Cancer care in the Northwest Territories.

The Northwest Territories (NWT) is one of the three territories in Canada and is located above or north of the 60th parallel. The Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) is the largest health authority in the territory and was created in 2016 as a consolidation of pre-existing regional health authorities. I have been an oncology nurse in the NWT for the past 11 years, spanning my entire nursing career.

Cancer Patient Navigation in Canada: Directions From the North.

Objectives: Cancer is a complex disease that is experienced by those affected by cancer and their loved ones differently. The importance of cancer patient navigation is quintessential to support those affected through the healthcare system and to supportive resources. Canadian cancer statistics advise of the continued increase of cancer and impacts on health care.

A novel bluetongue virus serotype 2 strain isolated from a farmed Florida white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) arose from reassortment of gene segments derived from co-circulating serotypes in the Southeastern USA.

Bluetongue disease is a reportable animal disease that affects wild and farmed ruminants, including white-tailed deer (WTD). This report documents the clinical findings, ancillary diagnostics, and genomic characterization of a novel reassortant bluetongue virus serotype 2 (BTV-2) strain isolated from a dead Florida farmed WTD in 2022. Our analyses support that this BTV-2 strain likely stemmed from the acquisition of genome segments from co-circulating BTV strains in Florida and Louisiana.

Contemporary challenges for specialist nursing in interstitial lung disease.

Unlabelled: The role of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) in interstitial lung disease (ILD) is evolving in response to clinical guidelines and the growth of clinical research. The role is well established in the UK, although more ILD posts are needed to ensure supply meets clinical demand. This phenomenon is also happening across Europe.

A novel recurrent NPM1-TYK2 gene fusion in cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders.

The spectrum of cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) includes lymphomatoid papulosis and primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Chromosomal translocations targeting tyrosine kinases in CD30-positive LPDs have not been described. Using whole-transcriptome sequencing, we identified a chimeric fusion involving NPM1 (5q35) and TYK2 (19p13) that encodes an NPM1-TYK2 protein containing the oligomerization domain of NPM1 and an intact catalytic domain in TYK2.

The use of stained cytologic direct smears for ALK gene rearrangement analysis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Rearrangements involving the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene are present in approximately 5% of lung adenocarcinomas. Crizotinib is approved for the treatment of lung adenocarcinomas harboring ALK rearrangements. Patients with advanced stage lung cancer are not candidates for surgical resection of their primary tumors.

Pharmacokinetics of methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS): results from a laboratory classroom study.

Objective: To evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties of the methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) in pediatric patients diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) in a laboratory school setting.

Method: A phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, laboratory classroom study was conducted with prior dose optimization. Children (aged 6-12 years) with ADHD were titrated over 5 weeks to an optimal clinical MTS dose (10, 15, 20, or 30 mg/9 h).

Immune selection for altered antigen processing leads to cytotoxic T lymphocyte escape in chronic HIV-1 infection.

Mutations within cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes impair T cell recognition, but escape mutations arising in flanking regions that alter antigen processing have not been defined in natural human infections. In human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B57+ HIV-infected persons, immune selection pressure leads to a mutation from alanine to proline at Gag residue 146 immediately preceding the NH2 terminus of a dominant HLA-B57-restricted epitope, ISPRTLNAW. Although N-extended wild-type or mutant peptides remained well-recognized, mutant virus-infected CD4 T cells failed to be recognized by the same CTL clones.

Abusive behaviour experienced by primary care receptionists: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Receptionists act as gatekeepers to GPs, and thus are often placed in situations of conflict. However, there is a lack of research in this area.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and associations of verbal and physical abuse against primary care receptionists, both pre- and post-'zero tolerance'.