Integration of health solutions into government systems: a tool for assessing readiness.

Government partnerships are essential for many health solutions to sustain impact at scale, particularly in low-resource settings where strengthening health systems is critical for Universal Health Coverage. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and funders ultimately want solutions to be integrated into public health systems by transitioning solution ownership, management and/or operation to government. However, NGOs and their government partners have limited guidance on how to effectively determine when a solution is ready to transition in a way that will maintain impact long term.

the life-cycle on dogs and cattle, with confirmation of its vector status for in Australia.

The intracellular protozoal parasite ikeda has rapidly spread across South-eastern Australia since 2006, causing deaths and production losses in cattle. The 3-host "bush tick" (Neumann) appears the principal biological vector in the endemic regions. To generate sufficient numbers of ticks to produce stabilate for infection to confirm vector competency and for acaricide trials, the optimal conditions and stage-specific intervals for the generational life-cycle of was defined on two dogs and two steers.

Increased aortic stiffness and elevated blood pressure in response to exercise in adult survivors of prematurity.

Objectives: Adults born prematurely have an increased risk of early heart failure. The impact of prematurity on left and right ventricular function has been well documented, but little is known about the impact on the systemic vasculature. The goals of this study were to measure aortic stiffness and the blood pressure response to physiological stressors; in particular, normoxic and hypoxic exercise.

Haemaphysalis longicornis: the life-cycle on dogs and cattle, with confirmation of its vector status for Theileria orientalis in Australia.

The intracellular protozoal parasite Theileria orientalis ikeda has rapidly spread across South-eastern Australia since 2006, causing deaths and production losses in cattle. The 3-host "bush tick" Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann) appears the principal biological vector in the endemic regions. To generate sufficient numbers of ticks to produce stabilate for infection to confirm vector competency and for acaricide trials, the optimal conditions and stage-specific intervals for the generational life-cycle of H.

A retrospective study on the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of LoveYourBrain Yoga for people with traumatic brain injury and caregivers.

Purpose: To conduct a mixed methods, pre-post, retrospective study on the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the LoveYourBrain Yoga program.

Materials And Methods: People were eligible if they were a traumatic brain injury survivor or caregiver, age 15-70, ambulatory, and capable of gentle exercise and group discussion. We analyzed attendance, satisfaction, and mean differences in scores on Quality of Life After Brain Injury Overall scale (QOLIBRI-OS) and four TBI-QOL/Neuro-QOL scales.

Changing the Face of Health Education via Health Interventions: Social Ecological Perspectives on New Media Technologies and Elementary Nutrition Education.

The relationship between media use, family dynamics, and school environments on a child's likelihood to be overweight or obese is an area of research with limited empirical evidence; however, reports have indicated that children are increasingly developing more negative habits related to their health. The purpose of the present study was to employ a social ecological perspective in determining the effectiveness of a longitudinal health literacy/health intervention program on children's nutritional knowledge, attitudes toward healthy eating and exercise, food preferences, and eating behavior. Using a sample of elementary school children initially in Grades 2 and 3 and then in Grades 3 and 4, a field experiment was conducted using a new media technology to record their food intake at home and at school.

Inspiratory and expiratory resistance cause right-to-left bubble passage through the foramen ovale.

A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is linked to increased risk of decompression illness in divers. One theory is that venous gas emboli crossing the PFO can be minimized by avoiding lifting, straining and Valsalva maneuvers. Alternatively, we hypothesized that mild increases in external inspiratory and expiratory resistance, similar to that provided by a SCUBA regulator, recruit the PFO.

Effect of body position and oxygen tension on foramen ovale recruitment.

While there is an increased prevalence of stroke at altitude in individuals who are considered to be low risk for thrombotic events, it is uncertain how venous thrombi reach the brain. The patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a recruitable intracardiac shunt between the right and left atrium. We aimed to determine whether body position and oxygen tension affect blood flow through the PFO in healthy adults.

Low dose oxidative stress induces mitochondrial damage in hair cells.

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a cause of hair cell damage after ischemia reperfusion injury, noise trauma, and ototoxic injury. Oxidative stress can induce both apoptosis or necrosis depending on the degree of exposure. To study how reactive oxygen species (ROS) interacts with hair cells, we have developed an in vitro model of oxidative stress using organ of Corti cultures exposed to physiologically relevant concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H(2) O(2) ).

Use of computed tomography in the emergency department for the diagnosis of pediatric peritonsillar abscess.

Objective: The objective of this study was to review our pediatric emergency department's (ED's) utilization of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) and treatment outcomes.

