Measuring socioeconomic gaps in nutrition and early child development in Bolivia.

Background: A large body of evidence shows that socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated to children's early development, health and nutrition. Few studies have looked at within sample differences across multiple measures of child nutrition and development. This paper examines SES gaps in child nutritional status and development in Bolivia using a representative sample of children 0-59 months old and a rich set of outcomes, including micronutrient deficiencies, anthropometic measures, and gross motor and communicative development.

Identification of a new SYT2 variant validates an unusual distal motor neuropathy phenotype.

Objective: To report a new missense mutation causing distal hereditary motor neuropathy and presynaptic neuromuscular junction (NMJ) transmission dysfunction.

Methods: We report a multigenerational family with a new missense mutation, c. 1112T>A (p.

Guillain-Barré syndrome: celebrating a century.

A hundred years ago, Guillain, Barré and Strohl described a syndrome with a predominant motor acute or subacute polyneuritis, albumin-cytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid, and a benign course. Before them, many other authors, such as Landry, Duménil, Osler, and Grainger Stewart had described similar cases although they had not performed lumbar punctures. In this work, we outline certain features of the beginning of this famous syndrome.

HAM/TSP: association between white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging, clinical and cerebrospinal fluid findings.

Objective: To investigate the association between clinical data, white matter lesions and inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

Method: We studied brain and cervical spinal cord on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and CSF examinations of 28 Brazilian HAM/TSP patients.

Results: The majority of patients had severe neurological incapacity with EDSS median of 6.

[Benchmarking of performance of Mexican states with effective coverage].

Benchmarking of the performance of states, provinces, or districts in a decentralised health system is important for fostering of accountability, monitoring of progress, identification of determinants of success and failure, and creation of a culture of evidence. The Mexican Ministry of Health has, since 2001, used a benchmarking approach based on the World Health Organization (WHO) concept of effective coverage of an intervention, which is defined as the proportion of potential health gain that could be delivered by the health system to that which is actually delivered. Using data collection systems, including state representative examination surveys, vital registration, and hospital discharge registries, we have monitored the delivery of 14 interventions for 2005-06.

Benchmarking of performance of Mexican states with effective coverage.

Benchmarking of the performance of states, provinces, or districts in a decentralised health system is important for fostering of accountability, monitoring of progress, identification of determinants of success and failure, and creation of a culture of evidence. The Mexican Ministry of Health has, since 2001, used a benchmarking approach based on the WHO concept of effective coverage of an intervention, which is defined as the proportion of potential health gain that could be delivered by the health system to that which is actually delivered. Using data collection systems, including state representative examination surveys, vital registration, and hospital discharge registries, we have monitored the delivery of 14 interventions for 2005-06.