measured by hypersensitivity to poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibition and increased genomic instability. These results may explain why missense mutations with no detectable kinase activity are rarely found in patients with classical A-T. We propose that ATM kinase-inactive missense mutations, unless otherwise compensated for, interfere with HR during embryogenesis
Henipavirus RNA in African Bats
BACKGROUND: Henipaviruses (Hendra and Nipah virus) are highly pathogenic members of the family Paramyxoviridae. Fruit-eating bats of the Pteropus genus have been suggested as their natural reservoir. Human Henipavirus infections have been reported in a region extending from Australia via Malaysia into Bangladesh, compatible with the geographic range of Pteropus. These bats do not occur in continental Africa, but a whole range of other fruit bats is encountered. One of the most abundant is Eidolon helvum, the African Straw-coloured fruit bat. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Feces from E. helvum roosting in an urban setting in Kumasi/Ghana were tested for Henipavirus RNA. Sequences of three novel viruses in phylogenetic relationship to known Henipaviruses were detected. Virus RNA concentrations in feces were low. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The finding of novel putative Henipaviruses outside Australia and Asia contributes a significant extension of the region of potential endemicity of one of the most pathogenic virus genera known in humans
Initial findings from a novel population-based child mortality surveillance approach: a descriptive study.
BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia contributed 81% of 5·9 million under-5 deaths and 77% of 2·6 million stillbirths worldwide in 2015. Vital registration and verbal autopsy data are mainstays for the estimation of leading causes of death, but both are non-specific and focus on a single underlying cause. We aimed to provide granular data on the contributory causes of death in stillborn fetuses and in deceased neonates and children younger than 5 years, to inform child mortality prevention efforts. METHODS: The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network was established at sites in seven countries (Baliakandi, Bangladesh; Harar and Kersa, Ethiopia; Siaya and Kisumu, Kenya; Bamako, Mali; Manhiça, Mozambique; Bombali, Sierra Leone; and Soweto, South Africa) to collect standardised, population-based, longitudinal data on under-5 mortality and stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, to improve the accuracy of determining causes of death. Here, we analysed data obtained in the first 2 years after the implementation of CHAMPS at the first five operational sites, during which surveillance and post-mortem diagnostics, including minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), were used. Data were abstracted from all available clinical records of deceased children, and relevant maternal health records were also extracted for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, to incorporate reported pregnancy or delivery complications. Expert panels followed standardised procedures to characterise causal chains leading to death, including underlying, intermediate (comorbid or antecedent causes), and immediate causes of death for stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and child (age 1-59 months) deaths. FINDINGS: Between Dec 10, 2016, and Dec 31, 2018, MITS procedures were implemented at five sites in Mozambique, South Africa, Kenya, Mali, and Bangladesh. We screened 2385 death notifications for inclusion eligibility, following which 1295 families were approached for consent; consent was provided for MITS by 963 (74%) of 1295 eligible cases approached. At least one cause of death was identified in 912 (98%) of 933 cases (180 stillbirths, 449 neonatal deaths, and 304 child deaths); two or more conditions were identified in the causal chain for 585 (63%) of 933 cases. The most common underlying causes of stillbirth were perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (130 [72%] of 180 stillbirths) and congenital infection or sepsis (27 [15%]). The most common underlying causes of neonatal death were preterm birth complications (187 [42%] of 449 neonatal deaths), perinatal asphyxia or hypoxia (98 [22%]), and neonatal sepsis (50 [11%]). The most common underlying causes of child deaths were congenital birth defects (39 [13%] of 304 deaths), lower respiratory infection (37 [12%]), and HIV (35 [12%]). In 503 (54%) of 933 cases, at least one contributory pathogen was identified. Cytomegalovirus, Escherichia coli, group B Streptococcus, and other infections contributed to 30 (17%) of 180 stillbirths. Among neonatal deaths with underlying prematurity, 60% were precipitated by other infectious causes. Of the 275 child deaths with infectious causes, the most common contributory pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae (86 [31%]), Streptococcus pneumoniae (54 [20%]), HIV (40 [15%]), and cytomegalovirus (34 [12%]), and multiple infections were common. Lower respiratory tract infection contributed to 174 (57%) of 304 child deaths. INTERPRETATION: Cause of death determination using MITS enabled detailed characterisation of contributing conditions. Global estimates of child mortality aetiologies, which are currently based on a single syndromic cause for each death, will be strengthened by findings from CHAMPS. This approach adds specificity and provides a more complete overview of the chain of events leading to death, highlighting multiple potential interventions to prevent under-5 mortality and stillbirths. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
On Lower-Bound Traps: A Framework for the Analysis of Monetary Policy in the 'Age' of Central Banks
Mortality Surveillance Methods to Identify and Characterize Deaths in Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance Network Sites
Despite reductions over the past 2 decades, childhood
mortality remains high in low- and middle-income countries in
sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In these settings, children
often die at home, without contact with the health system, and
are neither accounted for, nor attributed with a cause of death.
In addition, when cause of death determinations occur, they
often use nonspecific methods. Consequently, findings from
models currently utilized to build national and global estimates
of causes of death are associated with substantial uncertainty.
Higher-quality data would enable stakeholders to effectively
target interventions for the leading causes of childhood
mortality, a critical component to achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals by eliminating preventable perinatal and
childhood deaths. The Child Health and Mortality Prevention
Surveillance (CHAMPS) Network tracks the causes of under-5
mortality and stillbirths at sites in sub-Saharan Africa and
South Asia through comprehensive mortality surveillance,
utilizing minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), postmortem
laboratory and pathology testing, verbal autopsy, and clinical
and demographic data. CHAMPS sites have established facility-
and community-based mortality notification systems, which aim to
report potentially eligible deaths, defined as under-5 deaths
and stillbirths within a defined catchment area, within 24-36
hours so that MITS can be conducted quickly after death. Where
MITS has been conducted, a final cause of death is determined by
an expert review panel. Data on cause of death will be provided
to local, national, and global stakeholders to inform strategies
to reduce perinatal and childhood mortality in sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia
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