Toward a Machine Learning Approach to Interpreting X-ray Spectra of Trace Impurities by Converting XANES to EXAFS.

The fact that the photoabsorption spectrum of a material contains information about the atomic structure, commonly understood in terms of multiple scattering theory, is the basis of the popular extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) technique. How much of the same structural information is present in other complementary spectroscopic signals is not obvious. Here we use a machine learning approach to demonstrate that within theoretical models that accurately predict the EXAFS signal, the extended near-edge region does indeed contain the EXAFS-accessible structural information.

Long-term gut colonization with ESBL-producing in participants without known risk factors from the southeastern United States.

We evaluated gut carriage of extended spectrum beta lactamase producing (ESBL-E) in southeastern U.S. residents without recent in-patient healthcare exposure.

"A peer support worker can really be there supporting the youth throughout the whole process": a qualitative study exploring the role of peer support in providing substance use services to youth.

Background: Youth (ages 12-24) rarely access services and supports to address substance use concerns. Peer support can facilitate service engagement and has been associated with positive substance use recovery outcomes in adults, yet few studies have examined this role among youth specifically. As such, this qualitative study explored the role of peer support in providing substance use services to youth in British Columbia and how best to support them in their role.

The Relationship between Sense of Belonging and Well-Being Outcomes in Emerging Adults with Care Experience.

Robust social resources that lead to a healthy sense of belonging are imperative during emerging adulthood. However, young adults with alternative care experience, such as residential or foster care, often lack the social resources necessary to transition to adulthood successfully. Though some research has examined the importance of social resources in this population, less is known about a sense of belonging, which is associated with these social resources.

The Relationship Between Spirituality and Resilience and Well-being: a Study of 529 Care Leavers from 11 Nations.

Research has found that individuals who were separated from parental care and experienced alternative care settings during childhood are more likely to have poor outcomes as adults. This highlights the importance of understanding factors that are related to resilience and well-being for care leavers. A growing body of research has supported the importance of spirituality in our understanding of resilience and well-being.

A qualitative study exploring how young people perceive and experience substance use services in British Columbia, Canada.

Background: Substance use among youth (ages 12-24) is troublesome given the increasing risk of harms associated. Even more so, substance use services are largely underutilized among youth, most only accessing support when in crisis. Few studies have explored young people's help-seeking behaviours to address substance use concerns.

Real-World Comparison of Bezlotoxumab to Standard of Care Therapy for Prevention of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection in Patients at High Risk for Recurrence.

Background: Bezlotoxumab (BEZ) is a monoclonal antibody used to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). This study investigates BEZ effectiveness in relation to rCDI and patient-specific risk factors in a real-world setting.

Methods: A matched, retrospective cohort study was conducted from 2015 to 2019 to compare BEZ to historical standard of care (SoC) therapy with vancomycin or fidaxomicin.

Effectiveness of Bezlotoxumab for Prevention of Recurrent Infection Among Transplant Recipients.

Background: Bezlotoxumab significantly reduces the incidence of recurrent infection (CDI); however, limited data are available in solid organ transplant (SOT) and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients.

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis comparing recurrent CDI in SOT and HCT recipients receiving standard of care alone (oral vancomycin, fidaxomicin, or metronidazole) or bezlotoxumab plus standard of care. The primary outcome was 90-day incidence of recurrent CDI, and secondary outcomes included 90-day hospital readmission, mortality, and incidence of heart failure exacerbation.

"What We Want Is More Access…": Experiences of Supportive Cancer Care and Strategies for Advancement in a Canadian Provincial Cancer Care Organization.

Objectives: Despite calls for better supportive care, patients and families still commonly bear significant responsibility for managing the physical and mental health and social challenges of being diagnosed with and treated for cancer. As such, there is increased advocacy for integrated supportive care to ease the burden of this responsibility. The purpose of this study was to understand patient and caregiver experiences with supportive care to advance its delivery at a large provincial cancer care organization in Canada.

Rapid return of children in residential care to family as a result of COVID-19: Scope, challenges, and recommendations.

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some governments have mandated that residential care providers rapidly return children and youth to family.

Objective: The goal of the present study was to better understand the scope and characteristics of rapid return, and to provide data-informed recommendations for service providers working with this population.

Participants And Setting: Representatives from 67 non-government organizations (NGOs) providing residential care that were government-mandated to rapidly return children and youth to family completed a brief online survey.

Data-informed recommendations for services providers working with vulnerable children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated response measures have led to unprecedented challenges for service providers working with vulnerable children and families around the world.

Objective: The goal of the present study was to better understand the impact of the pandemic and associated response measures on vulnerable children and families and provide data-informed recommendations for public and private service providers working with this population.

Participants And Setting: Representatives from 87 non-government organizations (NGOs) providing a variety of direct services (i.

Attention focus and self-touch in toddlers: The moderating effect of attachment security.

