Background: A dysbiotic vaginal microbiome (VMB) is associated with clinical conditions such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and an increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection. Considering the high prevalence of BV among African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) women, we conducted a prospective, randomized, open-label phase 1 clinical trial to determine the feasibility, safety and tolerability of administering low-dose estrogen, probiotics or both in combination to improve vaginal health and decrease HIV-1 susceptibility.
Methods: ACB women aged 18-49 from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) were randomized to one of four study arms: intravaginal estradiol (Estring©; 7.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeat loss across the beak is an important thermoregulatory mechanism among birds, particularly in large-beaked taxa such as toucans (Ramphastidae) and hornbills (Bucerotidae). The number of species investigated remains limited, as does our understanding of how the functional significance of this pathway varies with environmental variables such as humidity, with little previous research on species inhabiting humid environments. We used infrared thermography to test the hypothesis that large (600-1300 g) Afrotropical forest hornbills use their beaks and casques as thermal radiators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Womens Health
September 2024
Purpose: To evaluate the impact of an interleukin-1 (IL-1) antagonist anakinra (Kineret) on endometriosis-related quality of life (QoL), pain, and inflammatory biomarkers.
Methods: This was a single-site, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot clinical study of patients recruited at an academic specialty clinic. Eligible participants were females aged 18-45 years with menstrual cycles every 24-32 days.