Is there any association between parental education and child mortality? A study in a rural area of Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between parental education and under-five mortality, using the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) data from rural Bangladesh. It also investigated whether the association of parental education with under-five mortality had changed over time. STUDY DESIGN: This study was nested in the IMCI cluster randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Participants considered for the analysis were all children aged under five years from the baseline (1995-2000) and the final (2002-2007) IMCI household survey. The analysis sample included 39,875 and 38,544 live births from the baseline and the final survey respectively. The outcome variable was under-five mortality and the exposure variables were mother's and father's education. Data were analysed with logistic regression. RESULTS: In 2002-2007, the odds of the under-five mortality were 38% lower for the children with mother having secondary education, compared to the children with uneducated mother. For similar educational differences for fathers, at the same time period, the odds of the under-five mortality were 16% lower. The association of mother's education with under-five mortality was significantly stronger in 2002-2007 compared to 1995-2000. CONCLUSIONS: Mother's education appears to have a strong and significant association with under-five mortality, compared to father's education. The association of mother's education with under-five mortality appears to have increased over time. Our findings indicate that investing on girls' education is a good strategy to combat infant mortality in developing countries.

The relationship between long-term blood pressure variability and cortical thickness in older adults.

High blood pressure variability (BPV) is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, but its association with cortical thickness is not well understood. Here we use a topographical approach, to assess links between long-term BPV and cortical thickness in 478 (54% men at baseline) community dwelling older adults (70-88 years) from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly NEURO sub-study. BPV was measured as average real variability, based on annual visits across three years. Higher diastolic BPV was significantly associated with reduced cortical thickness in multiple areas, including temporal (banks of the superior temporal sulcus), parietal (supramarginal gyrus, post-central gyrus), and posterior frontal areas (pre-central gyrus, caudal middle frontal gyrus), while controlling for mean BP. Higher diastolic BPV was associated with faster progression of cortical thinning across the three years. Diastolic BPV is an important predictor of cortical thickness, and trajectory of cortical thickness, independent of mean blood pressure. This finding suggests an important biological link in the relationship between BPV and cognitive decline in older age.

Sex and socioeconomic differentials in child health in rural Bangladesh: findings from a baseline survey for evaluating Integrated Management of Childhood Illness.

This paper reports on a population-based sample survey of 2,289 children aged less than five years (under-five children) conducted in 2000 as a baseline for the Bangladesh component of the Multi-country Evaluation (MCE) of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness strategy. Of interest were rates and differentials by sex and socioeconomic status for three aspects of child health in rural Bangladesh: morbidity and hospitalizations, including severity of illness; care-seeking for childhood illness; and home-care for illness. The survey was carried out among a population of about 380,000 in Matlab upazila (subdistrict). Generic MCE Household Survey tools were adapted, translated, and pretested. Trained interviewers conducted the survey in the study areas. In total, 2,289 under-five children were included in the survey. Results showed a very high prevalence of illness among Bangladeshi children, with over two-thirds reported to have had at least one illness during the two weeks preceding the survey. Most sick children in this population had multiple symptoms, suggesting that the use of the IMCI clinical guidelines will lead to improved quality of care. Contrary to expectations, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of illness either by sex or by socioeconomic status. About one-third of the children with a reported illness did not receive any care outside the home. Of those for whom outside care was sought, 42% were taken to a village doctor. Only 8% were taken to an appropriate provider, i.e. a health facility, a hospital, a doctor, a paramedic, or a community-based health worker. Poorer children than less-poor children were less likely to be taken to an appropriate healthcare provider. The findings indicated that children with severe illness in the least poor households were three times more likely to seek care from a trained provider than children in the poorest households. Any evidence of gender inequities in child healthcare, either in terms of prevalence of illness or care-seeking patterns, was not found. Care-seeking patterns were associated with the perceived severity of illness, the presence of danger signs, and the duration and number of symptoms. The results highlight the challenges that will need to be addressed as IMCI is implemented in health facilities and extended to address key family and community practices, including extremely low rates of use of the formal health sector for the management of sick children. Child health planners and researchers must find ways to address the apparent population preference for untrained and traditional providers which is determined by various factors, including the actual and perceived quality of care, and the differentials in care-seeking practices that discriminate against the poorest households.

Barriers to achieving blood pressure treatment targets in elderly hypertensive individuals.

High blood pressure (BP) is highly prevalent among the elderly, and even with pharmacological therapy BP is difficult to control to guideline recommended levels. Although poor compliance to therapy is associated with less BP control, little is known regarding other barriers to attaining on-treatment target BP. This study examined factors associated with achieving on-treatment target BP in 6010 hypertensive participants aged 65-84 years from the Second Australian National Blood Pressure study. Participants were followed for a median of 4.1 years, with BP monitored every 6 months. 'Target BP' was defined as a reduction of systolic/diastolic BP of at least 20/10 mm Hg and BP <160/90 mm Hg from randomization in two consecutive follow-up visits. Cox regression was used to identify factors associated with achieving target BP from a number of baseline and in-study factors. Mean BP at randomization was 168/91 mm Hg and patients had a median of 9 (range: 2-20) study visits. Target BP was achieved in 50% of patients. Demographic factors associated with achieving target BP were male gender, living in a regional area; and clinical factors included history of antihypertensive therapy, increased plasma creatinine, lower pretreatment pulse pressure and in-study use of multiple BP-lowering drugs. Those aged >80 years and seeking care from multiple doctors (hazard ratio 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.36-0.45, P<0.001) were less likely to achieve target BP. These findings identify clinical markers that can be targeted for intervention, but also demographic factors related to service delivery, which may provide further opportunity for achieving better BP control in hypertensive elderly.

