Early-life glucocorticoids accelerate lymphocyte count senescence in roe deer.

Immunosenescence corresponds to the progressive decline of immune functions with increasing age. Although it is critical to understand what modulates such a decline, the ecological and physiological drivers of immunosenescence remain poorly understood in the wild. Among them, the level of glucocorticoids (GCs) during early life are good candidates to modulate immunosenescence patterns because these hormones can have long-term consequences on individual physiology.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on United States Intimate Partner Violence Organizations: Administrator Perspectives.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased challenges to intimate partner violence (IPV) service provision. This study aimed to explore administrative perspectives on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on United States regional and national IPV service organizations.

Methods: We interviewed 35 administrators working within state, regional, or national organizations addressing IPV.

Health Disparities in Pediatric Epilepsy: Methods and Lessons Learned.

Epilepsy affects 1% of youth and is associated with neurocognitive and psychosocial comorbidities, increased risk of mortality, and poor health-related outcomes. Health disparities in children and youth with epilepsy (CYE) have been understudied. A Special Interest Group (SIG) within the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium is conducting a scoping review to systematically assess the literature and highlight the gaps in access to clinical care and management of pediatric epilepsy.

Joint Effects of Socioeconomic Position, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender on COVID-19 Mortality among Working-Age Adults in the United States.

Substantial racial/ethnic and gender disparities in COVID-19 mortality have been previously documented. However, few studies have investigated the impact of individual socioeconomic position (SEP) on these disparities. To determine the joint effects of SEP, race/ethnicity, and gender on the burden of COVID-19 mortality.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Intimate Partner Violence Advocates and Agencies.

Relatively few studies have considered the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intimate partner violence (IPV) advocates or the agencies where they work. In this study, based on United States IPV advocates' experiences working with survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted interviews to explore: 1) personal challenges and resilience working as IPV advocates during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) how agencies adapted to the pandemic to support IPV survivors and advocates; and 3) specific needs and challenges of culturally-specific agencies. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 53 IPV advocates from June to November 2020.

Out-of-Hospital COVID-19 Deaths: Consequences for Quality of Medical Care and Accuracy of Cause of Death Coding.

To examine age and temporal trends in the proportion of COVID-19 deaths occurring out of hospital or in the emergency department and the proportion of all noninjury deaths assigned ill-defined causes in 2020. We analyzed newly released (March 2021) provisional COVID-19 death tabulations for the entire United States. Children (younger than 18 years) were most likely (30.

Understanding the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on nurses from ethnic minority backgrounds.

People from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with higher death rates and suboptimal health outcomes compared with those from white ethnic backgrounds. This trend is reflected in healthcare staff from ethnic minority backgrounds, including nurses, who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and have higher death rates from the disease. The theory of intersectionality contends that social categorisations such as gender, race and class can contribute to discrimination and result in disadvantages.

Analysis of routinely collected data: Determining associations of maternal risk factors and infant outcomes with gestational diabetes, in Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi and white British pregnant women in Luton, England.

Objective: This study aims to compare the prevalence of gestational diabetes in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and British women in Luton, England and further examine associations in maternal risk factors (age BMI, smoking status and birth outcome), with gestational diabetes, with maternal ethnicity.

Design: A retrospective analysis using routinely collected secondary data from Ciconia Maternity information System (CMiS), between 2008 and 2013. The ethnicity of women recorded as Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British, residing in [removed] were included in the study.

A qualitative study exploring the experiences of bereavement after stillbirth in pakistani, bangladeshi and white british mothers living in luton, UK.

Aim: This study aims to explore the experiences of bereavement after stillbirth of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and White British mothers in a town with multi-ethnic populations in England.

Participants: A purposive sample of Pakistani, Bangladeshi and White British mothers aged over 16 (at time of infant birth), who suffered a stillbirth in the preceding 6-24 months and residing in a specified postcode area were invited to take part in the study, by an identified gatekeeper (audit midwife) from the local National Health Service Trust, in addition to local bereavement charities.

Design: Qualitative methods using face-to-face semi-structured interviews were undertaken, recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality and Organ Support in Patients With Severe COVID-19: The REMAP-CAP COVID-19 Corticosteroid Domain Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Evidence regarding corticosteroid use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited.

Objective: To determine whether hydrocortisone improves outcome for patients with severe COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: An ongoing adaptive platform trial testing multiple interventions within multiple therapeutic domains, for example, antiviral agents, corticosteroids, or immunoglobulin.

Ethnic differences in risk factors for adverse birth outcomes between Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and White British mothers.

Aim: Reducing poor maternal and infant outcomes in pregnancy is the aim of maternity care. Adverse health behaviours lead to increased risk and can adversely mediate birth outcomes. This study examines whether risk factors are similar, different, or clustered according to maternal ethnicity.

