Gender bias and the journal of roman studies

Reflecting on present unease about structural biases in the discipline, and aiming to offer a data-rich response to some recent criticisms of this Journal, the Editorial Board has undertaken a study of the representation of female scholars in the Journal of Roman Studies. To that end, we have gathered data on publications, submissions and JRS Editorial Board membership for the past fifteen years, from Volume 95 (2005) through to the present volume, Volume 109 (2019). The data are set out in the final section (VII), following a brief review of the main results. Our goal here is neither to present a definitive analysis, nor to offer a commentary on the underlying causes of the patterns revealed (on which we expect much fruitful discussion elsewhere). Rather, the JRS Editorial Board aims to make key data available both to inform a much wider debate within the profession as a whole and, importantly, to inform this Journal’s policies, procedures and active outreach. The Board is also acutely aware that any analysis of gender bias needs to be framed carefully — both by an awareness that there are other under-represented groups in the discipline (on which our data in their current form would regrettably only offer a most imperfect picture), and by a sensitivity to the limitations of a conception of gender as a simple binary

Multicenter, Observational Cohort Study Evaluating Third-Generation Cephalosporin Therapy for Bloodstream Infections Secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, and Citrobacter Species

Objectives: There is debate on whether the use of third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) increases the risk of clinical failure in bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by chromosomally-mediated AmpC-producing Enterobacterales (CAE). This study evaluates the impact of definitive 3GC therapy versus other antibiotics on clinical outcomes in BSIs due to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study evaluated adult hospitalized patients with BSIs secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species from 1 January 2006 to 1 September 2014. Definitive 3GC therapy was compared to definitive therapy with other non-3GC antibiotics. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression evaluated the impact of definitive 3GC on overall treatment failure (OTF) as a composite of in-hospital mortality, 30-day hospital readmission, or 90-day reinfection. Results: A total of 381 patients from 18 institutions in the southeastern United States were enrolled. Common sources of BSIs were the urinary tract and central venous catheters (78 (20.5%) patients each). Definitive 3GC therapy was utilized in 65 (17.1%) patients. OTF occurred in 22/65 patients (33.9%) in the definitive 3GC group vs. 94/316 (29.8%) in the non-3GC group (p = 0.51). Individual components of OTF were comparable between groups. Risk of OTF was comparable with definitive 3GC therapy vs. definitive non-3GC therapy (aHR 0.93, 95% CI 0.51–1.72) in multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Conclusions: These outcomes suggest definitive 3GC therapy does not significantly alter the risk of poor clinical outcomes in the treatment of BSIs secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species compared to other antimicrobial agents

Multicenter, Observational Cohort Study Evaluating Third-Generation Cephalosporin Therapy for Bloodstream Infections Secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, and Citrobacter Species

Objectives: There is debate on whether the use of third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) increases the risk of clinical failure in bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by chromosomally-mediated AmpC-producing Enterobacterales (CAE). This study evaluates the impact of definitive 3GC therapy versus other antibiotics on clinical outcomes in BSIs due to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study evaluated adult hospitalized patients with BSIs secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species from 1 January 2006 to 1 September 2014. Definitive 3GC therapy was compared to definitive therapy with other non-3GC antibiotics. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression evaluated the impact of definitive 3GC on overall treatment failure (OTF) as a composite of in-hospital mortality, 30-day hospital readmission, or 90-day reinfection. Results: A total of 381 patients from 18 institutions in the southeastern United States were enrolled. Common sources of BSIs were the urinary tract and central venous catheters (78 (20.5%) patients each). Definitive 3GC therapy was utilized in 65 (17.1%) patients. OTF occurred in 22/65 patients (33.9%) in the definitive 3GC group vs. 94/316 (29.8%) in the non-3GC group (p = 0.51). Individual components of OTF were comparable between groups. Risk of OTF was comparable with definitive 3GC therapy vs. definitive non-3GC therapy (aHR 0.93, 95% CI 0.51–1.72) in multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Conclusions: These outcomes suggest definitive 3GC therapy does not significantly alter the risk of poor clinical outcomes in the treatment of BSIs secondary to Enterobacter, Serratia, or Citrobacter species compared to other antimicrobial agents

