Strengthening families to support children affected by HIV and AIDS.

This paper provides an overview of the arguments for the central role of families, defined very broadly, and we emphasise the importance of efforts to strengthen families to support children affected by HIV and AIDS. We draw on work conducted in the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and AIDS's Learning Group 1: Strengthening Families, as well as published data and empirical literature to provide the rationale for family strengthening. We close with the following recommendations for strengthening families to ameliorate the effects of HIV and AIDS on children. Firstly, a developmental approach to poverty is an essential feature of responses to protect children affected by HIV and AIDS, necessary to safeguard their human capital. For this reason, access to essential services, such as health and education, as well as basic income security, must be at the heart of national strategic approaches. Secondly, we need to ensure that support garnered for children is directed to families. Unless we adopt a family oriented approach, we will not be in a position to interrupt the cycle of infection, provide treatment to all who need it and enable affected individuals to be cared for by those who love and feel responsible for them. Thirdly, income transfers, in a variety of forms, are desperately needed and positively indicated by available research. Basic economic security will relieve the worst distress experienced by families and enable them to continue to invest in the health care and education of their children. Lastly, interventions are needed to support distressed families and prevent knock-on negative outcomes through programmes such as home visiting, and protection and enhancement of children's potential through early child development efforts.

A systematic review on the meaning of the concept 'AIDS Orphan': confusion over definitions and implications for care.

Global publications on the international AIDS epidemic report on the existence of an ever-increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children. It has been suggested that by the end of this decade there will be in excess of 25 million AIDS orphans globally, an issue which will require understanding and organisation of long-term medical, psychological and social support. This study provides a systematic review to examine the use, overuse and misuse of the term orphan and explores the benefits and limitations of this approach. It then summarises the knowledge on orphans to date. Using a search strategy of published studies and recent conference abstracts, 383 papers were identified where the concept of AIDS and Orphan was raised. The papers were systematically coded and reviewed to understand when and how a child is labelled an orphan, and to summarise the effect of orphanhood on outcome measures, most notably psychologically and physically. All controlled studies published prior to 2006 were reviewed. A consistent picture of negative effects of parental death (however defined) on a wide range of physical, socioeconomic and psychological outcomes were recorded. Seventeen studies met criteria for in-depth review (empirical, fully published, control group). The majority of studies are cross-sectional (two are longitudinal) and employ a very wide array of measures - both standardised and study specific. This detailed analysis shows a mixed picture on outcome. Although most studies report some negative effects, there are often no differences and some evidence of protective effects from quality of subsequent care and economic assistance. The lack of consistent measures and the blurring of definitions are stumbling blocks in this area.

Inhibition of ERK and JNK decreases both osmosensitive taurine release and cell proliferation in glioma cells.

Cell swelling is associated with the activation of an increase in the osmosensitive taurine release (OTR) rate, which serves to decrease cell volume as part of a process known as regulatory volume decrease. OTR, which is sensitive to many pharmacological agents including anion channel blockers and signalling pathway modulators, has also been suggested to play a role in cell cycle progression. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, the anion channel blocker NPPB (25 microM), the extra-cellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD98059 (50 microM), and the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase inhibitor SP 600125 (5 microM) each decreased the OTR rate by > or =50%, decreased cell proliferation, and increased G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.

The therapeutic antibodies market to 2008.

The therapeutic biologics market is currently dominated by recombinant protein products. However, many of these products are mature, and growth of the biologics market will increasingly rely on the expansion of the therapeutic monoclonal antibody sector. Successive technology waves have driven the growth of the monoclonal antibody sector, which is currently dominated by chimeric antibodies. Chimeric products, led by Remicade and Rituxan, will continue to drive market share through to 2008. However, over the forecast period, humanized and fully human monoclonal antibodies, together with technologies such as Fabs and conjugated antibodies, will play an increasingly important role, driving monoclonal antibody market growth at a forecast compound annual growth rate of 20.9%, to reach $16.7 billion by 2008. In terms of therapeutic focus, the monoclonal antibody market is heavily focused on oncology and arthritis, immune and inflammatory disorders, and products within these therapeutic areas are set to continue to be the key growth drivers over the forecast period. Underlying the growth of the market is the evolution of the monoclonal antibody company business model, set to transition towards the highly successful innovator model.

Volume-sensitive organic osmolyte/anion channels in cancer: novel approaches to studying channel modulation employing proteomics technologies.

