Identification of Altered Primary Immunodeficiency-Associated Genes and Their Implications in Pediatric Cancers.

Background: Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related mortality in children and malignancies are more frequently observed in individuals with primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs). This study aimed to identify and highlight the molecular mechanisms, such as oncogenesis and immune evasion, by which PID-related genes may lead to the development of pediatric cancers.

Method: We implemented a novel bioinformatics framework using patient data from the TARGET database and performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of PID-related genes in pediatric cancers between normal and cancer tissues, gene ontology enrichment, and protein-protein interaction analyses, and determined the prognostic impacts of commonly mutated and differentially expressed PID-related genes.

A vaping risks education program for school students: Evaluation of the solve mystery toolkit.

One in three grade 7 to 12 students in Canada report trying vaping or e-cigarettes. Despite consequences like nicotine addiction, impaired brain development, increased respiratory symptoms, and association with an increased risk of COVID-19 diagnosis, 48% of youth believe occasional vaping has little to no risk. There is a clear need for youth to learn about vaping consequences.

Mobile technology and healthcare: the adoption issues and systemic problems.

Although the benefits that are associated with mobile technology have been recognised as offering great potential in the healthcare sector, its widespread adoption has been lagging. We propose that fundamental systemic issues are likely to be the main barriers to adoption. We explain that the fragmented nature of the conservative healthcare system, the contradictory incentives and improper outcome measures conspire to make the innovative adoption of mobile technology problematic.

Three-stage contingent screening for Down syndrome.

Objective: To demonstrate the potential value of three-stage sequential screening for Down syndrome.

Methods: Protocols were considered in which maternal serum pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) measurements were taken on all women in the first trimester. Those women with very low Down syndrome risks were screened negative at that stage and nuchal translucency (NT) was measured on the remainder and the risk reassessed.