The five-year UK antimicrobial resistance (AMR) National Action Plan (NAP) was published in 2019 focusing on reducing the need for, and unintentional exposure to antimicrobials (AMs); optimising the use of AMs; and investing in innovation, supply and access of AMs. This study aimed to evaluate the progress made in the beef cattle sub-sector in addressing specific NAP commitments related to improving animal health and welfare and responsible antimicrobial use (AMU). A thematic analysis was conducted of 21 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from government organisations, farms, veterinary practices, levy boards and livestock associations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Ventilatory constraints are common during exercise in children, but the effects of obesity and sex are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of obesity and sex on ventilatory constraints (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. While preliminary data point to the positive effects of rehabilitation for patients with glioblastoma, there are unique challenges for clinicians working with this population, including limited life expectancy and/or rapid neurological deterioration. The aim of this article is to review the literature on rehabilitation of adults with glioblastoma, including the feasibility of interventions, their effectiveness, as well as the current clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Achieving greater health and social care integration is a policy priority in many countries, but challenges remain. We focused on governance and accountability for integrated care and explored arrangements that shape more integrated delivery models or systems in Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland. We also examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected existing governance arrangements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is increasingly used as treatment for patients with active multiple sclerosis (MS), typically after failure of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). A recent phase III trial, 'Multiple Sclerosis International Stem Cell Transplant, MIST', showed that aHSCT resulted in prolonged time to disability progression compared with DMTs in patients with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). However, the MIST trial did not include many of the current high-efficacy DMTs (alemtuzumab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab or cladribine) in use in the UK within the control arm, which are now offered to patients with rapidly evolving severe MS (RES-MS) who are treatment naïve.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is often referred to as a complex problem embedded in a complex system. Despite this insight, interventions in AMR, and in particular in antibiotic prescribing, tend to be narrowly focused on the behaviour of individual prescribers using the tools of performance monitoring and management rather than attempting to bring about more systemic change. In this paper, we aim to elucidate the nature of the local antibiotic prescribing 'system' based on 71 semi-structured interviews undertaken in six local areas across the United Kingdom (UK).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrent therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) improve symptoms but have limited effect on tumor size. In preclinical studies, tamoxifen restored normal apoptosis in mutated hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). TAMARIN Phase-II, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial assessed tamoxifen's safety and activity in patients with stable MPNs, no prior thrombotic events and mutated JAK2, CALR or CALR peripheral blood allele burden ≥20% (EudraCT 2015-005497-38).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) due to serogroup W meningococci (MenW) is consistently reported with atypical clinical manifestations, including gastrointestinal symptoms, bacteremic pneumonia, and septic arthritis. We undertook a systematic review of the literature for a comprehensive assessment of the clinical presentation of IMD caused by MenW.
Methods: PubMed and Embase databases were searched from inception to June 2022 using a combination of MeSH terms and free text for articles that reported symptoms and signs of MenW IMD, and associated manifestations.
Background: The field of the commercial determinants of health (CDOH) refers to the commercial products, pathways and practices that may affect health. The field is growing rapidly, as evidenced by the WHO programme on the economic and commercial determinants of health and a rise in researcher and funder interest. Systematic reviews (SRs) and evidence synthesis more generally will be crucial tools in the evolution of CDOH as a field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrap-and-transport of migratory fish is commonly used to bypass in-river obstructions. On the River Conon in Scotland, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts are transported around two hydropower facilities. Smolt release occurs during daylight, when predation rates can be high.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe selective functionalization of carbohydrates provides a powerful method for introducing structural complexity, allowing access to unique drug scaffolds with distinctive pharmaceutical profiles. Herein, we describe an efficient and selective carbon-carbon bond forming reaction of a variety of common trimethylsilyl-protected pyranosides and pyranoses at C-6 using a one-pot Dess-Martin periodinane-mediated oxidation deprotection. This is followed by addition of stabilized and non-stabilized ylides to generate alkenoate carbohydrates and related analogs in good to moderate yields.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The development of national action plans (NAPs) for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been promoted and supported by the WHO, with recent support in the form of costing and budgeting tools to aid in finance-allocation decisions within governments.
Methods: In this brief report we review this WHO costing and budgeting tool, discuss the strengths and weaknesses, and consider its place alongside other health economics and policy-support tools developed.
Results: We call for future analyses of the costs of AMR NAPs to consider costs beyond that of only implementation, through use of other available, open-access data and tools.
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an intracellular foodborne pathogen which causes the severe disease listeriosis in immunocompromised individuals. Macrophages play a dual role during Lm infection by both promoting dissemination of Lm from the gastrointestinal tract and limiting bacterial growth upon immune activation. Despite the relevance of macrophages to Lm infection, the mechanisms underlying phagocytosis of Lm by macrophages are not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Clinical laboratories perform a variety of tests for which biomedical waste is a byproduct. Of these, the complete metabolic panel (CMP) produces a significant portion of this waste. We investigated specific waste subsequent to performing CMPs over the course of a year and analyzed what percentage of the waste produced could have been recycled.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The mainstay of treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain is pharmacotherapy, but the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline is not based on robust evidence, as the treatments and their combinations have not been directly compared.
Objectives: To determine the most clinically beneficial, cost-effective and tolerated treatment pathway for diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain.
Design: A randomised crossover trial with health economic analysis.
Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP) is common and often distressing. Most guidelines recommend amitriptyline, duloxetine, pregabalin, or gabapentin as initial analgesic treatment for DPNP, but there is little comparative evidence on which one is best or whether they should be combined. We aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of different combinations of first-line drugs for treatment of DPNP.
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