Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
International Centre (international + centre)
Selected AbstractsPresence of High Numbers of Transcriptionally Active Helicobacter pylori in Vomitus from Bangladeshi Patients Suffering from Acute GastroenteritisHELICOBACTER, Issue 4 2009Anders Janzon Abstract Background:,Helicobacter pylori is one of the most prevalent human bacterial pathogens; however, its transmission pathways remain unknown. New infections of H. pylori during outbreaks of gastroenteritis have been suggested previously, and to explore this transmission route further H. pylori was quantified in vomitus and diarrheal stool of patients suffering from acute gastroenteritis in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods:, Vomitus and stool samples from 28 patients seeking care at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research hospital were analyzed for presence of H. pylori and other pathogens using quantitative culturing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and H. pylori stool antigen test. Bacterial gene expression was analyzed using reverse transcriptase real-time PCR. Results:, The results of real-time PCR show that 23 (88%) of the 26 vomitus samples and 17 (74%) of the 23 stool samples were H. pylori positive, while stool antigen test show that 14 (67%) of the 21 stool samples were H. pylori positive. H. pylori could not be isolated by culture. Analysis using quantitative culture and real-time PCR to detect Vibrio cholerae showed strong correlation between these methods, and validating real-time PCR. Analysis of H. pylori virulence gene transcription in vomitus, diarrheal stool, antral and duodenal biopsy specimens, and in vitro cultures showed that cagA, flaA, and ureA were highly transcribed in vomitus, biopsy specimens, and cultures, whereas hpaA and vacA were expressed at lower levels. No H. pylori gene expression was detected in diarrheal stool. Conclusions:, We conclude that high numbers of transcriptionally active H. pylori are shed in vomitus, which indicates that new infections may be disseminated through vomiting. [source] Japan's strategic contributions to hydro-meteorological disaster mitigation in the world: planning to establish the UNESCO,PWRI CentreHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 6 2006Tetsuya Ikeda Hydro-meteorological disasters such as floods are major challenges that need to be overcome in order to realize sustainable development and poverty alleviation for humankind. Devastating flood disasters have occurring in various locations throughout the world, and there has recently been rising concern that the intensity and frequency of catastrophic floods may be increasing. Being located on the eastern edge of monsoonal Asia and having climatic variations according to the seasonal and regional conditions, Japan has long suffered from numerous flood disasters, and thus has developed advanced flood management policies. This paper aims to discuss flood disasters in Japan and the recently improved flood management policies. In addition, this paper introduces a new plan attempted by the Public Works Research Institute (PWRI) of Japan that takes advantage of the wealth of long accumulated experience and knowledge in the hydro-meteorological field. The PWRI is now working toward the establishment of an International Centre on Water-related Hazard and Risk Management by acquiring UNESCO's auspices. In order to contribute to the global challenge of reducing devastating hydro-meteorological disasters all over the world, this centre aims to conduct research, capacity-building and training programmes, and information networking activities at the local, national, regional and global levels. The aim is to prevent and mitigate hydro-meteorological disasters from the viewpoint of sustainable and integrated river basin management. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Ventilation filters and indoor air quality: a review of research from the International Centre for Indoor Environment and EnergyINDOOR AIR, Issue 2004G. Clausen First page of article [source] Simulation of the intraseasonal and the interannual variability of rainfall over West Africa with RegCM3 during the monsoon periodINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2010M. B. Sylla Abstract Intraseasonal and interannual variability of rainfall is simulated using the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Regional Climate Model (RegCM3) over West Africa. The intraseasonal variability of rainfall showing three distinct phases and the monsoon jump is well reproduced in the simulation. In addition, the regional model shows that while the monsoon rainbelt moves to the Sahel, the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) undergoes a northward migration and a weakening from June to August, when the core is at its northernmost location. This coexists with the appearance and the strengthening of the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ), the development and increased activity of the African Easterly Waves (AEWs), and the intensification and northward shift of the ascent between the AEJ and the TEJ core levels and axis. Similarly, the simulated interannual variability of rainfall over West Africa, the Guinea region, and the Sahel, as well as the variability of atmospheric features during contrasting wet and dry years, is also well captured. In fact, in the simulation during dry years the AEWs activity is decreased while the AEJ is strengthened and migrates southward, the TEJ becomes weaker, and the ascent between the levels of the AEJ and the TEJ decreases. The simulated rainfall variability and the behavior of the related features during the rainy season and during contrasting wet and dry years are in line with previous studies that used observations and reanalysis. We conclude that this model performance is of sufficient quality for application to the study of climate processes and mechanisms over West Africa. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Delegating Differences: Bilateral Investment Treaties and Bargaining Over Dispute Resolution ProvisionsINTERNATIONAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2010Todd Allee Bilateral investment treaties (BITs) have become the dominant source of rules on foreign direct investment (FDI), yet these treaties vary significantly in at least one important respect: whether they allow investment disputes to be settled through the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Through the compilation and careful coding of the text of nearly 1,500 treaties, we identify systematic variation in "legal delegation" to ICSID across BITs and explain this important variation by drawing upon a bargaining framework. Home governments prefer and typically obtain ICSID clauses in their BITs, particularly when internal forces push strongly for such provisions and when they have significantly greater bargaining power than the other signatory. Yet some home governments are less likely to insist upon ICSID clauses if they have historical or military ties with the other government. On the other hand, although host governments are often hostile toward ICSID clauses, particularly when sovereignty costs are high, they are more likely to consent to such clauses when they are heavily constrained by their dependence on the global economy. Our findings have significant implications for those interested in FDI, legalization, international institutions, and interstate bargaining. [source] A vision from the President of the CouncilMUSEUM INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2009E. Blaine Cliver Fifty-three years ago a proposal was made to create an inter-governmental centre for the study and improvement of methods for conserving and restoring the cultural heritage of the world. In 1959 this agreement materialized as the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, an inter-governmental organization located in Rome. Now called ICCROM, it has grown to become the premier international centre for conservation, training and information in cultural heritage. Over the past five decades ICCROM has grown and, in so doing, has evolved into the institution we have today. In this process of evolution ICCROM has continued to maintain its standards, though changing to meet the new needs of a diverse world community. Courses are now taught in many places around the globe, some of them specially developed for specific regions. However, ICCROM must adjust to the changing needs and challenges, especially financial ones, if it is to remain meaningful in today's heritage community. [source] ASGBI Abstracts 2008: Oral PresentationsBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue S3 2008You have free access to this content The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK (14th , 16th May 2008), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of oral presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2008 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ASGBI Abstracts 2008: Poster PresentationsBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue S3 2008You have free access to this content The Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland takes place this year at Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK (14th , 16th May 2008), under the presidency of Professor Brian J Rowlands. To view all abstracts of poster presentations from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. Copyright © 2008 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland AbstractsBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue S2 2006Article first published online: 18 JAN 200 The Vascular Society AGM was held at the Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth, UK 23rd , 25th November 2005. To view all abstracts from this meeting, please click the pdf link on this page. [source] Factors associated with sclerema in infants with diarrhoeal disease: a matched case-control studyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2009Mohammod Jobayer Chisti Abstract Aim: To identify clinical and biochemical factors associated with sclerema in infants with diarrhoeal illness, and their outcome. Methods: In this case-control study, we enrolled 30 infants with clinical sepsis with sclerema (cases) and another 60, age- and sex-matched infants with clinical sepsis but without sclerema (controls) from among those admitted to the special care unit (SCU) and longer stay unit (LSU) of the Dhaka Hospital of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) for their diarrhoeal illness from May 2005 through April 2006. Sclerema as the dependant variable while hypoxia, hypothermia, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, serum total protein and prealbumin level were the major independent variables compared in the analysis. Differences in proportions were compared by the chi-square test and differences of mean were compared by Student's t -test or Mann,Whitney test, as appropriate. Results: The case-fatality was significantly higher among the cases than the controls (30% vs. 2%, CI 2.9,565.5). After adjusting for confounders, infants with sclerema were more likely to be hypothermic (OR 11.6, 95% CI 1.1,126.5), and have lower serum total protein (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04,1.21) and prealbumin (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1,2.3). Conclusion: Diarrhoeal infants having clinical sepsis presenting with hypothermia, lower serum protein and prealbumin are prone to be associated with sclerema. [source] A vision from the President of the CouncilMUSEUM INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2009E. Blaine Cliver Fifty-three years ago a proposal was made to create an inter-governmental centre for the study and improvement of methods for conserving and restoring the cultural heritage of the world. In 1959 this agreement materialized as