Efficacy and safety of rademikibart (CBP-201), a next-generation mAb targeting IL-4Rα, in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis: A phase 2 randomized trial (CBP-201-WW001).

Background: Rademikibart (CBP-201) is a next-generation IL-4 receptor alpha-targeting antibody.

Objective: We sought to evaluate rademikibart in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.

Methods: A total of 226 patients were randomized, double-blind, to subcutaneous rademikibart (300 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W], 150 mg Q2W, 300 mg every 4 weeks [Q4W]; plus 600-mg loading dose) or placebo.

A Mini Review of the Impact of Baseline Disease Severity on Clinical Outcomes: Should We Compare Atopic Dermatitis Clinical Trials?

Based on clinical trials of systemic treatments in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) reported between 2014 and 2023, we used linear regression to investigate relationships between baseline Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) scores and (1) study start date, (2) EASI response, and (3) rescue medication rates. Analysis 1 was conducted with all patients from monotherapy and combination therapy trials; analyses 2 and 3 used monotherapy trial placebo arms. Across 32 trials with a baseline inclusion criterion of EASI ≥ 16, baseline mean EASI scores decreased with study start date.

Substrate Modification during Chemical Vapor Deposition of hBN on Sapphire.

A comparison of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layers grown by chemical vapor deposition on -plane (0001) versus -plane (112̅0) sapphire (α-AlO) substrate is reported. The high deposition temperature (>1200 °C) and hydrogen ambient used for hBN deposition on sapphire substantially alters the -plane sapphire surface chemistry and leaves the top layer(s) oxygen deficient. The resulting surface morphology due to H etching of -plane sapphire is inhomogeneous with increased surface roughness which causes non-uniform residual stress in the deposited hBN film.

Tuning Microbial Activity via Programmatic Alteration of Cell/Substrate Interfaces.

A wide portfolio of advanced programmable materials and structures has been developed for biological applications in the last two decades. Particularly, due to their unique properties, semiconducting materials have been utilized in areas of biocomputing, implantable electronics, and healthcare. As a new concept of such programmable material design, biointerfaces based on inorganic semiconducting materials as substrates introduce unconventional paths for bioinformatics and biosensing.

Oxidative Stress Transcriptional Responses of at GaN Interfaces.

Microorganisms regulate their interactions with surfaces by altering the transcription of specific target genes in response to physicochemical surface cues. To assess the influence of surface charge and surface chemistry on the transcriptional oxidative stress response, we evaluated the expression of three genes, , , and from the Gram-negative bacterium, after a short exposure to GaN interfaces. We observed that both surface charge and surface chemistry were the factors regulating the transcriptional response of the target genes, which indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the ROS response at the GaN interfaces were affected by changing surface properties.

Modulating the Stress Response of at GaN Interfaces Using Surface Charge, Surface Chemistry, and Genetic Mutations.

The surface properties of inorganic materials can be used to modulate the response of microorganisms at the interface. We used the persistent photoconductivity properties of chemically treated gallium nitride substrates to evaluate the stress response of wild-type, ΔfliC, and ΔcsgG mutant exposed to charged surfaces. Substrate surface characterization and biological assays were used to correlate the physiological response to substrate surface charge.

Taking CBL to the Lecture Hall: a Comparison of Outcomes Between Traditional Small Group CBL and a Novel Large Group Team-Based CBL Teaching Method.

Purpose: Case-based learning (CBL), an important component of medical school curricula, is an effective inquiry-based teaching method associated with high levels of student and teacher satisfaction. However, because traditional CBL requires small groups, its feasibility is limited by faculty and resources. We developed and tested a novel team-based CBL (TB-CBL) method to be implemented in the lecture hall.

Behavior of with Variable Surface Morphology Changes on Charged Semiconductor Interfaces.

Bacterial behavior is often controlled by structural and composition elements of their cell wall. Using genetic mutant strains that change specific aspects of their surface structure, we modified bacterial behavior in response to semiconductor surfaces. We monitored the adhesion, membrane potential, and catalase activity of the Gram-negative bacterium () that were mutant for genes encoding components of their surface architecture, specifically flagella, fimbriae, curli, and components of the lipopolysaccharide membrane, while on gallium nitride (GaN) surfaces with different surface potentials.

Blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1 Enhances Adoptive T-cell Therapy Efficacy in an ICOS-Mediated Manner.

Adoptive transfer of tumor-reactive T cells (ACT) has led to modest clinical benefit in the treatment of solid tumors. Failures with this therapy are primarily due to inadequate infiltration and poor function of adoptively transferred cells in the tumor microenvironment. To improve the efficacy of ACT, we combined ACT with dual blockade of CTLA-4 and PD-1.

Rigor and Reproducibility of Cytometry Practices for Immuno-Oncology: A multifaceted challenge.

The rapid advancement of immunotherapy strategies has created a need for technologies that can reliably and reproducibly identify rare populations, detect subtle changes in modulatory signals, and assess antigenic expression patterns that are time-sensitive. Accomplishing these tasks requires careful planning and the employment of tools that provide greater sensitivity and specificity without demanding extensive time. Flow Cytometry has earned its place as a preferred analysis platform.

Variably doped nanostructured gallium nitride surfaces can serve as biointerfaces for neurotypic PC12 cells and alter their behavior.

Neurotypic PC12 cells behavior was studied on nanostructured GaN and rationalized with respect to surface charge, doping level, and chemical functionalization. The semiconductor analysis included atomic force microscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The semiconductor surfaces were then evaluated as biointerfaces, and the cell behavior was quantified based on cell viability, reactive oxygen species production, as well as time dependent intracellular Ca concentration, [Ca], a known cell-signaling molecule.

Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Films on Different Inorganic Surfaces before and after UV Light Exposure.

