Usefulness of the Upright Posture Test in the Diagnosis of Primary Aldosteronism.

Objective: To assess the usefulness of the upright posture stimulation test (UPT) in the confirmation of primary aldosteronism (PA) in patients in whom saline tests (ST) were inconclusive.

Methods: One hundred eighty-seven adult patients with possible PA were retrospectively included and compared to 25 control subjects. Blood samples were obtained after a 1-hour supine posture and during 2 hours of ambulation.

Sex-Specific Associations of Aldosterone and Renin with Body Composition: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Context: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) activation is closely linked to obesity; however, the sex-specific associations between RAAS activity and body composition among individuals without obesity are not well understood.

Objective: To investigate the associations of aldosterone and renin with body composition according to sex in the general population.

Design: Population-based cohort study.

Assessing sociodemographic disparities in HPV vaccine uptake among grade 6 and 9 students in the Vancouver Coastal Health region.

Purpose: To identify sociodemographic factors associated with HPV vaccine uptake in a universal, in-school HPV vaccination program, among grade 6 and 9 students in the regional health authority of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), British Columbia (BC), Canada during the 2021/22 school year. VCH operates within the southwest corner of the province of BC serving a mix of urban and rural regions. HPV vaccine is offered in school to all grade 6 students using a two-dose series, with catch up immunizations offered to students in grade 9.

The Experience of Parents of Children With Genetically Determined Leukoencephalopathies With the Health Care System: A Qualitative Study.

Parents of children with genetically determined leukoencephalopathies play a major role in their children's health care. We sought to gain a better understanding of their experience with the public health care system in Quebec, Canada, to obtain suggestions for improving their services, and to identify modifiable factors to improve their quality of life. We conducted interviews with 13 parents.

LCL161 enhances expansion and survival of engineered anti-tumor T cells but is restricted by death signaling.

Background: The genesis of SMAC mimetic drugs is founded on the observation that many cancers amplify IAP proteins to facilitate their survival, and therefore removal of these pathways would re-sensitize the cells towards apoptosis. It has become increasingly clear that SMAC mimetics also interface with the immune system in a modulatory manner. Suppression of IAP function by SMAC mimetics activates the non-canonical NF-κB pathway which can augment T cell function, opening the possibility of using SMAC mimetics to enhance immunotherapeutics.