Pediatric COVID-19 severity by SARS-CoV-2 lineage and vaccine status in Canada: an IMPACT study.

Background: Interpretations of pediatric COVID-19 severity are complicated by novel lineages and COVID-19 vaccine introduction. We estimated the risk of severe COVID-19 by SARS-CoV-2 lineage and vaccination status among hospitalized Canadian children.

Methods: Data were collected through the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (April 2020-May 2021) and Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, ACTive (June 2021-December 2022).

PFAS contamination in tap water: Target and suspect screening of zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic species across Canada and beyond.

This study investigated the occurrence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including anionic, cationic, and zwitterionic compounds, in drinking water. Between 2021-2023, an expanded list of 76 target PFAS was screened in tap water samples mainly from Canada, but also including tap water samples from the Eastern United States, Mexico, South America (Argentina), the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Cuba), Africa (Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia), Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom) and Asia (Japan, Vietnam, Iran, and Türkiye). An additional ∼ 200 suspect-target PFAS were screened using high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Erratum: Lipid nanoparticle encapsulation of a Delta spike-CD40L DNA vaccine improves effectiveness against Omicron challenge in Syrian hamsters.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.

Proposed Utilization of PlGF-Based Diagnostic Testing for Suspected Preeclampsia in Québec: Insights From an Expert Panel Discussion.

Prompt diagnosis of preeclampsia is key to ensure appropriate management and reduce associated adverse outcomes. Placental growth factor (PlGF)-based biomarkers have been shown to be safe and effective diagnostic tools for preterm preeclampsia, and their use is recommended by most recent Canadian guidelines. The present report summarizes an expert panel discussion that led to the development of a proposed utilization algorithm for PlGF-based diagnostic testing for suspected preeclampsia in Québec.

NRH, a potent NAD enhancer, improves glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese mice though an active adenosine kinase pathway.

Aims: NAD deficiency underlies obesity-induced metabolic disturbances. This study evaluated dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH), a potent NAD enhancer, in lean and obese mice and explored whether NRH operates through a unique mechanism involving adenosine kinase (ADK), an enzyme critical for NRH-driven NAD synthesis.

Methods: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses were performed following a single 250 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection of NRH in healthy mice.

Reduced Representation and Whole-Genome Sequencing Approaches Highlight Beluga Whale Populations Associated to Eastern Canada Summer Aggregations.

Effective conservation strategies inherently depend on preserving populations, which in turn requires accurate tools for their detection. Beluga whales () inhabit the circumpolar Arctic and form discrete summer aggregations. Previous genetic studies using mitochondrial and microsatellite loci have delineated distinct populations associated to summer aggregations but the extent of dispersal and interbreeding among these populations remains largely unknown.

A molecular glue for PRKN/parkin.

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the , primarily due to mitochondria dysfunction. PRKN (parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase) and PINK1 (PTEN induced kinase 1) are linked to early-onset cases of PD and essential for the clearance of damaged mitochondria via selective mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). In a recent publication, we detail how a small molecule can activate PRKN mutants that are unable to be phosphorylated, restoring mitophagy in cellular assays.

Impact of Precision Feeding During Gestation on the Performance of Sows over Three Cycles.

This study evaluated the impact of precision feeding and bump feeding strategies during gestation on the reproductive performance of sows monitored over three cycles. Four treatments were compared: two constant-concentration feeding strategies (0.53% standardized ileal digestible lysine content; SID Lys) with the feed supply remaining constant (flat feeding; FF) or variable (bump feeding; BF) and two precision feeding strategies based on the InraPorc model considering performance by parity (precision feeding per parity; PFP) or the weight of each sow at breeding (precision feeding by individual; PFI).

Le diagnostic et la prise en charge de la syphilis congénitale : ne laisser passer aucune occasion.

La syphilis congénitale peut provoquer un arrêt de grossesse et une morbidité importante chez les nouveau-nés. L'épidémie actuelle de syphilis congénitale au Canada (particulièrement dans l'Ouest canadien) est une urgence sanitaire évitable. Les taux font foi d'un manque de contrôle de la syphilis dans la communauté et d'un manque de ressources de santé publique pour éviter une propagation qui s'est amorcée avant la pandémie de COVID-19.

Diagnosis and management of congenital syphilis: Avoiding missed opportunities.

