A Qualitative Exploration of the Meaning and Understanding of Male Partner Involvement in Pregnancy-Related Care Among Men in Rural South Africa

Male partner involvement (MPI) during antenatal care has been promoted as an effective intervention to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes. Although MPI is commonly defined as men attending antenatal clinic visits with their female partner, few men attend antenatal clinic visits in rural communities in the province of Mpumalanga, South Africa. The study aimed to qualitatively explore the meaning and understanding of MPI as perceived by men visiting primary health care clinics in rural communities in Mpumalanga. Six focus groups discussions (n = 53) were conducted, digitally recorded, simultaneously transcribed, and translated verbatim into English. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Perceptions of male roles during and after pregnancy differed among men. Male involvement was understood as giving instrumental support to female partners through financial help, helping out with physical tasks, and providing emotional support. Accompanying female partners to the clinic was also viewed as partner support, including behaviors such as holding a spot for her in the clinic queues. Community attitudes, traditional beliefs, and negative experiences in health facilities were barriers for MPI. This study provides support for concerted efforts to work with both men and women within the cultural context to explore the important roles of all members of the family in working together to provide the best possible health outcomes for mother and infant. In particular, future interventions should focus on making antenatal care services more responsive to male partners, and improving male partner accessibility in health care facilities

Stanowisko grupy ekspertów wsparte przez Sekcję Farmakoterapii Sercowo-Naczyniowej Polskiego Towarzystwa Kardiologicznego dotyczące miejsca standaryzowanej kompozycji polifenoli z bergamoty w terapii dyslipidemii oraz jej innego potencjalnego zastosowania

Bergamot juice has a particularly high content and a unique composition of flavonoids. It is particularly rich in flavanones and flavones. Standardized bergamot polyphenolic fraction has the same polyphenol profile as in the juice, but flavonoids are over 200 times more concentrated. Many data show its brilliant performance in hyperlipidaemia and moderate hyperglycaemia. In addition, it has other beneficial pleiotropic properties. The following document contains the opinion of an expert group summarizing current knowledge on bergamot flavonoids and their possible use in selected populations of patients.Sok bergamotowy charakteryzuje się unikatowym profilem flawonoidów. Jest szczególnie bogaty we flawanony i flawony. Standaryzowana kompozycja polifenoli z bergamoty zawiera takie flawonoidy jak sok bergamotowy, jednak ponad 200 razy bardziej skoncentrowane. Liczne dane wskazują na jej znakomite działanie w hiperlipidemii i umiarkowanej hiperglikemii. Ponadto wykazuje ona inne korzystne właściwości plejotropowe. Poniższy dokument stanowi opinię grupy ekspertów będącą podsumowaniem aktualnej wiedzy na temat flawonoidów bergamoty i ich możliwego zastosowania w wybranych populacjach chorych

Stanowisko grupy ekspertów wsparte przez Sekcję Farmakoterapii Sercowo-Naczyniowej Polskiego Towarzystwa Kardiologicznego dotyczące miejsca standaryzowanej kompozycji polifenoli z bergamoty w terapii dyslipidemii oraz jej innego potencjalnego zastosowania w praktyce klinicznej

Bergamot juice has a particularly high content and a unique composition of flavonoids. It is particularly rich in flavanones and flavones. Stan-dardized bergamot polyphenolic fraction has the same polyphenol profile as in the juice, but flavonoids are over 200 times more concentrated. Many data show its brilliant performance in hyperlipidaemia and moderate hyperglycaemia. In addition, it has other beneficial pleiotropic properties. The following document contains the opinion of an expert group summarizing current knowledge on bergamot flavonoids and their possible use in selected populations of patients.Sok bergamotowy charakteryzuje się unikatowym profilem flawonoidów. Jest szczególnie bogaty we flawanony i flawony. Standaryzowana kompozycja polifenoli z bergamoty zawiera takie flawonoidy jak sok bergamotowy, jednak ponad 200 razy bardziej skoncentrowane. Liczne dane wskazują na jej znakomite działanie w hiperlipidemii i umiarkowanej hiperglikemii. Ponadto wykazuje ona inne korzystne właściwości plejotropowe. Poniższy dokument stanowi opinię grupy ekspertów będącą podsumowaniem aktualnej wiedzy na temat flawonoidów bergamoty i ich możliwego zastosowania w wybranych populacjach chorych

