EpiAge: a next-generation sequencing-based epigenetic clock for biological age assessment in saliva and blood across health and disease.

This study introduces EpiAgePublic, a new method to estimate biological age using only three specific sites on the gene known for its connection to aging. Unlike traditional methods that require complex and extensive data, our model uses a simpler approach that is well-suited for next-generation sequencing technology, which is a more advanced method of analyzing DNA methylation. This new model overcomes some of the common challenges found in older methods, such as errors due to sample quality and processing variations.

Lung Function Changes with Acute +Gz Exposure as Assessed by Impulse Oscillometry.

Introduction: The introduction of fifth-generation fighter aircraft has raised concerns regarding the impact of high gravitational forces on lung function. This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of controlled +Gz exposure, up to +9 Gz, on lung function in military pilots using impulse oscillometry (IOS).

Methods: These studies, conducted in Canada and the Netherlands, involved military pilots undergoing high G centrifuge training.

Audit of B-cell Cancer Genes.

Comprehensive genetic analysis of tumors with exome or whole genome sequencing has enabled the identification of the genes that are recurrently mutated in cancer. This has stimulated a series of exciting advances over the past 15 years, guiding us to new molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets among the common mature B-cell neoplasms. In particular, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL) and Burkitt lymphoma (BL) have each been the subject of considerable attention in this field.

Symptoms in Persons With Either Active or Inactive Crohn's Disease Are Agnostic to Disease Phenotype: The Magic in Imagine Study.

Background: We aimed to examine the relationship between disease symptoms and disease phenotype in a large Canadian cohort of persons with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Adults (n=1515) with CD from 14 Canadian centers participated in the Mind And Gut Interactions Cohort (MAGIC) between 2018 and 2023. Disease activity was measured using the 24-item IBD Symptom Inventory-Short-Form (IBDSI-SF).

Far Cortical Locking Versus Standard Constructs for Locked Plate Fixation in the Treatment of Acute, Displaced Fractures of the Distal Femur: A Multicenter Randomized Trial.

Background: Fixation of distal femoral fractures remains a challenge, and nonunions are common with standard constructs. Far cortical locking (FCL) constructs have been purported to lead to improved fracture-healing as compared with that achieved with traditional locking bridge plates. We sought to test this hypothesis in a comparative effectiveness clinical trial.

Value Added by Assessing Nonspoken Vocabulary in Minimally Speaking Autistic Children.

Purpose: There is a scarcity of language assessment tools properly adapted for use with minimally speaking autistic children. As these children often use nonspoken methods of communication (i.e.

Validation of the Caregiver Analysis of Reported Experiences with Swallowing Disorders (CARES) Screening Tool for Neurodegenerative Disease.

Purpose: Swallowing difficulties have a substantial impact on the burden experienced by care partners of individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Given this, there is a clear need to easily identify and quantify the unique aspects of swallowing-related burden. The purpose of this study was to establish the validity and reliability of the Caregiver Analysis of Reported Experiences with Swallowing Disorders (CARES) screening tool in care partners of individuals with neurodegenerative disease.

Development and Pilot Implementation of a Theory-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation Protocol for Adults With Chronic Cognitive Complaints After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the development of and pilot feasibility outcomes for a strategy-based, brief, intensive cognitive rehabilitation intervention delivered to U.S. service members and veterans with mild traumatic brain injury in a recently completed 3-year pragmatic clinical trial: Symptom-Targeted Approach to Rehabilitation for Concussion (STAR-C).

Ring strain governs transmetalation behaviour at a tucked-in iron complex.

Studies that independently investigate [M]-C transmetalation reactions using two different metals are uncommon and yet understanding this reactivity is important to unlocking new synthetic approaches and product classes. Here, we show that the strained [Fe]-C complex, [(η-CMe-CH)Fe(diphosphine)] undergoes transmetalation with rhodium(I) and iridium(I) diolefin salts, leading to rapid Fe-C(sp) bond cleavage and M-C(sp) (M = Rh or Ir) bond generation.

Genomic analyses reveal high diversity and rapid evolution of within a neonatal intensive care unit in Delhi, India.

causes life-threatening infections in immunocompromised hosts, including hospitalized neonates. This pathogen is intrinsically resistant to fluconazole, while uncommon strains resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, including voriconazole, amphotericin B, and echinocandins, have also been reported from healthcare environments. Thus, understanding how spread, persist, and adapt to healthcare settings could help us develop better infection management strategies.

Companions in antimicrobial resistance: examining transmission of common antimicrobial-resistant organisms between people and their dogs, cats, and horses.

SUMMARYNumerous questions persist regarding the role of companion animals as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant organisms that can infect humans. While relative antimicrobial usage in companion animals is lower than that in humans, certain antimicrobial-resistant pathogens have comparable colonization rates in companion animals and their human counterparts, which inevitably raises questions regarding potential antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmission. Furthermore, the close contact between pets and their owners, as well as pets, veterinary professionals, and the veterinary clinic environment, provides ample opportunity for zoonotic transmission of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Brain Health Indicators in Cuban Preschoolers.

Secondhand smoke affects nearly 40% of children worldwide, leading to serious health and behavioral problems. Being neurotoxic, it poses potential risks for child health and learning. In Cuba, there is limited research on the association of secondhand smoke with children's brain health, especially in vulnerable populations like young children at home.

Global Assessment of Emerging Contaminant Removal in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Hazard Screening and Risk Evaluation.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are emerging contaminants (ECs), whose presence in the environment is of increasing concern due to their widespread use and possible detrimental effects on wildlife and humans. These chemicals may present multiple hazardous properties such as environmental persistence, toxicity, high mobility, and the potential for bioaccumulation. In this study, extended bibliographic research was conducted to characterize the removal efficiency (RE) of PPCPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) considering different technologies.

