Coronavirus

Maternal death rates in the UK have increased to levels not seen for almost 20 years – experts explain why

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Maternal death rates are widely considered to reflect a country’s overall wellbeing and the quality of the healthcare system.

Key Points: 
  • Maternal death rates are widely considered to reflect a country’s overall wellbeing and the quality of the healthcare system.
  • Recent data from the UK show that death rates during pregnancy and the period shortly after are reaching levels not seen in the country for almost 20 years.

COVID-19 not the only factor

  • When the women who died directly from COVID-19 are not included in statistics, the UK maternal mortality rates are still higher than they were before the pandemic.
  • This means that pregnant women are at higher risk from some infections than those who are not pregnant.
  • Studies clearly show that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe in pregnancy – but many pregnant women are still hesitant to get vaccinated.

Pregnancy and inequality

  • It also means that the people caring for pregnant women do not feel prepared to offer advice or treatment.
  • Enquires into the care of pregnant women with COVID-19 showed that many were denied treatments known to be effective just because they were pregnant.
  • Most women who die in high-income countries are not dying from pregnancy complications such as bleeding.
  • Pregnancy complications can be managed if women have timely access to quality care and skilled health professionals.

Overstretched health system

  • Many women also have other medical or mental health conditions that require additional care in pregnancy.
  • From 2019 to 2021 12% of the women who died in the UK had severe and multiple disadvantages including a mental health diagnoses, substance use or domestic abuse.
  • Access to maternal mental health services is improving but more capacity is still needed.
  • As a barometer of a nation’s health, this is a statistic we cannot ignore.


Marian Knight receives funding from the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Allison Felker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Chimera Declares First Quarter 2024 Preferred Stock Dividends

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

The dividend is payable April 1, 2024 to preferred shareholders of record on March 1, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • The dividend is payable April 1, 2024 to preferred shareholders of record on March 1, 2024.
  • The Board of Directors of Chimera also announced the declaration of its first quarter cash dividend of $0.50 per share of 8% Series B Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.
  • The dividend is payable April 1, 2024 to preferred shareholders of record on March 1, 2024.
  • We expect to announce first quarter dividends on the Company’s common stock in late-March, second quarter dividends in mid-June, third quarter dividends in mid-September and fourth quarter dividends in mid-December, which schedule is consistent with many of our market peers.

EQS-News: Berentzen Group announces new Group strategy and medium-term forecast until 2028

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

Haselünne, February 12, 2024 – Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft (ISIN: DE0005201602), whose shares are listed on the Regulated Market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, today announced its new Group strategy “Building BERENTZEN 2028”.

Key Points: 
  • Haselünne, February 12, 2024 – Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft (ISIN: DE0005201602), whose shares are listed on the Regulated Market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, today announced its new Group strategy “Building BERENTZEN 2028”.
  • In this context, the Group also presented for the first time a quantified medium-term forecast for its key performance indicators up to 2028.
  • For this reason, we have worked intensively on our strategic direction in recent months and are now proud to present "Building BERENTZEN 2028".
  • For the first time in the history of the Berentzen Group, the new strategy also includes a medium-term forecast up to 2028.

CoreCivic Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Feb. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) (the Company) announced today its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023. 

Key Points: 
  • BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Feb. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) (the Company) announced today its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023.
  • Commenting on financial results for the quarter, Hininger added, "We are pleased with CoreCivic's financial performance for 2023, as we exceeded the financial guidance for the fourth quarter we provided in November 2023, and ended up in the top half of the financial guidance range we provided in February 2023 for Net income, Diluted EPS, FFO per diluted share and EBITDA.
  • Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was $90.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with $87.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes special items, was $90.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with $87.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The Eurosystem policy response to developments in retail payments

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Retail payments are undergoing profound changes that are reshaping the European payments landscape.

Key Points: 
  • Retail payments are undergoing profound changes that are reshaping the European payments landscape.
  • The retail payments ecosystem and consumers’ attitudes and preferences are evolving and influencing one another.