Methods: This study used case series with chart review.

Results: From January 2007 to January 2009, 148 patients were seen in our ED for possible PTA.

Efficacy of bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation and lobar fissure completeness in patients with heterogeneous emphysema.

Background: Bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) ablates emphysematous tissue through a localized inflammatory response followed by contractive fibrosis and tissue shrinkage leading to lung volume reduction that should not be influenced by collateral ventilation.

Objectives: To determine the correlation of clinical data from a trial of BTVA with fissure integrity visually assessed by computed tomography (CT).

Methods: We conducted a single-arm study of patients with upper lobe-predominant emphysema (n = 44).

Adenovector-mediated hair cell regeneration is affected by promoter type.

Conclusion: Replacement of vestibular hair cells induced by atoh1 driven by the tissue-specific GFAP promoter was significantly more efficient than use of the cBA or hCMV promoter.

Objective: To test whether expression level, persistence, or selectivity from adenovirus vectors delivered in the inner ear can be altered by changing the adenovector backbone or by using different cellular and viral promoters.

Materials And Methods: Adenovector and promoter modifications were tested for differences in transgene expression in adult macular organs.

Repair of the vestibular system via adenovector delivery of Atoh1: a potential treatment for balance disorders.

Loss of auditory and vestibular hair cells is a common cause of hearing loss and balance disorders. A variety of strategies have been proposed to restore function to damaged inner ear neuroepithelium. Delivery of the atonal homolog, atoh1, has been demonstrated to induce recovery of auditory and vestibular hair cells using a variety of delivery methods and model systems.

Employment and work disability in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review.

Objectives: Many studies have provided information on employment and work disability (WD) rates in patients with SLE, yet are often limited by small sample sizes, poor generalizability or fail to examine the risks and outcomes of WD. Our objective was to systematically review the literature on WD in SLE to identify a more generalizable point estimate and range of WD in SLE patients.

Methods: A search was conducted using Medline, EMBase, PubMed and Cochrane databases to identify publications related to SLE and employment and/or WD.

Vestibular hair cell regeneration and restoration of balance function induced by math1 gene transfer.

Hypothesis: Delivery of math1 using an adenovector (Admath1.11D) results in vestibular hair cell regeneration and recovery of balance function in ototoxin-treated adult mice.

Background: Loss of peripheral vestibular function is associated with disease processes such as vestibular neuronitis, aminoglycoside ototoxicity, and aging.

Pharmacodynamics of adenovector distribution within the inner ear tissues of the mouse.

Recent studies have demonstrated that delivery of genes to the inner ear can achieve a variety of effects ranging from support of auditory neuron survival to protection and restoration of hair cells, demonstrating the utility of vector based gene delivery. Translation of these findings to useful experimental systems or even clinical applications requires a detailed understanding of the pharmacokinetics of gene delivery in the inner ear. Ideal gene delivery systems will employ a well tolerated vector which efficiently transduces the appropriate target cells within a tissue, but spare non-target structures.

Indices of social risk among first attenders of an emergency mental health service in post-conflict East Timor: an exploratory investigation.

Objective: Little is known about the profile of patients treated in mental health services in low-income, post-conflict countries, especially in the post-emergency phase. We postulated that patients attending the first community mental health service in East Timor would be characterized not only by mental disturbance but by high levels of social vulnerability.

Method: Drawing on existing methods and on consultations with East Timorese mental health staff, five social indicators were identified: dangerousness; inability to undertake life-sustaining self-care; bizarre behaviour; incapacitating distress; and social unmanageability.

Drug delivery to the inner ear using gene therapy.

The last 10 years have seen the development of numerous strategies for the delivery of genes to the inner ear. Besides being a useful research tool,gene therapy has significant promise as a potential clinical treatment. The human inner ear is easily accessible through either the round window or the stapes footplate.

Hearing preservation after inner ear gene therapy: the effect of vector and surgical approach.

Over seventy studies have examined the potential of gene therapy in the inner ear. For the most part, they have focused on adenoviral vectors and delivery into the cochlea. Most studies have emphasized looking at the expression of marker genes driven by a CMV promoter and have used first-generation adenoviral constructs.

PTEN blocks insulin-mediated ETS-2 phosphorylation through MAP kinase, independently of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway.

The tumor suppressor PTEN possesses lipid and protein phosphatase activities. It has been well established that the lipid phosphatase activity is essential for its tumor-suppressive function via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and Akt pathways. The precise role of the protein phosphatase activity is still unclear.