The Effects of Fat Content on the Shelf-Life of Vacuum-Packed Red Meat.

When stored at chill temperatures, vacuum-packed (VP) lamb has a much shorter shelf-life than VP beef, primarily due to its higher pH, which could be linked to the higher fat content. The higher pH would create more favourable conditions for the growth of spoilage bacteria, resulting in a shorter shelf-life of meat. To determine the effects of fat on meat shelf-life as it relates to pH, a series of shelf-life trials at 2 °C were conducted using VP beef and lamb mince with varying fat contents (i.

Qualitative understanding of experiences of people with cystic fibrosis in a treatment discontinuation trial: The QUEST study.

Background: As people with cystic fibrosis (PWCF) live longer due to the breakthrough drug elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI), they have questioned whether other CF therapies could be safely discontinued. SIMPLIFY was the first prospective, randomized trial to evaluate non-inferiority of discontinuing versus continuing two therapies. The QUEST (Qualitative Understanding of Experiences in the SIMPLIFY Trial) study was conducted to understand experiences of PWCF enrolled in SIMPLIFY, including why they joined, perceptions of randomization, decision-making around study withdrawal, and considerations for future discontinuation studies.

Hair and Saliva Endocannabinoid and Steroid Hormone Analysis by Liquid Chromatography Paired with Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Endocannabinoids are lipid neurotransmitters that play an important part in human health. Recent methods have found that quantification of endocannabinoids in hair and saliva samples is possible using liquid chromatography paired with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This chapter describes two simple sample preparation methods that can be used to prepare hair and saliva samples for analysis using LC-MS/MS.

Age and sex effects of a validated LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantification of testosterone, allopregnanolone, and its isomers in human serum.

Despite the great relevance of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone and related isomers to various health conditions, quantification typically involves immunoassay, which suffers from serious issues with cross-reactivity of closely related molecules. This article describes the development and partial validation of a liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry assay for the simultaneous quantification of allopregnanolone, pregnanolone, isopregnanolone, epi-allopregnanolone, and testosterone in the human serum of healthy males and females aged 5-85 years. 1-amino-4-methylpiperazine (AMP) was used as a derivatisation reagent to enhance the ionisation signal.

Chemistry/structural biology of psychedelic drugs and their receptor(s).

This brief review highlights some of the structure-activity relationships of classic serotonergic psychedelics. In particular, we discuss structural features of three chemotypes: phenethylamines, ergolines and certain tryptamines, which possess psychedelic activity in humans. Where they are known, we point out the underlying molecular mechanisms utilized by each of the three chemotypes of psychedelic molecules.

Mr W Martin Nichols (1910-1979): From prisoner of war to first Aberdeen neurosurgeon.

The Department of Neurosurgery at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) marked its 75th anniversary in 2023. The unit began on 1 April 1948 when Mr W Martin Nichols became the first full-time neurosurgeon in the North of Scotland. Prior to World War II (WWII), there were only a handful of surgeons dedicated to the specialty in the UK.

Self-reported chronic therapy use after 24-weeks of follow-up by participants who completed the simplify randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Highly effective CFTR modulator therapy (HEMT) has improved the health of many people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), offering opportunities to discontinue burdensome therapies. SIMPLIFY included randomized, controlled trials that confirmed non-inferiority of discontinuing versus continuing dornase alfa (DA) or hypertonic saline (HS) for 6 weeks in pwCF on HEMT. In this study of post-trial treatment use by SIMPLIFY participants, we hypothesized that randomization to discontinue DA or HS during the trial would be associated with a higher likelihood of non-use of each medication during follow-up.

The risk of sleep-related death in an inclined sleep environment.

Background: Unsafe sleep environments are the primary modifiable risk factor for sudden unexpected infant death (SUID). Despite this knowledge, products that deviate from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) safe sleep recommendations continue to be commonplace, such as inclined sleepers. Analyses to estimate risk among these products are lacking, perpetuating their presence in the marketplace.

Impact of Discontinuing Both Hypertonic Saline and Dornase Alfa after Elexacaftor-Tezacaftor-Ivacaftor in Cystic Fibrosis.

Evaluating approaches to reduce treatment burden is a research priority among people with cystic fibrosis on highly effective modulators, including elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI). We sought to evaluate the impact of discontinuing both hypertonic saline (HS) and dornase alfa (DA) versus continuing both therapies among a subgroup of participants in the SIMPLIFY study who sequentially participated in trials evaluating the independent clinical effects of discontinuing HS and DA. SIMPLIFY participants ≥12 years old on ETI and constituting a subgroup using both HS and DA at study entry were randomized to the HS or DA trial and then randomized 1:1 to continue or discontinue the applicable therapy for 6 weeks.

