Common conditions of use elements. Atomic concepts for consistent and effective information governance.

Myriad policy, ethical and legal considerations underpin the sharing of biological resources, implying the need for standardised and yet flexible ways to digitally represent diverse 'use conditions'. We report a core lexicon of terms that are atomic, non-directional 'concepts of use', called Common Conditions of use Elements. This work engaged biobanks and registries relevant to the European Joint Programme for Rare Diseases and aimed to produce a lexicon that would have generalised utility. Seventy-six concepts were initially identified from diverse real-world settings, and via iterative rounds of deliberation and user-testing these were optimised and condensed down to 20 items. To validate utility, support software and training information was provided to biobanks and registries who were asked to create Sharing Policy Profiles. This succeeded and involved adding standardised directionality and scope annotations to the employed terms. The addition of free-text parameters was also explored. The approach is now being adopted by several real-world projects, enabling this standard to evolve progressively into a universal basis for representing and managing conditions of use.

Loss of function and reduced levels of sphingolipid desaturase DEGS1 variants are both relevant in disease mechanism.

The last step of ex novo ceramide biosynthesis consists of the conversion of dihydroceramide into ceramide catalyzed by sphingolipid Δ4-desaturase DEGS1. DEGS1 variants were found to be responsible for heterogeneous clinical pictures belonging to the family of hypomyelinating leukodystrophies. To investigate the mechanisms making such variants pathogenic, we designed a procedure for the efficient detection of desaturase activity in vitro using LC-MS/MS and prepared a suitable cell model knocking out DEGS1 in HEK-293T cells through CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing (KO-DES-HEK). Transfecting KO-DES-HEK cells with DEGS1 variants, we found that their transcripts were all overexpressed as much as the WT transcripts, while the levels of cognate protein were 40%-80% lower. In vitro desaturase activity was lost by many variants except L175Q and N255S, which maintain a catalytic efficiency close to 12% of the WT enzyme. Metabolic labeling of KO-DES-HEK with deuterated palmitate followed by LC-MS/MS analysis of the formed sphingolipids revealed that the ceramide/dihydroceramide and sphingomyelin/dihydrosphingomyelin ratios were low and could be reverted by the overexpression of WT DEGS1 as well as of L175Q and N255S variants, but not by the overexpression of all other variants. Similar analyses performed on fibroblasts from a patient heterozygous for the N255S variant showed very low variant DEGS1 levels and a low ratio between the same unsaturated and saturated sphingolipids formed upon metabolic labeling, notwithstanding the residual activity measured at high substrate and homogenate protein concentrations. We conclude that loss of function and reduced protein levels are both relevant in disease pathogenesis.

Lipids and lipid signaling molecules in human milk and infant formula, a chemical characterization of relevant biochemical components.

Breastfeeding is the gold standard in infant nutrition and continuous researches aim to optimize infant formula composition as the best alternative available. Human milk lipid content provides more than 50% of energy requirements for infants together with essential vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and other bioactive components. While fatty acids and vitamins human milk content has been extensively studied and, when needed those have been added to infant formulas, less is known about polyunsaturated fatty acids functional derivatives and other bioactive components. Here we describe the comparison of lipid compositions in breast milk from 22 healthy volunteers breastfeeding mothers and the six most common infant formula devoting particular attention to two families of signaling lipids, endocannabinoids, and eicosanoids. The main differences between breast milk and formulas lie in a variety of saturated fatty and unsaturated fatty acids, in the total amount (45-95% less in infant formula) and a variety of endocannabinoids and eicosanoids (2-AG, 5(s)HETE, 15(S)-HETE and 14,15-EET).

Boosting the therapeutic potential of cell secretome against osteoarthritis: Comparison of cytokine-based priming strategies.

