Health of Post-Institutionalized Haitian Children Adopted to the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Haiti remains a principal placement country for intercountry adoptees to the United States. This project reports the health status of children adopted from Haiti arriving to the U.S. and compares them to intercountry adoptees from other regions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of adoptees placed in the U.S. from Haiti (n=87), age and sex matched with intercountry adoptees placed in the U.S. from Asia (n=87) and Latin America (n=87) between January 2010 and November 2019. Data on immunization status, contagious diseases, and nutrition and growth were analyzed via linear, logistic, and multinomial regression. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, sex, and standardized height, children adopted from Haiti, compared to adoptees from Latin America and Asia, demonstrated a lack of immunity to hepatitis B (OR=5.89;6.87), increased immunity to hepatitis A (OR=0.38;0.30), infection by two or more parasites (OR=8.43;38.48), high lead levels (OR=23.79;7.04), and anemia (OR=15.25;9.18). Unexpectedly, children adopted from Haiti had greater standardized height (-1.28 vs. -1.82 and -2.13) and standardized weight (-0.32 vs. -0.57 and -1.57) than their counterparts from Latin America and Asia. CONCLUSIONS: Children adopted from Haiti face complex medical challenges undoubtedly related to the country's low socioeconomic status (SES) and the impact of recurrent natural disasters and governmental neglect on public health infrastructure. Appropriate care is critical in preventing and avoiding transmission of infectious diseases in adoptees and family members. The high incidence of anemia and elevated lead levels may further exacerbate the developmental effects of early institutional deprivation.

Bioactive fraction of Tragia involucrata Linn leaves attenuates inflammation in Freund's complete adjuvant-induced arthritis in Wistar albino rats via inhibiting NF-κB.

Tragia involucrata Linn. (T. involucrata) belongs to the family of Euphorbiaceae found in the subtropical regions. Traditionally, the plant parts are used to treat inflammation, wounds and skin infection by people of the Western Ghats, India. Few studies on the acute anti-inflammatory activity of T. involucrata extracts were reported earlier. The present study aims to identify the bioactive fraction of T. involucrata and to evaluate its mechanism in Complete Freund's Adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model. The leaf extract was highly effective among the methanolic leaf and root extracts. The hexane (HF) and a methanolic fraction (MF) of the leaf extract of T involucrata were further identified as a bioactive fraction evaluated through protein denaturation assay. The HF and MF were further studied for their anti-inflammatory potential in a chronic inflammatory model, and their mechanism of action was explored further. Arthritis was induced by administering 0.1 ml of CFA intradermally. The treatment was started the next day with HF (100 and 250 mg/kg/day) and MF (100 and 250 mg/kg/day), while the HF and MF alone group served as the drug control, Indomethacin-treated group served as the positive control. On the 25th day, the animals were euthanized, and their body weight, paw thickness, arthritic score, spleen and thymus weight, haematological parameters, biochemical parameters, radiographs and histopathology were analyzed. Results showed that the MF-treated animals maintained dry weight, reduced paw thickness, arthritic scores, and haematological and biological parameters compared to the HF-treated and CFA-induced arthritic rats. Both radiological and histopathological analyses of the joints revealed that the MF-treated groups restored bone architecture without any erosion and normal tissue architecture with nil signs of active inflammation. Western blot analysis revealed that MF has effectively inhibited the protein expression levels of MMP-3, MMP-9, and NF-κB in the synovial tissues compared to that of CFA-induced arthritic rats. Besides, HPLC analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, including gallic acid, rutin and Quercetin, in the MF of T. involucrata, which had shown to have potent anti-inflammatory potential. Thus, it can be emphasized that T. involucrata could be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating inflammatory diseases, which needs further experimental studies to confirm its safety and efficacy.

Molecular insights into phytochemicals exhibiting anti-arthritic activity: systematic review : John Di Battista.

