Maintaining the genetic diversity of populations is important in conservation because it strongly influences the ability to adapt to changing environments. We characterised the genetic structure of ...the endemic and endangered New Zealand (NZ) long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) in two valleys in Fiordland, NZ. Fiordland is one of the last strongholds of the species, which has drastically declined throughout NZ. C. tuberculatus has suffered from recent habitat fragmentation and episodic predation by exotic mammals over the last 150 years. Gene flow and structuring were measured using nine nuclear microsatellite loci. In addition, the hyper-variable domain HVI of the mitochondrial control region was sequenced to analyse population structure at the maternal level. Our results show that the nine colonies studied have retained high genetic diversity, with moderate signs of genetic bottlenecks. Furthermore, low F ST and F IS values indicated that all colonies are still connected by gene flow and do not show signs of inbreeding. Substantial gene flow among colonies was also demonstrated by Bayesian clustering and PCA analysis. At the mitochondrial level, substantial differentiation between colonies has resulted from strong natal philopatry in females. Overall, our results indicate that genetic diversity is maintained in the Fiordland population of C. tuberculatus despite regular population crashes and habitat fragmentation. Management should ensure that remaining habitat linkages are preserved and further predator-induced population bottlenecks are prevented so that current genetic diversity is maintained in the long-term.
To decrease its typhoid Massachusetts needs now to prevent contacts, use prophylaxis, and educate its citizens in personal hygiene. Municipal water supplies are practically safe. Flies, food (milk ...excepted), privies and sewage are together only a small factor in spreading the disease. The human contact factor is the one that must be controlled.
In this study, we characterized the gut microbiota in six healthy Irish thoroughbred racehorses and showed it to be dominated by the phyla Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, ...Actinobacteria, Euryarchaeota, Fibrobacteres and Spirochaetes. Moreover, all the horses harboured Clostridium, Fibrobacter, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Eubacterium, Oscillospira, Blautia Anaerotruncus, Coprococcus, Treponema and Lactobacillus spp. Notwithstanding the sample size, it was noteworthy that the core microbiota species assignments identified Fibrobacter succinogenes, Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, Eubacterium hallii, Eubacterium ruminantium, Oscillospira guillermondii, Sporobacter termiditis, Lactobacillus equicursoris, Treponema parvum and Treponema porcinum in all the horses. This is the first study of the faecal microbiota in the Irish thoroughbred racehorse, a significant competitor in the global bloodstock industry. The information gathered in this pilot study provides a foundation for veterinarians and other equine health‐associated professionals to begin to analyse the microbiome of performance of racehorses. This study and subsequent work may lead to alternate dietary approaches aimed at minimizing the risk of microbiota‐related dysbiosis in these performance animals.
Significance and Impact of the Study
Although Irish thoroughbreds are used nationally and internationally as performance animals, very little is known about the core faecal microbiota of these animals. This is the first study to characterize the bacterial microbiota present in the Irish thoroughbred racehorse faeces and elucidate a core microbiome irrespective of diet, animal management and geographical location.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Although Irish thoroughbreds are used nationally and internationally as performance animals, very little is known about the core faecal microbiota of these animals. This is the first study to characterize the bacterial microbiota present in the Irish thoroughbred racehorse faeces and elucidate a core microbiome irrespective of diet, animal management and geographical location.
Objectives
To establish the prevalence of pain and functional disability in Irish adults with moderate and severe haemophilia, and to examine demographic and lifestyle influences.
Methods
Males ...≥18 years with moderate or severe haemophilia participated. Pain and function were examined using the PROBE questionnaire.
Results
Of 49 participants median age 44 (IQR 32, 52) years, most had severe haemophilia (Factor VIII = 30; Factor IX = 13) and were on regular prophylaxis (88%). Those with moderate haemophilia (Factor VIII = 5; Factor IX = 1) treated on demand (12%). Acute (72%) and chronic pain (71%), functional difficulties (58%), and analgesic requirements (92%) were prevalent. Age was significantly associated with more advanced haemophilic arthropathy (p = .002), chronic pain (p = .029) and functional difficulties (p = .036). Adults who reported chronic pain commenced prophylaxis significantly later in life 32 (20, 51) vs. 8 (1, 23) years; p = .004. Physical activity was significantly lower in those with functional difficulties (p < .05). A disparity between self‐perceived ‘target joints’ and clinically defined target joints was also identified (76% vs. 23%).
Conclusion
Haemophilic arthropathy, pain and functional disability were prevalent amongst Irish adults with moderate and severe haemophilia. Age‐dependent lifestyle, analgesic and treatment influences on pain and function warrant further investigation.
