Pulmonary Toxicity of Boron Nitride Nanomaterials Is Aspect Ratio Dependent.

Boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials have drawn a lot of interest in the material science community. However, extensive research is still needed to thoroughly analyze their safety profiles. Herein, we investigated the pulmonary impact and clearance of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (-BN) nanosheets and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) in mice.

Independent activation of CREB3L2 by glucose fills a regulatory gap in mouse β-cells by co-ordinating insulin biosynthesis with secretory granule formation.

Objective: Although individual steps have been characterized, there is little understanding of the overall process whereby glucose co-ordinates the biosynthesis of insulin with its export out of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and incorporation into insulin secretory granules (ISGs). Here we investigate a role for the transcription factor CREB3L2 in this context.

Methods: MIN6 cells and mouse islets were analysed by immunoblotting after treatment with glucose, fatty acids, thapsigargin and various inhibitors.

Quantifying digital health inequality across a national healthcare system.

Objectives: Digital health inequality, observed as differential utilisation of digital tools between population groups, has not previously been quantified in the National Health Service (NHS). Deployment of universal digital health interventions, including a national smartphone app and online primary care services, allows measurement of digital inequality across a nation. We aimed to measure population factors associated with digital utilisation across 6356 primary care providers serving the population of England.

Lung Persistence, Biodegradation, and Elimination of Graphene-Based Materials are Predominantly Size-Dependent and Mediated by Alveolar Phagocytes.

Graphene-based materials (GBMs) have promising applications in various sectors, including pulmonary nanomedicine. Nevertheless, the influence of GBM physicochemical characteristics on their fate and impact in lung has not been thoroughly addressed. To fill this gap, the biological response, distribution, and bio-persistence of four different GBMs in mouse lungs up to 28 days after single oropharyngeal aspiration are investigated.

Lung recovery from DNA damage induced by graphene oxide is dependent on size, dose and inflammation profile.

Background: A key aspect of any new material safety assessment is the evaluation of their in vivo genotoxicity. Graphene oxide (GO) has been studied for many promising applications, but there are remaining concerns about its safety profile, especially after inhalation. Herein we tested whether GO lateral dimension, comparing micrometric (LGO) and nanometric (USGO) GO sheets, has a role in the formation of DNA double strand breaks in mouse lungs.

Hazard assessment of abraded thermoplastic composites reinforced with reduced graphene oxide.

Graphene-related materials (GRMs) are subject to intensive investigations and considerable progress has been made in recent years in terms of safety assessment. However, limited information is available concerning the hazard potential of GRM-containing products such as graphene-reinforced composites. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the potential biological effects of particles released through an abrasion process from reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-reinforced composites of polyamide 6 (PA6), a widely used engineered thermoplastic polymer, in comparison to as-produced rGO.

Inter-arm blood pressure difference and cardiovascular risk estimation in primary care: a pilot study.

Background: Systolic inter-arm differences (IAD) in blood pressure (BP) contribute independently to cardiovascular risk estimates. This can be used to refine predicted risk and guide personalised interventions.

Aim: To model the effect of accounting for IAD in cardiovascular risk estimation in a primary care population free of pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Innate but Not Adaptive Immunity Regulates Lung Recovery from Chronic Exposure to Graphene Oxide Nanosheets.

Graphene has drawn a lot of interest in the material community due to unique physicochemical properties. Owing to a high surface area to volume ratio and free oxygen groups, the oxidized derivative, graphene oxide (GO) has promising potential as a drug delivery system. Here, the lung tolerability of two distinct GO varying in lateral dimensions is investigated, to reveal the most suitable candidate platform for pulmonary drug delivery.

Precision medicine and phosphoproteomics for the identification of novel targeted therapeutic avenues in sarcomas.

