Health Literacy and Associated Outcomes in the Postpartum Period at Grady Memorial Hospital

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Many studies correlate lower health literacy with poorer health outcomes and inferior provider-patient communication. Little is known about how impaired health...     

Qualité des supports de communication de crise lors de la pandémie de la COVID-19 au Grand Maghreb

ObjectiveTo objectively assess the quality of “crisis communication” media, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the three Greater Maghreb countries (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco).MethodsA compliance audit for press releases and epidemiological bulletins was analyzed against a quality benchmark, which had been specifically designed by the authors. This framework, made up of five dimensions and 50 items, graded (0/1), was applied by two researchers in preventive medicine. Multiplying the scores by a coefficient of two resulted in a partial score of 20 points for each dimension and a total score of 100 points for the checklist taken as a whole. The quality of the communication media was considered to be good when exceeding the thresholds of 15/20 for the different dimensions and 75/100 for the entire grid.ResultsA total of 141 information media were included in this audit (Tunisia: 60; Algeria: 60; Morocco: 21). The overall median quality score for these media was only 56/100 (IIQ: [46–58]), without major variability between countries. The most appreciated dimension was “maintaining the confidence of the population”, with an overall median score of 14/20 (12/20 for epidemiological bulletins and 16/20 for press releases). The most poorly rated dimension was “strengthening community participation”, with a median score of only 4/20 (6/20 for epidemiological bulletins and 4/20 for press releases).ConclusionThe quality of the Maghreb crisis communication media during COVID-19 was insufficient in most of its dimensions and items, particularly from a psychosocial standpoint. Reinforcement of the capacities of communication officers to develop information material and supports during health crises is indispensable and should be considered as an urgent matter.     

Induction of eotaxin expression and release from human airway smooth muscle cells by IL-1beta and TNFalpha: effects of IL-10 and corticosteroids.

Eotaxin is a novel C-C chemokine with selective chemoattractant activity for eosinophils. We determined whether eotaxin could be produced by human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells in culture and examined its regulation by interleukin-10 (IL-10) and the corticosteroid, dexamethasone. Stimulation of the cells with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) or tumour necrosis factor (TNFalpha) each at 10 ng ml(-1) induced the release of eotaxin protein with maximal accumulation by 24 h. Interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) alone at 10 ng ml(-1) had no effect and there was no synergy between these cytokines on the release of eotaxin. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis of supernatents from cells treated with TNFalpha (10 ng ml(-1) for 96 h showed immunoreactivity to eotaxin which eluted with the expected retention time of 34.5-35 min. Both IL-1beta and TNFalpha-induced release of eotaxin was not inhibited by dexamethasone (1 microM), however IL-10 (10 ng ml(-1)) had a significant inhibitory effect. Dexamethasone and IL-10 did not inhibit the induction of eotaxin mRNA induced by IL-1beta or TNFalpha. Thus, human airway smooth muscle cells can release eotaxin and could be an important source of chemokine production during airway inflammatory events.     

ABO genotyping-identification of O1, O1*, and O2 alleles using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) technique

ABO polymorphism at the gene level has been investigated by molecular methods, predominantly sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We describe the application of the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide (PCRSSO) method, which is considered to be more versatile for large sample numbers, compared with conventional ABO genotyping by PCR-RFLP. PCR-SSO, while maintaining accurate and reliable results, reduces costs and labor. A population of 155 random individuals was investigated for the three O alleles, O1, O1*, and O2. The allelic frequencies were 35 percent, 26 percent, and 5 percent, respectively. PCR-SSO results correlated completely with both serologic and PCRRFLP results.     

Double keystone bird in a keystone species complex

Species in a Colorado subalpine ecosystem show subtle interdependences. Red-naped sapsuckers play two distinct keystone roles. They excavate nest cavities in fungus-infected aspens that are required as nest sites by two species of swallows, and they drill sap wells into willows that provide abundant nourishment for themselves, hummingbirds, orange-crowned warblers, chipmunks, and an array of other sap robbers. The swallows thus depend on, and the sap robbers benefit from, a keystone species complex comprised of sapsuckers, willows, aspens, and a heartwood fungus. Disappearance of any element of the complex could cause an unanticipated unraveling of the community.     

The QT interval in aborted sudden infant death syndrome infants.

The QT interval was measured in 12 normal and 7 aborted sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) infants in rapid eye movement (REM) and quiet sleep at monthly intervals through the age of 4 months. An accuracy of better than 2 msec was assured by high resolution of the digitized signal and calibration of each QT measurement with an accurately generated time code. In contrast to current speculations, the QT index was significantly smaller in the infants with aborted SIDS than in the normal infants in both REM and quiet sleep (P less than 0.05). In addition, as in normal infants, the QTc was smaller in REM than in quiet sleep (P less than 0.01). Although these results offer no support for the hypothesis that SIDS results from prolongation of the QT interval, they suggest that aborted SIDS infants have a functional abnormality in the autonomic nervous system.     

泽泻提取物不同组分对尿草酸钙结石形成的实验研究

目的 :研究泽泻提取物不同组分对尿草酸钙结石形成的影响 ,并确定其抑制尿草酸钙结石形成的有效部位。方法 :通过喂服泽泻提取物不同组分对乙二醇和氯化铵诱导的大白鼠肾草酸钙结石模型进行实验研究。结果 :服用泽泻醋酸乙酯浸膏的醋酸乙酯洗脱液大鼠的血清尿素氮 (BUN) ,肌酐 (Cr) ,肾钙 (Ca²⁺ )含量 ,24h尿Ca²⁺ 分泌量 ,肾组织的草酸钙晶体沉积均明显低于成石组 (P<0.05)。结论 :泽泻醋酸乙酯浸膏的醋酸乙酯洗脱液能抑制实验性高草酸尿症大白鼠体内肾草酸钙晶体的形成 ,是泽泻抑制尿草酸钙结石形成的有效部位。     

喉鳞状细胞癌组织体外原代培养的初步研究

目的 应用体外培养技术,对喉鳞状细胞癌组织进行体外培养,探讨喉鳞癌组织原代培养中的各种影响因素,为建立人喉鳞癌组织的细胞系提供实验基础。方法采用体外组织培养技术,对24例人喉鳞状细胞癌组织进行原代培养,观察原代培养中肿瘤细胞的生长与供体的年龄、肿瘤组织的分化程度及不同培养方法的关系,分析在人喉鳞癌细胞的培养中成纤维细胞、微生物污染的影响。结果 24例人喉鳞状细胞癌组织标本,年龄小于60岁组的细胞生长率为31.25％(5/16例),年龄大于60岁组为37.5％(3/8例);高分化组为100％(2/2例),中分化组为30.8％(4/13例),低分化组25％(2/8例);组织块培养法为43.75％(7/16例),酶消化法培养为10％(1/10例);倒置显微镜下观察,在培养的第5～7天,在贴壁组织块周围可见到有上皮样细胞爬出。全部标本中,成纤维细胞的过度生长和微生物的污染是阻碍人喉鳞癌细胞生长的重要因素。结论培养组织的细胞生长率与供体的年龄关系不大;肿瘤组织的分化程度较高者,细胞的生长率较高;与酶消化分离培养法相比,贴壁组织块培养法的细胞生长率较高;成纤维细胞及微生物的污染是阻碍人喉鳞癌细胞系建立的重要因素。