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Amid the array of challenges prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the policy response of governments proved vital. Different states in the U.S. pursued varied policy approaches that demonstrated distinct divergences in impact. Particularly, contrasting state contexts produced markedly assorted frameworks for the delivery of public health services, which indicate potential effects for COVID-19 policy implementation. Using the rates of COVID-19 vaccination as a measure of policy execution, the purpose of this study is to examine the political and administrative influences contributing to differences in COVID-19 public health policy outcomes among the states in the U.S. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models included data sources of nationally representative information pertaining to state public health attributes of politics and administration during the height of the pandemic and vaccine campaign. The findings suggest that state political leadership and fiscal capacity display significant associations with COVID-19 vaccination disparities, while other administrative indicators did not. The results signal important policy implications for the politics–administration dynamic within the COVID-19 pandemic and offer further understanding toward the roles of federalism and governance in future public health emergencies.

Statins represent one of the most widely used classes of drugs in current medicine. In addition to a substantial decrease in atherogenic low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle concentrations, several large trials have documented their potent anti-inflammatory activity. Based on our preliminary data, we showed that statins are able to decrease the proportion of pro-inflammatory macrophages (CD14+16+CD36high) in visceral adipose tissue in humans. In the present study including 118 healthy individuals (living kidney donors), a very close relationship between the pro-inflammatory macrophage proportion and LDL cholesterol levels was found. This was confirmed after adjustment for the most important risk factors. The effect of statins on the proportion of pro-inflammatory macrophages was also confirmed in an experimental model of the Prague hereditary hypercholesterolemia rat. A direct anti-inflammatory effect of fluvastatin on human macrophage polarization in vitro was documented. Based on modifying the LDL cholesterol concentrations, statins are suggested to decrease the cholesterol inflow through the lipid raft of macrophages in adipose tissue and hypercholesterolemia to enhance the pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype polarization. On the contrary, due to their opposite effect, statins respond with anti-inflammatory activity, affecting the whole organism.

Introduction: Uterus transplantation (UTx) is a rapidly evolving treatment of uterine-factor infertility. We report the results of the first 10 UTx procedures performed at our institution., Methods: The program started in April 2016 as a two-arm study comparing the efficacy of UTx from live donors (LD) and deceased donors (DD)., Results: Between April 2016 and April 2018, we performed five DD UTx and five LD UTx. Two grafts had to be removed early due to thrombosis. One graft was removed due to chronic rejection and previous herpes simplex infection at month 7. Graft survival is 70% at one year. Recipient survival is 100% at two years. Live donor survival is 100% at three years. Three live-births have been achieved, two from a LD and one from a graft from a nulliparous DD. Vaginal anastomotic stenosis occurred in 63% (5/8) of grafts. Self-expanding stents have shown preliminary suitability for the treatment of vaginal stenosis. Three recipients developed severe acute rejection., Conclusion: The interim results of our study demonstrate mid-term viability in 70% of grafts. The LD UTx produced two live births and the DD UTx produced one live birth. Nulliparous donors should be considered for donation.