Effects of Salt Concentration on a Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Aggregation Assay with a Tunable Dynamic Range.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) can be functionalized with antibodies to give them an affinity for a biomarker of interest. Functionalized MNPs (fMNPs) cluster in the presence of a multivalent target, causing a change in their magnetization. Target concentration can be proportional to the 3rd harmonic phase of the fMNP magnetization signal.

PAMAM dendrimers as mediators of dermal and transdermal drug delivery: a review.

Objectives: Poly(amidoamine) dendrimers have been widely investigated as potential nanomaterials that can enhance the skin permeation of topically applied drugs. This article reviews the studies that have used dendrimers as penetration enhancers and examines the mechanisms by which enhancement is claimed.

Key Findings: A wide range of studies have demonstrated that, in certain circumstances and for certain drugs, the incorporation of dendrimers into a topically applied formulation can significantly increase the amount of drug passing into and through the skin.

Real World Experience of Change in Psycho-Existential Symptoms in Palliative Care.

Context: Psycho-existential symptoms in palliative care are addressed insufficiently. Routine screening, ongoing monitoring and meaningful treatment of psycho-existential symptoms may contribute to the relief of suffering in palliative care.

Objectives: We sought to explore longitudinal change in psycho-existential symptoms following the routine implementation of the Psycho-existential Symptom Assessment Scale (PeSAS) in Australian palliative care services.

Retrospective Outcomes of a New Acupuncture Service at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Among cancer centers, patients' interest in acupuncture is growing, in addition to clinical research in the intervention. Their National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center piloted an acupuncture service. Their aim was to assess whether acupuncture impacted patient self-reported symptoms as delivered clinically and discuss their implementation strategy.

Loss to Follow-up in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To evaluate the reporting and rates of loss to follow-up (LTFU) in head and neck cancer (HNC) randomized controlled trials based in the United States.

Data Sources: Pubmed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus databases.

Review Methods: A systematic review of titles in Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library was performed.

Associations between symptoms with healthcare utilization and death in advanced cancer patients.

Introduction: There is limited data about assessments that are associated with increased utilization of medical services among advanced oncology patients (AOPs). We aimed to identify factors related to healthcare utilization and death in AOP.

Methods: AOPs at a comprehensive cancer center were enrolled in a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation program.

The perspectives of oncology healthcare providers on the role of palliative care in a comprehensive cancer center.

Background: Palliative care (PC) is an essential part of oncologic care, but its optimal role within a cancer center remains unclear. This study examines oncology healthcare providers' perspectives about the role of PC at a comprehensive cancer center (CCC).

Methods: Physicians, nurses, and other oncology healthcare providers at a CCC were surveyed for their opinions about the role of inpatient and outpatient PC, preferences for PC services, and barriers to referral.

Microneedle-Mediated Permeation Enhancement of Chlorhexidine Digluconate: Mechanistic Insights Through Imaging Mass Spectrometry.

Purpose: Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) is a first-line antiseptic agent typically applied to the skin as a topical solution prior to surgery due to its efficacy and safety profile. However, the physiochemical properties of CHG limits its cutaneous permeation, preventing it from reaching potentially pathogenic bacteria residing within deeper skin layers. Thus, the utility of a solid oscillating microneedle system, Dermapen®, and a CHG-hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) gel were investigated to improve the intradermal delivery of CHG.

Dendrimer-mediated permeation enhancement of chlorhexidine digluconate: Determination of in vitro skin permeability and visualisation of dermal distribution.

Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) is a cationic bisbiguanide used in the UK as the first-line skin antiseptic prior to surgery in the UK due to its favourable efficacy and safety profile, high affinity for skin binding and minimal reports of resistance. Despite this, bacteria remain within deeper skin layers, furrows and appendages that are considered inaccessible to CHG, due to its poor dermal penetration. In this study a third generation, polyamidoamine dendrimer (G3 PAMAM-NH) was utilised to improve dermal penetration of CHG.

De novo methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus vs. methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infections of the spine, similar clinical outcome, despite more severe presentation in surgical patients.

Vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) is a severe infection of the vertebral body and the adjacent disc space, where Staphylococcus aureus is most commonly isolated. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine risk factors for and compare outcome differences between de novo methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) VO and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) VO. A retrospective cohort study was performed by review of the electronic medical records of 4541 consecutive spine surgery patients.

Astroglia-Derived BDNF and MSK-1 Mediate Experience- and Diet-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity.

Experience- and diet-dependent regulation of synaptic plasticity can underlie beneficial effects of active lifestyle on the aging brain. Our previous results demonstrate a key role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and MSK1 kinase in experience-related homeostatic synaptic scaling. Astroglia has been recently shown to release BDNF via a calcium-dependent mechanism.

Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks.

The emergence of a pandemic affecting the respiratory system can result in a significant demand for face masks. This includes the use of cloth masks by large sections of the public, as can be seen during the current global spread of COVID-19. However, there is limited knowledge available on the performance of various commonly available fabrics used in cloth masks.

