The 18th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (18th WRIB) took place in San Antonio, TX, USA on May 6-10, 2024. Over 1100 professionals representing pharma/biotech companies, CROs, and multiple regulatory agencies convened to actively discuss the most current topics of interest in bioanalysis. The 18th WRIB included 3 Main Workshops and 7 Specialized Workshops that together spanned 1 week to allow an exhaustive and thorough coverage of all major issues in bioanalysis of biomarkers, immunogenicity, gene therapy, cell therapy and vaccines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe structural properties of packed soft-core particles provide a platform to understand the cross-pollinated physical concepts in solid-state and soft-matter physics. Confined on a spherical surface, the traditional differential geometry also dictates the overall defect properties in otherwise regular crystal lattices. Using molecular dynamics simulation of the Hertzian model as a tool, we report here the emergence of new types of disclination patterns: domain and counter-domain defects, when hexagonal and square patterns coexist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Chronotypes and perceived stress can predict psychiatric symptoms and affect sleep quality, though the relationships between these factors are not completely described. This study explores the influence of chronotypes and perceived stress on sleep quality among undergraduates.
Methods: An online survey was administered to a convenience sample of 110 undergraduates aged 18-23 years (mean age 20.
Background And Objectives: How children prepare for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help reduce the need for sedation and improve access to pediatric health care. Embedding virtual reality (VR) tools within routine preparation for MRI may support this process. The aim of this study was to qualitatively describe the process of preparing a child for MRI in a tertiary health care setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFerroptosis, a mode of cell death characterized by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation, has a substantial therapeutic potential for the treatment of various cancers. This study investigated the effects of trifluoperazine (TFP), an FDA-approved drug traditionally utilized for mental health disorder, on oral cancer cells, with a particular focus on the mechanisms involved in its potential anti-tumor properties. Our findings indicate that TFP significantly elevates the levels of lipid-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induces ferroptotic cell death in oral cancer cells through pathways involving autophagy, the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis, and mitochondrial damage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiotherapy (RT) and transoral robotic surgery (TORS) are both curative-intent treatment options for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Herein, we report the final outcomes of the ORATOR trial comparing these modalities, 5 years after enrollment completion. We randomly assigned 68 patients with T1-2N0-2 OPSCC to RT (with chemotherapy if node-positive) versus TORS plus neck dissection (± adjuvant RT/chemoradiation).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe phytocannabinoid cannabinol (CBN) has a potential mechanism of action as an alternative sleep aid but there is minimal evidence to support its effectiveness. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to assess the safety and effects of three formulations of a hemp-derived CBN sleep aid, TruCBN™ [25 mg (n = 206), 50 mg (n = 205), 100 mg (n = 203)], on sleep quality (PROMIS Sleep Disturbance 8A), relative to placebo (n = 204). The effectiveness and safety of these formulations relative to 4 mg of melatonin (n = 202) was assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Betel quid and its major ingredient, areca nut, are recognized by IARC as major risk factors in oral cancer development. Areca nut extract (ANE) exposure has been linked to OPMD progression and malignant transformation to OSCC. However, the detailed mechanism through which ANE acts on other cell types in the oral microenvironment to promote oral carcinogenesis remains elusive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Exposure to maternal inflammation is associated with an increased risk of neurocognitive and developmental disorders in offspring. Early diagnosis and intervention improves childhood motor and cognitive functioning. Neonatal cerebral MRI and remote app-based generalised movement assessments (GMAs) are both predictive of adverse neurocognitive outcomes but have only been used in infants at significantly increased risk for these outcomes, rather than following in utero exposure to maternal inflammatory disorders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThat a three-dimensional vesicle morphology can be modeled by an artificial neural network is proposed and demonstrated. In the phase-field representation, the Helfrich bending energy of a membrane is equivalently cast into field-based energy, which enables a more direct representation of a deformable, three-dimensional membrane surface. The core of our method is incorporating recent machine-learning techniques to perform the required energy minimization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFluorescent in situ hybridization has been the definitive modality in testing for overexpression of the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) for decades to guide the appropriate treatment for cancer patients. In more recent years innovation and new techniques have been developed to supplant or even replace FISH as a standard method for biomarker testing. Alternative testing methods such polymerase chain reaction (PCR), next-generation sequencing (NGS), and other in situ hybridization (ISH)-derived techniques such as chromogenic-ISH (CISH) have been shown in multiple publications to have high concordance with FISH in addition to advantages in economics, logistics and practicality to the point where CISH and derived methods appear to