Replication, safety and immunogenicity of the vectored Ebola vaccine rVSV-ΔG-ZEBOV-GP in a sub-Saharan African paediatric population: A randomised controlled, open-label trial in children aged 1-12 years living in Lambaréné, Gabon.

Background: Unlike adults, children experienced stronger and longer vector replication in plasma and shedding in saliva following rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccination. The resulting risks of immunosuppression or immune hyperactivation leading to increased Adverse Events (AEs) and altered antibody responses are concerns that have been addressed in the present manuscript.

Methods: Children aged 1-12 years living in Gabon received either rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP (ERVEBO®) vaccine or the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine (VZV).

Socioeconomic status moderates associations between hippocampal development and cognition in preterms.

Objective: The hippocampus plays a critical role in cognitive networks. The anterior hippocampus is vulnerable to early-life stress and socioeconomic status (SES) with alterations persisting beyond childhood. How SES modifies the relationship between early hippocampal development and cognition remains poorly understood.

Medications for Lipid Control: Statins vs Newer Drugs.

In the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), statins are the primary pharmacologic intervention for ASCVD risk reduction. Statins have proven efficacy and safety in reducing cardiovascular events and total mortality in patients with and without clinically evident ASCVD. The purpose of this brief review is to provide a stepwise approach to lipid management, including lifestyle recommendations and medical therapy.

The epidemiology and risk factors for postnatal complications among postpartum women and newborns in southwestern Uganda: A prospective cohort study.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for two-thirds of the global burden of maternal and newborn deaths. Adverse outcomes among postpartum women and newborns occurring in the first six weeks of life are often related, though data co-examining patients are limited. This study is an exploratory analysis describing the epidemiology of postnatal complications among postpartum women and newborns following facility birth and discharge in Mbarara, Uganda.

Performance of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 for the Assessment of Autistic Behaviors in a Sample of Canadian Preschool-Aged Children.

Behavioral traits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically present in early childhood, underscoring the importance of screening tools for the early identification of ASD. The current study compared scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) Preschool Form between the US standardization sample (n = 247) and a Canadian cohort of preschool-aged children (n = 595) recruited from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study. In the MIREC sample, we examined whether ASD-like traits are correlated with sociodemographic characteristics and child intellectual abilities, and how maternal ratings of social skills assessed by the SRS-2 are associated with maternal ratings of general problem behaviors.

The population-level impact of introducing rapid diagnostic tests on syphilis transmission in Canadian arctic communities - a mathematical modeling study.

Background: Canadian Arctic communities have experienced sustained syphilis transmission, with diagnoses rates 18-times higher than the national average. Remoteness from laboratory facilities leads to delays between syphilis screening and treatment, contributing to onward transmission. Rapid diagnostic tests can eliminate treatment delays via testing at the point-of-care.

The unique metabolome of clear cell ovarian carcinoma.

Clear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) is an aggressive malignancy affecting younger women. Despite ovarian cancer subtypes having diverse molecular and clinical characteristics, the mainstay of treatment for advanced stage disease remains cytotoxic chemotherapy. Late stage CCOC is resistant to conventional chemotherapy, which means a suboptimal outcome for patients affected.

Determining amino acid requirements in humans.

Amino acids form the building blocks of body protein. Dietary protein sources provide the amino acids needed, but protein sources vary widely in amio acid composition. To ensure humans can meet body demands for amino acids, amino acid intake recommendations are provided by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and by Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization/United Nations University (FAO/WHO/UNU).

Breastfeeding and Neonatal Age Influence Neutrophil-Driven Ontogeny of Blood Cell Populations in the First Week of Human Life.

The first few days of life are characterized by rapid external and internal changes that require substantial immune system adaptations. Despite growing evidence of the impact of this period on lifelong immune health, this period remains largely uncharted. To identify factors that may impact the trajectory of immune development, we conducted stringently standardized, high-throughput phenotyping of peripheral white blood cell (WBC) populations from 796 newborns across two distinct cohorts (The Gambia, West Africa; Papua New Guinea, Melanesia) in the framework of a Human Immunology Project Consortium (HIPC) study.

