CHILD NUTRITION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN VIETNAM IN THE 1990S

Child malnutrition is pervasive in almost every developing country. Economic growth can lead to better child nutrition, but the size and nature of this effect can vary widely across countries. This first part of this paper examines the impact of increased household income on children's nutritional status on Vietnam, a country with a high rate of economic growth in the 1990s. It finds that increases in household incomes lead to statistically significant improvements in children's nutritional status, but the size of this effect explains only a small proportion of the reduction in child malnutrition in Vietnam in the 1990s. This suggests that something else occurred in Vietnam during those years that reduced child malnutrition. A preliminary analysis of data on health services in rural areas suggests that specific types of services, particularly equipment for measuring and monitoring child growth, lead to improved child nutrition.Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Child nutrition, economic growth, and the provision of health care services in Vietnam in the 1990s

Vietnam's rapid economic growth in the 1990s greatly increased the incomes of Vietnamese households, which led to a dramatic decline in poverty. Over the same period, child malnutrition rates in Vietnam, as measured by low height for age in children under 5, fell from 50 percent in 1992-93 to 34 percent in 1997-98. Disparities exist, however, between different regions, urban and rural areas, ethnicities, and income quintiles. This dramatic improvement in child nutrition during a time of high economic growth suggests that the nutritional improvements are due to higher household incomes. The authors investigate whether this causal hypothesis is true by estimating the impact of household income growth on children's nutritional status in Vietnam. Different estimation methods applied to the 1992-93 and 1997-98 Vietnam Living Standards Survey data find that growth in household expenditures accounts for only a small proportion of the improvements in children's nutritional status. The authors use data on local health facilities to investigate the role that they may have played in raising children's nutritional status in Vietnam.Public Health Promotion,Health Systems Development&Reform,Early Child and Children's Health,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Housing&Human Habitats,Early Child and Children's Health,Street Children,Youth and Governance,Poverty Lines,Health Monitoring&Evaluation

Conditional cancer-specific mortality in T4, N1, or M1 prostate cancer: implications for long-term prognosis

Background: The risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) following a diagnosis of prostate cancer may improve after patients have survived a number of years after diagnosis. We sought to determine long-term conditional PCSM for patients with stage T4, N1, or M1 prostate cancer. Methods: We identified 66,817 patients diagnosed with stage IV (T4N0M0, N1M0, or M1) prostate cancer between 1973 and 2011 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Conditional five-year PCSM was evaluated for each group of patients at 5, 10, and 15 years of survival according to the Fine & Gray model for competing risks after adjusting for tumor grade, age, income level, and marital status. Race-stratified analyses were also performed. Results: There were 13,345 patients with T4 disease, 12,450 patients with N1 disease, and 41,022 patients with M1 disease. Median follow-up among survivors in the three groups was 123 months (range: 0-382 months), 61 months (range: 0-410 months), and 30 months (range: 0-370 months), respectively. Conditional PCSM improved in all three groups over time. Among patients with T4 disease, 5-year PCSM improved from 13.9% at diagnosis to 11.2%, 8.1%, and 6.5% conditioned on 5, 10, or 15 years of survival, respectively (p < 0.001 in all cases). In patients with N1 disease, 5-year PCSM increased within the first five years and decreased thereafter, from 18.9% at diagnosis to 21.4% (p < 0.001), 17.6% (p = 0.055), and 13.8% (p <0.001), respectively. In patients with metastatic disease, 5-year PCSM improved from 57.2% at diagnosis to 41.1%, 28.8%, and 20.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). White race was associated with Conditional mortality after T4, N1, or M1 prostate cancer--2 a greater increase in conditional survival compared to non-white race among those with T4 or N1 disease. Conclusions: While patients with T4, N1, or M1 prostate cancer are never “cured,” their odds of cancer-specific survival increase substantially after they have survived for 5 or more years. Physicians who take care of patients with prostate cancer can use this data to guide follow-up decisions and to counsel newly diagnosed patients and survivors regarding their long-term prognosis

Genomic conservation of cattle microsatellite loci in wild gaur (Bos gaurus) and current genetic status of this species in Vietnam

