Exploring Cannabis-Associated Presentations to Canadian Pediatric Emergency Departments: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: Recent studies found that recreational legalization of cannabis consumption for Canadian adults has increased presentation to the emergency department (ED) among children. In this descriptive study, our objectives were to (1) understand Canadian pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) providers' training and knowledge of clinical presentations associated with cannabis exposure in children and (2) describe pediatric ED presentations related to cannabis exposure across Canada following legalization in 2018.

Method: In 2021, following ethics board approval, 230 Pediatric Emergency Research Canada (PERC) network pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians were invited to share about their knowledge, training, and experience with patients presenting with cannabis-associated emergencies using an anonymized survey administered through REDCap.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Children Following Different Treatment Regimens of Silver Diammine Fluoride.

To investigate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of young children in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) of silver diammine fluoride (SDF) and five percent sodium fluoride varnish (NaFV) to manage early childhood caries (ECC). Children younger than 72 months of age with active dentinal caries lesions (ICDAS 5 or 6) in primary teeth received two applications of 38 percent SDF and five percent NaFV as part of an RCT testing three different frequency regimes (one, four, and six months apart). The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) questionnaire was completed at three study visits.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated food allergy.

Food allergy is defined as an adverse immunologic response to a food. Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reactions to foods are associated with a broad range of signs and symptoms that may involve any of the following body systems: the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and cardiovascular system. IgE-mediated food allergy is a leading cause of anaphylaxis.

Proteomic and cytokine profiling of a CTRP8-RXFP1 glioma mouse model.

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most prevalent and aggressive primary brain tumor with fatal outcome due to a lack of effective treatments. We previously identified C1q-tumor necrosis factor-related protein 8 (CTRP8), a new member of the adiponectin family, as a novel agonist of the relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) and showed that the CTRP8-RXFP1 ligand-receptor system facilitates increased invasiveness and chemoresistance in GB cells. In the present study, we have investigated the role of the CTRP8-RXFP1 signaling axis in glioma progression using an orthotopic mouse model xenografted with human U251 glioma cells stably expressing CTRP8 and RXFP1.

Validation and in silico function prediction of circtial1 as a novel marker of abnormal lung development in nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Purpose: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable, non-coding RNAs with tissue- and developmental-specific expression making them suitable biomarkers for congenital anomalies. Current circRNA discovery pipelines have focused on human and mouse. We aim to bridge this gap by combining bioinformatics resources and used circtial1 as a model candidate in the nitrofen rat model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

A national cross-sectional survey of health literacy of caregivers attending Canadian pediatric emergency departments.

Background: Health literacy assessment is key to better meeting family needs and developing informed strategies to promote positive health outcomes for children. The objective of this study was to describe the health literacy of caregivers who use Canadian pediatric emergency departments and relate it to demographic and visit-specific variables.

Methods: This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional survey design with medical record review.

Primary prevention of food allergy: beyond early introduction.

Food allergy typically begins early in life and persists as a lifelong condition. Delayed introduction of allergenic foods followed by years of hesitancy to introduce these foods early may have contributed to the increase in food allergy prevalence in recent decades. Most infant feeding guidelines focus on the importance of early introduction of allergenic foods in infants at around age 4-6 months.

Engaging Red River Métis families in Manitoba in the development of child health resources - findings from a qualitative study.

Background: Most research that includes Red River Métis tends to be pan-Indigenous. Grouping Métis with First Nations and Inuit can diminish their unique and diverse experiences, as well as distinctions-based approaches. Taking a step toward addressing this problem, the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF; the national government of the Red River Métis) invited researchers within the Canadian network Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids to partner in this research, which focuses on understanding engagement strategies that can help expose Red River Métis parents to child health research opportunities and build trust and transparency amongst research partners and participants.

Prevalence Estimates of Cytochrome P450 Phenoconversion in Youth Receiving Pharmacotherapy for Mental Health Conditions.

Pharmacogenetics-predicted drug metabolism may not match clinically observed metabolism due to a phenomenon known as phenoconversion. Phenoconversion can occur when an inhibitor or inducer of a drug-metabolizing enzyme is present. Although estimates of phenoconversion in adult populations are available, prevalence estimates in youth populations are limited.

Pancreastatin Inhibition Alters the Colonic Epithelial Cells Profile in a Sex-Dependent Manner.

