Bmc Med
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Life expectancy is increasing in Europe, yet a substantial proportion of adults still die prematurely before the age of 70 years. We sought to estimate the joint and relative contributions of tobacco smoking, hypertension, obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol and poor diet towards risk of premature death. ⋯ While smoking remains the predominant risk factor for premature death in Europe, poor diet, overweight and obesity, hypertension, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol consumption also contribute substantially. Any attempt to minimise premature deaths will ultimately require all six factors to be addressed.
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Preterm birth is now recognized as the primary cause of infant mortality worldwide. Interplay between hormonal and inflammatory signaling in the uterus modulates the onset of contractions; however, the relative contribution of each remains unclear. In this study we aimed to characterize temporal transcriptome changes in the uterus preceding term labor and preterm labor (PTL) induced by progesterone withdrawal or inflammation in the mouse and compare these findings with human data. ⋯ Labor in the mouse can be achieved through inflammatory gene activation yet these changes are not a requisite for labor itself. Human labor more closely resembles LPS-induced PTL in the mouse, supporting an essential role for inflammatory mediators in human "functional progesterone withdrawal." This improved understanding of inflammatory and progesterone influence on the uterine transcriptome has important implications for the development of PTL prevention strategies.
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Review Meta Analysis
Impact of interventions to improve the quality of peer review of biomedical journals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The peer review process is a cornerstone of biomedical research. We aimed to evaluate the impact of interventions to improve the quality of peer review for biomedical publications. ⋯ Despite the essential role of peer review, only a few interventions have been assessed in randomized controlled trials. Evidence-based peer review needs to be developed in biomedical journals.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Flexible, dual-form nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline in comparison with nicotine patch for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial.
Extended use of combined pharmacotherapies to treat tobacco dependence may increase smoking abstinence; few studies have examined their effectiveness. The objective of this study was to evaluate smoking abstinence with standard nicotine patch (NRT), extended use of combined formulations of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT+), or varenicline (VR). ⋯ Flexible and combination NRT and varenicline enhance success in the early phases of quitting. Varenicline improves abstinence in the medium term; however, there is no clear evidence that either varenicline or flexible, dual-form NRT increase quit rates in the long-term when compared to NRT monotherapy.
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A recent outbreak of Zika virus has been linked to fetal abnormalities in pregnant women who have been infected. The scientific community is working toward understanding Zika virus pathogenesis to better manage affected women and children. In an interview with Dr. Catherine Spong, we discuss the aims and challenges of a forthcoming longitudinal study of a cohort of pregnant women in areas of current active Zika virus transmission.