PFAS Compounds PFOA and Gen X are Teratogenic to Sea Urchin Embryos.

Per-and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that are used to make fluoropolymer coatings found in many products, such as non-stick pans, clothing, cosmetics, and food packaging. These highly persistent molecules are known as "forever chemicals" since they neither degrade environmentally nor break down enzymatically within biological systems. PFAS compounds readily contaminate water sources, and as a result, certain PFAS molecules have bioaccumulated in exposed species including humans.

Is breathing frequency a potential means for monitoring exercise intensity in people with atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease when heart rate is mitigated?

Purpose: Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is safe and beneficial in atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Irregular or rapid heart rates (HR) in AF and other heart conditions create a challenge to using HR to monitor exercise intensity. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of breathing frequency (BF) to monitor exercise intensity in people with AF and CHD without AF.

Clinical and biological landscape of constitutional mismatch-repair deficiency syndrome: an International Replication Repair Deficiency Consortium cohort study.

Background: Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) syndrome is a rare and aggressive cancer predisposition syndrome. Because a scarcity of data on this condition contributes to management challenges and poor outcomes, we aimed to describe the clinical spectrum, cancer biology, and impact of genetics on patient survival in CMMRD.

Methods: In this cohort study, we collected cross-sectional and longitudinal data on all patients with CMMRD, with no age limits, registered with the International Replication Repair Deficiency Consortium (IRRDC) across more than 50 countries.

Proteomic and Lipidomic Profiling of Calves Experimentally Co-Infected with Influenza D Virus and : Insights into the Host-Pathogen Interactions.

The role of Influenza D virus (IDV) in bovine respiratory disease remains unclear. An in vivo experiment resulted in increased clinical signs, lesions, and pathogen replication in calves co-infected with IDV and (. ), compared to single-infected calves.

In-person and virtual adaptation of an interprofessional palliative care communications skills training course for pediatric oncology clinicians.

Purpose: Effective, empathic communication is crucial for pediatric oncology clinicians when discussing palliative and end-of-life (PC/EOL) care with parents of children with cancer. Unfortunately, many parents report inadequate communication at these distressing times. This study evaluates the communication skills training (CST) clinicians received to deliver a PC/EOL communication intervention as part of a multi-site randomized-controlled trial (RCT).

Establishment and characterization of patient-derived xenograft of a rare pediatric anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) bearing a CDC42SE2-BRAF fusion.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare subset of primary pediatric glioma with 70% 5-year disease free survival. However, up to 20% of cases present with local recurrence and malignant transformation into more aggressive type anaplastic PXA (AXPA) or glioblastoma. The understanding of disease etiology and mechanisms driving PXA and APXA are limited, and there is no standard of care.

ICAT: a novel algorithm to robustly identify cell states following perturbations in single-cell transcriptomes.

Motivation: The detection of distinct cellular identities is central to the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) experiments. However, in perturbation experiments, current methods typically fail to correctly match cell states between conditions or erroneously remove population substructure. Here, we present the novel, unsupervised algorithm Identify Cell states Across Treatments (ICAT) that employs self-supervised feature weighting and control-guided clustering to accurately resolve cell states across heterogeneous conditions.

Targeted treatment of refractory primitive neuroectodermal tumor arising from an immature teratoma with crizotinib leading to a sustained response.

Here we present a case of metastatic PNET which arose from an immature teratoma that was refractory to standard Ewing sarcoma chemotherapy. This PNET was determined to have elevated levels of ALK protein via IHC. The patient was treated with crizotinib on a palliative basis with a sustained response.

Effect of Elite Sport on Physical Activity Practice in the General Population: A Systematic Review.

Background: Our study investigated the effect of elite sport on physical activity (PA) practice in the general population.

Methods: Structured Boolean searches were conducted across 5 electronic databases (PubMed, JSTOR, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and PsycInfo) from January 2000 to August 2021. Peer-reviewed studies in English were included if the effects of hosting elite sport events, elite sport success, and elite sport role modeling on PA/sport practice in the general population were measured.

Ethanol exposure perturbs sea urchin development and disrupts developmental timing.

Ethanol is a known vertebrate teratogen that causes craniofacial defects as a component of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Our results show that sea urchin embryos treated with ethanol similarly show broad skeletal patterning defects, potentially analogous to the defects associated with FAS. The sea urchin larval skeleton is a simple patterning system that involves only two cell types: the primary mesenchymal cells (PMCs) that secrete the calcium carbonate skeleton and the ectodermal cells that provide migratory, positional, and differentiation cues for the PMCs.

Development and assessment of a new bioassay for accurate quantification of Type I interferons induced by bovine respiratory viruses.

Type I interferon (IFN-I) plays a major role in antiviral and inflammatory processes of the infected host. In the bovine industry, the bovine respiratory disease complex is a major cause of economic and health problems. This disease is caused by interactions of pathogens, together with environmental and host factors.

Advanced Characterisation of Soft Polymers under Cyclic Loading in Context of Engine Mounts.

The experimental investigation of viscoelastic behavior of cyclically loaded elastomeric components with respect to the time and the frequency domain is critical for industrial applications. Moreover, the validation of this behavior through numerical simulations as part of the concept of virtual prototypes is equally important. Experiments, combined measurements and test setups for samples as well as for rubber-metal components are presented and evaluated with regard to their industrial application.

