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Hasan reads the poems as a 'picture of an inept state, one in which the king and his officials are reckless and indifferent and there is a total breakdown of law and order' (p. 75). Hasan notes that although two witnesses were required for property deeds, documents often bear a much larger, and quite heterogeneous, list of witnesses. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers information about the post-colonial archives, along with explores how they reveal the mobilities of usage and collecting practices.

Indian magazines and print culture in general have been studied more thoroughly for the colonial period, but the 1950s–1970s have rightly been called the golden age of magazine culture. In Hindi literary lore, magazines loom large as the main platform for literature, where poets and fiction writers found readers and recognition and critics debated aesthetics and ideology. To borrow Amit Chaudhuri's phrase, magazines were sites of intense 'literary activism': an activism by editors on behalf of literature to champion new writers and encourage readers' tastes, but also a constant critical interrogation on the value and function of literature. Despite their ephemeral nature—particularly in the Hindi context where old books and periodicals tend to be sold in bulk as scrap paper—magazines embody, and capture for us eager after-readers, a lively community of readers and writers. This essay explores the multilingual 'ecology' of Hindi and English literary and middlebrow magazines, including Kahānī, Kalpanā, Sārikā, Saritā and Caravan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Pain associated with immunisations can result in distress and/or anxiety for children and parents. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of two novel devices; Coolsense (cold) and Buzzy (vibration ± cooling pads) versus standard care to minimise pain during immunisations. We also evaluated compliance to the devices and parent's perception of the effectiveness of the devices/standard care for minimising pain during immunisation.Design: Open label, pilot, randomised controlled trial (RCT).Methods: Forty children aged 3.5 to 6 years attending an Immunisation Centre at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, were randomised (1:1:1:1) into four groups: (i) Coolsense plus standard care; (ii) Buzzy with cold plus standard care; (iii) Buzzy without cold plus standard care; and (iv) Standard care alone (distraction with bubbles).Results and Analysis: Recruitment was completed in 12 days. Seventy percent were compliant with Buzzy (±cold), 82% with Coolsense, and 60% with standard care. Buzzy (with cold) was identified as effective by 70% of parents, Coolsense by 64%, Buzzy without cold by 50% and standard care by 60%.Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated feasibility. A larger RCT is needed to provide definitive evidence to inform best practice for minimising immunisation pain in young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More books from India in Indian languages circulated in Europe in the nineteenth century than now – partly thanks to the efforts of book importers like Trübner & Co. Trübner's monthly American & Oriental Literary Record (1865–) shows pages and pages of imported Sanskrit books, but also books in Hindi, Hindustani, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Arabic, Persian, and so on. Trübner also imported Peruvian, Argentinian, Brazilian, Yucatanese and other books from Latin America. Yet this impressive circulation and presence of books did not translate into their recognition as world literature. Voluminous compendia like John Macy's The Story of World Literature (1927) cover "Asian Literature" in merely thirteen pages (out of five hundred), and fail to mention any modern Indian writer apart from Rabindranath Tagore, damning him with faint praise. Why was this material presence and circulation of books in non-European languages in Britain and other parts of Europe matched by their absence as modern literary texts from the imagination of world literature? This essay examines the "technologies of recognition" (Shih) that made modern Indian literatures virtually invisible though materially present in Europe, and the conditions of visibility that occasionally allowed them to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HPTLC silica gel, amino and C18 plates in combination with different developing solvents were explored for the first HPTLC chemical profiles of flavonoids and sugars in crude extracts from leaves and fruits of caigua (Cyclanthera pedata Scrabs) harvested in Slovenia and Italy. New HPTLC and HPTLC-MS methods for analyses of flavonoids are based on HPTLC silica gel (preconditioned with water) or C18 plates in combination with developing solvents ethyl acetate–water–formic acid (17:3:2, v/v) or 5% formic acid in methanol-water (7:3, v/v), respectively. Detection was performed before (for flavonoids) and/or after post-chromatographic derivatization with Natural product (NP) reagent for flavonoids and diphenylamine-aniline-phosphoric acid (DAP) reagent for sugars. HPTLC–MS/(MSn) analyses on silica gel and C18 stationary phases enabled tentative identification of several compounds in crude extracts from leaves and fruits. HPTLC-DPPH• assay combined with image analyses and HPTLC–MS/(MSn) analyses, applied for direct screening of antioxidant activity of separated chromatographic zones (compounds) on HPTLC silica gel plates, confirmed activity in several zones of all crude extracts, in which some active compounds were tentatively identified. Apigenin 6-C-glucoside (isovitexin) and luteolin 8-C-glucoside (orientin) were found in all crude extracts, but the last was the most active free radical scavenger. Both compounds were also identified in dietary supplement product produced from caigua fruits. Crude extracts from leaves showed much higher antioxidant activity than those from fruits. The