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with an unclear etiology causing severe inflammation, joint pain, and destruction that increases the chance of disability over time. Dysregulation of various immune signaling cascades regulates the formation of synovial hyperplasia and pannus formation. Imbalance in cytokine levels, predominantly proinflammatory cytokines like TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-12p70 profoundly influences the disease's pathogenesis. Even though various strategies are adopted to treat arthritis, their side effects and cost limit their usage. This review discusses the multiple pathways involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, provides a systematic analysis of various phytochemicals, and discusses their potential molecular targets in RA treatment. METHODS: The literature mining was done from scientific databases such as PubMed, Europe PMC, Web of Science, Scopus, etc. The terminologies used for literature mining were Rheumatoid arthritis, phytochemicals, cell signaling pathways, molecular mechanism, etc. RESULTS: NF-κB, MAPKs, and JAK-STAT are the key pathways potentially targeted for RA treatment. However, specific susceptible pathways and potential targets remain unexplored. Besides, the phytochemicals remain an immense source to be exploited for the effective treatment of RA, overcoming the demerits of the conventional strategies. Various in vitro and in vivo findings suggest that polyphenols and flavonoids effectively treat RA conditions overcoming the demerits, such as limitations in usage and toxicity. The phytochemicals should be explored in par with the pathological mechanisms with all the available targets to determine their therapeutic efficacy. Through the established therapeutic efficacy, phytochemicals can help developing therapeutics that are safe and efficacious for RA treatment.

PRIASE 2021 guidelines for reporting animal studies in Endodontology: a consensus-based development.

Animal testing is crucial in situations when research on humans is not allowed because of unknown health risks and ethical concerns. The current project aims to develop reporting guidelines exclusively for animal studies in Endodontology, using an established consensus-based methodology. The guidelines have been named: Preferred Reporting Items for Animal Studies in Endodontology (PRIASE) 2021. Nine individuals (PD, VN, AK, PM, MN, JF, EP, JJ and SJ), including the project leaders (PD, VN) formed a steering committee. The steering committee developed a novel checklist by adapting and integrating their animal testing and peer review experience with the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines and also the Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles. A PRIASE Delphi Group (PDG) and PRIASE Online Meeting Group (POMG) were also formed. Thirty-one PDG members participated in the online Delphi process and achieved consensus on the checklist items and flowchart that were used to formulate the PRIASE guidelines. The novel PRIASE 2021 guidelines were discussed with the POMG on 9 September 2020 via a Zoom online video call attended by 21 individuals from across the globe and seven steering committee members. Following the discussions, the guidelines were modified and then piloted by several authors whilst writing a manuscript involving research on animals. The PRIASE 2021 guidelines are a checklist consisting of 11 domains and 43 individual items together with a flowchart. The PRIASE 2021 guidelines are focused on improving the methodological principles, reproducibility and quality of animal studies in order to enhance their reliability as well as repeatability to estimate the effects of endodontic treatments and usefulness for guiding future clinical studies on humans.

PRIASE 2021 guidelines for reporting animal studies in Endodontology: explanation and elaboration.

Laws and ethics require that before conducting human clinical trials, a new material, device or drug may have to undergo testing in animals in order to minimize health risks to humans, unless suitable supporting grandfather data already exist. The Preferred Reporting Items for Animal Studies in Endodontology (PRIASE) 2021 guidelines were developed exclusively for the specialty of Endodontology by integrating and adapting the ARRIVE (Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments) guidelines and the Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles using a validated consensus-based methodology. Implementation of the PRIASE 2021 guidelines will reduce potential sources of bias and thus improve the quality, accuracy, reproducibility, completeness and transparency of reports describing animal studies in Endodontology. The PRIASE 2021 guidelines consist of a checklist with 11 domains and 43 individual items and a flowchart. The aim of the current document is to provide an explanation for each item in the PRIASE 2021 checklist and flowchart and is supplemented with examples from the literature in order for readers to understand their significance and to provide usage guidance. A link to the PRIASE 2021 explanation and elaboration document and PRIASE 2021 checklist and flowchart is available on the Preferred Reporting Items for study Designs in Endodontology (PRIDE) website (http://pride-endodonticguidelines.org/priase/).

Biofumigation activities of volatile compounds from two Trichoderma afroharzianum strains against Fusarium infections in fresh chilies.

