DNA methylation-array interlaboratory comparison trial demonstrates highly reproducible paediatric CNS tumour classification across 13 international centres.

Aims: DNA methylation profiling, recently endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a pivotal diagnostic tool for brain tumours, most commonly relies on bead arrays. Despite its widespread use, limited data exist on the technical reproducibility and potential cross-institutional differences. The LOGGIC Core BioClinical Data Bank registry conducted a prospective laboratory comparison trial with 12 international laboratories to enhance diagnostic accuracy for paediatric low-grade gliomas, focusing on technical aspects of DNA methylation data generation and profile interpretation under clinical real-time conditions.

Financing decisions in private family firms: a family firm pecking order.

Abstract: Family firms are one of the most ubiquitous forms of business organizations worldwide. Their survival and growth are thus not only crucial for the firms themselves but also for the overall economy. One of the factors that influence their survival and development are their financing decisions.

Sex differences in audience effects on anogenital scent marking in the red-fronted lemur.

How the presence of conspecifics affects scent mark deposition remains an understudied aspect of olfactory communication, even though scent marking occurs in different social contexts. Sex differences in scent-marking behaviour are common, and sex-specific effects of the audience could therefore be expected. We investigated sex differences in intra-group audience effects on anogenital scent marking in four groups of wild red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons) by performing focal scent-marking observations.

Mental Health in Family Businesses and Business Families: A Systematic Review.

Mental health issues in family businesses and business families have been studied in multiple disciplines within the past three decades. This article systematically reviews 51 articles on mental health issues in family businesses and business families, published in a wide variety of psychology, entrepreneurship, and management journals. Based on a systematic review of extant literature, this article first provides an overview of the state of the art, followed by specific suggestions on novel research questions, theoretical frameworks and study design.

Efficacy of three innovative bacterin vaccines against experimental infection with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

New vaccine formulations that include novel strains of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and innovative adjuvants designed to induce cellular immunity could improve vaccine efficacy against this pathogen. The aim of this experimental study was to assess the efficacy of three experimental bacterin formulations based on M. hyopneumoniae field strain F7.

Cytokines trigger disruption of endothelium barrier function and p38 MAP kinase activation in -silenced human lung microvascular endothelial cells.

The bone morphogenetic protein receptor II (BMPRII) signaling pathway is impaired in pulmonary arterial hypertension and mutations in the gene have been observed in both heritable and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, all mutation carriers do not develop pulmonary arterial hypertension, and inflammation could trigger the development of the disease in mutation carriers. Circulating levels and/or lung tissue expression of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α or interleukin-18 are elevated in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and could be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Systems Immunology Characterization of Novel Vaccine Formulations for Bacterins.

We characterized five different vaccine candidates and a commercial vaccine in terms of safety, immunogenicity and using a systems vaccinology approach, with the aim to select novel vaccine candidates against . Seven groups of six -free piglets were primo- and booster vaccinated with the different experimental bacterin formulations, the commercial vaccine Hyogen® as a positive control or PBS as a negative control. The experimental bacterin was formulated with cationic liposomes + c-di-AMP (Lipo_AMP), cationic liposomes + Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/1, TLR7, and TLR9 ligands (TLR ligands; Lipo_TLR), micro-particles + TLR ligands (PLGA_TLR), squalene-in-water emulsion + TLR ligands (SWE_TLR), or DDA:TDB liposomes (Lipo_DDA:TDB).

Effects of pre-farrowing sow vaccination against on offspring colonisation and lung lesions.

This study investigated colonisation and lung lesions at slaughter in pigs from vaccinated (V) and non-vaccinated (NV) sows, in two herds (A and B). In each herd, two sow batches were V against with a commercial bacterin at six and three weeks before farrowing and two sow batches remained NV. From each sow batch, laryngeal swabs were collected from the litters of five primiparous sows at weaning and seven days post-weaning.

Clinical impact of deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol on the severity of an experimental Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection in pigs.

Background: The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is highly prevalent in cereals in moderate climates and therefore pigs are often exposed to a DON-contaminated diet. Pigs are highly susceptible to DON and intake of DON-contaminated feed may lead to an altered immune response and may influence the pathogenesis of specific bacterial diseases. Therefore, the maximum guidance level in feed is lowest in this species and has been set at 900 μg/kg feed by the European Commission.

Role of mycotoxins in herds with and without problems with tail necrosis in neonatal pigs.

This study aimed to investigate a possible involvement of mycotoxins in neonatal tail necrosis in piglets. Ten affected and 10 non-affected farms were selected. Sow feed samples were analysed for the presence of 23 mycotoxins by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Efficacy of one dose vaccination against experimental infection with two Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strains.

Background: Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is the primary agent of enzootic pneumonia in pigs. Pigs are often infected with different M.

