Evaluating carbon removal: Integrating technical potential with environmental, social, governance criteria, and sequestration permanence.

Climate modeling suggests that achieving international climate goals requires a reduction in current CO emissions by over 90%, with any remaining emissions to be addressed through carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions. Sixteen CDR strategies are evaluated by integrating technical potential, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, along with sequestration permanence. This evaluation, conducted by ENGIE's scientific council using an interdisciplinary Delphi panel methodology, proposes a "quality" measure for each technology.

Pharmacologic Treatment of Obesity in adults and its impact on comorbidities: 2024 Update and Position Statement of Specialists from the Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (Abeso) and the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM).

Pharmacological treatment of obesity is passing through many changes in the last decades; different agents have been approved, and newer options are leaning towards higher efficacy and a more favourable safety profile; however, medications approved for a longer time are still available and useful for many patients. This document is an 2024 Update Position Statement of Specialists from the Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (Abeso) and the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (SBEM), with the aim of reviewing all the approved medications for the management of obesity in Brazil (sibutramine, orlistat, liraglutide, semaglutide and bupropion/naltrexone fixed dose), with the addition of tirzepatide, that is approved in other countries and likely approved soon in Brazil. The review is focused on efficacy, safety profile and the impact of drugs (based on existing studies) on different comorbidities.

Ion channel modulator DPI-201-106 significantly enhances antitumor activity of DNA damage response inhibitors in glioblastoma.

Background: Glioblastoma, a lethal high-grade glioma, has not seen improvements in clinical outcomes in nearly 30 years. Ion channels are increasingly associated with tumorigenesis, and there are hundreds of brain-penetrant drugs that inhibit ion channels, representing an untapped therapeutic resource. The aim of this exploratory drug study was to screen an ion channel drug library against patient-derived glioblastoma cells to identify new treatments for brain cancer.

A novel injection device to administer repository corticotropin injection for inflammatory disease treatment: findings from a market research study.

The goal of this market research study was to determine the usability of a single-dose prefilled injector (SelfJect™) for administration of Acthar Gel (manufactured by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, UK) in patients with inflammatory diseases by obtaining feedback from patient and practitioner user groups in the US. Patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) representing relevant therapeutic areas were enrolled in the study between February and March 2021. SelfJect was mailed to patients and HCPs prior to 90-min virtual video-recorded focus group sessions and 60-min 1:1 virtual interviews, respectively.

Cumulative review of hypertension in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated with acalabrutinib.

Not available.

On the mechanism for work function change of gold electrodes by ultrathin polyethyleneimine (PEI) films: Effect of molecular order.

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a widely used cationic polyelectrolyte. In organic electronics, it is a universal surface modifier for shifting the electrode work function (Φ) and improving charge injection into electronic devices. This effect may depend on the conformation and dipolar order of the PEI ultrathin film, but their detailed experimental evaluation has not yet been reported.

Matching-adjusted indirect comparison of acalabrutinib versus ibrutinib in relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

Objective: In the absence of head-to-head clinical trials, matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) was used to compare two Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). This analysis compares the efficacy and safety of acalabrutinib versus ibrutinib using a more mature dataset than a previously published MAIC.

Methods: Individual patient data from 122 patients treated with acalabrutinib in a phase 2 study were weighted to match aggregate baseline characteristics of patients pooled from three separate trials of ibrutinib.

Structural bases for blockade and activation of BK channels by Ba ions.

We studied the impact of Ba ions on the function and structure of large conductance potassium (BK) channels. Ion composition has played a crucial role in the physiological studies of BK channels due to their ability to couple ion composition and membrane voltage signaling. Unlike Ca, which activates BK channels through all (RCK) domains, Ba has been described as specifically interacting with the RCK2 domain.

On the suitability of photocuring-assisted DIW for manufacturing complex prosthesis from commercial dental composites.

A 3-D printing method to produce dental prostheses of complex shapes from a commercial, photocurable resin-ceramic slurry is developed and optimized. The microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behavior of the resulting material are evaluated and compared with a conventional/control sample and other ceramic-polymer dental composites. Commercial resin-ceramic dental slurries can be successfully extruded and appropriately photocured in a low cost 3-D printing system to produce cost-efficient complex dental parts that could be used in indirect restorations.

Formative and validation human factors studies of a new disposable prefilled injection device for subcutaneous delivery of acthar gel (repository corticotropin injection).

Background: The administration of repository corticotropin injection (Acthar Gel) via a single-dose prefilled injector (SelfJect) is intended to provide a simple, ergonomic alternative to traditional injection. Iterative human factors (HF) studies were conducted to identify potential use deviations and ensure appropriate device use.

Research Design And Methods: This article presents seven formative studies, a validation study (with prior pilot validation studies), and a supplemental validation study with participants including lay users, patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers.

Enhancing garlic propagation through functional biopolymer-based propagules coatings: A bio-nanotechnological strategy.

Integrating agricultural, chemical, and technological knowledge is crucial for developing bio-nanotechnologies to improve agricultural production. This study explores the innovative use of biopolymeric coatings, based on sodium alginate and sodium alginate + Laponite® (nanoclay), containing biostimulants (tryptophol and thymol) or not, on garlic cloves. These coatings were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Novel Thermosensitive and Mucoadhesive Nasal Hydrogel Containing 5-MeO-DMT Optimized Using Box-Behnken Experimental Design.