Cultivating ethical leadership in the recovery of COVID‐19 Markey, Kathleen; Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena; Donnell, Claire O' ...
Journal of nursing management,
March 2021, 2021-Mar, 2021-03-00, 20210301, Letnik:
29, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Aim
To propose the necessity of fostering ethical leadership in the recovery of COVID‐19.
Background
Supporting physically and emotionally exhausted nurses, whilst ensuring quality standards of care ...delivery in the recovery phase of COVID‐19, requires careful, considerate and proactive planning.
Evaluation
Drawing on literature and utilizing Lawton and Paez Gabriunas’ (2015) integrated ethical leadership framework (purpose, practices, virtues), possible practical suggestions for the operationalization of ethical leadership are proposed.
Discussion
Nurse managers must maintain ethical vigilance in order to nurture value‐driven behaviour, demonstrating empathy and compassion for nurses experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion because of COVID‐19. It is important that open dialogue, active listening and self‐care interventions exist. Nurse managers have an essential role in inspiring and empowering nurses, and building morale and a collective commitment to safe and quality care.
Conclusion
Nurse managers need to consider ways of empowering, supporting and enabling nurses to apply ethical standards in everyday practice.
Implications for Nursing Management
Fostering ethical nurse leadership requires careful and sensitive planning, as well as charismatic, compassionate and inspirational leaders. Supporting staff through respect, empathy, role modelling and genuine conscientiousness is essential for increasing job performance and sustaining an ethical work environment.
Excessive inflammation-associated coagulation is a feature of infectious diseases, occurring in such conditions as bacterial sepsis and COVID-19. It can lead to disseminated intravascular ...coagulation, one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Recently, type I interferon (IFN) signaling has been shown to be required for tissue factor (TF; gene name F3) release from macrophages, a critical initiator of coagulation, providing an important mechanistic link between innate immunity and coagulation. The mechanism of release involves type I IFN-induced caspase-11 which promotes macrophage pyroptosis. Here we find that F3 is a type I IFN-stimulated gene. Furthermore, F3 induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is inhibited by the anti-inflammatory agents dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI). Mechanistically, inhibition of F3 by DMF and 4-OI involves suppression of Ifnb1 expression. Additionally, they block type I IFN- and caspase-11-mediated macrophage pyroptosis, and subsequent TF release. Thereby, DMF and 4-OI inhibit TF-dependent thrombin generation. In vivo, DMF and 4-OI suppress TF-dependent thrombin generation, pulmonary thromboinflammation, and lethality induced by LPS, E. coli, and S. aureus, with 4-OI additionally attenuating inflammation-associated coagulation in a model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results identify the clinically approved drug DMF and the pre-clinical tool compound 4-OI as anticoagulants that inhibit TF-mediated coagulopathy via inhibition of the macrophage type I IFN-TF axis.
Physical activity levels are low in cancer survivors. Remotely delivered programs which harness wearable technology may potentially be beneficial.
To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy ...of a remotely delivered, physical activity intervention which harnessed wearable technology.
This single arm pre-post longitudinal study included cancer survivors who had completed treatment in the preceding 3 years. Participants were supplied with a Fitbit One® or Flex® for 12 weeks. Physical activity goals were discussed during support phone calls. Outcome measures, assessed at baseline (T1), 12 weeks (T2), and 24 weeks (T3), included feasibility (recruitment, adherence, safety, acceptability) and efficacy physical activity (Godin leisure time Index, ActiGraph GT3X+), quality of life (functional assessment of cancer therapy - general, short form 36 physical functioning component), functional capacity (six-minute walk test).
Forty-five participants completed T1 assessments (10 males, 35 females). Thirty-nine (86.6%) of those underwent assessment at T2 and 31 (68.8%) at T3. The intervention was perceived positively with no adverse effects. There were increases in functional capacity (six-minute walk test, p = .002) between T1-T3, an increase in quality of life short form 36 physical functioning measure (p = .0035), functional assessment of cancer total score (p = .02) and self-report physical activity levels (p = .000123) between T1-T2, although effect sizes were generally low (d = 0.180 to d = 0.418). Objectively measured physical activity did not change.
A physical activity intervention including wearable technology was safe, feasible, and well received by cancer survivors. An intervention based on this proof of concept should be followed up in further studies.
Introduction
Although the measurement of physical activity (PA) amongst people with haemophilia (PWH) has become increasingly widespread in recent years, the relationship between PA and bleeding ...phenotype remains poorly understood. In addition, the influence of various treatment regimens on this relationship has not been defined.