The superior self-regulation and attention-regulation abilities of securely attached children have been repeatedly demonstrated. However, the mechanisms that allow securely attached children to exhibit higher levels of attention focus than insecurely attached (anxious-ambivalent and anxious-avoidant) children need to be explored. One possible mechanism that has been hypothesized to play a role in focusing attention is self-touch.

Decrease in Behavioral Problems and Trauma Symptoms Among At-Risk Adopted Children Following Trauma-Informed Parent Training Intervention.

Children who have experienced early adversities are at risk for behavioral problems and trauma symptoms. Using a two-group, pre-post intervention design, the current study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent training utilizing Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention, in reducing behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in at-risk adopted children. Children of parents in the treatment group ( = 48) demonstrated significant decreases in behavioral problems on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and significant decreases in trauma symptoms on the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Young Children after intervention.

Decrease in Behavioral Problems and Trauma Symptoms Among At-Risk Adopted Children Following Web-Based Trauma-Informed Parent Training Intervention.

Children who have experienced early adversities are at risk for behavioral problems and trauma symptoms. Using a two-group, pre-post intervention design, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of an online parent training for Trust-Based Relational Intervention, a trauma-informed, attachment-based intervention, in reducing behavioral problems and trauma symptoms in at-risk adopted children. Children of parents in the treatment group (n = 48) demonstrated significant decreases in behavioral problems and trauma symptoms after intervention.

Formation of orthopoxvirus cytoplasmic A-type inclusion bodies and embedding of virions are dynamic processes requiring microtubules.

In cells infected with some orthopoxviruses, numerous mature virions (MVs) become embedded within large, cytoplasmic A-type inclusions (ATIs) that can protect infectivity after cell lysis. ATIs are composed of an abundant viral protein called ATIp, which is truncated in orthopoxviruses such as vaccinia virus (VACV) that do not form ATIs. To study ATI formation and occlusion of MVs within ATIs, we used recombinant VACVs that express the cowpox full-length ATIp or we transfected plasmids encoding ATIp into cells infected with VACV, enabling ATI formation.

Congregation of orthopoxvirus virions in cytoplasmic A-type inclusions is mediated by interactions of a bridging protein (A26p) with a matrix protein (ATIp) and a virion membrane-associated protein (A27p).

Some orthopoxviruses, e.g., the cowpox, ectromelia, and raccoonpox viruses, form large, discrete cytoplasmic inclusions within which mature virions (MVs) are embedded by a process called occlusion.

Activation of the stress protein response inhibits the STAT1 signalling pathway and iNOS function in alveolar macrophages: role of Hsp90 and Hsp70.

Background And Aim: Alveolar fluid clearance is impaired by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanisms in acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The activation of the stress protein response (SPR) in alveolar macrophages on iNOS-dependent NO production in response to interferon gamma (IFNgamma), a major cytokine present in the airspace of patients with ALI, was investigated.

Methods: The SPR was activated in murine and primary human alveolar macrophages prior to analysis of signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 1 (STAT1) activation, iNOS mRNA and protein synthesis, and NO production.

Vaccinia virus A26 and A27 proteins form a stable complex tethered to mature virions by association with the A17 transmembrane protein.

During vaccinia virus replication, mature virions (MVs) are wrapped with cellular membranes, transported to the periphery, and exported as extracellular virions (EVs) that mediate spread. The A26 protein is unusual in that it is present in MVs but not EVs. This distribution led to a proposal that A26 negatively regulates wrapping.

Fondaparinux for the treatment of patients with acute heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a life-threatening immune response to heparin that is associated with a high risk of thromboembolic complications. We prospectively treated seven subjects with acute HIT with fondaparinux and compared the results to a similar historical control population from the same hospital. Six of the seven fondaparinux-treated subjects were transitioned to warfarin, beginning after platelet count recovery occurred.

Soilborne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) 19K protein belongs to a class of cysteine rich proteins that suppress RNA silencing.

Amino acid sequence analyses indicate that the Soilborne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV) 19K protein is a cysteine-rich protein (CRP) and shares sequence homology with CRPs derived from furo-, hordei-, peclu- and tobraviruses. Since the hordei- and pecluvirus CRPs were shown to be pathogenesis factors and/or suppressors of RNA silencing, experiments were conducted to determine if the SBWMV 19K CRP has similar activities. The SBWMV 19K CRP was introduced into the Potato virus X (PVX) viral vector and inoculated to tobacco plants.

Potato virus X TGBp1 induces plasmodesmata gating and moves between cells in several host species whereas CP moves only in N. benthamiana leaves.

Experiments were conducted to compare the plasmodesmal transport activities of Potato virus X (PVX) TGBp1 and coat protein (CP) in several plant species. Microinjection experiments indicated that TGBp1 gates plasmodesmata in Nicotiana tabacum leaves. These results support previous microinjection studies indicating that TGBp1 gates plasmodesmata in Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana clevelandii leaves.