BACKGROUND: Two Fusarium fungi, F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum, have been recognized as major pathogenic fungi that cause postharvest decay of chili fruits. Ozone and some toxic chemicals are used to control pathogenic infections, leading to longer storage lives of agricultural commodities. However, these chemicals may pose some risks to the applicators and the environment. Therefore, alternative, easy-to-use fumigants for effective control of Fusarium infections in harvested fresh chilies are needed. RESULTS: Two endophytic fungi, Trichoderma afroharzianum strain MFLUCC19-0090 and T. afroharzianum strain MFLUCC19-0091, were isolated from Schefflera leucantha leaves. Their volatile compounds were investigated for antifungal activities against F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum. In vitro results showed that the volatile compounds produced by each strain inhibited pathogen growth. Additionally, the Trichoderma-derived volatile compounds significantly reduced Fusarium-related disease severity and incidence percentages in the inoculated fresh chilies. Antifungal properties of the volatile compounds were found to be specific to the species of the tested pathogens (MFLUCC19-0090 greatly suppressed F. oxysporum and MFLUCC19-0091 greatly suppressed F. proliferatum). Seventy-three volatile compounds were detected from both strains. Among the major volatile compounds detected, phenyl ethyl alcohol was found to possess the strongest antifungal activity against both pathogens. CONCLUSION: These Trichoderma-derived volatile compounds may be used as alternative fumigants for controlling Fusarium rot in harvested fresh chilies. The successful use of volatile compounds as biofumigants can prevent significant market losses and, more importantly, may reduce the health hazards caused by Fusarium-associated mycotoxin exposures among consumers. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pro-inflammatory cytokine response pre-dominates immuno-genetic pathway in development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a crucial inflammatory joint disease characterized by loss of self-tolerance and severe cartilage loss, autoimmune, and subchondral bone erosions. Cytokines are the key regulators of inflammatory responses. Homeostatic imbalances in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine activities can result in pathogenic inflammatory reactions. These imbalances could be initiated by environmental factors but the ability to define the threshold of environmental impact relies on the genetic background of the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. To address this a case-control association study was carried out in 429 individuals from Malayalam speaking ethnic population from South India. Functionally relevant SNPs from IL-10, IL-6, IL-1ß and IL-1RN were genotyped using PCR -RFLP and sequencing. Meta-analysis was performed for the associated variants of IL-10, IL-1ß. Significant association with RA was observed with IL-1ß rs1143634, rs1143627, IL-10 rs1800896, IL-6 rs1800796, rs1800797. The associated SNPs are likely to impact transcriptional activity of a gene. Meta-analysis with global populations also provide evidence that IL-10 and IL-1ß could be a global marker for RA. The functional significance of associated risk variants of IL-1ß and IL-6 indicate increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines while IL-10 risk allele suggest reduced production of anti- inflammatory cytokines. The study concludes that increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced production of anti- inflammatory cytokines may influence the Th1/Th2 equilibrium resulting in a triggering of Th1 mediated inflammatory responses in development of RA.

PRIRATE 2020 guidelines for reporting randomized trials in Endodontics: explanation and elaboration.

Well-designed and properly conducted randomized clinical trials provide a true estimate of the effects of interventions and are acknowledged as the gold standard in terms of clinical study design. However, the quality of randomized clinical trials published in the field of Endodontics is suboptimal. The Preferred Reporting Items for RAndomized Trials in Endodontics (PRIRATE) 2020 guidelines were developed exclusively for Endodontics by integrating and adapting the CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles, through an accepted and well-documented consensus process. Full implementation of the PRIRATE 2020 guidelines will minimize potential sources of bias and thus enhance the standard of manuscripts submitted for publication, which will ultimately improve the reporting of randomized clinical trials in Endodontics. The aim of this document is to provide an explanation for each item in the PRIRATE 2020 checklist and flowchart with examples from the literature in order to help authors understand their rationale and significance. A link to this PRIRATE 2020 explanation and elaboration document is available on the Preferred Reporting Items for study Designs in Endodontology (PRIDE) website at http://www.pride-endodonticguidelines.org/prirate/.

PRICE 2020 guidelines for reporting case reports in Endodontics: explanation and elaboration.

Case reports play a key role in showcasing new, unusual or rare disease(s), and the impact of newer therapeutic approaches or interventions. The Preferred Reporting Items for Case reports in Endodontics (PRICE) 2020 guidelines are being introduced exclusively for Endodontics by adapting and integrating the CAse REport (CARE) guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications principles. The PRICE 2020 guidelines have been developed to help authors improve the completeness, accuracy and transparency of case reports in Endodontics and thus enhance the standard of manuscripts submitted for publication. The aim of this document is to provide a comprehensive explanation for each item in the PRICE 2020 checklist along with examples from the literature that demonstrate compliance with these guidelines. This information will highlight the importance of each item and provide practical examples to help authors understand the necessity of providing comprehensive information when preparing case reports. A link to this PRICE 2020 explanation and elaboration document is available on the Preferred Reporting Items for study Designs in Endodontology website at http://www.pride-endodonticguidelines.org.

