Toxoplasma gondii from Gabonese forest, Central Africa: First report of an African wild strain.

The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous and highly prevalent parasite that can theoretically infect all warm-blooded vertebrates. In humans, toxoplasmosis causes infections in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent patients, congenital toxoplasmosis, and ocular lesions. These manifestations have different degrees of severity.

PRDM9 drives the location and rapid evolution of recombination hotspots in salmonid fish.

In many eukaryotes, meiotic recombination occurs preferentially at discrete sites, called recombination hotspots. In various lineages, recombination hotspots are located in regions with promoter-like features and are evolutionarily stable. Conversely, in some mammals, hotspots are driven by PRDM9 that targets recombination away from promoters.

Learning predictive signatures of HLA type from T-cell repertoires.

T cells recognize a wide range of pathogens using surface receptors that interact directly with peptides presented on major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) encoded by the HLA loci in humans. Understanding the association between T cell receptors (TCR) and HLA alleles is an important step towards predicting TCR-antigen specificity from sequences. Here we analyze the TCR alpha and beta repertoires of large cohorts of HLA-typed donors to systematically infer such associations, by looking for overrepresentation of TCRs in individuals with a common allele.

Respiratory muscle endurance training among patients with chronic diseases: A systematic review of available evidence.

This systematic review summarizes the available evidence on respiratory muscle endurance training involving voluntary isocapnic hyperpnoea among patients with chronic diseases. It includes both randomized and non-randomized controlled trials implementing this exercise training modality performed either alone or in combination with other interventions. It was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Cochrane and ReeDOC.

Quality of care offered by health care retail markets for medication abortion self-management: Findings from states in Nigeria and India.

Dispensing of misoprostol and mifepristone by pharmacies and chemist shops for self-management of medication abortion (MA) fills a crucial gap in settings where abortion care by trained health professionals is not readily available. This promising service delivery pathway, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), is hindered by concerns of poor-quality care. Simulated clients collected data on MA pill dispensing practices from 92 pharmacies and chemist shops in three Nigerian states and 127 pharmacies in an Indian state that we have anonymized.

Association of socio-demographic characteristics, comorbidities, lifestyle habits, and saliva parameters with dental caries in adults with obesity.

Objective: To describe the oral health status of patients with obesity and to explore the socio-demographic characteristics, comorbidities, lifestyle habits (tobacco, alcohol, sweet/acidic diet), and saliva parameters most associated with the dental caries experience.  Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 204 patients' data with obesity attending a therapeutic education programme. Caries experience (number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth [DMFT]), periodontal status, oral hygiene, occlusal tooth wear, masticatory inefficiency, and saliva parameters were recorded.

Association of radiation-induced normal tissue toxicity with a high genetic risk for rheumatoid arthritis.

Purpose: Overlapping genes are involved with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and DNA repair pathways. Therefore, we hypothesised that patients with a high polygenic risk score (PRS) for RA will have an increased risk of radiotherapy (RT) toxicity given the involvement of DNA repair.

Methods: Primary analysis was performed on 1494 prostate cancer, 483 lung cancer and 1820 breast cancer patients assessed for development of RT toxicity in the REQUITE study.

Aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of thalassemia-associated osteoporosis of the adult.

Aim: This review aims to overview factors contributing to TAO development and addresses the targeted diagnostic work-up and treatment management in adult thalassemic patients.

Results: Osteoporosis management in Thalassemia is challenging because several factors contributing to its pathogenesis should be considered and controlled starting from child- hood. A multidisciplinary approach is crucial.

Effects of thermopriming and bacteria-mediated heat-stress acclimation strategies on seed yield and quality criteria in Brassica napus cv Aviso and Camelina sativa cv Calena.

The effects of intense heat during the reproductive phase of two Brassica species-B. napus and C. sativa-could be alleviated by a prior gradual increase exposure and/or PGPR inoculation.

Recurrences and rechallenges of suspected drugs in epidermal necrolysis patients.

Background: Epidermal necrolysis (EN) is a rare and severe condition, characterized by a diffuse skin and mucosal detachment and mainly induced by drugs. Literature is scarce regarding the rate of recurrences and culprit drug re-exposure.

Objectives: To assess the rate of EN recurrences as well as high notoriety drugs re-exposures in patients with EN.

How to talk to parents.

Effective communication with the child and his/her parents is of paramount importance in our daily work in paediatric radiology to establish a trusting relationship and enhance satisfaction for both patients and physicians. Although communication skills and empathy can be effectively taught, and efforts have been made in this area in medical schools, there is still much room for improvement, as communication skills tend to decline throughout medical training. Certain methods are valuable for conducting effective consultations with both the child and the parents, not only when breaking bad news.

Is there something sexual in the ventral midline thalamus?

This mini-review explores sexual dimorphism in the ventral midline thalamus, focusing on the reuniens nucleus and its role in behavioral functions. Traditionally linked to tasks such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, fear generalization, and memory consolidation, most studies have been conducted in male rodents. Research comparing the effects of ventral midline thalamus manipulations between female and male rodents is limited.

Rapidly spreading with OXA-48-like carbapenemases.

(mostly , ) with OXA-48-like carbapenemases (e.g., OXA-48, -181, -232, -244) are undermining the global efficiency of carbapenem therapy.

Adolescents and young adults with social withdrawal in France: Sociodemographic characteristics and validation of the French version of the Hikikomori Questionnaire-25 (HQ-25).

Background: Clinical situations marked by severe social withdrawal in youths are increasingly recognized as an important public health issue in European countries, while the relation with the hikikomori syndrome initially described in Japan remains poorly investigated.

Aims: This study aims to describe the sociodemographic features of adolescents and young adults with social withdrawal in French and to validate a French version of the Hikikomori Questiuonnaire-25 (HQ-25).

Method: An online questionnaire was completed by 450 participants aged 13 to 25 years.

Can democracy save children's lives? Addressing the constitutional problem of expertise.

This comment critically examines Collins, Evans, and Reyes-Galindo's (CE&RG) concept of 'virtual diversity', proposed as a norm to safeguard scientific expertise in policy-making. CE&RG argue that scientists should acquire 'interactional expertise' in relevant 'non-scientific domains', enabling informed policy advice while preserving scientific integrity. This comment describes CE&RG's dualist approach, which separates epistemic and political concerns, and discusses its implications.