Large scale sampling of Mexican maize landraces for the presence of transgenes.

The presence and levels of transgenic maize in Mexico and the effect this could have on local landraces or closely related species such as teosinte has been the subject of several previous reports, some showing contrasting results. Cultural, social and political factors all affect maize cultivation in Mexico and although since 1998 there has been a moratorium on the commercial cultivation of transgenic maize, Mexico imports maize, mainly from the USA where transgenic cultivars are widely grown. Additionally extensive migration between rural areas in Mexico and the USA and customs of seed exchange between farmers may also play an unintentional role in the establishment of transgenic seed.

Results of a Phase II Trial of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Using Y-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan (Zevalin) in Combination With Fludarabine and Melphalan in Patients With High-Risk B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) is potentially curative for relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-cell NHL). However, relapse remains a major cause of treatment failure, especially in patients with either positron emission tomography (PET)-positive and/or chemoresistant disease prior to alloHCT. Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) is a radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibody which is a safe and effective therapy in multiple histologic subtypes of B-cell NHL and has also been incorporated in both autologous HCT (autoHCT) and alloHCT conditioning regimens.

Idiopathic subglottic stenosis arises at the epithelial interface of host and pathogen.

Background: Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a rare fibrotic disease of the proximal airway affecting adult Caucasian women nearly exclusively. Life-threatening ventilatory obstruction occurs secondary to pernicious subglottic mucosal scar. Disease rarity and wide geographic patient distribution has previously limited substantive mechanistic investigation into iSGS pathogenesis.

Analysis of AT7519 as a pro-resolution compound in an acetaminophen-induced mouse model of acute inflammation by UPLC-MS/MS.

Background: Uncontrolled inflammation contributes to the progression of organ damage in acute conditions, such as acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury (APAP-ALI) and there are limited treatments for this condition. AT7519, a cyclic-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), has been used successfully in several conditions, to resolve inflammation and return tissue homeostatic functions. AT7519 has not been assessed in APAP-ALI and its effect on APAP metabolism is unknown.

Mechanosensory Control of Locomotion in Animals and Robots: Moving Forward.

While animals swim, crawl, walk, and fly with apparent ease, building robots capable of robust locomotion remains a significant challenge. In this review, we draw attention to mechanosensation-the sensing of mechanical forces generated within and outside the body-as a key sense that enables robust locomotion in animals. We discuss differences between mechanosensation in animals and current robots with respect to (1) the encoding properties and distribution of mechanosensors and (2) the integration and regulation of mechanosensory feedback.

Rapid Emergence of Potentially Transmissible Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 With Resistance to Combination Monoclonal Antibody Therapy.

Prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 may generate new viral variants. We report an immunocompromised patient treated with monoclonal antibodies who experienced rebound of viral RNA and emergence of an antibody-resistant (>1000-fold) variant containing 5 mutations in the spike gene. The mutant virus was isolated from respiratory secretions, suggesting the potential for secondary transmission.

On-Site Detection of Neonicotinoid Pesticides Using Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Halogen Bonding.

Neonicotinoid (NN) pesticides have emerged globally as one of the most widely used agricultural tools for protecting crops from pest damage and boosting food production. Unfortunately, some NN compounds, such as extensively employed imidacloprid-based pesticides, have also been identified as likely endangering critical pollinating insects like honey bees. To this end, NN pesticides pose a potential threat to world food supplies.

Impact on the trachea in children with prenatally diagnosed vascular ring formed by a right aortic arch.

Objective: There has been a rise in the prenatal detection of right sided aortic arch (RAA). When associated with a left-sided arterial duct (LD), this forms a vascular ring encircling the trachea. Infants may have symptoms or signs suggestive of tracheoesophageal compression but many are asymptomatic.

"I Feel Like I Work Full-Time for Parkinson's": A Longitudinal Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Parkinson's Informal Caregivers during COVID-19 in England.

While the direct effects of COVID-19 caused widespread global suffering and death, the indirect impacts-via public health preventative measures and a reduction in health and social care services-were also devastating for many. More recently, it has also become increasingly apparent that such measures have had disproportionate effects, exacerbating existing health inequalities. For caregivers of individuals with chronic illness, the effects have been marked and particularly so for informal caregivers of individuals with complex neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's.

Incremental prognostic value of biomarkers in PARADIGM-HF.

Aims: It is uncertain how much candidate biomarkers improve risk prediction when added to comprehensive models including routinely collected clinical and laboratory variables in heart failure.

Methods And Results: Aldosterone, cystatin C, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), galectin-3, growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), kidney injury molecule-1, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9, soluble suppression of tumourigenicity-2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio were measured in 1559 of PARADIGM-HF participants. We tested whether these biomarkers, individually or collectively, improved the performance of the PREDICT-HF prognostic model, which includes clinical, routine laboratory, and natriuretic peptide data, for the primary endpoint and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

Deciphering molecular mechanisms stabilizing the reovirus-binding complex.