Intraocular Pressure Fluctuations and 24-Hour Continuous Monitoring for Glaucoma Risk in Wind Instrument Players.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of playing a wind instrument on intraocular pressure (IOP) and to monitor 24-hour (IOP) fluctuations in wind musicians of symphony and wind orchestras to compare IOP levels during normal daily activities with IOP levels during playing.

Methods: Professional and amateur musicians of symphony and wind orchestras were invited to participate. A total of 42 participants, 9 with glaucoma, underwent a routine ophthalmologic examination.

vaccination at or shortly before weaning under field conditions: a randomised efficacy trial.

This study assessed the efficacy of two different vaccination programmes in relation to the time of weaning. Eight hundred and twenty-eight piglets were randomly divided into three groups: group V1 was vaccinated three days before weaning, group V2 at weaning (21 days of age) and group NV was left non-vaccinated. Vaccinations were performed using Ingelvac MycoFLEX.

Measuring Successful Aging With Respect for Preferences of Older Persons.

Objectives: This paper explores how to measure successful aging in a manner consistent with the preferences of older persons about what matters in their lives.

Method: To overcome the fact that existing objective and subjective measures of successful aging may not reflect the preferences of older persons about what matters in their lives, a new preference-based measure of successful aging is proposed. To implement the measure, the preferences of older persons are estimated using a statistical life satisfaction model, which is estimated with data from 11 European countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

Impact of diversity of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strains on lung lesions in slaughter pigs.

The importance of diversity of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) strains is not yet fully known. This study investigated the genetic diversity of M.

Efficacy of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination before and at weaning against experimental challenge infection in pigs.

Background: Commercial bacterins are widely used at weaning to control Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections in pigs. However, it is not known whether the efficacy of vaccinating against M. hyopneumoniae can be influenced by the weaning process when vaccination is applied at the day of weaning.

Serotype-dependent transduction efficiencies of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors in monkey neocortex.

Viral vector-mediated expression of genes (e.g., coding for opsins and designer receptors) has grown increasingly popular.

Impact of particulate matter and ammonia on average daily weight gain, mortality and lung lesions in pigs.

The present study investigated the simultaneous influence of particulate matter (PM10) and ammonia (NH3) on performance, lung lesions and the presence of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) in finishing pigs. A pig herd experiencing clinical problems of M.

Exposure levels of farmers and veterinarians to particulate matter and gases during operational tasks in pig-fattening houses.

The main objective of the study was to assess particulate matter (PM) exposure levels for both the farmer and the veterinarian during different operational tasks in pig-fattening houses, and to estimate their exposure levels on a daily working basis (time-weighted average (TWA)). The measured PM fractions were: inhalable and respirable PM, PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.

Immune responses of a chimaeric protein vaccine containing Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antigens and LTB against experimental M. hyopneumoniae infection in pigs.

A recombinant chimaeric protein containing three Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antigens (C-terminal portion of P97, heat shock protein P42, and NrdF) fused to an adjuvant, the B subunit of heat-labile enterotoxin of Escherichia coli (LTB), was used to immunize pigs against enzootic pneumonia. The systemic and local immune responses, as well as the efficacy of the chimaeric protein in inducing protection against experimental M. hyopneumoniae infection were evaluated.

Efficacy of vaccination against Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae in two Belgian farrow-to-finish pig herds with a history of chronic pleurisy.

The efficacy of an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae subunit vaccine based on ApxIA, ApxIIA, ApxIIIA and OMP-2 (Porcilis App, MSD) was investigated in two farrow-to-finish pig herds (A and B) affected by chronic pleurisy. In total, 1161 pigs were included. At three weeks of age, the pigs were randomly allocated to non-vaccinated control (NV; n=580) and vaccinated (V; n=581) groups.

Viral vectors expressing a single microRNA-based short-hairpin RNA result in potent gene silencing in vitro and in vivo.

The characterization of RNA interference and the accompanying microRNAs (miRs), together with the exogenous expression of artificial miR-like elements, has led to the development of strategies for specific and potent gene silencing. In turn, this allows manipulation of gene expression levels for target validation purposes in cell culture or for the generation of animal models. In this study we determined the optimal strategy to achieve the most potent knockdown using miR-based viral vectors.

Lenalidomide in relapsed refractory myeloma patients: impact of previous response to bortezomib and thalidomide on treatment efficacy. Results of a medical need program in Belgium.

The prognosis of multiple myeloma patients has significantly improved since the introduction of the novel agents thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide. We report the data of a medical need programme with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone, conducted in Belgium between August 2007 and March 2008, and including 98 relapsed refractory multiple myeloma patients. In addition to chemotherapy and steroids, all patients had received prior treatment with bortezomib, and 84% of them had been exposed to thalidomide.