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Copyright of Archives of Cardiovascular Diseases is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Aim: The purpose of the study was to look for the prevalence, significance and management of preexcitation syndrome (PS) or symptoms reappearance after accessory pathway (AP) ablation. AP ablation actually is the first treatment of PS. Methods: Successful AP ablation was performed in 261 patients; reappearance of symptoms or PS on ECG occurred in 47 patients (18%) from 20minutes to several years. Their data were compared with remaining patients. Results: Recurrences were more frequent in patients with spontaneous malignant form (34 vs. 21%), in congenital heart disease (4.2 vs. 0%) (P <0.002), in case of complication (11 vs. 2%) (P <0.007) and of a longer duration of applications (304±209 vs. 188±182sec) (P <0.019). Forty percent of patients had the same symptoms and electrophysiological data as before ablation. Twenty-four percent had an improvement of symptoms and/or electrophysiological data. However, 3 initially asymptomatic patients became symptomatic after ablation. Twenty-six percent had another AP or another rhythm disorder. We recommend transesophageal electrophysiological study for the control because only 40% of patients required second ablation. Conclusions: Reappearance of symptoms or a PS on ECG after AP ablation was not rare (18%) and was inconsistently associated with the reappearance of all initial AP electrophysiological properties. Only 40% of patients required a second AP ablation. Another arrhythmia was possible. Non-invasive second evaluation should be preferred. However, asymptomatic patients before ablation could become symptomatic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Compulsory Execution / Revista Română de Executare Silită is the property of Universul Juridic Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), an uncommon songbird often associated with northern coniferous wetlands, has experienced a precipitous population decline since at least the early 20th century. Here, we provide the first analysis of breeding-habitat occupancy at the wetland scale and make recommendations for streamlined monitoring. We modeled occupancy and detectability as a function of site (i.e. habitat-based) and sampling (i.e. visit-specific) variables collected at 546 wetlands in northern New England, USA. Wetland occupancy (mean ± SE = 0.07 ± 0.02 in randomly selected wetlands, and 0.12 ± 0.02 in all wetlands surveyed) was best explained by variables describing Rusty Blackbird foraging habitat (PUDDLES: a proxy for shallow water), nesting habitat (coniferous adjacent uplands), and evidence of beavers. In contrast to Rusty Blackbirds' selection of pole-stage conifers at the nest-site scale, stand age did not affect occupancy at the wetland scale. It appears that most wetlands in northern coniferous forest landscapes, regardless of stand age, offer dense conifer patches nearby and provide suitable breeding habitat if quality foraging sites (e.g., areas of shallow water) also are available. Detectability (0.29 ± 0.04) decreased with increasing wind speed, and decreased about fourfold over the course of the breeding season. Rusty Blackbirds responded to broadcast of conspecific vocalizations by flying toward the observer and perching more often than prior to broadcast, demonstrating that broadcasts can be a useful tool to enhance visual detectability. Given our results, observers can now focus site selection on wetlands and sampling conditions most likely to maximize detections of Rusty Blackbirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Cancer / Journal Africain du Cancer is the property of Lavoisier and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Patients with spinal cord injuries suffer not only from sensory and motor deficits, but from failure of the autonomic nerve system which in consequence involves many organs and methabolic pathways. These deficits lead to a different approach to these patients and their medical, psychological and social problems. Three examples will illustrate the different approaches to typical medical problems of these patients. Regularly ambulatory long term follow up visits in specialized centres in close collaboration with general practitioners help to diminish complications and rehospitalisations. Facing the now ageing population with a spinal cord injury we need evidence based guidelines in follow up and preventive strategies for these patients. We updated these recommendations recently. The brochure is available on the webside oft he swiss society of paraplegia www.ssop.ch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Building Research & Information is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

At present, monitoring tumor response to therapy is a crucial issue in oncology. In daily clinical practice, tumormarkers tests and anatomical imaging modalities are the most used techniques, but they have significant limits. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular and functionnal imaging technique and, is by this fact, considered as a method of choice for assessing tumor response with cytotoxic chemotherapies and even more with targeted therapies. Some limits of 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (18F-FDG) PET are overcome by the current development of new radioactive tracers. For those reasons, PET appears to be the most encouraging technique to assess tumor response for the next decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Obésité is the property of Lavoisier and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Lettre de Medecine Physique et de Readaptation is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the agricultural frontier of the Brazilian Amazon, the absence of territorial ownership hinders sustainable natural resources. Using field data from different institutions on the agricultural frontier of São Félix do Xingu in Pará state, this study aimed to automate through geotechnology, identification and monitoring of the dynamics of deforestation in the region, where the technical, informational and operating data are scarce, making it difficult to conduct research and development policies. The results showed that the understanding of the spatial configuration related groups of actors with different socioeconomic levels contributes to a better design of public policies that, when directed to the behavior of each category, contribute significantly to deforestation containment actions and plans for sustainable development in agricultural frontier regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone lengthening surgeries are difficult procedures for both the patient and the professional. Complications are common and pediatric orthopedists have been working to reduce them. The discovery of progressive bone lengthening was a first step in improving these procedures, followed by the advent of external fixators. More recently, internal lengthening systems have emerged as one of the greatest technological advances in these procedures. Bone lengthening with an electromagnetic nail, which is becoming increasingly popular, has drastically reduced the complications of these surgeries., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

This testimony tells the story of a little boy with leg length inequality. From his complex medical course to the long term follow-up, from the emotions felt in front of this diagnosis to the multiple arrangements of the family life, we take the measure of the tireless work of accompaniment led by his parents., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives To determine the improvement in positive predictive value of immunological failure criteria for identifying virological failure in HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) when a single targeted viral load measurement is performed in children identified as having immunological failure. Methods Analysis of data from children (<16 years at ART initiation) at South African ART sites at which CD4 count/per cent and HIV-RNA monitoring are performed 6-monthly. Immunological failure was defined according to both WHO 2010 and United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2008 criteria. Confirmed virological failure was defined as HIV-RNA >5000 copies/ml on two consecutive occasions <365 days apart in a child on ART for ≥18 months. Results Among 2798 children on ART for ≥18 months [median (IQR) age 50 (21-84) months at ART initiation], the cumulative probability of confirmed virological failure by 42 months on ART was 6.3%. Using targeted viral load after meeting DHHS immunological failure criteria rather than DHHS immunological failure criteria alone increased positive predictive value from 28% to 82%. Targeted viral load improved the positive predictive value of WHO 2010 criteria for identifying confirmed virological failure from 49% to 82%. Conclusion The addition of a single viral load measurement in children identified as failing immunologically will prevent most switches to second-line treatment in virologically suppressed children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecoscience (Ecoscience) is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Les Cahiers de l'Année Gérontologique is the property of Lavoisier and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The GEONETCast data-dissemination system delivers free multi-source raw satellite images and processed products to users worldwide; from these data, users can construct long time series to study dynamic phenomena. To explore these dynamics, using an animation with few controls is common practice. But animations easily produce information overload leading to change blindness, a problem that can be addressed in various ways. We present a combination of analytical and visual functionalities to better support visual exploration of animated time series. Analytical pre-processing functions include slicing and tracking of objects of interest. Results of the slicing and the tracking are input to the visualization environment, which is further enriched by tools to make various time, attribute, and area selections and by options to visually enhance selections relative to their surroundings, visualize the path of moving objects, and multiple layers. The resulting toolbox is dedicated to visual exploration and analysis of dynamic phenomena in time series. A case study demonstrates, with a use scenario, how it works. Early exposure of some visualization functions to users has already led to improvements, but more extensive testing will follow after further enrichment of the toolbox. Directions of future research are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Follow-up after prostate cancer radiotherapy aims at detecting local or metastatic relapse, as well as long-term toxicity, requiring adapted treatments. Several scientific societies have published guidelines including clinical, biological and imaging recommendations. More data suggest a role for aggressive salvage therapy in case of local failure following radiotherapy. An adequate follow-up is required for the sake of patients’ safety, i.e. to a posteriori validate dose constraints and radiation technique in each radiotherapy department. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Maple syrup disease (MSD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a decreased activity of branched-chain-ketoacid dehydrogenase, the second enzyme in the pathway of degradation of branched-chain aminoacids (leucine, isoleucine and valine). The three main clinical forms described are : classical form, at the neonatal period, marked by a severe neurological toxicity, subacute form appearing later and thiamine sensitive form. In every case, diagnosis is based on an increase of leucine, isoleucine and valine in blood and urines, with an associated presence of alloisoleucine. Diagnosis is confirmed by molecular analysis of corresponding genes. In several situations of protein catabolism, episodes of intoxication can occur. Emergency treatment for neonates and acutely sick children or adults uses hypoenergetic artificial nutrition (parenteral or enteral nutrition) without aminoacids and consequently involving only glucido-lipidic nutriments. Forty-eight hours later, proteins are progressively reintroduced. Natremia must be controlled, and a supplementation with isoleucine et valine is mandatory. Hemodialysis or hemofiltration can be necessary. Chronic treatment needs a strictly limited diet concerning branched-chain aminoacids. Natural proteins are limited as well as fruits and vegetables intakes. Lipids and sweetened food are permitted ad libitum. Food is supplemented by hyprotidic produces available in some hospital pharmacies. Oncoming of deficiencies is prevented by suplementations in minerals, vitamins, trace-elements, n–3 fatty acids and non-essential aminoacids. Follow-up is performed for children by a pediatrist and by an informed practitioner for adults. Psychomotricity and growth of children must be as normal as possible. All along the life, a metabolic equilibrium is needed and nutritional assessments are recommended at least once a year. Blood leucine level is regularly measured. A diagnosis before birth is possible when MSD has been identified in a member of the family. Pregnancy must be carefully prepared and followed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The natural reservoirs and biological characteristics of pathogenic populations of both subspecies of in aquatic habitants remain unclear because of difficulties in obtaining pathogenic strains from the environment. In the present study, we assessed the occurrence of Photobacterium damselae subsp. and Photobacterium damselae subsp. , considered to be the causative agent of past epizootic outbreaks in mullets collected in the river Magra, Italy. Two hundred and seventy-eight mullets were collected during a period of two years (2008-2009) and analyzed using multiplex PCR. During this period, 57% of fishes were positive for Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida and 37% for Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, with an higher presence in summer months although none of PCR-positive mullets showed clinical signs of disease. Our results indicate that the two microrganisms are widespread in the population of mullets studied, and this could be a possible cause for outbreaks in favourable environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The following article presents the main points of the follow-up plan of Alzheimer''s disease (AD) and related syndromes patients. The general objective of this follow-up plan is to improve the quality of live of these subjects and their family. The key points are assessments of cognitive decline, functional decline and complications such as behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), malnutrition and gait and balance disorders. In clinical practice, different tools are available, but frequency of evaluation is not consensual. However, the aim of this follow-up is to detect, prevent and treat complications and to improve the use of residual functional abilities in basic activities of daily living. The physician also needs to detect and prevent caregiver''s exhaustion and to consider the ethical issues raised by the disease. The care plan is based on non pharmacological and pharmacological measures. The non pharmacological approach must be implemented first. The place of antidementia drugs is considered. Lastly, this follow-up plan aims to limit iterative admissions to emergency room and to increase the access to geriatric units. Communication and collaboration between specialist, family practitioner and caregivers are needed in order to reach the objective of quality of life improvement in AD patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Obésité is the property of Lavoisier and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: Background: This study assesses the management of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT) at Bè Hospital of Lomé, national reference centre in PMTCT. Patients and method: A longitudinal study, cohort type, was conducted from January2004 to December2007 on 322 children following the PMTCT to collect the characteristics of these children and their parents. Results: The average mothers’ age was 28.5. Fathers’ serological status was unknown in 51.5%, serodifferents in 10.9% couples. The nevirapine prophylaxis was administered to 96.3% mothers and 99,4% new-borne babies; the early rupture of membranes was the primary risk factor for MTCT (34.6%) among mothers. Exclusive breastfeeding with ablactation for 4months has been achieved in 41% of children. Only 4.7% of the artificial feeding have been completed on the 58.7% mothers who opted for it at birth. Acute respiratory infections (38.5%), malaria (36.9%) and oral candidiasis (12.4%) have been the major diseases observed in the follow-up. MTCT of HIV1 at 18months old was 9% (14.58% for