Communication and social capital in the control of avian influenza: lessons from behaviour change experiences in the Mekong Region.

International development agencies, national governments, and nongovernmental organizations are increasingly collaborating with local civil society groups in mounting behaviour change communication (BCC) interventions. Even in countries with weakened civil societies, the social capital of local organizations can be a fundamental communication resource. The experience of three programmes in the Mekong Region that used BCC to prevent and control outbreaks of avian influenza bore out this finding. These programmes worked with the Vietnam Women's Union to mobilize local women as conduits for education; worked with the Centre d'Etude et de Developpement Agricole Cambodgien (CEDAC), in Cambodia, to educate and train village health promoters and model farmers; and worked with the Lao Journalists Association to educate and build skills among print and broadcast journalists to enhance avian influenza coverage. Collaborating with civil society organizations can enhance communication reach, trust, and local ownership, but poses many challenges, particularly institutional capacity. Our experience, nevertheless, holds promise for a measured approach that views social capital as a set of communication resources at the community level that can be mobilized to promote complex behaviours, particularly in a rapidly changing outbreak situation.

Role of health communications in Russia's diphtheria immunization program.

As part of a broader program in health communication assistance, project staff from Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival worked with staff from Russia's oblast (regional) public health agencies to design and implement communication activities supporting local diphtheria immunization efforts. Because aggressive community outreach efforts and strong administrative sanctions had already achieved impressive adult coverage rates for first doses of diphtheria toxoid vaccine, communication interventions emphasized the need for second and third doses. Outcomes were assessed through vaccination coverage data and more qualitative measures. In one project site, the increase in adult coverage (two or more doses) was very modest. In a second site, with a stronger communications component, coverage increased significantly (from 20% to 80%). Although it is not possible to disentangle completely the effects of communications from other aspects of oblast immunization programs, these and other outcome data suggest that health communications can play an important role in Russia's ongoing mass immunization efforts.

Genetic markers in standardbred trotters susceptible to the rhabdomyolysis syndrome.

The equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome (RHA) is believed to be multifactorial in origin; and could be caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In order to analyse its genetic background an association study was undertaken. Two sample groups of Standardbreds (Stb) which had suffered from RHA were compared to the total population of Swedish Standardbred trotters using recorded polymorphic genetic markers. The results showed that gene frequencies for several markers in the RHA groups differed significantly from those estimated for the total population. A rhabdomyolysis risk group could be characterised using 4 or 5 genetic marker loci.

A case of abnormal sex-dimorphism for bristle number in Drosophila melanogaster.

A line of Drosophila melanogaster with average male sternopleural bristle number higher than that of females was obtained after many generations of disruptive selection, where males with high bristle score were mated to females with low scores. This abnormal sex-dimorphism did not influence other bristle traits. Dose compensation mechanisms were not involved, and by means of chromosome substitutions it could be shown that both X-linked and autosomal loci contributed to the sex-dimorphism.

Genetic diversity in the Lithuanian rural population as illustrated by variation in the ABO and Rh(D) blood groups.

Regional and temporal variations in the ABO and Rh blood group gene frequencies were studied in the rural population of Lithuania. The total material, comprising blood group data for about 37,000 individuals, was subdivided according to place of residence into 401 parishes, 44 administrative districts and 6 ethnolinguistic regions. A significant regional heterogeneity was found. Gene diversity figures were higher than those observed in some other countries when studied at similar hierarchical levels. The gene frequency variation at the district level was compared to expected effects of genetic drift and migration and it was estimated that a migration rate of 5-10% would counter genetic drift in the rural population of Lithuania.

Genetic heterogeneity and gene diversity in the population of Punjab, Pakistan, based on ABO and Rh(D) blood group frequencies.

AB0 and Rh(D) blood group data from more than 20,000 persons have been assembled from 14 cities in Punjab, Pakistan, and analysed for regional differentiation. The concept of the coefficient of gene differentiation was used to quantify the gene diversity, which has been compared to other such estimates from Europe and Japan.

Variation in genetic identity within kinships.

Genetic identity, which may be important for kin recognition, is the fraction of the genome that is identical by descent. It is, except for the parent-offspring relation, governed by probability and its variance depends on the number of segregating units during meiosis. Using the recombination index as an approximation of this number the variance for genetic identity has been estimated for different kinds of kinship.

Expression of genetic and environmental variation during ageing : 1. Estimation of variance components for number of adult offspring in Drosophila melanogaster.

To test for different gene activity during ageing, an experiment was set up to determine whether or not genetic variation and genetic correlations between fitness traits at different ages change in a systematic way through time. Additive genetic and environmental variance components as well as genetic correlations between different age periods were calculated for the fitness trait "number of adult offspring" in a population of Drosophila melanogaster. Genetic correlations between age periods were all positive and, hence, did not support the theory postulating that genes with beneficial effects on early fitness have pleiotropic unfavourable effects on late fitness. The environmental variation as well as the additive genetic variance showed a clear increase with age. The increase of environmental variation is probably a result of the individuals' increasing difficulties in coping with environmental stress due to physiological deterioration with age. Increased additive genetic variation may be explained by more and more genes being "turned on" with age. Alternatively, it could be caused by accumulation of deleterious mutations with different effects and may reflect the individuals' capacity of DNA repair.

Upper extremity dysfunction in children with myelomeningocele.

A retrospective chart review of 138 subjects with myelomeningocele was performed to determine factors affecting upper extremity function in this population. Upper extremity dysfunction was found in 62 subjects (46.6%). A relationship was found between upper extremity dysfunction and hydrocephalus. Subjects with hydrocephalus had a significantly greater incidence of upper extremity dysfunction than subjects without hydrocephalus. No significant relationship was found between surgically treated versus spontaneously arrested hydrocephalus or number of shunt revisions and upper extremity dysfunction. A relationship was found between level of lesion of the spinal cord and upper extremity dysfunction. High level lesions had a significantly higher incidence of upper extremity dysfunction. Of 62 patients with upper extremity dysfunction only 3 (3.2%) had normal development. This was statistically significant. Little attention has been given to general developmental status in myelomeningocele children with upper extremity dysfunction. This study suggests a strong correlation between these two variables. In conclusion, hydrocephalus, level of spinal cord lesion, and developmental status, appear to be significant factors affecting upper extremity dysfunction in children with myelomeningocele.

Distribution of ABO genes in southeast Sweden.

ABO blood group data from about 78,000 conscripts born 1900-1935 in Southeast Sweden have been analyzed for regional differentiation using a hierarchical subdivision of the area. Heterogeneity was present at all levels of division. Gene diversity among subpopulations has been compared to a corresponding estimate performed on data from the country of Västerbotten in northern Sweden.

Is there a positive assortative mating for the P blood group?

A sample of 350 families from paternity cases, analyzed for the P blood group system, was studied in order to confirm a previously found tendency to positive assortative mating. No significant deviations from random mating were found. However, when combined with materials from previously published reports, a significant deviation in favour of matings between likes was obtained.

Cohort study of opportunity for selection on two Swedish 19th century parishes with a survey of other estimates.

Two Swedish parishes, Fleninge in the county of Malmöhus and Nedertorneå in the county of Norrbotten, have been compared for differences in opportunity for selection. The material has consisted of demographic data from the 19th century. Both components of the index, estimated from mortality and fertility differences respectively, are high in comparison to other available estimates, and the index for Nedertorneå is higher than that of Fleninge.