PRIRATE 2020 guidelines for reporting randomized trials in Endodontics: a consensus-based development.

In evidence-based health care, randomized clinical trials provide the most accurate and reliable information on the effectiveness of an intervention. This project aimed to develop reporting guidelines, exclusively for randomized clinical trials in the dental specialty of Endodontology, using a well-documented, validated consensus-based methodology. The guidelines have been named Preferred Reporting Items for RAndomized Trials in Endodontics (PRIRATE) 2020. A total of eight individuals (PD, VN, HD, LB, TK, JJ, EP and SP), including the project leaders (PD and VN) formed a steering committee. The committee developed a checklist based on the items in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles. A PRIRATE Delphi Group (PDG) and PRIRATE Face-to-Face Meeting group (PFMG) were also formed. Thirty PDG members participated in the online Delphi process and achieved consensus on the checklist items and flowchart that make up the PRIRATE guidelines. The guidelines were discussed at a meeting of the PFMG at the 19th European Society of Endodontology (ESE) Biennial congress, held on 13 September 2019 in Vienna, Austria. A total of 21 individuals from across the globe and four steering committee members (PD, VN, HD and LB) attended the meeting. As a consequence of the discussions, the guidelines were modified and then piloted by several authors whilst writing a manuscript. The PRIRATE 2020 guidelines contain a checklist consisting of 11 sections and 58 individual items as well as a flowchart, considered essential for authors to include when writing manuscripts for randomized clinical trials in Endodontics.

PRICE 2020 guidelines for reporting case reports in Endodontics: a consensus-based development.

Case reports can provide early information about new, unusual or rare disease(s), newer treatment strategies, improved therapeutic benefits and adverse effects of interventions or medications. This paper describes the process that led to the development of the Preferred Reporting Items for Case reports in Endodontics (PRICE) 2020 guidelines through a consensus-based methodology. A steering committee was formed with eight members (PD, VN, BC, PM, PS, EP, JJ and SP), including the project leaders (PD, VN). The steering committee developed an initial checklist by combining and modifying the items from the Case Report (CARE) guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles. A PRICE Delphi Group (PDG) and PRICE Face-to-Face Meeting Group (PFMG) were then formed. The members of the PDG were invited to participate in an online Delphi process to achieve consensus on the wording and utility of the checklist items and the accompanying flow chart that was created to complement the PRICE 2020 guidelines. The revised PRICE checklist and flow chart developed by the online Delphi process was discussed by the PFMG at a meeting held during the 19th European Society of Endodontology (ESE) Biennial Congress in Vienna, Austria, in September 2019. Following the meeting, the steering committee created a final version of the guidelines, which were piloted by several authors during the writing of a case report. In order to help improve the clarity, completeness and quality of case reports in Endodontics, we encourage authors to use the PRICE 2020 guidelines.

Vitamin D Deficiency in a Minnesota-Based Foster Care Population: A Cross Sectional Study.

Children in foster care have complex health concerns that often interplay with their childhood experiences, environment and access to care. Studies suggest that foster care youth are at an increased risk for mental health disorders and physical disabilities. Although traditionally associated with insufficient bone development, the implications of vitamin D deficiency are broadening to encompass behavioral, neurodevelopmental, and psychological phenomena. Due to its association with diet, prenatal factors, and the prevalence of nutrition related deficiencies in foster care patients, we hypothesize that foster care patients exhibit lower levels of total 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] than the general pediatric population. A retrospective cross-sectional chart review of foster care patients and similar-aged non-fostered controls screened for vitamin D deficiency was conducted between January 2013 and May 2018 (n=407). Twenty-five (OH)D levels were comparable between foster care children and controls (p=0.771). A univariate analysis of risk factors within the foster care group found that higher BMI, older age, ADHD, and number of transitions was associated with decreased levels of 25(OH)D. Recognition and treatment of low 25(OH)D in foster care patients with specific risk factors may serve as an adjunct for meeting their medical and psychosocial needs.

Preferred Reporting Items for RAndomized Trials in Endodontics (PRIRATE) guidelines: a development protocol.

