Dispersity determination of poly(ethylene glycol)s using supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry and different mass analysers.

Rationale: Dispersity values are considered critical quality attributes for the quality control of poly(ethylene glycol) formulations due to the direct impact on drug performance. However, when these polymers are analysed using mass spectrometry, the design of the mass analyser can impact the oligomer response and affect the obtained dispersity values, so further understanding is needed.

Methods: The deconvoluted electrospray ionisation mass spectra of poly(ethylene glycol)s obtained using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) hyphenated to different mass analysers were compared, and visualisation diagrams were used to understand the differences in the dispersity value calculations.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations Among Children <5 Years Old: 2016 to 2020.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization in US infants. Accurate estimates of severe RSV disease inform policy decisions for RSV prevention.

Methods: We conducted prospective surveillance for children <5 years old with acute respiratory illness from 2016 to 2020 at 7 pediatric hospitals.

Standardizing Medication Reconciliation in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Background: Medication errors are common during transitions of care, such as discharge from the emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC). The Joint Commission has identified medication reconciliation as a key safety practice. Our aim was to increase the percentage of patients with completed medication reconciliation at discharge from our pediatric ED and 4 UCs from 25% to 75% in 12 months.

Development of Simplified and Efficient Sample Preparation Methods for the Analysis of Problem Material within the Diesel Fuel Delivery System.

A new approach for the analysis of diesel engine fuel filters has been developed. This method involves minimal to no sample preparation, allowing rapid and unbiased analysis of diesel fuel filters. In recent years, diesel fuel filter plugging incidences have increased in parallel with changing emissions legislation.

Structure-Reactivity Studies of 2-Sulfonylpyrimidines Allow Selective Protein Arylation.

Protein arylation has attracted much attention for developing new classes of bioconjugates with improved properties. Here, we have evaluated 2-sulfonylpyrimidines as covalent warheads for the mild, chemoselective, and metal free cysteine -arylation. 2-Sulfonylpyrimidines react rapidly with cysteine, resulting in stable -heteroarylated adducts at neutral pH.

Controlling the positive ion electrospray ionization of poly(ethylene glycols) when using ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Poly(ethylene glycols) are complex polymers often added to pharmaceutical formulations to improve drug solubility and delivery. One of the main challenges when using chromatographic techniques coupled to mass spectrometry is the unselective ionization of poly(ethylene glycols) oligomers. Additionally, when the chain length is large enough, multiple charged species are formed, further complicating the mass spectra and processing.

Review of fragmentation of synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides by tandem mass spectrometry from 2014 to 2022.

The fragmentation of oligonucleotides by mass spectrometry allows for the determination of their sequences. It is necessary to understand how oligonucleotides dissociate in the gas phase, which allows interpretation of data to obtain sequence information. Since 2014, a range of fragmentation mechanisms, including a novel internal rearrangement, have been proposed using different ion dissociation techniques.

Antimicrobial-Resistant Nontyphoidal Salmonella Infection Following International Travel-United States, 2018-2019.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance in nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) can limit treatment options. We assessed the contribution of international travel to antimicrobial-resistant NTS infections.

Methods: We describe NTS infections that were reported to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network during 2018-2019 and screened for genetic resistance determinants, including those conferring decreased susceptibility to first-line agents (ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin).

Respiratory Virus Surveillance Among Children with Acute Respiratory Illnesses - New Vaccine Surveillance Network, United States, 2016-2021.

The New Vaccine Surveillance Network (NVSN) is a prospective, active, population-based surveillance platform that enrolls children with acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs) at seven pediatric medical centers. ARIs are caused by respiratory viruses including influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (HMPV), human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs), and most recently SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), which result in morbidity among infants and young children (1-6). NVSN estimates the incidence of pathogen-specific pediatric ARIs and collects clinical data (e.

Advancements in the characterisation of oligonucleotides by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in 2021: A short review.