breastfed children, 5.85% for children fed artificially, P <0.03). Conclusion: The effectiveness of the national strategy of PMTCT is based on the observance of its protocol. Crossing however to triprophylaxis, early diagnosis and infant food safety will help reduce this MTCT of HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Lettre de Medecine Physique et de Readaptation is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie Exotique is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Animal Genetic Resources is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Aims of the study: The study evaluated in-hospital and long-term outcome of patients less than 50 years old with myocardial infarction within 12hours after symptom onset treated by coronary angioplasty. Patients and method: This is a retrospective study with survival analysis by Kaplan-Meier method in patients included from December2003 to February2008. Results: We included 93 patients aged 42,8±5,2 years old with smoking estimated at 27,7±12,7 pack-years. Thirty-one patients (33,3%) were dyslipidemic and 36 patients had family history of coronary artery disease. Thirty patients (32,3%) had an anterior myocardial infarction and four patients (4.4%) had Killip greater than 2. Coronary angioplasty was performed within 4.5±3.0hours after symptom onset with TIMI 3 final flow in the culprit vessel in 96.8%. One patient died from cardiogenic shock. With a follow-up of 85 patients during 20.0±15.6 months, the survival without death was 98.2% and survival without major cardiac complication was 87.9% at 24months. Seventy-two patients (85.7%) were taking a betablocker, 81 patients (96.4%) aspirin, 75 patients (89.3%) a statin and 64 patients (76.2%) an angiotensin-converting inhibitor. Only 50 patients (58.8%) were nonsmokers. Conclusion: Thus, young smokers with acute MI treated by coronary angioplasty have a good prognosis during in-hospital stay and long-term outcome. Secondary medical treatment prevention is well followed but there is a low rate of smoking cessation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: Validate the use of the PPLP scoring scale in the follow-up of athletes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Patient and method: We conducted a prospective follow-up study on athletes with ACL reconstruction during several time periods between 2003 and 2009, we analyzed the score validity, its reproducibility, its responsiveness to change and its relevance in the follow-up and monitoring of ACL reconstructive surgeries. Results: The PPLP scoring scale was defined for the monitoring of ACL reconstruction in athletes. The PPLP tool is made of two parts: the first one (PPLP1) with a total of 100 points for postoperative follow-up and the second one also with a total of 100 points (PPLP2) adding up to the first score for determining a final post-op monitoring score of 200 points. The PPLP2 scoring scale is administered at a distance from the initial ACL reconstruction. For construct validity, we showed the differences in items’ characteristics (coefficient r of 0.20 in 763 patients), and adequate correlation of the PPLP score to other scoring scales found in the literature (OAK, Lysholm, Tegner, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS], Arpege, IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation Form and Psychovitality Test). The intra/interexaminer reproducibility is excellent going from 0.92 to 1. The PPLP scoring scale shows a statistically significant responsiveness to change during the hospital stay, according to the postoperative delay but with great variations. Complicated clinical evolutions (among 3296 ACL reconstructions with postoperative follow-up) are well identified by a low PPLP score, mainly for complex regional pain syndrome Type 1 (CRPS1: 1.9%) with a mean PPLP1 score of 80.33 whereas uncomplicated clinical evolutions (80.8%) have a mean score of 94.28 with a significant difference (p <0.0001). PPL2 scoring scale is significantly correlated to the possibility of getting back to competition (p =0.012) and a high score is linked to a faster return to competition (follow-up of 258 patients). The optimal threshold score is 176, and not 170/200, as previously suggested. However, this score remains poorly discriminating in regards to sensitivity (79.7%), specificity (49.3%) and the percentage of athletes returning to competition 2.5 months after completing the PPL2 scoring tool (37.9%). Conclusion: The PPLP scoring scale was validated in the French language in terms of construct validity, reproducibility and sensitivity. This scoring scale is used for the follow-up and monitoring of ACL reconstruction in athletes, providing useful information on the quality of their recovery particularly during the postoperative phase and the possibilities of getting back to competition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives In human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness), staging of disease and treatment follow-up relies on white cell count in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As B lymphocytes (CD19 positive cells) are not found in the CSF of healthy individuals but occur in neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, B lymphocyte count may be useful for field diagnosis/staging and therapeutic follow-up in HAT. Methods Seventy-one HAT patients were diagnosed and 50 were followed-up 6–24 months after treatment. White cell counts were used for conventional staging (stage 1, ≤5 cells/μl CSF, n = 42; stage 2, ≥20 cells/μl, n = 16) and intermediate stage (6–19 cells/μl, n = 13). Slides containing 1 μl of CSF mixed with Dynabeads® CD19 pan B were examined