Thursday 27 January 2022

City of Sanctuary Maternity Stream Resource

 

👩‍💻🤰🏻🤱 good zoom time sharing today with 
Improving and streamlining maternity care for refugee mothers 
The pack for mothers, midwives, doullas, refugee groups, befrienders & NHS trusts 
Note there are performance awards available to recognise care pathways.

Wednesday 26 January 2022

Future of hospital design


 Excellent series of webinars ..I attended yesterdays looking at innovation in surgical care. It was good to hear innovative people planning with best care for patients and a caring environment for staff to work in.. Salus Global series  some random screencaptures to give you insight into the time of sharing. 





Plus newsletter links 
Award winning climate sensitive hospital Bangladesh 

New Oncology Haematology hospital London


Monday 24 January 2022

Avon Sale Bargains


💖💋💄some good January sale bargains Avon Lisa Armstrong Cosmetics 

🛍check it out with  Olivia Avon Rep

💖💋💄🛍💖💋💄🛍💖💋💄🛍💖💋💄🛍 

💖My Granddaughter!💖

Tuesday 18 January 2022

Dubai Art


 I have been watching a TV series on Dubai and become aware of artwork in Dubai. Found these on Instagram to share...

Saturday 15 January 2022

Grand Union Canal Uxbridge

I had a lovely afternoon walk by the Grand Union Canal in Uxbridge in the wonderful winter sun..love the photos I took as the water has a real sheen and reflective..I sent to my Princesses in Belgium Family Link Up to show canal boats and how each boat is given a name by the owner. I asked them what would they call their boat if they had one. I used to ask this of my grandkids when walking by the canal boats ...we had fun thinking of wacky names. 

Uxbridge Discovery

Out walking in Uxbridge yesterday found this sign and thought how appropriate with the  disgraceful news of parties in Downing street night before the funeral of our Queen's husband, Prince Philip. What has this to do with Uxbridge you ask ,.well the PM is the MP of Uxbridge. Boy are the residents & voters on a trail of discovery on the unsuitable selection to represent the constituency, the lesson learnt and loud and clear. ....better to have a well respected local candidate..as indeed Uxbridge had before Boris Johnson. You see we feel used and now abused by Mr Johnson as he plonk himself in the " safe seat" a hardworking well respected local man created, that of John Randall. Now look at the heap of problems being created by poor management & leadership skills.  That safe seat now as very wobbly legs.  We have some good caring locals that listen hear our voices and are proactive to solve issues.. locals from all party colours that listen to all residents and wish to improve the area.  Mr Johnson needs to step aside and let new local talent and drive into the post of MP Uxbride & South to represent the residents, businesses, services of the constituency. To be a local voice in a global world.. there are many issues to tackle with the weight of being heard in parliament. 

Thursday 13 January 2022

French Article Omicron

 

Very good article ref: The Conversation Omicron note trying to improve my language skills through translation. Understood 70% pre read with my BSc Nursing background.

Le dernier variant préoccupant en date, Omicron, s’est répandu sur la planète à une vitesse inédite. Et cette expansion n’est pas finie : les experts affirment désormais que 40 % de la population mondiale sera infectée dans les deux prochains mois. Chronique d’une catastrophe annoncée ? Cela peut paraître assez surprenant, mais nous ne connaissons pas encore exactement le degré de gravité des symptômes causés par Omicron par rapport aux autres variants préoccupants. Ce délai est normal.

ENGLISH: The latest variant of concern, Omicron, has spread across the planet at unprecedented speed. And this expansion is not over: Experts now say 40% of the world's population will be infected within the next two months. Chronicle of a predicted disaster? This might sound quite surprising, but we do not yet know the exact degree of severity of the symptoms caused by Omicron compared to other variants of concern. This delay is normal.

DUTCH: De nieuwste zorgwekkende variant, Omicron, heeft zich met ongekende snelheid over de planeet verspreid. En die uitbreiding is nog niet voorbij: experts zeggen nu dat 40% van de wereldbevolking binnen de komende twee maanden besmet zal zijn. Kroniek van een aangekondigde ramp? Dit lijkt misschien heel verrassend, maar we weten nog niet de exacte ernst van de symptomen die door Omicron worden veroorzaakt in vergelijking met andere zorgwekkende varianten. Deze vertraging is normaal.

FRENCH Jusqu’à présent, toutefois, les signes sont plutôt bons.

