Short interpregnancy interval and its predictors in Ethiopia: implications for policy and practice.

Introduction: interpregnancy interval (IPI) is the time elapsed between the birth of one live child and the conception of subsequent pregnancies. Several studies in Ethiopia indicated a high prevalence of a short interbirth interval - a proxy indicator of IPI. However, these studies were prone to selection bias as they did not include women who did not go on to have another pregnancy. Therefore, this study estimated the incidence of short IPI (< 24 months) and its risk factors among women who had at least one child in Ethiopia. Methods: we used a retrospective analysis of a cross-sectional study from the nationally representative Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey (EMDHS) conducted in 2019. The event was defined as the conception of the subsequent pregnancy within 24 months following the last child. A weighted Cox Proportional Hazard model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: the incidence of short IPI was 6%. Rural residence, being young age, low educational attainment, having the last child died and having female last birth were the risk factors for short IPI. However, having higher parity, attending Antenatal Care (ANC) visits, being delivered at a health facility, and receiving Postnatal Care (PNC) visits were the protective factors for short IPI. Conclusion: the incidence of short IPI in Ethiopia was considerable. Sociodemographic and health service-related factors determine the short IPI. Hence, considering the immediate and long-term health and socioeconomic consequences of short IPI, the Ethiopian government should implement holistic and multisectoral interventions

Quality Of Life Of Esophagectomized Patients: Adenocarcinoma Versus Squamous Cell Carcinoma [qualidade De Vida De Doentes Esofagectomizados: Adenocarcinoma Versus Carcinoma Epidermoide]