highest antioxidant activity was determined for crude extract from leaves harvested in Slovenia, while among crude extract from fruits the highest activity was determined for the extract from fruits harvested in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytical separation techniques based on the differential migration velocities of analytes under the action of an electric fi eld are gaining increasing acceptance for the analysis of phenolic compounds in edible and medicinal plants and in plant-derived food products. In Part 2 of this review article the authors discuss the fundamental principles and practical aspects of electromigration techniques, including capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The development of two-dimensional systems, performed by coupling either liquid chromatography (LC) with an electromigration technique or two electromigration techniques, operated under different separation mechanisms, is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Column-based liquid phase separation techniques, such as liquid chromatography (LC) in reversed phase separation mode and capillary electromigration techniques, using continuous electrolyte systems, are widely used for the identifi cation and quantifi cation of phenolic compounds in plants and food matrices of plant origin. This paper is the fi rst of a two-part review article discussing fundamental and practical aspects of both LC and capillary electromigration techniques used for the analysis of phenolic compounds occurring in plant-derived food and in edible and medicinal plants. The chemical structure and distribution of the major phenolic compounds occurring in the plant kingdom, as well as the main methods used for their extraction and sample preparation, are also discussed. Part 1 will focus on liquid chromatography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Points: Question: For preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome supported with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), does administration of surfactant via a thin catheter improve survival without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) at 2 years of age compared with sham treatment? Findings: In this follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of 486 infants at 25 to 28 weeks' gestation, the composite outcome of death or NDD at 2 years of age occurred in 36.3% receiving minimally invasive surfactant therapy compared with 36.1% receiving sham treatment. Meaning: In preterm infants supported with CPAP, minimally invasive surfactant therapy did not lead to a reduction in the composite outcome of death or neurodevelopmental disability at 2 years of age. Importance: The long-term effects of surfactant administration via a thin catheter (minimally invasive surfactant therapy [MIST]) in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome remain to be definitively clarified. Objective: To examine the effect of MIST on death or neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) at 2 years' corrected age. Design, Setting, and Participants: Follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial with blinding of clinicians and outcome assessors conducted in 33 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units in 11 countries. The trial included 486 infants with a gestational age of 25 to 28 weeks supported with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Collection of follow-up data at 2 years' corrected age was completed on December 9, 2022. Interventions: Infants assigned to MIST (n = 242) received exogenous surfactant (200 mg/kg poractant alfa) via a thin catheter; those assigned to the control group (n = 244) received sham treatment. Main Outcomes and Measures: The key secondary outcome of death or moderate to severe NDD was assessed at 2 years' corrected age. Other secondary outcomes included components of this composite outcome, as well as hospitalizations for respiratory illness and parent-reported wheezing or breathing difficulty in the first 2 years. Results: Among the 486 infants randomized, 453 had follow-up data available (median gestation, 27.3 weeks; 228 females [50.3%]); data on the key secondary outcome were available in 434 infants. Death or NDD occurred in 78 infants (36.3%) in the MIST group and 79 (36.1%) in the control group (risk difference, 0% [95% CI, −7.6% to 7.7%]; relative risk [RR], 1.0 [95% CI, 0.81-1.24]); components of this outcome did not differ significantly between groups. Secondary respiratory outcomes favored the MIST group. Hospitalization with respiratory illness occurred in 49 infants (25.1%) in the MIST group vs 78 (38.2%) in the control group (RR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.54-0.81]) and parent-reported wheezing or breathing difficulty in 73 (40.6%) vs 104 (53.6%), respectively (RR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63-0.90]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome supported with CPAP, MIST compared with sham treatment did not reduce the incidence of death or NDD by 2 years of age. However, infants who received MIST had lower rates of adverse respiratory outcomes during their first 2 years of life. Trial Registration: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000916943 This follow-up study of a randomized clinical trial examines the effect of minimally invasive surfactant therapy, surfactant administration via a thin catheter, on death or neurodevelopmental disability at 2 years' corrected age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on the factors affecting world literature focusing on literacy, manuscript, and access to language. It offers the position of literary critic Franco Moretti on the organization of literature found in core, periphery, and semi-periphery, while author David Damrosch emphasizes circulation. The author also focuses on the literary culture in Uttar Pradesh, India, and examines the relationship between the local and global language.

