Publications by authors named "K Crofts"
Background: Nursing shortages are an ongoing concern for neonatal units, with many struggling to meet recommended nurse to patient ratios. Workforce data underlines the high proportion of neonatal nurses nearing retirement and a reduced number of nurses joining the profession. In order to recommend strategies to increase recruitment and retention to neonatal nursing, we need to understand the current challenges nurses are facing within the profession.
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- Subunit or inactivated vaccines are commonly used but often less effective than live vaccines, necessitating boosters and adjuvants for better immune responses.
- Research has shown that directly linking adjuvants to antigens can enhance vaccine effectiveness, as seen in the development of an inactivated influenza A vaccine combined with the adjuvant resiquimod (R848).
- The study found that varying the crosslinker used to connect R848 to the virus influenced how well the vaccine stimulated immune response, affecting cytokine production and antibody levels in both lab and mouse model experiments.
Viruses infect millions of people each year. Both endemic viruses circulating throughout the population as well as novel epidemic and pandemic viruses pose ongoing threats to global public health. Developing more effective tools to address viruses requires not only in-depth knowledge of the virus itself but also of our immune system's response to infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElderly individuals are highly susceptible to developing severe outcomes as a result of influenza A virus (IAV) infection. This can be attributed to alterations that span the aged immune system, which also result in reduced responsiveness to the seasonal inactivated vaccine. Given the rapidly increasing number of individuals in this age group, it is imperative that we develop strategies that can better protect this population from IAV-associated disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aims: Oculoplastics is a predominantly visual specialty and many of the pathologies can be diagnosed based on external appearance. An image-based eyelid lesion management service was piloted to reduce the number of patients who would require outpatient clinic review. The aim of this study was to determine its accuracy and feasibility, both as a hospital-based and community optometrist-based service.
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