Diet seasonality and overlap of Chrysichthys species on Lake Kainji, Nigeria

Seasonality and overlap of diet of Chrysichthys species in Kainji Lake was studied for a period of one year. A total of two hundred and forty five Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus and one hundred and nineteen Chrysichthys auratus longifilis were used during the study. Chrysichthys species food items ranged from plant to animal materials. Seasonal variations of diet showed that plant material dominated the diet of both species in rainy and dry seasons. While zygoptera and Lumbiculus were absent in the diet of Chrysichthys auratus longifilis in rainy season, zygoptera and nematode were absent in dry season. There was significant correlation (p< 0.01) of the items between the two species. There was also high level of association between their diets, which indicated that both species have similar diet. Lake Kainji is a good environment for the survival of Chrysichthys species. KEYWORDS: Chrysichthys species, overlap, diet, seasonality, Kainji Lake, Nigeria

Biologia reprodutiva, crescimento corporal e parâmetros demográficos de Cavia magna em uma ilha estuarina do extremo sul do Brasil

A teoria da história de vida tem como objetivo compreender os fatores que produzem variações na taxa de sobrevivência, tamanho no nascimento, idade de maturação, sazonalidade na reprodução, longevidade, razão sexual da prole. O gênero Cavia pallas 1776 apresenta a maior distribuição dentro da subfamília Cavinae, sendo composto por seis espécies, dentre elas Cavia magna, a qual habita regiões de restinga próximas a estuários ou lagos do norte do Uruguai ao sul do Brasil. Durante esse trabalho avaliamos os padrões da história de vida de uma população de Cavia magna da Ilha dos Marinheiros, RS, Brasil, devido ao fato de se tratar de uma espécie com baixa taxa reprodutiva, distribuição geográfica restrita, e estar exposta a alta pressão de predação. Para isso foi realizado um programa de captura-marcação-recaptura, durante 13 meses no qual foram capturados 129 animais, sendo 63 fêmeas e 66 machos. As longevidades máximas registradas, foram 233 dias para uma fêmea e 321 dias para um macho. Foram encontradas 13 fêmeas grávidas ou lactantes, dentre elas 9 estavam grávidas, sendo que 6 estavam prenhas de 2 filhotes e 3 estavam prenhas de 1 filhote apenas. Vários parâmetros foram testados, para estimar a taxa de sobrevivência e captura ,utilizamos o programa Mark, o método jacknife um modelo probabilístico, que permite heterogeneidade individual nas taxas de captura também foi utilizado. Não houve diferenças significativas no número de machos e fêmeas, a razão sexual foi 1:1. Em relação a estrutura etária, a população foi composta por adultos (82%) e a densidade populacional foi de 30 animais por hectare.

New clinical practice guideline on enteral feeding in very low birth weight infants: first part

Introduction: The nutrition of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants is aimed at promoting a similar growth to that occurring in the uterus. However, in practice this is difficult to achieve and extrauterine growth restriction is frequent. The current tendency is to avoid this restriction by means of early parenteral and enteral nutrition. Nonetheless, uncertainty about many of the practices related with nutrition has resulted in a great variation in the way it is undertaken. In 2009 and 2011 in our hospital there was an unexpected increase in necrotizing enterocolitis. To check to see whether our nutrition policy was involved, we undertook a systematic review and drew up clinical practice guidelines (CPG) about enteral feeding in VLBW infants. New considerations about the duration of the fortification and the use of probiotics have led to an update of these CPG. Methods: A total of 21 clinical questions were designed dealing with the type of milk, starting age, mode of administration, rate and volume of the increments, fortification, use of probiotics and protocol. After conducting a systematic search of the available evidence, the information was contrasted and summarized in order to draw up the recommendations. The quality of the evidence and the strength of the recommendations were determined from the SIGN scale Comment: These CPG aim to help physicians in their decision making. The protocolized application of well-proven measurements reduces the variation in clinical practice and improves results.

New clinical practice guideline on enteral feeding in very low birth weight infants: second part

Introduction: The nutrition of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants is aimed at promoting a similar growth to that occurring in the uterus. However, in practice this is difficult to achieve and extrauterine growth restriction is frequent. The current tendency is to avoid this restriction by means of early parenteral and enteral nutrition. Nonetheless, uncertainty about many of the practices related with nutrition has resulted in a great variation in the way it is undertaken. In 2009 and 2011 in our hospital there was an unexpected increase in necrotizing enterocolitis. To check to see wether our nutrition policy was involved, we underlook a systematic review and drewup clinical practice guidelines (CPG) about enteral feeding in VLBW infants. New considerations about the duration of the fortification and the use of probiotics have led to an update of these CPG. Methods: A total of 21 clinical questions were designed dealing with the type of milk, starting age, mode of administration, rate and volume of the increments, fortification, use of probiotics and protocol. Afete conducting a systematic search of the available evidence, the information was contrasted and summarized in order to draw up the recommendations. The quality of the evidence and the strength of the recommendations were determined from the SIGN scale. Comment: These CPG aim to help physicians in their decision making. The protocolized application of well-proven measurements reduces the variation in clinical practice and improves results.

Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status and growth in very low birth-weight premature infants hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit

Background: Anthropometric indicators are difficult to interpret in very low birth weight (VLBW) premature infants, including both appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Therefore, the purpose was to describe the anthropometric indicators of growth and nutritional status in VLBW premature infants AGA and SGA, hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Study design: The descriptive and prospective study design included 114 preterm infants, adequate for gestational age/small for gestational age hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Head, thigh, mid upper arm circumference, skin-fold measurements and weight/age, length/ age, and weight/length indices were obtained. Correlations were made among the anthropometric indices, and a multivariate regression analysis with weight/age as dependent variable was performed. Results: Weight/age in AGA premature infants had high number of significant anthropometric correlations. The SGA premature infants had few and weak correlations. The regression analysis showed that anthropometric indices better explain changes in the weight/age index in adequate for gestational age premature infants. Conclusion: Weight/age in the VLBW/AGA premature infants could reflect growth, nutritional status and energy stored as fat, but in the VLBW/SGA premature infants, thigh circumference and mid arm circumference would be better indicators just of nutritional status.

Jesus upon earth : or, the story of His birth, life, death, and resurrection.

"Designed for children" -- t.p.

ASSOCIATION OF BIRTH WEIGHT AND TIME OF BREASTFEEDING WITH CURRENT NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN

Objetivo: Analisar a relação entre o peso ao nascer (PN) e o tempo de aleitamento materno (AM) com o atual estado nutricional de crianças de dois a seis anos de idade. Métodos: Estudo observacional, quantitativo e do tipo transversal, realizado com crianças, independentemente do sexo, com idades entre dois a seis anos, matriculadas em sete escolas de educação infantil da rede municipal de um município do interior do Rio Grande do Sul (RS), no período de junho a agosto de 2014. Participaram 353 crianças, aferindo-se peso e altura, após os pais terem respondido a um questionário de Peso ao Nascer (PN) e tempo de aleitamento materno. Resultados: A média de aleitamento materno exclusivo foi de 3,47 ± 2,81 meses. A maioria das crianças (50,7%, n=179) encontrou-se em risco de sobrepeso ou sobrepeso para a idade, conforme o Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC). O PN apresentou correlação positiva com a altura atual (r=0,164, p=0,002) e com o peso atual (r=0,180, p=0,001). O PN foi significativamente maior entre os meninos (p=0,003), e o tempo de AM associado à alimentação complementar foi significativamente maior entre as meninas (p=0,024). Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que o peso ao nascer influencia o ganho de peso nos seis primeiros anos de vida, com maior destaque para os meninos; e o tempo de amamentação associado à alimentação complementar foi maior entre as meninas.

Birth defects in South Carolina

Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality. Additionally, babies born with birth defects who survive infancy have a greater chance of illness and long term disability than babies without birth defects. The causes can involve genetic (such as chromosomal anomalies) or environmental (such as lead exposure during pregnancy) factors, or a combination of these factors. However, in about 70 percent of cases of birth defects, the causes are unknown. The South Carolina Birth Defects Program began in July 2006 after passage of the S.C. Birth Defects Act. This law mandates active surveillance of major structural birth defects identified prenatally through age two. South Carolina monitors over 50 birth defects recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Birth Defects Prevention Network.

Low birth weight and cardiovascular risk in a Portuguese sample

The aim was to evaluate whether it had a similar effect in a Portuguese sample and if low weight classes – low weight (LW <2500g), very low weight (VLW <1500g) and extremely low weight (ELW <1000g) – had statistically significant differences between them.

Association of type of birth attendant and place of delivery on infant mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: To examine the association between type of birth attendant and place of delivery, and infant mortality (IM). Methods: This cross-sectional study used self-reported data from the Demographic Health Surveys for women in Ghana, Kenya, and Sierra Leone. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and95% confidence intervals. Results: In Ghana and Sierra Leone, odds of IM were higher for women who delivered at a health facility versus women who delivered at a household residence (OR=3.18, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.29-7.83, p=0.01 and OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.15-2.28, p=0.01, respectively). Compared to the use of health professionals, the use of birth attendants for assistance with delivery was not significantly associated with IM for women in Ghana or Sierra Leone (OR=2.17, 95% CI: 0.83-5.69, p=0.12 and OR=1.25, 95% CI: 0.92-1.70, p=0.15, respectively). In Kenya, odds of IM, though nonsignificant, were lower for women who used birth attendants than those who used health professionals to assist with delivery (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.51-1.41, p=0.46), and higher with delivery at a health facility versus a household residence (OR=1.29, 95% CI: 0.81-2.03, p=0.28). Conclusions: Women in Ghana and Sierra Leone who delivered at a health facility had statistically significant increased odds of IM. Birth attendant type-IM associations were not statistically significant.Future research should consider culturally-sensitive interventions to improve maternal health and help reduce IM.

