Driving delivery and uptake of catch-up vaccination among adolescent and adult migrants in UK general practice: a mixed methods pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Migrants in the UK and Europe face vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) due to missed childhood vaccines and doses and marginalisation from health systems. Ensuring migrants receive catch-up vaccinations, including MMR, Td/IPV, MenACWY, and HPV, is essential to align them with UK and European vaccination schedules and ultimately reduce morbidity and mortality. However, recent evidence highlights poor awareness and implementation of catch-up vaccination guidelines by UK primary care staff, requiring novel approaches to strengthen the primary care pathway. METHODS: The 'Vacc on Track' study (May 2021-September 2022) aimed to measure under-vaccination rates among migrants in UK primary care and establish new referral pathways for catch-up vaccination. Participants included migrants aged 16 or older, born outside of Western Europe, North America, Australia, or New Zealand, in two London boroughs. Quantitative data on vaccination history, referral, uptake, and sociodemographic factors were collected, with practice nurses prompted to deliver catch-up vaccinations following UK guidelines. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with staff and migrants explored views on delivering catch-up vaccination, including barriers, facilitators, and opportunities. Data were analysed using STATA12 and NVivo 12. RESULTS: Results from 57 migrants presenting to study sites from 18 countries (mean age 41 [SD 7.2] years; 62% female; mean 11.3 [SD 9.1] years in UK) over a minimum of 6 months of follow-up revealed significant catch-up vaccination needs, particularly for MMR (49 [86%] required catch-up vaccination) and Td/IPV (50 [88%]). Fifty-three (93%) participants were referred for any catch-up vaccination, but completion of courses was low (6 [12%] for Td/IPV and 33 [64%] for MMR), suggesting individual and systemic barriers. Qualitative in-depth interviews (n = 39) with adult migrants highlighted the lack of systems currently in place in the UK to offer catch-up vaccination to migrants on arrival and the need for health-care provider skills and knowledge of catch-up vaccination to be improved. Focus group discussions and interviews with practice staff (n = 32) identified limited appointment/follow-up time, staff knowledge gaps, inadequate engagement routes, and low incentivisation as challenges that will need to be addressed. However, they underscored the potential of staff champions, trust-building mechanisms, and community-based approaches to strengthen catch-up vaccination uptake among migrants. CONCLUSIONS: Given the significant catch-up vaccination needs of migrants in our sample, and the current barriers to driving uptake identified, our findings suggest it will be important to explore this public health issue further, potentially through a larger study or trial. Strengthening existing pathways, staff capacity and knowledge in primary care, alongside implementing new strategies centred on cultural competence and building trust with migrant communities will be important focus areas.

X-linked carriers of chronic granulomatous disease: Illness, lyonization, and stability.

BACKGROUND: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is characterized by recurrent life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections and aberrant inflammation. Mutations in CYBB cause X-linked CGD and account for 65% to 70% of cases in Western countries. OBJECTIVE: We sought to understand the clinical manifestations associated with the X-linked CGD carrier state. METHODS: We undertook a comprehensive retrospective study of 162 affected female subjects. We examined dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR) oxidation data for percentage of X-chromosome inactivation. We correlated lyonization (%DHR+) with clinical features. Where possible, we followed %DHR+ values over time. RESULTS: Clinical data were available for 93 female subjects: %DHR+ values were 46% (mean) and 47% (median; SD, 24). Using the %DHR+ value as the criterion for X inactivation, 78% of patients had levels of inactivation of 20% to 80%, suggesting random inactivation that was independent of age. In contrast, carriers with CGD-type infections had median %DHR+ values of 8% (n = 14; range, 0.06% to 48%), and those with only autoimmune or inflammatory manifestations had median %DHR+ values of 39% (n = 31; range, 7.4% to 74%). Those with both infections and autoimmunity had low %DHR+ values (n = 6; range, 3% to 14%). A %DHR+ value of less than 10% was strongly associated with infections (odds ratio, 99). Strong association persisted when %DHR+ values were less than 20% (odds ratio, 12). Autoimmunity was not associated with %DHR+ values. In 2 sets of identical twins, the %DHR+ populations tracked closely over time. Although the %DHR+ populations were very similar between sisters, those between mothers and daughters were unrelated. CONCLUSIONS: A low %DHR+ value strongly predicts infection risk in X-linked CGD carriers, and the carrier state itself is associated with autoimmunity.

