Artificial enforcement of the unfolded protein response (UPR) reduces disease features in multiple preclinical models of ALS/FTD.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) are part of a spectrum of diseases that share several causative genes, resulting in a combinatory of motor and cognitive symptoms and abnormal protein aggregation. Multiple unbiased studies have revealed that proteostasis impairment at the level of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a transversal pathogenic feature of ALS/FTD. The transcription factor XBP1s is a master regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR), the main adaptive pathway to cope with ER stress.

Ethical Food Consumption in the Digital Age: Consumer Attitudes Towards Digitally Monitored Animal Welfare in Pork Products.

Climate change is an emerging global reality with widespread effects on ecosystems and human communities. However, its significant impact on livestock animals often goes underdiscussed as more focus is given to impact of livestock production on climate change. Implementing high-welfare systems, such as digital monitoring of animals, can help mitigate climate-related challenges by reducing temperature fluctuations and controlling disease spread.

Post hoc analysis: 6 Months immunogenicity after third dose of BNT162b2 vs JNJ-78436735 After Two Doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Introduction: In Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) recipients, due to immunosuppression, the immunogenicity after COVID-19 vaccination is suboptimal and its durability is unknown.

Methods: We conducted a post-hoc analysis of a patient-blinded, single center, randomized controlled trial comparing BNT162b2 vs JNJ-78436735 as the third dose after two doses of BNT162b2 in adult SOT recipients with active graft to compare long-term immunogenicity.

Results: Forty-one recipients were analyzed.

Safety and immunogenicity of ascending doses of influenza A(H7N9) inactivated vaccine with or without MF59®.

Introduction: While it remains impossible to predict the timing of the next influenza pandemic, novel avian influenza A viruses continue to be considered a significant threat.

Methods: A Phase II study was conducted in healthy adults aged 18-64 years to assess the safety and immunogenicity of two intramuscular doses of pre-pandemic 2017 influenza A(H7N9) inactivated vaccine administered 21 days apart. Participants were randomized (n = 105 in each of Arms 1-3) to receive 3.

Patterns and Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among U.S. Active Duty Service Members, 2020-2022: Implications for Future Pandemics.

Introduction: Vaccine mandates have been used to minimize the duty days lost and deaths attributable to infectious disease among active duty Service members (ADSMs). In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, in August 2021, the U.S.

Best Practice Recommendations for Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia/Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia in the Military Health System.

Endometrial cancer is the most prevalent gynecologic cancer in the United States and has rising incidence and mortality. Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia or atypical endometrial hyperplasia (EIN-AEH), a precancerous neoplasm, is surgically managed with hysterectomy in patients who have completed childbearing because of risk of progression to cancer. Concurrent endometrial carcinoma (EC) is also present on hysterectomy specimens in up to 50% of cases.

Folic Acid and Methyltetrahydrofolate Supplementation in the Mouse Model with Hepatic Steatosis.

Background/objectives: The gene variant results in a thermolabile MTHFR enzyme associated with elevated plasma homocysteine in TT individuals. Health risks associated with the TT genotype may be modified by dietary and supplemental folate intake. Supplementation with methyltetrahydrofolate (methylTHF) may be preferable to folic acid because it is the MTHFR product, and does not require reduction by DHFR to enter one-carbon folate metabolism.

Examining the Feasibility and Acceptability of Identifying Signs of Social Anxiety, in University Students Aged 18-25, While Watching 360° Immersive Films.

Timely, accurate assessment and treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in young people is crucial. There is potential for the adoption of tailored virtual reality interventions for a complementary diagnostic tool using heart rate monitoring as a response indicator. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of this concept by exposing healthy individuals, aged 18-25, to developed 360° immersive films while collecting heart rate sensor data.

Time Dependent Effects of Cerebellar tDCS on Cerebello-cortical Connectivity Networks in Young Adults.

The cerebellum is involved in non-motor processing, supported by topographically distinct cerebellar activations and closed-loop circuits between the cerebellum and the cortex. Disruptions to cerebellar function may negatively impact prefrontal function and processing. Cerebellar resources may be important for offloading cortical processing, providing crucial scaffolding for normative performance and function.

Cell state-dependent allelic effects and contextual Mendelian randomization analysis for human brain phenotypes.

Gene expression quantitative trait loci are widely used to infer relationships between genes and central nervous system (CNS) phenotypes; however, the effect of brain disease on these inferences is unclear. Using 2,348,438 single-nuclei profiles from 391 disease-case and control brains, we report 13,939 genes whose expression correlated with genetic variation, of which 16.7-40.

Does adopting a healthy diet improve periodontal parameters in patients susceptible to periodontal disease? A systematic review.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate evidence relating to whether adopting a diet, associated with improved outcomes for chronic systemic diseases with an inflammatory component, can improve periodontal parameters in patients with periodontal diseases.

Data Sources: Electronic databases and one platform were systematically searched; Medline, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library including references of relevant studies.

Data Selection And Extraction: 1220 studies were identified of which 9 studies were eligible; 4 RCT's, 1 controlled trial and 4 observational cohort studies DATA SYNTHESIS: 8 out of 9 studies found improved periodontal parameters associated with a diet that was low in refined carbohydrates, low in saturated fats, high in fibre and high in nutrition but the studies were low to medium quality of evidence and the diets, method of recording the diets and periodontal parameters varied between the studies as did the study duration and age of participants.

Longitudinal study of care needs and behavioural changes in people living with dementia using in-home assessment data.

Background: People living with dementia often experience changes in independence and daily living, affecting their well-being and quality of life. Behavioural changes correlate with cognitive decline, functional impairment, caregiver distress, and care availability.

