Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cells in the Modern Era of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Treatment.

Pathway inhibitors targeting Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) have dramatically changed the treatment landscape for both treatment-naïve and relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, with increased utilization, a growing number of patients will experience progressive disease on both agents. This subgroup of "double refractory" patients has limited treatment options and poor prognosis.

Multiparametric grading of glaucoma severity by histopathology can enable post-mortem substratification of disease state.

Neurodegeneration in glaucoma patients is clinically identified through longitudinal assessment of structure-function changes, including intraocular pressure, cup-to-disc ratios from fundus images, and optical coherence tomography imaging of the retinal nerve fiber layer. Use of human post-mortem ocular tissue for basic research is rising in the glaucoma field, yet there are challenges in assessing disease stage and severity, since tissue donations with informed consent are often unaccompanied by detailed pre-mortem clinical information. Further, the interpretation of disease severity based solely on anatomical and morphological assessments by histology can be affected by differences in death-to-preservation time and tissue processing.

Demonstration of Enhancement of Tumor Intravasation by Dicarbonyl Stress Using a Microfluidic Organ-on-chip.

Cancer metastasis involves cell migration from their primary organ foci into vascular channels, followed by dissemination to prospective colonization sites. Vascular entry of tumor cells or intravasation involves their breaching stromal and endothelial extracellular matrix (ECM) and the endothelial barriers. How the kinetics of this breach are confounded by chronic inflammatory stresses seen in diabetes and aging remains ill-investigated.

Consensus Recommendations for Studies of Outflow Facility and Intraocular Pressure Regulation Using Ex Vivo Perfusion Approaches.

Intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation is the primary risk factor and currently the main treatable factor for progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. In addition to direct clinical and living animal in vivo studies, ex vivo perfusion of anterior segments and whole eyes is a key technique for studying conventional outflow function as it is responsible for IOP regulation. We present well-tested experimental details, protocols, considerations, advantages, and limitations of several ex vivo model systems for studying IOP regulation.

Single Stage Management of a Severe Form of Grade 3 Hypertelorism With Sincipital and Basal Encephaloceles-Lessons Learnt!

The article elucidates the management of a case of severe form of grade III hypertelorism with an intercanthal distance of 61 mm in a 4-year-old child. The management was especially challenging because of the patient's young age, degree of hypertelorism, wide cleft and simultaneous presence of 2 big (sincipital & basal) encephaloceles and a lipoma in the midline. This paper attempts to describe the attempted surgery, postoperative course and the learnings derived from its management to probably create a road-map for surgeons faced with such a challenge in future.

Twist-Controlled Ferroelectricity and Emergent Multiferroicity in WSe Bilayers.

Recently, researchers have been investigating artificial ferroelectricity, which arises when inversion symmetry is broken in certain R-stacked, i.e., zero-degree twisted, van der Waals (vdW) bilayers.

Lignocellulose sustainable composites from agro-waste Asparagus bean stem fiber for polymer casting applications: Effect of fiber treatment.

In the past decades, lignocellulose fibers have attracted significant attention due to their low density, environmental friendliness, and biodegradability. Consequently, researchers are intensifying their efforts to explore the potential of lignocellulosic fibers as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fibers in polymer composites. Among various natural fibers identified as potential reinforcements, agro-waste from the Asparagus Bean stem (ABS) which has been discarded as landfill after harvest has emerged as a promising source of lignocellulose fibers for promoting sustainability.

Twist Angle-Dependent Phonon Hybridization in WSe/WSe Homobilayer.

The emerging moiré superstructure of twisted transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) leads to various correlated electronic and optical properties compared to those of twisted bilayer graphene. In such a versatile architecture, phonons can also be renormalized and evolve due to atomic reconstruction, which, in turn, depends on the twist angle. However, observing this reconstruction and its relationship to phonon behavior with conventional, cost-effective imaging methods remains challenging.

Emergent Inhomogeneity and Nonlocality in a Graphene Field-Effect Transistor on a Near-Parallel Moiré Superlattice of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides.

At near-parallel orientation, twisted bilayers of transition metal dichalcogenides exhibit interlayer charge transfer-driven out-of-plane ferroelectricity. Here, we report detailed electrical transport in a dual-gated graphene field-effect transistor placed on a 2.1° twisted bilayer WSe.

Biomechanic, proteomic and miRNA transcriptional changes in the trabecular meshwork of primates injected with intravitreal triamcinolone.

Although biomechanical changes of the trabecular meshwork (TM) are important to the pathogenesis of glucocorticoids-induced ocular hypertension (GC-OHT), there is a knowledge gap in the underlying molecular mechanisms of the development of it. In this study, we performed intravitreal triamcinolone injection (IVTA) in one eye of 3 rhesus macaques. Following IVTA, we assessed TM stiffness using atomic force microscopy and investigated changes in proteomic and miRNA expression profiles.