Cytoskeletal abnormalities and neutrophil dysfunction in WDR1 deficiency.

Cell motility, division, and structural integrity depend on dynamic remodeling of the cellular cytoskeleton, which is regulated in part by actin polymerization and depolymerization. In 3 families, we identified 4 children with recurrent infections and varying clinical manifestations including mild neutropenia, impaired wound healing, severe stomatitis with oral stenosis, and death. All patients studied had similar distinctive neutrophil herniation of the nuclear lobes and agranular regions within the cytosol. Chemotaxis and chemokinesis were markedly impaired, but staphylococcal killing was normal, and neutrophil oxidative burst was increased both basally and on stimulation. Neutrophil spreading on glass and cell polarization were also impaired. Neutrophil F-actin was elevated fourfold, suggesting an abnormality in F-actin regulation. Two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis identified abnormal actin-interacting protein 1 (Aip1), encoded by WDR1, in patient samples. Biallelic mutations in WDR1 affecting distinct antiparallel ß-strands of Aip1 were identified in all patients. It has been previously reported that Aip1 regulates cofilin-mediated actin depolymerization, which is required for normal neutrophil function. Heterozygous mutations in clinically normal relatives confirmed that WDR1 deficiency is autosomal recessive. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation corrected the immunologic defect in 1 patient. Mutations in WDR1 affect neutrophil morphology, motility, and function, causing a novel primary immunodeficiency.

Integrative DNA, RNA, and protein evidence connects TREML4 to coronary artery calcification.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a heritable and definitive morphologic marker of atherosclerosis that strongly predicts risk for future cardiovascular events. To search for genes involved in CAC, we used an integrative transcriptomic, genomic, and protein expression strategy by using next-generation DNA sequencing in the discovery phase with follow-up studies using traditional molecular biology and histopathology techniques. RNA sequencing of peripheral blood from a discovery set of CAC cases and controls was used to identify dysregulated genes, which were validated by ClinSeq and Framingham Heart Study data. Only a single gene, TREML4, was upregulated in CAC cases in both studies. Further examination showed that rs2803496 was a TREML4 cis-eQTL and that the minor allele at this locus conferred up to a 6.5-fold increased relative risk of CAC. We characterized human TREML4 and demonstrated by immunohistochemical techniques that it is localized in macrophages surrounding the necrotic core of coronary plaques complicated by calcification (but not in arteries with less advanced disease). Finally, we determined by von Kossa staining that TREML4 colocalizes with areas of microcalcification within coronary plaques. Overall, we present integrative RNA, DNA, and protein evidence implicating TREML4 in coronary artery calcification. Our findings connect multimodal genomics data with a commonly used clinical marker of cardiovascular disease.

Assessing for mild TBI among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans: Outcomes of injury severity and neurological factors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate injury severity markers and neurological symptoms associated with clinician-confirmed mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. SETTING: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centre and five affiliated community-based outpatient clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred and fifty Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with positive initial VA TBI screens between 1 April 2007 and 1 June 2010 and clinician-confirmed TBI status by 1 December 2010. METHODS: Retrospective-cohort study of medical record data. Main measures included clinician-confirmed TBI status, injury severity markers (e.g. loss of consciousness (LOC), post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) or confusion/disorientation) and neurological symptoms. RESULTS: Among veterans who screened positive on the initial VA TBI and then received a clinician evaluation, 60% were confirmed to have a TBI diagnosis. Veterans reporting at least one LOC, confusion or PTA were almost 18-times more likely to receive a confirmed TBI diagnosis. Odds of clinician-confirmed TBI were 2.5-3-times greater among those who endorsed dizziness, poor coordination, headaches, nausea, vision problems and/or irritability, compared to those not endorsing these symptoms. Nausea had greatest utility for confirming a TBI. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of neurologic symptoms that most contribute to a clinician-confirmed diagnosis of TBI has potential for streamlining detection of TBI and symptoms needed for treatment.

