Extremely preterm infants receiving standard care receive very low levels of arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids

Background & aims Adequate supply of arachidonic (ARA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids is essential for brain development, and extremely preterm infants may be at risk of deficiency. Current levels of ARA and DHA given to extremely preterm infants and the amounts available for accretion have not been established, although recent evidence suggests DHA intake is at a level likely to lead to severe deficits. This study quantified the omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intakes from all sources in the first six weeks of life of preterm infants in standard care. In addition, the relationship between blood levels of circulating cytokines and PUFAs was explored. Methods Single centre longitudinal study with omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA intake data analysed from all sources for 17 infants born <28 weeks gestation. At six weeks of age the infants' whole-blood fatty acid levels were measured along with a range of cytokines and chemokines analysed by Luminex® multiplex array. Results ARA intake was significantly below international recommendations in weeks 1–5 (all p < 0.05), and DHA intake was significantly below recommendations in week 1 (p < 0.0001). The amounts of ARA and DHA available for accretion were significantly below estimated accretion rates in all weeks (all p < 0.001). Mean ARA and DHA intakes were correlated with their respective blood levels (r = 0.568, p = 0.017 and r = 0.704, p = 0.002). There were significant relationships between MIP-1β and blood DHA levels (rs = 0.559, p = 0.02) and between RANTES and omega-6:omega-3 PUFA ratio (rs = −0.498, p = 0.042). Conclusions This study establishes that extremely preterm infants receive insufficient intakes of ARA and DHA. Moreover, blood fatty acid levels may provide a useful measure of intake, where establishing sufficient consumption could have clinical importance. There may also be important interactions between long-chain PUFA status and markers of inflammation, which requires further study

Adapting HIV prevention evidence-based interventions in practice settings: an interview study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evidence-based interventions that are being delivered in real-world settings are adapted to enhance the external validity of these interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine multiple intervention adaptations made during pre-implementation, implementation, maintenance, and evolution phases of human immunodeficiency virus HIV prevention technology transfer. We examined two important categories of adaptations -- modifications to key characteristics, such as activities or delivery methods of interventions and reinvention of the interventions including addition and deletion of core elements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Study participants were thirty-four community-based organization staff who were implementing evidence-based interventions in Los Angeles, California. Participants were interviewed twice and interviews were professionally transcribed. Transcriptions were coded by two coders with good inter-rater reliability (kappa coefficient = 0.73). Sixty-two open-ended codes for adaptation activities, which were linked to 229 transcript segments, were categorized as modifications of key characteristics or reinvention.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participants described activities considered modifications to key characteristics and reinvention of evidence-based interventions during pre-implementation, implementation, and maintenance phases. None of the participants reported accessing technical assistance or guidance when reinventing their interventions. Staff executed many of the recommended steps for sound adaptation of these interventions for new populations and settings.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Staff reported modifying and reinventing interventions when translating HIV prevention programs into practice. Targeted technical assistance for formative evaluation should be focused on the pre-implementation phase during which frequent modifications occur. Continuous or repeated measurements of fidelity are recommended. Increased technical assistance and guidance are needed to ensure that reinventions are evaluated and consistent with the aims of the original interventions. Providing strategic technical assistance and written guidance can facilitate effective HIV prevention technology transfer of evidence-based interventions.</p

Mapping the knowledge structure of a gluten-free diet: a global perspective

Abstract Background A gluten-free diet (GFD) has become one of the most popular eating plans and is essential for managing gluten-related medical conditions, signs, and symptoms. Therefore, we performed a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on the GFD to describe the research landscape. Methods The Scopus database was searched for publications on the GFD from 1952 to 2021. A bibliometric analysis of the data was performed. VOSviewer software was used to perform visualization analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and publication trends in GFD. Results A total of 3,258 publications were retrieved. In terms of publications, Italy (n = 468, 14.36%) led in the number of publications, followed by the USA (n = 398, 12.22%) and Spain (n = 274, 8.41%). The retrieved documents earned an average of 22.89 citations per document, for a total of 74,560 citations. Since 2001, there has been a gradual growth in the number of articles published, going from 23 to more than 370 in 2021. Using the mapping terms in the title/abstract a minimum of 50 times, 291 terms were divided into two main clusters: ‘adherence to a gluten-free diet in celiac disease’ and ‘improvement of the nutritional and sensory quality of gluten-free products.’ Conclusions Over the past six decades, there has been a growing need for gluten-free bakery products and a noticeable increase in related publications. This study indicates that the “improvement of the nutritional and sensory quality of gluten-free products” will remain a hotspot in this research field for upcoming years

Chapter 7 - magnesium silicate

A comprehensive profile of magnesium silicate with 80 references is reported. A full description including nomenclature, formulae, and appearance is included. Methods for magnesium silicate preparation including precipitation, hydrothermal precipitation, and mechanochemical dehydration are reviewed. Physical characteristics, compendia and non compendia analytical methods, uses, stability and incompatibilities, biodegradability, toxicity, and substances related to magnesium silicate are also discussed

Amino- and thiol-modified microporous silicalite-1 and mesoporous MCM-48 materials as potential effective adsorbents for Pb(II) in polluted aquatic systems

Aluminum-free zeolite silicalite-1 and the ordered mesoporous silicates Mobile Crystalline Material No. 48 (MCM-48) were prepared and functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) for the enhancement of adsorption capacity. Functionalization via post synthesis grafting method was adopted and the functionalized silicate systems were denoted as silicalite-1-NH 2 , silcalite-1-SH, MCM-48-NH 2 and MCM-48-SH. Functionalization, that was confirmed by XRD, FT-IR and surface area measurements, indicated no structural changes on the silicate materials. The adsorption of Pb(II) ions into these modified silicates was investigated in aqueous solutions with optimized pH at 5.5 where adsorption influencing factors including contact time, adsorbent dose and metal ion initial concentration were studied. Adsorption experimental data for silicalite-1-NH 2 , MCM-48-NH 2 and MCM-48-SH showed satisfactory correlation with Langmuir and Freundlich models. According to Langmuir isotherm, the maximum capacities for the above three modified silicate systems, for 100 ppm Pb(II) dose, are 43.5, 75.2 and 31.2 mg/g and with K f constant values of 16.9, 44.4 and 12.0 L/mg from Freundlich isotherm, respectively. The three modified silicate systems exhibited complete sequestration of Pb(II) ion concentrations in the range 0.48–1.7 ppm from samples collected from Zarqa River in four seasons of the year 2013

Institutional Interaction in Global Environmental Governance: The Case of the Cartagena Protocol and the World Trade Organization

The competitive quest of the Cartagena Protocol and the WTO for authority to regulate international trade in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) exemplifies a typical interaction between international institutions with diverging objectives. This article first develops a conceptual framework for the analysis of institutional interaction that emphasizes disaggregation of complex interaction situations into separate cases of clearly directed inter-institutional influence. These cases can follow different causal mechanisms. Second, applying this framework to the interaction between the Cartagena Protocol and the WTO reveals that existing commitments have driven parties toward a step-wise delimitation of the institutions' jurisdictions. Although the WTO acquired a firstmover advantage by structuring the regulatory field, the Cartagena Protocol showed surprising strength in exploiting the remaining room for maneuver. The structure of international governance thus steers institutions with differing objectives toward a jurisdictional balance that, while reflecting existing power relations, limits the potential for conflict and frames available policy choices. Copyright (c) 2006 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.