A community-based intervention (the Omama Project) improves neurodevelopment in impoverished 2-year-old Roma children: a quasi-experimental observational study.

Unlabelled: High rates of childhood neurodisability are reported among the Roma, Europe's largest ethnic minority community. Interventions targeting early child development (ECD) during the first 2 years of life can improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in vulnerable children; however, evidence from Roma preschoolers is scarce. In a quasi-experimental observational study, we compared neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 2 years, measured on the INTERGROWTH-21st Project Neurodevelopmental Assessment (INTER-NDA), between Roma children receiving a community-based ECD intervention (RI, n = 98), and age- and sex-matched Roma and non-Roma children (RC, n = 99 and NRC, n = 54, respectively) who did not receive the intervention in Eastern Slovakia.

Characteristics of Early Antibody Mediated Rejection in Antibody Incompatible Living Donor Kidney Transplantation.

Antibody incompatible transplantation (AIT) may be an only option for highly sensitized patients. Severe form of early antibody mediated rejection (AMR) adversely affects graft survival after AIT. The aim of this study was to identify individuals at risk of AMR.

Internet-Guided Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Among Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Many military service members and veterans report insomnia after sustaining traumatic brain injury (TBI). Limitations of first-line treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), include availability of qualified clinicians, low completion rates, and cost.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of internet-guided CBT-I (eCBT-I) in military service members and veterans with insomnia and a history of TBI.

Effects of microclimate on disease prevalence across an urbanization gradient.

Increased temperatures associated with urbanization (the "urban heat island" effect) have been shown to impact a wide range of traits across diverse taxa. At the same time, climatic conditions vary at fine spatial scales within habitats due to factors including shade from shrubs, trees, and built structures. Patches of shade may function as microclimate refugia that allow species to occur in habitats where high temperatures and/or exposure to ultraviolet radiation would otherwise be prohibitive.

Managing a Patient Presenting With Chest Pain and Gastrointestinal Complaints Using Dupilumab.

Adverse drug reactions or adverse drug events account for a significant proportion of emergency department visits among children and adolescents. Unfortunately, rare reactions to medications may go unnoticed by clinicians due to a lack of reporting to drug surveillance and monitoring programs. We present the case of an 18-year-old male who visited the emergency department on two separate occasions after receiving dupilumab injections for his atopic dermatitis.

BSHI and BTS UK guideline on the detection of alloantibodies in solid organ (and islet) transplantation.

Solid organ transplantation represents the best (and in many cases only) treatment option for patients with end-stage organ failure. The effectiveness and functioning life of these transplants has improved each decade due to surgical and clinical advances, and accurate histocompatibility assessment. Patient exposure to alloantigen from another individual is a common occurrence and takes place through pregnancies, blood transfusions or previous transplantation.

The Efficacy of New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussel Powder Supplementation in Supporting Muscle Recovery Following Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Healthy, Untrained Adult Males.

Unaccustomed eccentric exercise results in muscle damage limiting physical performance for several days. This study investigated if Greenshell™ mussel (GSM) powder consumption expedited muscle recovery from eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Methods: Twenty untrained adult men were recruited into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study and were randomly assigned to receive the GSM powder or placebo treatment first.

Can regulatory T cells improve outcomes of sensitised patients after HLA-Ab incompatible renal transplantation: study protocol for the Phase IIa GAMECHANgER-1 trial.

Background: Kidney transplantation is the gold-standard treatment for patients with kidney failure. However, one-third of patients awaiting a kidney transplant are highly sensitized to human leukocyte antigens (HLA), resulting in an increased waiting time for a suitable kidney, more acute and chronic rejection, and a shorter graft survival compared to non-highly sensitised patients. Current standard immunosuppression protocols do not adequately suppress memory responses, and so alternative strategies are needed.

Berries in Microbiome-Mediated Gastrointestinal, Metabolic, and Immune Health.

Purpose Of Review: Current research has shown that berry-derived polymeric substrates that resist human digestion (dietary fibers and polyphenols) are extensively metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract dominated by microbiota. This review assesses current epidemiological, experimental, and clinical evidence of how berry (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, black currant, and grapes) phytochemicals interact with the microbiome and shape health or metabolic risk factor outcomes.

Recent Findings: There is a growing evidence that the compositional differences among complex carbohydrate fractions and classes of polyphenols define reversible shifts in microbial populations and human metabolome to promote gastrointestinal health.

Optimized immunosuppression to prevent graft failure in renal transplant recipients with HLA antibodies (OuTSMART): a randomised controlled trial.

Background: 3% of kidney transplant recipients return to dialysis annually upon allograft failure. Development of antibodies (Ab) against human leukocyte antigens (HLA) is a validated prognostic biomarker of allograft failure. We tested whether screening for HLA Ab, combined with an intervention to improve adherence and optimization of immunosuppression could prevent allograft failure.