Tissue-specific transcriptome assemblies of the marine medaka Oryzias melastigma and comparative analysis with the freshwater medaka Oryzias latipes.

BACKGROUND: The marine medaka Oryzias melastigma has been demonstrated as a novel model for marine ecotoxicological studies. However, the lack of genome and transcriptome reference has largely restricted the use of O. melastigma in the assessment of in vivo molecular responses to environmental stresses and the analysis of biological toxicity in the marine environment. Although O. melastigma is believed to be phylogenetically closely related to Oryzias latipes, the divergence between these two species is still largely unknown. Using Illumina high-throughput RNA sequencing followed by de novo assembly and comprehensive gene annotation, we provided transcriptomic resources for the brain, liver, ovary and testis of O. melastigma. We also investigated the possible extent of divergence between O. melastigma and O. latipes at the transcriptome level. RESULTS: More than 14,000 transcripts across brain, liver, ovary and testis in marine medaka were annotated, of which 5880 transcripts were orthologous between O. melastigma and O. latipes. Tissue-enriched genes were identified in O. melastigma, and Gene Ontology analysis demonstrated the functional specificity of the annotated genes in respective tissue. Lastly, the identification of marine medaka-enriched transcripts suggested the necessity of generating transcriptome dataset of O. melastigma. CONCLUSIONS: Orthologous transcripts between O. melastigma and O. latipes, tissue-enriched genes and O. melastigma-enriched transcripts were identified. Genome-wide expression studies of marine medaka require an assembled transcriptome, and this sequencing effort has generated a valuable resource of coding DNA for a non-model species. This transcriptome resource will aid future studies assessing in vivo molecular responses to environmental stresses and those analyzing biological toxicity in the marine environment.

Early Cognitively Based Functional Limitations Predict Loss of Independence in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults.

Older adults with early forms of neurodegenerative disease are at risk for functional disability, which is often defined by the loss of independence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). The current study investigated the influence of mild changes in everyday functional abilities (referred to as functional limitations) on risk for development of incident functional disability. A total of 407 participants, who were considered cognitively normal or diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at baseline, were followed longitudinally over an average 4.1 years (range=0.8-9.2 years). Informant-based ratings from the Everyday Cognition (ECog; Farias et al., 2008) and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (Lawton & Brody, 1969) scales assessed the degree of functional limitations and incident IADL disability, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models revealed that more severe functional limitations (as measured by the Total ECog score) at baseline were associated with approximately a four-fold increased risk of developing IADL disability a few years later. Among the ECog domains, functional limitations in Everyday Planning, Everyday Memory, and Everyday Visuospatial domains were associated with the greatest risk of incident functional disability. These results remained robust even after controlling for participants' neuropsychological functioning on tests of executive functions and episodic memory. Current findings indicate that early functional limitations have prognostic value in identifying older adults at risk for developing functional disability. Findings highlight the importance of developing interventions to support everyday abilities related to memory, executive function, and visuospatial skills in an effort to delay loss of independence in IADLs.

Self-rated and informant-rated everyday function in comparison to objective markers of Alzheimer's disease.

It is recognized that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) already demonstrate difficulty in aspects of daily functioning, which predicts disease progression. This study examined the relationship between self- versus informant-report of functional ability, and how those reports relate to objective disease measures across the disease spectrum (i.e. cognitively normal, MCI, Alzheimer's disease). A total of 1080 subjects with self- and/or informant-rated Everyday Cognition questionnaires were included. Objective measures included cognitive functioning, structural brain atrophy, cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities, and a marker of amyloid deposition using positron emission tomography with [18F]AV45 (florbetapir). Overall, informant-report was consistently more associated with objective markers of disease than self-report although self-reported functional status may still have some utility in early disease.

