COVID-19 inequalities in England: a mathematical modelling study of transmission risk and clinical vulnerability by socioeconomic status.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major inequalities in infection and disease burden between areas of varying socioeconomic deprivation in many countries, including England. Areas of higher deprivation tend to have a different population structure-generally younger-which can increase viral transmission due to higher contact rates in school-going children and working-age adults. Higher deprivation is also associated with a higher presence of chronic comorbidities, which were convincingly demonstrated to be risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease.

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to explore the efficacy of a dietary plant-derived polysaccharide supplement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: There is increased interest in the potential benefits of complementary therapies, of which dietary plant-derived polysaccharides (dPPs) are an important component. We examined the impact of oral ingestion of a pre-biotic dPP supplement active compound (AC) on serum glycosylation and clinical variables associated with inflammation and general health in patients with RA.

Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial was used.