Characteristics of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and their association with treatment outcomes: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: There are few data on the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampicin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis, especially with more recently available drugs and regimens. We aimed to describe the clinical and treatment characteristics and their associations with treatment outcomes in this susceptible population.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Molecular allergy diagnosis enabling personalized medicine.

Allergic patients are characterized by complex and patient-specific IgE sensitization profiles to various allergens, which are accompanied by different phenotypes of allergic disease. Molecular allergy (MA) diagnosis establishes the patient's IgE reactivity profile at a molecular allergen level and has moved allergology into the "Precision Medicine" era. Molecular allergology started in the late 1980s with the isolation of the first allergen-encoding DNA sequences.

Breaking barriers in targeted Therapy: Advancing exosome Isolation, Engineering, and imaging.

Exosomes have emerged as promising tools for targeted drug delivery in biomedical applications and medicine. This review delves into the scientific advancements, challenges, and future prospects specifically associated with these technologies. In this work, we trace the research milestones that led to the discovery and characterization of exosomes and extracellular vesicles, and discuss strategies for optimizing the synthetic yield and the loading of these particles with various therapeutics.

ORAL MANIFESTATIONS IN JUVENILE SCLERODERMA: CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

Juvenile scleroderma (JS) is a rare chronic connective tissue disorder characterized by stiffening of the skin and soft tissues, including the oral cavity and perioral tissues, leading to fibrosis and a large spectrum of internal organs involvement, cosmetic defects, and early infant disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the histomorphological features of lesions of oral mucosa tissues in children with juvenile scleroderma (JS). 39 JS patients (9 with juvenile systemic sclerosis - JSS and 20 with juvenile scleroderma of head-JSH aged from 5 to 17 years were observed with dental examination and morphological investigation of the dental mucosa.

Low oxygen but dynamic marine redox conditions permitted the Cambrian Radiation.

Whether metazoan diversification during the Cambrian Radiation was driven by increased marine oxygenation remains highly debated. Repeated global oceanic oxygenation events have been inferred during this interval, but the degree of shallow marine oxygenation and its relationship to biodiversification and clade appearance remain uncertain. To resolve this, we interrogate an interval from ~527 to 519 Ma, encompassing multiple proposed global oceanic oxygenation events.

Chromosome-scale genome dynamics reveal signatures of independent haplotype evolution in the ancient asexual mite .

Some unique asexual species persist over time and contradict the consensus that sex is a prerequisite for long-term evolutionary survival. How they escape the dead-end fate remains enigmatic. Here, we generated a haplotype-resolved genome assembly on the basis of a single individual and collected genomic data from worldwide populations of the parthenogenetic diploid oribatid mite to identify signatures of persistence without sex.

Nontarget screening of a Siberian ice core reveals changes in the pre-industrial to industrial organic aerosol composition.

Glaciers serve as natural archives for reconstructing past changes of atmospheric aerosol concentration and composition. While most ice-core studies have focused on inorganic species, organic compounds, which can constitute up to 90% of the submicrometer aerosol mass, have been largely overlooked. To our knowledge, this study presents the first nontarget screening record of secondary organic aerosol species preserved in a Belukha ice core (Siberia, Russian Federation), ranging from the pre-industrial to the industrial period (1800-1980 CE).

Exploring shifts in values among urban Senegalese: The impact of global crises on social and cultural norms.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered social and economic stagnation worldwide, significantly impacting people's lives. In addition, the Russia-Ukraine war that began in 2022 resulted in rising food prices globally, severely affecting low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to examine the impact of these unprecedented crises on individual values, focusing on Senegal's urban population.

Tau Pathology Drives Disease-Associated Astrocyte Reactivity in Salt-Induced Neurodegeneration.

Dietary high salt intake is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent studies have identified a population of disease-associated astrocytes (DAA)-like astrocytes closely linked to amyloid deposition and tau pathology in an AD mouse model. However, the presence and role of these astrocytes in high-salt diet (HSD) models remain unexplored.

Treatment Utilisation and Satisfaction With Management in Individuals With Osteoarthritis and Metabolic Multimorbidity: A Cross-Sectional Multi-Country Study.

Purpose: To compare treatment utilisation for osteoarthritis (OA) and satisfaction with OA management between individuals with and without comorbid metabolic conditions (e.g., diabetes, obesity, dyslipidaemia, hypertension).

Reduced fetal ductus venosus shunt fraction is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnancy with pregestational diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: We aimed to determine fetal liver perfusion in PGDM and GDM pregnancies and to assess the relation of ductus venosus (DV) shunt fraction with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal observational study including 188 pregnant women: group I-patients with pregestational DM (PGDM, n = 86), group II-patients with gestational DM (GDM, n = 44), group III-control (n = 58). The patients included in the study underwent ultrasound examination at 30-40 weeks of pregnancy.

Levels and Profile of Tetrodotoxins in Spawning (Palaeonemertea, Nemertea): Assessing the Potential Toxic Pressure on Marine Ecosystems.

The ribbon worms of the closely related species , cf. , and , representing the species complex, possess high concentrations of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and its analogues in all developmental stages from eggs to adults. It has recently been suggested that the eggs and larvae of these animals can be a source of tetrodotoxins (TTXs) for other aquatic organisms.

Proteotranscriptomic Profiling of the Toxic Mucus of (Pilidiophora, Nemertea).

