Using matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry combined with machine learning for vaccine authenticity screening.

The global population is increasingly reliant on vaccines to maintain population health with billions of doses used annually in immunisation programmes. Substandard and falsified vaccines are becoming more prevalent, caused by both the degradation of authentic vaccines but also deliberately falsified vaccine products. These threaten public health, and the increase in vaccine falsification is now a major concern.

Impact of Distinct Antiandrogen Exposures on the Plasma Metabolome in Feminizing Gender-affirming Hormone Therapy.

Context: The plasma metabolome is a functional readout of metabolic activity and is associated with phenotypes exhibiting sexual dimorphism, such as cardiovascular disease. Sex hormones are thought to play a key role in driving sexual dimorphism.

Objective: Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is a cornerstone of transgender care, but longitudinal changes in the plasma metabolome with feminizing GAHT have not been described.

Repurposing rapid diagnostic tests to detect falsified vaccines in supply chains.

Substandard (including degraded) and falsified (SF) vaccines are a relatively neglected issue with serious global implications for public health. This has been highlighted during the rapid and widespread rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. There has been increasing interest in devices to screen for SF non-vaccine medicines including tablets and capsules to empower inspectors and standardise surveillance.

Investigating ticagrelor in a preclinical pipeline as a novel therapeutic to prevent preterm birth.

In Brief: Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, and new therapies that delay preterm birth and improve neonatal outcomes are urgently needed. This study investigates whether ticagrelor inhibits uterine contractility and inflammation in preclinical in vitro, ex vivo (human) and in vivo (mouse) studies, to explore the potential of repurposing ticagrelor for the prevention of preterm birth.

Abstract: Preterm birth remains a significant global health challenge, affecting approximately 10% of pregnancies and resulting in one million deaths globally every year.

An Update on SARS-CoV-2 Clinical Trial Results-What We Can Learn for the Next Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed over 7 million lives worldwide, providing a stark reminder of the importance of pandemic preparedness. Due to the lack of approved antiviral drugs effective against coronaviruses at the start of the pandemic, the world largely relied on repurposed efforts. Here, we summarise results from randomised controlled trials to date, as well as selected in vitro data of directly acting antivirals, host-targeting antivirals, and immunomodulatory drugs.