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This music score was submitted for the Kaleidoscope 2020 Call for Scores, an open access collaboration with the UCLA Music Library.

Background and Objectives: Canadian out‐of‐hospital blood transfusion programmes (OHBTPs) are emerging, to improve outcomes of trauma patients by providing pre‐hospital transfusion from the scene of injury, given prolonged transport times. Literature is lacking to guide its implementation. Thus, we sought to gather technical transfusion medicine (TM)‐specific practices across Canadian OHBTPs. Materials and Methods: A survey was sent to TM representatives of Canadian OHBTPs from November 2021 to March 2022. Data regarding transport, packaging, blood components and inventory management were included and reported descriptively. Only practices involving Blood on Board programme components for emergency use were included. Results: OHBTPs focus on helicopter emergency medical service programmes, with some supplying fixed‐wing aircraft and ground ambulances. All provide 1–3 coolers with 2 units of O RhD/Kell‐negative red blood cells (RBCs) per cooler, with British Columbia trialling coolers with 2 units of pre‐thawed group A plasma. Inventory exchanges are scheduled and blood components are returned to TM inventory using visual inspection and internal temperature data logger readings. Coolers are validated to storage durations ranging from 72 to 124 h. All programmes audit to manage wastage, though there is no consensus on appropriate benchmarks. All programmes have a process for documenting units issued, reconciliation after transfusion and for transfusion reaction reporting; however, training programmes vary. Common considerations included storage during extreme temperature environments, O‐negative RBC stewardship, recipient notification, traceability, clinical practice guidelines co‐reviewed by TM and a common audit framework. Conclusion: OHBTPs have many similarities throughout Canada, where harmonization may assist in further developing standards, leveraging best practice and national coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The reduction in severe and moderate acute malnutrition (SAM and MAM) rates in Pakistan has been sub-optimal compared to other low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Specially-formulated products have been designed globally to manage SAM and MAM, such as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), with variable efficacies. RUTF is primarily produced and patented in industrialized countries, raising supply challenges in resource-constrained regions with a high burden of acute malnutrition. RUSF minimizes costs by using locally-available ingredients while providing similar nutritional value. In this study, we compared the efficacy, side effects, and compliance of two months of supplementation with either RUTF or RUSF. Methods: Children aged nine months in the rural district of Matiari, Pakistan, with a weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) <-2 received either RUTF (500 kcal sachet) for two months in 2015 or RUSF (520 kcal sachet) for two months in 2018. Results: The RUSF group had a higher height gain and mid-upper arm circumferences (MUAC) score. Higher compliance was noted with lower side effects in the RUSF group. A higher compliance rate did correlate with the growth parameters in respective groups. Conclusion: Our study found that both RUTF and RUSF partially improve the anthropometric status of acutely malnourished children, with neither being superior to the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This panel was convened at 10:45 a.m., Friday, March 27, by its moderator, Penelope Simons of the University of Ottawa, who introduced the panelists: John G. Ruggie of Harvard's Kennedy [...]

The author compares US and international regulatory responses to human cloning research and proposes the creation of an international agency to regulate such research. The importance of a US role in setting international bioethics and biotechnology policy is discussed.

Thanks to prompt and significant government responses to the crisis, many economies are experiencing initial signs of recovery. However, there is still much uncertainty concerning what lies ahead and unemployment [...]