Quality of care for under-fives in first-level health facilities in one district of Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: The multi-country evaluation of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) effectiveness, cost and impact (MCE) is a global evaluation to determine the impact of IMCI on health outcomes and its cost-effectiveness. MCE studies are under way in Bangladesh, Brazil, Peru, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The objective of this analysis from the Bangladesh MCE study was to describe the quality of care delivered to sick children under 5 years old in first-level government health facilities, to inform government planning of child health programmes. METHODS: Generic MCE Health Facility Survey tools were adapted, translated and pre-tested. Medical doctors trained in IMCI and these tools conducted the survey in all 19 health facilities in the study areas. The data were collected using observations, exit interviews, inventories and interviews with facility providers. FINDINGS: Few of the sick children seeking care at these facilities were fully assessed or correctly treated, and almost none of their caregivers were advised on how to continue the care of the child at home. Over one-third of the sick children whose care was observed were managed by lower-level workers who were significantly more likely than higher-level workers to classify the sick child correctly and to provide correct information on home care to the caregiver. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate an urgent need for interventions to improve the quality of care provided for sick children in first-level facilities in Bangladesh, and suggest that including lower-level workers as targets for IMCI case-management training may be beneficial. The findings suggest that the IMCI strategy offers a promising set of interventions to address the child health service problems in Bangladesh.

A novel NADP(+)-dependent serine dehydrogenase from Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

NADP(+)-dependent serine dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.-], which catalyzes the oxidation of the hydroxyl group of serine to form 2-aminomalonate semialdehyde, was purified to homogeneity from a crude extract of Agrobacterium tumefaciens ICR 1600. The enzyme had a molecular mass of about 100 kDa and consisted of four identical subunits. In addition to L-serine, D-serine, L-glycerate, D-glycerate, and 2-methyl-DL-serine were substrates. However, O-methyl-DL-serine and L-threonine were inert. The enzyme showed maximal activity at about pH 9 for the oxidation of L-serine. The enzyme required NADP+ as a coenzyme, NAD+ was inert. The enzyme was not inhibited by EDTA, o-phenanthroline, or alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl, but was inhibited by HgCl2, p-chloromercuribenzoate, L-cysteine, D-cysteine, malonate, 2-methylmalonate, and tartronate. The Michaelis constants for L-serine, D-serine, and NADP+ were 42, 44, and 0.029 mM, respectively.

3-Hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida E23: purification and characterization.

The NAD(+)-dependent 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.31] was purified to homogeneity from Pseudomonas putida E23. The enzyme was a tetramer (molecular mass, 120 kDa) consisted of identical subunits (molecular mass, 30 kDa). The enzyme was specific for NAD+ (Km, 0.44 mM). The maximal activity was obtained at about pH 10. The enzyme was specific for the L-isomer of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate. In addition to L-3-hydroxyisobutyrate, L-serine, 2-methyl-DL-serine, and 3-hydroxypropionate were substrates. The Km for L-3-hydroxyisobutyrate, L-serine, 2-methyl-DL-serine, and 3-hydroxypropionate were 0.12, 18, 44, and 83 mM, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate, HgCl2, and AgNO3, but not by EDTA, alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl, and o-phenanthroline. The N-terminal 26 amino acid sequence was compared with the sequences deduced from the enzyme genes of rat liver and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

G1 antigen: a cell-surface immunoprotective 96 kDa glycoprotein from the virulent fish pathogen Enterococcus seriolicida, its purification and characterization.

Strains of the fish pathogen Enterococcus seriolicida were identified as agglutinating and non-agglutinating, according to their reaction with anti-serum raised against type strain YT-3 (ATCC49156). The non-agglutinating strains are highly pathogenic in contrast to agglutinating strains. A 96 kDa immunoprotective glycoprotein G1 antigen from non-agglutinating Ent. seriolicida strain SS91-014 (N) was purified and characterized. The purification procedure entailed extraction of antigen by glass bead agitation, 80% (NH4)(2)SO4 precipitation, gel filtration and electroelution. An immunofluorescence microscopy study using monoclonal antibody M3A5 raised against G1 antigen revealed that G1 antigen is present only on the cell surface of non-agglutinating strains. Therefore, the G1 antigen of virulent Ent. seriolicida could be a potential candidate for protective vaccine against enterococcosis in fish.

Alanine dehydrogenase from Enterobacter aerogenes: purification, characterization, and primary structure.

Alanine dehydrogenase [EC 1. 4. 1. 1] was purified to homogeneity from a crude extract of Enterobacter aerogenes ICR 0220. The enzyme had a molecular mass of about 245 kDa and consisted of six identical subunits. The enzyme showed maximal activity at about pH 10.9 for the deamination of L-alanine and at about pH 8.7 for the amination of pyruvate. The enzyme required NAD+ as a coenzyme. Analogs of NAD+, deamino-NAD+ and nicotinamide guanine dinucleotide served as coenzymes. Initial-velocity and product inhibition studies suggested that the deamination of L-alanine proceeded through a sequential ordered binary-ternary mechanism. NAD+ bound first to the enzyme, followed by L-alanine, and the products were released in the order of ammonia, pyruvate, and NADH. The Km were 0.47 mM for L-alanine, 0.16 mM for NAD+, 0.22 mM for pyruvate, 0.067 mM for NADH, and 66.7 mM for ammonia. The Km for L-alanine was the smallest in the alanine dehydrogenases studied so far. The enzyme gene was cloned into Escherichia coli JM109 cells and the nucleotides were sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence was very similar to that of the alanine dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis. However, the Enterobacter enzyme has no cysteine residue. In this respect, the Enterobacter enzyme is different from other alanine dehydrogenases.