Computational docking of FtsZ: Survey of promising antibiotic compounds.

The bacterial cell-division protein FtsZ has been a promising antibiotic target for over a decade now, but there is still a need for more work in this area. So far there are no FtsZ targeting drugs commercially available. We have analyzed a wide variety of prospective drugs and their interactions with multiple FtsZ species using both free and directed docking simulations.

The role of social work practitioners and human service professionals in long-term disaster recovery after the 2016 Alberta wildfires in Canada.

The 2016 Alberta wildfires resulted in widespread destruction of property and displacement of residents. Research aimed to identify the roles and responsibilities of social work practitioners and human service professionals in long-term disaster recovery. This article presents the findings from interviews, focus groups, and a survey with a total of 140 participants in Alberta, Canada.

Revaccination outcomes among adolescents and adults with suspected hypersensitivity reactions following COVID-19 vaccination: A Canadian immunization research network study.

Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with anaphylaxis and hypersensitivity reactions. Infectious disease physicians and allergists in the Canadian Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network developed guidance for evaluating patients with adverse events following immunization (AEFI) including suspected hypersensitivity. This study evaluated management and adverse event recurrence following subsequent COVID-19 vaccinations.

Safety of Direct Drug Provocation for the Evaluation of Penicillin Allergy in Low-Risk Adults.

Background: About 10% of patients have a penicillin allergy label, but less than 5% of them are actually allergic. Unnecessary penicillin avoidance is associated with serious medical consequences. Given the growing number of these labels, it is imperative that our diagnostic strategy for penicillin allergy be as efficient as possible.

Tolerability of sublingual versus vestibular allergy immunotherapy tablet administration: A randomized pilot study.

Background: Local application site reactions are common with sublingual allergy immunotherapy (AIT)-tablets for the treatment of allergic rhinitis/conjunctivitis (AR/C) and occasionally lead to treatment discontinuation. Because of the lower mast cell density in the vestibular mucosa than the sublingual area, vestibular AIT-tablet administration may result in fewer adverse events (AEs). This pilot study evaluated the tolerability of the vestibular administration route of AIT-tablets compared with the sublingual route in adult subjects with AR/C.

Nurturing Spiritual Resilience to Promote Post-disaster Community Recovery: The 2016 Alberta Wildfire in Canada.

The 2016 Alberta wildfire, the largest insured natural disaster in Canada, led to a mass evacuation of residents of Fort McMurray, a small city in northern Alberta. The wildfire resulted in significant damages to housing and community infrastructure. The entire community was displaced for several weeks.

Collective Trauma and Mental Health in Adolescents: A Retrospective Cohort Study of the Effects of Retraumatization.

In the wake of the massive Canadian wildfire of May 2016 in the area of Fort McMurray Alberta, we observed increased rates of mental health problems, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in school-aged adolescents (ages 11-19). Surprisingly, we did not see these rates decline over the 3.5-year follow-up period.

Mental Health Symptoms Unexpectedly Increased in Students Aged 11-19 Years During the 3.5 Years After the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfire: Findings From 9,376 Survey Responses.

In Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, the wildfire of May 2016 forced the population of 88,000 to rapidly evacuate in a traumatic and chaotic manner. Ten percentage of the homes in the city were destroyed, and many more structures were damaged. Since youth are particularly vulnerable to negative effects of natural disasters, we examined possible long-term psychological impacts.

Size-Dependent Electroluminescence and Current-Voltage Measurements of Blue InGaN/GaN µLEDs down to the Submicron Scale.

Besides high-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with dimensions in the range of mm, micro-LEDs (μLEDs) are increasingly gaining interest today, motivated by the future applications of μLEDs in augmented reality displays or for nanometrology and sensor technology. A key aspect of this miniaturization is the influence of the structure size on the electrical and optical properties of μLEDs. Thus, in this article, investigations of the size dependence of the electro-optical properties of μLEDs, with diameters in the range of 20 to 0.

Docosahexanoic acid signals through the Nrf2-Nqo1 pathway to maintain redox balance and promote neurite outgrowth.

Evidence suggests that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may act as activators of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway. The antioxidant response, in turn, promotes neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth. Nrf2 has recently been suggested to be a cell intrinsic mediator of docosohexanoic acid (DHA) signaling.

Significant PTSD and Other Mental Health Effects Present 18 Months After the Fort Mcmurray Wildfire: Findings From 3,070 Grades 7-12 Students.

The May 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada forced evacuation of the population of 88,000 individuals and destroyed 10% of the homes. Youth are particularly impacted by disaster. Eighteen months after the wildfire, Fort McMurray Public and Catholic Schools surveyed 3,252 of the 4,407 students in Grades 7-12 to determine possible long-term psychological impacts.

Axonal pathology in hPSC-based models of Parkinson's disease results from loss of Nrf2 transcriptional activity at the Map1b gene locus.

