Virtual laboratories complement but should not replace face-to-face classes: Perceptions of life science students at Dundalk Institute of Technology, Ireland.

Virtual laboratories (VLs) enable students to experiment, analyze data or interact with digital content in a non-physical space. VLs include simulations, electronic notebooks, videos and augmented reality. As part of the 'VL Project', comprising 5 academic institutions in Ireland, we sought to determine how VLs might enhance practical learning in undergraduate life science students at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT).

The clinical and molecular landscape of diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant.

Background: Diffuse hemispheric glioma, histone 3 (H3) G34-mutant, has been newly defined in the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system tumors. Here we sought to define the prognostic roles of clinical, neuroimaging, pathological, and molecular features of these tumors.

Methods: We retrospectively assembled a cohort of 114 patients (median age 22 years) with diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant, CNS WHO grade 4 and profiled the imaging, histological and molecular landscape of their tumors.

A conserved switch to less catalytically active Polycomb repressive complexes in non-dividing cells.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), composed of the core subunits EED, SUZ12, and either EZH1 or EZH2, is critical for maintaining cellular identity in multicellular organisms. PRC2 deposits H3K27me3, which is thought to recruit the canonical form of PRC1 (cPRC1) to promote gene repression. Here, we show that EZH1-PRC2 and cPRC1 are the primary Polycomb complexes on target genes in non-dividing, quiescent cells.

Evaluating the transition of adolescents and young adults with palliative care needs from pediatric to adult care.

Background: The transition from pediatric to adult healthcare poses significant challenges for adolescents and young adults (AYA), especially those with chronic conditions, yet most children receive inadequate transition preparation. Research on the transition for patients receiving palliative care services is particularly limited. We sought to address this gap in the literature.

An ideal compressed mask for increasing speech intelligibility without sacrificing environmental sound recognitiona).

Hearing impairment is often characterized by poor speech-in-noise recognition. State-of-the-art laboratory-based noise-reduction technology can eliminate background sounds from a corrupted speech signal and improve intelligibility, but it can also hinder environmental sound recognition (ESR), which is essential for personal independence and safety. This paper presents a time-frequency mask, the ideal compressed mask (ICM), that aims to provide listeners with improved speech intelligibility without substantially reducing ESR.

Facilitators and barriers to monitoring and evaluation at syringe service programs.

Background: Syringe services programs (SSPs) provide harm reduction supplies and services to people who use drugs and are often required by funders or partners to collect data from program participants. SSPs can use these data during monitoring and evaluation (M&E) to inform programmatic decision making, however little is known about facilitators and barriers to collecting and using data at SSPs.

Methods: Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we conducted 12 key informant interviews with SSP staff to describe the overall landscape of data systems at SSPs, understand facilitators and barriers to data collection and use at SSPs, and generate recommendations for best practices for data collection at SSPs.

Insights on epidemiology, morbidity and mortality of Cushing's disease in Northern Ireland.

Cushing's disease is a rare condition that occurs due to an adrenocorticotrophin-producing corticotrophinoma arising from the pituitary gland. The consequent hypercortisolaemia results in multisystem morbidity and mortality. This study aims to report incidence, clinicopathological characteristics, remission outcomes and mortality in a regional pituitary neurosurgical cohort of patients diagnosed with Cushing's disease in Northern Ireland (NI) from 2000 to 2019.

Factors Affecting Mode of Birth in Women With Preexisting Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort at a Tertiary Referral Center.

Women with preexisting diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at higher risk for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, there is no consensus on a uniform approach regarding mode of birth (MOB) for all forms of diabetes. The aim of the study is to compare MOB in women with preexisting diabetes and GDM and possible factors influencing it.

The Optimal Speech-to-Background Ratio for Balancing Speech Recognition With Environmental Sound Recognition.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the speech-to-background ratios (SBRs) at which normal-hearing (NH) and hearing-impaired (HI) listeners can recognize both speech and environmental sounds when the two types of signals are mixed. Also examined were the effect of individual sounds on speech recognition and environmental sound recognition (ESR), and the impact of divided versus selective attention on these tasks.

Design: In Experiment 1 (divided attention), 11 NH and 10 HI listeners heard sentences mixed with environmental sounds at various SBRs and performed speech recognition and ESR tasks concurrently in each trial.

Inseparable RNA binding and chromatin modification activities of a nucleosome-interacting surface in EZH2.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) interacts with RNA in cells, but there is no consensus on how RNA regulates PRC2 canonical functions, including chromatin modification and the maintenance of transcription programs in lineage-committed cells. We assayed two separation-of-function mutants of the PRC2 catalytic subunit EZH2, defective in RNA binding but functional in methyltransferase activity. We find that part of the RNA-binding surface of EZH2 is required for chromatin modification, yet this activity is independent of RNA.