the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, an inter-governmental organization located in Rome. Now called ICCROM, it has grown to become the premier international centre for conservation, training and information in cultural heritage. Over the past five decades ICCROM has grown and, in so doing, has evolved into the institution we have today. In this process of evolution ICCROM has continued to maintain its standards, though changing to meet the new needs of a diverse world community. Courses are now taught in many places around the globe, some of them specially developed for specific regions. However, ICCROM must adjust to the changing needs and challenges, especially financial ones, if it is to remain meaningful in today's heritage community. [source] Facilitating Leiden's Cold: The International Association of Refrigeration and the Internationalisation of Heike Kamerlingh Onnes's Cryogenic LaboratoryCENTAURUS, Issue 3 2007Dirk VanDelft The International Association of Refrigeration (Association Internationale du Froid) was founded in January 1909. Right from the start, the Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853,1926) played a major role in the new association, which brought together the science of low temperatures; the refrigeration industry; applications of cold to foodstuffs, trade, and transport; and relevant legislation. In July 1908, Kamerlingh Onnes became the first person to liquefy helium, making his Leiden cryogenic laboratory the coldest spot on earth. Because of this success, he was one of the big stars of the First International Congress of Refrigeration, held in October 1908, in Paris. As vice president of the association and chairman of the ,first committee', which dealt with the science of low temperatures, Kamerlingh Onnes was able to strengthen Leiden's position as the leading international centre for cryogenic research. His presentation at the Paris congress unleashed a stream of guest researchers to Leiden, where they enjoyed Kamerlingh Onnes's hospitality and were allowed to extend their research to much lower temperatures then could be reached in their own laboratories. The Association provided grants for young physicists to perform research ,relevant to cold technology' in Leiden's cryogenic laboratory. In practice, however, the Leiden program dealt only with basic research. In 1920, in the wake of World War I, the Association was transformed into the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR). Kamerlingh Onnes, monsieur Zéro Absolu, maintained his key position. By stressing that the science of refrigeration had a golden future and that superconductivity, which was demonstrated in Leiden in 1911, would come to the aid of electrical engineers, Kamerlingh Onnes was able to secure the funding of his Leiden laboratory by the IIR. [source] Structured assessment of current mental state in clinical practice: an international study of the reliability and validity of the Current Psychiatric State interview, CPS-50ACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2005I. R. H. Falloon Objective:, To develop a reliable standardized assessment of psychiatric symptoms for use in clinical practice. Method:, A 50-item interview, the Current Psychiatric State 50 (CPS-50), was used to assess 237 patients with a range of psychiatric diagnoses. Ratings were made by interviewers after a 2-day training. Comparisons of inter-rater reliability on each item and on eight clinical subscales were made across four international centres and between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. A principal components analysis was used to validate these clinical scales. Results:, Acceptable inter-rater reliability (intra-class coefficient > 0.80) was found for 46 of the 50 items, and for all eight subscales. There was no difference between centres or between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. The principal components analysis factors were similar to the clinical scales. Conclusion:, The CPS-50 is a reliable standardized assessment of current mental status that can be used in clinical practice by all mental health professionals after brief training. [source] Advances in pancreatic islet transplantation in humansDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 1 2006Sulaiman A. Nanji With recent advances in methods of islet isolation and the introduction of more potent and less diabetogenic immunosuppressive therapies, islet transplantation has progressed from research to clinical reality. Presently, several international centres have demonstrated successful clinical outcomes with high rates of insulin independence after islet transplantation. Ongoing refinements in donor pancreas procurement and processing, developments in islet isolation and purification technology, and advances in novel immunological conditioning and induction therapies have led to the acceptance of islet transplantation as a safe and effective therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes. This review provides a historical perspective of islet transplantation, outlines the recent advances and current clinical outcomes, and addresses the present challenges and future directions in clinical islet transplantation. [source] Physician attitudes towards ventilatory support for spinal muscular atrophy type 1 in AustralasiaJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 12 2007Nimeshan Geevasinga Background: Without ventilatory support, premature death from respiratory insufficiency is virtually universal in infants with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1). With mechanical ventilation, however, long-term survival has been reported from numerous international centres. We aimed to characterize physician attitudes to the various forms of ventilatory support for children with SMA1. Methods: We surveyed neurologists, respiratory physicians, clinical geneticists and intensivists from all major paediatric hospitals in Australia and New Zealand regarding their views on