Research has focused on primarily white parents, months to years after their infant/child or adult child died of cancer, accidental injury, sudden infant death syndrome, or suicide. Many parents experience depression and/or posttraumatic stress disorder and greater risk for some physical health problems.

Data on hospitalizations, changes in and management of chronic conditions, complexity of medication regimens, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder were collected over 13 months from 249 Hispanic, black, and white parents in 188 families who experienced an infant/child NICU/PICU death. (Read the full article)

Pediatric functional abdominal pain is common and costly. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a promising treatment for these complaints, but solid evidence for its effectiveness is lacking.

This randomized controlled trial shows that CBT reduces abdominal pain in 60% of children 1 year after treatment. Six sessions of CBT delivered by trained master’s students in psychology were equally effective as 6 visits to an experienced pediatrician. (Read the full article)

Initial studies in children and young adults have identified higher levels of anxiety and lower quality of life scores in patients with implantable cardioverter–defibrillators. Few studies are available looking at the same questions in young patients with pacemakers.

Anxiety is highly prevalent in young patients with ICDs, but the higher rates can be attributed to medical disease severity and age at implantation rather than type of device. Patients with pacemakers have depression and anxiety but at lower rates. (Read the full article)

Children who have syndromic craniosynostosis are at risk for developing intellectual disability, behavioral and emotional problems. Study results were often based on small samples and wide age-based variation, using non-validated instruments and describing no clear inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Intellectual, behavioral, and emotional functioning is described in a national sample (N = 82) of school-aged children with syndromic craniosynostosis. Using standardized instruments, this study indicates higher risks for intellectual disability and behavioral problems mainly in children having Apert and Muenke syndromes. (Read the full article)

Rapid cranial MRI is a radiation-free method to assess children with possible ventricular shunt malfunction. However, the test performance of rapid cranial MRI has never been compared with that of cranial CT, the current reference standard.

The accuracy of rapid cranial MRI was not inferior to that of CT for diagnosing ventricular shunt malfunction. Rapid cranial MRI is an important radiation-sparing diagnostic alternative for children presenting emergently with possible ventricular shunt malfunction. (Read the full article)

The fetal origins of adult disease hypothesis proposes that suboptimal fetal development may condition the later risk of disease, particularly cardiovascular disease. However, this hypothesis has never been tested for diseases of the aging brain.

This first study of its kind provides clinical measures suggesting that small birth size, as an indicator of an adverse intrauterine environment, has lifelong consequences for brain tissue volume and cognitive function. In addition, it shows that the effects of a suboptimal intrauterine environment on late-life cognitive function were particularly present in those with lower educational levels. (Read the full article)

Children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) attending clinical services have poorer outcomes in adolescence on a range of measures. However, it is unknown how early in development these impairments appear, particularly for community-ascertained samples.

At age 6 to 8 years, children in the community with ADHD have significantly poorer mental health, academic performance and social function compared with control children. Children who have impairing ADHD symptoms should be referred early for assessment and intervention. (Read the full article)

Physical activity programs have been shown to have positive implications for children’s cognitive performance and brain structure and function. However, additional randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether daily physical activity influences executive control and its neural underpinnings.

The randomized controlled trial, designed to meet daily physical activity recommendations, used behavioral and electrophysiological measures of brain function to demonstrate enhanced attentional inhibition and cognitive flexibility among prepubertal children. (Read the full article)

Adolescent obesity is characterized by endothelial dysfunction at the macrovascular and microvascular level; high endothelial microparticle (EMP) and low endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) counts contribute to these processes. Although reversal of macrovascular endothelial dysfunction is feasible, clinical evidence regarding microvascular endothelial dysfunction is scarce.

Ten months of diet and exercise training improves microvascular endothelial function (peak response) in obese adolescents. EPC and EMP displayed a biphasic response, with an increase in EPC at 5 months and a decrease in EMP at the end of the treatment. (Read the full article)

It is unclear whether developmental delays observed among infants with single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC) persist at school age. Few neurodevelopmental studies have examined children with SSC beyond age 3, with most having methodological limitations.

This study is the first to follow and test infants with SSC and a control group at school age. Infancy delays among children with SSC persisted at school age in some areas (IQ, math) but not others (reading, spelling). (Read the full article)

Early-life lower respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia, are associated with increased prevalence of asthma and diminished lung function in children. Whether early-life pneumonia is associated with subsequent impaired lung function and asthma in adults is not yet clear.