The story of print and religious publics in colonial India has largely been told as one of reformist groups and religious polemics. But this covers only a small part of the story of religious print, which extends well beyond reformist groups. This essay focuses on the most systematic and long-lived project of publishingsantorature (bani), theSantbānī Pustakmālāof the Belvedere Press, Allahabad. It examines its scope, aims and methods as well as its religious orientation and conceptualisation of a religious-devotional public in early-twentieth-century North India. Halfway between oralbhajangroups and the scholarly publications of the collected works (granthavali) ofsantpoets, throughout the twentieth century the Belvedere Press booklets have commanded tremendous currency as religious print-objects in the Hindi devotional public sphere. The results of one publisher's effort and investment, and of significant reorganisation of material from manuscript sources, these booklets have been extremely popular and lasting products in the extensive market for religious material, clearly a crucial technology for individual and group religious practice (bhajan), before which the lineages' own publishing efforts pale into quasi-insignificance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After over a century of language nationalism and almost as long a period of intense competition and mutual contempt, in post-liberalisation and post-low caste assertion India the boundaries between English and Hindi have recently become more porous, and the hold of both ‘pure Hindi’ and ‘British/pure English’ has become much more limited. English is of course still the language of greater opportunities in local and global terms, and increasingly so, but as low-caste politicisation and literacy widen the sphere of Hindi, and the ‘new middle class’ remains resolutely bilingual in its everyday and entertainment practices, the relation between English and Hindi has become more a relationship of parallel expansion, though still perceived in public discourse as a zero-sum game. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: To compare the frequency of headache and the procedure time following lumbar puncture (LP) using a 25-gauge needle compared to a 22-gauge needle. Design: 4-period crossover blinded randomised controlled trial. Setting: Oncology unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. Patients: Children aged 4-15 years at enrolment having LPs as part of their treatment for leukaemia. Interventions: Each child was allocated a random sequence of four LPs, two with a 22-gauge and two with a 25-gauge needle. Outcome measures: The presence of post-LP headache. Secondary outcomes included the presence of any headache, procedure time and impact of headache on the family. Results: Data on 341 procedures in 93 randomised children were analysed. There was little difference in the incidence of post-LP headache between the two needle sizes (22-gauge 7.2%, 95% CI 3.8 to 12.2; 25-gauge 4.6%, 95% CI 2.0 to 8.9, p=0.3) or in the incidence of any headache (22-gauge 18% 95% CI 12.5 to 24.6; 25-gauge 15%, 95% CI 10.0 to 21.1, p=0.4). Use of the 25-gauge needle was associated with longer procedure times. The incidence of post-LP headache showed little evidence of an age effect (OR =1.1, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.3) and was higher in girls than in boys (11% vs 3%, respectively, OR=3.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 8.4, p=0.014). Fifty-five per cent of families with a child with a post-LP headache assessed the overall functional impact as moderate or severe. Conclusions: There was little difference in the occurrence of post-LP headache or any headache between procedures carried out using the 22-gauge or 25-gauge needles. Depending on the circumstances of the procedure and the experience of the operator, either gauge may be appropriate for an LP in a child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue collects a series of essays that reimagine the positioning of translation as theory and practice in diverse postcolonial contexts. A rethinking of translation as a linguistic transaction which always necessarily involves a negotiation between cultures has been at the core of postcolonial theory almost since its inception. Much of the discussion of translation in relation to imperial formations has centred around the notion that translation between languages involves unequal power relations. English or French, as (post)imperial languages, are seen as inherently dominant in the postcolonial literary landscape. Thus translation is used as a powerful metaphor to evoke the complex economies of cultural exchange that take place under the sign of empire. These essays broaden the scope of postcolonial translation to include postcolonial multilingual contexts that necessitate constant translation and self-translation within their boundaries, though not always to one's benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

