Academic vs. industry-sponsored trials: A global survey on differences, similarities, and future improvements.

Background: Clinical research is marked by its multifaceted nature, presenting a multitude of different approaches, designs, and objectives that can complicate the planning, initiation, and conduct of clinical trials. The role and organisation of the sponsor institution are pivotal in this context. We aimed to investigate possible challenges and needs, including their underlying factors, for academia and industry during the set-up and conduct of clinical trials.

Toward a global harmonization of service infrastructure in academic clinical trial units: an international survey.

Background: Clinicians around the world perform clinical research in addition to their high workload. To meet the demands of high quality Investigator Initiated Trials (IITs), Clinical Trial Units (CTUs) (as part of Academic Research Institutions) are implemented worldwide. CTUs increasingly hold a key position in facilitating the international mutual acceptance of clinical research data by promoting clinical research practices and infrastructure according to international standards.

The carbon footprint of clinical trials: a global survey on the status quo and current regulatory guidance.

Introduction: All economic sectors including the service sector, along with healthcare, education and research, need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to limit global temperature increases. In this study, we aim to globally assess the awareness and current actions taken by Academic Research Institutions (ARIs) or governments regarding the reduction of carbon dioxide equivalent (COe) emissions for clinical research.

Methods: We designed a cross-sectional survey-based study, which was distributed within the International Clinical Trials Center Network (ICN).

Transurethral injection of autologous muscle precursor cells for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a prospective phase I clinical trial.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The purpose was to investigate the safety and feasibility of transurethral injections of autologous muscle precursor cells (MPCs) into the external urinary sphincter (EUS) to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in female patients.

Methods: Prospective and randomised phase I clinical trial. Standardised 1-h pad test, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF), urodynamic study, and MRI of the pelvis were performed at baseline and 6 months after treatment.

How COVID-19 changed clinical research strategies: a global survey.

Objective: Clinical research has faced new challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to excessive operational demands affecting all stakeholders. We evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on clinical research strategies and compared different adaptations by regulatory bodies and academic research institutions in a global context, exploring what can be learned for possible future pandemics.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey and identified and assessed different COVID-19-specific adaptation strategies used by academic research institutions and regulatory bodies.

The concept of General Consent in Switzerland and the implementation at the University Hospital Zurich, a cross-sectional study.

Background: General Consent (GC) allows the further use of health-related data/samples for multiple, unspecified research projects and/or for the collection in databases and biobanks in Switzerland. The application of General Consent in the context of human research is regulated within the scope of the Human Research Act. At the University Hospital Zurich patients are informed about General Consent to which they can agree (GC = yes) or disagree (GC = no) to the use of their routinely collected data/samples in research.

A FHIR-Based eConsent App for the Digital Hospital.

Research projects with humans is a highly regulated field that is currently undergoing rapid changes due to developments in eHealth and mHealth. While a patients data and samples must be thoroughly protected, they are also an invaluable source for fundamental and cutting edge research. There are processes in place to obtain a patient's consent for the use of their data and samples for research.

The N-terminal region of acyl-CoA synthetase 3 is essential for both the localization on lipid droplets and the function in fatty acid uptake.

Cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs) are storage organelles for neutral lipids derived from endogenous metabolism. Acyl-CoA synthetase family proteins are essential enzymes in this biosynthetic pathway, contributing activated fatty acids. Fluorescence microscopy showed that ACSL3 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and LDs, with the distribution dependent on the cell type and the supply of fatty acids.