Periconceptional environment predicts leukocyte telomere length in a cross-sectional study of 7-9 year old rural Gambian children

Early life exposures are important predictors of adult disease risk. Although the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown, telomere maintenance may be involved. This study investigated the relationship between seasonal differences in parental exposures at time of conception and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in their offspring. LTL was measured in two cohorts of children aged 2 yrs (N = 487) and 7–9 yrs (N = 218). The association between date of conception and LTL was examined using Fourier regression models, adjusted for age, sex, leukocyte cell composition, and other potential confounders. We observed an effect of season in the older children in all models [likelihood ratio test (LRT) χ²2 = 7.1, p = 0.03; fully adjusted model]. LTL was greatest in children conceived in September (in the rainy season), and smallest in those conceived in March (in the dry season), with an effect size (LTL peak–nadir) of 0.60 z-scores. No effect of season was evident in the younger children (LRT χ²2 = 0.87, p = 0.65). The different results obtained for the two cohorts may reflect a delayed effect of season of conception on postnatal telomere maintenance. Alternatively, they may be explained by unmeasured differences in early life exposures, or the increased telomere attrition rate during infancy

Legacies of the Forgotten:Sporting Biographies from pre-1930s South America

This book consists of ten biographies of South American sportspeople from before 1930. These are supplemented by ten critical analyses of those biographies, situating them within their historical context and against contemporary scholarship. The authors were final-year undergraduates at the University of Bristol, on the Sports and Societies in South America unit in 2023-2024. The concept, design and title were all produced by the students

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. Between March 9 and June 17, 2020, 614 adult patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and randomized within at least 1 domain following admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory or cardiovascular organ support at 121 sites in 8 countries. Of these, 403 were randomized to open-label interventions within the corticosteroid domain. The domain was halted after results from another trial were released. Follow-up ended August 12, 2020. Interventions: The corticosteroid domain randomized participants to a fixed 7-day course of intravenous hydrocortisone (50 mg or 100 mg every 6 hours) (n = 143), a shock-dependent course (50 mg every 6 hours when shock was clinically evident) (n = 152), or no hydrocortisone (n = 108). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was organ support-free days (days alive and free of ICU-based respiratory or cardiovascular support) within 21 days, where patients who died were assigned -1 day. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model that included all patients enrolled with severe COVID-19, adjusting for age, sex, site, region, time, assignment to interventions within other domains, and domain and intervention eligibility. Superiority was defined as the posterior probability of an odds ratio greater than 1 (threshold for trial conclusion of superiority >99%). Results: After excluding 19 participants who withdrew consent, there were 384 patients (mean age, 60 years; 29% female) randomized to the fixed-dose (n = 137), shock-dependent (n = 146), and no (n = 101) hydrocortisone groups; 379 (99%) completed the study and were included in the analysis. The mean age for the 3 groups ranged between 59.5 and 60.4 years; most patients were male (range, 70.6%-71.5%); mean body mass index ranged between 29.7 and 30.9; and patients receiving mechanical ventilation ranged between 50.0% and 63.5%. For the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively, the median organ support-free days were 0 (IQR, -1 to 15), 0 (IQR, -1 to 13), and 0 (-1 to 11) days (composed of 30%, 26%, and 33% mortality rates and 11.5, 9.5, and 6 median organ support-free days among survivors). The median adjusted odds ratio and bayesian probability of superiority were 1.43 (95% credible interval, 0.91-2.27) and 93% for fixed-dose hydrocortisone, respectively, and were 1.22 (95% credible interval, 0.76-1.94) and 80% for shock-dependent hydrocortisone compared with no hydrocortisone. Serious adverse events were reported in 4 (3%), 5 (3%), and 1 (1%) patients in the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with severe COVID-19, treatment with a 7-day fixed-dose course of hydrocortisone or shock-dependent dosing of hydrocortisone, compared with no hydrocortisone, resulted in 93% and 80% probabilities of superiority with regard to the odds of improvement in organ support-free days within 21 days. However, the trial was stopped early and no treatment strategy met prespecified criteria for statistical superiority, precluding definitive conclusions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02735707