Randomized clinical trials are acknowledged as the most appropriate methodology for demonstrating the efficacy or effectiveness of one intervention as opposed to another and thus play a major role in clinical decision-making. However, it is recognized that despite the existence of various guidelines, for example, the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement, the quality of manuscripts describing randomized trials is often suboptimal. The current project aims to develop and disseminate new guidelines, Preferred Reporting Items for RAndomized Trials in Endodontics (PRIRATE), to improve the planning and reporting quality of randomized trials in the field of Endodontics. The project leads (VN, PD) designed a robust process to develop the PRIRATE guidelines. At first, a steering committee of eight members, including the project leads, was formed. Thereafter, a five-stage consensus process will be followed: initial steps, pre-meeting activities, face-to-face consensus meeting, post-meeting activities and post-publication activities. The steering committee will develop the first draft of the PRIRATE guidelines by identifying relevant and important items from various sources including the CONSORT guidelines and the Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications (CLIP) principles. This will be followed by the establishment of a PRIRATE Delphi Group (PDG) consisting of 30 members. The individual items of the first draft of the PRIRATE guidelines developed by the steering committee will be evaluated and scored on a 9-point Likert scale by the PDG members. Items with a score of seven and above by more than 70% of PDG members will be included in the second draft of the guidelines, and the Delphi process will be repeated until each item fulfils the set conditions. After obtaining consensus from the PDG, the PRIRATE guidelines will be discussed by 20 selected individuals within a PRIRATE Face-to-face Consensus Meeting Group (PFCMG) to arrive at a final consensus. The final PRIRATE guidelines will be accompanied with an explanation and elaboration document developed by the steering committee and approved by six members, three from the PDG and three from the PFCMG. The PRIRATE guidelines will be published in journals and actively disseminated to educational institutions, national and international academic societies and presented at scientific meetings. The steering committee will periodically revise and update the PRIRATE guidelines based on feedback from stakeholders.

Guidelines for reporting the quality of clinical case reports in Endodontics: a development protocol.

Case reports are used to communicate interesting, new or rare condition/s, innovative treatment approaches or novel techniques. Apart from informing readers, such information has the potential to contribute towards further scientific studies and the development of newer management modalities. In that context, it is important that case reports are presented accurately and deliver all the necessary and pertinent information to the reader. Reporting guidelines are used to inform authors of the quality standards required to ensure their manuscripts are accurate, complete and transparent. The aim of this project is to develop and disseminate new guidelines - Preferred Reporting Items for Case reports in Endodontics (PRICE). The primary aim is to aid authors when constructing case reports in the field of Endodontics to ensure the highest possible reporting standards are adopted. The project leaders (PD and VN) formed a steering committee comprising six additional members. Subsequently, a five-phase consensus process will be used. The steering committee will develop the PRICE guidelines (PRICE checklist and flow chart) by identifying relevant items (quality standards) derived from the CAse REport guidelines and Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publications principles, focussing on the content of case reports. Following this, the steering committee will identify a PRICE Delphi Group (PDG) consisting of 30 members including academicians, practitioners, and members of the public. The individual items (components) of the PRICE checklist will be evaluated by the PDG based on a 9-point Likert scale. Only items scored between 7 and 9 by 70% or more members will be included in the draft checklist. The Delphi process will be continued until a consensus is reached and a final set of items agreed by the PDG members. Following this, a PRICE Face-to-Face meeting group (PFMG) will be formed with 20 members to achieve a final consensus. The final consensus-based checklist and flow chart will be evaluated and approved by selected members of the PDG and PFMG. The approved PRICE guidelines will be published in relevant journals and disseminated via contacts in academic institutions and national endodontic societies, as well as being presented at scientific/clinical meetings.

Preferred Reporting Items for Animal Studies in Endodontology: a development protocol.

