Accuracy of the National Early Warning Score version 2 (NEWS2) in predicting need for time-critical treatment: retrospective observational cohort study.

Background: Initial ED assessment can use early warning scores to identify and prioritise patients who need time-critical treatment. We aimed to determine the accuracy of the National Early Warning Score version 2 (NEWS2) for predicting the need for time-critical treatment.

Methods: We undertook a single-centre retrospective observational cohort study.

Vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor versus elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in individuals with cystic fibrosis aged 12 years and older (SKYLINE Trials VX20-121-102 and VX20-121-103): results from two randomised, active-controlled, phase 3 trials.

Background: The goal of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators is to reach normal CFTR function in people with cystic fibrosis. Vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor restored CFTR function in vitro and in phase 2 trials in participants aged 18 years and older resulting in improvements in CFTR function, as measured by sweat chloride concentrations and lung function as measured by spirometry. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vanzacaftor-tezacaftor-deutivacaftor compared with standard of care elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor in individuals with cystic fibrosis aged 12 years and older.

The significance of feeling needed and useful to family and friends for psychological well-being during adolescence.

Introduction: Social relationships offer the opportunity to provide support and resources to others. Feeling needed and useful to others has been understudied during adolescence, despite being shown to predict health and well-being during adulthood. The current study examined this underappreciated way in which family and peer relationships may shape psychological well-being during adolescence.

Prioritizing sexual and reproductive health research and care for people with cystic fibrosis: A 2023 workshop report from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Sexual Health, Reproduction, and Gender (SHARING) Research Working Group.

Background: To address sexual and reproductive health (SRH) concerns among people with cystic fibrosis(PwCF), the CF Foundation created the Sexual Health, Reproduction, and Gender Research (SHARING) Working Group. This report summarizes CF community SRH research priorities and workshop discussions/future study planning.

Methods: Pre-workshop, we distributed a community prioritization survey on CF SRH research/care.

Footprints in Action: How UVA Is Managing Its Sustainability Stewardship.

Evaluating sustainability stewardship at higher educational institutions is essential to working towards improving our environment. Many institutions have used environmental footprint indicators as a way to evaluate, track, and improve their impact on the environment. In this article, we present the web-based Integrated Environmental Footprint Tool (IEFT), which allows users to test how changes in certain activities impact nitrogen (N), greenhouse gases (GHG), phosphorus (P), and water (W) footprints for a university campus.

Supporting engagement and retention of online and blended-learning students: A qualitative study from an Australian University.

Enrolment numbers in online higher education courses have continued to increase over the last decade. The challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have further accelerated the growth in online and blended course offerings. The development of institutional support services, however, does not reflect this growth.

Biofinder detects biological remains in Green River fish fossils from Eocene epoch at video speed.

The "Search for life", which may be extinct or extant on other planetary bodies is one of the major goals of NASA planetary exploration missions. Finding such evidence of biological residue in a vast planetary landscape is an enormous challenge. We have developed a highly sensitive instrument, the "Compact Color Biofinder", which can locate minute amounts of biological material in a large area at video speed from a standoff distance.

Comprehensive temperature controller with internet connectivity for plant growth experiments.

The experimental control of temperature is key to many scientific and applied endeavors, particularly for studying the effects of greenhouse-gas driven warming on plant performance. Unfortunately, numerous nuisances in the control of temperature for plants renders most commercially available controllers unsuitable or too expensive. Here we describe a simple to use but comprehensive temperature controller for plant growth experiments in enclosed spaces like nurseries or chambers.

Effect of airway clearance therapies on mucociliary clearance in adults with cystic fibrosis: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder causing impaired mucociliary clearance within the respiratory tract, and is associated with bronchiectasis, chronic respiratory infections, and early death. Airway clearance therapies have long been a cornerstone of management of individuals with CF, although evidence supporting their use is lacking. We designed a randomized controlled trial to quantitatively compare the effects of different forms of airway clearance on mucociliary clearance.

Pathology in Practice.

In collaboration with the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Drug exposure to infants born to mothers taking Elexacaftor, Tezacaftor, and Ivacaftor.

Elexacaftor, tezacaftor, ivacaftor (ETI) have been associated with marked clinical improvements in adults with CF, which appears to be associated with increased fertility. However, maternal and fetal effects of therapy continued during pregnancy are not well understood. We collected maternal blood, infant blood, cord blood, and breast milk from 3 mother-infant pairs from women who elected to remain on ETI therapy while pregnant.

Poly-arginine-18 (R18) Confers Neuroprotection through Glutamate Receptor Modulation, Intracellular Calcium Reduction, and Preservation of Mitochondrial Function.

Recent studies have highlighted that a novel class of neuroprotective peptide, known as cationic arginine-rich peptides (CARPs), have intrinsic neuroprotective properties and are particularly effective anti-excitotoxic agents. As such, the present study investigated the mechanisms underlying the anti-excitotoxic properties of CARPs, using poly-arginine-18 (R18; 18-mer of arginine) as a representative peptide. Cortical neuronal cultures subjected to glutamic acid excitotoxicity were used to assess the effects of R18 on ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR)-mediated intracellular calcium influx, and its ability to reduce neuronal injury from raised intracellular calcium levels after inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake by thapsigargin.

Pneumococcal colonisation is an asymptomatic event in healthy adults using an experimental human colonisation model.

Introduction: Pneumococcal colonisation is regarded as a pre-requisite for developing pneumococcal disease. In children previous studies have reported pneumococcal colonisation to be a symptomatic event and described a relationship between symptom severity/frequency and colonisation density. The evidence for this in adults is lacking in the literature.

Comparison of shallow-water seston among biogenic habitats on tidal flats.

Aquatic structure-formers have the potential to establish mosaics of seston in shallow water if they modify the relative amounts of deposition (or filtration) and resuspension of particles. By sampling surface water adjacent to Lagrangian drifters traveling 0.1 to 2 m above the bottom, we tested the modification of seston in water masses flowing over two biogenic marine species (native eelgrass, ; introduced oysters, ) in comparison to unstructured tidal flats.

Strangles, convalescent Streptococcus equi subspecies equi M antibody titers, and presence of complications.

Background: Streptococcus equi subspecies equi infection elicits M protein antibody titers in equids. Interpretation of titers is not generally accepted.

Hypothesis: The magnitude of S.

Seroprevalence, frequency of leptospiuria, and associated risk factors in horses in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska from 2016-2017.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide veterinary and public health concern, and well recognized infectious disease of horses. Seroprevalence rates vary with geography, but many studies have confirmed a high exposure rate. The correlation between seropositivity and shedding status has not been made in horses, however.

Measured fetal and neonatal exposure to Lumacaftor and Ivacaftor during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

With the growing class of CFTR modulator therapy available to more patients and with increasing pregnancies in individuals with CF, there is a growing need to understand the effects of these agents during pregnancy. There are few reports of their continued use in the literature, although it is likely that this is not an uncommon occurrence. We report the uncomplicated and successful pregnancy of a woman treated with lumacaftor/ivacaftor, as well as the clinical course of the infant during the first 9 months of life.

Hypertonic saline has a prolonged effect on mucociliary clearance in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Inhaled hypertonic saline (HS) has been shown to increase mucociliary clearance (MCC) and improve clinical outcomes in adults and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, in younger children with CF, a large study failed to demonstrate clinical benefits. This discrepancy could reflect pharmacodynamic differences in the MCC response to HS in different populations.

Ivacaftor withdrawal syndrome in cystic fibrosis patients with the G551D mutation.

Ivacaftor use can lead to dramatic health improvements in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with gating mutations. Here, we report five instances of dramatic clinical decline following withdrawal of ivacaftor in three individuals with the G551D-CFTR mutation. In each case, the patient's lung function and symptoms rapidly deteriorated after cessation of treatment.