microscopically to detect B cell rosettes (bound to at least four beads). Results Stage 1 patients exhibited zero ( n = 37) or one CSF rosette/μl ( n = 5), contrary to most stage 2 patients (14/16: ≥2 rosettes/μl). Intermediate stage patients expressed 0 ( n = 9), 1 ( n = 3) or 2 ( n = 1) rosettes/μl of CSF. During follow-up, rosette counts correlated with white cell count staging but were much easier to read. Conclusion B cell rosettes being easily detected in the CSF in field conditions may be proposed to replace white cell count for defining HAT stages 1 and 2 and limit uncertainty in treatment decision in patients with intermediate stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Outcome assessment of osteoarthritis both in daily practice and in clinical trials requires the use of diagnosis criteria (or at least classification criteria) and the use of valid, reliable, responsive measure tools. Osteoarthritis classification criteria can be clinical or clinical and radiological. At present, there is no international agreement on which criteria epidemiological and clinical trials should be based on, neither on which standardized procedures should be used for patients monitoring. The following review provides a description of the main osteoarthritis classification criteria and of the candidate measurement tools that merit consideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Conversely to diagnostic criteria, no consensus follow-up criteria are available in primary Sjögren''s syndrome. Recent improvement in the evaluation of disease activity thanks to the consensus EULAR activity score (the European Sjögren''s syndrome Disease Activity index), the knowledge on natural history due to the setting-up of prospective patient cohorts, and the evaluation of new activity biomarkers, could allow the establishment of follow-up criteria. Thus, it could be possible to individualize the therapeutic strategy and identify patients with primary Sjögren''s syndrome who would benefit from an immunosuppressive treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives To assess and compare the effectiveness of ivermectin distributors in attaining 90% treatment coverage of the eligible population with each additional health activity they take up. Methods Random sampling was applied every year to select distributors for interviews in community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) areas of Cameroon and Uganda. A total of 288 in 2004, 357 in 2005 and 348 in 2006 distributors were interviewed in Cameroon, and 706, 618 and 789 in Uganda, respectively. The questions included treatment coverage, involvement in additional activities, where and for how long these activities were provided, and whether they were supervised. Results At least 70% of the distributors in Cameroon and Uganda during the study period were involved in CDTI and additional health activities. More of the distributors involved in CDTI alone attained 90% treatment coverage than those who had CDTI with additional health activities. The more the additional activities, the less likely the distributors were to attain 90% treatment coverage. In Uganda, distributors were more likely to attain 90% coverage ( P < 0.001 if they worked within 1 km of their homesteads were selected by community members, worked among kindred, and were responsible for <20 households. Conclusion Additional activities could potentially undermine the performance of distributors. However, being selected by their community members, working largely among kindred and serving fewer households improved their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Outcome criteria to assess disease activity or therapeutic efficacy in rheumatology are mainly composite criteria. We will develop here strengths and weaknesses of such criteria, their elaboration and validation, and their interpretation. Cut-off values will be discussed, with reference to state cut-offs (low activity, patient acceptable symptom state [PASS]), and to change cut-offs (e.g., minimal clinically important improvement). The analysis of study results will also be explained, including effect size, odds ratios and number needed to treat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anthropogenic changes in many components of the Bay of Fundy biota have recently been reported, however a detailed assessment of benthic seaweed biodiversity has not been performed since the late 1970s. Here, we summarize 7 years (2000–2006) of temporal and spatial variation in species richness, composition, and percent cover of intertidal seaweeds in the outer Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. In doing so, we provide up-to-date baseline records using repeatable and well-documented protocols. We document the presence of 72 species of seaweeds across four sites, and demonstrate that the biota at one of our sites is indicative of a degraded assemblage: large patches of unutilized substrate, low algal richness and abundance, with assemblages composed of hardy algal species and grazing and filter feeding invertebrates. Additionally, we compare these contemporary data with historical presence–absence records compiled from herbarium collections (1954–1978) and site surveys from 1963 to 1964 and 1978. Comparisons reveal 16 species not relocated in contemporary surveys. However, conclusions of anthropogenic changes in seaweed biodiversity are difficult to assess in the absence of high quality baseline information, and seaweeds historically found but not relocated in current sampling are easily misidentified, subtidal, or rare. We discuss the nature and value of baseline data, and make suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]