Birth, Development and Progressive Institutionalization of the Ombudsman in the Russian Legal and Political System

One of the current trends in governance and legal development in Russia is aimed at establishing a modern, efficient and internationally harmonised system of safeguards of human rights and civil liberties. A fairly recent addition to this system has been the institution of ombudsman as a public authority specialised in promoting and protecting human rights and civil liberties. The introduction of this institution as well as its formalisation at the constitutional and legislative levels has been increasingly relevant and important, as it raises the dealings between the state and the individual to a new level. As an independent public institution resolving conflicts between citizens and government authorities, the ombudsman makes steps, within the scope of his jurisdiction, to restitute individual rights, and helps to enhance the reputation of government. The present work describes and assesses the birth, development and institutionalization process of the Ombudsman Office in the Russian Federation, at federal and regional levels, with a particular emphasis on the role of international references and cooperation for institution building. Ombudsmen have done a magnificent job in demonstrating value with the resolution of individual and systemic complaints; subsequent improvements to government; and economic savings by mitigating litigation costs.

Hormonal parameters in foal hair: from birth to post weaning

The aim of this study was to investigate cortisol and progesterone (P4) trends in hair from birth up to postweaning in Italian trotter foals. Hair sampling is non-invasive and hair concentrations provide retrospective information of integrated hormone secretion over periods of several months. Samples were collected at birth and at a distance of 30 days, collecting only regrowth hair, up to post weaning. From birth to 3 months, foals cortisol falls from 47.64±5.6 to 4.9±0.68 pg/mg (mean±standard error), due to the interruption of foetal-placental connection and progressive adaptation to extrauterine life. From the third month of life to post weaning concentrations don’t vary significantly, underlining a non-chronic activation of the HPA axis. Hair P4 significantly decreases in the first two samples (from 469.68±72,54 to 184.65±35.42 pg/mg). At 2 (111.78±37.13 pg/mg) and 3 months (35.96±6.33 pg/mg) hair concentrations don’t show significant differences. These concentrations are not due to interactions of the utero-placental tissues with foals, animals are still prepuberal and P4 isn’t produced by adrenals as a result of high stress. We could therefore hypothesize that the source of foal hair P4 could be milk, suckled from mares. The high individual variability in hair at 2 and 3 months is due to a gradual and subjective change in foal diet, from milk to solid food, and to the fact that mares do not allow to suckle. From fourth month to post weaning P4 concentration in hair remains around 37.56±6.45 pg/mg. In conclusion, hair collected at birth, giving information about last period of gestation, could be used along with traditional matrices, to evaluate foals maturity. Hair cortisol could give indications about foals capacity to adapt to extra-uterine life. Finally milk, configuring as a bringer of nutrients and energy and assuming the characteristic of a nutraceutical, could give fundamental information about parental care.

Analisi dei predittori e della traiettoria dello sviluppo neuromotorio a 24 mesi nei bambini very low birth weight

Neurodevelopment of preterm children has become an outcome of major interest since the improvement in survival due to advances in neonatal care. Many studies focused on the relationships among prenatal characteristics and neurodevelopmental outcome in order to identify the higher risk preterms’ subgroups. The aim of this study is to analyze and put in relation growth and development trajectories to investigate their association. 346 children born at the S.Orsola Hospital in Bologna from 01/01/2005 to 30/06/2011 with a birth weight of <1500 grams were followed up in a longitudinal study at different intervals from 3 to 24 months of corrected age. During follow-up visits, preterms’ main biometrical characteristics were measured and the Griffiths Mental Development Scale was administered to assess neurodevelopment. Latent Curve Models were developed to estimate the trajectories of length and of neurodevelopment, both separately and combined in a single model, and to assess the influence of clinical and socio-economic variables. Neurodevelopment trajectory was stepwise declining over time and length trajectory showed a steep increase until 12 months and was flat afterwards. Higher initial values of length were correlated with higher initial values of neurodevelopment and predicted a more declining neurodevelopment. SGA preterms and those from families with higher status had a less declining neurodevelopment slope, while being born from a migrant mother proved negative on neurodevelopment through the mediating effect of a being taller at 3 months. A longer stay in NICU used as a proxy of preterms’ morbidity) was predictive of lower initial neurodevelopment levels. At 24 months, neurodevelopment is more similar among preterms and is more accurately evaluated. The association among preterms’ neurodevelopment and physiological growth may provide further insights on the determinants of preterms’ outcomes. Sound statistical methods, exploiting all the information collected in a longitudinal study, may be more appropriate to the analysis.

Antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and premature birth: analysis of Swiss data

Background There is an ongoing debate as to whether combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) during pregnancy is an independent risk factor for prematurity in HIV-1-infected women. Objective The aim of the study was to examine (1) crude effects of different ART regimens on prematurity, (2) the association between duration of cART and duration of pregnancy, and (3) the role of possibly confounding risk factors for prematurity. Method We analysed data from 1180 pregnancies prospectively collected by the Swiss Mother and Child HIV Cohort Study (MoCHiV) and the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). Results Odds ratios for prematurity in women receiving mono/dual therapy and cART were 1.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–3.6] and 2.5 (95% CI 1.4–4.3) compared with women not receiving ART during pregnancy (P=0.004). In a subgroup of 365 pregnancies with comprehensive information on maternal clinical, demographic and lifestyle characteristics, there was no indication that maternal viral load, age, ethnicity or history of injecting drug use affected prematurity rates associated with the use of cART. Duration of cART before delivery was also not associated with duration of pregnancy. Conclusion Our study indicates that confounding by maternal risk factors or duration of cART exposure is not a likely explanation for the effects of ART on prematurity in HIV-1-infected women.