The First Large Identification of 3ANX and NX Producing Isolates of in Manitoba, Western Canada.

Fusarium head blight, caused by , continues to be one of the most important and devastating fungal diseases on cereal grains including wheat, barley, and oat crops. produces toxic secondary metabolites that include trichothecene type A and type B mycotoxins. There are many variants of these toxins that are produced, and in the early 2010s, a novel type A trichothecene mycotoxin known as 3ANX (7-α hydroxy,15-deacetylcalonectrin) and its deacetylated product NX (7-α hydroxy, 3,15-dideacetylcalonectrin) were identified in Minnesota, USA.

Streamlining the Journey of Research Into Clinical Practice: Making Your Patients and Practice Flourish Evaluation and Treatment of Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis of the Spine: AO Spine Knowledge Forum Trauma and Infection.

Study Design: Literature Review with clinical recommendations.

Objective: To highlight impactful studies on pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PS), identified by the AO Spine Knowledge Forum Trauma and Infection, with recommendations for their integration into clinical practice.

Methods: Five influential studies on PS that have the potential to shape current practice in spinal infections were selected and reviewed.

Elegant and Innovative Recoding Strategies for Advancing Vaccine Development.

Recoding strategies have emerged as a promising approach for developing safer and more effective vaccines by altering the genetic structure of microorganisms, such as viruses, without changing their proteins. This method enhances vaccine safety and efficacy while minimizing the risk of reversion to virulence. Recoding enhances the frequency of CpG dinucleotides, which in turn activates immune responses and ensures a strong attenuation of the pathogens.

Economic and Clinical Benefits of Bivalent Respiratory Syncytial Virus Prefusion F (RSVpreF) Maternal Vaccine for Prevention of RSV in Infants: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Mexico.

Background/objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory infections in children. A novel RSVpreF vaccine for use among pregnant women for the prevention of RSV in infants is expected to be licensed in Mexico. Hence, the clinical and economic burden of RSV among infants in Mexico, with and without a year-round RSVpreF maternal vaccination program, was estimated.

A Spike-Based mRNA Vaccine Encapsulated in Phospholipid 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-PhosphoEthanolamine Containing Lipid Nanoparticles Induced Potent B- and T-Cell Responses Associated with Protection Against SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19-like Symptoms in Hamsters.

Background: Nucleoside-modified mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as a promising vaccine strategy, especially for COVID-19. While the LNPs protect mRNA from degradation and efficiently deliver the mRNA to antigen-presenting cells, the effect of lipid composition on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of mRNA/LNP vaccines is not well characterized. Studies on using the mRNA/LNP platform for vaccines have largely focused on the nucleic acid cargo with less attention paid to the LNP vehicle.

Transcriptional Systems Vaccinology Approaches for Vaccine Adjuvant Profiling.

Adjuvants are a diverse group of substances that can be added to vaccines to enhance antigen-specific immune responses and improve vaccine efficacy. The first adjuvants, discovered almost a century ago, were soluble crystals of aluminium salts. Over the following decades, oil emulsions, vesicles, oligodeoxynucleotides, viral capsids, and other complex organic structures have been shown to have adjuvant potential.

Immunobridging Trials: An Important Tool to Protect Vulnerable and Immunocompromised Patients Against Evolving Pathogens.

Safeguarding patients from emerging infectious diseases demands strategies that prioritise patient well-being and protection. Immunobridging is an established trial methodology which has been increasingly employed to ensure patient protection and provide clinicians with swift access to vaccines. It uses immunological markers to infer the effectiveness of a new drug through a surrogate measure of efficacy.

Significance of Tool Coating Properties and Compacted Graphite Iron Microstructure for Tool Selection in Extreme Machining.

This study aims to determine the extent to which coating composition and workpiece properties impact machinability and tool selection when turning Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) under extreme roughing conditions. Two CGI workpieces, differing in pearlite content and graphite nodularity, were machined at a cutting speed of 180 m/min, feed rate of 0.18 mm/rev, and depth of cut of 3 mm.

Monte Carlo Simulations in Nanomedicine: Advancing Cancer Imaging and Therapy.

Monte Carlo (MC) simulations have become important in advancing nanoparticle (NP)-based applications for cancer imaging and therapy. This review explores the critical role of MC simulations in modeling complex biological interactions, optimizing NP designs, and enhancing the precision of therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Key findings highlight the ability of MC simulations to predict NP bio-distribution, radiation dosimetry, and treatment efficacy, providing a robust framework for addressing the stochastic nature of biological systems.

Influence of Added Cellulose Nanocrystals on the Rheology of Polymers.

The interactions between cellulose nanocrystals and six different polymers (three anionic, two non-ionic, and one cationic) were investigated using rheological measurements of aqueous solutions of nanocrystals and polymers. The experimental viscosity data could be described adequately by a power-law model. The variations in power-law parameters (consistency index and flow behavior index) with concentrations of nanocrystals and polymers were determined for different combinations of nanocrystals and polymers.

Acute Febrile Illness Accompanied by 7th and 12th Cranial Nerve Palsy Due to Lyme Disease Following Travel to Rural Ecuador: A Case Report and Mini-Review.

The causative agent of Lyme disease, , is endemic to Canada, the northeastern United States, northern California, and temperate European regions. It is rarely associated with a travel-related exposure. In this report, we describe a resident of southern Ontario, Canada who developed rash, fever, and cranial nerve VII and XII palsies following a 12 day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos islands approximately four weeks prior to referral to our center.