Acute and chronic toxicity of cationic polyquaterniums of varying charge density and molecular weight to Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia.

Cationic polymers have the unique ability to neutralize negative charge with practical applications in personal care products, such as shampoos, conditioners, contact lens solutions, and as flocculants in wastewater treatment processes. Cationic polymers are a diverse class of materials varying in structural composition, cationic charge density (CD), and molecular weight (MW). In this study, we investigated three classes of polyquaternium cationic polymers (PQ-6, PQ-10, PQ-16) of varying CD and MW to characterize their toxicity to aquatic invertebrates.

Interleukin-2-secreting T helper cells promote extra-follicular B cell maturation via intrinsic regulation of a B cell mTOR-AKT-Blimp-1 axis.

During antigen-driven responses, B cells can differentiate at extra-follicular (EF) sites or initiate germinal centers (GCs) in processes that involve interactions with T cells. Here, we examined the roles of interleukin (IL)-2 secreted by T helper (Th) cells during cognate interactions with activated B cells. IL-2 boosted the expansion of EF plasma cells and the secretion of low-mutated immunoglobulin G (IgG).

Comparative RNA profiling identifies stage-specific phasiRNAs and coexpressed Argonaute genes in Bambusoideae and Pooideae species.

Phased, small interfering RNAs (PhasiRNAs) play a crucial role in supporting male fertility in grasses. Earlier work in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa)-and subsequently many other plant species-identified premeiotic 21-nucleotide (nt) and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs. More recently, a group of premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs was discovered in the anthers of 2 Pooideae species, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum).

Comprehensive Analysis of Age- and Sex-Related Expression of the Chaperone Protein Sigma-1R in the Mouse Brain.

Sigma-1R (S1R) is a ubiquitously distributed protein highly expressed in the brain and liver. It acts as a ligand-inducible chaperone protein localized at the endoplasmic reticulum. S1R participates in several signaling pathways that oversee diverse cellular and neurological functions, such as calcium and proteome homeostasis, neuronal activity, memory, and emotional regulation.

Incorporating a weight-of-evidence approach into a tiered assessment for chemicals management, with emphasis on program development and applications in developing countries and emerging economies.

A flexible approach is described for incorporating a weight-of-evidence (WoE) methodology into a tiered ecological risk assessment (ERA)/management framework for chemicals. The approach is oriented toward informing decisions about chemicals. Communication is regarded as a critical component of the risk assessment process.

Canadian Armed Forces Veterans' Perspectives on the Effects of Exposure to Children in Armed Conflict During Military Service: Protocol for a Qualitative Study.

Background: The mental health of military personnel has garnered increased attention over the last few decades; however, the impacts of perpetuating, observing, or failing to prevent acts that transgress deeply held moral standards, referred to as moral injuries, are less understood, particularly in relation to encounters with children during deployment. This paper describes a multiphased research protocol that centers around the lived experiences of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans to understand how encounters with children during military deployments impact the well-being and mental health of military personnel.

Objective: This study has four objectives: (1) highlight the lived experiences of CAF Veterans who encountered children during military deployments; (2) improve understanding of the nature of experiences that military personnel faced that related to observing or engaging with children during military service; (3) improve understanding of the mental health impacts of encountering children during military service; and (4) use participatory action research (PAR) to develop recommendations for improving preparation, training, and support for military personnel deployed to contexts where encounters with children are likely.

The nature and impacts of deployment-related encounters with children among Canadian military Veterans: a qualitative analysis.

As armed conflict grows increasingly complex, the involvement of children in armed violence across diverse roles is rising. Consequently, military personnel are more likely to encounter children during deployment. However, little is known about deployment-related encounters with children and their impact on the mental health of military personnel and Veterans.

Premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are present in the genus and unique in biogenesis mechanism and molecular function.

Reproductive phasiRNAs (phased, small interfering RNAs) are broadly present in angiosperms and play crucial roles in sustaining male fertility. While the premeiotic 21-nt (nucleotides) phasiRNAs and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNA pathways have been extensively studied in maize () and rice (), a third putative category of reproductive phasiRNAs-named premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs-have recently been reported in barley () and wheat (). To determine whether premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are also present in maize and related species and begin to characterize their biogenesis and function, we performed a comparative transcriptome and degradome analysis of premeiotic and meiotic anthers from five maize inbred lines and three teosinte species/subspecies.

A Chronic Aquatic Hazard Assessment for the Perfume Raw Material Octahydro-tetramethyl-naphthalenyl-ethanone.

Octahydro-tetramethyl-naphthalenyl-ethanone (OTNE) is a high-production volume fragrance material used in various down-the-drain consumer products. To assess aquatic risk, the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) uses a tiered data-driven framework to determine a risk characterization ratio, where the ratio of the predicted-environmental concentration to the predicted-no-effect concentration (PNEC) of <1 indicates an acceptable level of risk. Owing to its high production volume and the conservative nature of the RIFM framework, RIFM identified the need to utilize a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) approach to reduce the PNEC uncertainty for OTNE.

Premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are present in the genus and unique in biogenesis mechanism and molecular function.

Reproductive phasiRNAs are broadly present in angiosperms and play crucial roles in sustaining male fertility. While the premeiotic 21-nt phasiRNAs and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNA pathways have been extensively studied in maize () and rice (), a third putative category of reproductive phasiRNAs-named premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs-have recently been reported in barley () and wheat (). To determine whether premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are also present in maize and related species and begin to characterize their biogenesis and function, we performed a comparative transcriptome and degradome analysis of premeiotic and meiotic anthers from five maize inbred lines and three teosinte species/subspecies.

