Advancements and regulations of biomanufacturing cell-based cartilage repair therapies.

Cell-based therapies for cartilage repair, including autologous chondrocyte implantation and allogeneic stem cell treatments, show great promise but face challenges due to high costs and regulatory hurdles. This review summarizes available and investigational products, focusing on allogeneic therapies and the impact of diverse regulatory landscapes on their clinical translation.

Caregiver-reported emotional-behavioral symptoms in Spanish youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic stressors affected youth's mental health. This longitudinal study aims to explore these effects while considering predictive factors such as age and sex.

Methods: An initial sample of 1502 caregivers answered a longitudinal survey evaluating their youths' (4-17 years of age) emotional/behavioral symptoms using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) screening tool.

Clinical and neurodevelopmental predictors of psychotic disorders in children and adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis: the CAPRIS study.

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia represents the disorder as an expression of an alteration during the brain development process early in life. Neurodevelopmental variables could become a trait marker, and the study of these variables in children and adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) could identify a specific cluster of patients who later developed psychosis. The aim of this study is to describe clinical and neurodevelopment predictors of transition to psychosis in child and adolescent participants at CHR.

Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Symptoms Are Associated With Functional Impairment in Children and Adolescents With Psychosis Risk Syndrome: The CAPRIS Study.

To compare clinical and functional variables among 3 groups of children and adolescents: subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) who also have obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), CHR-P patients without OCS, and healthy controls (HC). A total of 128 CHR-P patients and 98 HC between the ages of 10 and 17 years were recruited as part of a multicenter prospective longitudinal study conducted in Spain between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2018, with diagnoses made for CHR-P using the Scale of Prodromal Symptoms (SOPS). Two groups were obtained based on Leyton Obsessional Inventory-Child Version (LOI-CV) scores: 64 CHR-P patients with OCS (OCS+) and 64 CHR-P patients without OCS (OCS-).

Age-related change in cortical thickness in adolescents at clinical high risk for psychosis: a longitudinal study.

Progression to psychosis has been associated with increased cortical thinning in the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes in individuals at clinical high risk for the disorder (CHR-P). The timing and spatial extent of these changes are thought to be influenced by age. However, most evidence so far stems from adult samples.

Nanoarchitecture-Integrated Hydrogel Systems toward Therapeutic Applications.

Hydrogels, as one of the most feasible soft biomaterials, have gained considerable attention in therapeutic applications by virtue of their tunable properties including superior patient compliance, good biocompatibility and biodegradation, and high cargo-loading efficiency. However, hydrogel application is still limited by some challenges like inefficient encapsulation, easy leakage of loaded cargoes, and the lack of controllability. Recently, nanoarchitecture-integrated hydrogel systems were found to be therapeutics with optimized properties, extending their bioapplication.

Longitudinal Changes in Cortical Surface Area Associated With Transition to Psychosis in Adolescents at Clinical High Risk for the Disease.

Objective: Identifying biomarkers of transition to psychosis in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) is essential to understanding the mechanisms underlying the disease. Although cross-sectional abnormalities in cortical surface area (CSA) have been demonstrated in individuals at CHR-P who transition to psychosis (CHR-P-T) compared with those who do not (CHR-P-NT), how CSA longitudinally develops remains unclear, especially in younger individuals. We set out to compare CSA in adolescents at CHR-P and healthy controls (HC) over 2 points in time.

Photoreceptor laminin drives differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells to photoreceptor progenitors that partially restore retina function.

Blindness caused by advanced stages of inherited retinal diseases and age-related macular degeneration are characterized by photoreceptor loss. Cell therapy involving replacement with functional photoreceptor-like cells generated from human pluripotent stem cells holds great promise. Here, we generated a human recombinant retina-specific laminin isoform, LN523, and demonstrated the role in promoting the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into photoreceptor progenitors.

Cognitive predictors of transition and remission of psychosis risk syndrome in a child and adolescent sample: longitudinal findings from the CAPRIS study.

Cognitive impairments are proposed as predictors in the differentiation between subjects with psychosis risk syndrome (PRS) who will develop a psychotic disorder (PRS-P) and those who will not (PRS-NP). More in-depth study of the PRS-NP group could contribute to defining the role of cognitive alterations in psychosis. This study aims to analyze cognition of children and adolescents with PRS in terms of their clinical outcome at 18-month follow-up (psychosis, remission, and non-remission) and of determinate predictors of transition to psychosis and remission of PRS.

Advances in Single-component inorganic nanostructures for photoacoustic imaging guided photothermal therapy.

Phototheranostic based on photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PAI), as one of avant-garde medical techniques, have sparked growing attention because it allows noninvasive, deeply penetrative, and highly selective and effective therapy. Among a variety of phototheranostic nanoagents, single-component inorganic nanostructures are found to be novel and attractive PAI and PTT combined nanotheranostic agents and received tremendous attention, which not only exhibit structural controllability, high tunability in physiochemical properties, size-dependent optical properties, high reproducibility, simple composition, easy functionalization, and simple synthesis process, but also can be endowed with multiple therapeutic and imaging functions, realizing the superior therapy result along with bringing less foreign materials into body, reducing systemic side effects and improving the bioavailability. In this review, according to their synthetic components, conventional single-component inorganic nanostructures are divided into metallic nanostructures, metal dichalcogenides, metal oxides, carbon based nanostructures, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), metal organic frameworks (MOFs), MXenes, graphdiyne and other nanostructures.

Recent stressful life events and stress sensitivity in children and adolescents at clinical risk for psychosis.

