Long-Term Islet Graft Functional Assessments in More than 500 Patients Undergoing Total Pancreatectomy with Intraportal Islet Autotransplantation.

Background: Total pancreatectomy and intraportal islet cell auto transplantation (TPIAT) is increasingly being offered to patients with refractory chronic pancreatitis. Understanding factors that impact islet function over time is critical.

Study Design: We evaluated factors associated with islet function over 12 years post TPIAT using mixed meal tolerance testing (MMTT).

α-N-Methyltransferase regiospecificity is mediated by proximal, redundant enzyme-substrate interactions.

N-Methylation of the peptide backbone confers pharmacologically beneficial characteristics to peptides that include greater membrane permeability and resistance to proteolytic degradation. The borosin family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides offer a post-translational route to install amide backbone α-N-methylations. Previous work has elucidated the substrate scope and engineering potential of two examples of type I borosins, which feature autocatalytic precursors that encode N-methyltransferases that methylate their own C-termini in trans.

Enhanced Macrophage Uptake of Spray-Dried Phosphatidylserine-Loaded Microparticles for Pulmonary Drug Delivery Applications.

Macrophages are an integral part of the innate immune system and act as a first line of defense to pathogens; however, macrophages can be reservoirs for pathogens to hide and replicate. Tuberculosis, influenza virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are common diseases whose pathogens are uptaken into macrophages. Current treatments for diseases such as these are limited by the therapeutic delivery method, which typically involves systemic delivery in large, frequent doses.

Understanding the experiences of autistic high school students and neurodivergent job coaches in a summer employment program: an interpretive description study.

Purpose: This study explores the experiences of autistic youth and neurodivergent job coaches during a job training program.

Methods: Interpretive Description methodology guided this study. Two researchers facilitated virtual focus groups with autistic students and neurodivergent job coaches separately before (n = 14) and after (n = 12) the program.

Challenges and potential solutions to enrollment in a clinical trial of arteriovenous fistula vs arteriovenous graft vascular access strategy.

This article presents the rationale, challenges, and adaptive strategies employed during the initiation and execution of the arteriovenous (AV) access trial-a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing AV fistulas and AV grafts for hemodialysis in older adults with major comorbidities. Motivated by shifts in epidemiologic landscapes and evolving guidelines moving away from a fistula-first approach and to more patient-centric approaches, the objective of this randomized controlled trial was to fill critical knowledge gaps in determining the optimal vascular access for this complex patient population. We outline the challenges encountered in patient recruitment along with measures employed to overcome these obstacles in recruitment.