Peer Education as a Tool to Improve Health Knowledge for People Who Are Incarcerated: A Secondary Analysis of Data From the Indiana Peer Education Program ECHO.

Considerable health inequities occur among people who are incarcerated, with ripple effects into broader community health. The Indiana Peer Education Program uses the Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) model to train people who are incarcerated as peer health educators. This analysis sought to evaluate the effectiveness of this program and explore emergent themes not covered in survey instruments.

Advances in targeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods for endocannabinoid and N-acylethanolamine quantification in biological matrices: A systematic review.

Liquid chromatography paired with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the gold standard in measurement of endocannabinoid concentrations in biomatrices. We conducted a systematic review of literature to identify advances in targeted LC-MS/MS methods in the period 2017-2024. We found that LC-MS/MS methods for endocannabinoid quantification are relatively consistent both across time and across biomatrices.

All-Weather Dry Decontaminant Polymer-HO Complex for HD Degradation.

Hydrogen peroxide (HO) is a highly effective decontaminant against chemical warfare agents (CWAs) when present both in a liquid and as a solid powder. For the latter, this can be in the form of HO being complexed to a polymer, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). While a HO-PVP complex is indeed effective at decontaminating CWAs, it is vulnerable to environmental conditions such as high relative humidities (RH), which can dissociate the HO from the complex before it is given the opportunity to react with CWAs.

Essentiality of dietary cholesterol and its interactions with phospholipid in juvenile slipper lobster (Thenus australiensis).

This study was conducted to verify the essentiality of dietary cholesterol for early juvenile slipper lobster, Thenus australiensis (initial weight 4.50 ± 0.72 g, mean ± SD, CV = 0.

Longitudinal improvements in clinical and functional outcomes following initiation of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Use of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) for treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) has resulted in unprecedented clinical improvements necessitating development of outcome measures for monitoring disease course. Intranasal micro-optical coherence tomography (μOCT) has previously helped detect and characterize mucociliary abnormalities in patients with CF. This study was done to determine if μOCT can define the effects of ETI on nasal mucociliary clearance and monitor changes conferred to understand mechanistic effects of CFTR modulators beyond CFTR activation.

Operational Definitions of Poly-Victimization: A Scoping Review.

Throughout the last two decades, research on poly-victimization (PV) has evolved from examinations of a core set of past-year victimization types in youth samples to investigations of a broad range of victimization types experienced during variable time intervals in diverse samples of varying ages. As the concept of PV expands, greater clarity regarding the definition and measurement of PV is needed to advance understanding of its risk and protective factors as well as its associated outcomes. This scoping review aimed to (a) identify approaches used to operationally define and measure PV across studies and (b) synthesize empirical findings concerning risk factors and outcomes associated with PV.

Candida auris in US Correctional Facilities.

Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen that typically affects patients in healthcare settings. Data on C. auris cases in correctional facilities are limited but are needed to guide public health recommendations.

Trauma film viewing and intrusive memories: Relationship between salivary alpha amylase, endocannabinoids, and cortisol.

The endogenous cannabinoid (ECB) system is a small molecule lipid signalling system that is involved in stress response activation and is associated with PTSD, but it is unclear whether salivary ECBs are part of the sympathetic nervous system response to stress. We conducted an adapted trauma film paradigm, where participants completed a cold pressor test (or control) while watching a 10-minute trauma film. We also collected saliva and hair samples and tested them for ECBs, cortisol, and salivary alpha amylase (sAA).

Alterations in the fecal microbiota in patients with advanced cystic fibrosis liver disease after 6 months of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor.

Background: Cystic fibrosis associated liver disease (CFLD) carries a significant disease burden with no effective preventive therapies. According to the gut-liver axis hypothesis for CFLD pathogenesis, dysbiosis and increased intestinal inflammation and permeability permit pathogenic bacterial translocation into the portal circulation, leading to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Evaluating the effect of CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) modulation with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) may help determine the role of CFTR in CFLD and increase understanding of CFLD pathogenesis, which is critical for developing therapies.

Repetitive sulfur dioxide exposure in mice models post-deployment respiratory syndrome.

Soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than nondeployed military personnel and some have been shown to have a constellation of findings on lung biopsy termed post-deployment respiratory syndrome (PDRS). Since many of the subjects in this cohort reported exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO), we developed a model of repetitive exposure to SO in mice that phenocopies many aspects of PDRS, including adaptive immune activation, airway wall remodeling, and pulmonary vascular (PV) disease. Although abnormalities in small airways were not sufficient to alter lung mechanics, PV remodeling resulted in the development of pulmonary hypertension and reduced exercise tolerance in SO-exposed mice.