This is the first article providing strong data for an association between early-life pneumonia in an outpatient setting and airflow limitation and asthma into adulthood, supporting the hypothesis of the early-life origins of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (Read the full article)

Preterm children often experience poor executive function (EF; skills underpinning adaptive, goal-directed behavior, and essential for positive academic, occupational, and social outcomes). EF matures across adolescence, but the nature and course of EF deficits for preterm adolescents is not well-described.

Extremely preterm/extremely low birthweight adolescents demonstrated small-to-medium deficits across multiple EF domains compared with normal birthweight controls. Preterm children improved on some EF aspects from age 8 to late adolescence relative to controls, but not on parent-rated behavioral EF. (Read the full article)

Studies on the consequences of abnormal prenatal hemoglobin (Hb) concentration have focused on maternal morbidities and adverse birth outcomes. To date, very little is known about the association between prenatal Hb concentration and infant cognitive and motor functions.

There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between maternal Hb concentration and infant gross motor function. Hb concentration between 90 and 110 g/L appears to be optimal for early gross motor function of children. (Read the full article)

Children born very preterm (VP) or with very low birth weight (VLBW) are at risk for cognitive deficits and low IQ in childhood. Recent evidence indicates that IQ discrepancies between VP/VLBW and term-born individuals are still found in adulthood.

Development of cognitive function is more stable for VP/VLBW than term-born individuals from infancy into adulthood and can be predicted fairly well from age 20 months onward. However, when adults with cognitive impairment are excluded, group differences in stability disappear. (Read the full article)

Children born preterm at very low birth weight have reduced lung function. Reduced lung function may extend to adult life, but to what extent this outcome is attributable to bronchopulmonary dysplasia and other prenatal and neonatal conditions is not known.

Young adults born preterm at very low birth weight had impaired airflow. This finding suggests an increased risk of later obstructive airways disease and was observed also among those with no bronchopulmonary dysplasia, regardless of other prenatal and neonatal complications. (Read the full article)

Executive functioning and excess weight have been associated in both cross-sectional and prospective studies, but mechanisms explaining this relationship are unclear.

Impulsivity and planning at age 10 predicted age 10 to 16 BMI changes, and age 12 binge-eating tendencies mediated the relation between impulsivity at age 10 and changes in BMI change through age 16. (Read the full article)

Urologic outcomes of prenatal myelomeningocele closure have previously been reported. This study, however, represents a large, prospectively followed cohort of these patients and presents detailed findings of urologic outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the largest study of this type.

Our study is the only trial to compare urologic outcomes in children with myelomeningocele having undergone prenatal closure with those who had postnatal repair in a prospective and systematic manner. We report our findings at 12 and 30 months. (Read the full article)

The Financial Sector Conduct Authority warns the public not to conduct financial services business with Masibekele Funeral Parlour and MISI Burial Society.

Powderhouse Studios was supposed to open this fall after winning a $10 million startup grant from XQ Institute. But after nearly seven years of planning, school committee members unanimously rejected the high school in March.

Advocates for increased federal funding for special education cheered Thursday when the issue was raised on the Democratic presidential debate stage in Los Angeles.

β-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus limits treatment options. Stp1 and Stk1, a serine-threonine phosphatase and kinase respectively, mediate serine-threonine kinase (STK) signaling. Loss of function point mutations in stp1 were detected among laboratory passaged, β-lactam resistant S. aureus strains lacking mecA and blaZ, the major determinants of β-lactam resistance in the bacteria. Loss of Stp1 function facilitates β-lactam resistance of the bacteria.

Ibrexafungerp (formerly SCY-078) is a semisynthetic triterpenoid and potent (1->3)-β-D-glucan synthase inhibitor. We investigated the in vitro activity, pharmacokinetics, and in vivo efficacy of ibrexafungerp (SCY) alone and in combination with anti-mould triazole isavuconazole (ISA) against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). The combination of ibrexafungerp and isavuconazole in in vitro studies resulted in an additive and synergistic interactions against Aspergillus spp. Plasma concentration-time curves of ibrexafungerp were compatible with linear dose proportional profile. In vivo efficacy was studied in a well established persistently neutropenic NZW rabbit model of experimental IPA. Treatment groups included untreated rabbits (UC) and rabbits receiving ibrexafungerp at 2.5(SCY2.5) and 7.5(SCY7.5) mg/kg/day, isavuconazole at 40(ISA40) mg/kg/day, or combinations of SCY2.5+ISA40 and SCY7.5+ISA40. The combination of SCY+ISA produced in vitro synergistic interaction. There was significant in vivo reduction of residual fungal burden, lung weights, and pulmonary infarct scores in SCY2.5+ISA40, SCY7.5+ISA40, and ISA40-treatment groups vs that of SCY2.5-treated, SCY7.5-treated and UC (p<0.01). Rabbits treated with SCY2.5+ISA40 and SCY7.5+ISA40 had prolonged survival in comparison to that of SCY2.5-, SCY7.5-, ISA40-treated or UC (p<0.05). Serum GMI and (1->3)-β-D-glucan levels significantly declined in animals treated with the combination of SCY7.5+ISA40 in comparison to those treated with SCY7.5 or ISA40 (p<0.05). Ibrexafungerp and isavuconazole combination demonstrated prolonged survival, decreased pulmonary injury, reduced residual fungal burden, lower GMI and (1->3)-β-D-glucan levels in comparison to those of single therapy for treatment of IPA. These findings provide an experimental foundation for clinical evaluation of the combination of ibrexafungerp and an anti-mould triazole for treatment of IPA.