Nemertea is a phylum of bilaterally symmetrical, coelomate, unsegmented worms, also known as ribbon worms. Most species of the phylum Nemertea are marine predators that contain toxins in the single-celled glands of the proboscis and/or integument. Recent transcriptomic studies have shown that nemerteans from all taxonomic groups possess a wide range of putative protein and peptide toxins, while the proteomic data for these animals are highly limited.

Live Plague Vaccine Development: Past, Present, and Future.

During the last 100 years, vaccine development has evolved from an empirical approach to one of the more rational vaccine designs where the careful selection of antigens and adjuvants is key to the desired efficacy for challenging pathogens and/or challenging populations. To improve immunogenicity while maintaining a favorable reactogenicity and safety profile, modern vaccine design must consider factors beyond the choice of target antigen alone. With new vaccine technologies currently emerging, it will be possible to custom-design vaccines for optimal efficacy in groups of people with different responses to vaccination.

Jet Injection of Naked mRNA Encoding the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Induces a High Level of a Specific Immune Response in Mice.

Although mRNA vaccines encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have demonstrated a safety profile with minimal serious adverse events in clinical trials, there is opportunity to further reduce mRNA reactogenicity. The development of naked mRNA vaccines could improve vaccine tolerability. Naked nucleic acid delivery using the jet injection method may be a solution.

Genetically Engineered Bacterial Ghosts as Vaccine Candidates Against Infection.

Bacterial ghosts (BGs), non-living empty envelopes of bacteria, are produced either through genetic engineering or chemical treatment of bacteria, retaining the shape of their parent cells. BGs are considered vaccine candidates, promising delivery systems, and vaccine adjuvants. The practical use of BGs in vaccine development for humans is limited because of concerns about the preservation of viable bacteria in BGs.

Truncated NS1 Influenza A Virus Induces a Robust Antigen-Specific Tissue-Resident T-Cell Response and Promotes Inducible Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Formation in Mice.

Background: Influenza viruses with truncated NS1 proteins show promise as viral vectors and candidates for mucosal universal influenza vaccines. These mutant NS1 viruses, which lack the N-terminal half of the NS1 protein (124 a.a.

Immunotherapeutic Potential of the Yellow Fever Virus Vaccine Strain 17D for Intratumoral Therapy in a Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer.

: We evaluate the immunotherapeutic potential of the yellow fever virus vaccine strain 17D (YFV 17D) for intratumoral therapy of pancreatic cancer in mice. : The cytopathic effect of YFV 17D on mouse syngeneic pancreatic cancers cells were studied both in vitro and in vivo and on human pancreatic cancers cells in vitro. : YFV 17D demonstrated a strong cytopathic effect against human cancer cells in vitro.

Mucosal Immunization with an Influenza Vector Carrying SARS-CoV-2 N Protein Protects Naïve Mice and Prevents Disease Enhancement in Seropositive Th2-Prone Mice.

Intranasal vaccination enhances protection against respiratory viruses by providing stimuli to the immune system at the primary site of infection, promoting a balanced and effective response. Influenza vectors with truncated NS1 are a promising vaccine approach that ensures a pronounced local CD8+ T-cellular immune response. Here, we describe the protective and immunomodulating properties of an influenza vector FluVec-N carrying the C-terminal fragment of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein within a truncated NS1 open reading frame.

Neethling Strain-Based Homologous Live Attenuated LSDV Vaccines Provide Protection Against Infection with a Clade 2.5 Recombinant LSDV Strain.

Background: Vaccination is the main control measure to prevent Lumpy skin disease (LSD), and Neethling-based homologous vaccines have been shown to be safe and effective against infection with classical clade 1.2 strains. In 2017, recombinant clade 2 LSDV strains originating from a badly produced and insufficiently controlled vaccine were first detected in Russia.

Effect of Sodium Sulfate Solution Coupled with Wetting-Drying Cycles on the Properties of Nano-Alumina-Modified Concrete.

The degradation of concrete caused by sulfate attack poses a significant challenge to its durability. Using nanomaterials to enhance the mechanical and durability properties of concrete is a promising solution. A study of the durability of nano-alumina (NA)-modified concrete by sulfate erosion was carried out.

Resonant Tunneling Nanostructures: Eliminating Current Saturation on Negative Differential Conductivity Region in Compact Dissipative Simulations.

A solution to the problem of resonant tunneling current saturation is proposed. This problem does not allow, within the traditional compact models, a correct qualitative and quantitative analysis to be carried out of the volt-ampere characteristics of double-barrier heterostructures. The reason for this problem is the asymptotic behavior of the function describing the structure transparency, so a non-saturating compact model was proposed to solve the problem of current transfer analysis in the region of negative differential conductivity.

Identification of Health Needs in Ukrainian Refugees Seen in a Primary Care Facility in Tenerife, Spain.

Background: Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine may face significant challenges to their physical, psycho-emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.

Aim: To identify the health needs of Ukrainian refugees seen in primary care facilities in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed.

Evaluation of the Effects of Retro-Cavity Preconditioning with or Without Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid on Root Surface pH and Dislodgement Resistance of NeoMTA2 and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate Flow Retro-Fills: An Ex Vivo Investigation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of retro-cavity preconditioning with or without 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution on root surface pH as well as dislodgement resistance of NeoMTA2 and MTA Flow retro-fills. Forty-eight single-rooted human incisors were selected. After completion of endodontic treatment, root-end resections were performed, and retro-cavities were prepared.