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We study how the speckle contrast depends on scatterer velocity, with the goal of further developing laser speckle imaging as a quantitative measurement technique. To that end, we perform interferometric computer simulations on a dilute plug flow. The results of our numerical experiment, that we compare with known analytical expressions to confirm their veracity, match well at low velocities with the Gaussian expression. Finally, we address the issue of how velocity depends on speckle decorrelation time, and show that the speckle size is most likely the relevant connecting length scale.

Objectives: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) infants historically experienced a disproportionate burden of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, especially early in life. PedvaxHIB vaccine is preferentially recommended for AI/AN infants because it elicits protective antibody levels postdose 1. Vaxelis, a hexavalent vaccine that contains the same Hib conjugate as PedvaxHIB but at lower concentration, is recommended for US children, but postdose 1 Hib immunogenicity data are needed to inform whether a preferential recommendation should be made for AI/AN infants., Methods: We conducted a phase IV randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial comparing postdose 1 immunogenicity of Vaxelis to PedvaxHIB in AI/AN infants. Participants were randomized to receive a primary series of PedvaxHIB or Vaxelis. Serum samples collected 30 days postdose 1 were tested for anti-Hib immunoglobulin G antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The anti-Hib immunoglobulin G geometric mean concentration (GMC) ratio (Vaxelis/PedvaxHIB) was estimated by constrained longitudinal data analysis. Noninferiority was defined a priori as the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the GMC ratio ≥0.67., Results: A total of 327 of the 333 infants enrolled in the study were included in the per-protocol analysis. The postdose 1 anti-Hib GMC was 0.41 µg/mL (95% CI 0.33-0.52) in the Vaxelis group (n = 152) and 0.39 µg/mL (95% CI 0.31-0.50) in the PedvaxHIB group (n = 146). The constrained longitudinal data analysis GMC ratio was 1.03 (95% CI 0.76-1.39)., Conclusions: Postdose 1 immunogenicity of Vaxelis was noninferior to PedvaxHIB. Our findings support the use of Vaxelis in AI/AN children, a population with elevated risk of Hib disease.

A 17-year-old male presented with acute onset right-sided facial swelling, trismus, pharyngitis, and sepsis. An initial CT abdomen and pelvis revealed multifocal bilateral nodular cavitary lung lesions. CT soft tissue neck with contrast demonstrated a parapharyngeal abscess and thrombophlebitis of the right internal jugular vein. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome. On the following day, the patient's neurological status markedly declined. Brain MRI/MRA/MRV showed right internal carotid artery narrowing, multiple areas of acute and subacute infarctions secondary to vasculitis, meningitis, venous sinus thrombosis, and intracerebral abscesses. Workup for primary causes of intracranial vasculitis was negative. Although commonly presented as venous disease, this case highlights a rare presentation of Lemierre's syndrome with arterial involvement and significant intracranial complications. Clinicians should consider vasculitis and central nervous system involvement as potential complications of Lemierre's syndrome rather than searching for separate aetiologies., Competing Interests: None declared., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology.)

Early-life immune development is critical to long-term host health. However, the mechanisms that determine the pace of postnatal immune maturation are not fully resolved. Here, we analyzed mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) in small intestinal Peyer's patches (PPs), the primary inductive site of intestinal immunity. Conventional type 1 and 2 dendritic cells (cDC1 and cDC2) and RORgt+ antigen-presenting cells (RORgt+ APC) exhibited significant age-dependent changes in subset composition, tissue distribution, and reduced cell maturation, subsequently resulting in a lack in CD4+ T cell priming during the postnatal period. Microbial cues contributed but could not fully explain the discrepancies in MNP maturation. Type I interferon (IFN) accelerated MNP maturation but IFN signaling did not represent the physiological stimulus. Instead, follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) M cell differentiation was required and sufficient to drive postweaning PP MNP maturation. Together, our results highlight the role of FAE M cell differentiation and MNP maturation in postnatal immune development., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: International research emphasizes the importance of providing early, hospital-based support in return to work (RTW) for cancer patients. Even though oncology health professionals are aware of the scientific evidence, it remains unclear whether they implement this knowledge in current practice. This paper presents the knowledge and viewpoints of health care professionals (HCPs) on their potential role in their patients' RTW process., Methods: Semi-structured interviews with oncology HCPs were used to describe current practice. Results of these interviews served as input for focus group discussions with managers in oncology hospitals, which led to an agreement on of best practice., Results: This research had the participation of 75% of Belgian institutions involved in oncology health care services. Five themes were identified that influence care providers and staff to implement scientific evidence on RTW in cancer patients: (1) Opinions on the role that care institutions can take in RTW support; (2) Current content of RTW support during oncology care; (3) Scientific bases; (4) Barriers and success factors; and (5) Legislation and regulations. The key elements of the best practice included a generic approach adapted to the needs of the cancer patient supported by a RTW coordinator., Conclusions: Health care providers include RTW support in their current care, but in very varied ways. They follow a process that starts with setting the indication (meaning the identification of patients for whom the provision of work-related care would be useful) and ends with a clear objective agreed upon by HCPs and the patient. We recommend that specific points of interest be included in regulation at both the patient and hospital levels., Competing Interests: LG is employed by IDEWE but no conflict of interest is to be reported. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Désiron, Simons, Spooren, Camut, Van de Velde, Otte, Brunois, Van Kelst and Godderis.)

The growth of glioblastoma (GBM), one of the deadliest adult cancers, is fuelled by a subpopulation of stem/progenitor cells, which are thought to be the source of resistance and relapse after treatment. Re-engagement of a latent capacity of these cells to re-enter a trajectory resulting in cell differentiation is a potential new therapeutic approach for this devastating disease. ASCL1, a proneural transcription factor, plays a key role in normal brain development and is also expressed in a subset of GBM cells, but fails to engage a full differentiation programme in this context. Here, we investigated the barriers to ASCL1-driven differentiation in GBM stem cells. We see that ASCL1 is highly phosphorylated in GBM stem cells where its expression is compatible with cell proliferation. However, overexpression of a form of ASCL1 that cannot be phosphorylated on Serine-Proline sites drives GBM cells down a neuronal lineage and out of cell cycle more efficiently than its wild-type counterpart, an effect further enhanced by deletion of the inhibitor of differentiation ID2, indicating mechanisms to reverse the block to GBM cell differentiation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)