From Spectra to Signatures: Detecting Fentanyl in Human Nails with ATR-FTIR and Machine Learning.

Human nails have recently become a sample of interest for toxicological purposes. Multiple studies have proven the ability to detect various analytes within the keratin matrix of the nail. The analyte of interest in this study is fentanyl, a highly dangerous and abused drug in recent decades.

Evaluation of Fentanyl Exposure Effects on Butyrylcholinesterase Activity as a Tool for Future On-Site Detection Methods.

The prominence of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues or Fentanyl Related Substances (FRS) has driven a nationwide crisis of opioid overdoses, which significantly presents an issue for public health and safety. Originally developed for medical purposes, fentanyl and FRS have become critical contributors to opioid overdose deaths due to their distribution, availability, and potency. This study examined toxicodynamic properties between butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and fentanyl analogues via Ellman's assay.

Who Shot the Bullet? Projectile Composition Characterization as an Evolutionary Method for Enhancement of Ballistics Evidence Analysis.

Toolmark and Firearm examiners' opinions have fallen under scrutiny as inadmissible ballistics evidence has led to the possibility of wrongful convictions and cold cases that could have been solved with the presence of a physical bullet, casing, and/or weapon at the crime scene. This research provides a solution for subjective-based conclusions and the absence of physical evidence altogether. Analysis of bullet material using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) has distinguished bullet composition between manufacturers from a surface scratch.

Effectiveness and toxicity of high-dose cyclophosphamide in obese versus non-obese patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Purpose: To determine if there is a difference in toxicity and effectiveness between obese and non-obese patients who receive high-dose cyclophosphamide (Cy) prior to allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HCT).

Methods: Patients were included in this study if they were at least 18 years of age and received high-dose Cy in combination with total body irradiation (CyTBI) or busulfan (BuCy) prior to allo-HCT between 1 January 2008 and 29 February 2012. The primary endpoint was the difference in overall toxicity between obese and non-obese patients.

Brentuximab vedotin: a CD30-directed antibody-cytotoxic drug conjugate.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL), which is a subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, are relatively uncommon lymphoproliferative types of cancer. These malignancies are highly curable with initial treatment. Nonetheless, some patients are refractory to or relapse after first- and second-line therapies, and outcomes for these patients are less promising.

Tumor progression associated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

Objective: To evaluate, characterize, compare, and critique trials reporting increased tumor progression in patients with cancer who are receiving erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) that led to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actions for black box warnings and labeling changes.

Data Sources: Literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1950-August 2008) and PubMed (1975-August 2008) using the search terms recombinant erythropoietin, darbepoetin, epoetin, anemia, neoplasms, and disease progression. Articles cited in MedWatch alerts, Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee meeting briefs, and bibliographies from identified articles were also reviewed.

Natural killer cells prime the responsiveness of autologous CD4+ T cells to CTLA4-Ig and interleukin-10 mediated inhibition in an allogeneic dendritic cell-mixed lymphocyte reaction.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) and interleukin (IL)-10 are immunomodulatory molecules which target CD28 costimulation by acting either directly or indirectly on the CD80/86 receptors on dendritic cells (DCs). This study examined the effect of combined treatment with CTLA4-Ig and IL-10 on T-cell responsiveness in a dendritic cell-mixed lymphocyte reaction (DC-MLR). T cells derived from nylon wool enrichment (NWT cells) demonstrated 15% (P = 0.

Ovine dendritic cells transduced with an adenoviral CTLA4eEGFP fusion protein construct induce hyporesponsiveness to allostimulation.

CTLA4 (CD152) is a transmembrane molecule expressed on activated T cells and functions as a negative regulator of T cell activation upon binding to the costimulatory molecules CD80/86. In this study, CTLA4eEGFP constructs were engineered by cloning the extracellular domains of ovine and human CTLA4 (CTLA4e) 'in frame' with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Recombinant adenoviral vectors were generated by incorporation of the CTLA4eEGFP sequence into the adenoviral genome using homologous recombination in Esherichia coli.