Increased Carotid Thickness in Subjects with Recently-Diagnosed Diabetes from Rural Cameroon

PMCID: PMC3423396This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Prevalence of Rheumatic Heart Disease in North Madagascar: An echocardiographic screening in young and adult populations

BackgroundRheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) prevalence in Madagascar is poorly known. Echocardiographic screening detects a higher prevalence of RHD than clinical examination.AimsWe aimed to describe RHD prevalence in children and adults in North Madagascar using the most updated World Heart Federation (WHF) criteria for RHD echocardiographic diagnosis.Methods Children aged 5–19 years (Group One) and adults aged more than 20 years (Group Two) underwent a four-steps visit: clinical questionnaire, physical examination, laboratory test - oropharyngeal swab for Group One and Anti-streptolysin O (ASO) titre for Group Two - and echocardiogram using a portable machine..Results Among 859 people (522 in Group One, 337 in Group Two) RHD prevalence was 2.1 per cent. Group Two had a higher risk of having RHD than Group One (OR 4.39, CI 1.39–13.9, p=0.004), while clinical findings were more frequent in Group One (children had a higher risk of heart murmur (O.R. 3.85 C.I. 1.08–13.72; p=0.029)). RHD prevalence was 1.34 per cent in children. Those positive to oropharyngeal swab had a higher risk of RHD (OR 14.5, CI 3.04–69.44, p=0.0024); children with history of fever and sore-throat had a higher risk of positive oropharyngeal swab (OR 15.97, CI 3.14–81.19, p=0.002). RHD prevalence was 3.3 per cent in adults. None of those had history of fever and throat-pain, positive ASO titre and cardiac murmur simultaneously. ConclusionThis is the first study describing prevalence of RHD in Madagascar. Our results, although preliminary, are important to enhance prevention programs in this country

Structural parameters and blue stragglers in Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy globular clusters

We present BV photometry of four Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy globular clusters: Arp 2, NGC 5634, Palomar 12, and Terzan 8, obtained with the Danish telescope at ESO-La Silla. We measure the structural parameters of the clusters using a King profile fitting, obtaining the first reliable measurements of the tidal radius of Arp 2 and Terzan 8. These two clusters are remarkably extended and with low concentrations; with a concentration of only c = 0.41 +/- 0.02, Terzan 8 is less concentrated than any cluster in our Galaxy. Blue stragglers are identified in the four clusters, and their spatial distribution is compared to those of horizontal branch and red giant branch stars. The blue straggler properties do not provide evidence of mass segregation in Terzan 8, while Arp 2 probably shares the same status, although with less confidence. In the case of NGC 5634 and Palomar 12, blue stragglers are significantly less populous, and their analysis suggests that the two clusters have probably undergone mass segregation.Comment: 11 pages - 10 figures - MNRAS accepted || v2: minor changes to match published versio

Telescope jitters and phase noise in the LISA interferometer

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna aims to measure picometer changes of the 2.5 × 10^6 km sides of a triangular constellation of satellites. Each spacecraft hosts two telescopes that simultaneously transmit and receive laser beams measuring the constellation arms by heterodyning the received wavefronts with local references. We report an end-to-end investigation of the measurement noise due to the interaction between the telescope jitters and wavefront aberrations. With provisional design parameters, to achieve the targeted sensitivity the root-mean-square aberrations must be less than λ/65

Dietary habits and growth: an urban/rural comparison in the Andean region of Apurimac, Peru

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of interventions against children malnutrition crucially depends on a myriad of factors other than the simple food intake, that must be carefully studied in order to plan a balanced policy. The relation between dietary patterns and growth is at the very heart of the problem, especially in consideration of the fact that dietary pattern involves dimension other than pure caloric intake in its definition. In this work we investigated the relations between dietary pattern and growth comparing children from a rural and a urban area in Andean Peru, in terms of food habits and anthropometric variables to develop a model usable in context interventions against malnutrition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A sample of 159 children (80 from urban, 79 from rural area), aged from 4 to 120 months (72.7 ± 37.5 SD) was collected. The data were investigated by a multidimensional (principal component analysis followed by inferential approach) analysis to correlate the different hidden dimensions of both anthropometric and dietary observables. The correlation between these dimensions (in the form of principal components) were computed and contrasted with the effects of age and urban/rural environments. RESULTS: Caloric intake and growth were not linearly correlated in our data set. Moreover urban and rural environment were demonstrated to show very different patterns of both dietary and anthropometric variables pointing to the marked effect of dietary habits and demographic composition of the analyzed populations. The relation between malnutrition and overweight was at the same time demonstrated to follow a strict area dependent distribution. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We gave a proof-of-concept of the non-linear character of the relation between malnutrition (in terms of caloric intake) and growth, pointing to the need to calibrate interventions on food pattern and not only quantity to contrast malnutrition effects on growth. The education toward a balanced diet must go hand-inhand with the intervention on caloric intake in order to prevent effects on health

The globular cluster AM 4: yet another young globular associated with the Sgr Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy?

