Towards the future of blood transfusion ­ the South African national blood service's perspectives on cellular therapeutic services and products

Blood transfusion services are the cornerstone of the healthcare delivery system, and need to stay abreast of advances in technology to ensure relevance to the needs of the country. In this review, we examine the current status of blood transfusion systems and discuss their possible future role in cellular therapies

Predictors of Parent-Child Communication among a Nationally Representative Sample in Nigeria

This study explores what constructs are associated with parent-adolescent communication about AIDS/sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and sexual relationships in Nigeria. The analyses use data from the 2007 National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey on 2593 men and women who had at least one child over the age of 12 years. The respondents were classified as low; medium; or high communicators. Low communicators were parents who did not talk to their child about either AIDS/STIs or sexual relationships. Medium communicators were parents who discussed only one topic with at least one child. High communicators were parents who discussed both topics with at least one child. Logistic regression was used to compare high communicators with low/medium communicators. There are commonalities and differences among men andwomen in the factors associated with parent-adolescent communication. Age; religion; and knowing where to obtain information about HIV/AIDS were associated with the extent of communication; regardless of the parent's gender. Perceived social support was an important correlate for fathers; while knowledge of female STI symptoms showed a significant association only for mothers. Programmatic and communication implications of the findings include addressing men and women differently; developing strategies to specifically reach younger parents and Muslims; and increasing general awareness of HIV/AIDS information resources. Further research is needed to understand the context; content; and timing of parent-adolescent conversations about AIDS/STIs and sexual relationships and how these factors affect the sexual behaviors of adolescents

Brazilian version of the Berg balance scale

The purpose of the present study was to translate and adapt the Berg balance scale, an instrument for functional balance assessment, to Brazilian-Portuguese and to determine the reliability of scores obtained with the Brazilian adaptation. Two persons proficient in English independently translated the original scale into Brazilian-Portuguese and a consensus version was generated. Two translators performed a back translation. Discrepancies were discussed and solved by a panel. Forty patients older than 65 years and 40 therapists were included in the cultural adaptation phase. If more than 15 percent of therapists or patients reported difficulty in understanding an item, that item was reformulated and reapplied. The final Brazilian version was then tested on 36 elderly patients (over age 65). The average age was 72 years. Reliability of the measure was assessed twice by one physical therapist (1-week interval between assessments) and once by one independent physical therapist. Descriptive analysis was used to characterize the patients. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson's correlation coefficient were computed to assess intra- and interobserver reliability. Six questions were modified during the translation stage and cultural adaptation phase. The ICC for intra- and interobserver reliability was 0.99 (P < 0.001) and 0.98 (P < 0.001), respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient for intra- and interobserver reliability was 0.98 (P < 0.001) and 0.97 (P < 0.001), respectively. We conclude that the Brazilian version of the Berg balance scale is a reliable instrument to be used in balance assessment of elderly Brazilian patients.

Influencia de los niveles de prolactina basal y postsucción en la amenorrea de lactancia / Influence of basal prolactine level and postsuction in the lactance amenorrhea

Se estudiaron 45 mujeres en lactancia exclusiva, para explorar la relación entre: los niveles de prolactina (PRL) basal y postsucción con la duración de la amenorrea postparto. Muestras de sangre para medición de PRL se tomaron al tercer mes postparto, antes de un episodio de succión y 30 minutos después de iniciado el episodio. El nivel de PRL basal fue de 1053 ñ 113 mlU/L (X ñ SE). Las mujeres con largos períodos de amenorrea tenían aumento de PRL basal en 632 mlU/L (x) con respecto a aquellas con menstruación antes de 180 días postparto (p ñ 0,036). Los niveles de PRL postsucción fueron mayores en mujeres con amenorreas largas (p = 0,06). No se encontró relación entre el estado menstrual al 6- mes postparto y el incremento de PRL postsucción (delta PRL). Este estudio encuentra que los niveles de PRL basal tiene relación con la duración de la amenorrea en mujeres con lactancia exclusiva