Massive gene loss in the fungus Sporothrix epigloea accompanied a shift to life in a glucuronoxylomannan-based gel matrix.

Fungi are well known for their ability to both produce and catabolize complex carbohydrates to acquire carbon, often in the most extreme of environments. Glucuronoxylomannan (GXM)-based gel matrices are widely produced by fungi in nature and though they are of key interest in medicine and pharmaceuticals, their biodegradation is poorly understood. Though some organisms, including other fungi, are adapted to life in and on GXM-like matrices in nature, they are almost entirely unstudied, and it is unknown if they are involved in matrix degradation.

Exploring the Implementation of Cognitive Screening in First-Episode Psychosis Settings: The CogScreen Implementation Study.

Aim: Accurate and appropriate cognitive screening can significantly enhance early psychosis care, yet no screening tools have been validated for the early psychosis population and little is known about current screening practices, experiences, or factors that may influence implementation. CogScreen is a hybrid type 1 study aiming to validate two promising screening tools with young people with first episode psychosis (primary aim) and to understand the context for implementing cognitive screening in early psychosis settings (secondary aim). This protocol outlines the implementation study, which aims to explore the current practices, acceptability, feasibility and determinants of cognitive screening in early psychosis settings from the perspective of key stakeholders.

Exploring Haemodialysis Nurses' Perceptions on Kidney Replacement Therapy Modality Education: A Framework Analysis.

Background: Many people with kidney failure start and remain on in-centre haemodialysis treatment despite evidence of improved outcomes with home dialysis. To make an informed modality decision patients must receive frequent, high-quality modality education. This education is inconsistent in the in-centre haemodialysis setting, where patients spend the most time with nurses while receiving haemodialysis treatments.

Spatial and temporal analyses of Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae) in central and eastern Canada.

Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae) is a vector for pathogens that can impact human and animal health. The geographic range of this species is expanding, but there are some areas with limited up-to-date information on the distribution of D. variabilis.

Cryo-EM SPR structures of Salmonella typhimurium ArnC; the key enzyme in lipid-A modification conferring polymyxin resistance.

Polymyxins are last-resort antimicrobial peptides administered clinically against multi-drug resistant bacteria, specifically in the case of Gram-negative species. However, an increasing number of these pathogens employ a defense strategy that involves a relay of enzymes encoded by the pmrE (ugd) loci and the arnBCDTEF operon. The pathway modifies the lipid-A component of the outer membrane (OM) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by adding a 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (L-Ara4N) headgroup, which renders polymyxins ineffective.

Symptomatic Cervical Carotid Artery Stenosis: Evolving Paradigms in Risk Stratification and Intervention.

Symptomatic carotid disease, characterized by atherosclerotic or non-atherosclerotic internal carotid artery disease with ipsilateral stroke symptoms, represents a critical condition in stroke neurology. This "hot carotid" state carries a high risk of stroke recurrence, with almost one-fourth of the patients experiencing recurrent ischemic events within 2 weeks of initial presentation. The global prevalence of significant carotid stenosis (conventionally defined as ≥50% narrowing) is estimated at around 1.

Global impact of 10- and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on pneumococcal meningitis in all ages: the PSERENADE project.

Background: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) introduced in childhood national immunization programs lowered vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but replacement with non-vaccine-types persisted throughout the PCV10/13 follow-up period. We assessed PCV10/13 impact on pneumococcal meningitis incidence globally.

Methods: The number of cases with serotyped pneumococci detected in cerebrospinal fluid and population denominators were obtained from surveillance sites globally.

Prediction of atrial fibrillation after a stroke event: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) after stroke is a key component of secondary prevention, but indiscriminate prolonged cardiac monitoring is costly and burdensome. Multivariable prediction models could be used to inform patient selection.

Objective: To determine the performance of available models for predicting AF after a stroke.

A retrospective evaluation of patient characteristics and recommendations of a novel multidisciplinary clinic for persons with advanced disability from multiple sclerosis.

Context: Persons with advanced multiple sclerosis (MS) require care beyond the disease modifying treatments offered in conventional MS clinics to address their complex physical and psychosocial needs. In the novel MS Comprehensive and Palliative Care (MSCPC) Program, an MS neurologist, palliative care specialist, and physiatrist collaborate to identify these needs and improve symptom control.

Objectives: To characterize the medical, physical, and psychosocial concerns of persons with advanced disability from MS and describe the recommended interventions of the MSCPC Program.

The association of medical cannabis use with quality of life in Illinois' opioid alternative pilot program.

Background: In Illinois, the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program (OAPP) was launched to expand access to medical cannabis to use as a direct substitute for opioids. Although therapeutic benefits have been reported in reducing opioid use, there is an absence of literature that examines how medical cannabis use impacts an individual's quality of life (QoL). This study examines the association of medical cannabis use with QoL among the first enrollees in OAPP.