Linezolid is the first synthetic oxazolidone agent to treat infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens. Infected patients with liver dysfunction (LD) are more likely to suffer from adverse reactions such as thrombocytopenia when standard-dose linezolid is used than patients with LD who didn't use linezolid. Currently, pharmacokinetics data of linezolid in patients with LD are limited. The study aimed to characterize pharmacokinetics parameters of linezolid in patients with LD, identify the factors influencing the pharmacokinetics, and propose an optimal dosage regimen. We conducted a prospective study and established population pharmacokinetics model with the Phoenix NLME. The final model was evaluated by goodness-of-fit plots, bootstrap analysis, and prediction corrected-visual predictive check. A total of 163 concentration samples from 45 patients with LD were adequately described by a one-compartment model with first-order elimination along with prothrombin activity (PTA) and creatinine clearance as significant covariates. Linezolid clearance (CL) was 2.68 L/h (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.34-3.03 L/h); the volume of distribution (Vd) was 58.34 L (95% CI: 48.00-68.68 L). Model-based simulation indicated that the conventional dose was at risk for overexposure in patients with LD or severe renal dysfunction; reduced dosage (300 mg/12 h) would be appropriate to achieve safe (C_min, ss at 2-8 ug/mL) and effective targets (the ratio of AUC_0-24 at steady state to MIC, 80-100). In addition, for patients with severe LD (PTA <= 20%), the dosage (400 mg/24 h) was sufficient at an MIC <= 2 ug/mL. This study recommended therapeutic drug monitoring for patients with LD.

In vitro and in vivo interactions of minocycline and azoles including itraconazole, voriconazole, and posaconazole against filamentous pathogenic fungi were investigated. A total of 56 clinical isolates were studied in vitro via broth microdilution checkerboard technique, including 20 strains of Aspergillus fumigatus, 7 strains of A. flavus, 16 strains of Exophiala dermatitidis, 10 strains of Fusarium solani and 3 strain s of F. oxysporum. The results revealed that minocycline individually did not exhibit any significant antifungal activity against all tested strains. However, favorable synergy of minocycline with itraconazole, voriconazole, or posaconazole were observed against 34 (61%), 28 (50%), and 38 (69%) isolates, respectively, including azole resistant A. fumigatus and Fusarium spp. with inherently high MICs of azoles. Synergistic combinations resulted in 4 fold to 16-fold reduction of effective MICs of minocycline and azoles. No antagonism was observed. In vivo effect of minocycline-azole combinations were evaluated by survival assay in Galleria mellonella model infected with E. dermatitidis strain BMU00034, F. solani strain FS9, A. fumigatus strain AF293, AFR1 and AFR2 . Minocycline acted synergistically with azoles and significantly increased larvae survival in all isolates (P<0.001), including azole resistant A. fumigatus and azole-inactive Fusarium spp.. In conclusion, the results suggested that minocycline combined with azoles may help to enhance the antifungal susceptibilities of azoles against pathogenic fungi and had the potential to overcome azole resistance issues.

Pharmacokinetic changes are often seen in patients with severe infections. Administration by continuous infusion has been suggested to optimize antibiotic exposure and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target attainment for β-lactams. In an observational study, unbound piperacillin concentrations (n=196) were assessed in 78 critically ill patients following continuous infusion of piperacillin/tazobactam (ratio 8:1). The initial dose of 8, 12 or 16 g (piperacillin component) was determined by individual creatinine clearance (CRCL). Piperacillin concentrations were compared to the EUCAST clinical breakpoint MIC for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16 mg/L), and the following PK/PD targets were evaluated: 100% fT>1xMIC and 100% fT>4xMIC. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using NONMEM 7.4.3 consisting of a one-compartment disposition model with linear elimination separated into non-renal and renal (linearly increasing with patient CRCL) clearances. Target attainment was predicted and visualized for all individuals based on the utilized CRCL dosing algorithm. The target of 100% fT>1xMIC was achieved for all patients based on the administered dose, but few patients achieved the target of 100% fT>4xMIC. Probability of target attainment for a simulated cohort of patients showed, that increasing the daily dose by 4 g increments (piperacillin component) did not result in substantially improved target attainment for the 100% fT>4xMIC target. To conclude, in patients with high CRCL combined with high-MIC bacterial infections, even a CI regimen with a daily dose of 24 g may be insufficient to achieve therapeutic concentrations.