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The wild gaur (<it>Bos gaurus</it>) is an endangered wild cattle species. In Vietnam, the total number of wild gaurs is estimated at a maximum of 500 individuals. Inbreeding and genetic drift are current relevant threats to this small population size. Therefore, information about the genetic status of the Vietnamese wild gaur population is essential to develop strategies for conservation and effective long-term management for this species. In the present study, we performed cross-species amplification of 130 bovine microsatellite markers, in order to evaluate the applicability and conservation of cattle microsatellite loci in the wild gaur genome. The genetic diversity of Vietnamese wild gaur was also investigated, based on data collected from the 117 successfully amplified loci.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One hundred-thirty cattle microsatellite markers were tested on a panel of 11 animals. Efficient amplifications were observed for 117 markers (90%) with a total of 264 alleles, and of these, 68 (58.1%) gave polymorphic band patterns. The number of alleles per locus among the polymorphic markers ranged from two to six. Thirteen loci (<it>BM1314</it>, <it>BM2304</it>, <it>BM6017</it>, <it>BMC2228</it>, <it>BMS332</it>, <it>BMS911</it>, <it>CSSM023</it>, <it>ETH123</it>, <it>HAUT14</it>, <it>HEL11</it>, <it>HEL5</it>, <it>ILSTS005 </it>and <it>INRA189</it>) distributed on nine different cattle chromosomes failed to amplify wild gaur genomic DNA. Three cattle Y-chromosome specific microsatellite markers (<it>INRA124</it>, <it>INRA126 </it>and <it>BM861</it>) were also highly specific in wild gaur, only displaying an amplification product in the males. Genotype data collected from the 117 successfully amplified microsatellites were used to assess the genetic diversity of this species in Vietnam. Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) values varied between 0.083 and 0.767 with a mean of 0.252 while observed heterozygosities (<it>H</it>_<it>o</it>) ranged from 0.091 to 0.909 (mean of 0.269). Nei's unbiased mean heterozygosity and the mean allele number across loci were 0.298 and 2.2, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Extensive conservation of cattle microsatellite loci in the wild gaur genome, as shown by our results, indicated a high applicability of bovine microsatellites for genetic characterization and population genetic studies of this species. Moreover, the low genetic diversity observed in Vietnamese wild gaur further underlines the necessity of specific strategies and appropriate management plans to preserve this endangered species from extinction.</p

Tuberculosis patients' knowledge and beliefs about tuberculosis: a mixed methods study from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu

Background: The setting for this study was the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, an archipelago of 82 islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean. Our objective was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of tuberculosis (TB) patients towards TB. Methods. This was a descriptive study using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative analysis was based on the responses provided to closed questions, and we present frequencies to describe the TB patients' knowledge, attitudes and practice relating to TB. Qualitative analysis was based on open questions permitting fuller explanations. We used thematic analysis and developed a posteriori inductive categories to draw conclusions. Results: Thirty five TB patients were interviewed; 22 (63%) were male. They attributed TB to cigarettes, kava, alcohol, contaminated food, sharing eating utensils and "kastom" (the local term for the traditional way of life, but also for sorcery). Most (94%) did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. However, almost all TB patients (89%) thought that TB was best treated at a hospital with antibiotics. Three quarters (74%) experienced stigma after their TB diagnosis.Seeking health care from a traditional healer was common; 54% of TB patients stated that they would first consult a traditional healer for any illness. When seeking a diagnosis for signs and symptoms of TB, 34% first consulted a traditional healer. Patients cited cost, distance and beliefs about TB causation as reasons for first consulting a traditional healer or going to the hospital. Of the TB patients who consulted a traditional healer first, there was an average of two weeks delay before they consulted the health service. In some cases, however, the delay was up to six years. Conclusion: The majority of the TB patients interviewed did not attribute TB to a bacterial cause. Consulting a traditional healer for health care, including while seeking a diagnosis for TB symptoms, was common and may have delayed diagnosis. People require better information about TB to correct commonly held misperceptions about the disease. Traditional healers could also be engaged with the national TB programme, in order to refer people with signs and symptoms of TB to the nearest health service

Osteoarthritis Disease Severity in the Temporomandibular Joint and the Knee Joint: A Comparative Cadaveric Study

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the level of disease severity in a pilot cohort of temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and compare them to the pathology findings previously characterized in cadaveric knee joints. DESIGN: Thirty-one intact TMJs from 17 cadaveric donors were harvested and arthritic lesioning seen in the knee joint was investigated on the condyle and the fossa of the TMJ. Prevalence of gross alterations was equated and disease severity was determined for sex- and age-based donor pools using a validated, osteoarthritis (OA) disease severity scale (DSS). Knee joint DSS scores were also compared to the TMJ condyle and fossa DSS scores and a case study was carried out on a male donor that demonstrated severe OA in the both joints. RESULTS: The mandibular fossa demonstrated an increase in disease severity compared to the mandibular condyle in a mixed sex donor pool ( CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that gross signs of OA in the TMJs of cadavers are comparable to pathology found in the knee. The mandibular fossa appears to be the site of more profound disease, implying translational movements may be more likely to induce biomechanically abnormal movement, loading, and OA

Prophylactic and Therapeutic Efficacy of Avian Antibodies against Influenza Virus H5N1 and H1N1 in Mice