Rapid advances in genomic technologies have enabled in-depth interrogation of cancer genomes, revealing novel and unexpected therapeutic targets in many cancer types. Identifying actionable dependencies in the diverse and heterogeneous group of sarcomas, particularly those that occur in children or adolescents and young adults (AYAs), remains especially challenging. These patients rarely harbor actionable genomic aberrations, no targeted agent is approved, and outcomes have remained poor for the past decades.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: molecular landscape, targeted therapeutics, and remaining challenges.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare mesenchymal tumor of intermediate malignant potential that predominantly affects children, adolescents and young adults. IMT has a predilection for the lung, abdomen, pelvis, and retroperitoneum, however, can affect any part of the body. IMT is typically localized, and multifocal or metastatic disease is uncommon.

Differentiating Glioblastomas from Solitary Brain Metastases: An Update on the Current Literature of Advanced Imaging Modalities.

Differentiating between glioblastomas and solitary brain metastases proves to be a challenging diagnosis for neuroradiologists, as both present with imaging patterns consisting of peritumoral hyperintensities with similar intratumoral texture on traditional magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Early diagnosis is paramount, as each pathology has completely different methods of clinical assessment. In the past decade, recent developments in advanced imaging modalities enabled providers to acquire a more accurate diagnosis earlier in the patient's clinical assessment, thus optimizing clinical outcome.

CD30 and ALK combination therapy has high therapeutic potency in RANBP2-ALK-rearranged epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma.

Background: Epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (eIMS) is characterised by perinuclear ALK localisation, CD30 expression and early relapse despite crizotinib treatment. We aimed to identify therapies to prevent and/or treat ALK inhibitor resistance.

Methods: Malignant ascites, from an eIMS patient at diagnosis and following multiple relapses, were used to generate matched diagnosis and relapse xenografts.

Crizotinib and Surgery for Long-Term Disease Control in Children and Adolescents With ALK-Positive Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors.

Purpose: Before anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors, treatment options for positive inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (AP-IMTs) were unsatisfactory. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of patients with AP-IMT treated with crizotinib to document response, toxicity, survival, and features associated with relapse.

Methods: The cohort comprised eight patients with AP-IMT treated with crizotinib and surgery.

Potentiating the cellular targeting and anti-tumor activity of Dp44mT via binding to human serum albumin: two saturable mechanisms of Dp44mT uptake by cells.

Di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) demonstrates potent anti-cancer activity. We previously demonstrated that 14C-Dp44mT enters and targets cells through a carrier/receptor-mediated uptake process. Despite structural similarity, 2-benzoylpyridine 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Bp4eT) and pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH) enter cells via passive diffusion.

Camp promotes mental health and fun.

The annual Challenge by Choice Camp at Woodman Point in Western Australia is a consumer-led initiative which gives people with mental health conditions a chance to relax, have fun, build friendships and learn new skills in a safe and supportive environment.

Effect of neutering and breed on femoral and tibial physeal closure times in male and female domestic cats.

The timing of physeal closure is dependent upon many factors, including gonadal steroids, and previous studies have shown that early neutering delays physeal closure. Pelvic and femoral radiographs of 808 cats were analysed and physes at the greater trochanter, proximal femur, distal femur and proximal tibia were recorded as being open or closed. Date of birth, gender, neuter status and breed of cases were recorded.

Extracellular ATP signaling in equine digital blood vessels.

The functional distribution of ATP-activated P2 receptors is well characterized for many blood vessels, but not in the equine digital vasculature, which is a superficial vascular bed that displays thermoregulatory functions and has been implicated in ischemia-reperfusion injuries of the hoof. Isolated equine digital arteries (EDA) and veins (EDV) were submitted to isometric tension studies, whereby electric field stimulation (EFS) and concentration-response curves to exogenously applied agonists were constructed under low tone conditions. Additionally, immunofluorescent localization of P2X and P2Y receptor subtypes was performed.

Using a competency based approach in nurse education.

This article examines the development of the competency based approach to assessment in practice within pre-registration nursing. An historical perspective to the approach is given, including brief descriptions of the different models that have been used in nurse training and how these relate to the current system of nurse education. The approach is examined in relation to government, professional and educational requirements.