Research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery: an international Delphi study

Background Recently, the number of prehabilitation trials has increased significantly. The identification of key research priorities is vital in guiding future research directions. Thus, the aim of this collaborative study was to define key research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery. Methods The Delphi methodology was implemented over three rounds of surveys distributed to prehabilitation experts from across multiple specialties, tumour streams and countries via a secure online platform. In the first round, participants were asked to provide baseline demographics and to identify five top prehabilitation research priorities. In successive rounds, participants were asked to rank research priorities on a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was considered if > 70% of participants indicated agreement on each research priority. Results A total of 165 prehabilitation experts participated, including medical doctors, physiotherapists, dieticians, nurses, and academics across four continents. The first round identified 446 research priorities, collated within 75 unique research questions. Over two successive rounds, a list of 10 research priorities reached international consensus of importance. These included the efficacy of prehabilitation on varied postoperative outcomes, benefit to specific patient groups, ideal programme composition, cost efficacy, enhancing compliance and adherence, effect during neoadjuvant therapies, and modes of delivery. Conclusions This collaborative international study identified the top 10 research priorities in prehabilitation for patients undergoing cancer surgery. The identified priorities inform research strategies, provide future directions for prehabilitation research, support resource allocation and enhance the prehabilitation evidence base in cancer patients undergoing surgery

Rate of broad-spectrum antibiotic overuse in patients receiving outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT)

Broad-spectrum antibiotics with once-daily dosing are often chosen for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) due to convenience even when narrower-spectrum antibiotics are appropriate. At our institution, up to 50% of select broad-spectrum OPAT regimens had potential to be narrowed, highlighting the need to re-evaluate regimens for de-escalation prior to discharge

Inpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions in the Adult Oncology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Population: A Review of the Literature.

Objective: To review the use of antibiotic stewardship interventions in the adult oncology and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) populations. Data Sources: A literature search of PubMed was performed from inception to October 31, 2019. The general search terms used were oncology, cancer, hematologic malignancy, antimicrobial stewardship, antibiotic stewardship, febrile neutropenia, neutropenic fever, de-escalation, discontinuation, prophylaxis, practice guidelines, clinical pathway, rapid diagnostics, Filmarray, Verigene, MALDI-TOF, antibiotic allergy, and antimicrobial resistance. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Relevant English-language studies describing interventions supported by the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines on Implementing an Antibiotic Stewardship Program were included. Data Synthesis: Antibiotic stewardship publications in the oncology population have increased in recent years. Studies have described the impact of stewardship interventions, including preauthorization, prospective audit and feedback, implementation of clinical pathways, de-escalation of empirical antibiotics for febrile neutropenia (FN) prior to neutrophil recovery, allergy assessments, and use of rapid diagnostic testing. Many of these interventions have been shown to decrease antibiotic use without increased negative consequences, such as affecting length of stay or mortality. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review synthesizes available evidence for implementing antibiotic stewardship interventions, particularly de-escalation of antibiotics for FN and implementation of clinical pathways for FN and sepsis, in oncology patients and HCT recipients. Summary tables highlight studies and specific research needs for clinicians. Conclusions: Immunocompromised populations, including oncology patients, have often been excluded from stewardship studies. Antibiotic stewardship is effective in reducing antibiotic consumption and improving outcomes in this patient population, although more quality data are needed

supplemental_appendices – Supplemental material for Effect of a multifaceted stewardship intervention on antibiotic prescribing and outcomes for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections

<p>Supplemental material, supplemental_appendices for Effect of a multifaceted stewardship intervention on antibiotic prescribing and outcomes for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections by Danya Roshdy, Rupal Jaffa, Kelly E. Pillinger, Josh Guffey, Nigel Rozario, Lisa Davidson and Lewis McCurdy in Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease</p