Hypoxia disrupts gene modulation along the brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG)-liver axis.

Hypoxia alters sex hormone concentrations leading to reproductive impairment in fish; however the mechanisms underlying these effects remain largely unknown. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio), this study is the first to demonstrate that hypoxia causes endocrine disruption by simultaneously acting on multiple targets along the brain-pituitary-gonadal (BPG)-liver axis in fish. Alterations in the expression of key genes associated with reproductive endocrine pathways in the brain (sGnRH), pituitary (FSHß and LHß), gonads (FSH-R, LH-R, HMGR, StAR, CYP19A, CYP11A, CYP11ß and 20ß-HSD), and liver were correlated with significant reductions of estradiol in females and testosterone in males. Hypoxia also induced sex-specific and tissue-specific changes in the expression of estrogen, androgen, and membrane progestin receptors along the BPG axis, suggesting disruption of the feedback and synchronization of hormone signals. Furthermore, the hypoxia-induced upregulation of hepatic sex hormone-binding globulin suggests an increase in hormone transport and reduced bioavailability in blood, while upregulation of hepatic CYP3A65 and CYP1A in females suggests an increase in estrogen biotransformation and clearance. Given that the regulation of reproductive hormones and the BPG-liver axis are highly conserved, this study provides new insights into the hypoxia-induced endocrine disrupting mechanisms and reproductive impairment in other vertebrates.

The immune status of migrant populations in Europe and implications for vaccine-preventable disease control: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring vaccination coverage reaches established herd immunity thresholds (HITs) is the cornerstone of any vaccination programme. Diverse migrant populations in European countries have been associated with cases of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and outbreaks, yet it is not clear to what extent they are an under-immunized group. METHODS: We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize peer-reviewed published primary research reporting data on the immune status of migrants in EU/EEA countries, the UK and Switzerland, calculating their pooled immunity coverage for measles, mumps, rubella and diphtheria using random-effects models. We searched on Web of Science, Embase, Global Health and MEDLINE (1 January 2000 to 10 June 2022), with no language restrictions. The protocol is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018103666). FINDINGS: Of 1103 abstracts screened, 62 met eligibility criteria, of which 39 were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis included 75 089 migrants, predominantly from outside Europe. Pooled immunity coverage among migrant populations was well below the recommended HIT for diphtheria (n = 7, 57.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 43.1-71.7%] I2 = 99% vs HIT 83-86%), measles (n = 21, 83.7% [95% CI: 79.2-88.2] I2 = 99% vs HIT 93-95%) and mumps (n = 8, 67.1% [95% CI: 50.6-83.6] I2 = 99% vs HIT 88-93%) and midway for rubella (n = 29, 85.6% [95% CI: 83.1-88.1%] I2 = 99% vs HIT 83-94%), with high heterogeneity across studies. INTERPRETATION: Migrants in Europe are an under-immunized group for a range of important VPDs, with this study reinforcing the importance of engaging children, adolescents and adults in 'catch-up' vaccination initiatives on arrival for vaccines, doses and boosters they may have missed in their home countries. Co-designing strategies to strengthen catch-up vaccination across the life course in under-immunized groups is an important next step if we are to meet European and global targets for VPD elimination and control and ensure vaccine equity.

Effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines on maternal and perinatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of COVID-19 vaccines in women before or during pregnancy on SARS-CoV-2 infection-related, pregnancy, offspring and reactogenicity outcomes. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Major databases between December 2019 and January 2023. STUDY SELECTION: Nine pairs of reviewers contributed to study selection. We included test-negative designs, comparative cohorts and randomised trials on effects of COVID-19 vaccines on infection-related and pregnancy outcomes. Non-comparative cohort studies reporting reactogenicity outcomes were also included. QUALITY ASSESSMENT, DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently assessed study quality and extracted data. We undertook random-effects meta-analysis and reported findings as HRs, risk ratios (RRs), ORs or rates with 95% CIs. RESULTS: Sixty-seven studies (1 813 947 women) were included. Overall, in test-negative design studies, pregnant women fully vaccinated with any COVID-19 vaccine had 61% reduced odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.75; 4 studies, 23 927 women; I2=87.2%) and 94% reduced odds of hospital admission (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.71; 2 studies, 868 women; I2=92%). In adjusted cohort studies, the risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy was reduced by 12% (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.92; 2 studies; 115 085 women), while caesarean section was reduced by 9% (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.98; 6 studies; 30 192 women). We observed an 8% reduction in the risk of neonatal intensive care unit admission (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.97; 2 studies; 54 569 women) in babies born to vaccinated versus not vaccinated women. In general, vaccination during pregnancy was not associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy or perinatal outcomes. Pain at the injection site was the most common side effect reported (77%, 95% CI 52% to 94%; 11 studies; 27 195 women). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccines are effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and related complications in pregnant women. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020178076.

Glycemic index and insulin index after a standard carbohydrate meal consumed with live kombucha: A randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.

Introduction: Kombucha is a complex probiotic beverage made from fermented tea, yet despite extensive historical, anecdotal, and in-vivo evidence for its health benefits, no controlled trials have been published on its effect on humans. Methods: We conducted a randomised placebo-controlled, cross-over study that examined the Glycemic Index (GI) and Insulin Index (II) responses after a standardised high-GI meal consumed with three different test beverages (soda water, diet lemonade soft drink and an unpasteurised kombucha) in 11 healthy adults. The study was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (anzctr.org.au: 12620000460909). Soda water was used as the control beverage. GI or II values were calculated by expressing the 2-h blood glucose or insulin response as a percentage of the response produced by 50 g of glucose dissolved in water. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in GI or II between the standard meal consumed with soda water (GI: 86 and II: 85) or diet soft drink (GI: 84 and II: 81, (p = 0.929 for GI and p = 0.374 for II). In contrast, when kombucha was consumed there was a clinically significant reduction in GI and II (GI: 68, p = 0.041 and II: 70, p = 0.041) compared to the meal consumed with soda water. Discussion: These results suggest live kombucha can produce reductions in acute postprandial hyperglycemia. Further studies examining the mechanisms and potential therapeutic benefits of kombucha are warranted.

Evolution of the clinical simulation approach to assess digital health technologies.

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has catalysed digital transformation in the health space. However, it remains a challenge to generate timely and cost-effective evidence for digital health technologies (DHTs) to ensure their safety and efficacy. Traditional methods, such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs), are ill-suited for assessing DHTs for reasons of speed, agility, cost and context. Clinical simulation using high-fidelity synthetic patient cases is emerging as a promising yet underexplored method to evaluate DHTs. It offers several advantages, including conducting remote multi-site testing at low cost, inclusion of high-risk patient profiles that are usually excluded from RCTs and adaptability to different local clinical settings. This article shares some of the insights from studies using clinical simulation conducted at the Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) at Imperial College London and describes the evolution of this approach as well as future opportunities.

Mycoplasma genitalium infection in women attending a sexually transmitted infection clinic: diagnostic specimen type, coinfections, and predictors.

In female sexually transmitted infection clinic attendees, Mycoplasma genitalium was more frequently detected using vaginal (53/73) versus endocervical (43/73) specimens. In women without other sexually transmitted infections, M. genitalium detection (N = 44) was associated with age ≤22 years (odds ratio, 2.53; P = 0.006) and clinical evidence of cervicitis (odds ratio, 2.11; P = 0.03).

Propylene glycol produces excessive apoptosis in the developing mouse brain, alone and in combination with phenobarbital.

