Parental knowledge and attitudes to infant immunization in the context of RSV: All about confidence?

Background: Recently, the first RSV vaccines have been approved, but vaccine hesitancy still poses great challenges to immunization programs.

Objective: To investigate this phenomenon in the context of the new RSV vaccines and an increased virus activity in 2022/23, we assessed parental knowledge and attitudes towards general childhood and RSV vaccines.

Methods: Parents of infants from 0-36 months completed an online questionnaire on demographics, socio-economic status, mental well-being, knowledge on RSV and perceptions of disease, attitudes to general childhood and RSV vaccines.

Biochemical Control in Cushing's syndrome: Outcomes of the treatment in a large single center cohort.

Background: Normalization of hypercortisolism is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS). The aim of this analysis was to assess biochemical control rates in patients with Cushing's disease (CD), ectopic Cushing's syndrome (ECS) and adrenal Cushing's syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Patients with confirmed CS (n= 296) treated in a single tertiary care center were retrospectively analysed (185 CD, 27 ECS, 84 uni- and bilateral ACS).

Investigating geographic differences in environmental chemical exposures in maternal and cord sera using non-targeted screening and silicone wristbands in California.

Background: Differential risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes may be influenced by prenatal chemical exposures, but current exposure methods may not fully capture data to identify harms and differences.

Methods: We collected maternal and cord sera from pregnant people in Fresno and San Francisco, and screened for over 2420 chemicals using LC-QTOF/MS. We matched San Francisco participants to Fresno participants (N = 150) and compared detection frequencies.

Environmental pollution and social factors as contributors to preterm birth in Fresno County.

Background: Environmental pollution exposure during pregnancy has been identified as a risk factor for preterm birth. Most studies have evaluated exposures individually and in limited study populations.

Methods: We examined the associations between several environmental exposures, both individually and cumulatively, and risk of preterm birth in Fresno County, California.

Regulation of protective autophagy in anoikis-resistant glioma stem cells by SDCBP/MDA-9/Syntenin.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a frequent and aggressive glial tumor, containing a small population of therapy-resistant cells, glioma stem cells (GSCs). Current dogma suggests that tumors regrow from GSCs, and these cells contribute to therapy resistance, poor prognosis, and recurrence; highlighting the importance of GSCs in glioma pathophysiology and therapeutic targeting. Macroautophagy/autophagy-based cellular homeostasis can be changed from pro-survival to pro-cell death by modulating SDCBP/MDA-9/Syntenin (syndecan binding protein)-mediated signaling.

Investigation of association between environmental and socioeconomic factors and preterm birth in California.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB), defined as birth at gestational age <37 weeks, is a major public health concern. Infants born prematurely, comprising of about 10% of the US newborns, have elevated risks of neonatal mortality and a wide array of health problems. Although numerous clinical, genetic, environmental and socioeconomic factors have been implicated in PTB, very few studies investigate the impacts of multiple pollutants and social factors on PTB using large scale datasets.

MDA-9/Syntenin regulates protective autophagy in anoikis-resistant glioma stem cells.

Glioma stem cells (GSCs) comprise a small subpopulation of glioblastoma multiforme cells that contribute to therapy resistance, poor prognosis, and tumor recurrence. Protective autophagy promotes resistance of GSCs to anoikis, a form of programmed cell death occurring when anchorage-dependent cells detach from the extracellular matrix. In nonadherent conditions, GSCs display protective autophagy and anoikis-resistance, which correlates with expression of melanoma differentiation associated gene-9/Syntenin (MDA-9) (syndecan binding protein; SDCBP).

Adapting the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index© for Use in Long-Term Care: A Mixed-Methods Approach.

Currently available elder abuse screening and identification tools have limitations for use in long-term care (LTC). This mixed-methods study sought to explore the appropriateness of using the Elder Abuse Suspicion Index© (a suspicion tool originally created for use with older adults in the ambulatory setting with Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≥ 24) with similarly cognitively functioning persons residing in LTC. Results were informed by a literature review, Internet-based consultations with elder abuse experts across Canada ( = 19), and data obtained from two purposively selected focus groups ( = 7 local elder abuse experts; = 7 experienced front-line LTC clinicians).

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Cumulative Environmental Health Impacts in California: Evidence From a Statewide Environmental Justice Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen 1.1).

Objectives: We used an environmental justice screening tool (CalEnviroScreen 1.1) to compare the distribution of environmental hazards and vulnerable populations across California communities.

Methods: CalEnviroScreen 1.

Automated micronucleus (MN) scoring for population triage in case of large scale radiation events.

Purpose: In case of a large-scale radiation accident when hundreds of people may be exposed, it is important to distinguish the severely exposed individuals (> or =1 gray), who require early medical treatment, from those less exposed. The aim of our study was to develop a quick population triage method based on automated micronucleus (MN) scoring.

Materials And Methods: Using the MN software module developed by MetaSystems specifically for the Metafer4 platform, about 60 blood samples can be scored in one day.

The role of early lineage in GABAergic and glutamatergic cell fate determination in Xenopus laevis.

Proper functioning of the adult nervous system is critically dependent on neurons adopting the correct neurotransmitter phenotype during early development. Whereas the importance of cell-cell communication in fate determination is well documented for a number of neurotransmitter phenotypes, the contributions made by early lineage to this process remain less clear. This is particularly true for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic and glutamatergic neurons, which are present as the most abundant inhibitory and excitatory neurons, respectively, in the central nervous system of all vertebrates.

Waiting for a breast biopsy. Psychosocial consequences and coping strategies.

Objective: The aim of this pilot/feasibility study was to describe the experience of women presenting with a suspicious mammogram who are waiting for a breast biopsy and to identify those at risk for distress.

Methods: Participants (n=25) were interviewed at two time points: immediately after being put on the waiting list (T1) and again immediately before their biopsy approximately 6 weeks later (T2). Self-report measures of distress and coping were used.

Calorimetric and ionimetric dosimetry intercomparisons I: U.S. neutron radiotherapy centers.

In the U.S. neutron radiotherapy trial centers, absorbed dose is routinely measured using commercially available A-150 tissue equivalent (TE) plastic ionization chambers.

Computer generation of dose distributions for a fast-neutron therapy beam.

A system has been developed for the computer generation of dose distributions for the MANTA-NRL fast-neutron radiotherapy beam. This program is based on scatter-air ratio (SAR) techniques. A method has been developed to unfold the effect of the neutron-beam profile in the derivation of SARs so that the SARs obtained are those which would be derived if the beam profile were flat.

Scattered radiation from a neutron collimator.

Fast-neutron beams are being employed in radiotherapy trials and associated radiobiology studies at numerous centers in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

Stripping-theory analysis of thick-target neutron production for D + Be.

The Serber theory for deuteron stripping is employed to predict the shape of the neutron energy spectrum produced by 35 MeV deuterons (D+) on a thick beryllium target. In particular, the observation that the maximum of the neutron energy spectrum (at 0degrees relative to the deuteron beam direction) occurs at approximately 0-4Ed, where Ed is the incident deuteron energy, is explained reasonably well by the calculations. The explanation stems mainly from the fact that the stripping theory for thin targets predicts a narrow maximum at 0-5Ed, and thick target effects shift the maximum downward in energy to approximately 0-4Ed.

Cesium-129 myocardial scintigraphy to quantify myocardial infarction in dogs.

The sizes of surgically induced acute myocardial infarctions were quantified in a study of 28 dogs. Four projections (right and left anterior oblique, anterior, and left lateral) were obtained with 129Cs myocardial scintigraphy. Control images, taken before surgery, were compared with images taken 24-72 hr after coronary artery ligation.