The first oligonucleotide therapeutic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998, and since then, 12 nucleic acids have been commercialised as medicines. To be approved, the oligonucleotides need to be identified and characterised as well as its related impurities. Different methods exist, but the most commonly used is ion-pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

Rates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated hospitalization among adults with congestive heart failure-United States, 2015-2017.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause severe disease in adults with cardiopulmonary conditions, such as congestive heart failure (CHF). We quantified the rate of RSV-associated hospitalization in adults by CHF status using population-based surveillance in the United States.

Methods: Population-based surveillance for RSV (RSV-NET) was performed in 35 counties in seven sites during two respiratory seasons (2015-2017) from October 1-April 30.

Assessing the effectiveness of microplastic extraction methods on fishmeal with different properties.

Microplastic presence in fishmeal is an emerging research area because of its potential to enter food chains, and the importance of fishmeal within global food security. However, fishmeal is a complex medium dependant on fish composition. This study measured properties (organics, carbonates, protein and density) of five fishmeal types (trimmings, sardine and anchovy, krill, tuna and salmon), sourced from locations worldwide (Norway, South America, Antarctica, Spain and Scotland).

Extensively Drug-Resistant Typhoid Fever in the United States.

Cases of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid fever have been reported in the United States among patients who did not travel internationally. Clinicians should consider if and where the patient traveled when selecting empiric treatment for typhoid fever. XDR typhoid fever should be treated with a carbapenem, azithromycin, or both.

Respiratory syncytial virus-associated deaths in the United States according to death certificate data, 2005 to 2016.

Background And Aims: In the United States, respiratory infections due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cause an estimated 57 000 hospitalizations annually among children aged <5 years and 177 000 hospitalizations among adults aged ≥65 years. RSV-associated deaths are less well described. It will be important to establish a baseline of RSV-coded deaths prior to the introduction of vaccines, immunoprophylaxis products, and anti-viral therapies currently in development.

Evidence of underestimation in microplastic research: A meta-analysis of recovery rate studies.

Research on microplastics in the environment is of high interest to many scientists and industries globally. Key to the success of this research is the accuracy, efficiency, reliability, robustness and repeatability of the method(s) used to isolate the microplastics from environmental media. However, with microplastics now being found in new complex media, many multifaceted methods have been developed to research the quantities of these pollutants.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Associated Hospitalizations in Children With Neurological Disorders, 2006-2015.

Background: We quantified the risk of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations and severe outcomes among children with neurological disorders.

Methods: We estimated RSV-specific and RSV-associated hospitalization rates using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes from 2 insurance claims IBM MarketScan Research Databases (Commercial and Multi-State Medicaid) from July 2006 through June 2015. For comparison, a simple random sample of 10% of all eligible children was selected to represent the general population.

Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine After Reports of Myocarditis Among Vaccine Recipients: Update from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, June 2021.

In December 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 (BNT162b2) vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 (mRNA-1273) vaccine, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued interim recommendations for their use in persons aged ≥16 years and ≥18 years, respectively. In May 2021, FDA expanded the EUA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents aged 12-15 years; ACIP recommends that all persons aged ≥12 years receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines encoding the stabilized prefusion spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Incidence of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Among US Persons Infected With SARS-CoV-2.

Importance: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is associated with recent or current SARS-CoV-2 infection. Information on MIS-C incidence is limited.

Objective: To estimate population-based MIS-C incidence per 1 000 000 person-months and to estimate MIS-C incidence per 1 000 000 SARS-CoV-2 infections in persons younger than 21 years.

Converging global crises are forcing the rapid adoption of disruptive changes in drug discovery.

Spiralling research costs combined with urgent pressures from the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the consequences of climate disruption are forcing changes in drug discovery. Increasing the predictive power of in vitro human assays and using them earlier in discovery would refocus resources on more successful research strategies and reduce animal studies. Increasing laboratory automation enables effective social distancing for researchers, while allowing integrated data capture from remote laboratory networks.

Acute Respiratory Illnesses in Children in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Prospective Multicenter Study.

Objectives: Nonpharmaceutical interventions against coronavirus disease 2019 likely have a role in decreasing viral acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs). We aimed to assess the frequency of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza ARIs before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Methods: This study was a prospective, multicenter, population-based ARI surveillance, including children seen in the emergency departments and inpatient settings in 7 US cities for ARI.