LOOKING FOR DIONYSUS: HEDWIG RAABE AND THE HAUNTING OF THE BIRTH OF TRAGEDY

This thesis explores the relationship of the actress Hedwig Raabe’s 1866 performance in Charlotte Birch-Pfeiffer’s play Die Grille to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s 1872 book The Birth of Tragedy. This exploration is structured by theatre scholar Marvin Carlson’s concept of haunting. I conclude that the haunting of Nietzsche’s text by Raabe’s performance destabilizes the former and points towards new ways of understanding The Birth of Tragedy in the fields of theatre and performance studies.

Wave climate in the Arctic 1992-2014: seasonality and trends

Over the past decade, the diminishing Arctic sea ice has impacted the wave field, which depends on the ice-free ocean and wind. This study characterizes the wave climate in the Arctic spanning 1992–2014 from a merged altimeter data set and a wave hindcast that uses CFSR winds and ice concentrations from satellites as input. The model performs well, verified by the altimeters, and is relatively consistent for climate studies. The wave seasonality and extremes are linked to the ice coverage, wind strength, and wind direction, creating distinct features in the wind seas and swells. The altimeters and model show that the reduction of sea ice coverage causes increasing wave heights instead of the wind. However, trends are convoluted by interannual climate oscillations like the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. In the Nordic Greenland Sea the NAO influences the decreasing wind speeds and wave heights. Swells are becoming more prevalent and wind-sea steepness is declining. The satellite data show the sea ice minimum occurs later in fall when the wind speeds increase. This creates more favorable conditions for wave development. Therefore we expect the ice freeze-up in fall to be the most critical season in the Arctic and small changes in ice cover, wind speeds, and wave heights can have large impacts to the evolution of the sea ice throughout the year. It is inconclusive how important wave–ice processes are within the climate system, but selected events suggest the importance of waves within the marginal ice zone.

Drinking water disinfection by-products, genetic polymorphisms, and birth outcomes in a european mother-child cohort study

International audience

Respiratory syncytial virus seasonality in Brazil: implications for the immunisation policy for at-risk populations

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the leading cause of hospitalisation for respiratory diseases among children under 5 years old. The aim of this study was to analyse RSV seasonality in the five distinct regions of Brazil using time series analysis (wavelet and Fourier series) of the following indicators: monthly positivity of the immunofluorescence reaction for RSV identified by virologic surveillance system, and rate of hospitalisations per bronchiolitis and pneumonia due to RSV in children under 5 years old (codes CID-10 J12.1, J20.5, J21.0 and J21.9). A total of 12,501 samples with 11.6% positivity for RSV (95% confidence interval 11 - 12.2), varying between 7.1 and 21.4% in the five Brazilian regions, was analysed. A strong trend for annual cycles with a stable stationary pattern in the five regions was identified through wavelet analysis of the indicators. The timing of RSV activity by Fourier analysis was similar between the two indicators analysed and showed regional differences. This study reinforces the importance of adjusting the immunisation period for high risk population with the monoclonal antibody palivizumab taking into account regional differences in seasonality of RSV.

Unexpected seasonality in quantity and composition of Amazon rainforest air reactivity.

The hydroxyl radical (OH) removes most atmospheric pollutants from air. The loss frequency of OH radicals due to the combined effect of all gas-phase OH reactive species is a measureable quantity termed total OH reactivity. Here we present total OH reactivity observations in pristine Amazon rainforest air, as a function of season, time-of-day and height (0?80 m). Total OH reactivity is low during wet (10 s1) and high during dry season (62 s1). Comparison to individually measured trace gases reveals strong variation in unaccounted for OH reactivity, from 5 to 15% missing in wet-season afternoons to mostly unknown (average 79%) during dry season. During dry-season afternoons isoprene, considered the dominant reagent with OH in rainforests, only accounts for B20% of the total OH reactivity. Vertical profiles of OH reactivity are shaped by biogenic emissions, photochemistry and turbulent mixing. The rainforest floor was identified as a significant but poorly characterized source of OH reactivity.