Reducing wasting in young children with preventive supplementation: a cohort study in Niger

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of wasting, stunting, and mortality among children aged 6 to 36 months who are receiving preventive supplementation with either ready-to-use supplementary foods (RUSFs) or ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Children aged 6 to 36 months in 12 villages of Maradi, Niger, (n = 1645) received a monthly distribution of RUSFs (247 kcal [3 spoons] per day) for 6 months or RUTFs (500-kcal sachet per day) for 4 months. We compared the incidence of wasting, stunting, and mortality among children who received preventive supplementation with RUSFs versus RUTFs. RESULTS: The effectiveness of RUSF supplementation depended on receipt of a previous preventive intervention. In villages in which a preventive supplementation program was previously implemented, the RUSF strategy was associated with a 46% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6%-69%) and 59% (95% CI: 17%-80%) reduction in wasting and severe wasting, respectively. In contrast, in villages in which the previous intervention was not implemented, we found no difference in the incidence of wasting or severe wasting according to type of supplementation. Compared with the RUTF strategy, the RUSF strategy was associated with a 19% (95% CI: 0%-34%) reduction in stunting overall. CONCLUSION: We found that the relative performance of a 6-month RUSF supplementation strategy versus a 4-month RUTF strategy varied with receipt of a previous nutritional intervention. Contextual factors will continue to be important in determining the dose and duration of supplementation that will be most effective, acceptable, and sustainable for a given setting

Characterizing the Heavy Elements in Globular Cluster M22 and an Empirical s-process Abundance Distribution Derived from the Two Stellar Groups

We present an empirical s-process abundance distribution derived with explicit knowledge of the r-process component in the low-metallicity globular cluster M22. We have obtained high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectra for 6 red giants in M22 using the MIKE spectrograph on the Magellan-Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. In each star we derive abundances for 44 species of 40 elements, including 24 elements heavier than zinc (Z=30) produced by neutron-capture reactions. Previous studies determined that 3 of these stars (the "r+s group") have an enhancement of s-process material relative to the other 3 stars (the "r-only group"). We confirm that the r+s group is moderately enriched in Pb relative to the r-only group. Both groups of stars were born with the same amount of r-process material, but s-process material was also present in the gas from which the r+s group formed. The s-process abundances are inconsistent with predictions for AGB stars with M =< 3 Msun and suggest an origin in more massive AGB stars capable of activating the Ne-22(alpha,n)Mg-25 reaction. We calculate the s-process "residual" by subtracting the r-process pattern in the r-only group from the abundances in the r+s group. In contrast to previous r- and s-process decompositions, this approach makes no assumptions about the r- and s-process distributions in the solar system and provides a unique opportunity to explore s-process yields in a metal-poor environment.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. 18 pages, 8 figure

Effect of Mass Supplementation with Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food during an anticipated nutritional emergency

Previous studies have shown the benefits of ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) distribution in reducing the incidence and prevalence of severe acute malnutrition

Perturbation of the Phases of Taylor Field Samples in the Synthesis of Linear and Circular Array Antennas

[Abstract] Antenna design specifications do not usually restrict the phase of the radiated field. Antenna synthesis techniques generally exploit this freedom only indirectly, but direct phase perturbation can be fruitful

Synthesis of Multi-Radial Line Antenna for HIPERLAN

This paper is a postprint of a paper submitted to and accepted for publication in journal Electronics Letters and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. The copy of record is available at IET Digital Library"[Abstract] We present a new antenna concept - the multi-radial travelling wave line antenna - that achieves a broadband conical radiation pattern suitable for use in multiple C-band wireless computer networks

New Toroidal Beam Antennas for WLAN Communications

[Abstract] The design of a number of new antennas that radiate linearly polarized toroidal beams is described. The developed procedures are based on the use of a method of moments commercial software tool. Several numerical examples, working at WLAN communication frequencies, are derived and analyzed. Two experimental prototypes validate the numerical result

The detailed chemical composition of the terrestrial planet host Kepler-10

Chemical abundance studies of the Sun and solar twins have demonstrated that the solar composition of refractory elements is depleted when compared to volatile elements, which could be due to the formation of terrestrial planets. In order to further examine this scenario, we conducted a line-by-line differential chemical abundance analysis of the terrestrial planet host Kepler-10 and fourteen of its stellar twins. Stellar parameters and elemental abundances of Kepler-10 and its stellar twins were obtained with very high precision using a strictly differential analysis of high quality CFHT, HET and Magellan spectra. When compared to the majority of thick disc twins, Kepler-10 shows a depletion in the refractory elements relative to the volatile elements, which could be due to the formation of terrestrial planets in the Kepler-10 system. The average abundance pattern corresponds to ~ 13 Earth masses, while the two known planets in Kepler-10 system have a combined ~ 20 Earth masses. For two of the eight thick disc twins, however, no depletion patterns are found. Although our results demonstrate that several factors (e.g., planet signature, stellar age, stellar birth location and Galactic chemical evolution) could lead to or affect abundance trends with condensation temperature, we find that the trends give further support for the planetary signature hypothesis.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA