Vitamin A supplementation in Tanzania: the impact of a change in programmatic delivery strategy on coverage.

BACKGROUND\ud \ud Efficient delivery strategies for health interventions are essential for high and sustainable coverage. We report impact of a change in programmatic delivery strategy from routine delivery through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI+) approach to twice-yearly mass distribution campaigns on coverage of vitamin A supplementation in Tanzania\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud We investigated disparities in age, sex, socio-economic status, nutritional status and maternal education within vitamin A coverage in children between 1 and 2 years of age from two independent household level child health surveys conducted (1) during a continuous universal targeting scheme based on routine EPI contacts for children aged 9, 15 and 21 months (1999); and (2) three years later after the introduction of twice-yearly vitamin A supplementation campaigns for children aged 6 months to 5 years, a 6-monthly universal targeting scheme (2002). A representative cluster sample of approximately 2,400 rural households was obtained from Rufiji, Morogoro Rural, Kilombero and Ulanga districts. A modular questionnaire about the health of all children under the age of five was administered to consenting heads of households and caretakers of children. Information on the use of child health interventions including vitamin A was asked.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud Coverage of vitamin A supplementation among 1-2 year old children increased from 13% [95% CI 10-18%] in 1999 to 76% [95%CI 72-81%] in 2002. In 2002 knowledge of two or more child health danger signs was negatively associated with vitamin A supplementation coverage (80% versus 70%) (p = 0.04). Nevertheless, we did not find any disparities in coverage of vitamin A by district, gender, socio-economic status and DPT vaccinations.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud Change in programmatic delivery of vitamin A supplementation was associated with a major improvement in coverage in Tanzania that was been sustained by repeated campaigns for at least three years. There is a need to monitor the effect of such campaigns on the routine health system and on equity of coverage. Documentation of vitamin A supplementation campaign contacts on routine maternal and child health cards would be a simple step to facilitate this monitoring

Application of realistic effective interactions to the structure of the Zr isotopes

We calculate the low-lying spectra of the zirconium isotopes Z=40 with neutron numbers from N=52 to N=60 using the 1p1/20g9/2 proton and 2s1d0g7/20h11/2 neutron sub-shells to define the model space. Effective proton-proton, neutron--neutron and proton-neutron interactions have been derived using 88Sr as closed core and employing perturbative many-body techniques. The starting point is the nucleon-nucleon potential derived from modern meson exchange models. The comprehensive shell-model calculation performed in this work provides a qualitative reproduction of essential properties such as the sub-shell closures in 96Zr and 98Zr.Comment: To appear in Phys Rev C, june 2000, 8 figs, Revtex latex styl

Under-five mortality: spatial-temporal clusters in Ifakara HDSS in South-eastern Tanzania.

BACKGROUND\ud \ud Childhood mortality remains an important subject, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where levels are still unacceptably high. To achieve the set Millennium Development Goals 4, calls for comprehensive application of the proven cost-effective interventions. Understanding spatial clustering of childhood mortality can provide a guide in targeting the interventions in a more strategic approach to the population where mortality is highest and the interventions are most likely to make an impact.\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud Annual child mortality rates were calculated for each village, using person-years observed as the denominator. Kulldorff's spatial scan statistic was used for the identification and testing of childhood mortality clusters. All under-five deaths that occurred within a 10-year period from 1997 to 2006 were included in the analysis. Villages were used as units of clusters; all 25 health and demographic surveillance sites (HDSS) villages in the Ifakara health and demographic surveillance area were included.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud Of the 10 years of analysis, statistically significant spatial clustering was identified in only 2 years (1998 and 2001). In 1998, the statistically significant cluster (p < 0.01) was composed of nine villages. A total of 106 childhood deaths were observed against an expected 77.3. The other statistically significant cluster (p < 0.05) identified in 2001 was composed of only one village. In this cluster, 36 childhood deaths were observed compared to 20.3 expected. Purely temporal analysis indicated that the year 2003 was a significant cluster (p < 0.05). Total deaths were 393 and expected were 335.8. Spatial-temporal analysis showed that nine villages were identified as statistically significant clusters (p < 0.05) for the period covering January 1997-December 1998. Total observed deaths in this cluster were 205 while 150.7 were expected.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud There is evidence of spatial clustering in childhood mortality within the Ifakara HDSS. Further investigations are needed to explore the source of clustering and identify strategies of reaching the cluster population with the existing effective interventions. However, that should happen alongside delivery of interventions to the broader population

57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements of oxygen deficient LaFeAsO

We report on the magnetic behavior of oxygen deficient LaFeAsO1-x (x-0.10) compound, prepared by one-step synthesis, which crystallizes in the tetragonal (S.G. P4/nmm) structure at room temperature. Resistivity measurements show a strong anomaly near 150 K, which is ascribed to the spin density wave (SDW) instability. On the other hand, dc magnetization data shows paramagnetic-like features down to 5 K, with an effective moment of 0.83 mB/Fe. 57Fe Mossbauer studies (MS) have been performed at 95 and 200 K. The spectra at both temperatures are composed of two sub-spectra. At 200 K the major one (88%), is almost a singlet, and corresponds to those Fe nuclei, which have two oxygen ions in their close vicinity. The minor one, with a large quadrupole splitting, corresponds to Fe nuclei, which have vacancies in their immediate neighborhood. The spectrum at 95 K, exhibits a broadened magnetic split major (84%) sub-spectrum and a very small magnetic splitting in the minor subspectrum. The relative intensities of the subspectra facilitate in estimating the actual amount of oxygen vacancies in the compound to be 7.0(5)%, instead of the nominal LaFeAsO0.90. These results, when compared with reported 57Fe MS of non-superconducting LaFeAsO and superconducting LaFeAsO0.9F0.1, confirm that the studied LaFeAsO0.93 is a superconductivity-magnetism crossover compound of the newly discovered Fe based superconducting family.Comment: 7 pages text + Figs : Comments/suggestions welcome ([email protected]

Angular dependence of resistivity in the superconducting state of NdFeAsO0.82_{0.82}F0.18_{0.18} single crystals

We report the results of angle dependent resistivity of NdFeAsO$_{0.82}$F$_{0.18}$ single crystals in the superconducting state. By doing the scaling of resistivity within the frame of the anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau theory, it is found that the angle dependent resistivity measured under different magnetic fields at a certain temperature can be collapsed onto one curve. As a scaling parameter, the anisotropy $\Gamma$ can be determined for different temperatures. It is found that $\Gamma(T)$ increases slowly with decreasing temperature, varying from $\Gamma \simeq$ 5.48 at T=50 K to $\Gamma \simeq$ 6.24 at T=44 K. This temperature dependence can be understood within the picture of multi-band superconductivity.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

The Mitochondrial Ca(2+) Uniporter: Structure, Function, and Pharmacology.

Mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake is crucial for an array of cellular functions while an imbalance can elicit cell death. In this chapter, we briefly reviewed the various modes of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake and our current understanding of mitochondrial Ca(2+) homeostasis in regards to cell physiology and pathophysiology. Further, this chapter focuses on the molecular identities, intracellular regulators as well as the pharmacology of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter complex

Molecular basis of FIR-mediated c-myc transcriptional control

The far upstream element (FUSE) regulatory system promotes a peak in the concentration of c-Myc during cell cycle. First, the FBP transcriptional activator binds to the FUSE DNA element upstream of the c-myc promoter. Then, FBP recruits its specific repressor (FIR), which acts as an on/off transcriptional switch. Here we describe the molecular basis of FIR recruitment, showing that the tandem RNA recognition motifs of FIR provide a platform for independent FUSE DNA and FBP protein binding and explaining the structural basis of the reversibility of the FBP-FIR interaction. We also show that the physical coupling between FBP and FIR is modulated by a flexible linker positioned sequentially to the recruiting element. Our data explain how the FUSE system precisely regulates c-myc transcription and suggest that a small change in FBP-FIR affinity leads to a substantial effect on c-Myc concentration.MRC Grant-in-aid U11757455

AFe2As2 (A = Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu) and SrFe_(2-x)TM_(x)As2 (TM = Mn, Co, Ni): crystal structure, charge doping, magnetism and superconductivity

The electronic structure and physical properties of the pnictide compound families $RE$OFeAs ($RE$ = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm), $A$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ ($A$ = Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu), LiFeAs and FeSe are quite similar. Here, we focus on the members of the $A$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ family whose sample composition, quality and single crystal growth are better controllable compared to the other systems. Using first principles band structure calculations we focus on understanding the relationship between the crystal structure, charge doping and magnetism in $A$Fe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ systems. We will elaborate on the tetragonal to orthorhombic structural distortion along with the associated magnetic order and anisotropy, influence of doping on the $A$ site as well as on the Fe site, and the changes in the electronic structure as a function of pressure. Experimentally, we investigate the substitution of Fe in SrFe$_{2-x}TM_{x}$As$_{2}$ by other 3$d$ transition metals, $TM$ = Mn, Co, Ni. In contrast to a partial substitution of Fe by Co or Ni (electron doping) a corresponding Mn partial substitution does not lead to the supression of the antiferromagnetic order or the appearance of superconductivity. Most calculated properties agree well with the measured properties, but several of them are sensitive to the As $z$ position. For a microscopic understanding of the electronic structure of this new family of superconductors this structural feature related to the Fe-As interplay is crucial, but its correct ab initio treatment still remains an open question.Comment: 27 pages, single colum

Democratising or privileging:the democratisation of knowledge and the role of the archivist

This paper will argue that a challenge to the archive has emerged over the past decade with the potential to alter the archival profession and change the role of the archivist as it has been traditionally understood. At its core is a call for the full democratisation of knowledge. Advocates of this movement take on notions of control and mediation in the digital realm, a consequence of which is the potential bypassing of the privileger/gatekeeper. This paper will examine this shift and will argue that now, more than ever, the profession needs to understand and recognise the transformative and democratic effects the archive can have via the act of privileging as it is precisely our continuing reliance upon filtering information for dissemination and preservation that will keep the profession relevant and important in the twenty-first century