Comprehensive assessment of periodontal health in cerebral palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the term for a set of neurological disorders resulting from brain damage that impairs motor function. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to determine whether individuals with CP are at a greater risk of negative periodontal health outcomes compared to those without CP.

Methods: This study followed the recommendations of the MOOSE guidelines.

Ustekinumab for type 1 diabetes in adolescents: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized phase 2 trial.

Immunotherapy targeting the autoimmune process in type 1 diabetes (T1D) can delay the loss of β-cells but needs to have minimal adverse effects to be an adjunct to insulin in the management of T1D. Ustekinumab binds to the shared p40 subunit of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23, targeting development of T helper 1 cells and T helper 17 cells (T1 and T17 cells) implicated in the pathogenesis of T1D. We conducted a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of ustekinumab in 72 adolescents aged 12-18 years with recent-onset T1D.

Characterising the molecular epidemiology of human parechovirus in young infants in the UK and Canada.

Objectives: We evaluated the extent of virus heterogeneity in PeV infected infants in the UK, Canada and Australia.

Methods: Samples were collected from PeV infected infants during 2013-16. Next generation sequencing was used to obtain sequencing data and construct phylogenetic trees based on analysis of the VP1 region.

Effect of distance to tertiary centre on enrolment of paediatric patients with relapsed or refractory cancer on early phase clinical trials in British Columbia.

Objectives: Access to early phase trials for children with relapsed, refractory or progressive (RRPD) cancer is limited in Canada. Patients and families face barriers to access trials, which are poorly understood. The aims of this study were to assess availability of early phase trials and examine the impact of distance from home to study centre on trial enrolment among paediatric oncology patients with RRPD.

The myelin water imaging transcriptome: myelin water fraction regionally varies with oligodendrocyte-specific gene expression.

Identifying sensitive and specific measures that can quantify myelin are instrumental in characterizing microstructural changes in neurological conditions. Neuroimaging transcriptomics is emerging as a valuable technique in this regard, offering insights into the molecular basis of promising candidates for myelin quantification, such as myelin water fraction (MWF). We aimed to demonstrate the utility of neuroimaging transcriptomics by validating MWF as a myelin measure.

Airway management in infants with Robin sequence in the United Kingdom and Ireland: A prospective population-based study.

Objective: There is currently no consensus about managing upper airway obstruction (UAO) in infants with Robin sequence (RS), in terms of treatment efficacy or clinical outcomes. This study describes UAO management in UK/Ireland, and explores relationships between patient characteristics, UAO management, and clinical outcomes in the first 2 years of life.

Methods: Active surveillance of RS throughout UK/Ireland via the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and nationally commissioned cleft services.

Home injuries in British Columbia: patterns across the deprivation spectrum.

The significant burden of home injuries has become a growing concern that affect thousands of people every year across Canada. This study examined the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and unintentional injuries occurring at home leading to hospitalizations in British Columbia (BC) between 2015 and 2019. This study used de-identified hospitalization data on unintentional home-related injuries from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) and population data for each dissemination area from Statistics Canada's 2016 Census Profiles.

Heparin-Binding Protein Stratifies Mortality Risk Among Ugandan Children Hospitalized With Respiratory Distress.

Background: Current prognostic tools do not reliably and objectively identify children with pneumonia at risk of a severe or life-threatening episode. Heparin-binding protein (HBP) is a host immune protein that is released in response to infection. We hypothesized that measuring HBP concentrations at hospital admission could help risk-stratify children with pneumonia and identify those at higher risk of an adverse prognosis.

Shorter Telomere Length Is Associated With Older Age, Poor Sleep Hygiene, and Orthopedic Injury, but Not Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, in a Cohort of Canadian Children.

Background: Predicting recovery following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains challenging. The identification of objective biomarkers for prognostic purposes could improve clinical outcomes. Telomere length (TL) has previously been used as a prognostic marker of cellular health in the context of mTBI and other neurobiological conditions.