We propose to develop a rapid, low-cost and effective method for detecting sepsis in early stages. We will take advantage of the potential of histones to be sensitive and effective biomarkers for sepsis, and of the versatility, simplicity and low-cost of test strips. The diagnostic test will be simple, comfortable, easy to interpret and low-cost for prognosis/early diagnosis of sepsis based on histone expression. The test can be used by non-technical experts in any hospital or health center worldwide, though it has been designed intentionally for low-resource countries. Proof-of-concept of this diagnostic test will be performed in Uganda, in order to analyze benefits and reduction in mortality of pregnant women and infants in that country. The innovative combination of histones and strips make this diagnostic test a significant improvement over the inefficient methods currently used for sepsis diagnosis, such serum lactate measurement, microbiological sampling, etc.

Our proposal will provide this life-saving treatment to isolated, extremely resource poor people by obviating the need for electricity. This will be achieved by applying recently developed hydrological engineering approaches to extract the pressure differential required for the adsorption process exploited by Oxygen concentrators. This project aims to develop and test an electricity free Oxygen concentrator suitable for a developing world health facility. This represents a major paradigm shift, as to-date the problem has been interpreted as how to supply electricity to an Oxygen concentrator. In comparison with solar and generator based approaches the prototype will require significantly less capital cost and maintenance. Further, construction out of locally available components will empower the community to independently and sustainably access this life-saving treatment.

Effective resuscitation could reduce intrapartum related neonatal deaths by 30%, and deaths from prematurity by 10%, creating the potential to save 347,200 babies annually. However, one in five trained healthcare professionals (HCPs) fail to perform the resuscitation technique correctly, and those that do, often experience a rapid decline in proficiency. Our Augmented Infant Resuscitator's advanced training capabilities, instant feedback mechanism, and objective self-audit and retraining abilities will maximize and sustain gains from effective resuscitation. The AIR prototype provides instant feedback to users about effective ventilation. This is measured using inexpensive instrumentation that calculates ventilation rate, air volume and air pressure delivered by the bag-valve-mask (BVM) across the resuscitation face-mask. These parameters correlate with the four most common mistakes that result in ineffective resuscitation: 1) Failed seal at the face-mask interface resulting in failure to inflate the lungs; 2) Blocked airways; and 3) Wrong ventilation frequency 4) Insufficient/shallow lung inflation. Each of these mistakes can cause death or brain damage. AIR also records performance on an internal memory card for future feedback, improving HCPs training by identifying persistent gaps in technique.

Carmen Gracinda Silvan Scochi from the Universidade de São Paulo in Brazil will encourage mothers of preterm infants in Brazil to exclusively breastfeed them for the first six months to better protect them against infections and optimize their growth and neurodevelopment. The incidence of preterm births in Brazil is increasing, and causes multiple short and long-term complications. Exclusive breastfeeding can limit some of these complications but is particularly challenging with preterm infants due to their incomplete development and the need for hospitalization, as well as there being practical and emotional difficulties for the mother. The existing WHO/UNICEF global program for promoting exclusive breastfeeding has been adapted specifically for preterm infants and involves better educating medical staff so that they provide the practical and emotional support to encourage exclusive breastfeeding. They will establish the program in 10 hospitals/maternity units across Brazil and evaluate its effect on the numbers of preterm infants being exclusively breastfed.