Congenital syphilis can result in pregnancy loss and substantial morbidity in newborns. The current epidemic of congenital syphilis in Canada (especially Western Canada) is a preventable public health emergency. Rates indicate a lack of control of syphilis within the community and insufficient public health resources to prevent spread that predate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does metacognitive training for psychosis (MCT) improve neurocognitive performance? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Metacognitive training for psychosis (MCT) offers benefits for addressing hallmark deficits/symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders including reductions in cognitive biases and positive/negative symptoms as well as improvements in social cognition and functioning. However, differing results exist regarding the relationship between MCT and neurocognition. A comprehensive understanding of the nature of this relationship would significantly contribute to the existing literature and our understanding of the potential added value of MCT as a cognitive intervention for psychosis.

The WAVE regulatory complex interacts with Boc and is required for Shh-mediated axon guidance.

During development, Shh attracts axons of spinal cord commissural neurons to the floor plate. Shh-mediated attraction of commissural axons requires the receptor Boc. How Boc regulates cytoskeletal changes in growth cones in response to Shh is not fully understood.

Zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic PFAS in freshwater sediments from AFFF-impacted and non-impacted sites of Eastern Canada.

Zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were investigated in freshwater sediments of Canada, including sites impacted by aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs). The first step of the project involved optimizing the extraction method with equilibrated sediment-water-AFFF samples. The analytical method had acceptable linearity, accuracy, and precision in the sediment matrix, and was further validated with NIST SRM 1936.

Structural basis for the pathogenicity of parkin catalytic domain mutants.

Mutations in the E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin cause a familial form of Parkinson's disease. Parkin and the mitochondrial kinase PTEN-induced kinase 1 assure quality control of mitochondria through selective autophagy of mitochondria (mitophagy). Whereas numerous parkin mutations have been functionally and structurally characterized, several Parkinson's disease mutations found in the catalytic Rcat domain of parkin remain poorly understood.

Mucosal SARS-CoV-2 S1 adenovirus-based vaccine elicits robust systemic and mucosal immunity and protects against disease in animals.

Unlabelled: The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance and need for accessible safe, effective, and versatile vaccine platforms. While approved SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been instrumental in saving lives and reducing healthcare and economic burdens, the induction of mucosal immunity remains an unmet need. Here, we engineered and evaluated a non-replicating adenovirus 5 (rAd5)-based vaccine expressing the SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit (rAd5-SARS2-S1).

Association of support group leader experience with Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Support group Leader EDucation Program outcomes: Secondary analysis of a two-arm parallel partially nested randomized controlled trial.

Introduction/objective: The Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Support group Leader EDucation Program was found in a randomized controlled trial to substantially improve leader self-efficacy. Whether the program is effective for leaders with different levels of experience, including candidate leaders with no prior experience and leaders with ⩽3 years experience or ⩾4 years experience, is not known. The objective of the present post hoc secondary analysis was to evaluate outcomes by leader experience, age, and education.

Dissecting immunological mechanisms underlying influenza viral nucleoprotein-induced mucosal immunity against diverse viral strains.

The nucleoprotein (NP) of type A influenza virus (IAV) is highly conserved across all virus strains, making it an attractive candidate antigen for universal vaccines. While various studies have explored NP-induced mucosal immunity, here we interrogated the mechanistic differences between intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) delivery of a recombinant adenovirus carrying NP fused with a bifunctional CD40 ligand. Despite being less effective than IM delivery in inducing systemic cellular immune responses and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), IN immunization elicited superior antigen-specific recall humoral and cellular response in the nasal associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) of the upper respiratory tract, the initial site of immune recognition and elimination of inhaled pathogens.

PFAS profiles in biosolids, composts, and chemical fertilizers intended for agricultural land application in Quebec (Canada).

Biosolids, sewage sludge, and composts are applied to agricultural land for nutrient recovery and soil organic matter replenishment, aligning with sustainable development goals. However, they may contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that can enter the food chain through plant bioaccumulation and leaching into the groundwater. This study analyzed 80 PFAS compounds in sewage sludge, biosolids, commercial composts, and chemical fertilizers in Quebec, Canada, using UHPLC-HRMS (Orbitrap Q-Exactive).

Lipid nanoparticle encapsulation of a Delta spike-CD40L DNA vaccine improves effectiveness against Omicron challenge in Syrian hamsters.

The effectiveness of mRNA vaccines largely depends on their lipid nanoparticle (LNP) component. Herein, we investigate the effectiveness of DLin-KC2-DMA (KC2) and SM-102-based LNPs for the intramuscular delivery of a plasmid encoding B.1.