Risk assessment of a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus from mink.

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 clade 2.3.4.

To be or not to be - Decoding the Trabecular Meshwork Cell Identity.

The trabecular meshwork within the conventional outflow apparatus is critical in maintaining intraocular pressure homeostasis. studies employing primary cell cultures of the human trabecular meshwork (hTM) have conventionally served as surrogates for investigating the pathobiology of TM dysfunction. Despite its abundant use, translation of outcomes from studies to and/or studies remains a challenge.

3D Hydrogel Culture System Recapitulates Key Tuberculosis Phenotypes and Demonstrates Pyrazinamide Efficacy.

The mortality caused by tuberculosis (TB) infections is a global concern, and there is a need to improve understanding of the disease. Current in vitro infection models to study the disease have limitations such as short investigation durations and divergent transcriptional signatures. This study aims to overcome these limitations by developing a 3D collagen culture system that mimics the biomechanical and extracellular matrix (ECM) of lung microenvironment (collagen fibers, stiffness comparable to in vivo conditions) as the infection primarily manifests in the lungs.

Isolation and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from an agro-waste tamarind (Tamarindus indica) seeds and its suitability investigation for biofilm formulation.

The exploration of potential bio-fillers for bio-film application is a promising approach to ensure biodegradable, eco-friendly, good-quality materials with high-performance applications. This is a comprehensive study executed to establish the utility of an agro-waste Tamarindus indica seeds for microcrystalline cellulose production and to assess its feasibility for biofilm fabrication. The extraction was carried out through consecutive chemical-mediated alkalization, acid hydrolysis and bleaching.

Collagen crosslinking impacts stromal wound healing and haze formation in a rabbit phototherapeutic keratectomy model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the elastic modulus, keratocyte-fibroblast-myocyte transformation, and haze formation of the corneal stroma following combined phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) and epithelium-off UV-A/riboflavin corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) using an in vivo rabbit model.

Methods: Rabbits underwent PTK and CXL, PTK only, or CXL 35 days before PTK. Rebound tonometry, Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography, and ultrasound pachymetry were performed on days 7, 14, 21, 42, 70, and 90 post-operatively.

Parental Perceptions and Perceived Environmental Influences on Active Transport to School in U.S. Inner-City Neighborhoods: Through the Lens of Health Equity.

Physical inactivity remains high amongst Asian American (AA) children. The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program is a viable approach for increasing levels of physical activity by encouraging active transport to school (ATS). The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that affect ATS among Asian American children in inner-city schools.

Harmonic to anharmonic tuning of moiré potential leading to unconventional Stark effect and giant dipolar repulsion in WS/WSe heterobilayer.

Excitonic states trapped in harmonic moiré wells of twisted heterobilayers is an intriguing testbed for exploring many-body physics. However, the moiré potential is primarily governed by the twist angle, and its dynamic tuning remains a challenge. Here we demonstrate anharmonic tuning of moiré potential in a WS/WSe heterobilayer through gate voltage and optical power.

Characterization of extracellular matrix deposited by segmental trabecular meshwork cells.

Purpose: Biophysical and biochemical attributes of the extracellular matrix are major determinants of cell fate in homeostasis and disease. Ocular hypertension and glaucoma are diseases where the trabecular meshwork tissue responsible for aqueous humor egress becomes stiffer accompanied by changes in its matrisome in a segmental manner with regions of high or low flow. Prior studies demonstrate these alterations in the matrix are dynamic in response to age and pressure changes.

Closed-loop fluid-fluid immiscibility in binary lipid-sterol membranes.

We present two binary lipid-sterol membrane systems that exhibit fluid-fluid coexistence. Partial phase diagrams of binary mixtures of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine with 25-hydroxyxholesterol and 27-hydroxycholesterol, determined from small-angle X-ray scattering and fluorescence microscopy studies, show closed-loop fluid-fluid immiscibility gaps, with the appearance of a single fluid phase both at higher and lower temperatures. Computer simulations suggest that this unusual phase behavior results from the ability of these oxysterol molecules to take different orientations in the membrane depending on the temperature.

Safety and Outcomes of Midline and Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Objectives: We describe our experience with use of midline catheters in PICU and compare the performance of midline catheters to peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC).

Methods: A review of hospital records was done to including all pediatric patients admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care centre who underwent placement of midline catheters or PICC, over a period of 18 months (July, 2019 to January, 2021). Patient details, indication, type of catheter and number of attempts at insertion, type and number of infusions administered, dwell time and complications were retrieved from the records.