Prima Donna

pages 84-8

Engaging Children and Families in Culturally Relevant Literacies

This article offers theoretical and practical strategies for engaging families, communities, and young children in culturally relevant and responsive early literacies. The authors highlight findings from data collected in their own classrooms and with families and communities for the Professional Dyads in Culturally Relevant (PDCRT) teaching project,[1] a collaborative research partnership (2013-2015) between teacher educator-teacher dads [2] aimed at generating, investigating, and documenting culturally relevant/responsive practices for early childhood contexts. [1]The PDCRT was initiated by Affirmative Action Committee of the Early Childhood Education Assembly of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). [2]University-School Partner

The Ambiguities of Home: The Shifting Meanings of Learning Across Spaces, Places, and Identities

This symposium explores how ‘home’ is a volatile mix of yearning and loss, of being at home or searching for it, and how it deeply affects all of us in a growingly interdependent as well as fragmented globalized world

Comparison of retention in observational cohorts and nested simulated HIV vaccine efficacy trials in the key populations in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes in observational studies may not best estimate those expected in the HIV vaccine efficacy trials. We compared retention in Simulated HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trials (SiVETs) and observational cohorts drawn from two key populations in Uganda. METHODS: Two SiVETs were nested within two observational cohorts, one in Fisherfolk (FF) and another one in Female Sex Workers (FSW). Adult participants in each observational cohort were screened for enrolment into SiVETs. Those screened-out or not screened continued participation in the observational (non-SiVET) cohorts. SiVET participants were administered a licensed hepatitis B vaccine in a schedule that mimicked an actual HIV vaccine efficacy trial. Both cohorts were followed for 12 months and retention was assessed through dropout, defined as lost to follow up, being uncontactable, refusal to continue or missing the last study clinic visit. Dropout rates were compared using Poisson models giving rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: Out of 1525 participants (565 FF and 960 FSW), 572 (38%) were enrolled into SiVETs (282-FF and 290-FSW), and 953 (62%) remained in the non-SiVET cohorts. Overall, 326 (101 SiVET, 225 non-SiVET) dropped out in 1260 Person Years of Observation (PYO), a dropout rate of 25.9 /100 PYO (95%CI: 23.2-28.8); fewer dropped out in the SiVET cohorts (18.4, 95% CI: 15.1-22.4) than in the non-SiVET cohorts (31.6, 95% CI: 27.8-36.1), rate ratio (RR) =0.58, 95% CI: 0.46-0.73. In all cohorts, the dropout was more marked in FSW than in FF population. Duration lived in community was associated with dropout in both SiVETs and religion in both non-SiVET cohorts. CONCLUSION: The rate of dropout was lower in SiVET compared to non-SiVET cohort. Though the difference in dropout between SiVET and non-SiVET was generally similar, the actual dropout rates were higher in the FSW population. Conduct of SiVETs in these key populations could mean that designing HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trials will benefit from lower dropout rate shown in SiVET than non-SiVET observational cohort

Comparison of HIV Risk Behaviors Between Clinical Trials and Observational Cohorts in Uganda.

Many key populations have high-risk behaviors for HIV infection making them suitable for HIV vaccine efficacy trials. However, these behaviors may change when participants enroll into a trial. We used HIV simulated vaccine efficacy trials (SiVETs) nested within observational cohorts of fisherfolks and female sex workers in Uganda to evaluate this difference. We screened observational cohort participants for enrolment into SiVETs, until 572 were enrolled. Those not enrolled (n = 953) continued participation in the observational cohorts. We determined risk behaviors at baseline and at 1 year, assigned a numeric score to each behavior and defined composite score as the sum of reported behaviors. We compared changes in scores over 12 months. Both observational cohorts and SiVETs saw a significant decrease in score but greatest in the SiVETs. Investigators recruiting for trials from these populations should consider the likely effect of reduction in risk behaviors on incident HIV infection and trial statistical power

Effects of risperidone on cognitive-motor performance and motor movements in chronically medicated children

This study was designed to explore the placebo-controlled effects of risperidone on cognitive-motor processes, dyskinetic movements, and behavior in children receiving maintenance risperidone therapy. Sixteen children aged 4-14 years with disruptive behavior were randomly assigned to drug order in a crossover study of risperidone and placebo for 2 weeks each. Dependent measures included tests of sustained attention, memory, visual matching, tremor, seat activity, abnormal movements, and parent behavior ratings. Results were compared by repeated measures ANOVA Fourteen boys and 2 girls with disruptive behavior and IQ ≤ 84 all completed the protocol. Risperidone was superior to placebo on response time (p = 0.01, ηP ^ 2 = 0.43) and seat movement (p < 0.05, ηP ^ 2 = 0.29) on a short-term memory task, and on a measure of static tremor (p = 0.05, ηP ^ 2 = 0.28). There was not a significant difference between treatment conditions on the Abnormal Involuntary Movement scale. Risperidone was superior to placebo on three subscales of the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form [Overly Sensitive (p < 0.01, ηP ^ 2 = 0.44), Conduct Problem (p = 0.02, ηP ^ 2 = 0.36), Hyperactivity (p = 0.03, ηP ^ 2 = 0.32)] and on the Hyperactivity/Noncompliance subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (p = 0.01, ηP ^ 2 = 0.41). Significant increases in heart rate (p = 0.05, ηP ^ 2 = 0.27) and weight (p = 0.02, ηP ^ 2 = 0.36) occurred in the risperidone condition. The findings suggest a beneficial effect of risperidone after several months of treatment on efficiency of responding, activity level, static tremor, and aspects of behavior