We present the development and characterization of a nasal drug delivery system comprised of a thermosensitive mucoadhesive hydrogel based on a mixture of the polymers Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188 and Hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose, and the psychedelic drug 5-methoxy-N,-N-dimethyltryptamine. The development relied on a 3 × 3 Box-Behnken experimental design, focusing on optimizing gelification temperature, viscosity and mucoadhesion. The primary objective of this work was to tailor the formulation for efficient nasal drug delivery.

Legislation for advancing women's leadership in the health sector in India and Kenya: a 'law cube' approach to identify ways to strengthen legal environments for gender equality.

Objectives: This paper examines the availability of legal provisions, or the lack thereof, that support women to progress equitably into leadership positions within the health workforce in India and Kenya.

Methods: We adapted the World Bank's framework of legal domains relevant to gender equality in the workplace and applied a 'law cube' to analyse the comprehensiveness, accountability and equity and human rights considerations of 27 relevant statutes in India and 11 in Kenya that apply to people in formal employment within the health sector. We assessed those laws against 30 research-validated good practice measures across five legal domains: (1) pay; (2) workplace protections; (3) pensions; (4) care, family life and work-life balance; and (5) reproductive rights.

Regional Workshop on Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

The purpose of this article is to describe the activities developed within the framework "Regional Workshop on Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin American and Caribbean countries," developed between October 16th and 19th of the year 2023 in the city of San José, Costa Rica. The workshop was carried out as part of a joint work between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The main objective of the regional workshop was to gather the experiences and future work planning among participants in the Optimization of Protection in Pediatric Interventional Radiology in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPRIPALC) program.

Deep squat test - Functional movement Screen: Convergent validity and ability to discriminate subjects with different levels of joint mobility.

Background: Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is an important tool in the assessment of exercise practice. Assuming FMS lacks precise validity for assessing postural deficits, further research is needed to assess whether it is a sufficiently precise tool for analysing joint mobility. Research aims were to evaluate: convergent validity of Deep Squat (DS) - one of FMS tests - regarding joint mobility, using data from a three-dimensional motion analysis as a comparable method; DS's ability to discriminate between subjects with different joint mobility levels.

Pseudouridine and 1-methylpseudouridine as potent nucleotide analogues for RNA therapy and vaccine development.

Modified nucleosides are integral to modern drug development, serving as crucial building blocks for creating safer, more potent, and more precisely targeted therapeutic interventions. Nucleobase modifications often confer antiviral and anti-cancer activity as monomers. When incorporated into nucleic acid oligomers, they increase stability against degradation by enzymes, enhancing the drugs' lifespan within the body.

NKG2C+CD57+ natural killer cells with senescent features are induced during cutaneous leishmaniasis and accumulate in patients with lesional healing impairment.

Natural killer (NK) cells include different subsets with diverse effector capacities that are poorly understood in the context of parasitic diseases. Here, we investigated inhibitory and activating receptor expression on NK cells in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and explored their phenotypic and functional heterogeneity based on CD57 and NKG2C expression. The expression of CD57 identified NK cells that accumulated in CL patients and exhibited features of senescence.

Vertical Stratification of Solitary Bees and Wasps in an Urban Forest from the Brazilian Amazon.

Solitary bees and wasps that nest in cavities in tree trunks are important components of terrestrial ecosystems, providing pollination services, and in the case of wasps, the regulation of their prey populations. However, little is known about the vertical strata where bees and wasps build their nests. This is especially the case of urban forest remnants in the Amazon, which is relevant in the context of the global crisis in insect losses.

Acalabrutinib-based regimens in frontline or relapsed/refractory higher-risk CLL: pooled analysis of 5 clinical trials.

Before targeted therapies, patients with higher-risk chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), defined as del(17p) and/or TP53 mutation (TP53m), unmutated immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region genes (uIGHV), or complex karyotype (CK), had poorer prognosis with chemoimmunotherapy. Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) have demonstrated benefit in higher-risk patient populations with CLL in individual trials. To better understand the impact of the second-generation BTKi acalabrutinib, we pooled data from 5 prospective clinical studies of acalabrutinib as monotherapy or in combination with obinutuzumab (ACE-CL-001, ACE-CL-003, ELEVATE-TN, ELEVATE-RR, and ASCEND) in patients with higher-risk CLL in treatment-naive (TN) or relapsed/refractory (R/R) cohorts.

Analysis of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death from prospective, randomized clinical trials of acalabrutinib.

This analysis investigated the incidence of sudden deaths (SDs) and non-fatal and fatal ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in five acalabrutinib clinical trials. In total, 1299 patients received acalabrutinib (exposure, 4568.4 patient-years).

Tumor-treating fields dosimetry in glioblastoma: Insights into treatment planning, optimization, and dose-response relationships.

Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) are currently a Category 1A treatment recommendation by the US National Comprehensive Cancer Center for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Although the mechanism of action of TTFields has been partly elucidated, tangible and standardized metrics are lacking to assess antitumor dose and effects of the treatment. This paper outlines and evaluates the current standards and methodologies in the estimation of the TTFields distribution and dose measurement in the brain and highlights the most important principles governing TTFields dosimetry.

Reverse Phase HPLC Methodology for the Determination of Bay K8644.

Following ICH guidelines for analytical validation, we report a common C18 column stability indicating isocratic reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography method for the determination of the ion channel modulator Bay K8644. Two main forced degradation products and a minor impurity were also tentatively identified by Mass Spectrometry. The mobile phase consisted of a 50/50 acetonitrile/buffer mixture at a flow rate of 2 mL/min.