Background: Pandemic influenza poses a serious threat to global health and the world economy. While vaccines are currently under development, passive immunization could offer an alternative strategy to prevent and treat influenza virus infection. Attempts to develop monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been made. However, passive immunization based on mAbs may require a cocktail of mAbs with broader specificity in order to provide full protection since mAbs are generally specific for single epitopes. Chicken immunoglobulins (IgY) found in egg yolk have been used mainly for treatment of infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Because the recent epidemic of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) strain H5N1 has resulted in serious economic losses to the poultry industry, many countries including Vietnam have introduced mass vaccination of poultry with H5N1 virus vaccines. We reasoned that IgY from consumable eggs available in supermarkets in Vietnam could provide protection against infections with HPAIV H5N1. Methods and Findings: We found that H5N1-specific IgY that are prepared from eggs available in supermarkets in Vietnam by a rapid and simple water dilution method cross-protect against infections with HPAIV H5N1 and related H5N2 strains in mice. When administered intranasally before or after lethal infection, the IgY prevent the infection or significantly reduce viral replication resulting in complete recovery from the disease, respectively. We further generated H1N1 virus-specific IgY by immunization of hens with inactivated H1N1 A/PR/8/34 as a model virus for the current pandemic H1N1/09 and found that such H1N1-specific IgY protect mice from lethal influenza virus infection. Conclusions: The findings suggest that readily available H5N1-specific IgY offer an enormous source of valuable biological material to combat a potential H5N1 pandemic. In addition, our study provides a proof-of-concept for the approach using virus-specific IgY as affordable, safe, and effective alternative for the control of influenza outbreaks, including the current H1N1 pandemic

Structural and binding characterization of the LacdiNAc-specific adhesin (LabA; HopD) exodomain from Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) uses several outer membrane proteins for adhering to its host's gastric mucosa, an important step in establishing and preserving colonization. Several adhesins (SabA, BabA, HopQ) have been characterized in terms of their three-dimensional structure. A recent addition to the growing list of outer membrane porins is LabA (LacdiNAc-binding adhesin), which is thought to bind specifically to GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc, occurring in the gastric mucosa. LabA47-496 protein expressed as His-tagged protein in the periplasm of E. coli and purified via subtractive IMAC after TEV cleavage and subsequent size exclusion chromatography, resulted in bipyramidal crystals with good diffraction properties. Here, we describe the 2.06 ​Å resolution structure of the exodomain of LabA from H. pylori strain J99 (PDB ID: 6GMM). Strikingly, despite the relatively low levels of sequence identity with the other three structurally characterized adhesins (20–49%), LabA shares an L-shaped fold with SabA and BabA. The ‘head’ region contains a 4 ​+ ​3 α-helix bundle, with a small insertion domain consisting of a short antiparallel beta sheet and an unstructured region, not resolved in the crystal structure. Sequence alignment of LabA from different strains shows a high level of conservation in the N- and C-termini, and identifies two main types based on the length of the insertion domain (‘crown’ region), the ‘J99-type’ (insertion ~31 ​amino acids), and the H. pylori ‘26695 type’ (insertion ~46 ​amino acids). Analysis of ligand binding using Native Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS) together with solid phase-bound, ELISA-type assays could not confirm the originally described binding of GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc-containing oligosaccharides, in line with other recent reports, which also failed to confirm LacdiNAc binding

Interfractional Variations in the Setup of Pelvic Bony Anatomy and Soft Tissue, and Their Implications on the Delivery of Proton Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer

Purpose To quantify daily variations in the anatomy of patients undergoing radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma, to estimate their effect on dose distribution, and to evaluate the effectiveness of current standard planning and set-up approaches employed in proton therapy. Methods We used series of CT data, which included the pre-treatment scan, and between 21 and 43 in-room scans acquired on different treatment days, from 10 patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Variations in femur rotation angles, thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue, and physical depth to the distal surface of the prostate for lateral beam arrangement were recorded. Proton dose distributions were planned with the standard approach. Daily variations in the location of the prescription iso-dose were evaluated. Results In all 10 datasets, substantial variation was observed in the lateral tissue thickness (standard deviation of 1.7–3.6 mm for individual patients, variations of over 5 mm from the planning CT observed in all series), and femur rotation angle (standard deviation between 1.3–4.8°, with the maximum excursion exceeding 10° in 6 out of 10 datasets). Shifts in the position of treated volume (98% iso-dose) were correlated with the variations in the lateral tissue thickness. Conclusions Analysis suggests that, combined with image-guided set-up verification, the range compensator expansion technique prevents loss of dose to target due to femur rotation and soft tissue deformation, in the majority of cases. Anatomic changes coupled with the uncertainties of particle penetration in tissue restrict possibilities for margin reduction in proton therapy of prostate cancer

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

As computing becomes a mainstream discipline embedded in the school curriculum and acts as an enabler for an increasing range of academic disciplines in higher education, the literature on introductory programming is growing. Although there have been several reviews that focus on specific aspects of introductory programming, there has been no broad overview of the literature exploring recent trends across the breadth of introductory programming. This paper is the report of an ITiCSE working group that conducted a systematic review in order to gain an overview of the introductory programming literature. Partitioning the literature into papers addressing the student, teaching, the curriculum, and assessment, we explore trends, highlight advances in knowledge over the past 15 years, and indicate possible directions for future research