Aspergillus niger, the third species responsible for invasive aspergillosis has been considered as a homogeneous species until DNA-based identification uncovered many cryptic species. These species have been recently reclassified into the Aspergillus section Nigri. However little is yet known among the section Nigri about the species distribution and the antifungal susceptibility pattern of each cryptic species. A total of 112 clinical isolates collected from 5 teaching hospitals in France and phenotypically identified as A. niger were analyzed. Identification to the species level was carried out by nucleotide sequence analysis. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole and amphotericin B were determined by both the EUCAST and gradient concentration strips methods. Aspergillus tubingensis (n=51, 45.5%) and A. welwitschiae (n=50, 44.6%) were the most common species while A. niger accounted for only 6.3% (n=7). The MICs of azoles drugs were higher for A. tubingensis than for A. welwitschiae. The MIC of amphotericin B was 2 mg/L or less for all isolates. Importantly, MICs determined by EUCAST showed no correlation with those determined by gradient concentration strips methods, these latter being lower than the former (Spearman's rank correlation tests ranging - depending on the antifungal agent - from 0.01 to 0.25; p>0.4). In conclusion, A. niger should be considered as a minority species in the section Nigri. The differences in MICs between species for different azoles underline the importance of accurate identification. Significant divergences in the determination of MIC between EUCAST and gradient concentration strips methods require further investigation.

Anidulafungin and micafungin were quantified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of critically ill adults and in cerebral cortex of deceased patients. In CSF, anidulafungin levels (<0.01-0.66 μg/ml) and micafungin levels (<0.01-0.16 μg/ml) were lower than the simultaneous plasma concentrations (0.77-5.07 μg/ml and 1.21-8.70 μg/ml, respectively). In cerebral cortex, anidulafungin and micafungin levels were 0.21-2.34 μg/g and 0.18-2.88 μg/g, respectively. Thus, MIC values of several pathogenic Candida strains exceed concentrations in CSF and in brain.

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of the main causes of death due to cardiomyopathy and heart failure in Latin American countries. The treatment of Chagas disease is directed at eliminating the parasite, decreasing the probability of cardiomyopathy, and disrupting the disease transmission cycle. Benznidazole (BZ) and nifurtimox (NFX) are recognized as effective drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease by the World Health Organization, but both have high toxicity and limited efficacy, especially in the chronic disease phase. At low doses, aspirin (ASA) has been reported to protect against T. cruzi infection. We evaluated the effectiveness of BZ in combination with ASA at low doses during the acute disease phase and evaluated cardiovascular aspects and cardiac lesions in the chronic phase. ASA treatment prevented the cardiovascular dysfunction (hypertension and tachycardia) and typical cardiac lesions. Moreover, BZ+ASA-treated mice had a smaller cardiac fibrotic area than that in BZ-treated mice. These results were associated with an increase in the number of eosinophils and reticulocytes and level of nitric oxide in the plasma and cardiac tissue of ASA-treated mice relative to respective controls. These effects of ASA and BZ+ASA in chronically infected mice were inhibited by pretreatment with the LXA₄ receptor antagonist, Boc-2, indicating that the protective effects of ASA are mediated by ASA-triggered lipoxin. These results emphasize the importance of exploring new drug combinations for treatments of acute phase of Chagas disease that are beneficial for chronic patients.

Ebola Virus (EBOV) is among the most devastating pathogens causing fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans. The 2013–2016 epidemics resulted in over 11000 deaths, while another outbreak is currently ongoing. Since there is no FDA-approved drug so far to fight EBOV infection, there is an urgent need to focus on drug discovery. Considering the tight correlation between the high EBOV virulence and its ability to suppress the type-I Interferon (IFN-I) system, identifying molecules targeting viral protein VP24, one of the main virulence determinants blocking IFN response, is a promising novel anti-EBOV therapy approach. Hence, in the effort of finding novel EBOV inhibitors, a screening of a small set of flavonoids was performed, showing that Quercetin and Wogonin can suppress the VP24 effect on IFN-I signaling inhibition. The mechanism of action of the most active compound, Quercetin, showing an IC₅₀ value of 7.4 μM, was characterized to significantly restore the IFN-I signaling cascade, blocked by VP24, by directly interfering with the VP24 binding to karyopherin-α and thus restoring P-STAT1 nuclear transport and IFN genes transcription. Quercetin significantly blocked viral infection, specifically targeting EBOV VP24 anti-IFN-I function. Overall, Quercetin is the first identified inhibitor of the EBOV VP24 anti-IFN function, representing a molecule interacting with a viral binding site that is very promising for further drug development aiming to block EBOV infection at the early steps.

