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Physical Activity is an important contributor to health, both physical and cognitive. The relationship between physical activity and educational outcomes has been explored in various venues. Little research, however, has interrogated this subject longitudinally, especially for a national sample of Latinx students. To make up that gap, this paper employs data from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS), hierarchical regression modeling, and intersectionality theory to study and evaluate the relative impact of Extracurricular Activities, School Attitudes, and impact of demographics on Personal Health and Physical Education Grade Point Average (GPA); the participants were 1,829 Latinx high school students. The High School Longitudinal Study is a nationally representative, longitudinal study of ninth graders followed through their secondary and postsecondary years. Further, we examined the results separately for male and female Latinx students, to achieve a better understanding of physical activity and academic achievement from the female perspective. Our findings reinforce the importance of participating in sports and extracurricular activities in fostering positive educational outcomes for Latinx students, male, and female, nationally. Finally, recommendations are offered to parents, community leaders, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers regarding implementation strategies to optimize the benefits of Physical Activity to Latinx students. [Note: The publication year (2024) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct year of publication is 2023.]

Physical Activity is an important contributor to health, both physical and cognitive. Relationships among students' physical activity (PA), sports participation, physical health status, and academic performance have been explored in various academic venues, however, investigating Asian American students nationwide has not yet been covered. Using the latest National High School Longitudinal Study data and the hierarchical regression approach analyzed, this study examined: How the extracurricular PAs, school attitudes, and other demographic variables impact the participants' personal health, and grade point average (GPA). Participants were 956 Asian American high-school students (AAHSSs). Findings confirmed the importance of participating in PA and identified the relationships between the relative factors. In brief, AAHSSs who participated in after-school PA (including sports) earned a higher GPA. No significant impact on GPA from the AAHSSs' hours spent on extracurricular activities. Female AAHSSs had a higher GPA than their male counterparts. AAHSSs' socioeconomic status significantly impacted their educational achievement. Why the way of distributing social resources to all American students is the key to having equal educational opportunities was revealed and explained because the equal distribution of social resources influences educational achievement. Meaningful recommendations are offered to parents, community leaders, teachers, school administrators, and policymakers as well.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222259.].

BackgroundTransforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling is involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We followed changes in biomarkers during treatment of patients with HCC with the TGF-βRI/ALK5 inhibitor galunisertib.MethodsThis phase 2 study (NCT01246986) enrolled second-line patients with advanced HCC into one of two cohorts of baseline serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP): Part A (AFP ≥1.5x ULN) or Part B (AFP 20% from baseline) versus non-responders, median OS was 21.5 months versus 6.8 months (p = 0.0015). In TGF-β1 responders (51% of all patients) versus non-responders, median OS was 11.2 months versus 5.3 months (p = 0.0036).ConclusionsConsistent with previous findings, both baseline levels and changes from baseline of circulating AFP and TGF-β1 function as prognostic indicators of survival. Future trials are needed to confirm and extend these results.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a genetic disorder with bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS) as the most frequent manifestation. Merlin, the NF2 tumor suppressor, was identified as a negative regulator of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1. Pre-clinical data in mice showed that mTORC1 inhibition delayed growth of NF2-schwannomas. We conducted a prospective single-institution open-label phase II study to evaluate the effects of everolimus in ten NF2 patients with progressive VS. Drug activity was monitored every 3 months. Everolimus was administered orally for 12 months and, if the decrease in tumor volume was >20 % from baseline, treatment was continued for 12 additional months. Other patients stopped when completed 12 months of everolimus but were allowed to resume treatment when VS volume was >20 % during 1 year follow-up. Nine patients were evaluable. Safety was evaluated using CTCAE 3.0 criteria. After 12 months of everolimus, no reduction in volume ≥20 % was observed. Four patients had progressive disease, and five patients had stable disease with a median annual growth rate decreasing from 67 %/year before treatment to 0.5 %/year during treatment. In these patients, tumor growth resumed within 3-6 months after treatment discontinuation. Everolimus was then reintroduced and VS decreased by a median 6.8 % at 24 months. Time to tumor progression increased threefold from 4.2 months before treatment to > 12 months. Hearing was stable under treatment. The safety of everolimus was manageable. Although the primary endpoint was not reached, further studies are required to confirm the potential for stabilization of everolimus.

Background: Palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1) is a clinical stage druggable target for inhibiting autophagy in cancer. Objective: We aimed to determine the cellular and molecular activity of targeting PPT1 using ezurpimtrostat, in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody. Methods: In this study we used a transgenic immunocompetent mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: Herein, we revealed that inhibition of PPT1 using ezurpimtrostat decreased the liver tumor burden in a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing the penetration of lymphocytes into tumors when combined with anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1). Inhibition of PPT1 potentiates the effects of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy by increasing the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I at the surface of liver cancer cells and modulates immunity through recolonization and activation of cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes. Conclusions: Ezurpimtrostat turns cold tumors into hot tumors and, thus, could improve T cell-mediated immunotherapies in liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]