Structural variants of the synthetic opioid fentanyl are a major threat to public health. Following an investigation showing that many derivatives are poorly detected by commercial lateral flow and related assays, we created hapten conjugate vaccines using an immunogenic virus-like particle carrier and eight synthetic fentanyl derivatives designed to mimic the structural features of several of the more dangerous analogues. Immunization of mice elicited strong antihapten humoral responses, allowing the screening of hundreds of hapten-specific hybridomas for binding strength and specificity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe forward design of biosensors that implement Boolean logic to improve detection precision primarily relies on programming genetic components to control transcriptional responses. However, cell- and gene-free nanomaterials programmed with logical functions may present lower barriers for clinical translation. Here we report the design of activity-based nanosensors that implement AND-gate logic without genetic parts via bi-labile cyclic peptides.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To assess repeatability of macular inner choroid flow deficit percentage (ICFD%) in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) and controls employing various post-processing approaches.
Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study. We included (1) 22 iAMD and 24 control eyes, with (2) age >50 years, (3) visual acuity >20/32, and (4) no additional ocular and systemic confounders.
The challenge of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) continues in Brazil, presenting a persistent public health issue despite initiatives aimed at public outreach, vector control and health education. To gain a deeper understanding of this disease, a study was conducted in an endemic region located in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study monitored 30 resident patients diagnosed with ATL, using serum samples from 6 healthy individuals as controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the utility of extended field swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (SS-OCTA) imaging biomarkers in predicting the occurrence of clinically significant outcomes in eyes with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR).
Design: Retrospective clinical case-control study.
Methods: Single-center clinical study.