Objective: To evaluate and compare the quality of life (QOL) of patients undergoing esophagectomy for treatment of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in postoperative patients submitted to esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (ACA) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), using the SF-36 questionnaire applied in 24 patients (10 ACAs and 14 SCCs), from the 5th months postoperatively, including clinical symptoms and weight change. Results: The assessment of QOL showed the best functional capacity (p = 0.018) in the ACA group. There was a correlation between the domains "mental health" and "Role of Emotions" (p = 0.003) and between "pain" and "physical aspects limitation" (p = 0.003) in both histological types. Weight loss was greater in ACA (45.9 kg), with no significant difference between current BMI (p> 0.66). Dysphagia was reported by 83.3% of patients, anorexia by58.3%, chewing difficulty by 42%, nausea and vomiting by 41.7% and diarrhea by 29.2%, with no correlation with QOL reported (p> 0.05). Conclusion: The highest score for functional capacity indicates that ACA patients were able to perform all types of physical activity, including the more demanding, at a higher level than patients with SCC. Some symptoms persisted postoperatively, but did not affect the quality of life of patients.40139Corley, D.A., Buffler, P.A., Oesophageal and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas: Analysis of regional variation using the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents database (2001) Int J Epidemiol, 30 (6), pp. 1415-1425Jankowski, J.A., Perry, I., Harrison, R.F., Gastro-oesophageal cancer: Death at the junction (2000) BMJ, 321 (7259), pp. 463-464Tercioti, V., Lopes, L.R., Coelho Neto, J.S., Andreollo, N.A., New aspects of the neo-adjuvant therapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. A review of medical literature (2009) ABCD, Arq Bras Cir Dig, 22 (1), pp. 33-40Steffen, A., Schulze, M.B., Pischon, T., Dietrich, T., Molina, E., Chirlaque, M.D., Anthropometry and esophageal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (2009) Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 18 (7), pp. 2079-2089de Boer, A.G., van Lanschot, J.J., van Sandick, J.W., Hulscher, J.B., Stalmeier, P.F., de Haes, J.C., Quality of life after transhiatal compared with extended transthoracic resection for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (2004) J Clin Oncol, 22 (20), pp. 4202-4208Cense, H.A., Visser, M.R., van Sandick, J.W., de Boer, A.G., Lamme, B., Obertop, H., Quality of life after colon interposition by necessity for esophageal cancer replacement (2004) J Surg Oncol, 88 (1), pp. 32-38Blazeby, J.M., Farndon, J.R., Donovan, J., Alderson, D., A prospective longitudinal study examining the quality of life of patients with esophageal carcinoma (2000) Cancer, 88 (8), pp. 1781-1787Rosmolen, W.D., Boer, K.R., de Leeuw, R.J., Gamel, C.J., van Berge Henegouwen, M.I., Bergman, J.J., Quality of life and fear of cancer recurrence after endoscopic and surgical treatment for early neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus (2010) Endoscopy, 42 (7), pp. 525-531de Boer, A.G., Genovesi, P.I., Sprangers, M.A., van Sandick, J.W., Obertop, H., van Lanschot, J.J., Quality of life in long-term survivors after curative transhiatal oesophagectomy for oesophageal carcinoma (2000) Br J Surg, 87 (12), pp. 1716-1721McLarty, A.J., Deschamps, C., Trastek, V.F., Allen, M.S., Pairolero, P.C., Harmsen, W.S., Esophageal resection for cancer of the esophagus: Long- term function and quality of life (1997) Ann Thorac Surg, 63 (6), pp. 1568-1572Kirby, J.D., Quality of life after oesophagectomy: The patients' perspective (1999) Dis Esophagus, 12 (3), pp. 168-171(1993) El Estado Físico: Uso E Interpretación De La Antropometria, , OMS, Informe de un comité de Expertos de la OMS. Serie de informes técnicos 854, Genebra: OMSLipschitz, D.A., Screening for nutritional status in the elderly (1994) Prim Care, 21 (1), pp. 55-67Ware Jr., J.E., Sherbourne, C.D., The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection (1992) Med Care, 30 (6), pp. 473-483Ciconelli, R.M., Ferraz, M.B., Santos, W., Meinão, I., Quaresma, M.R., Tradução para a lingua portuguesa e validação do questionário genérico de avaliação de qualidade de vida SF-36 (Brasil SF-36) (1999) Rev Bras Reumatol, 39 (3), pp. 143-150Aaronson, N.K., Muller, M., Cohen, P.D., Essink-Bot, M.L., Fekkes, M., Sanderman, R., Translation, validation, and norming of the Dutch language version of the SF-36 Health Survey in community and chronic disease populations (1998) J Clin Epidemiol, 51 (11), pp. 1055-1068Jung, K.W., Talley, N.J., Romero, Y., Katzka, D.A., Schleck, C.D., Zinsmeister, A.R., Epidemiology and natural history of intestinal metaplasia of the gastroesophageal junction and Barrett's esophagus: A population-based study (2011) Am J Gastroenterol, 106 (8), pp. 1447-1455Modena, S.F., Meirelles, L.R., Araujo, M.R., Are the nitrites important in a Genesis of the adenocarcinoma associated to the Barrett esophagus? (2008) ABCD, Arq Bras Cir Dig, 21 (3), pp. 124-129Cooper, G.S., Yuan, Z., Chak, A., Rimm, A.A., Association of prediagnosis endoscopy with stage and survival in adenocarcinoma of the esophagus and gastric cardia (2002) Cancer, 95 (1), pp. 32-38Schembre, D., Arai, A., Levy, S., Farrel-Ross, M., Low, D., Quality of life esophagectomy and endoscopic therapy for Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia (2010) Dis Esophagus, 23 (6), pp. 458-464Sundelöf, M., Ye, W., Dickman, P.W., Lagergren, J., Improved survival in both histologic types of oesophageal cancer in Sweden (2002) Int J Cancer, 99 (5), pp. 751-754Brown, L.F., Kroenke, K., Theobald, D.E., Wu, J., (2011) Comparison of SF-36 Vitality Scale and Fatigue Symptom Inventory In Assessing Cancer-related Fatigue, 19 (8), pp. 1255-1259Zieren, H.U., Jacobi, C.A., Zieren, J., Müller, J.M., Quality of life following resection of oesophageal carcinoma (1996) Br J Surg, 83 (12), pp. 1772-1775Djärv, T., Lagergren, J., Blazeby, J.M., Lagergren, P., Long-term health-related quality of life following surgery for oesophageal cancer (2008) Br J Surg, 95 (9), pp. 1121-1126Tercioti Júnior, V., Lopes, L.R., Coelho Neto, J.S., Carvalheira, J.B., Andreollo, N.A., Eficácia local e complicações da terapêutica neoadjuvante no carcinoma epidermoide: Radioterapia versus ra-dioterapia associada à quimioterapia (2011) Rev Col Bras Cir, 38 (4), pp. 227-234Steinglass, P., Ostroff, J.S., Steinglass, A.S., Multiple family groups for adult cancer survivors and their families: A 1-day workshop model (2011) Fam Process, 50 (3), pp. 393-40