Modelling acute antibody-mediated rejection of human kidney transplants using ex-vivo warm machine perfusion.

Background: Transplant rejection is a major cause of graft loss and morbidity. Currently, no human models of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) exist, limiting mechanistic investigation and organ-specific targeted therapy. Here, using 12 human kidneys and ex-vivo normothermic machine perfusion, we demonstrate phenotypes of AMR after addition of antibodies against either human HLA class I or blood group antigens (A, B), thus modelling clinical AMR that can follow HLA incompatible (HLAi) or blood group incompatible (ABOi) transplantation.

Acute Antibody-mediated rejection in liver transplantation: Impact and applicability of the Banff working group on liver allograft pathology 2016 criteria.

This study was aimed to examine the clinical utility and impact of the 2016 Banff criteria for acute antibody-mediated rejection (acute AMR) in patients with liver transplantation. Among adult patients with donor-specific antibody (DSA) assays performed between 2015 and 2020, cases with proved DSA (mean fluorescent index >2000) and matched liver biopsy available were reviewed. Among 55 patients identified, 28 (51%) had class I DSA, 45 (82%) had class II DSA and 18 (33%) had both.

The phenotype of HLA-binding B cells from sensitized kidney transplant recipients correlates with clinically prognostic patterns of interferon-γ production against purified HLA proteins.

B cells play crucial roles in cell-mediated alloimmune responses. In vitro, B cells can support or regulate indirect T-cell alloreactivity in response to donor antigens on ELISpot and these patterns associate with clinical outcome. Previous reports of associations between B-cell phenotype and function have examined global phenotypes and responses to polyclonal stimuli.

BSHI/BTS guidance on crossmatching before deceased donor kidney transplantation.

All UK H&I laboratories and transplant units operate under a single national kidney offering policy, but there have been variations in approach regarding when to undertake the pre-transplant crossmatch test. In order to minimize cold ischaemia times for deceased donor kidney transplantation we sought to find ways to be able to report a crossmatch result as early as possible in the donation process. A panel of experts in transplant surgery, nephrology, specialist nursing in organ donation and H&I (all relevant UK laboratories represented) assessed evidence and opinion concerning five factors that relate to the effectiveness of the crossmatch process, as follows: when the result should be ready for reporting; what level of donor HLA typing is needed; crossmatch sample type and availability; fairness and equity; risks and patient safety.

Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate reduced acute lung inflammation and increased M2 macrophage-associated cytokines in an acute mouse model of allergic airways disease.

Bioactive compounds including anthocyanins and other polyphenols are associated with reduced lung inflammation and improved lung function in asthma and other lung diseases. This study investigated the effects of a Boysenberry and apple juice concentrate, high in cyanidin glycosides, ellagitannins, and chlorogenic acid, on a mouse model of allergic airways inflammation. Male C57BL/6J mice were orally gavaged with 2.

Patterns of Brain Injury in Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke and the Development of Infantile Spasms.

Introduction: Perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAIS) underlies approximately 10% of infantile spasms (IS). We aim to identify patterns of brain injury in ischemic stroke that may predispose infants to infantile spasms.

Methods: Sixty-four perinatal arterial ischemic stroke patients were identified meeting the following inclusion criteria: term birth, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing ischemic stroke or encephalomalacia in an arterial distribution, and follow-up records.

Different immune and functional effects of urban dust and diesel particulate matter inhalation in a mouse model of acute air pollution exposure.

Increased global industrialization has increased air pollution resulting in 3 million annual deaths globally. Air pollutants could have different health effects, so specific models to identify the different immune effects are needed. The aim of this study was to determine the immune effects and lung function of acute exposure to two different pollution sources using a mouse model.

Kidney Rejection Following Simultaneous Liver-kidney Transplantation.

Background: Donor-specific antibodies are reported to increase the risk of rejection and reduce allograft survival following simultaneous liver-kidney transplantation. Optimal immunosuppression regimens to reduce this risk and to treat rejection episodes are underinvestigated.

Methods: Cohort analysis of the first 27 simultaneous liver-kidney transplant recipients, between 2014 and 2018 at our unit, is performed under a new risk stratification policy.

C3d-positive donor-specific antibodies have a role in pretransplant risk stratification of cross-match-positive HLA-incompatible renal transplantation: United Kingdom multicentre study.

Anti-HLA-antibody characteristics aid to risk-stratify patients and improve long-term renal graft outcomes. Complement activation by donor-specific antibody (DSA) is an important characteristic that may determine renal allograft outcome. There is heterogeneity in graft outcomes within the moderate to high immunological risk cases (cross-match-positive).