Aim
This review aimed to systematically assess the data that are available regarding PA levels amongst PWH, as well as the relationship between PA and bleeding.
Methods
A systematic search of the online databases EMBASE, Cochrane, MEDLINE Ovid, CINAHL and Web of Science was conducted by two independent reviewers. Quality assessment was undertaken using the AXIS Critical Appraisal Tool for Cross‐sectional Studies and the STROBE checklist.
Results
Of 1902 sources identified overall, 36 articles were included. Low‐to‐moderate transparency of reporting and various sources of bias were identified. PA levels varied amongst heterogeneous samples of PWH. The relationship between PA and bleeds was inconclusive, although there was evidence that improvements in treatment over recent decades have appeared to enable PWH to become more physically active.
Conclusion
Based upon the limited available evidence, the relationship between PA and bleeding phenotype in PWH remains unclear. However, with the development of improved prophylaxis treatment regimens in recent years, there is evidence that PA levels have increased, especially amongst people with severe haemophilia. The use of validated outcome measures of PA and more robust reporting of bleeds and treatment regimen are warranted in future research, especially in a rapidly evolving era of new treatments for PWH.
Abstract Background In the first five I-MOVE (Influenza Monitoring Vaccine Effectiveness in Europe) influenza seasons vaccine effectiveness (VE) results were relatively homogenous among participating ...study sites. In 2013–2014, we undertook a multicentre case-control study based on sentinel practitioner surveillance networks in six European Union (EU) countries to measure 2013–2014 influenza VE against medically-attended influenza-like illness (ILI) laboratory-confirmed as influenza. Influenza A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses co-circulated during the season. Methods Practitioners systematically selected ILI patients to swab within eight days of symptom onset. We compared cases (ILI positive to influenza A(H3N2) or A(H1N1)pdm09) to influenza negative patients. We calculated VE for the two influenza A subtypes and adjusted for potential confounders. We calculated heterogeneity between sites using the I2 index and Cochrane's Q test. If the I2 was <50%, we estimated pooled VE as (1 minus the OR) × 100 using a one-stage model with study site as a fixed effect. If the I2 was >49% we used a two-stage random effects model. Results We included in the A(H1N1)pdm09 analysis 531 cases and 1712 controls and in the A(H3N2) analysis 623 cases and 1920 controls. For A(H1N1)pdm09, the Q test ( p = 0.695) and the I2 index (0%) suggested no heterogeneity of adjusted VE between study sites. Using a one-stage model, the overall pooled adjusted VE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm2009 was 47.5% (95% CI: 16.4–67.0). For A(H3N2), the I2 was 51.5% ( p = 0.067). Using a two-stage model for the pooled analysis, the adjusted VE against A(H3N2) was 29.7 (95% CI: −34.4–63.2). Conclusions The results suggest a moderate 2013–2014 influenza VE against A(H1N1)pdm09 and a low VE against A(H3N2). The A(H3N2) estimates were heterogeneous among study sites. Larger sample sizes by study site are needed to prevent statistical heterogeneity, decrease variability and allow for two-stage pooled VE for all subgroup analyses.
With the mounting reports of culturally insensitive care and the reported challenges nurses experience when caring for culturally diverse patients, developing the intercultural readiness of nursing ...students is a necessity. However, little is known as to the success of cultural competence educational interventions in undergraduate nursing curricula and there remains a lack of consensus within the literature as to how it should be structured, organised and facilitated. Incorporating an integrative review method, this study synthesised international research on educational interventions used in preparing student nurses to care for culturally diverse patients. A systematic literature search of all published studies between 2013 and 2017, in CINAHL, Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Education Source and PsycINFO databases were performed. The PRISMA checklist was used to guide the review process. Six hundred and twenty-four studies were screened for eligibility and the analysis of the fourteen included studies are presented within two overarching themes; increasing knowledge and understanding and developing commitment and confidence. Engaging student nurses in learning activities that augment their understanding of, and commitment to, providing culturally competent care must include a variety of integrated culturally responsive pedagogical approaches made explicit and continuously developed across all learning opportunities.
•Nurse educators needs to urgently examine ways of improving the intercultural readiness of new nursing graduates.•Engage students in activities that augment their understanding of cultural care, including a variety of integrated approaches.•Integrate cultural care in undergraduate nursing programmes to give opportunities for cross-cultural experiences.•Cultural competence should be paramount for students and nurse educators in all learning and teaching approaches.
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