have eclipsed FISH as a testing method of choice after immunohistochemistry (IHC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultinuclear non-heme iron dependent oxidative enzymes (MNIOs), formerly known as domain of unknown function 692 (DUF692), are involved in the post-translational modification of peptides during the biosynthesis of peptide-based natural products. These enzymes catalyze highly unusual and diverse chemical modifications. Several class-defining features of this large family (>14 000 members) are beginning to emerge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis review provides an in-depth analysis of the effect of length of stay (LOS), comorbidities, and procedural complications on the cost-effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in comparison to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). We found that the average LOS was shorter for patients undergoing TAVR, contributing to lower average costs associated with the procedure, although the LOS varied between patients due to the severity of illness and comorbidities present. TAVR has also been found to improve the quality of life for patients receiving aortic valve replacement compared to SAVR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Chem Phys
February 2024
A semiflexible polymer can be stretched by either applying a force to it or by fixing the positions of its endpoints. The two approaches generally yield different results and correspond to experiments performed in either the Gibbs or Helmholtz statistical ensembles. Here, we derive the Helmholtz force-extension relationship for the commonly used wormlike-chain model in the strongly stretched regime.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Cases of alopecia areata (AA) attributed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination have been reported in recent literature. However, these reports are reflective of specific geographic areas, and whether this phenomenon is observed in other regions remains to be investigated. This study focused on the association between AA and COVID-19 vaccination among patients from a large single-center safety net hospital in California.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cuticle is a hydrophobic structure that seals plant aerial surfaces from the surrounding environment. To better understand how cuticular wax composition changes over development, we conducted an untargeted screen of leaf surface lipids from black cottonwood (). We observed major shifts to the lipid profile across development, from a phenolic and terpene-dominated profile in young leaves to an aliphatic wax-dominated profile in mature leaves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cost of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been studied in the context of high-risk or specific comorbidity populations; this paper provides a comprehensive overview of broader patient populations' outcomes and costs with TAVR in comparison to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). In the past, SAVR had been the more cost-effective option than TAVR, but in recent years, TAVR has been becoming more cost-effective.Though the cost of TAVR can vary due to several factors the major focus of this review will focus on the surgical technique, medicare reimbursements, insertion point, and varying risk populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrients
August 2023
Inadequate sleep is a global health concern. Sleep is multidimensional and complex; new multi-ingredient agents are needed. This study assessed the comparative effects of two multi-ingredient supplements on sleep relative to placebo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, non-scarring, immune-mediated skin disease that affects approximately 0.5-2% of the global population. The etiology of AA is complex and involves genetic and environmental factors, with significant advancements in genetic research occurring in recent years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPattern hair loss can occur in both men and women, and the underlying molecular mechanisms have been continuously studied in recent years. Male androgenetic alopecia (M-AGA), also termed male pattern hair loss, is the most common type of hair loss in men. M-AGA is considered an androgen-dependent trait with a background of genetic predisposition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe domain of unknown function 692 (DUF692) is an emerging family of post-translational modification enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products. Members of this family are multinuclear iron-containing enzymes, and only two members have been functionally characterized to date: MbnB and TglH. Here, we used bioinformatics to select another member of the DUF692 family, ChrH, that is encoded in the genomes of the genus along with a partner protein ChrI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Nutr Assoc
January 2024
Background: Clinical evidence on the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for sleep remains limited. Even fewer studies have tested the comparative effectiveness of cannabinoid formulations found within CBD products used for sleep or how they compare to other complementary therapies such as melatonin.
Methods: Participants (N = 1,793 adults experiencing symptoms of sleep disturbance) were randomly assigned to receive a 4-week supply of 1 of 6 products (all capsules) containing either 15 mg CBD or 5 mg melatonin, alone or in combination with minor cannabinoids.
The domain of unknown function 692 (DUF692) is an emerging family of posttranslational modification enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ribosomally-synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products. Members of this family are multinuclear iron-containing enzymes and only two members have been functionally characterized to date: MbnB and TglH. Here, we used bioinformatics to select another member of the DUF692 family, ChrH, that is ubiquitously encoded in the genomes of the genus along with a partner protein ChrI.
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