Key elements of tumor development include proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and angiogenesis. Activation of the volume-sensitive organic osmolyte/anion channel (VSOAC) has been suggested to play a role in all of these processes. VSOACs may therefore represent an important therapeutic target in the etiology of cancer. However, pharmacological inhibitors of VSOAC are nonselective and of low potency, highlighting the importance of identifying novel regulators of the channel. The use of electrophysiological methods coupled with techniques such as pull-down assays, yeast 2-hybrid, and functional protein arrays have already proved valuable in studying protein-protein interactions in a variety of systems. Some of these methods have been used to identify small molecules that modulate the function of other types of ion channels. Given that several proteins have already been identified as putative modulators of VSOACs, proteomics technologies may prove useful in elucidating the molecular identity of VSOACs and helpful in identifying novel modulators of channel function. In this paper, we review the involvement of VSOACs in tumor development processes and its regulation by pharmacological agents and cellular proteins. Proteomic approaches to study protein-protein interactions and how such approaches may be used to study VSOACs are also discussed. We speculate on how modulation of protein-protein interactions may result in the identification of a novel class of compounds for modulating VSOACs.

Newly identified structurally disparate modulators of osmosensitive taurine efflux inhibit cell cycle progression.

FACS analysis and [14C]-taurine efflux were used to determine whether activation of the volume-sensitive organic osmolyte/anion channel plays a role in cell cycle progression. This was achieved by examining the effects of a collection of (i) H(1) antagonists and tricyclic antidepressants with a known inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression, and (ii) antidepressants and oestrogen receptor modulators with molecular structures likely to confer inhibition of the volume-sensitive organic osmolyte/anion channel. Of the 13 compounds examined in this study, the following showed no cytotoxicity following a 48-h exposure, and specifically inhibited osmosensitive taurine efflux (over lactate transport and anion exchange) with IC(50) values of (in microM): fluoxetine, approximately 14; fluvoxamine, approximately 24; amitriptyline, approximately 32; imipramine, approximately 32; mianserin, approximately 40. A 48-h application of these compounds at these concentrations significantly increased arrest in the G0/1 stage of the cell cycle by approximately 10%. The uniformity and specificity of the response elicited by these compounds strongly reinforces a correlation between cell cycle progression and osmosensitive taurine efflux activation.

L' intégration des services de santé maternelle et infantile dans les soins de santé primaires : considérations pratiques / R. H. Hart, M. A. Belsey, E. Tarimo / Integrating maternal and child health services with primary health care : practical considerations

Cet ouvrage répond à la nécessité de relier les services de soins aux mères et aux enfants aux autres composantes des soins de santé primaires sans oublier les services de planification familiale. Conçu à l'intention d'administrateurs de programmes, il propose un cadre pratique et conceptuel pour évaluer les services existants, déceler les lacunes, éviter les pièges les plus courants et planifier des améliorations en fonction des nombreuses leçons tirées de l'expérience des services de soins de santé primaires partout dans le monde. L'essentiel du livre est un guide détaillé sur la planification et l'organisation de services conformes aux principes de soins de santé primaires. Axée sur les problèmes, les différentes sections traitent des personnels, des équipements, des fournitures et des ressources nécessaires au fonctionnement quotidien d'un dispensaire. Le lecteur est également informé des problèmes particuliers où l'absence de planification sérieuse peut compromettre l'efficacité, augmenter les coûts ou exposer la santé des patients

Integrating maternal and child health services with primary health care : practical considerations / R. H. Hart, M. A. Belsey, E. Tarimo / L' intégration des services de santé maternelle et infantile dans les soins de santé primaires : considérations pratiques

Addresses the need to link services for the care of mothers and children to other components of primary health care. Services for family planning are also considered. Intended for use by programme managers, the book offers a practical and conceptual framework for evaluating existing services, detecting inefficiencies, avoiding common pitfalls, and planning improvements that build on the many lessons learned from past experiences with primary health care services. The opening chapter outlines the many theoretical advantages of a primary health care approach and explains why, in practice, maternal and child health services so often function as a separate component of the primary health care system. The second chapter identifies eleven main issues that need to be understood and considered before planning an improvement or expansion of services. The main part of the book provides a guide to the planning and organization of services aligned with the principles of primary health care. Adopting a problem-oriented approach, sections concentrate on the staff, equipment, supplies, and resources needed for the daily operation of a clinic. Details range from advice on ways to streamline daily record keeping to an organizational framework for planning the work of a clinic according to five main work stations. Readers are also alerted to specific problem areas where lack of careful planning will compromise efficiency, increase costs, or introduce risks to the health of patients

Overview of the health of women and children

Better Health for Women and Children through Family Planning. Population Council; 5-9 Oct. 1987

. World Health Organization

. International Planed Parenthood Federation

. UNICEF

. UNDP

. PNUD

. World Bank

. Banco Mundial