Tryptophan Kynurenine Pathway-Based Imaging Agents for Brain Disorders and Oncology-From Bench to Bedside.

Tryptophan (Trp)-based radiotracers have excellent potential for imaging many different types of brain pathology because of their involvement with both the serotonergic and kynurenine (KYN) pathways. However, radiotracers specific to the kynurenine metabolism pathway are limited. In addition, historically Trp-based radiopharmaceuticals were synthesized with the short-lived isotope carbon-11.

High clinical burden of classical homocystinuria in the United States: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Classical homocystinuria (HCU) is a rare genetic metabolic disorder resulting in elevated homocysteine and methionine levels. The clinical characteristics and associated complications of HCU are well documented. However, there is limited published research on the clinical burden of patients with HCU, especially stratified by total homocysteine (tHcy) levels.

Approach to the Patient with Achondroplasia - New Considerations for Diagnosis, Management and Treatment.

Achondroplasia is the most common disproportionate short-stature skeletal dysplasia. Features associated with achondroplasia are rhizomelia, macrocephaly, midface hypoplasia, and typical cognition. Potential medical complications include foramen magnum stenosis, hydrocephalus, middle ear dysfunction, obstructive and central sleep apnea, spinal stenosis and genu varum.

Technical considerations of cardiac computed tomography in children.

Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a valuable tool in the assessment of congenital and acquired cardiac disease in children. The goal of cardiac CTA is to produce images that are free of motion and provide sufficient characterization of the anatomy in question. Given the complexity of pediatric patient characteristics, including patient size, heart rate, breath-holding capability, and variant anatomy, cardiac CTA technique must be individualized to the patient as well as the indication to answer the clinical question while also minimizing radiation exposure.

Determination of Calcium and Phosphorus Digestibility of Individual Feed Ingredients as Affected by Limestone, in the Presence and Absence of Phytase in Broilers.

To begin formulating broiler diets on a digestible calcium (Ca) basis, robust Ca digestibility values for ingredients and factors affecting this digestibility are needed. This study had three main objectives: (1) determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of Ca and phosphorus (P) for seven plant-based feed ingredients in broilers, (2) assess the impact of phytate source on SID Ca from limestone (LS), and (3) evaluate the effect of phytase on SID Ca and P for the different ingredients. Two experiments were conducted to satisfy these objectives.

Single unit-derived connectivity networks in tuberous sclerosis complex reveal propensity for network hypersynchrony driven by tuber-tuber interactions.

Network hypersynchrony is emerging as an important system-level mechanism underlying seizures, as well as cognitive and behavioural impairments, in children with structural brain abnormalities. We investigated patterns of single neuron action potential behaviour in 206 neurons recorded from tubers, transmantle tails of tubers and normal looking cortex in 3 children with tuberous sclerosis. The patterns of neuronal firing on a neuron-by-neuron (autocorrelation) basis did not reveal any differences as a function of anatomy.

Pediatric Meningeal Diseases: What Radiologists Need to Know.

Evaluating altered mental status and suspected meningeal disorders in children often begins with imaging, typically before a lumbar puncture. The challenge is that meningeal enhancement is a common finding across a range of pathologies, making diagnosis complex. This review proposes a categorization of meningeal diseases based on their predominant imaging characteristics.

A recurrent variant in PPP2R5C identified in individuals with macrocephaly, intellectual disability, and seizures.

PPP2R5C encodes a B-type regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). This protein serine/threonine phosphatase is a component of multiple signaling pathways and is an established negative regulator of cell division, growth, and proliferation. De novo variants in other subunits of PP2A are associated with neurodevelopment disorders and intellectual disability (ID).

Understanding the Landscape of Cancer Care in Europe: Evaluating Clinical and Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

Background: A comparison of the operations of Clinical Cancer Centers and Comprehensive Cancer Centers across Europe provides novel data on the interrelation between different factors in care delivery.

Method: The analysis is based on a survey of key dimensions in care delivery, comparing routine treatment, advanced technology integration, research participation, and innovation adoption across the two types of centers.

Results: Clinical Cancer Centers excel in providing routine cancer treatment through multidisciplinary teams but struggle with advanced technology integration and research participation.

A novel consensus bacterial 6-phytase variant supplemented to an all-vegetable broiler diet totally replaced added trace minerals including zinc, iron, copper and manganese in two experiments.

Two experiments tested the effect of a bacterial 6-phytase (PhyG) supplemented to a vegetable broiler diet without or with added trace minerals (TM), on growth performance and TM utilization. Each tested 12 treatments in a 2 × 6 factorial arrangement with 3,360 Ross 308 males (35 birds/pen, 8 pens/treatment) in a randomized complete block design. Phytase levels comprised no PhyG or PhyG at 2,000, 1,500 and 1,000 FTU/kg during 0 to 10, 10 to 20 and (Experiment 2) 20 to 35 d of age, respectively; TM diets comprised: no added TM (diet 1); 10, 15, 3 and 10, or 20, 30, 6 and 20 mg/kg of Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn as sulphate (diets 2 and 3); 15, 3 and 10 mg/kg of Zn, Cu and Mn as oxide and 15 mg/kg Fe as sulphate, or 30, 6 and 20 mg/kg of Zn, Cu and Mn as oxide and 30 mg/kg Fe as sulphate (diets 4 and 5), and; 10, 3, 15 and 10 mg/kg of organic Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn (diet 6).