Although psychosocial stress is consistently described as a casual factor for psychosis, the role of recent stressful life events (SLEs) is inconclusive. Studies with subjects with psychosis risk syndrome (PRS), fail to show a large number of SLEs but suggest greater stress sensitivity in these populations. We evaluate the presence of recent SLEs and stress sensitivity, and their relationship with symptoms and functionality in a sample consisting exclusively of help-seeking children and adolescents.

Major depressive disorder and attenuated negative symptoms in a child and adolescent sample with psychosis risk syndrome: the CAPRIS study.

Some 70-80% of subjects with psychotic risk syndrome (PRS) have lifetime comorbidity, with depressive disorders being the most common. A high proportion of patients with PRS present nonspecific symptoms which can be confounding factors for diagnosis. Depressive and negative symptoms may be difficult to distinguish and it is important to differentiate them.

Cannabis use is associated with monocyte activation (sCD163) in patients admitted for alcohol use disorder treatment.

Background: The effect of concomitant cocaine and cannabis use on monocyte activation and inflammation in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) is unknown.

Methods: To analyze the impact of cocaine and cannabis use on levels of markers of monocyte activation (sCD163 and sCD14) and systemic inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6]) in AUD patients admitted for hospital treatment between 2013 and 2018. Clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained upon admission.

Neuropsychological profile of children and adolescents with psychosis risk syndrome: the CAPRIS study.

Neuropsychological underperformance is well described in young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis, but the literature is scarce on the cognitive profile of at-risk children and adolescents. The aim of this study is to describe the neuropsychological profile of a child and adolescent sample of patients with psychosis risk syndrome (PRS) compared to healthy controls and to analyze associations between attenuated psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment. Cross-sectional baseline data analysis from a longitudinal, naturalistic, case-control, two-site study is presented.

Significance of Markers of Monocyte Activation (CD163 and sCD14) and Inflammation (IL-6) in Patients Admitted for Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment.

Background: Monocyte activation and inflammation are prominent features of alcohol-related liver disease; however, they have not been thoroughly assessed in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) without overt liver disease. This study aimed to analyze associations among clinical and laboratory variables and markers of monocyte activation (CD163 and sCD14), and inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6) among AUD patients.

Methods: We analyzed the aforementioned associations in the highest quartile in 289 patients (77.

Characterization of children and adolescents with psychosis risk syndrome: The Children and Adolescents Psychosis Risk Syndrome (CAPRIS) study.

Aim: Despite the interest in psychosis risk syndrome (PRS) in children and adolescents, information on the syndrome in this population is scarce.

Methods: Prospective naturalistic multi-site study in which 10- to 17-year-old help-seeking subjects who met PRS criteria (positive or negative attenuated symptoms; brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms; genetic risk or schizotypal personality disorder plus impairment in functioning) were included, along with 45 age and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). All subjects were clinically and functionally assessed.

Hepatitis C infection substantially reduces survival of alcohol-dependent patients.

Background: Heavy alcohol use is associated with life-threatening complications including progressive liver disease. We aimed to analyze the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on survival and liver-related death in alcohol-dependent patients.

Patients And Methods: This is a longitudinal study in patients seeking treatment of alcohol abuse between 2000 and 2010.

Ultrasound findings of liver damage in a series of patients consecutively admitted for treatment of alcohol use disorder.

Background: To analyze ultrasound findings of liver damage in alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of detoxification patients. Clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained at admission.

Do serum markers of liver fibrosis vary by HCV infection in patients with alcohol use disorder?

Introduction: HCV infection is frequent in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Ethanol and hepatitis C have a synergistic effect that increases the risk of end-stage liver disease. We aimed to assess fibrosis of the liver in patients admitted to treatment of AUD.

Predictive biomarkers for death and rehospitalization in comorbid frail elderly heart failure patients.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is associated with a high rate of readmissions within 30 days post-discharge and in the following year, especially in frail elderly patients. Biomarker data are scarce in this high-risk population. This study assessed the value of early post-discharge circulating levels of ST2, NT-proBNP, CA125, and hs-TnI for predicting 30-day and 1-year outcomes in comorbid frail elderly patients with HF with mainly preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Folate deficiency in patients seeking treatment of alcohol use disorder.

Introduction: Nutritional deficiency is frequent in patients with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). We aimed to analyze serum and erythrocyte folate deficiency in a case series of patients that initiated treatment of AUD.

Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional study in patients admitted for detoxification between 2007 and 2015 was performed.

Clinical high risk for psychosis in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

The concept of being at risk for psychosis has been introduced both for adults and children and adolescents, but fewer studies have been conducted in the latter population. The aim of this study is to systematically review the articles associated with clinical description, interventions, outcome and other areas in children and adolescents at risk for psychosis. We searched in MEDLINE/PubMed and PsycINFO databases for articles published up to 30/06/16.

Over-expression of CD8 T-cell activation is associated with decreased CD4 cells in patients seeking treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder.

Introduction: Harmful alcohol consumption may have an impact on the adaptive immune system through an imbalance in T cell subpopulations and changes in cell activation. We aimed to analyze profiles of CD4 and CD8T cell activation in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Methods: We used a cross-sectional study with patients seeking treatment of the disorder.

Optimal Use of Transient Elastography and Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse to Stage Liver Fibrosis in HIV/HCV-Coinfected Patients in Clinical Practice.

Objectives: Liver fibrosis (LF) is crucial for the individualized management of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). We evaluated the concordance between two noninvasive methods for staging LF, transient elastography (TE) and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI), in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and HCV. We propose an algorithm for optimal use of both techniques in routine clinical practice.