Methods: We use data from a 3-year prospective observational study of 141 people with dementia at home, using the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory and cognitive assessments, alongside self-reported and healthcare-related data.

Viability assessment of Chlamydia trachomatis in men who have sex with men using molecular and culture methods.

Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly diagnosed bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. Diagnosis relies on nucleic acid amplification techniques, such as PCR, which does not distinguish between viable pathogens and residual bacterial DNA, leading to potential overdiagnosis and overtreatment. PCR with confirmation of pathogen viability has not been widely explored in the STI field.

Developing a patient toolkit for opioid use and management through co-creation.

Canada has been experiencing an opioid use crisis, and urgent efforts are being made to stem the tide. With funding support from Health Canada, the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) recently developed a series of asynchronous online bilingual modules to educate key players across the medical education spectrum on chronic pain and opioid use. The curriculum for the modules which informed the development of the Patient-Physician Partnership Toolkit was co-created through an authentic collaboration between healthcare professionals (HCPs), and patient subject matter experts who were patients with lived experience.

Histological features indicate the risk of progression of patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Our understanding of predictors of progression in Barrett's esophagus (BE) remains incomplete. To address this gap, we evaluated histological features and biomarkers that could predict dysplastic/neoplastic progression in patients with BE. We conducted a retrospective study to identify eligible BE patients and classified the cases into two groups: cases with BE progression (n = 10; progressing to high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma within five years of initial diagnosis) and cases without BE progression (n = 52; without progression to high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma within five years).

RSVP Keyboard with Inquiry Preview: mixed performance and user experience with an adaptive, multimodal typing interface combining EEG and switch input.

Objective: The RSVP Keyboard is a non-implantable, event-related potential-based brain-computer interface (BCI) system designed to support communication access for people with severe speech and physical impairments. Here we introduce Inquiry Preview, a new RSVP Keyboard interface incorporating switch input for users with some voluntary motor function, and describe its effects on typing performance and other outcomes.

Approach: Four individuals with disabilities participated in the collaborative design of possible switch input applications for the RSVP Keyboard, leading to the development of Inquiry Preview and a method of fusing switch input with language model and electroencephalography (EEG) evidence for typing.

FRESH extrusion 3D printing of type-1 collagen hydrogels photocrosslinked using ruthenium.

The extrusion bioprinting of collagen material has many applications relevant to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) technology is capable of 3D printing collagen material with the specifications and details needed for precise tissue guidance, a crucial requirement for effective tissue repair. While FRESH has shown repeated success and reliability for extrusion printing, the mechanical properties of completed collagen prints can be improved further by post-print crosslinking methodologies.

Ultrasound pupillometry for the detection of a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD): Systematic evaluation in patients with optic neuritis and comparison with infrared video pupillometry.

Purpose: A relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) is a characteristic clinical sign of optic neuritis (ON). Here, we systematically evaluated ultrasound pupillometry (UP) for the detection of an RAPD in patients with ON, including a comparison with infrared video pupillometry (IVP), the gold standard for objective pupillometry.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 40 patients with acute (n = 9) or past (n = 31) ON (ON+), 31 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) without prior ON, and 50 healthy controls (HC) in a cross-sectional observational study.

Groundwater releases CO to diverse global coastal ecosystems.

Coastal ecosystems play a major role in marine carbon budgets, but substantial uncertainties remain in the sources and fluxes of coastal carbon dioxide (CO). Here, we assess when, where, and how submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) releases CO to shallow coastal ecosystems. Time-series observations of dissolved CO and radon (Rn, a natural groundwater tracer) across 40 coastal systems from 14 countries revealed large SGD-derived CO fluxes.

Comorbidities Associated With Different Degrees of Severity in Children and Young People Hospitalized With Acute COVID-19.

In this prospective cohort study with 2326 hospitalized children and young people with coronavirus disease 2019 in Spain and Colombia, 36.4% had comorbidities. Asthma, recurrent wheezing, chronic neurological, cardiac and pulmonary diseases significantly increased the risk of severe outcomes such as death, mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit admission.

Repurposing Licensed Drugs with Activity Against Epstein-Barr Virus for Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Approach.

Background: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is implicated as a necessary factor in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and may also be a driver of disease activity. Although it is not clear whether ongoing viral replication is the driver for MS pathology, MS researchers have considered the prospect of using drugs with potential efficacy against EBV in the treatment of MS. We have undertaken scientific and lived experience expert panel reviews to shortlist existing licensed therapies that could be used in later-stage clinical trials in MS.

Social Determinants of Uncorrected Distance and Near Visual Impairment in an Older Adult Population.

Purpose: Uncorrected visual impairment (VI) significantly impacts life quality and exacerbates age-related health issues. Social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with uncorrected VI, but quantitative evidence is limited. This study investigated the link between SDOH and uncorrected VI among aging adults to identify disparities and improve vision care.

Brief Report: Internalized Poverty-Related Stigma and Interpersonal Violence Among Women Living With HIV in the United States.

Background: Interpersonal violence (IPV) affects half of women living with HIV (WLHIV) in the United States and has important consequences for mental health and HIV outcomes. Although different types of stigmas (eg, HIV- or sexual identity-related) are associated with increased risk of IPV, the relationship between poverty-related stigma and IPV is unclear, even though poverty frequently co-occurs with IPV.

Methods: Data from up to 4 annual visits (2016-2020) were collected from 374 WLHIV enrolled in a substudy of the Women's Interagency HIV Study (now known as Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort Study) at 4 sites across the United States.