p66Shc promotes apoptosis and controls the intracellular redox balance. A fraction of p66Shc exists within mitochondria, where it oxidizes cytochrome c to form hydrogen peroxide, which in turn induces mitochondrial permeability and apoptosis. However, cells tolerate p66Shc expression and accumulate oxidative damage under normal conditions, implying that the p66Shc functions must be tightly regulated. Here we review available knowledge on the regulation of p66Shc transcription, protein stabilization and post-translational modifications. In addition, we report novel investigations into the role of the mitochondrial import machinery on p66Shc activation, which highlight the energetic status of mitochondria as a crucial determinant of p66Shc function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Written in October 2001 as a ‘gut reaction’ to the attack on the Twin Towers, and published first as a long article in the daily Corriere della Sera and then in book form (in its original shape, twice as long as the article) in December 2001, Oriana Fallaci's pamphlet La rabbia e l'orgoglio (‘Anger and pride’) was in its twenty-sixth edition when I bought it in September 2004. Its follow-up, La forza della ragione (‘The force of reason’), has already sold 800,000 copies since its publication in 2004. Oriana Fallaci has emerged after 9/11 as the strongest and most vocal Italian representative of the ‘clash of civilizations’ theory. This essay analyses the constitutive elements of her discourse (Italian nationalism, values instead of history and politics, and violent speech conflating Islam, terrorism and immigrants) and tries to understand its appeal and the sources of its authority in Fallaci's career, in order to outline the specific Italian version of the clash of civilizations theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P66Shc regulates life span in mammals and is a critical component of the apoptotic response to oxidative stress. It functions as a downstream target of the tumor suppressor p53 and is indispensable for the ability of oxidative stress-activated p53 to induce apoptosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the apoptogenic effect of p66Shc are unknown. Here we report the following three findings. (i) The apoptosome can be properly activated in vitro in the absence of p66Shc only if purified cytochrome c is supplied. (ii) Cytochrome c release after oxidative signals is impaired in the absence of p66Shc. (iii) p66Shc induces the collapse of the mitochondrial trans-membrane potential after oxidative stress. Furthermore, we showed that a fraction of cytosolic p66Shc localizes within mitochondria where it forms a complex with mitochondrial Hsp70. Treatment of cells with ultraviolet radiation induced the dissociation of this complex and the release of monomeric p66Shc. We propose that p66Shc regulates the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis by inducing mitochondrial damage after dissociation from an inhibitory protein complex. Genetic and biochemical evo idence suggests that mitochondria regulate life span through their effects on the energetic metabolism (mitochondrial theory of aging). Our data suggest that mitochondrial regulation of apoptosis might also contribute to life span determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the different meanings of love in Cambridge, England. Introduction of elements on heterogeneity; Use of traditional idioms; Relation between culture and courtliness.

Reveals the gap between received versions of Indian literature in the West and the varieties of form and language in India itself. Predomination of nuance, ellipsis and the exploration of realist boundaries; Comparison between Hindi epics and the postmodern novel; Government subsidies for Hindi literary publishing.

