Noninvasive Injectable Optical Nanosensor-Hydrogel Hybrids Detect Doxorubicin in Living Mice.

While the tissue-transparent fluorescence of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) imparts substantial potential for use in non-invasive biosensors, development of non-invasive systems is yet to be realized. Here, we investigated the functionality of a SWCNT-based nanosensor in several injectable SWCNT-hydrogel systems, ultimately finding SWCNT encapsulation in a sulfonated methylcellulose hydrogel optimal for detection of ions, small molecules, and proteins. We found that the hydrogel system and nanosensor signal were stable for several weeks in live mice.

Optical Aptamer-Based Cytokine Nanosensor Detects Macrophage Activation by Bacterial Toxins.

Overactive or dysregulated cytokine expression is a hallmark of many acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. This is true for acute or chronic infections, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and others. Cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) are known therapeutic targets and biomarkers for such inflammatory diseases.

An optical aptamer-based cytokine nanosensor detects macrophage activation by bacterial toxins.

Overactive or dysregulated cytokine expression is hallmark of many acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. This is true for acute or chronic infection, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and others. Cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) are known therapeutic targets and biomarkers for such inflammatory diseases.

Triheptanoin for the treatment of long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders: Final results of an open-label, long-term extension study.

Long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (LC-FAODs) result in life-threatening energy metabolism deficiencies/energy source depletion. Triheptanoin is an odd-carbon, medium chain triglyceride (that is an anaplerotic substrate of calories and fatty acids) for treating pediatric and adult patients with LC-FAODs. Study CL202 (NCT02214160), an open-label extension study of study CL201 (NCT01886378), evaluated the long-term safety/efficacy of triheptanoin in patients with LC-FAODs (N = 94), including cohorts who were triheptanoin naïve (n = 33) or had received triheptanoin in study CL201 (n = 24) or in investigator-sponsored trials/expanded access programs (IST/EAPs; n = 37).

Perioperative Vasopressors are Associated with Delayed Graft Function in Kidney Transplant Recipients in a Primarily Black and Hispanic Cohort.

Negative outcome studies of vasopressors in kidney transplant have not focused on patient populations that are predominantly Black or Hispanic. Project The evaluation sought to investigate the independent impact of perioperative vasopressors on postoperative renal allograft function in a sample drawn from a primarily Black and Hispanic population. Retrospective, observational, single-center evaluation of patients > 18 years old who underwent kidney transplantation comparing outcomes based on vasopressor exposure.

Response to triheptanoin therapy in critically ill patients with LC-FAOD: Report of patients treated through an expanded access program.

Long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (LC-FAOD) are a group of inborn errors of metabolism wherein patients are unable to process long-chain fatty acids into useable energy in the mitochondria. LC-FAOD commonly affects organ systems with high energy demand, manifesting as hypoketotic hypoglycemia, liver dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, rhabdomyolysis, and skeletal myopathy, as well as peripheral neuropathy and retinopathy in some subtypes. Collectively, LC-FAOD have a high mortality rate, especially in cases of early onset disease, and in the presence of cardiomyopathy.

Evaluation of point-of-care International Normalized Ratio in sickle cell disease.

Background: Point-of-care (POC) International Normalized Ratio (INR) measurement provides efficient monitoring of warfarin therapy; however, its reliability may be affected in patients with anemia, such as those with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation of POC-INR to clinical laboratory INR (CL-INR) in SCD and use of a correction factor.

Patient/methods: In this retrospective study, the accuracy of POC-INR compared to CL-INR was evaluated in a cohort of patients with SCD and in a non-SCD Black cohort.

Evaluation of light- and dark-adapted ERGs using a mydriasis-free, portable system: clinical classifications and normative data.

Purpose: The full-field electroretinogram (ff-ERG) is a widely used clinical tool to evaluate generalized retinal function by recording electrical potentials generated by the cells in the retina in response to flash stimuli and requires mydriasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-visit reliability and diagnostic capability of a handheld, mydriasis-free ERG, RETeval (LKC Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD, USA), in comparison with the standard clinical ff-ERG by measuring responses recommended by the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV).

Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study included 35 patients recruited at the Hospital for Sick Children (median age = 17, range 11 months-69 years) who had undergone a clinical ff-ERG according to ISCEV standards.

Mucosal serpin A1 and A3 levels in HIV highly exposed sero-negative women are affected by the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives but are independent of epidemiological confounders.

Objective: Serpins (serine protease inhibitors) are associated with protection against HIV infection. Here, we characterized mucosal serpin expression in the genital tract of HIV highly exposed sero-negative (HESN) women meeting our epidemiological definition of HIV resistance in relation to epidemiological variables.

Methods: Cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) fluid and plasma were collected from 84 HIV-resistant, 54 HIV-uninfected, and 66 HIV-infected female commercial sex workers.