The apparent loss of PRC2 chromatin occupancy as an artifact of RNA depletion.

RNA has been implicated in the recruitment of chromatin modifiers, and previous studies have provided evidence in favor and against this idea. RNase treatment of chromatin is commonly used to study RNA-mediated regulation of chromatin modifiers, but the limitations of this approach remain unclear. RNase A treatment during chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) reduces chromatin occupancy of the H3K27me3 methyltransferase Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2).

Descriptive summary of fatal work-related injuries, Western States, 2011-2017.

Work-related deaths are a persistent occupational health issue that can be prevented. However, prevention opportunities can be hampered by a lack of adequate public health resources. The Western States Occupational Network (WestON) is a network of federal, state, and local occupational health professionals that includes a 19-state region of the United States.

Effect of skin tone on the accuracy of the estimation of arterial oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry: a systematic review.

Background: Pulse oximetry-derived oxygen saturation (SpO) is an estimate of true arterial oxygen saturation (SaO). The aim of this review was to evaluate available evidence determining the effect of skin tone on the ability of pulse oximeters to accurately estimate SaO.

Methods: Published literature was screened to identify clinical and non-clinical studies enrolling adults and children when SpO was compared with a paired co-oximetry SaO value.

The Correlation Between Lymphocyte Nadir and Radiation Therapy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Defining Key Dosimetric Parameters and Outlining Clinical Significance.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to identify key dosimetric parameters associated with postradiation therapy lymphopenia and uncover any effect on clinical outcomes.

Methods And Materials: This was a retrospective review of 69 patients (between April 2010 and January 2023) who underwent radiation therapy (RT) as a part of curative intent for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) at a single academic institution. All patients with treatment plans available to review and measurable absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) nadir within a year after completion of RT were included.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Women Older than 65 with Breast Cancer Brain Metastases.

Background: Breast cancer is the second most common cause of brain metastases (BM). Despite increasing incidence of BM in older women, there are limited data on the optimal management of BM in this age group. In this study, we assessed the survival outcomes and treatment patterns of older breast cancer patients ≥65 years old with BM compared to younger patients at our institution.

The Need for Responsive Workforce Development During the Pandemic and Beyond: A Case Study of the Regional Public Health Training Centers.

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of a strong public health infrastructure for protecting and supporting the health of communities. This includes ensuring an adaptive workforce capable of leading through rapidly changing circumstances, communicating effectively, and applying systems thinking to leverage cross-sector partnerships that help promote health equity. The 10 Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTCs) advance the capacity of the current and future public health workforce through skill development and technical assistance in these and other strategic areas.

'I feel that I should decide on my own….': who should be involved in the decision-making process for adolescent involvement in HIV research?

Introduction: Efforts to improve health outcomes among adolescents and young adults living with HIV (ALHs) are hampered by limited adolescent engagement in HIV-related research. We sought to understand the views of adolescents, caregivers and healthcare workers (HCWs) about who should make decisions regarding ALHs' research participation.

Methods: We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with ALHs (aged 14-24 years), caregivers of ALHs and HCWs from six HIV care clinics in Western Kenya.

Impact of the MIND Diet on Cognition in Individuals with Dementia.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) plagues 6.5 million Americans 65+, yet treatments are lacking. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has been developed to address the expansive impact of dementias on the general public.

Urine antimony and risk of cardiovascular disease - A prospective case-cohort study in Danish Non-Smokers.

Background: Limited evidence suggests that antimony induces vascular inflammation and oxidative stress and may play a role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, few studies have examined whether environmental antimony from sources other than tobacco smoking is related with CVD risk. The general population may be exposed through air, drinking water, and food that contains antimony from natural and anthropogenic sources, such as mining, coal combustion, and manufacturing.

Effect of a same day appointment initiative on racial disparities in access for radiation oncology.

Purpose: We present our single-institution experience with the development of a same day access scheduling initiative for an outpatient radiation oncology unit, focusing on its potential influence on ameliorating racial disparities.

Methods And Materials: From March 2021 to August 2022, a pilot initiative was conducted such that all new patients referred to a tertiary care-based radiation oncology department were offered the ability to be seen as a same day consultation. The timespan of this analysis was categorized into 2 distinct successive periods over 36 months-a 18-month pre-initiative period (September 2019 to February 2021) and another subsequent one (March 2021 to August 2022).