Targeting extracellular matrix components to attenuate microglia neuroinflammation: A study of fibulin-2 and CSPGs in a model of multiple sclerosis.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in the central nervous system (CNS), shaping tissue structure and functions as well as contributing to the pathology of chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). ECM components, including fibulin-2 (FBLN2) and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), may impact neuroinflammation and remyelination. We investigated the capacity of FBLN2 to modulate immune responses and evaluated its interaction with CSPGs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a common model for MS.

Cytosolic DNA composition is determined by genomic instability mechanism and regulates dendritic cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity.

Patients with colorectal cancers (CRCs) that have microsatellite instability (MSI) (MSI CRCs) face a better prognosis than those with the more common chromosomal instability (CIN) subtype (CIN CRCs) due to improved T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses. Previous investigations identified the cytosolic DNA (cyDNA) sensor STING as necessary for chemokine-mediated T cell recruitment in MSI CRCs. Here, we find that cyDNA from MSI CRC cells is inherently more capable of inducing STING activation and improves cytotoxic T cell activation by dendritic cells (DCs).

CHD6 has poly(ADP-ribose)- and DNA-binding domains and regulates PARP1/2-trapping inhibitor sensitivity via abasic site repair.

To tolerate oxidative stress, cells enable DNA repair responses often sensitive to poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase 1 and 2 (PARP1/2) inhibition-an intervention effective against cancers lacking BRCA1/2. Here, we demonstrate that mutating the CHD6 chromatin remodeler sensitizes cells to PARP1/2 inhibitors in a manner distinct from BRCA1, and that CHD6 recruitment to DNA damage requires cooperation between PAR- and DNA-binding domains essential for nucleosome sliding activity. CHD6 displays direct PAR-binding, interacts with PARP-1 and other PAR-associated proteins, and combined DNA- and PAR-binding loss eliminates CHD6 relocalization to DNA damage.

Differences in Postoperative Disposition by Kidney Disease Severity: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Rationale & Objective: People with advanced kidney disease undergo more non-cardiac operations compared to the general population, with a higher risk of perioperative cardiac events and death. However, little is known about the associations between severity of preoperative kidney dysfunction with postoperative length of hospitalization and discharge disposition; these were the focus of this study.

Study Design: Population-based retrospective cohort.

Electrophysiological signatures of the effect of context on exploration: Greater attentional and learning signals when exploration is costly.

Humans are excellent at modifying our behaviour depending on context. For example, humans will change how they explore when losses are possible compared to when they are not possible. However, it remains unclear what specific cognitive and neural processes are modulated when exploring in different contexts.

A forward genetic screen identifies potassium channel essentiality in SHH medulloblastoma maintenance.

Distinguishing tumor maintenance genes from initiation, progression, and passenger genes is critical for developing effective therapies. We employed a functional genomic approach using the Lazy Piggy transposon to identify tumor maintenance genes in vivo and applied this to sonic hedgehog (SHH) medulloblastoma (MB). Combining Lazy Piggy screening in mice and transcriptomic profiling of human MB, we identified the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNB2 as a candidate maintenance driver.

Target-induced proximity ligation triggers polymerase chain reaction for subset tracing of small extracellular vesicles.

The considerable abundance and remarkable stability of sEVs provide substantial benefits for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, precise tracking subtypes of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) is crucial for screening novel diagnostic biomarkers and developing therapeutic technologies. We propose a three-target recognition-mediated proximity ligation assay for the precise identification of sEV subtypes utilizing three specifically designed probes: one for the exosomal surface protein CD63 recognition, one for fixing the biolipid layer, and the third for the identification of distinctive protein associated with a specific subtype of sEVs (L1CAM positive sEVs).

Risks associated with opioid prescriptions for headache in the emergency department.

Study Hypothesis: Use of opioids for treatment of headache in the emergency department (ED) is associated with an increased 1-year risk of opioid-related adverse events.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of opioid prescribing for ED patients with headache.

Methods: We performed a multicenter observational cohort study using linked administrative data.

Working effectively with individuals with substance use disorders: a qualitative descriptive study.

Background: Irrespective of where nurses work, they may provide care to individuals with substance use disorders. Unfortunately, some nurses may not understand how to work with these individuals and stigmatisation may occur.

Aim: To explore how to provide effective care for these individuals.

A randomized control trial to compare Quiet Eye training efficacy to traditional technical training with undergraduate student nurses' peripheral intravenous cannulation performance: a protocol.

Introduction: Peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC) is a common and complex procedure with low first-attempt success rates, causing patient suffering and increased healthcare costs. Quiet Eye (QE) training, a gaze-focused approach, has shown promise in improving procedural PIVC skills. We will examine the effectiveness of traditional technical training (TT) and QE training (QET) on student nurse PIVC performance.