Nutritional supplement containing a nuclear fraction of bovine thymus gland increases the circulating levels of spermidine

by Natalia Surzenko, Ashley Dominique, Taleen Hanania, Melville Osborne, Bassem F. El-Khodor

Polyamines (PAs), including spermidine, spermine and their precursor, putrescine, are ubiquitous molecules that are vital for a variety of physiological processes. Recently, PAs gained research attention because of their roles in promoting longevity and preventing age-related diseases. Circulating and tissue levels of PAs appear to decline with age, while higher intake of PAs in humans is correlated with better health during aging. Many foods, including plants and offal (organ meats), are good sources of dietary PAs, but are consumed much less in regions with prevailing Western diets. Elevating the circulating levels of PAs through dietary supplementation with PA-rich plant extracts or foods, on the other hand, has proven to be challenging, most likely due to their low bioavailability. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of nutritional supplements derived from bovine glandular tissues and/or plant material in elevating blood and tissue levels of spermidine, spermine and putrescine in adult rats. We detected appreciable amounts of PAs in the following materials: 1) spermidine-rich supplement (SRS), containing wheat germ, 2) a cytosolic fraction extract of bovine thymus gland (Thymus Cytosolic Fraction – TCF) and 3) a nuclear fraction extract of bovine thymus gland (Thymus Nuclear Fraction – TNF). We showed that all three PA-containing supplements also contain liposomes, with TNF displaying the largest amounts of liposomal PAs, as well as RNAs, among the tested supplements. We demonstrated that oral administration of SRS, TCF and TNF induce rapid changes in blood PA concentrations. Finally, we showed that TNF supplement is superior to SRS and TCF in elevating the levels of spermidine in the blood, liver and heart following a 28-day supplementation period. Considering the importance of PAs in prevention of age-related disease, supplementation with TNF could be a plausible approach towards the maintenance of proper cellular PA homeostasis during aging.

Spatial mapping and determinants of intimate partner violence among married women in Sierra Leone: A cross-sectional study

by Augustus Osborne, Umaru Sesay, Camilla Bangura, Lovel Fornah

Background

Intimate partner violence is a pervasive public health and human rights issue, disproportionately affecting women worldwide. In Sierra Leone, where gender inequalities and socio-cultural norms remain entrenched, intimate partner violence is a significant concern, with severe consequences for women’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Understanding the spatial distribution and determinants of intimate partner violence is crucial for designing targeted interventions to address this issue. Using data from the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic and health survey, this study explored the geographic patterns of intimate partner violence and identified key socio-demographic and behavioural factors associated with its prevalence among married women.

Methods

The study employed data from the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic and health survey. The study comprised of 3,611 married women between the ages of 15 and 24. Spatial autocorrelation and Moran’s I statistic were employed to analyse the spatial distribution of intimate partner violence. The study utilised mixed-effect multilevel binary logistic regression using a four-model framework to determine the factors related to intimate partner violence. The findings were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

The study revealed an overall intimate partner violence prevalence of 56%, with physical violence accounting for 38.2%, sexual violence for 6.2%, and emotional violence for 45.9% among married women in Sierra Leone. Hotspot districts for intimate partner violence were identified in the Western area (urban and rural areas) and the Northwestern province (Kambia and Karene). At the same time, Bo, Kenema, and Bombali, the provincial headquarters of the Northern, Eastern, and Southern provinces, were found as cold spot districts for intimate partner violence. Factors associated with intimate partner violence included married women aged 25–29, those with one-two partner controlling behaviour, and those who provided one-two justifications for wife beating. Furthermore, married women exposed to interparental violence and those who resided in the Northwestern, Northern, and Western area had a higher likelihood of experiencing intimate partner violence.

Conclusion

The high prevalence of intimate partner violence, particularly in hotspot districts like the Western and Northwestern province, underscore the need for province-specific interventions to protect women and reduce violence. Efforts should focus on challenging harmful cultural norms that justify wife-beating and controlling behaviours while also addressing the intergenerational cycle of violence by supporting women exposed to interparental violence. Policies must prioritise targeted education, community engagement, and enforcement of laws against intimate partner violence. Integrating intimate partner violence prevention into broader health, social, and legal systems is essential to ensure a coordinated and sustainable response to this pervasive issue.

Applying co-design health literacy development in Australian prisons: protocol for system-wide application of the Optimising Health Literacy and Access (Ophelia) process

Introduction

Prisons present both unique opportunities and challenges for delivering healthcare to individuals who often experience significant vulnerabilities and often have poor health outcomes. Actions and solutions informed by the health literacy strengths and challenges (ie, health literacy-informed interventions) of people in prison offer an opportunity to build fit-for-purpose and effective interventions in this unique context. This study aims to adapt and apply the three-phase Optimising Health Literacy and Access (Ophelia) process in a state-wide prison context to generate codesigned improvements in information, resources and services for people in prison.

Methods and analysis

Health Literacy Questionnaire data from 471 people in prison will be analysed using descriptive and cluster analyses (Ophelia Phase 1). Clusters, with qualitative interview data, will then inform vignette development for use in ideas generation workshops and yarning circles with stakeholders to develop health literacy-informed interventions. Selection, prioritisation and testing of identified interventions will be undertaken (Phase 2), followed by implementation and evaluation (Phase 3). This project will advance intervention development in the prison context, enabling the voice of people in prison and service providers to be heard through codesign. The protocol will inform the development and implementation of interventions to systematically improve the delivery of information, services and resources for people in prison, which may be relevant to prison healthcare authorities globally.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval to undertake Phase 1 of the Ophelia process has been granted from the following Human Research Ethics Committees: Swinburne University of Technology (Ref: 20236977–15461), Justice Health NSW (Ref: 2022/ETH01433), Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (Ref: 2007/22) and the Corrective Services Ethics Committee (Ref: D2022/1452326). Dissemination of the study findings will be the Justice Health NSW codesign process and ownership of the project through authentic engagement with people with lived experience and health and corrective staff. It will also be disseminated through publication in a PhD thesis, peer-reviewed research papers and conference presentations.