Clinically Actionable Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertriglyceridemia in Children with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in whom intervention for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglycerides was indicated based on National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter, longitudinal cohort study included children with NAFLD enrolled in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. Fasting lipid profiles were obtained at diagnosis. Standardized dietary recommendations were provided. After 1 year, lipid profiles were repeated and interpreted according to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction. Main outcomes were meeting criteria for clinically actionable dyslipidemia at baseline, and either achieving lipid goal at follow-up or meeting criteria for ongoing intervention. RESULTS: There were 585 participants, with a mean age of 12.8 years. The prevalence of children warranting intervention for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at baseline was 14%. After 1 year of recommended dietary changes, 51% achieved goal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 27% qualified for enhanced dietary and lifestyle modifications, and 22% met criteria for pharmacologic intervention. Elevated triglycerides were more prevalent, with 51% meeting criteria for intervention. At 1 year, 25% achieved goal triglycerides with diet and lifestyle changes, 38% met criteria for advanced dietary modifications, and 37% qualified for antihyperlipidemic medications. CONCLUSIONS: More than one-half of children with NAFLD met intervention thresholds for dyslipidemia. Based on the burden of clinically relevant dyslipidemia, lipid screening in children with NAFLD is warranted. Clinicians caring for children with NAFLD should be familiar with lipid management

Characteristics of HIV-Infected Children at Enrollment into Care and at Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in Central Africa

Background Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly updating guidelines to recommend earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children, timely enrollment into care and initiation of ART in sub-Saharan Africa in children lags behind that of adults. The impact of implementing increasingly less restrictive ART guidelines on ART initiation in Central Africa has not been described. Materials and Methods Data are from the Central Africa International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) pediatric cohort of 3,426 children (0±15 years) entering HIV care at 15 sites in Burundi, DRC, and Rwanda. Measures include CD4 count, WHO clinical stage, age, and weight-for-age Z score (WAZ), each at enrollment into HIV care and at ART initiation. Changes in the medians or proportions of each measure by year of enrollment and year of ART initiation were assessed to capture potential impacts of changing ART guidelines. Results Median age at care enrollment decreased from 77.2 months in 2004±05 to 30.3 months in 2012±13. The median age at ART initiation (n = 2058) decreased from 83.0 months in 2004±05 to 66.9 months in 2012±13. The proportion of children 24 months of age at enrollment increased from 12.7% in 2004±05 to 46.7% in 2012±13, and from 9.6% in 2004±05 to 24.2% in 2012±13 for ART initiation. The median CD4 count at enrollment into care increased from 563 (IQR: 275, 901) in 2004±05 to 660 (IQR: 339, 1071) cells/μl in 2012±13, and the median CD4 count at ART initiation increased from 310 (IQR:167, 600) in 2004±05 to 589 (IQR: 315, 1113) cells/μl in 2012±13. From 2004±05 to 2012±13, median WAZ improved from -2 (IQR: -3.4, -1.1) to -1 (IQR: -2.5, -0.2) at enrollment in care and from -2 (IQR: -3.8, -1.6) to -1 (IQR: -2.6, -0.4) at ART initiation. Discussion and Conclusion Although HIV-infected children 24 months of age accounted for half of all children enrolling in care in our cohort during 2012±13, they represented less than a quarter of all those who were initiated on ART during the same period. Further research is needed to identify barriers to timely diagnosis, linkage to care, and initiation of ART among children with HIV infection

A Cross-Sectional Study of People with Epilepsy and Neurocysticercosis in Tanzania: Clinical Characteristics and Diagnostic Approaches.

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a major cause of epilepsy in regions where pigs are free-ranging and hygiene is poor. Pork production is expected to increase in the next decade in sub-Saharan Africa, hence NCC will likely become more prevalent. In this study, people with epilepsy (PWE, n=212) were followed up 28.6 months after diagnosis of epilepsy. CT scans were performed, and serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of selected PWE were analysed. We compared the demographic data, clinical characteristics, and associated risk factors of PWE with and without NCC. PWE with NCC (n=35) were more likely to be older at first seizure (24.3 vs. 16.3 years, p=0.097), consumed more pork (97.1% vs. 73.6%, p=0.001), and were more often a member of the Iraqw tribe (94.3% vs. 67.8%, p=0.005) than PWE without NCC (n=177). PWE and NCC who were compliant with anti-epileptic medications had a significantly higher reduction of seizures (98.6% vs. 89.2%, p=0.046). Other characteristics such as gender, seizure frequency, compliance, past medical history, close contact with pigs, use of latrines and family history of seizures did not differ significantly between the two groups. The number of NCC lesions and active NCC lesions were significantly associated with a positive antibody result. The electroimmunotransfer blot, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was more sensitive than a commercial western blot, especially in PWE and cerebral calcifications. This is the first study to systematically compare the clinical characteristics of PWE due to NCC or other causes and to explore the utility of two different antibody tests for diagnosis of NCC in sub-Saharan Africa