Seafloor primary production in a changing Arctic Ocean.

Phytoplankton and sea ice algae are traditionally considered to be the main primary producers in the Arctic Ocean. In this Perspective, we explore the importance of benthic primary producers (BPPs) encompassing microalgae, macroalgae, and seagrasses, which represent a poorly quantified source of Arctic marine primary production. Despite scarce observations, models predict that BPPs are widespread, colonizing ~3 million km of the extensive Arctic coastal and shelf seas.

Measuring moral distress and moral injury: A systematic review and content analysis of existing scales.

Background: Moral distress (MD) and moral injury (MI) are related constructs describing the negative consequences of morally challenging stressors. Despite growing support for the clinical relevance of these constructs, ongoing challenges regarding measurement quality risk limiting research and clinical advances. This study summarizes the nature, quality, and utility of existing MD and MI scales, and provides recommendations for future use.

Quantitative pulsatility measurements using 3D dynamic ultrasound localization microscopy.

A rise in blood flow velocity variations (i.e. pulsatility) in the brain, caused by the stiffening of upstream arteries, is associated with cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases.

The apparent quantum yield matrix (AQY-M) of CDOM photobleaching in estuarine, coastal, and oceanic surface waters.

The photochemical degradation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) upon solar exposure, known as photobleaching, can significantly alter the optical properties of the surface ocean. By leading to the breakdown of UV- and visible-radiation-absorbing moieties within dissolved organic matter, photobleaching regulates solar heating, the vertical distribution of photochemical processes, and UV exposure and light availability to the biota in surface waters. Despite its biogeochemical and ecological relevance, this sink of CDOM remains poorly quantified.

La promotion de l'évolution optimale de la santé mentale chez les enfants et les adolescents.

Les dispensateurs de soins pédiatriques sont souvent le premier point de contact des enfants et des adolescents aux prises avec des problèmes de santé mentale, mais ils ne possèdent pas nécessairement les ressources (p. ex., l'accès à une équipe multidisciplinaire) ni la formation nécessaires pour procéder à leur dépistage ou à leur prise en charge.

Promoting optimal mental health outcomes for children and youth.

While paediatric care providers are often the first point of contact for children or youth experiencing mental health challenges, they may lack the resources (e.g., access to a multidisciplinary team) or training to adequately identify or manage such problems.

Optical closure in highly absorptive coastal waters: significance of inelastic scattering processes.

In hydrological optics, "optical closure" means consistency between the apparent optical properties (AOPs) determined from radiometric measurements and those derived from radiative transfer modelling based on concurrently measured inherent optical properties (IOPs) and boundary conditions (sea and sky states). Good optical closure not only provides confidence in the data quality but also informs on the adequacy of the radiative transfer parameterization. Achieving optical closure in highly absorptive coastal waters is challenging due to the low signal-to-noise ratio of radiometric measurements and uncertainties in the measurements of IOPs, namely the spectral absorption and backscattering coefficients.

Moral Distress, Mental Health, and Risk and Resilience Factors Among Military Personnel Deployed to Long-Term Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Research Protocol and Participation Metrics.

Background: The earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada were marked by a significant surge in COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths among residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). As part of Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel were mobilized for an initial emergency domestic deployment to the hardest-hit LTCFs (Operation LASER LTCF) to support the remaining civilian staff in ensuring the continued delivery of care to residents. Akin to what was observed following past CAF international humanitarian missions, there was an expected increased risk of exposure to multiple stressors that may be psychologically traumatic and potentially morally injurious in nature (ie, related to core values, eg, witnessing human suffering).

Butterflies and Ribbons: Supporting Families Experiencing Perinatal Loss in Multiple Gestation.

In neonatology, multiple pregnancies are common. Unfortunately, it is not rare for one baby to die. Communication with parents in these circumstances has been demonstrated to be sub-optimal.

Eicosapentaenoic acid reduces the proportion of IL-17A-producing T cells in a 3D psoriatic skin model.

Psoriasis is a skin disease presenting as erythematous lesions with accentuated proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes, infiltration of leukocytes, and dysregulated lipid metabolism. T cells play essential roles in the disease. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are anti-inflammatory metabolites, which exert an immunosuppressive effect on healthy T cells.

Alteration of functional connectivity despite preserved cerebral oxygenation during acute hypoxia.

Resting state networks (RSN), which show the connectivity in the brain in the absence of any stimuli, are increasingly important to assess brain function. Here, we investigate the changes in RSN as well as the hemodynamic changes during acute, global hypoxia. Mice were imaged at different levels of oxygen (21, 12, 10 and 8%) over the course of 10 weeks, with hypoxia and normoxia acquisitions interspersed.

Advancing the weight of evidence approach to enable chemical environmental risk assessment for decision-making and achieving protection goals.

The weight of evidence (WoE) approach conflates the aspects of quality, reliability, relevance, and consistency of data and information to systematically strengthen the body of evidence and enable credible communication and decision-making on chemical risk assessment. Between 2015 and 2019, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) held several workshops in all the geographical units with scientists and managers from academia, government, and business sectors focusing on the chemical risk-assessment approach. This article summarizes the knowledge that informs the needs concerning application of WoE, especially in the context of developing countries.