The regulated use of animals in endodontic research is often necessary to investigate the biological mechanisms of endodontic diseases and to measure the preclinical efficacy, biocompatibility, toxicology and safety of new treatments, biomaterials, sealers, drugs, disinfectants, irrigants, devices and instruments. Animal testing is most crucial in situations when research on humans is not ethical, practical or has unknown health risks. Currently, there is a wide variability in the quality of manuscripts that report the results of animal studies. Towards the goal of improving the quality of publications, guidelines for preventing disability, pain, and suffering to animals, and enhanced reporting requirements for animal research have been developed. These guidelines are referred to as Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE). Henceforth, causing any form of animal suffering for research purposes is not acceptable and cannot be justified under any circumstances. The present report describes a protocol for the development of welfare and reporting guidelines for animal studies conducted in the specialty of Endodontology: the Preferred Reporting Items for Animal Studies in Endodontology (PRIASE) guidelines. The PRIASE guidelines will be developed by adapting and modifying the ARRIVE guidelines and the Clinical and Laboratory Images in Publication (CLIP) principles. The development of the new PRIASE guidelines will include a five-step consensus process. An initial draft of the PRIASE guidelines will be developed by a steering committee. Each item in the draft guidelines will then be evaluated by members of a PRIASE Delphi Group (PDG) for its clarity using a dichotomous scale (yes or no) and suitability for its inclusion using a 9-point Likert scale. The online surveys will continue until each item achieves this standard, and a set of items are agreed for further analysis by a PRIASE Face-to-face Consensus Meeting Group (PFCMG). Following the consensus meeting, the steering committee will finalize and confirm the PRIASE guidelines taking into account the responses and comments of the PFCMG. The PRIASE guidelines will be published and disseminated internationally and updated periodically based on feedback from stakeholders.

A protocol for developing reporting guidelines for laboratory studies in Endodontology.

Laboratory-based research studies are the most common form of research endeavour and make up the majority of manuscripts that are submitted for publication in the field of Endodontology. The scientific information derived from laboratory studies can be used to design a wide range of subsequent studies and clinical trials and may have translational potential to benefit clinical practice. Unfortunately, the majority of laboratory-based articles submitted for publication fail the peer-review step, because unacceptable flaws or substantial limitations are identified. Even when apparently well-conducted laboratory-based articles are peer-reviewed, they can often require substantial corrections prior to the publication. It is apparent that some authors and reviewers may lack the training and experience to have developed a systematic approach to evaluate the quality of laboratory studies. Occasionally, even accepted manuscripts contain limitations that may compromise interpretation of data. To help authors avoid manuscript rejection and correction pitfalls, and to aid editors/reviewers to evaluate manuscripts systematically, the purpose of this project is to establish and publish quality guidelines for authors to report laboratory studies in the field of Endodontology so that the highest standards are achieved. The new guidelines will be named-'Preferred Reporting Items for Laboratory studies in Endodontology' (PRILE). A steering committee was assembled by the project leads to develop the guidelines through a five-phase consensus process. The committee will identify new items as well as review and adapt items from existing guidelines. The items forming the draft guidelines will be reviewed and refined by a PRILE Delphi Group (PDG). The items will be evaluated by the PDG on a nine-point Likert scale for relevance and inclusion. The agreed items will then be discussed by a PRILE face-to-face consensus meeting group (PFCMG) formed by 20 individuals to further refine the guidelines. This will be subject to final approval by the steering committee. The approved PRILE guidelines will be disseminated through publication in relevant journals, presented at congresses/meetings, and be freely available on a dedicated website. Feedback and comments will be solicited from researchers, editors and peer reviewers, who are invited to contact the steering committee with comments to help them update the guidelines periodically.

Essential Oil Compositions and Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Five Lavandula stoechas Cultivars Grown in Thailand.

The essential oils of five Lavandula stoechas cultivars grown in Thailand were characterized for their volatile compounds using GC-FID and GC/MS methods as well as screened for antibacterial and antioxidant activities. Dried aerial parts, including flowers and stems from each cultivar, were subjected to hydrodistillation for 4 h. The essential oil yields were 0.18 %-0.82 % w/w. Of the 95 compounds detected and identified, 1,8-cineole, fenchone, and camphor were considered the major compounds. Essential oil from each cultivar demonstrated different patterns of antibacterial activity and a variety of antioxidant properties. The highest antibacterial activity, MIC=0.39 mg mL-1 , was observed from the essential oil of L. stoechas 'major' (against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium) and the essential oil of L. stoechas 'white lavender' (against S. typhimurium). The essential oil of L. stoechas×viridis 'St. Brelade' possessed the highest antioxidant capacity, as determined by the DPPH and ABTS assays (IC50 of 67.65 and 89.26 mg mL-1 , respectively). The results indicated that some of these essential oils could be used as key ingredients in lavender oil products in Thailand to increase their therapeutic efficacy, depending on their intended application.