The impaired mucosal barrier is a hallmark of ulcerative colitis (UC), an inflammatory colonic disorder with epidemiological and pathophysiology sex bias. UC Patients overexpress the colonic epithelial cells (CECs)-derived peptide pancreastatin (PST). Pancreastatin inhibitor 8 (PSTi8), an inhibitor of PST, has shown promising anti-inflammatory effects on UC.

Describing Biological Vulnerability in Small, Vulnerable Newborns in Urban Burkina Faso (DenBalo): Gut Microbiota, Immune System, and Breastmilk Assembly.

: Small vulnerable newborns (SVNs), including those born preterm, small for gestational age, or with low birth weight, are at higher risk of neonatal mortality and long-term health complications. Early exposure to maternal vaginal microbiota and breastfeeding plays a critical role in the development of the neonatal microbiota and immune system, especially in low-resource settings like Burkina Faso, where neonatal mortality rates remain high. : The DenBalo study aims to investigate the role of maternal and neonatal factors, such as vaginal and gut microbiota, immune development, and early nutrition, in shaping health outcomes in SVNs and healthy infants.

Identification of an early subset of cerebellar nuclei neurons in mice.

Cerebellar nuclei (CN) neurons serve as the primary output of the cerebellum and originate from the cerebellar primordium at early stages of cerebellar development. These neurons are diverse, integrating information from the cerebellar cortex and relaying it to various brain regions. Employing various methodologies, we have characterized a specific subset of CN neurons that do not originate from the rhombic lip or ventricular zone of the cerebellar primordium.

The experience of youth on the waitlist for gender-affirming care in Manitoba.

Objectives: Waitlist times for adolescents to be seen for initial assessment for gender-affirming hormone therapy in Manitoba, Canada are often 2 years. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of waitlisted youth and to assess the impact of social work contact for accessing relevant resources.

Methods: A qualitative, semi-structured interview study was conducted.

Acute treadmill exercise induces mitochondrial unfolded protein response in skeletal muscle of male rats.

Mitochondria are often referred to as the energy centers of the cell and are recognized as key players in signal transduction, sensing, and responding to internal and external stimuli. Under stress conditions, the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), a conserved mitochondrial quality control mechanism, is activated to maintain mitochondrial and cellular homeostasis. As a physiological stimulus, exercise-induced mitochondrial perturbations trigger UPR, coordinating mitochondria-to-nucleus communication and initiating a transcriptional program to restore mitochondrial function.

Exploring the efficacy of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in modulating local and systemic inflammation in experimental models of colitis.

Background: Current inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatments often fail to achieve lasting remission and have adverse effects. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) offers a promising therapy due to its anti-inflammatory effects. Its invasive nature, however, has led to the development of non-invasive methods like transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS).

Surgeon-Led Point-Of-Care UltraSound-guided THORacic (POCUS-THOR) Biopsy: A New Paradigm in Efficient Diagnosis and Resource-Sparing Care.

Objective: Tissue diagnosis through a variety of interventional approaches guides thoracic cancer management, but often introduces delay to definitive treatment and can be resource intensive. We introduced a thoracic surgeon-led, point-of-care ultrasound-guided biopsy program to provide rapid diagnosis for patients with thoracic cancers. We assessed the diagnostic yield and adverse events with this approach.

Bitter taste receptor T2R14-Gαi coupling mediates innate immune responses to microbial quorum sensing molecules in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by microbial infection and progressive decline in lung function, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. The bitter taste receptor T2R14 is a chemosensory receptor that is significantly expressed in airways. Using a combination of cell-based assays and T2R14 knockdown in bronchial epithelial cells from CF and non-CF individuals, we observed that T2R14 plays a crucial role in the detection of bacterial and fungal signals and enhances host innate immune responses.

Artificial intelligence and pediatric surgery: where are we?

Here, we explore the transformative effects of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT and GEMINI, on pediatric surgery, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care, as well as their influence on medical education and patient communication. We discuss the role of AI in enhancing surgical precision, facilitating personalized care strategies throughout all surgical phases, and improving learning for healthcare professionals and students. AI's application in intraoperative settings, providing real-time decision support and augmenting surgical accuracy, underscores how AI can contribute to safer surgical outcomes.