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BackgroundAutoantibodies against type I IFNs occur in approximately 10% of adults with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The frequency of anti-IFN autoantibodies in children with severe sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is unknown.ObjectiveWe quantified anti-type I IFN autoantibodies in a multicenter cohort of children with severe COVID-19, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and mild SARS-CoV-2 infections.MethodsCirculating anti-IFN-α2 antibodies were measured by a radioligand binding assay. Whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and functional studies of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used to study any patients with levels of anti-IFN-α2 autoantibodies exceeding the assay's positive control.ResultsAmong 168 patients with severe COVID-19, 199 with MIS-C, and 45 with mild SARS-CoV-2 infections, only 1 had high levels of anti-IFN-α2 antibodies. Anti-IFN-α2 autoantibodies were not detected in patients treated with intravenous immunoglobulin before sample collection. Whole-exome sequencing identified a missense variant in the ankyrin domain of NFKB2, encoding the p100 subunit of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain enhancer of activated B cells, aka NF-κB, essential for noncanonical NF-κB signaling. The patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells exhibited impaired cleavage of p100 characteristic of NFKB2 haploinsufficiency, an inborn error of immunity with a high prevalence of autoimmunity.ConclusionsHigh levels of anti-IFN-α2 autoantibodies in children and adolescents with MIS-C, severe COVID-19, and mild SARS-CoV-2 infections are rare but can occur in patients with inborn errors of immunity.

The Food and Drug Administration Food Code is a set of science-based food safety guidelines that serve as the basis for jurisdictional food codes that regulate retail food service in the U.S. Uniform adoption of the Food Code has benefits for government, industry, and the public. Compliance with code provisions helps reduce risk of foodborne illness in retail establishments. Only 18 states, however, have adopted the most recent edition of the Food Code (Food and Drug Administration, 2023). The Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative (Collaborative) has undertaken a multipronged approach that leverages the resources and strengths of its six organizations to support adoption of the Food Code. Through these approaches, the Collaborative aims to provide the tools, resources, and support needed to navigate the sometimes complex nature of adoption. This special report provides a summary of the different activities and approaches of the Collaborative to support national Food Code adoption., Introduction The vital work of retail food safety professionals happens in a rapidly evolving landscape of technological advancement, emerging trends, and globalization--a dynamic terrain that requires up-to-date, evidence-based regulations to [...]

There are major assumptions that housing opportunities in higher education are equally accessible and available to all students. However, these accessible housing opportunities are not available to current and prospective students who possess a criminal record. Many college students with criminal records are deemed ineligible for adequate housing opportunities even before their applications are submitted. This study uses a qualitative layered analysis approach to explore how denials from on-campus housing affect college students with criminal records. Using the perspectives of this marginalized and invisible student population, we draw the reader's attention to how students with criminal records are affected as a result of being denied on-campus housing, and we provide tangible recommendations for future research, housing practices, and housing policies in higher education.

Aprostocetus hagenowii (Ratzeburg) is a parasitoid wasp that parasitizes the oothecae of peridomestic pest cockroaches. A. hagenowii has been used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs for cockroach control but little is known about how this parasitoid responds to the insecticides commonly used for cockroach management. Five insecticidal gel bait products containing indoxacarb, clothianidin, fipronil, dinotefuran, or abamectin B1 were tested for their toxicity towards A. hagenowii and the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.; Blattodea: Blattidae), a host of A. hagenowii and a common pest. All baits were tested as fresh and 1-d aged deposits. Indoxacarb was the only active ingredient that did not cause significant (P  < 0.05) A. hagenowii mortality compared to the control in both the fresh and aged gel experiments (Median survival time [MST]s: 168 h fresh, 72 h aged). Clothianidin caused the lowest A. hagenowii MSTs across experiments (24 h, fresh and aged). All baits caused significant P. americana mortality as fresh and 1-d aged deposits (P  < 0.05). Indoxacarb appears most compatible with A. hagenowii in cockroach IPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deficiencies in homologous recombination (HR) repair lead to an accumulation of DNA damage and can predispose individuals to cancer. Polymerase theta (Pol 6, encoded by POLO) is overexpressed by HR-deficient cancers and promotes cancer cell survival by mediating error-prone double-stranded break (DSB) repair and facilitating resistance against poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitor treatment. In this issue of the JCI, Oh, Wang, et al. report on the impact of Pol 6 inhibition on activation of antitumor immunity. The authors used pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell and mouse models characterized by HR-associated gene alterations and POLO overexpression. POLO knockdown showed synthetic lethality in combination with gene mutations involving DNA repair, including BRCA1, BRCA2, and ATM. Notably, Pol 6 deficiency or inhibition suppressed tumor growth, increased the accumulation of unrepaired DNA damage, and enhanced T cell infiltration via the cGAS/STING pathway. These findings suggest a broader scope for Pol 6 inhibition in HR-deficient cancers., HR-deficient cancers rely on Pol [theta] for viability Our cells are constantly exposed to both internal and external stressors that damage DNA. The most lethal type of DNA lesion is [...]

The purpose of this study is to examine childcare providers' perceptions of their role in child health behaviors and attitudes pertaining to physical activity and nutrition. Part and full-time providers in a childcare center or family childcare home were interviewed (n = 30) in this cross-sectional, qualitative study. Transcripts were digitally recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed for general themes and sub-themes using a grounded theory by three investigators. All participants were women (100%), and most were employed full time (73%). Four general themes were identified with sub-themes: 1) teachers' perceptions of their role; 2) teachers' perceptions of lack of consistency between home and school; 3) teachers' attitudes and beliefs about movement and; 4) teachers' attitudes about food, feeding, and child nutrition. Providers emphasized their care-giving role and did not identify their role in shaping health behaviors. Engaging with parents is indispensable, but providers are often frustrated with parents' double standards. They felt that movement was important, but that children were sufficiently active. Teachers encouraged eating, but acknowledged personal struggles with good nutrition. Empowering childcare teachers to serve as role models for all healthy behaviors may benefit child and teacher wellness.

Malcolm J. Rogers (1930) described artifacts in his eld notes that he referred to as stone saws. Recent excavations at CA­SNI­25 yielded numerous utilized sandstone artifacts that might very well be the saws noted by Rogers. In this paper, we describe the production, use, and function of these tools and their spatial distribution across the site. Experiments show that these tools were capable of working a variety of materials, including wood, sea mammal bone, and marine shell; however, our study suggests that they were probably used for the manufacture of circular shell shhooks.

Editor's Note: NEHA strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature this column on [...]

Applying latent class and regression techniques to data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (n = 997), this study explored the potential academic advantages of time spent in out-of-school activities. Of particular interest was how these potential advantages played out in relation to the timing and duration of activity participation and the family contexts in which it occurred. Participation closer to the start of high school-including consistent participants and latecomers-was associated with higher grades at the transition into high school, especially for youth from low-income families. Sensitivity analyses indicated that this link between school-age activity participation and adolescent academic progress was unlikely to be solely a function of selection. It also tended to be more pronounced among youth from lower-income families, although without varying by other aspects of family status or process.