Maintaining Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte infectivity during blood collection and transport for mosquito feeding assays in the field.

Background: Mosquito feeding assays using venous blood are commonly used for evaluating the transmission potential of malaria infected individuals. To improve the accuracy of these assays, care must be taken to prevent premature activation or inactivation of gametocytes before they are fed to mosquitoes. This can be challenging in the field where infected individuals and insectary facilities are sometimes very far apart.

Pregnancy-Related Change in pQCT and Bone Biochemistry in a Population With a Habitually Low Calcium Intake.

In pregnancy, changes in maternal calcium (Ca) economy occur to satisfy fetal Ca demand. It is unclear whether maternal mineral reserves facilitate these requirements and no data exist from sub-Saharan Africa. The aim was to determine skeletal changes with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and bone biochemistry between early second and third trimesters.

Exploring influences on adolescent diet and physical activity in rural Gambia, West Africa: food insecurity, culture and the natural environment.

Objective: To explore, from the perspectives of adolescents and caregivers, and using qualitative methods, influences on adolescent diet and physical activity in rural Gambia.

Design: Six focus group discussions (FGD) with adolescents and caregivers were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed across the data set.

Birth weight predicts bone size in young adulthood at cortical sites in men and trabecular sites in women from The Gambia.

Fracture risk is determined by bone mass, size and architecture. Birth weight (Bwt) is reported to predict adult bone mass and density. Early life environment may therefore be a determinant of bone strength in later life.

Bone mineral contents and plasma osteocalcin concentrations of Gambian children 12 and 24 mo after the withdrawal of a calcium supplement.

Background: Our randomized, placebo-controlled supplementation study of 160 rural Gambian children aged 8.3-11.9 y showed that an increase in calcium intake of 714 mg/d for 12 mo resulted in a 5% increase in forearm bone mineral acquisition and a 22% decrease in plasma osteocalcin concentration, a bone formation marker, but had no effect on height or bone dimensions.