Co2 exchange and biomass development of the herbaceous vegetation in the portuguese montado ecosystem during spring

Montado are spatially heterogeneous ecosystems that are economically important for the production of cork and herbaceous biomass that provide fodder for animals. Understanding of how trees and the herbaceous layer interact to determine pasture yield and the overall CO2 exchange of the herbaceous layer is crucial. Portable chamberswere used to study CO2 exchange by the herbaceous layer component of the montado ecosystem in southern Portugal. Biomass, Net herbaceous layer CO2 exchange (NEE) and respiration (Reco) were measured in the open and understory locations between March and May, during the active growing period. Parameter fits on the NEE data were performed using empirical hyperbolic light response model, while ecosystem respiration (Reco) data were fitted with a two-parameter exponential model. Annual green biomass productions were 405.8 9.0 and 250.6 6.3 g m 2 in the open and the understory, respectively. The respective maximum NEE during the day were 24.0 2.9 and 9.6 2.2 mmol m 2 s 1 while maximum Reco were 20.6 2.2 and 10.0 1.6 mmol m 2 s 1, occurring in April. Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) explained more that 70% of variations in daytime NEE while soil temperature at 10 cm depth (Tsoil) explained >50% of the variations in Reco under non-limiting soil moisture conditions. Both the herbaceous layer communities shared similar plant functional types and no significant difference in nutrient nitrogen (N) occurred between them. The two herbaceous layer components shared similar physiological characteristics and differences that arose in their CO2 uptake capacities and green biomass production were the result of microclimatic differences created by tree shadin

ERP correlates of error processing during performance on the HalsteadCategory Test

The Halstead Category Test (HCT) is a neuropsychological test that measures a person's ability to formulate and apply abstract principles. Performance must be adjusted based on feedback after each trial and errors are common until the underlying rules are discovered. Event-related potential (ERP) studies associated with the HCT are lacking. This paper demonstrates the use of amethodology inspired on Singular SpectrumAnalysis (SSA) applied to EEG signals, to remove high amplitude ocular andmovement artifacts during performance on the test. This filtering technique introduces no phase or latency distortions, with minimum loss of relevant EEG information. Importantly, the test was applied in its original clinical format, without introducing adaptations to ERP recordings. After signal treatment, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) wave, which is related to error-processing, was identified. This component peaked around 250ms, after feedback, in fronto-central electrodes. As expected, errors elicited more negative amplitudes than correct responses. Results are discussed in terms of the increased clinical potential that coupling ERP informationwith behavioral performance data can bring to the specificity of theHCT in diagnosing different types of impairment in frontal brain function.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Magnetic states of granular layered CoFe-Al\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3eO\u3csub\u3e3\u3c/sub\u3e

The granular layered magnetic system Co80Fe20(t)/Al2 O3 (3 nm), where the Co80Fe20 layers of nominal thickness t form separate, almost spherical magnetic granules of typical diameter 2-3 nm between the Al2O3 spacers, was studied. We discuss measurements of the dc and ac magnetic susceptibility χ for 1 n