Delivery room management of very low birth weight infants in Germany, Austria and Switzerland--a comparison of protocols

Surveys from the USA, Australia and Spain have shown significant inter-institutional variation in delivery room (DR) management of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI, <1500g) at birth, despite regularly updated international guidelines.

Meta-analysis of mould and dampness exposure on asthma and allergy in eight European birth cohorts: an ENRIECO initiative

Background:  Several cross-sectional studies during the past 10 years have observed an increased risk of allergic outcomes for children living in damp or mouldy environments. Objective:  The objective of this study was to investigate whether reported mould or dampness exposure in early life is associated with the development of allergic disorders in children from eight European birth cohorts. Methods:  We analysed data from 31 742 children from eight ongoing European birth cohorts. Exposure to mould and allergic health outcomes were assessed by parental questionnaires at different time points. Meta-analyses with fixed- and random-effect models were applied. The number of the studies included in each analysis varied based on the outcome data available for each cohort. Results:  Exposure to visible mould and/or dampness during first 2 years of life was associated with an increased risk of developing asthma: there was a significant association with early asthma symptoms in meta-analyses of four cohorts [0–2 years: adjusted odds ratios (aOR), 1.39 (95%CI, 1.05–1.84)] and with asthma later in childhood in six cohorts [6–8 years: aOR, 1.09(95%CI, 0.90–1.32) and 3–10 years: aOR, 1.10 (95%CI, 0.90–1.34)]. A statistically significant association was observed in six cohorts with symptoms of allergic rhinitis at school age [6–8 years: aOR, 1.12 (1.02–1.23)] and at any time point between 3 and 10 years [aOR, 1.18 (1.09–1.28)]. Conclusion:  These findings suggest that a mouldy home environment in early life is associated with an increased risk of asthma particularly in young children and allergic rhinitis symptoms in school-age children.

European birth cohorts for environmental health research

Many pregnancy and birth cohort studies investigate the health effects of early-life environmental contaminant exposure. An overview of existing studies and their data is needed to improve collaboration, harmonization, and future project planning.

Does pet ownership in infancy lead to asthma or allergy at school age? Pooled analysis of individual participant data from 11 European birth cohorts

Objective To examine the associations between pet keeping in early childhood and asthma and allergies in children aged 6–10 years. Design Pooled analysis of individual participant data of 11 prospective European birth cohorts that recruited a total of over 22,000 children in the 1990s. Exposure definition Ownership of only cats, dogs, birds, rodents, or cats/dogs combined during the first 2 years of life. Outcome definition Current asthma (primary outcome), allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic sensitization during 6–10 years of age. Data synthesis Three-step approach: (i) Common definition of outcome and exposure variables across cohorts; (ii) calculation of adjusted effect estimates for each cohort; (iii) pooling of effect estimates by using random effects meta-analysis models. Results We found no association between furry and feathered pet keeping early in life and asthma in school age. For example, the odds ratio for asthma comparing cat ownership with “no pets” (10 studies, 11489 participants) was 1.00 (95% confidence interval 0.78 to 1.28) (I2 = 9%; p = 0.36). The odds ratio for asthma comparing dog ownership with “no pets” (9 studies, 11433 participants) was 0.77 (0.58 to 1.03) (I2 = 0%, p = 0.89). Owning both cat(s) and dog(s) compared to “no pets” resulted in an odds ratio of 1.04 (0.59 to 1.84) (I2 = 33%, p = 0.18). Similarly, for allergic asthma and for allergic rhinitis we did not find associations regarding any type of pet ownership early in life. However, we found some evidence for an association between ownership of furry pets during the first 2 years of life and reduced likelihood of becoming sensitized to aero-allergens. Conclusions Pet ownership in early life did not appear to either increase or reduce the risk of asthma or allergic rhinitis symptoms in children aged 6–10. Advice from health care practitioners to avoid or to specifically acquire pets for primary prevention of asthma or allergic rhinitis in children should not be given.

Genome-wide prediction of childhood asthma and related phenotypes in a longitudinal birth cohort

Childhood wheezing and asthma vary greatly in clinical presentation and time course. The extent to which phenotypic variation reflects heterogeneity in disease pathways is unclear.

Generation of HIV latency in humanized BLT mice

Here we demonstrate that a combination of tenofovir, emtricitabine, and raltegravir effectively suppresses peripheral and systemic HIV replication in humanized BLT mice. We also demonstrate that antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated humanized BLT mice harbor latently infected resting human CD4+ T cells that can be induced ex vivo to produce HIV. We observed that the levels of infected resting human CD4+ T cells present in BLT mice are within the range of those observed circulating in patients undergoing suppressive ART. These results demonstrate the potential of humanized BLT mice as an attractive model for testing the in vivo efficacy of novel HIV eradication strategies.