The Importance of Including Maternal Immune Activation in Animal Models of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a perinatal brain injury that is the leading cause of cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and poor cognitive outcomes in children born at term, occurring in about 1.5 out of 1000 births. The only proven therapy for HIE is therapeutic hypothermia.

Gait pattern differences in unilaterally affected children with cerebral palsy and children with acquired brain insult.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) or acquired brain insult (ABI) present with motor disorders affecting movement, muscle tone, and posture. While CP is commonly a consequence of perinatal brain insult (PBI), pediatric ABI can occur between birth and adolescence, with movement patterns that may not be consistent with CP.

Research Question: Are gait patterns associated with CP different from those with pediatric ABI?

Materials/methods: Children with unilateral motor impairment and history of ABI at ≥18 months of age were identified from gait lab records and matched with children with CP having a history of PBI at ≤ 1 year old.

Radiation Implication in Pediatric Second Primary Thyroid Malignancy (SPTM) Cumulative Incidence and Mortality in the United States: Large Cohort Evidence.

Objective: To assess racial and sex variances in second primary thyroid malignancy (SPTM) cumulative incidence and temporal trends and the radiation exposure effect in pediatric SPTM.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study, a non-experimental epidemiologic design, was used to assess the cumulative incidence (CmI) and temporal trends as well as the exposure effect of radiation in SPTM among children, 0-19 years, in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry, National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA. Percent change (PC) and annual percent change (APC) were used to examine CmI rates and temporal trends, while chi-square statistics and binomial regression models were used to examine variable distribution by race and to determine the exposure effect of radiation on SPTM as well as mortality, respectively.

Implementation Science and Pediatric Diabetes: A Scoping Review of the State of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research.

Purpose Of Review: This scoping review aimed to identify implementation science (IS) research in pediatric diabetes, report integration of IS theory and terminology, and offer guidance for future research.

Recent Findings: Of 23 papers identified, 19 were published since 2017 and 21 focused on type 1 diabetes. Most involved medical evidence-based practices (EBPs; n = 15), whereas fewer focused on psychosocial (n = 7) and diabetes education (n = 2).

The impact of current pediatric anesthesiology fellows shortfall on freestanding children's hospitals and practices.

The pediatric anesthesiology workforce is currently facing a critical shortage, which will have significant consequences for patient care and the healthcare system as a whole. The workforce is aging, and despite increasing numbers of anesthesiology residents, fewer graduates are entering the field of pediatrics. It should also be noted that fewer medical school graduates are entering pediatrics as well.

beyond muciniphila - emergence of new species sp. nov.

The human gut commensal is the most studied bacterial species within the Verrucomicrobiota phylum. It has been proposed as a beneficial next-generation probiotic for cardiometabolic and immune health. Efforts from various research groups have resulted in the recent discovery of new species and/or phylotypes of the genus .

A Novel Non-Invasive Murine Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Demonstrates Developmental Delay and Motor Deficits with Activation of Inflammatory Pathways in Monocytes.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) occurs in 1.5 per 1000 live births, leaving affected children with long-term motor and cognitive deficits. Few animal models of HIE incorporate maternal immune activation (MIA) despite the significant risk MIA poses to HIE incidence and diagnosis.

Outcome of distraction-based growing rods at graduation: a comparison of traditional growing rods and magnetically controlled growing rods.

Introduction: Distraction-based growing rods have been considered as an alternative surgical option for the operative treatment of EOS. TGR has been challenged by MCGR, which is reported to have the advantage of non-invasive lengthening with fewer planned returns to theatre. This study explores the radiographic outcomes, Unplanned Returns to the Operating Room (UPROR) and complication profile of both the procedures at the end of the planned growing rod treatment with either TGR or MCGR.

Radiotracers for Molecular Imaging of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2.

Angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE) are well-known for their roles in both blood pressure regulation via the renin-angiotensin system as well as functions in fertility, immunity, hematopoiesis, and many others. The two main isoforms of ACE include ACE and ACE-2 (ACE2). Both isoforms have similar structures and mediate numerous effects on the cardiovascular system.

Calcium and phosphorus digestibility in broilers as affected by varying phytate concentrations from corn.

Dietary phytate P (PP) concentration impacts Ca and P digestibility in broilers. Research was conducted to determine the impact of increasing concentration of dietary PP, with and without phytase, on broiler standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of Ca and P. Digestible (Dig) Ca and P were calculated by multiplying SID and the analyzed dietary Ca and P concentrations.

Nontransformation methods for studying signaling pathways and genes involved in Brassica rapa pollen-stigma interactions.

Self-incompatibility (SI) is a mechanism in plants that prevents self-fertilization and promotes outcrossing. SI is also widely utilized in the breeding of Brassicaceae crops. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of SI is essential but has been greatly restrained in most Brassicaceae crops due to inefficient transformation.