The complete census of globular clusters formerly belonging to the Sgr dSph and now deposited into the Galactic halo is an important contribution to our comprehension of the evolution and disruption of this dwarf galaxy. We investigate in this study the possibility that the poorly known "old" globular AM 4 might be associated with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, and at the same time provide more solid estimate of its basic parameters. New high quality BVI photometry is presented, from which an improved Color Ma gnitude Diagram is constructed, and estimates of age and distance are then derived. The distance and Galactic position are finally investigated in details. AM~4 is found to be a low luminosity (M$_V$=-1.82) cluster undergoing strong tidal stress by the Milky Way and on the verge to be dissolved. Besides, and at odds with previous suggestions, we provide evidences that AM 4 is indeed young, with an age around 9 Gyrs (as Terzan~7), but somewhat more metal poor ([Fe/H=-0.97]). AM~4 is located at 33$_{-4}^{+3}$ kpc from the Sun, in a direction and at distance not totally incompatible with the Sgr dSph stream. Although we significantly improved our knowledge of AM 4, further studies are encouraged to obtain radial velocity and metallicity to d emonstrate more firmly (or deny) the association to SgrComment: 23 pages, 8 eps figures, in press in the Astronomical Journa

Skin-to-skin contact: an easily implemented intervention to reduce perinatal complications and pain perception in a rural African community

To determine the effect of early Skin-to-Skin Contact (STSC) in a low-resource setting and to promote a correct educational training on STSC methodology among the hospital members. The research was performed at the Maternity ward of Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital of Kalongo, Infants were randomized immediately after birth either to receive early STSC or conventional care. During the 90 minutes\u2019 observation we evaluated neonatal infant pain scale score during the vitamin K injection; infant breastfeeding assessment tool at the first breastfeeding; axillary temperature at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 minutes; heart rate and respiratory rate; newborn and mother\u2019s blood glucose; time of placental delivery. Moreover the hospital staff were invited to complete an anonymous self-reported questionnaire to explore midwives and mothers\u2019 perceptions of the benefits of this procedure and to understand the acceptance and barriers to STSC in an African community setting. The main results indicate that STSC has a positive effect on infant blood glucose and temperature stability, first breastfeeding, newborns\u2019 pain, placental delivery and can reduce the stress associated with birth. The pilot study found that our adaptation of STSC for community-based implementation was quickly adopted and that it might be used immediately after birth as a beneficial clinical intervention to improve newborns health and survival

Evaluation of the global lung initiative 2012 reference values for spirometry in African children

Abstract Rationale: Despite the high burden of respiratory disease, no spirometry reference values for African children are available. Objectives:Investigatewhether the Global Lung Initiative (GLI-2012) reference values for spirometry are appropriate for children in subSaharan Africa and assess the impact of malnutrition on lung function. Methods:Anthropometry and spirometry were obtained in children aged 6 to 12 years from urban and semiurban schools in three African countries. Spirometry z-scores were derived using the GLI-2012 prediction equations for African Americans. Thinness (body mass index z-score , 22) was a surrogate for malnutrition. Spirometry outcomes were compared with those of African American children from the third National Health and Nutrition Survey. Measurements and Main Results: Spirometry data were analyzed from 1,082 schoolchildren (51% boys) aged 6.0 to 12.8 years in Angola (n = 306), Democratic Republic of the Congo (n = 377), and Madagascar (n = 399). GLI-2012 provided a good fit with mean (SD) z-scores of 20.11 (0.83) for FEV1, 20.08 (0.86) for FVC, and 20.07 (0.83) for FEV1/FVC. Because of low scatter, the fifth centile corresponded to 21.3 z-scores in boys and 21.5 z-scores in girls. Malnourished African children had a normal FEV1/FVC ratio but significant reductions of z0.5 z-scores (z5%) in FEV1 and FVC compared with African American peers from the third National Health and Nutrition Survey. Children in Angola had the lowest, and those in Madagascar had the highest, zFEV1 and zFVC. Conclusions: The results of this study support the use of GLI-2012 reference values for schoolchildren in sub-Saharan Africa. Malnutrition affects body growth, leading to a proportionately smaller FEV1 and FVC without respiratory impairment, as shown by the normal FEV1/FVC rati

Efficacy and Safety of Dimeticone in the Treatment of Lice Infestation through Prophylaxis of Classmates

Background: We conducted a study to evaluate efficacy and safety of dimeticone 4%, a lotion with no conventional insecticide activity, to cure lice infection and to prevent spread of infestation/reinfestation by prophylaxis of classmates.Methods: The study is carried out between April 2008 and June 2008 in Petranova International Institute in Rome. A total of 131 children, aged 3 to 13 years (median age: 7 years) were included in the study. All participants received treatment with dimeticone 4% that was applied both to children with the infestation, to cure it, and to all classmates, to prevent the spreading of the infestation. They have been controlled after 7 and 30 days from the application of dimeticone.Results: At baseline we found a positivity of lice infestation in 23/131 children (17.6%), whereas 108/131 (82.4%) children were free from lice. After 7 days of treatment with dimeticone 4%, 7/23 (30.4%) positive children still had lice infestation, with a cure rate of 69.6% (16/23). At 30 days 26/131 children (19.9%) were infested: 15 children were lice free at baseline whereas 11 had lice at both evaluations; the cure rate amounted to 52.2% (12/23). The reinfestation rate (percentage of positive children that showed negativity at baseline) was 5.3% (7/131) at 7 days and 11.5% (15/131) at 30 days.Conclusion: The lower reinfestation rate showed in our trial suggests that this approach could be effective in reducing spreading of head lice in small communities. More studies are needed to confirm our finding

Hepatitis A virus in a medical setting in Madagascar: a lesson for public health

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