National evaluation of the neighbourhood nurseries: impact report

This study assessed the impact of NNI on parental employment, use of formal childcare, and take-up of benefits and tax credits, particularly for disadvantaged groups such as lone parents, low income families and ethnic minority groups

Feeding interventions for growth and development in infants with cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate.

BACKGROUND: Cleft lip and cleft palate are common birth defects, affecting about one baby of every 700 born. Feeding these babies is an immediate concern and there is evidence of delay in growth of children with a cleft as compared to those without clefting. In an effort to combat reduced weight for height, a variety of advice and devices are recommended to aid feeding of babies with clefts. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to assess the effects of these feeding interventions in babies with cleft lip and/or palate on growth, development and parental satisfaction. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following electronic databases were searched: the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register (to 27 October 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 4), MEDLINE via OVID (1950 to 27 October 2010), EMBASE via OVID (1980 to 27 October 2010), PsycINFO via OVID (1950 to 27 October 2010) and CINAHL via EBSCO (1980 to 27 October 2010). Attempts were made to identify both unpublished and ongoing studies. There was no restriction with regard to language of publication. SELECTION CRITERIA: Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of feeding interventions for babies born with cleft lip, cleft palate or cleft lip and palate up to the age of 6 months (from term). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Studies were assessed for relevance independently and in duplicate. All studies meeting the inclusion criteria were data extracted and assessed for validity independently by each member of the review team. Authors were contacted for clarification or missing information whenever possible. MAIN RESULTS: Five RCTs with a total of 292 babies, were included in the review. Comparisons made within the RCTs were squeezable versus rigid feeding bottles (two studies), breastfeeding versus spoon-feeding (one study) and maxillary plate versus no plate (two studies). No statistically significant differences were shown for any of the primary outcomes when comparing bottle types, although squeezable bottles were less likely to require modification. No difference was shown for infants fitted with a maxillary plate compared to no plate. However, there was some evidence of an effect on weight at 6 weeks post-surgery in favour of breastfeeding when compared to spoon-feeding (mean difference 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.74). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Squeezable bottles appear easier to use than rigid feeding bottles for babies born with clefts of the lip and/or palate, however, there is no evidence of a difference in growth outcomes between the bottle types. There is weak evidence that breastfeeding is better than spoon-feeding following surgery for cleft. There was no evidence to suggest that maxillary plates assist growth in babies with clefts of the palate. No evidence was found to assess the use of any types of maternal advice and/or support for these babies

Selection Effects, Biases, and Constraints in the Calan/Tololo Supernova Survey

We use Monte Carlo simulations of the Calan/Tololo photographic supernova survey to show that a simple model of the survey's selection effects accounts for the observed distributions of recession velocity, apparent magnitude, angular offset, and projected radial distance between the supernova and the host galaxy nucleus for this sample of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). The model includes biases due to the flux-limited nature of the survey, the different light curve morphologies displayed by different SNe Ia, and the difficulty of finding events projected near the central regions of the host galaxies. From these simulations we estimate the bias in the zero-point and slope of the absolute magnitude-decline rate relation used in SNe Ia distance measurements. For an assumed intrinsic scatter of 0.15 mag about this relation, these selection effects decrease the zero-point by 0.04 mag. The slope of the relation is not significantly biased. We conclude that despite selection effects in the survey, the shape and zero-point of the relation determined from the Calan/Tololo sample are quite reliable. We estimate the degree of incompleteness of the survey as a function of decline rate and estimate a corrected luminosity function for SNe Ia in which the frequency of SNe appears to increase with decline rate (the fainter SNe are more common). Finally, we compute the integrated detection efficiency of the survey in order to infer the rate of SNe Ia from the 31 events found. For a value of Ho=65 km/sec/Mpc we obtain a SN Ia rate of 0.21(+0.30)(-0.13) SNu. This is in good agreement with the value 0.16+/-0.05 SNu recently determined by Capellaro et al. (1997).Comment: 36 pages, 19 figures as extra files, to appear in the A