Nowy paradygmat leczenia przeciwzakrzepowego chorób miażdżycowych. Stanowisko grupy ekspertów wsparte przez Sekcję Farmakoterapii Sercowo-Naczyniowej Polskiego Towarzystwa Kardiologicznego dotyczące miejsca riwaroksabanu w terapii stabilnej CAD

The need to improve the efficacy of anticoagulant therapy in secondary prevention is indicated by the fact that intensive antiplatelet therapy only partially reduces cardiovascular risk. The results of the COMPASS study provide evidence that additional blocking of coagulation cascade may significantly affect the further prevention of major cardiovascular events in a selected population of patients. The following document is the opinion of an expert group summarising the latest knowledge regarding anticoagulant therapy in stable coronary disease and peripheral artery disease.Na konieczność poprawy skuteczności terapii przeciwzakrzepowej w prewencji wtórnej wskazuje fakt, że intensywne leczenie przeciwpłytkowe tylko częściowo obniża ryzyko sercowo-naczyniowe. Wyniki badania COMPASS dostarczają dowodów na to, że dodatkowe zablokowanie wybranych pięter kaskady krzepnięcia może istotnie wpłynąć na dalszą prewencję poważnych zdarzeń sercowo-naczyniowych w wybranej populacji chorych. Niniejszy dokument stanowi opinię grupy ekspertów będącą podsumowaniem najnowszej wiedzy dotyczącej leczenia przeciwzakrzepowego w stabilnej chorobie wieńcowej i chorobie tętnic obwodowych

Analysis of spounaviruses as a case study for the overdue reclassification of tailed phages

Tailed bacteriophages are the most abundant and diverse viruses in the world, with genome sizes ranging from 10 kbp to over 500 kbp. Yet, due to historical reasons, all this diversity is confined to a single virus order-Caudovirales, composed of just four families: Myoviridae, Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, and the newly created Ackermannviridae family. In recent years, this morphology-based classification scheme has started to crumble under the constant flood of phage sequences, revealing that tailed phages are even more genetically diverse than once thought. This prompted us, the Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), to consider overall reorganization of phage taxonomy. In this study, we used a wide range of complementary methods-including comparative genomics, core genome analysis, and marker gene phylogenetics-to show that the group of Bacillus phage SPO1-related viruses previously classified into the Spounavirinae subfamily, is clearly distinct from other members of the family Myoviridae and its diversity deserves the rank of an autonomous family. Thus, we removed this group from the Myoviridae family and created the family Herelleviridae-a new taxon of the same rank. In the process of the taxon evaluation, we explored the feasibility of different demarcation criteria and critically evaluated the usefulness of our methods for phage classification. The convergence of results, drawing a consistent and comprehensive picture of a new family with associated subfamilies, regardless of method, demonstrates that the tools applied here are particularly useful in phage taxonomy. We are convinced that creation of this novel family is a crucial milestone toward much-needed reclassification in the Caudovirales order.Peer reviewe

Metabolic associated fatty liver disease and cardiovascular risk: The expert opinion of the Working Group on Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy of the Polish Cardiac Society

The diagnosis of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is significant for patients’ prognosis, as the disease accelerates the development of cardiovascular complications and, on the other hand, cardiometabolic conditions are risk factors for the development of fatty liver diseases. This expert opinion presents principles of MAFLD diagnosis and standards of management to reduce cardiovascular risks in patients with MAFLD

Taxonomy of prokaryotic viruses : 2017 update from the ICTV Bacterial and Archaeal Viruses Subcommittee

Peer reviewe