Social capital to strengthen health policy and health systems.

This article recounts the development of a model for social capital building developed over the course of interventions focused on HIV-related stigma and discrimination, safe motherhood and reproductive health. Through further engagement with relevant literature, it explores the nature of social capital and suggests why undertaking such a process can enhance health policy and programmes, advocacy and governance for improved health systems strengthening (HSS) outcomes. The social capital process proposed facilitates the systematic and effective inclusion of community voices in the health policy process-strengthening programme effectiveness as well as health system accountability and governance.

Evaluation of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for remote wetland monitoring: design and initial results.

Here, we describe and evaluate two low-power wireless sensor networks (WSNs) designed to remotely monitor wetland hydrochemical dynamics over time scales ranging from minutes to decades. Each WSN (one student-built and one commercial) has multiple nodes to monitor water level, precipitation, evapotranspiration, temperature, and major solutes at user-defined time intervals. Both WSNs can be configured to report data in near real time via the internet.

The use of a modification of the Patient Enablement Instrument in asthma.

Aim: To ascertain if the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) could be adapted for use in asthma management, and to use it to evaluate "enablement" in patients with asthma randomised to either a fixed or adjustable medication dosing regime.

Methods: The original Patient Enablement Instrument was modified by making a minor change to the opening statement. 228 adults with asthma from 72 UK general practices were recruited to the study.

Correlates of condom use in a sample of MSM in Ecuador.

Background: In Ecuador, the prevalence of HIV in the general population is approximately 0.3%. However, up to 17% prevalence has been reported among specific groups of homosexual and bisexual men.

[HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: the case of health care providers in México].

Objective: To analyze the social construction of stigma and discrimination processes associated with HIV/AIDS and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA), based on the perceptions of health care providers in three states of the Mexican Republic.

Material And Methods: Qualitative and quantitative description. Observation at nine institutions; in-depth interviews (14) and surveys (373) directed to providers of health services.

Preoperative gefitinib versus gefitinib and anastrozole in postmenopausal patients with oestrogen-receptor positive and epidermal-growth-factor-receptor-positive primary breast cancer: a double-blind placebo-controlled phase II randomised trial.

Background: Some oestrogen-receptor (ER) positive breast cancers express epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), but whether inhibition of EGFR can suppress proliferation of breast cancer cells and ER function is not known.

Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial of 56 postmenopausal patients with ER-positive and EGFR-positive primary breast cancer, 27 women were randomly assigned to the tyrosine-kinase inhibitor of EGFR gefitinib (250 mg given orally once a day) and the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (1 mg given orally once a day), and 29 women to gefitinib (250 mg given orally once a day) and placebo of identical appearance to anastrozole given orally once a day, all given for 4-6 weeks before surgery. Primary outcome was inhibition of tumour-cell proliferation, as measured by Ki67 antigen labelling index.