The changes of the surface properties of Au, GaN, and SiO after UV light irradiation were used to actively influence the process of formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa films. The interfacial properties of the substrates were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The changes in the P.

Noninvasive Stimulation of Neurotypic Cells Using Persistent Photoconductivity of Gallium Nitride.

The persistent photoconductivity (PPC) of the n-type Ga-polar GaN was used to stimulate PC12 cells noninvasively. Analysis of the III-V semiconductor material by atomic force microscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, photoconductivity, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy quantified bulk and surface charge, as well as chemical composition before and after exposure to UV light and cell culture media. The semiconductor surface was made photoconductive by illumination with UV light and experienced PPC, which was utilized to stimulate PC12 cells in vitro.

Bioelectronics communication: encoding yeast regulatory responses using nanostructured gallium nitride thin films.

Baker's yeast, S. cerevisiae, is a model organism that is used in synthetic biology. The work demonstrates how GaN nanostructured thin films can encode physiological responses in S.

Structure of Ultrathin Native Oxides on III-Nitride Surfaces.

When pristine material surfaces are exposed to air, highly reactive broken bonds can promote the formation of surface oxides with structures and properties differing greatly from bulk. Determination of the oxide structure is often elusive through the use of indirect diffraction methods or techniques that probe only the outermost layer. As a result, surface oxides forming on widely used materials, such as group III-nitrides, have not been unambiguously resolved, even though critical properties can depend sensitively on their presence.

Persistent Photoconductivity, Nanoscale Topography, and Chemical Functionalization Can Collectively Influence the Behavior of PC12 Cells on Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Surfaces.

Wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) exhibit persistent photoconductivity properties. The incorporation of this asset into the fabrication of a unique biointerface is presented. Templates with lithographically defined regions with controlled roughness are generated during the semiconductor growth process.

Nanoscopy of Phase Separation in InxGa1-xN Alloys.

Phase separations in ternary/multinary semiconductor alloys is a major challenge that limits optical and electronic internal device efficiency. We have found ubiquitous local phase separation in In1-xGaxN alloys that persists to nanoscale spatial extent by employing high-resolution nanoimaging technique. We lithographically patterned InN/sapphire substrates with nanolayers of In1-xGaxN down to few atomic layers thick that enabled us to calibrate the near-field infrared response of the semiconductor nanolayers as a function of composition and thickness.

Neurotypic cell attachment and growth on III-nitride lateral polarity structures.

III-nitride materials have recently received increasing levels of attention for their potential to successfully interface with, and sense biochemical interactions in biological systems. Expanding on available sensing schemes (including transistor-based devices,) a III-N lateral polarity structure capable of introducing quasi-phase matching through a periodic polarity grating presents a novel platform for second harmonic generation. This platform constitutes a non-linear optical phenomenon with exquisite sensitivity to the chemical state of a surface or interface.

Budesonide MMX for the Induction of Remission of Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis: A Pooled Safety Analysis.

Background And Aims: Cumulative safety and tolerability of budesonide MMX, a once-daily oral corticosteroid for inducing mild to moderate ulcerative colitis remission, was examined.

Methods: Data from three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II or III studies [budesonide MMX 9 mg, 6 mg, or 3mg for 8 weeks]; one phase II study [randomisation to budesonide MMX 9 mg or placebo for 4 weeks, then open-label budesonide MMX 9 mg for 4 weeks]; and one open-label study [budesonide MMX 9 mg for 8 weeks] were pooled.

Results: Patients randomised to budesonide MMX 9 mg [n = 288], 6 mg [n = 254], or placebo [n = 293] had similar rates of adverse events [AEs] [27.

Electronic Biosensors Based on III-Nitride Semiconductors.

We review recent advances of AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT)-based electronic biosensors. We discuss properties and fabrication of III-nitride-based biosensors. Because of their superior biocompatibility and aqueous stability, GaN-based devices are ready to be implemented as next-generation biosensors.

Adsorption and adhesion of common serum proteins to nanotextured gallium nitride.

As the broader effort towards device and material miniaturization progresses in all fields, it becomes increasingly important to understand the implications of working with functional structures that approach the size scale of molecules, particularly when considering biological systems. It is well known that thin films and nanostructures feature different optical, electrical, and mechanical properties from their bulk composites; however, interactions taking place at the interface between nanomaterials and their surroundings are less understood. Here, we explore interactions between common serum proteins - serum albumin, fibrinogen, and immunoglobulin G - and a nanotextured gallium nitride surface.

Methemoglobinemia precipitated by benzocaine used during intubation.

Methemoglobinemia is a rare cause of tissue hypoxia that can quickly become fatal without immediate recognition and prompt treatment. It refers to an increase in methemoglobin in the red blood cells, which can be due to genetic deficiency of the enzymes responsible for reducing hemoglobin or can develop after exposure to oxidizing agents or xenobiotics. Local anesthetics, particularly benzocaine, have long been implicated in the formation of methemoglobin.

Surface topography and chemistry shape cellular behavior on wide band-gap semiconductors.

The chemical stability and electrical properties of gallium nitride make it a promising material for the development of biocompatible electronics, a range of devices including biosensors as well as interfaces for probing and controlling cellular growth and signaling. To improve the interface formed between the probe material and the cell or biosystem, surface topography and chemistry can be applied to modify the ways in which the device interacts with its environment. PC12 cells are cultured on as-grown planar, unidirectionally polished, etched nanoporous and nanowire GaN surfaces with and without a physisorbed peptide sequence that promotes cell adhesion.

Erratum: "Kinase detection with gallium nitride based high electron mobility transistors" [Appl. Phys. Lett. , 013701 (2013)].

[This corrects the article on p. 013701 in vol. 103.