INTRODUCTION: Propylene glycol (PG) is a common solvent used in medical preparations. It is generally recognized as safe at regulated concentrations; however, its apoptotic potential is unknown. RESULTS: PG triggered widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration with the greatest damage at postnatal day 7 (P7). Significant apoptosis was observed at doses as low as 2 ml/kg. These findings have implications for the safety of drug preparations used in pediatric medicine. The anticonvulsant phenobarbital (PB), which alone produces apoptosis in the immature central nervous system (CNS) is prepared in 68% PG and 10% ethanol (EtOH). We assessed whether PG contributes to the neurotoxic potential of PB. The agents (both at subtoxic doses) produce significantly more apoptosis when used in combination. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, finding an alternative non-apoptotic solvent that can be used as a substitute for PG may be beneficial to patients. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice (P4-30) were exposed to PG to examine whether PG could produce apoptosis in the developing CNS.

The impact of head injury mechanism on mental health symptoms in veterans: do number and type of exposures matter?

This study examined the association between screening results for mental health problems and the number and type of head injuries in 1,082 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans who received population-based screening for traumatic brain injury at a Veterans Administration health care facility. Nearly one third of all veterans reported multiple types of head injuries (median = 1 among those with any head injury, range = 1-6 types of head injury). Veterans reporting multiple head injury mechanisms had 6 times the odds of screening positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 6.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) [4.4, 8.7], p < .001, over 4 times the odds of screening positive for depression, adjusted OR = 4.09, 95% CI [2.8, 5.9], p < .001, and about twice the odds of screening positive for alcohol misuse, adjusted OR = 1.64, 95% CI [1.19, 2.3], p = .003, compared to those without head injuries. Veterans reporting a blast plus another head injury mechanism had higher odds of screening positive for all mental health outcomes than any other group (e.g., compared to no head injury group): PTSD, adjusted OR = 6.52, 95% CI [4.6, 9.3], p < .001; depression, adjusted OR = 4.42, 95% CI [3.0, 6.4], p < .001; alcohol misuse, adjusted OR =1.59, 95% CI [1.14, 2.2], p = .006. Given their association with a variety of mental health outcomes, number and type of head injury mechanism should be considered as part of any postdeployment evaluation.

Factors associated with completing comprehensive traumatic brain injury evaluation.

This study examined factors associated with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans following up with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) comprehensive traumatic brain injury (TBI) evaluation after a positive first-level VA TBI screen. Participants included 465 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans at one VA Medical Center and its five affiliated community-based outpatient clinics, with a positive initial TBI screen between April 1, 2007 and June 1, 2010. We found that 75% of Veterans completed the comprehensive TBI evaluation. Women were three times less likely to complete the comprehensive TBI evaluation than men, and those who endorsed post-traumatic stress disorder avoidance symptoms were nearly two times less likely to complete the comprehensive TBI evaluation. In contrast, headaches, Hispanic ethnicity, and the season of the initial TBI screen (summer vs. winter) were positively associated with completing a comprehensive TBI evaluation. A substantial minority of Veterans who screen positive on the VA initial TBI screen fail to present for the comprehensive TBI evaluation. Addressing specific gender-related issues, avoidance, and the timing of referrals in the context of VA polytrauma programs may increase the likelihood that Veterans receive further assessment, education, and early intervention for TBI or other mental health problems to prevent chronic postdeployment disability.

LGBTQI + Migrants: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework of Health, Safety and Wellbeing during Migration.

The health and safety of LGBTQI+ migrants or migrants who are of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (SOGIE) remains an under-studied area, particularly for the period during transit from their place of origin to destination. This systematic review aims to describe the literature on the health risks and consequences among SOGIE migrants during transit and examine their access and use of services. Six peer-reviewed databases and websites of nine large migration organisations were searched to identify the literature on forced migrants and sexual and gender minorities. Twenty English-language studies from 2000-2021 were included and analysed drawing on a conceptual framework. Studies emerged from six regions and the majority of research participants identified as gay men. In general, quality appraisal demonstrated studies as either medium or high quality. Findings suggested five common themes associated with SOGIE health and well-being, including: daily exposure to discrimination, harassment and violence; coping, social support and resilience; access to services; mental health; and physical and sexual health. Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were prevalent amongst SOGIE migrants, particularly when associated with detention or camp environments, and were exacerbated by social isolation. Barriers to accessing healthcare were identified and specific sexual health services were often found lacking, especially for trans persons. Unsurprisingly, during transit, SOGIE migrants are very likely to experience the double marginalisation of their migrant or minority status and their gender identity. Results indicate that services for SOGIE migrants need to tailor service access and support approaches to respond to the particular health and protection needs of SOGIE individuals in each setting.