Children's unmet palliative care needs: a scoping review of parents' perspectives.

Background: Children with life-limiting conditions often have complex needs, making it challenging for services to provide satisfactory care. Few studies consider whether services actually meet families' needs by exploring and identifying the parents' perspectives of unmet needs.

Aim: To identify what published evidence is available on the unmet needs of children with life-limiting conditions and their families, from the perspective of parents, internationally.

Reinforced POSE: the 18-Plication Solution.

Background: Obesity is one of the main challenges in the first world nowadays. New alternatives are needed and endoscopic endoluminal approaches are gaining importance against the risky surgery and the non-efficient pharmacological treatments. Nevertheless, these techniques seem to be inefficient in obese III patients.

Understanding the consumption of folic acid during preconception, among Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British mothers in Luton, UK: a qualitative study.

Background: To review the similarities and differences in Pakistani, Bangladeshi and White British mothers health beliefs (attitudes, knowledge and perceptions) and health behaviour regarding their consumption of folic acid pre-conception, to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

Methods: Our study used a descriptive qualitative research approach, implementing face-to-face focus group discussions with Pakistani, Bangladeshi or White British mothers (normal birth outcomes and mothers with poor birth outcomes) and semi-structured interviews or focus groups with service providers using semi-structured topic guides. This method is well suited for under researched areas where in-depth information is sought.

Differences in the pregnancy gestation period and mean birth weights in infants born to Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British mothers in Luton, UK: a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data.

Objective: To compare mean birth weights and gestational age at delivery of infants born to Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British mothers in Luton, UK.

Design: Retrospective analysis using routinely recorded secondary data in Ciconia Maternity information System, between 2008 and 2013.

Setting: Luton, UK.

A comparison of antenatal classifications of 'overweight' and 'obesity' prevalence between white British, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi pregnant women in England; analysis of retrospective data.

Background: Maternal obesity increases women's risk of poor birth outcomes, and statistics show that Pakistani and Bangladeshi women (who are born or settled) in the UK experience higher rates of perinatal mortality and congenital anomalies than white British or white Other women. This study compares the prevalence of maternal obesity in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British women using standard and Asian-specific BMI metrics.

Method: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis using routinely recorded secondary data in Ciconia Maternity information System (CMiS), between 2008 and 2013.

Activity of Norspermidine on Bacterial Biofilms of Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolates Associated with Persistent Extremity Wound Infections.

Biofilm formation is a major virulence factor for numerous pathogenic bacteria and is cited as a central event in the pathogenesis of chronic human infections, which is in large part due to excessive extracellular matrix secretion and metabolic changes that occur within the biofilm rendering them highly tolerant to antimicrobial treatments. Polyamines, including norspermidine, play central roles in bacterial biofilm development, but have also recently been shown to inhibit biofilm formation in select strains of various pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the biofilm dispersive and inhibitory activities of norspermidine against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii(n = 4), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 3), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 5) and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 4) associated with chronic extremity wound infections using the semi-quantitative 96-well plate method and confocal laser microscopy.

Risk and Severity of Hospital-Acquired Clostridium difficile Infection in Patients Taking Proton Pump Inhibitors.

Study Objective: To compare the rates and severity of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) among patients taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) versus those not taking PPIs.

Design: Retrospective, single-center, cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary community hospital with a teaching service.

Activity of Gallium Meso- and Protoporphyrin IX against Biofilms of Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a challenging pathogen due to antimicrobial resistance and biofilm development. The role of iron in bacterial physiology has prompted the evaluation of iron-modulation as an antimicrobial strategy. The non-reducible iron analog gallium(III) nitrate, Ga(NO₃)₃, has been shown to inhibit A.

An In Vitro Comparison of PMMA and Calcium Sulfate as Carriers for the Local Delivery of Gallium(III) Nitrate to Staphylococcal Infected Surgical Sites.

Antibiotic-loaded bone cements, including poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and calcium sulfate (CaSO4), are often used for treatment of orthopaedic infections involving Staphylococcus spp., although the effectiveness of this treatment modality may be limited due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and/or the development of biofilms within surgical sites. Gallium(III) is an iron analog capable of inhibiting essential iron-dependent pathways, exerting broad antimicrobial activity against multiple microorganisms, including Staphylococcus spp.

Specific antenatal interventions for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) pregnant women at high risk of poor birth outcomes in the United Kingdom: a scoping review.

Background: Disparity exists in maternal and infant birth outcomes of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women giving birth in the United Kingdom (UK) compared to the majority. There is therefore a need to reconsider existing maternity service provision to ensure culturally competent services. The purpose of this scoping review was to ascertain what specific maternity interventions have been implemented in the UK for BAME women (2004-2014) so that increased awareness of the need and scope of specific maternity interventions for BAME women can be identified.