Avec le précédent variant, Delta, il y avait un lien clair entre l’infection et l’hospitalisation, puis, chez certains patients, l’admission en soins intensifs – voire le décès. Cela ne semble pas être aussi évident avec Omicron. Cependant, le directeur général de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), Tedros Ghebreyesus, a déclaré le 6 janvier 2022 :

ENGLISH: So far, however, the signs are pretty good.

With the previous variant, Delta, there was a clear link between infection and hospitalization, and then, in some patients, admission to intensive care - even death. It doesn't seem to be so obvious with Omicron. However, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, said on January 6, 2022:

Si Omicron semble moins grave que Delta, notamment chez les personnes vaccinées, cela ne signifie pas qu’il faille le classer dans la catégorie des maladies bénignes… »

La question est de savoir pourquoi il serait moins dangereux que le redouté Delta. Omicron, connu pour ses nombreuses mutations, posséderait-il des changements qui le rendraient moins agressif ?

If Omicron seems less serious than Delta, especially in people who have been vaccinated, that does not mean that it should be classified as a mild disease ... "

The question is why it would be less dangerous than the dreaded Delta. Does Omicron, known for his many mutations, have any changes that would make him less aggressive?

Il y a deux aspects à considérer. Premièrement, Omicron semble moins capable d’infecter les cellules pulmonaires. Il se cantonne plutôt aux voies respiratoires supérieures, tout comme d’autres coronavirus qui restent dans le nez et la gorge. C’est notamment le cas de l’OC43, un coronavirus responsable de rhumes.

There are two aspects to consider. First, Omicron appears to be less able to infect lung cells. Rather, it is confined to the upper respiratory tract, just like other coronaviruses that remain in the nose and throat. This is particularly the case with OC43, a coronavirus that causes colds.

Ceci est cohérent avec les symptômes plus légers déjà associés à Omicron, qui sont principalement liés au nez et à la gorge - reniflements et toux sèche. Ce n'est que lorsque le SRAS-CoV-2 infecte les poumons qu'une forme grave de la maladie commence, avec une augmentation drastique des difficultés respiratoires. Omicron semble moins capable de le faire (des études en cours semblent montrer que cette variante se multiplie également moins bien que ses prédécesseurs dans les poumons lorsqu'elle les atteint, ndlr).

This is consistent with the milder symptoms already associated with Omicron, which are mainly related to the nose and throat - sniffling and dry cough. It is only when SARS-CoV-2 infects the lungs that a serious form of the disease starts, with a drastic increase in breathing difficulties. Omicron seems less able to do this (ongoing studies seem to show that this variant also multiplies less well than its predecessors in the lungs when it reaches them, note).



Et il y a un deuxième aspect à prendre en compte pour expliquer la proportion plus faible actuellement constatée de maladie grave. Il s’agit du fait que d’autres acteurs majeurs du système immunitaire que les anticorps, les lymphocytes T, sont capables de gérer Omicron.

And there is a second aspect to be taken into account in explaining the lower proportion of severe illness currently observed. This is because other major players in the immune system besides antibodies, T cells, are able to manage Omicron.

Les deux vigiles de notre système immunitaire

On s’est d’abord inquiété de ce qu’Omicron, avec toutes ses mutations, puisse échapper à notre système immunitaire. C’est d’ailleurs en partie le cas pour les anticorps. La protéine Spike, présente à la surface du virus SARS-CoV-2, est la cible clé pour ces derniers : ils s’y accrochent et la bloquent, l’empêchant ainsi d’interagir avec les cellules que le virus tente d’infecter et assurant ainsi une protection.

The two vigilantes of our immune system

First we worried that Omicron, with all of its mutations, might escape our immune system. In fact, this is partly the case with antibodies. The Spike protein, present on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is the key target for the latter: they attach themselves to it and block it, thus preventing it from interacting with the cells that the virus is trying to infect. and thus providing protection.




Cependant, chez Omicron, les parties de Spike que les anticorps reconnaissent ont changé : l’identifiant moins bien, ils sont moins capables de neutraliser le virus.

Avec cette ligne de défense, cependant, la quantité peut l’emporter sur la qualité… Ainsi, même s’ils ne peuvent pas se lier à Omicron aussi efficacement qu’avec les variants précédents, notre système immunitaire, surtout quand il est stimulé (par la vaccination notamment), peut produire suffisamment d’anticorps pour faire son office. C’est l’une des raisons pour lesquelles les rappels sont si importants.

However, at Omicron, the parts of Spike that the antibodies recognize have changed: identifying him less well, they are less able to neutralize the virus.