Acute HIV Discovered During Routine HIV Screening With HIV Antigen-Antibody Combination Tests in 9 US Emergency Departments.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Newer combination HIV antigen-antibody tests allow detection of HIV sooner after infection than previous antibody-only immunoassays because, in addition to HIV-1 and -2 antibodies, they detect the HIV-1 p24 antigen, which appears before antibodies develop. We determine the yield of screening with HIV antigen-antibody tests and clinical presentations for new diagnoses of acute and established HIV infection across US emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 9 EDs in 6 cities with HIV screening programs that integrated laboratory-based antigen-antibody tests between November 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. Unique patients with newly diagnosed HIV infection were identified and classified as having either acute HIV infection or established HIV infection. Acute HIV infection was defined as a repeatedly reactive antigen-antibody test result, a negative HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay, or Western blot result, but detectable HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA); established HIV infection was defined as a repeatedly reactive antigen-antibody test result and a positive HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation assay or Western blot result. The primary outcomes were the number of new HIV diagnoses and proportion of patients with laboratory-defined acute HIV infection. Secondary outcomes compared reason for visit and the clinical presentation of acute HIV infection. RESULTS: In total, 214,524 patients were screened for HIV and 839 (0.4%) received a new diagnosis, of which 122 (14.5%) were acute HIV infection and 717 (85.5%) were established HIV infection. Compared with patients with established HIV infection, those with acute HIV infection were younger, had higher RNA and CD4 counts, and were more likely to have viral syndrome (41.8% versus 6.5%) or fever (14.3% versus 3.4%) as their reason for visit. Most patients with acute HIV infection displayed symptoms attributable to acute infection (median symptom count 5 [interquartile range 3 to 6]), with fever often accompanied by greater than or equal to 3 other symptoms (60.7%). CONCLUSION: ED screening using antigen-antibody tests identifies previously undiagnosed HIV infection at proportions that exceed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's screening threshold, with the added yield of identifying acute HIV infection in approximately 15% of patients with a new diagnosis. Patients with acute HIV infection often seek ED care for symptoms related to seroconversion.

Lactational exposure effect of polychlorinated biphenyl on rat Sertoli cell markers and functional regulators in prepuberal and puberal F1 offspring.

PURPOSE: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent and bioaccumulative environmental toxicants acting as endocrine disruptors. Many researches evidenced that PCBs affect the male reproductive system in adult rats and it can transfer from mother to offspring through milk. We investigated whether the lactational exposure to PCBs affects the Sertoli cell function in F1 offspring. METHODS: Dams were orally treated with different doses of PCB-Aroclor 1254 (1, 2 and 5 mg/kg bw/day, respectively) from postpartum day 1-20. Male offspring rats were killed on PND 21 and PND 60. Testes were used both for histological study and to isolate Sertoli cell. Serum and testicular interstitial fluid (TIF) levels of testosterone, ABP and estradiol were analyzed by ELISA method. The mRNA and protein expressions of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSHR), androgen-binding protein (ABP), Inhibinß, androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ERß) were studied using real-time PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. RESULTS: The testicular architecture was altered in PCB-treated groups of both prepuberal and puberal rats. Testosterone, estradiol and androgen-binding protein levels were altered in both serum and TIF in PCB treated groups. The gene expression level of FSHR, ABP, ERß and AR was decreased in a dose-dependent manner, whereas Inhibinß gene expression level was increased in PCB-treated groups. CONCLUSION: Lactational exposure to PCB affects both the histoarchitecture of testis, Sertoli cell maker and functional regulators in both prepuberal and puberal F1 male progeny.

Lactational exposure of polychlorinated biphenyls downregulates critical genes in Leydig cells of F1 male progeny (PND21).

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental contaminants. The present study was aimed to test the effect of lactational exposure of PCBs on Leydig cellular mRNA and protein expressions of 5α-reductase, aromatase and androgen receptor (AR) in F1 male offspring. Lactating dams were orally gavaged with different doses of PCBs (Aroclor 1254) 0, 1, 2 and 5 mg kg b.wt-1  day-1 , respectively, from PND1 to PND21. Male offsprings were sacrificed at PND21. Testes were used to isolate Leydig cells. Blood was collected. Serum testosterone (T) and oestradiol (E2 ) were measured. Anogenital distance was measured. Dams' milk lipid and serum lipids of male pups were estimated. PCB (Aroclor 1254) concentration of dams' milk and serum of male pups were analysed by GC-ECD. Leydig cellular mRNA and protein expressions of 5α-reductase, aromatase and AR were significantly decreased. Our data suggest that lactational exposure of PCBs downregulates selected genes in Leydig cells of F1 generation on post-natal day 21.