Development of a Gaussian Process - feature selection model to characterise (poly)dimethylsiloxane (Silastic ) membrane permeation.

Objectives: The current study aims to determine the effect of physicochemical descriptor selection on models of polydimethylsiloxane permeation.

Methods: A total of 2942 descriptors were calculated for a data set of 77 chemicals. Data were processed to remove redundancy, single values, imbalanced and highly correlated data, yielding 1363 relevant descriptors.

The influence of diffusion cell type and experimental temperature on machine learning models of skin permeability.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to use Gaussian process regression (GPR) methods to quantify the effect of experimental temperature (T ) and choice of diffusion cell on model quality and performance.

Methods: Data were collated from the literature. Static and flow-through diffusion cell data were separated, and a series of GPR experiments was conducted.

A Nanosensor Toolbox for Rapid, Label-Free Measurement of Airway Surface Liquid and Epithelial Cell Function.

Ciliated lung epithelial cells and the airway surface liquid (ASL) comprise one of the body's most important protective systems. This system is finely tuned, and perturbations to ASL rheology, ASL depth, ASL pH, the transepithelial potential, and the cilia beat frequency are all associated with disease pathology. Further, these apparently distinct properties interact with each other in a complex manner.

Antimicrobial efficacy and mechanism of action of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers against opportunistic pathogens.

The aim of this study was to investigate a range of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer generations against Gram-positive and Gram-negative skin pathogens and to determine any differences in antimicrobial potency for different generations, characterising how differences in physicochemical properties influence antimicrobial efficacy. A range of tests were carried out, including viable count assays to determine half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) values for each dendrimer, membrane integrity studies and an inner membrane permeabilisation assay. This is supported by scanning electron microscopy imaging of the interactions observed between dendrimers and bacteria.

Outcomes from 18 years of cervical spine surgery in MPS IVA: a single centre's experience.

Purpose: This study examines the long-term outcomes of paediatric Morquio (MPS IVA) patients undergoing cervical spine surgery and evaluates the factors that impacting this.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all MPS IVA patients undergoing cervical spine surgery, since the introduction of standardised neuroradiological screening. The impact of preoperative neurological status, growth, genotype and radiological status on outcome is assessed, whilst long-term surgical, radiological and neurological outcomes are documented.

Effective silencing of ENaC by siRNA delivered with epithelial-targeted nanocomplexes in human cystic fibrosis cells and in mouse lung.

Introduction: Loss of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in cystic fibrosis (CF) leads to hyperabsorption of sodium and fluid from the airway due to upregulation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). Thickened mucus and depleted airway surface liquid (ASL) then lead to impaired mucociliary clearance. ENaC regulation is thus a promising target for CF therapy.

Model fitting for small skin permeability data sets: hyperparameter optimisation in Gaussian Process Regression.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate how to improve predictions from Gaussian Process models by optimising the model hyperparameters.

Methods: Optimisation methods, including Grid Search, Conjugate Gradient, Random Search, Evolutionary Algorithm and Hyper-prior, were evaluated and applied to previously published data. Data sets were also altered in a structured manner to reduce their size, which retained the range, or 'chemical space' of the key descriptors to assess the effect of the data range on model quality.

Rapid response: a multiprofessional approach to hospital at home.

The provision of 'hospital at home' is not new to the 21st century but pressure from the reduction in the number of hospital beds, population growth, an ageing population and subsequent extended time living with long-term conditions means such services are increasingly necessary. However, research by the authors found services that already exist do not operate 24 hours a day or provide a single multiprofessional approach. Gloucestershire's rapid response (RR) service provides specialist, coordinated, comprehensive and supportive assessment and treatment 24 hours a day in the patient's own home.

Converse theorems and the local Langlands correspondence in families.

We prove a descent criterion for certain families of smooth representations of ( a -adic field) in terms of the -factors of pairs constructed in Moss (Int Math Res Not 2016(16):4903-4936, 2016). We then use this descent criterion, together with a theory of -factors for families of representations of the Weil group  (Helm and Moss in Deligne-Langlands gamma factors in families, arXiv:1510.08743v3, 2015), to prove a series of conjectures, due to the first author, that give a complete description of the center of the category of smooth -modules (the so-called "integral Bernstein center") in terms of Galois theory and the local Langlands correspondence.

The dopamine D4 receptor gene, birth weight, maternal depression, maternal attention, and the prediction of disorganized attachment at 36 months of age: A prospective gene×environment analysis.

Background: Efforts to understand the developmental pathways for disorganized attachment reflect the importance of disorganized attachment on the prediction of future psychopathology. The inconsistent findings on the prediction of disorganized attachment from the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene, birth weight, and maternal depression as well as the evidence supporting the contribution of early maternal care, suggest the importance of exploring a gene by environment model.

Methods: Our sample is from the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment project; consisting of 655 mother-child dyads.