With this line of defense, however, quantity can trump quality ... So while they may not bind to Omicron as effectively as with previous variants, our immune system, especially when it is stimulated ( by vaccination in particular), can produce enough antibodies to do its job. This is one of the reasons that reminders are so important.

Mais la très bonne nouvelle vient du second acteur immunitaire mentionné ci-dessus : nos lymphocytes T, qui, eux, peuvent encore reconnaître et éliminer Omicron. Le « T » de leur nom vient du thymus, un organe situé dans la partie supérieure de notre thorax où cette famille de « globules blancs » achève son développement et sa maturation.

But the very good news comes from the second immune player mentioned above: our T lymphocytes, which can still recognize and eliminate Omicron. The "T" in their name comes from the thymus, an organ located in the upper part of our thorax where this family of "white blood cells" completes its development and maturation.

Ces lymphocytes fonctionnent d’une manière différente des anticorps. Lorsqu’une de nos cellules est infectée par un virus, elle prend un morceau de sa protéine Spike et l’affiche à sa surface… Un peu comme si elle agitait un drapeau rouge pour dire qu’elle est occupée par l’ennemi. Les lymphocytes T ont des capteurs leur permettant de repérer ces signaux d’alerte. Quand ils en localisent un, ils se fixent à la cellule infectée et la tuent.

These lymphocytes work differently from antibodies. When one of our cells is infected with a virus, it takes a piece of its Spike protein and displays it on its surface ... Kind of like waving a red flag to say it's occupied by the enemy. T cells have sensors that allow them to spot these warning signals. When they locate one, they attach themselves to the infected cell and kill it.

Lorsque notre corps est soumis à un pathogène inédit, les lymphocytes T participent à la défense en détruisant les cellules infectées reconnues grâce aux antigènes, les « drapeaux » venant du virus. En parallèle sont générés des lymphocytes T dits « mémoire », spécifiques à ce pathogène et qui vont patrouiller dans notre corps. En cas de seconde exposition, ces cellules mémoires sont capables de réagir très rapidement et spécifiquement dès qu’elles recroisent « leur drapeau », ndlr)

When our body is subjected to an unprecedented pathogen, the T lymphocytes participate in the defense by destroying the infected cells recognized by the antigens, the “flags” coming from the virus. At the same time, so-called “memory” T lymphocytes are generated, specific to this pathogen and which will patrol our bodies. In the event of a second exposure, these memory cells are able to react very quickly and specifically as soon as they cross "their flag" again)

Comme une explosion contrôlée

La méthode peut paraître un peu extrême, mais elle est surtout redoutablement efficace. Car en tuant la cellule infectée, on élimine aussi le virus qui ne peut donc pas repartir infecter de nouveaux hôtes. C’est comme une explosion contrôlée. Ce processus permet donc de contrôler le virus en l’empêchant de coloniser et pirater toujours plus de cellules.

Like a controlled explosion

The method may seem a little extreme, but above all it is extremely effective. Because by killing the infected cell, the virus is also eliminated, which therefore cannot go on to infect new hosts. It's like a controlled explosion. This process therefore makes it possible to control the virus by preventing it from colonizing and hijacking more cells.

Les anticorps constituent la « première ligne » de notre système immunitaire : ils empêchent le virus de pénétrer dans nos cellules. Les lymphocytes T en sont la « seconde ligne » : si le virus a réussi à infecter une cellule, l’escadron T arrive et la tue, stoppant ainsi le virus dans son élan.

Et dans le cas présent, les lymphocytes T sont toujours efficaces contre le variant ! En effet, les parties de la Spike prélevées pour être mises à la surface de la cellule infectée – les drapeaux rouges – n’ont pas beaucoup changé chez Omicron, à la différence de celles reconnues par les anticorps.

Antibodies are the “first line” of our immune system: they prevent the virus from entering our cells. T cells are the “second line”: if the virus has managed to infect a cell, the T squadron arrives and kills it, stopping the virus in its tracks.

And in this case, the T cells are still effective against the variant! This is because the parts of the Spike taken to be put on the surface of the infected cell - the red flags - have not changed much in Omicron, unlike those recognized by antibodies.

Les lymphocytes T reconnaissant les versions antérieures de la Spike (via une infection précédente ou surtout les vaccins) restent donc capables de bien faire leur travail. Plusieurs études ont montré que les lymphocytes T générés par les vaccins ont conservé leur capacité à combattre Omicron.