A new paper sketches out the landscape and tensions in civic education as philanthropies look for ways to support the field.

"This pandemic has given us an opportunity to think boldly about students' educational needs and how to creatively respond to them," says Katherine Haley.

"Folks in some foundations are quietly expressing frustration that they've been cautioned to stay in their lane and only fund things aligned with their pre-COVID strategy," says Stacey Childress.

A winner of the European Women's Under-17 Championship with Poland in 2013, Ewa Pajor urges the players taking part in this year's final tournament in Bulgaria to seize the moment.

A family who was fined for travelling more than 400 miles for the bank holiday weekend have been slammed online by politicians and Scots.

Maureen Hack
Aug 1, 2005; 116:333-341
ARTICLES

Betty R. Vohr
Jun 1, 2000; 105:1216-1226
ARTICLES

Teacher performance pay may soon be coming to the Cornhusker State.

Federal education officials have begun announcing a new round of grants from the Teacher Incentive Fund.

Another dozen school districts have landed federal Teacher Incentive Fund grants, including one that will focus on paying principals and assistant principals for their performance.

To honor a favorite professor and help students with the expenses associated with internships and study abroad, 1979 Penn State alumna Maryann Hunter created a fund in political science.

Lima, Peru, May 7, 2020 / 06:00 am (CNA).- Two priests in a rural area of Peru aimed to fight the coronavirus pandemic by finding a way to supply oxygen tanks, much needed for medical treatment, to their region.

The recent death of two doctors from coronavirus in Iquitos, Peru, underscored the hard-hit region’s shortage of medical equipment and medications. Both doctors died because of the lack of oxygen to treat them.

The Medical Corps of Hospital III of Iquitos and the Medical College of Peru said in a joint statement last month that there is a shortage of medications in the Loreto region, and its capital Iquitos is "one of the cities hardest hit by the infection."

“We don’t have medications” to treat coronavirus patients and “not enough oxygen tanks, pressure gauges and refilled tanks,” they reported.

One doctor was in intensive care at Loreto Regional Hospital and the other at a hospital under the country’s universal health insurance program, both in Iquitos, the Medical College of Peru said on social media.

Fr. Raymond Portelli, a parish pastor in Iquitos, along with the diocesan administrator of the Apostolic Vicariate of Iquitos, Fr. Miguel Fuertes, decided to start a fundraising campaign to acquire an oxygen plant for the city.

Portelli himself is a doctor caring for COVID-19 patients.

To purchase the machinery, they needed to raise about $118,000.

The city does have an oxygen plant, but it only produces between 100 and 160 tanks a day. The dean of the Medical College of Peru, Miguel Palacios, told local media that quantity is not enough and that current production would need to be tripled.

The priests’ campaign was launched the morning of May 3 on social media, and in less than a day, they had raised about $300,000.

Both priests thanked contributors, and said that thanks to the amount collected, a “high capacity” plant could be purchased for Iquitos.

Portelli added that Fuentes is currently in Lima coordinating with a specialist for the acquisition of the plant.

“Pray a lot that this work can be accomplished quickly. May God bless all who have contributed. We hope to continue to cover all the expenses,” he added.

  This story was first published by CNA's Spanish-language news partner, ACI Prensa. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.



 

Fifty students of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus have generated $71,063.48 in donations for the annual Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON), held Feb. 22 to 23 in the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park.

The books category has disappeared from the Microsoft Store and you'll no longer be able to access purchased or rented ebooks from July. Expect a full refund, though.

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee is backing Scottish Government plans to change the law on deciding parent-child contact in family breakdown cases.

‘Offering a complicated range of highly specialised funds defeats the aim of simplicity’.

A church youth group sees God provide finances for the teens to attend TeenStreet Europe 2013 in Germany.

Calls to fully fund the nation's main special education law resound on the campaign trail, but a complex array of factors make that an elusive goal.

The lawsuit, filed in 2014, alleges that the state was severely underfunding schools, forcing school districts to lean heavily on property taxes, which especially disadvantages students in property-poor areas.