ventilatory management of SMA1. Results: Ninety-two of the 157 (59%) physicians surveyed replied. Respondents included 16 clinical geneticists, 19 intensive care physicians, 28 neurologists and 29 respiratory physicians. Almost half (47%) opposed invasive ventilation of children with SMA1 and respiratory failure precipitated by intercurrent illness. The majority (76%) opposed invasive ventilatory support for chronic respiratory failure in SMA1. In contrast, non-invasive ventilation was felt by 85% to be appropriate for acute respiratory deteriorations, with 49% supporting long-term non-invasive ventilatory support. Most physicians felt that decisions regarding ventilation should be made jointly by parents and doctors, and that hospital Clinical Ethics Committees should be involved in the event of discordant opinion regarding further management. A majority felt that a defined hospital policy would be valuable in guiding management of SMA1. Conclusions: Respiratory support in SMA1 is an important issue with significant ethical, financial and resource management implications. Most physicians in Australian and New Zealand oppose invasive ventilatory support for chronic respiratory failure in SMA1. Non-invasive ventilation is an accepted intervention for acute respiratory decompensation and may have a role in the long-term management of SMA1. Clinical Ethics Committees and institutional policies have a place in guiding physicians and parents in the management of children with SMA1. [source] Target setting in intensive insulin management is associated with metabolic control: the Hvidoere Childhood Diabetes Study Group Centre Differences Study 2005PEDIATRIC DIABETES, Issue 4 2010PGF Swift Swift PGF, Skinner TC, de Beaufort CE, Cameron FJ, Åman J, Aanstoot H-J, Castaño L, Chiarelli F, Daneman D, Danne T, Dorchy H, Hoey H, Kaprio EA, Kaufman F, Kocova M, Mortensen HB, Njølstad PR, Phillip M, Robertson KJ, Schoenle EJ, Urakami T, Vanelli M, Ackermann RW, Skovlund SE for the Hvidoere Study Group on Childhood Diabetes. Target setting in intensive insulin management is associated with metabolic control: the Hvidoere Childhood Diabetes Study Group Centre Differences Study 2005. Objective: To evaluate glycaemic targets set by diabetes teams, their perception by adolescents and parents, and their influence on metabolic control. Methods: Clinical data and questionnaires were completed by adolescents, parents/carers and diabetes teams in 21 international centres. HbA1c was measured centrally. Results: A total of 2062 adolescents completed questionnaires (age 14.4 ± 2.3 yr; diabetes duration 6.1 ± 3.5 yr). Mean HbA 1c = 8.2 ± 1.4% with significant differences between centres (F = 12.3; p < 0.001) range from 7.4 to 9.1%. There was a significant correlation between parent (r = 0.20) and adolescent (r = 0.21) reports of their perceived ideal HbA1c and their actual HbA1c result (p < 0.001), and a stronger association between parents' (r = 0.39) and adolescents' (r = 0.4) reports of the HbA1c they would be happy with and their actual HbA1c result. There were significant differences between centres on parent and adolescent reports of ideal and happy with HbA1c (8.1 < F > 17.4;p < 0.001). A lower target HbA1c and greater consistency between members of teams within centres were associated with lower centre HbA1c (F = 16.0; df = 15; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Clear and consistent setting of glycaemic targets by diabetes teams is strongly associated with HbA1c outcome in adolescents. Target setting appears to play a significant role in explaining the differences in metabolic outcomes between centres. [source] Mutations within the transcription factor PROP1 are rare in a cohort of patients with sporadic combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD)CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2005James P. G. Turton Summary Objective, Mutations within the pituitary-specific paired-like homeobox gene PROP1 have been described in 50,100% of patients with familial combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). We screened a cohort of sporadic (n = 189) and familial (n = 44) patients with hypopituitarism (153 CPHD and 80 isolated hormone deficiencies) for mutations within the coding sequence of PROP1. Design and patients, Patients with congenital hypopituitarism were recruited from the London Centre for Paediatric Endocrinology as well as several national and international centres. The pituitary phenotype ranged from isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) to panhypopituitarism. Clinical data, including endocrine and neuro-radiological studies were obtained from patient records, and DNA was collected and screened for mutations within PROP1 using PCR and single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Positive results on SSCP were sequenced directly. Results, The prevalence of PROP1 mutations in unselected sporadic cases of hypopituitarism was lower (1·1%) than in familial cases (29·5%). PROP1 mutations can be associated with a highly variable phenotype, and both pituitary hypoplasia and pituitary hyperplasia. We describe the waxing and waning of a pituitary mass over 20 months in association with a PROP1 mutation that is predicted to lead to complete loss of function. Additionally, we have identified a possible founder mutation in CPHD patients from the Indian subcontinent. Conclusions,PROP1 mutations are rare in sporadic cases of CPHD, although the prevalence rises if there is a positive family history or if the patients are carefully selected with respect to the endocrine and neuroradiological phenotype. There is considerable phenotypic variability in families with the same mutation, indicating the role of other genetic or environmental factors on phenotypic expression. Finally, the pituitary enlargement that is observed in patients with PROP1 mutations can wax and wane in size before eventual involution. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||