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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a set of immunological disorders which can generate chronic pain and fatigue associated with the inflammatory symptoms. The treatment of IBD remains a significant hurdle with current therapies being only partially effective or having significant side effects, suggesting that new therapies that elicit different modes of action and delivery strategies are required. TGM1 is a TGF-β mimic that was discovered from the intestinal helminth parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus and is thought to be produced by the parasite to suppress the intestinal inflammation response to help evade host immunity, making it an ideal candidate to be developed as a novel anti-inflammatory bio-therapeutic. Here we utilized the expression system of the edible green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in order to recombinantly produce active TGM1 in a form that could be ingested. C. reinhardtii robustly expressed TGM1, and the resultant recombinant protein is biologically active as measured by regulatory T cell induction. When delivered orally to mice, the algal expressed TGM1 is able to ameliorate weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and disease symptoms in a mouse model of DSS-induced colitis, demonstrating the potential of this biologic as a novel treatment of IBD.

Although research advocates for comprehensive cross-sector youth violence prevention efforts, mobilizing across sectors to translate scientific recommendations into practice has proven challenging. A unifying framework may provide a foundational step toward building a shared understanding of the risk and protective factors that impact youth violence. We conducted two empirical tests of the nurturing environment framework on youth violence across ethnic and geographically diverse rural and urban adolescent samples. Results show that overall the characteristics of nurturing environments are associated with lower levels of aggression and violence. In addition, minimizing exposure to socially toxic conditions had the strongest associations with lower aggression and violence. Findings were supported across both samples, suggesting that this framework may apply in urban and rural, economically disadvantaged contexts.

This study evaluated the efficacy of School-Based Teen Courts (SBTCs) using a rigorous experimental trial with 24 middle- and high-schools randomly selected to receive SBTCs (n= 12) or to business-as-usual without any SBTC program (n = 12). Analyses examined school-level longitudinal growth models and individual-level pretest-posttest comparisons on school climate, student problems, and suspension rates. Longitudinal growth models revealed that SBTCs were significantly associated with positive changes in school satisfaction and reductions in delinquent friends for high school students, but showed no significant changes on other outcomes. Short-term suspensions decreased more than twice as much in SBTC schools versus comparison schools. There was a 47% reduction in bullying victimization in SBTC schools relative to a 22% reduction in comparison schools. These findings suggest that SBTCs have the potential to positively impact youth development.

This article is a guideline from the British Society for Haematology on the identification and management of preoperative anaemia in adults. It provides recommendations on diagnosing anaemia, managing iron deficiency, and the appropriate use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and preoperative transfusion. The guideline emphasizes the importance of early assessment for anaemia in patients undergoing elective surgery and the need for shared decision-making regarding further management. It also discusses the association of preoperative anaemia with adverse outcomes and the role of primary care in managing these patients. The article includes information on the definition of anaemia, diagnosing iron deficiency, investigating individuals with iron deficiency, and algorithms for anaemia investigation. The guidelines recommend oral iron therapy as the first-line treatment for iron deficiency anemia (IDA), as it is safe, effective, and cost-efficient. Intravenous (IV) iron therapy may be considered for patients who are intolerant to oral iron or who do not respond well to it. However, the guidelines do not recommend IV iron therapy for all patients with anemia. The timing of iron therapy in relation to surgery is not well-defined, and further research is needed in this area. The guidelines also discuss the treatment of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency and the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. Preoperative transfusion should only be considered in very anemic patients when there is an urgency for surgery and other options for managing anemia are not feasible. Further research is needed [Extracted from the article]