While mutations in the gene (α-synuclein [α-syn]) are causal in rare familial forms of Parkinson's disease (PD), the prevalence of α-syn aggregates in the cortices of sporadic disease cases emphasizes the need to understand the link between α-syn accumulation and disease pathogenesis. By employing a combination of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that harbor the -A53T mutation contrasted against isogenic controls, we evaluated the consequences of α-syn accumulation in human A9-type dopaminergic (DA) neurons (hNs). We show that the early accumulation of α-syn in -A53T hNs results in changes in gene expression consistent with the expression profile of the substantia nigra (SN) from PD patients, analyzed post mortem.

Rate of Recurrence of Adverse Events Following Immunization: Results of 19 Years of Surveillance In Quebec, Canada.

Background: While adverse events following immunization (AEFI) are frequent, there are limited data on the safety of reimmunizing patients who had a prior AEFI. Our objective was to estimate the rate and severity of AEFI recurrences.

Methods: We analyzed data from the AEFI passive surveillance system in Quebec, Canada, that collects information on reimmunization of patients who had a prior AEFI.

After the Fort McMurray wildfire there are significant increases in mental health symptoms in grade 7-12 students compared to controls.

Background: In order to examine the impact of disasters on adolescent mental health, this study compared population mental health survey data from two communities in Alberta, Canada: Fort McMurray, which experienced a major natural disaster, and Red Deer, which did not.

Methods: Data from 3070 grade 7-12 students from Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada (collected in 2017, 18 months after the 2016 wildfire) was compared with data from 2796 grade 7-12 students from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada (collected in 2014). The same measurement scales were used for both surveys.

Modulation of the Interleukin-21 Pathway with Interleukin-4 Distinguishes Common Variable Immunodeficiency Patients with More Non-infectious Clinical Complications.

Purpose: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia and clinical manifestations such as infections, autoimmunity, and malignancy. We sought to determine if responsiveness to interleukin-21 (IL-21), a key cytokine for B cell differentiation, correlates with distinct clinical phenotypes in CVID.

Methods: CVID subjects were recruited through the Canadian Primary Immunodeficiency Evaluative Survey registry.

Integrated Metabolomics Assessment of Human Dried Blood Spots and Urine Strips.

(1) Background: Interest in the application of metabolomics toward clinical diagnostics development and population health monitoring has grown significantly in recent years. In spite of several advances in analytical and computational tools, obtaining a sufficient number of samples from patients remains an obstacle. The dried blood spot (DBS) and dried urine strip (DUS) methodologies are a minimally invasive sample collection method allowing for the relative simplicity of sample collection and minimal cost.

Dynamic and temporal assessment of human dried blood spot MS/MS shotgun lipidomics analysis.

Background: Real-time and dynamic assessment of an individual's lipid homeostatic state in blood is complicated due to the need to collect samples in a clinical environment. In the context of precision medicine and population health, tools that facilitate sample collection and empower the individual to participate in the process are necessary to complement advanced bioanalytical analysis. The dried blood spot (DBS) methodology via finger prick or heel prick is a minimally invasive sample collection method that allows the relative ease and low cost of sample collection as well as transport.

Clinical Approach Used in Medical Consultations for Allergic-Like Events Following Immunization: Case Series Report in Relation to Practice Guidelines.

Background: The Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters (JTFPP) guidelines for the investigation and reimmunization of patients who experienced allergic-like events (ALEs) after immunization are predicated on the likelihood of anaphylaxis, assessed through the time to symptom onset (≤ or >4 hours) and number of systems involved.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to compare the management of a series of patients with ALE in actual practice relative to JTFPP guidelines and to discuss key concepts and considerations in their use.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on a chart review of patients who consulted for suspected vaccine-associated ALEs at a large allergy department in Canada.

Thalidomide in Refractory Tuberculomas and Pseudoabscesses.

Paradoxical immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome is a well-described entity even in immunocompetent children, principally in association with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. Central nervous system involvement is a potential life-threatening form, sometimes refractory to standard treatment. We report the case of an HIV-negative refugee teenager, who presented with brain tuberculomas and pseudoabscesses responsive only to thalidomide.

A French adaptation of the Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) measuring challenging behaviours following acquired brain injury: The Échelle des comportements observables (ÉCO).

Purpose: To develop a French version of the Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) and examine some of its psychometric properties.

Methods: The scale was adapted and validated according to standard guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of questionnaires (Échelle des comportements observables; ÉCO). The reliability and construct validity of the ÉCO were studied among 29 inpatients and outpatients who sustained an acquired brain injury.

Distance to faults as a proxy for radon gas concentration in dwellings.

This research was done to demonstrate the usefulness of the local structural geology characteristics to predict indoor radon concentrations. The presence of geologic faults near dwellings increases the vulnerability of the dwellings to elevated indoor radon by providing favorable pathways from the source uranium-rich bedrock units to the surface. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analyses of variance by ranks were used to determine the distance where faults have statistically significant influence on indoor radon concentrations.