Notre système immunitaire a été sculpté au fil de millions d’années d’évolution. Il a toutes sortes de tours dans son sac et heureusement, du moins jusqu’à présent, celui des lymphocytes T résiste toujours à Omicron. Et comme d’autres éléments du système immunitaire, ils peuvent se souvenir de chaque combat mené pour être plus efficaces à toute infection suivante… Ils pourraient donc bien rester dans la course face à d’éventuels futurs variants. Nos lymphocytes T sont une raison d’être optimiste !

The T lymphocytes recognizing previous versions of the Spike (via a previous infection or especially vaccines) therefore remain able to do their job well. Several studies have shown that the T cells generated by the vaccines retained their ability to fight Omicron.

Our immune system has been sculpted over millions of years of evolution. He's got all kinds of tricks up his sleeve and luckily, at least so far, the T-cell one still holds up against Omicron. And like other parts of the immune system, they can remember each fight to be more effective at any subsequent infection ... so they may well stay in the game for possible future variants. Our T cells are cause for optimism!









Saturday 8 January 2022

Nai Barghouti concert London


Two years on still no action #FreeNazanin


This came in my Facebook memory share. I remember that January day in Parliament. Parliament felt robbed of its soul there was a strange atmosphere. The staff however as always warm & caring with me.  But my words slightly prophetic.. following weeks the world entered lockdown in the Global pandemic. 

Monday 3 January 2022

🎄🎁Holiday love Andre Rieu

 

This holiday time  has been wonderfully enhanced by Andre Rieu concerts and films on Sky Arts... I am truly fascinated by Andre the King of the Waltz and his orchestra family.. There is something quite wonderful how his music, his singers, his style, his love of music and response in the audience, absolutely unites countries and continents in the world. The magic created demonstrates how we can be a Global family.. the music and songs touch every emotion that runs through us all.. Happiness, sadness, despair and hope.  Andre's style and stage production can reach into the hearts of the mass audiences he attracts. He has respect and appreciation for the countries he plays in, reaches out to the cultures and can weave into his concerts. I love the way he recognises new young talent and gives them a chance on stage with him. 

Just before the pandemic global lockdown he brought to the stage 11yrs old  Emanne Beasha with her very powerful soprano voice to sing "O mio babbino caro" a moving song where a young woman is begging her father to let her marry the man she loves. Not a dry eye in the audience and me too sat at home watching on TV ..the power of her voice, her story telling and the connection with Andre awesome. Each note, each lyric resonates into your very being ..captivated by what your ears hearing, what your eyes seeing..your mind taken into the scene created ...even to the point you are not only drawn to the stage but become part of that story that scene created..  ecstastically  beautiful.. Played over and over again never loses its potency.

💖👏👏👏👏👏🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
The King of Waltz became a King of Cakes in lockdown.. looks like we all needed to be in lockdown with Andre... wow some yummy looking cakes... but we would have  needed  daily cycling round Maastricht to burn off the calories. I love what set him off to bake ..in his film The year the Music stopped ..he shared that when on tours and in times couldn't sleep he would watch cake baking tutorials..but never had time to try... so in lockdown time was there to try ..progressing from small cakes to larger ones.
Check out venues for his concerts now able to tour again 
💖💖💖💖

Saturday 1 January 2022

💜💚👑 1950s born women


 2022 💜 👑 In this year of Her Majesty's Platinium celebration what a wonderful gesture by @10DowningStreet @BorisJohnson to pay the outstanding SP to the baby girls of the then new Elizabethan era 1950s born @ClarenceHouse @KensingtonRoyal @age_uk @CompInPolitics @WASPI_Campaign @wepaidinupayout 

💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚👑💜💚

💖Absolutely Fabulous Dame Joanna Lumley 👏🌹

💖Congratulations  Dame Joanna Lumley Absolutely Deserved💖

 💖The day Lady Marjorie met Dame Joanna Lumley... two Gutsy Women campaigners ...who Absolutely clicked that day Absolutely Fabulous... 

Lets Hope 2022 is THE year that Nazanin is free to join her family here in the UK ..an Amazing courageous woman ..with a devoted loving husband, Richard desperate to get the love of his life, his wife back.. turning his pain into campaign.. Please continue to write to your MP, write direct to the present PM at Downing Street and you can write to our Queen who passes your concern to the PM in the weekly audience..we need wise negiotations ...

We can do this together ..lets #FreeNazanin and make 2022 a truly Happy New Year 💞

🎉🎉Happy New Year🎉🎉