Mass deworming for improving health and cognition of children in endemic helminth areas: A systematic review and individual participant data network meta‐analysis

BackgroundSoil transmitted (or intestinal) helminths and schistosomes affect millions of children worldwide.ObjectivesTo use individual participant data network meta‐analysis (NMA) to explore the effects of different types and frequency of deworming drugs on anaemia, cognition and growth across potential effect modifiers.Search MethodsWe developed a search strategy with an information scientist to search MEDLINE, CINAHL, LILACS, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Econlit, Internet Documents in Economics Access Service (IDEAS), Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS), Social Services Abstracts, Global Health CABI and CAB Abstracts up to March 27, 2018. We also searched grey literature, websites, contacted authors and screened references of relevant systematic reviews.Selection CriteriaWe included randomised and quasirandomised deworming trials in children for deworming compared to placebo or other interventions with data on baseline infection.Data Collection and AnalysisWe conducted NMA with individual participant data (IPD), using a frequentist approach for random‐effects NMA. The covariates were: age, sex, weight, height, haemoglobin and infection intensity. The effect estimate chosen was the mean difference for the continuous outcome of interest.ResultsWe received data from 19 randomized controlled trials with 31,945 participants. Overall risk of bias was low. There were no statistically significant subgroup effects across any of the potential effect modifiers. However, analyses showed that there may be greater effects on weight for moderate to heavily infected children (very low certainty evidence).Authors' ConclusionsThis analysis reinforces the case against mass deworming at a population‐level, finding little effect on nutritional status or cognition. However, children with heavier intensity infections may benefit more. We urge the global community to adopt calls to make data available in open repositories to facilitate IPD analyses such as this, which aim to assess effects for the most vulnerable individuals.</div

A Highly Active Low Voltage Redox Mediator for Enhanced Rechargeability of Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Owing to its high theoretical specific energy, the Li-oxygen battery is one of the fundamentally most promising energy storage systems, but also one of the most challenging. Poor rechargeability, involving the oxidation of insoluble and insulating lithium peroxide (Li₂O₂), has remained the “Achilles’ heel” of this electrochemical energy storage system. We report here on a new redox mediator tris­[4-(diethylamino)­phenyl]­amine (TDPA), thatat 3.1 Vexhibits the lowest and closest potential redox couple compared to the equilibrium voltage of the Li-oxygen cell of those reported to date, with a second couple also at a low potential of 3.5 V. We show it is a soluble “catalyst” capable of lowering the Li₂O₂ charging potential by >0.8 V without requiring direct electrical contact of the peroxide and that it also facilitates high discharge capacities. Its chemical and electrochemical stability, fast diffusion kinetics, and two dynamic redox potentials represent a significant advance in oxygen-evolution catalysis. It enables Li–O₂ cells that can be recharged more than 100 cycles with average round-trip efficiencies >80%, opening a new avenue for practical Li-oxygen batteries

MOESM1 of Cost-effectiveness analysis of the diarrhea alleviation through zinc and oral rehydration therapy (DAZT) program in rural Gujarat India: an application of the net-benefit regression framework

Additional file 1: Table S1. DAZT intervention components according to activity in Gujarat

Nanostructured Metal Carbides for Aprotic Li–O₂ Batteries: New Insights into Interfacial Reactions and Cathode Stability

The development of nonaqueous Li–oxygen batteries, which relies on the reversible reaction of Li + O₂ to give lithium peroxide (Li₂O₂), is challenged by several factors, not the least being the high charging voltage that results when carbon is typically employed as the cathode host. We report here on the remarkably low 3.2 V potential for Li₂O₂ oxidation on a passivated nanostructured metallic carbide (Mo₂C), carbon-free cathode host. Online mass spectrometry coupled with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy unequivocally demonstrates that lithium peroxide is simultaneously oxidized together with the Li_<i>x</i>MoO₃-passivated conductive interface formed on the carbide, owing to their close redox potentials. The process rejuvenates the surface on each cycle upon electrochemical charge by releasing Li_<i>x</i>MoO₃ into the electrolyte, explaining the low charging potential

Screening for Superoxide Reactivity in Li-O₂ Batteries: Effect on Li₂O₂/LiOH Crystallization

Unraveling the fundamentals of Li-O₂ battery chemistry is crucial to develop practical cells with energy densities that could approach their high theoretical values. We report here a straightforward chemical approach that probes the outcome of the superoxide O₂^–, thought to initiate the electrochemical processes in the cell. We show that this serves as a good measure of electrolyte and binder stability. Superoxide readily dehydrofluorinates polyvinylidene to give byproducts that react with catalysts to produce LiOH. The Li₂O₂ product morphology is a function of these factors and can affect Li-O₂ cell performance. This methodology is widely applicable as a probe of other potential cell components

The Importance of Nanometric Passivating Films on Cathodes for Li–Air Batteries

Recently, there has been a transition from fully carbonaceous positive electrodes for the aprotic lithium oxygen battery to alternative materials and the use of redox mediator additives, in an attempt to lower the large electrochemical overpotentials associated with the charge reaction. However, the stabilizing or catalytic effect of these materials can become complicated due to the presence of major side-reactions observed during dis(charge). Here, we isolate the charge reaction from the discharge by utilizing electrodes prefilled with commercial lithium peroxide with a crystallite size of about 200–800 nm. Using a combination of S/TEM, online mass spectrometry, XPS, and electrochemical methods to probe the nature of surface films on carbon and conductive Ti-based nanoparticles, we show that oxygen evolution from lithium peroxide is strongly dependent on their surface properties. Insulating TiO₂ surface layers on TiC and TiN - even as thin as 3 nm–can completely inhibit the charge reaction under these conditions. On the other hand, TiC, which lacks this oxide film, readily facilitates oxidation of the bulk Li₂O₂ crystallites, at a much lower overpotential relative to carbon. Since oxidation of lithium oxygen battery cathodes is inevitable in these systems, precise control of the surface chemistry at the nanoscale becomes of upmost importance

Accuracy of Vital Rate Estimates using RMM community-based method in each setting, compared to estimates derived from full birth histories collected through a sample survey or census

<p>Accuracy of Vital Rate Estimates using RMM community-based method in each setting, compared to estimates derived from full birth histories collected through a sample survey or census</p

Implementation Timeline of RMM Community-based Method by Country Setting.

<p>Implementation Timeline of RMM Community-based Method by Country Setting.</p

Average sex ratio at birth for RMM data collected by community-based health workers compared with those from comparable full pregnancy histories for annualized periods

<p>Average sex ratio at birth for RMM data collected by community-based health workers compared with those from comparable full pregnancy histories for annualized periods</p

Reporting Completeness of Vital Events Information by CHBWs relative to the expected number of events estimated from full pregnancy histories collected through a sample survey or census

<p>Reporting Completeness of Vital Events Information by CHBWs relative to the expected number of events estimated from full pregnancy histories collected through a sample survey or census</p