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Mythbusters : the Counter-Cyclical Nature of Gold Prices & January as a Predictor of Market Performance for the Year

Color poster with graphs and tables.There are many different theories and strategies concerning the stock market. Data has been compiled to test two of these theories: The first theory looked at is one that states that market performance in the month of January can be used as a predictor for the performance of the entire year. The second theory is that gold is counter-cyclical to the broad market and is a good place to invest in a bear market. The Chippewa Valley Center for Economic Research and Development (CVCERD) collects market data on four different investment strategies and also provides an overview of overall market conditions through its Stock Market Project. In addition to testing these market hypotheses, an overview is presented of the broad stock market and the Eau Claire Basket (an index of locally represented publically traded companies).University of Wisconsin?Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; Xcel Energy--Eau Claire; Northwestern Bank--Chippewa Fall

Why Are Restaurant Firms Going Private?

Access to capital markets is one of the key benefits of becoming a publicly traded company. However, previous research has shown that companies in more recent years have returned to the private sector rather than staying public after the initial public offering. While existing research found numerous reasons for going private, there is a limited number of studies that identify factors that influence the shareholder returns of the decision to go private. This study attempts to uncover external and internal factors that affect shareholder returns. Our study includes U.S. restaurant companies listed under Standard Industry Codes 5810 and 5812 between 1997 and 2021. Thus, our final sample consists of 70+ firms. Data on going private transactions will be obtained from media outlets and SEC annual filings (10-Ks). Data for the dependent variable (shareholder stock returns) is available in The Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP). Independent variables in our study are firm size, level of undervaluation, governance issues, executive team structure, board composition, managerial ownership, director independence, blockholders, and CEO duality. Regression analysis will be used to explain the variance in shareholder returns. This study expects that board composition and the executive management structure, will emerge as essential factors beyond traditional variables such as firm size as determinants of shareholder stock returns. The findings of this research study can provide important implications for firm executives considering going private and private equity investors trying to identify the best target firms that can be taken private

NATIVE DAUGHTERS

For almost two years, Nebraska’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications has benefited from this perfect storm, riding a project wave dedicated to a singular idea: You can’t really understand American history without understanding Native American history. And you can’t understand Native American history without understanding the critical role Native women have played in defining, enriching and protecting that history. Underwritten by a $125,000 Carnegie Foundation grant, this journalism project is intended to substantially raise the profile of Native Daughters. To that end, the college enrolled two dozen of its best and brightest students – reporters, photographers, videographers, Web masters, copy editors and designers – in a three-semester depth reporting class that exhaustively examined the role that Native women have traditionally played in Indian history, culture, art and politics. The students’ extensive research included bringing to campus some of the nation’s most accomplished Native women, including award-winning filmmakers, Harvard-educated environmentalists, Dartmouth Medical School surgeons, prolific authors, veteran lawyers, tribal presidents and decorated Iraqi War veterans. Before it ended, the student journalists spent many hours on the Pine Ridge, Omaha, Santee and Winnebago reservations, conducted more than 150 interviews, shot thousands of photographs and hundreds of hours of video. Now, this rich body of work has been sculpted into a glossy, 172-page, full-color magazine, a documentary, a photo gallery and interactive Web site that will be continually updated. Ultimately, this Web site will be integrated into public school curricula throughout Nebraska, the U.S. and eventually worldwide. It will be used by teachers throughout Indian Country and beyond who want their students to see see and read stories about powerful role models. Teachers who want their students to know the rich and complex contributions Native women have made to both indigenous and American cultures. Who want their students to understand the forces that gave rise to the Northern Cheyenne proverb: “A nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women lie on the ground.

Where are all the women? Recognition and representation: UK Female Veterans' Experiences of Support in Civilian Life.

This report highlights the limited research and recognition of UK female veterans and their unique experiences and needs. With only 13.6% of the total veteran population being women, there is a  lack of understanding about their post-service requirements and whether existing services cater to them. The UK government, through the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, has commissioned this qualitative research to explore the experiences of female veterans and improve the support offered to them. This report details findings on the impact of military service on physical and mental health, accessing support services, key civilian life issues, and public perceptions of UK female veterans. </p