Development of a Website for a Living Network Meta-analysis of Atopic Dermatitis Treatments Using a User-Centered Design: Multimethod Study.

BACKGROUND: A rapid expansion of systemic immunological treatment options for atopic dermatitis (AD) has created a need for clinically relevant and understandable comparative efficacy and safety information for patients and clinicians. Given the scarcity of head-to-head trials, network meta-analysis (NMA) is an alternative way to enable robust comparisons among treatment options; however, NMA results are often complex and difficult to directly implement in shared decision-making. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a website that effectively presents the results of a living systematic review and NMA on AD treatments to patient and clinician users. METHODS: We conducted a multimethod study using iterative feedback from adults with AD, adult caregivers of children with AD, dermatologists, and allergists within a user-centered design framework. We used questionnaires followed by workshops among patients and clinicians to develop and improve the website interface. Usability testing was done with a caregiver of a patient with eczema. RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 31 adults with AD or caregivers and 94 clinicians. Patients and caregivers felt it was very important to know about new treatments (20/31, 65%). Clinicians felt the lack of evidence-based comparisons between treatments was a barrier to care (55/93, 59%). "Avoiding dangerous side effects" was ranked as the most important priority for patients (weighted ranking 5.2/7, with higher ranking being more important), and "improving patients' overall symptoms" was the most important priority for clinicians (weighted ranking 5.0/6). A total of 4 patients and 7 clinicians participated in workshops; they appreciated visualizations of the NMA results and found the website valuable for comparing different treatments. The patients suggested changes to simplify the interface and clarify terminology related to comparative efficacy. The user in the usability testing found the website intuitive to navigate. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a website, "eczematherapies.com," with a user-centered design approach. Visualizations of NMA results enable users to compare treatments as part of their shared decision-making process.

Glucocorticoid receptor stimulation and the regulation of neonatal cerebellar neural progenitor cell apoptosis.

Glucocorticoids are used to treat respiratory dysfunction associated with premature birth but have been shown to cause neurodevelopmental deficits when used therapeutically. Recently, we established that acute glucocorticoid exposure at clinically relevant doses produces neural progenitor cell apoptosis in the external granule layer of the developing mouse cerebellum and permanent decreases in the number of cerebellar neurons. As the cerebellum naturally matures and neurogenesis is no longer needed, the external granule layer decreases proliferation and permanently disappears during the second week of life. At this same time, corticosterone (the endogenous rodent glucocorticoid) release increases and a glucocorticoid-metabolizing enzyme that protects the external granule layer against glucocorticoid receptor stimulation (11ß-Hydroxysteroid-Dehydrogenase-Type 2; HSD2) naturally disappears. Here we show that HSD2 inhibition and raising corticosterone to adult physiological levels both can independently increase neural progenitor cell apoptosis in the neonatal mouse. Conversely, glucocorticoid receptor antagonism decreases natural physiological apoptosis in this same progenitor cell population suggesting that endogenous glucocorticoid stimulation may regulate apoptosis in the external granule layer. We also found that glucocorticoids which HSD2 can effectively metabolize generate less external granule layer apoptosis than glucocorticoids this enzyme is ineffective at breaking down. This finding may explain why glucocorticoids that this enzyme can metabolize are clinically effective at treating respiratory dysfunction yet seem to produce no neurodevelopmental deficits. Finally, we demonstrate that both acute and chronic glucocorticoid exposures produce external granule layer apoptosis but without appropriate control groups this effect becomes masked. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for glucocorticoid therapy and neurodevelopment during the perinatal period.