Importance: The benefits of surfactant administration via a thin catheter (minimally invasive surfactant therapy [MIST]) in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome are uncertain.Objective: To examine the effect of selective application of MIST at a low fraction of inspired oxygen threshold on survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial including 485 preterm infants with a gestational age of 25 to 28 weeks who were supported with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and required a fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.30 or greater within 6 hours of birth. The trial was conducted at 33 tertiary-level neonatal intensive care units around the world, with blinding of the clinicians and outcome assessors. Enrollment took place between December 16, 2011, and March 26, 2020; follow-up was completed on December 2, 2020.Interventions: Infants were randomized to the MIST group (n = 241) and received exogenous surfactant (200 mg/kg of poractant alfa) via a thin catheter or to the control group (n = 244) and received a sham (control) treatment; CPAP was continued thereafter in both groups unless specified intubation criteria were met.Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the composite of death or physiological BPD assessed at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. The components of the primary outcome (death prior to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age and BPD at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age) also were considered separately.Results: Among the 485 infants randomized (median gestational age, 27.3 weeks; 241 [49.7%] female), all completed follow-up. Death or BPD occurred in 105 infants (43.6%) in the MIST group and 121 (49.6%) in the control group (risk difference [RD], -6.3% [95% CI, -14.2% to 1.6%]; relative risk [RR], 0.87 [95% CI, 0.74 to 1.03]; P = .10). Incidence of death before 36 weeks' postmenstrual age did not differ significantly between groups (24 [10.0%] in MIST vs 19 [7.8%] in control; RD, 2.1% [95% CI, -3.6% to 7.8%]; RR, 1.27 [95% CI, 0.63 to 2.57]; P = .51), but incidence of BPD in survivors to 36 weeks' postmenstrual age was lower in the MIST group (81/217 [37.3%] vs 102/225 [45.3%] in the control group; RD, -7.8% [95% CI, -14.9% to -0.7%]; RR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.70 to 0.98]; P = .03). Serious adverse events occurred in 10.3% of infants in the MIST group and 11.1% in the control group.Conclusions and Relevance: Among preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome supported with CPAP, minimally invasive surfactant therapy compared with sham (control) treatment did not significantly reduce the incidence of the composite outcome of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia at 36 weeks' postmenstrual age. However, given the statistical uncertainty reflected in the 95% CI, a clinically important effect cannot be excluded.Trial Registration: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000916943. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy in children is common despite no evidence of its efficacy or safety from clinical trials. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous antibiotic therapy at home with that of standard treatment in hospital for children with moderate to severe cellulitis.Methods: The Cellulitis at Home or Inpatient in Children from the Emergency Department (CHOICE) trial was a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial in children aged 6 months to 18 years who presented to the emergency department at The Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) with uncomplicated moderate to severe cellulitis. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg once daily) at home or intravenous flucloxacillin (50 mg/kg every 6 h) in hospital with web-based randomisation, stratified by age and periorbital cellulitis. The primary outcome was treatment failure, which was defined as no clinical improvement or occurrence of an adverse event, resulting in a change in empiric antibiotics within 48 h of the first dose. Secondary outcomes included adverse events and acquisition of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Outcomes were assessed in all randomised participants with outcome data (intention-to-treat population) and in all individuals who received treatment as allocated and did not have any major protocol violations (per-protocol population). For home treatment to be non-inferior to hospital treatment, the difference between groups in the proportion of children with treatment failure in the intention-to-treat population had to be less than 15%. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02334124.Findings: Between Jan 9, 2015, and June 15, 2017, we screened 1135 children for eligibility, of whom 190 were randomly assigned to receive ceftriaxone at home (n=95) or flucloxacillin in hospital (n=95). The intention-to-treat analysis comprised 188 children (93 in the home group and 95 in the hospital group) because two children in the home group were found to be ineligible after randomisation and were excluded. Treatment failure occurred in two (2%) children in the home group and in seven (7%) children in the hospital group (risk difference -5·2%, 95% CI -11·3 to 0·8, p=0·088). In the per-protocol analysis, treatment failure occurred in one (1%) of 89 children in the home group and in seven (8%) of 91 children in the hospital group (-6·5%, -12·4 to -0·7). Fewer children treated at home than in hospital had an adverse event (two [2%] vs ten [11%]; p=0·048). There was no difference between groups in rates of nasal acquisition of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or gastrointestinal acquisition of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing bacteria or Clostridium difficile after 3 months.Interpretation: Home treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone is not inferior to treatment in hospital with intravenous flucloxacillin for children with cellulitis. The standard of care for the intravenous treatment of uncomplicated cellulitis in children should be home or outpatient care when feasible.Funding: The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation and Murdoch Children's Research Institute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of providing rigid wrist-hand orthoses plus usual multidisciplinary care, on reducing hand impairments in children with cerebral palsy. A pragmatic, multicentre, assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial aimed to enrol 194 children aged 5–15 years, with wrist flexor Modified Ashworth Scale score ≥1. Randomisation with concealed allocation was stratified by study site and passive wrist range. The treatment group received a rigid wrist-hand orthosis, to wear ≥6 h per night for 3 years. Analysis included repeated measures mixed-effects linear regression models, using intention-to-treat principles. The trial stopped early due to insufficient recruitment: 74 children, across all Manual Ability Classification System levels, were randomised (n = 38 orthosis group; n = 36 control). Mean age was 10.2 (SD 3.1) years (orthosis group) and 9.1 (SD 2.8) years (control). Data showed some evidence that rigid wrist-hand orthosis impacted passive wrist extension with fingers extended in the first year [mean difference between-groups at 6 months: 13.15° (95%CI: 0.81–25.48°, p = 0.04); 12 months: 20.94° (95%CI: 8.20–33.69°, p = 0.001)]. Beyond 18 months, participant numbers were insufficient for conclusive findings. The study provided detailed data about short- and long-term effects of the wrist-hand orthosis and highlighted challenges in conducting large randomised controlled trials with this population. Trial Registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: U1111-1164-0572 There may be incremental benefit, for children with cerebral palsy, at 6 and 12 months on passive wrist range from wearing a rigid wrist-hand orthosis designed according to this protocol. The rigid-wrist-hand orthosis evaluated in this study, which allowed for some tailoring for individual children's presentations, differed in design from past recommendations for "resting hand" positioning. Longitudinal follow up of children with cerebral palsy prescribed a rigid wrist-hand orthosis is essential to monitor any benefit. Minor adverse events were commonly experienced when wearing the orthosis and should be discussed prior to prescription of a rigid wrist-hand orthosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a definition of the widespread problem of chronic pain and the contribution of Biofeedback procedures to the improvement of its clinical conditions, with brief reference to some explanatory models. Subsequently, an up-to-date review of Biofeedback's various clinical treatment applications is performed based on the Efficiency Criteria of the International Guidelines proposed by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback for the treatment of chronic pain. Biofeedback results in a range of «specific efficacy» to one of «possible efficacy» for most of the clinical pathologies considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Nurse home visiting (NHV) is widely implemented to address inequities in child and maternal health. However, few studies have examined longer-term effectiveness or delivery within universal healthcare systems. We evaluated the benefits of an Australian NHV program ("right@home") in promoting children's language and learning, general and mental health, maternal mental health and wellbeing, parenting and family relationships, at child ages 4 and 5 years. Setting and participants: Randomised controlled trial of NHV delivered via universal, child and family health services (the comparator). Pregnant women experiencing adversity (≥2 of 10 risk factors) were recruited from 10 antenatal clinics across 2 states (Victoria, Tasmania) in Australia. Intervention: Mothers in the intervention arm were offered 25 nurse home visits (mean 23·2 home visits [SD 7·4, range 1–43] received) of 60–90 minutes, commencing antenatally and continuing until children's second birthdays. Primary and secondary outcomes measured: At 4 and 5 years, outcomes were assessed via parent interview and direct assessment of children's language and learning (receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, attention, and executive function). Outcomes were compared between intervention and usual care arms (intention to treat) using adjusted regression with robust estimation to account for nurse/site. Missing data were addressed using multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting. Results: Of 722 women enrolled in the trial, 225 of 363 (62%) intervention and 201 of 359 (56%) usual care women provided data at 5 years. Estimated group differences showed an overall pattern favouring the intervention. Statistical evidence of benefits was found across child and maternal mental health and wellbeing, parenting and family relationships with effect sizes ranging 0·01–0·27. Conclusion: An Australian NHV program promoted longer-term family functioning and wellbeing for women experiencing adversity. NHV can offer an important component of a proportionate universal system that delivers support and intervention relative to need. Trial registration: 2013–2016, registration ISRCTN89962120 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A high proportion of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) present with functional hearing deficiency as a result of neural abnormality in the late auditory brainstem. Methods: In this randomized, two-period crossover study, we investigated the hypothesis that remote-microphone listening devices can ameliorate hearing and communication deficits in affected school-aged children (7–17 years). Speech perception ability in background noise was evaluated in device-active and inactive conditions using the CNC-word test. Participants were then randomized to one of two treatment sequences: (1) inactive device for two weeks (placebo), followed by active device use for two weeks, or (2) active device for 2 weeks, followed by inactive device for 2 weeks. Listening and communication ratings (LIFE-R Questionnaire) were obtained at baseline and at the end of each treatment phase. Results: Each participant demonstrated functional hearing benefits with remote-microphone use. All showed a speech perception in noise increase when the device was activated with a mean phoneme-score difference of 16.4% (p < 0.001) and reported improved listening/communication abilities in the school classroom (mean difference: 23.4%; p = 0.017). Discussion: Conventional hearing aids are typically ineffective as a treatment for auditory neural dysfunction, making sounds louder, but not clearer for affected individuals. In this study, we demonstrate that remote-microphone technologies are acceptable/tolerable in pediatric patients with NF1 and can ameliorate their hearing deficits. Conclusion: Remote-microphone listening systems offer a viable treatment option for children with auditory deficits associated with NF1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding how and why de-implementation of low-value practices is sustained remains unclear. The Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International CollaboraTive (PREDICT) Bronchiolitis Knowledge Translation (KT) Study was a cluster randomised controlled trial conducted in 26 Australian and New Zealand hospitals (May-November 2017). Results showed targeted, theory-informed interventions (clinical leads, stakeholder meetings, train-the-trainer workshop, targeted educational package, audit/feedback) were effective at reducing use of five low-value practices for bronchiolitis (salbutamol, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, adrenaline and chest x-ray) by 14.1% in acute care settings. The primary aim of this study is to determine the sustainability (continued receipt of benefits) of these outcomes at intervention hospitals two-years after the removal of study supports. Secondary aims are to determine sustainability at one-year after removal of study support at intervention hospitals; improvements one-and-two years at control hospitals; and explore factors that influence sustainability at intervention hospitals and contribute to improvements at control hospitals.Methods: A mixed-methods study design. The quantitative component is a retrospective medical record audit of bronchiolitis management within 24 hours of emergency department (ED) presentations at 26 Australian (n = 20) and New Zealand (n = 6) hospitals, which participated in the PREDICT Bronchiolitis KT Study. Data for a total of 1800 infants from intervention and control sites (up to 150 per site) will be collected to determine if improvements (i.e., no use of all five low-value practices) were sustained two- years (2019) post-trial (primary outcome; composite score); and a further 1800 infants from intervention and control sites will be collected to determine sustained improvements one- year (2018) post-trial (secondary outcome). An a priori definition of sustainability will be used. The qualitative component will consist of semi-structured interviews with three to five key emergency department and paediatric inpatient medical and nursing staff per site (total n = 78-130). Factors that may have contributed to sustaining outcomes and/or interventions will be explored and mapped to an established sustainability framework.Discussion: This study will improve our understanding of the sustainability of evidence-based bronchiolitis management in infants. Results will also advance implementation science research by informing future de-implementation strategies to reduce low-value practices and sustain practice change in paediatric acute care.Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry No: ACTRN12621001287820. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]