Evolution of Omicron lineage towards increased fitness in the upper respiratory tract in the absence of severe lung pathology.

The emergence of the Omicron lineage represented a major genetic drift in SARS-CoV-2 evolution. This was associated with phenotypic changes including evasion of pre-existing immunity and decreased disease severity. Continuous evolution within the Omicron lineage raised concerns of potential increased transmissibility and/or disease severity.

Comparing Australian children's dietary intakes with the Eat-Lancet Commission Planetary Health Diet targets and Australian Dietary Guidelines: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: As healthy eating recommendations shift to incorporate environmentally sustainable eating principles, it becomes crucial to understand whether children's dietary intakes align with global recommendations such as the EAT-Lancet Commission Planetary Health Diet (PHD), in addition to national health-promoting guidelines, including the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG). This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the alignment of young Australian children's food intakes with these recommendations.

Methods: Dietary data from the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey for children aged 2-8 years were used and compared with, energy-adjusted target amounts of the PHD and ADG Foundation Diet.

Stearic acid-capped mesoporous silica microparticles as novel needle-like-structured drug delivery carriers.

Mesoporous silica are widely utilised as drug carriers due to their large pore volume and surface area, which facilitate effective loading. Additionally, they can be used to enhance drugs stability and protect against enzymatic degradation due to their silica framework. However, without the addition of a capping material, the loaded cargo may be prematurely released before reaching the target site.

The Scholarly Upside to MOC4.

Background: Many medical boards require quality improvement (QI) projects for Maintenance of Certification Part IV (MOC4) credits. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) allows health care organizations that can demonstrate sufficient QI standards to become Portfolio Program Sponsors. This enables internal review and approval of QI projects, crediting all sufficiently contributing physicians.

Loss of STAT3 in osteoblasts has detrimental and sexually dimorphic effects on skeletal development.

Studies with genetically modified mice have implicated the transcriptional regulator STAT3 as a key modulator of bone development. STAT3-OKO knockout mouse lines were generated in two genetic backgrounds, pure C57BL/6 (STAT3-OKO-BL) and mixed C57BL/6, CD1 (STAT3-OKO-M). Both lines exhibited defective postnatal bone development resulting in reduced body weight and shortened femurs that displayed low bone mineral density as well as cortical widening and thinning in the diaphyseal region.