Mammalian orthoreoviruses (reoviruses) serve as potential triggers of celiac disease and have oncolytic properties, making these viruses potential cancer therapeutics. Primary attachment of reovirus to host cells is mainly mediated by the trimeric viral protein, σ1, which engages cell-surface glycans, followed by high-affinity binding to junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A). This multistep process is thought to be accompanied by major conformational changes in σ1, but direct evidence is lacking.

Potential Mechanisms Underlying the Dysfunction of the Blood-Brain Barrier.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) comprises a highly specialised complex of cells within the neurovascular unit, and is responsible for tightly regulating homeostasis within the central nervous system, which is critical for maintaining neuronal function [...

The Canadian Food Intake Screener for assessing alignment of adults' dietary intake with the 2019 Canada's Food Guide healthy food choices recommendations: scoring system and construct validity.

The Canadian Food Intake Screener was developed to rapidly assess alignment of dietary intake with the Canada's Food Guide-2019 healthy food choices recommendations. Scoring is aligned with the Healthy Eating Food Index-2019 to the extent possible. Among a sample of adults, reasonable variation in screener scores was noted, mean screener scores differed between some subgroups with known differences in diet quality, and a moderate correlation between screener scores and total Healthy Eating Food Index-2019 scores based on repeat 24 h dietary recalls was observed.

Microbial β-glucuronidases drive human periodontal disease etiology.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with persistent oral microbial dysbiosis. The human β-glucuronidase (GUS) degrades constituents of the periodontium and is used as a biomarker for periodontitis severity. However, the human microbiome also encodes GUS enzymes, and the role of these factors in periodontal disease is poorly understood.

Neurologists' lived experiences of communicating the diagnosis of a motor neurodegenerative condition: an interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Background: Receiving the diagnosis of a motor neurodegenerative condition (MNDC) can be a life-changing experience. Although several studies of individuals' experiences have indicated dissatisfaction with aspects of how an MNDC diagnosis was communicated, few studies have addressed doctors' experiences of breaking bad news for these conditions, especially from a qualitative perspective. This study explored UK neurologists' lived experience of delivering an MNDC diagnosis.

King rail () home range and microhabitat characteristics in western Lake Erie coastal marshes.

The king rail () is a secretive marsh bird that is threatened or endangered in eight of nine states and provinces in the Laurentian Great Lakes (Great Lakes) region. Available survey data suggests that this species has undergone population declines across this region and these are believed to have been driven by habitat loss and degradation. An improved understanding of the amount and type of habitat king rails require during the breeding season at sites within the Great Lakes region would inform and improve progress toward conservation goals.

Diverse but desolate landscape of gut microbial azoreductases: A rationale for idiopathic IBD drug response.

Prodrugs reliant on microbial activation are widely used but exhibit a range of efficacies that remain poorly understood. The anti-inflammatory compound 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), which is packaged in a variety of azo-linked prodrugs provided to most Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients, shows confounding inter-individual variabilities in response. Such prodrugs must be activated by azo-bond reduction to form 5-ASA, a process that has been attributed to both enzymatic and non-enzymatic catalysis.

Prevalence of Oral Pathogen among Clinical Orthodontic and Non-Orthodontic Saliva Samples.

(SE) is a recently identified intestinal microbe, which recent oral surveys suggest may be associated with oral diseases including caries and periodontal disease. Based upon the lack of information regarding this organism, the primary objective of this study was to determine the oral prevalence of this microbe and any potential associations with patient characteristics such as age, sex, or the presence of orthodontic appliances. This retrospective study involved the screening of an existing saliva repository composed of previously collected unstimulated clinical saliva samples.

Extended reality for procedural planning and guidance in structural heart disease - a review of the state-of-the-art.

Extended reality (XR), which encompasses virtual, augmented and mixed reality, is an emerging medical imaging display platform which enables intuitive and immersive interaction in a three-dimensional space. This technology holds the potential to enhance understanding of complex spatial relationships when planning and guiding cardiac procedures in congenital and structural heart disease moving beyond conventional 2D and 3D image displays. A systematic review of the literature demonstrates a rapid increase in publications describing adoption of this technology.

Disparities in Utilization of Palliative Care in Patients Experiencing Homelessness.

Background: Patients experiencing homelessness have increased disease burden, increased severity of illness, and increased barriers to accessing care. The provision of high-quality palliative care is therefore essential for this population. State of Homelessness: 18 out of every 10,000 people in the US and 10 out of every 10,000 Rhode Islanders (down from 12 in 2010) experience homelessness.

Caregiver Perspectives on Including Children in Alternative Emergency Medical Services Disposition Programs: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: Almost half of pediatric EMS calls may be for low-acuity problems. Many EMS agencies have implemented alternative disposition programs for low-acuity patients, including transportation to clinics, substituting taxis for ambulances, and treatment in place without transport to an emergency department. Including children in such programs poses specific challenges, with one concern being potential caregiver opposition.