An investigation of some reactions of aluminium hydroborate

The reaction of aluminium hydroborate with alcohols and thiols is discussed, and this is extended to cover possible mechanisms for hydrolysis. The course of the reaction was found to be dependent on the structural type of alcohol or thiol used. Substitution of a thio alkyl group for hydroborate led to preparation of the type of compound RSA1(BH₄ )₂ (where R = methyl, ethyl, benzyl) and properties of these compounds are discussed. Using an exchange reaction of aluminium hydroborate with alkyl borates , corresponding compounds of the type RO Al(BH₄)₂ (R = methyl, ethyl) were prepared, and their properties ascertained. The behaviour of aluminium hydroborate with triethyl and trimethyl borane is considered. This work suggests that there is an exchange between the terminal hydrogens of the hydroborate groups and the borane alkyl groups, resultingin B-a!kylated aluminiumhydroborates. B-alkylated hydroborates a real so believed to be formed from a novel reaction between triethyl a lane and tetraethyl diborane. Some chemistryof the octahydrotriborate group linked to aluminium is also discussed. Starting from dimethyl aluminiumoctahydrotriborate an exchange reaction with excess aluminiumhydroborate yields aluminiumoctahydrotriborate bis hydroborate. The properties of both compounds are discussed, and the relevance of the latter to aluminium hydroborate decomposition is noted. The practical work involved extensive use of vacuum line and inert atmosphere techniques, and infra-red and n.m.r.spectral details were very useful

The Complex Time WKB Approximation And Particle Production

The complex time WKB (CWKB) approximation has been an effective technique to understand particle production in curved as well as in flat spacetime. Earlier we obtained the standard results on particle production in time dependent gauge in various curved spacetime. In the present work we generalize the technique of CWKB to the equivalent problems in space dependent gauge. Using CWKB, we first obtain the gauge invariant result for particle production in Minkowski spacetime in strong electric field. We then carry out particle production in de-Sitter spacetime in space dependent gauge and obtain the same result that we obtained earlier in time dependent gauge. The results obtained for de-Sitter spacetime has a obvious extension to particle production in black hole spacetime. It is found that the origin of Planckian spectrum is due to repeated reflections between the turning points. As mentioned earlier, it is now explicitly shown that particle production is accompanied by rotation of currents.Comment: 12 pages, Revte

Nurturing health-related online support groups:exploring the experience of patient moderators

The aim of this study was to examine the views of moderators across a diverse and geographically broad range of online support groups about their moderator experiences and to explore both the personal benefits as well as challenges involved. Thirty-three patient moderators completed an online questionnaire which included a series of open-ended questions. Thematic analysis identified three themes: emergence, empowerment, nurturing. Several moderators declared their own diagnosis and for some, being able to share personal insights motivated them to establish the group and in turn offered validation. They felt empowered by helping others and learned more about the condition through accessing the "communal brain". Some felt the group aided patients' access to health services and their ability to communicate with health professionals while others worried about them becoming over-dependent. Moderators described needing to nurture their group to ensure it offered a safe space for members. Clear rules of engagement, trust, organisation skills, compassion and kindness were considered essential. Patient moderated online support groups can be successfully developed and facilitated and can be empowering for both the group member and moderator alike

How do Cochrane authors conduct web searching to identify studies? Findings from a cross-sectional sample of Cochrane Reviews

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordBACKGROUND: Searching the World Wide Web using search engines and websites can be conducted to identify studies for systematic reviews. When searching to support systematic reviews, the searcher faces challenges in using the basic search interfaces of most search engines and websites. OBJECTIVES: To describe and evaluate current practice of web searching in a cross-sectional sample of Cochrane Reviews. The study also describes the stated aims of web searching, i.e. the identification of published or unpublished studies or both. METHODS: A six-month cross-sectional sample of Cochrane Reviews was identified via the Cochrane Library. Reviews were inspected for detail about web searching. Findings were described and evaluated using a framework of key principles for web searching. RESULTS: 423 Cochrane Reviews published August 2016-January 2017 were identified of which 61 (14%) reported web searching. Web searches were typically simplified versions of the bibliographic database search. Advanced and iterative approaches were not widely used. Google Search and Google Scholar were the most popular search engines. Most reports stated identification of grey literature as their aim. CONCLUSION: Basic web search interfaces necessitate simple searches. However, there is scope to use more diverse search features and techniques and a greater variety of search engines