Future-Oriented Experimental Characterization of 3D Printed and Conventional Elastomers Based on Their Swelling Behavior.

The present study investigates different elastomers with regard to their behavior towards liquids such as moisture, fuels, or fuel components. First, four additively manufactured materials are examined in detail with respect to their swelling in the fuel component toluene as well as in water. The chemical nature of the materials is elucidated by means of infrared spectroscopy.

Interprofessional spiritual care education in pediatric hematology-oncology: A pilot study.

Background: Evidence and clinical guidelines call care team members to address the spiritual well-being of pediatric patients, especially adolescents and young adults (AYA), with cancer and blood disorders. However, the lack of relevant training in generalist spiritual care has been a key barrier. Therefore, we aimed to improve clinicians' capabilities by utilizing the Interprofessional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC) to close this gap in pediatric hematology-oncology.

Customisable Tablet Printing: The Development of Multimaterial Hot Melt Inkjet 3D Printing to Produce Complex and Personalised Dosage Forms.

One of the most striking characteristics of 3D printing is its capability to produce multi-material objects with complex geometry. In pharmaceutics this translates to the possibility of dosage forms with multi-drug loading, tailored dosing and release. We have developed a novel dual material hot-melt inkjet 3D printing system which allows for precisely controlled multi-material solvent free inkjet printing.

Relation of arterial stiffness with postural control in older people.

Purpose: Arterial stiffness generates vascular alterations that may cause balance disorders and falls. This study aimed to investigate the possible link between arterial stiffness and postural control under different sensorial conditions in patients over 65 years.

Methods: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in 47 participants aged over 65 years to evaluate their arterial stiffness (high PWV).

Association between a national public health campaign for physical activity for patients with chronic diseases and the participation in Phase III cardiac rehabilitation in Luxembourg.

Background: A 2-stage national campaign promoting physical activity for patients with chronic diseases (including cardiovascular disease) was implemented in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in 2018. The first stage consisted of national TV and radio advertisements broadcasted from June 15, 2018 to July 29, 2018. The second stage was a promotional mail sent to all medical doctors on September 3, 2018.

Improving the screening of precancerous anal lesions in high-risk subjects with normal cytology: A longitudinal cohort study using simple tests.

Unlabelled: For patients at high risk of anal cancer, annual screening strategies using invasive evaluation methods are stressful. According to a normal examination at baseline using simple and non invasive tests, the aim of the work was to quantify neoplastic events.

Patients And Method: Data from patients with a normal evaluation at the first visit were retrospectively extracted from a prospective database.

Limited Cross-Protection Provided by Prior Infection Contributes to High Prevalence of Influenza D Viruses in Cattle.

Since its detection in swine, influenza D virus (IDV) has been shown to be present in multiple animal hosts, and bovines have been identified as its natural reservoir. However, it remains unclear how IDVs emerge, evolve, spread, and maintain in bovine populations. Through multiple years of virological and serological surveillance in a single order-buyer cattle facility in Mississippi, we showed consistently high seroprevalence of IDVs in cattle and recovered a total of 32 IDV isolates from both healthy and sick animals, including those with antibodies against IDV.

[Development of a grid for characterizing structures offering adapted physical activity programs for people who have had cancer].

As the benefits of physical activity (PA) in oncology field continue to be demonstrated, multiple structures (sports clubs, associations…) develop PA programs and activities to offer cancer patients survivors the opportunity to continue adapted physical activity. Promoted in the 2014-2019 cancer plan as complementary supportive care, the practice of physical activity is legitimized by the 2016 Health Act of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, including the amendment 'prescription health sport', by giving it a legislative framework. In this context of development of new PA offers for cancer patients, it seems necessary to determine and evaluate the structures on their capacities to supervise physical activities for this population with specific needs.

Motivational Interviewing to Increase Physical Activity Behavior in Cancer Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed at evaluating the feasibility and potential efficacy of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to increase physical activity (PA) behavior in cancer patients.

Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group with standard care plus 12 MI sessions within 12 weeks or a control group with standard care only. The number of recruited participants and the modality of recruitment were recorded to describe the reach of the study.

A Process-Based Approach to Responding to Parents or Guardians Who Hope for a Miracle.

When parents or guardians hope for a miracle for their child who is critically ill, ethical and professional challenges can arise. Often, although not always, the parent or guardian's hope for a miracle entails a request for continued life-sustaining interventions. Striking a balance between the pediatrician's conception of good medicine and the parent or guardian's authority requires a response that is sensitive, practical, and ethically sound.

Seizure freedom from recurrent insular low-grade glioma following laser interstitial thermal therapy.

Pediatric low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are found in approximately 1-3% of patients with childhood epilepsy that is often medically refractory. Magnetic resonance guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a minimal access technique FDA-approved since 2007 to ablate soft tissue lesions including brain tumors and seizure foci in children. The authors describe the case of an 11-year-old boy who presented with focal right-sided seizures and was found to have a growing left insular mass determined to be a WHO grade II diffuse astrocytoma.