Perils of pet poop – so much more than just unsightly and smelly, it can spread disease

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

That’s why signs reminding pet owners to “curb your dog” and scoop their poop have been joined in some places by posted warnings that pet waste can spread disease.

Key Points: 
  • That’s why signs reminding pet owners to “curb your dog” and scoop their poop have been joined in some places by posted warnings that pet waste can spread disease.
  • As a small-animal primary care veterinarian, I deal with the diseases of dog and cat poop on a daily basis.
  • While human diseases caused by soil-transmitted parasites are considered uncommon in the U.S., they infect as many as an estimated billion people worldwide.

Abandoned poop’s impact on people

  • Their microscopic larvae can get into your body through small scratches in your skin after contact with contaminated soil or via accidental oral ingestion.
  • Once in the human body, both hookworm and roundworm larvae can mature and migrate through the bloodstream into the lungs.
  • Hookworms can create a severely itchy condition called cutaneous larva migrans as the larval worm moves just under the skin of its host.


Once the parasite’s life cycle is complete, it may exit the host’s body as an intact adult worm, which looks like a small piece of cooked spaghetti.

The impact on other animals

  • In addition to risks of hookworms and roundworms, pets are also vulnerable to whipworm, giardia and coccidia.
  • Beyond parasites, unattended poop may also be contaminated with canine or feline viruses, such as parvovirus, distemper virus and canine coronavirus, that can create life-threatening disease in other dogs and cats, especially in adult animals that are unvaccinated and puppies and kittens.
  • Coyotes, wolves, foxes, raccoons, minks and bobcats are at risk of contracting parvovirus, coronavirus and distemper.

Responsible pet poop management

  • It’s safest to use a shovel to place the poop directly into a plastic bag, or put a baggie over your hand to grab the poop and then pull the plastic bag over it.
  • While it’s tempting to leave the “soft-serve” or watery poops behind, these are often the more likely culprits for spreading diseases.
  • Other potential sources of poop – and parasite – exposure are the sandbox, beaches and park sand found under and around playgrounds.


Julia Wuerz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

EQS-News: KNAUS remains the strongest motorhome brand in terms of new registrations in Germany in 2023

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 5, 2024

Knaus Tabbert was able to establish itself as the market leader in new registrations for the first time with its premium brand KNAUS.

Key Points: 
  • Knaus Tabbert was able to establish itself as the market leader in new registrations for the first time with its premium brand KNAUS.
  • With a market share of 8.6% in calendar year 2023, or around 70% more new registrations year-on-year, KNAUS is by far the strongest brand for motorhomes in Germany.
  • Here, the KNAUS brand ranks first with 18.1% and Weinsberg second with 10.0% of new registrations in Germany.
  • "Almost every third semi-integrated motorhome registered in Germany in 2023 is a vehicle from the Knaus Tabbert Group.

Shell plc publishes fourth quarter 2023 press release

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 1, 2024

The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities.

Key Points: 
  • The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities.
  • In this announcement "Shell", "Shell Group" and "Group" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general.
  • "Subsidiaries", "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control.
  • The information in this announcement does not constitute the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements which are contained in Shell’s fourth quarter 2023 unaudited results available on www.shell.com/investors.

Siemens Healthineers Digital Transformation Strategy Report 2023: Accelerators, Incubators, and Other Innovation Programs

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 2, 2024

DUBLIN, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Siemens Healthineers - Digital Transformation Strategies" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • DUBLIN, Feb. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Siemens Healthineers - Digital Transformation Strategies" company profile has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • This report provides insight into Siemens Healthineers' digital strategies, including its digital transformation strategies, its innovation programs, its technology initiatives, its estimated ICT budget, and its major ICT contracts.
  • In March 2020, Siemens Healthineers launched Teamplay digital health platform powered by AI, to facilitate low-cost care for patients, with intention of enabling digital transformation across the healthcare sector.
  • Siemens Healthineers' Digital Ecosystem, a collaborative platform for developers and healthcare providers helps build digital healthcare solutions.