The secretome, or conditioned medium (CM), from Mesenchymal Stem/stromal Cells (MSCs) has recently emerged as a promising cell-free therapeutic against osteoarthritis (OA), capable of promoting cartilage regeneration and immunoregulation. Priming MSCs with 10 ng/ml tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and/or 10 ng/ml interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) aims at mimicking the pathological milieu of OA joints in order to target their secretion towards a pathology-tailored phenotype. Here we compare the composition of the CM obtained after 24 or 72 h from untreated and cytokine-treated adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs). The 72-hour double-primed CM presents a higher total protein yield, a larger number of extracellular vesicles, and a greater concentration of bioactive lipids, in particular sphingolipids, fatty acids, and eicosanoids. Moreover, the levels of several factors involved in immunomodulation and regeneration, such as TGF-ß1, PGE2, and CCL-2, are strongly upregulated. Additionally, the differential profiling of 80 bioactive molecules indicates that primed CM is enriched in immune cell chemotaxis and migration factors. Our results indicate that pre-conditioning ASCs with inflammatory cytokines can modulate the composition of their CM, promoting the release of factors with recognized anti-inflammatory, chondroprotective, and immunoregulatory properties.

Detection and sensing of oral xenobiotics in edentulous patients rehabilitated with titanium dental implants: Insights from a scoping review.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Titanium has been considered the standard element in implant manufacturing. Recent studies have evaluated the role of titanium as a biological modulator of oral health. However, evidence regarding the association between the release of metal particles and peri-implantitis is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this scoping review was to evaluate the literature regarding the release of metal particles in peri-implant tissues correlated with the methods of detection and the local and systemic implications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in adherence with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and was registered with the National Institute for Health Research PROSPERO (Submission No. 275576; ID: CRD42021275576). A systematic search was conducted in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, MEDLINE via PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science bibliographic databases, complemented by a manual evaluation. Only in vivo human studies written in the English language and published between January 2000 and June 2022 were included. RESULTS: In total, 10 studies were included according to eligibility criteria. Different tissues and analytic techniques were reported: the characterization technique most used was inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. All 10 studies analyzed the release of metal particles in patients with dental implants, continuously detecting titanium. None of the studies reported a significant association between metal particles and biological effects. CONCLUSIONS: Titanium is still considered the material of choice in implant dentistry, despite the detection of metal particles in peri-implant tissues. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the association between analytes and local health or inflammatory status.

Recent advances of drugs monitoring in oral fluid and comparison with blood.

The use of alternative matrices in toxicological analyses has been on the rise in clinical and forensic settings. Oral fluid (OF), as non-invasive fluid, has attracted attention in the field of drug screening, both for therapeutic and forensic purposes, as well as for medical diagnosis, clinical management, on-site (real time) doping and for monitoring environmental exposure to toxic substances. A good correlation between OF and blood is now established for drug concentrations. Therefore, OF might be a potential substitute of blood, especially for long-term surveillance (e.g., therapeutic drugs) or to screen a large number of patients, as well as for the development of salivary point-of-care technologies. In this review, we aimed to summarize and critically evaluate the current literature that focused on the comparison of drugs detection in OF and blood specimens.

Salivary biomarkers: novel noninvasive tools to diagnose chronic inflammation.

Several chronic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, heart disease and cancer are preceded by a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. Biomarkers for the early assessment of chronic disorders encompass acute phase proteins (APP), cytokines and chemokines, pro-inflammatory enzymes, lipids and oxidative stress mediators. These substances enter saliva through the blood flow and, in some cases, there is a close relation between their salivary and serum concentration. Saliva can be easily collected and stored with non-invasive and cost-saving procedures, and it is emerging the concept to use it for the detection of inflammatory biomarkers. To this purpose, the present review aims to discuss the advantages and challenges of using standard and cutting-edge techniques to discover salivary biomarkers which may be used in diagnosis/therapy of several chronic diseases with inflammatory consequences with the pursuit to possibly replace conventional paths with detectable soluble mediators in saliva. Specifically, the review describes the procedures used for saliva collection, the standard approaches for the measurement of salivary biomarkers and the novel methodological strategies such as biosensors to improve the quality of care for chronically affected patients.

Cognitive dysfunction and impaired neuroplasticity following repeated exposure to the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 in male mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Psychotic disorders have been reported in long-term users of synthetic cannabinoids. This study aims at investigating the long-lasting effects of repeated JWH-018 exposure. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Male CD-1 mice were injected with vehicle, JWH-018 (6 mg·kg-1 ), the CB1 -antagonist NESS-0327 (1 mg·kg-1 ) or co-administration of NESS-0327 and JWH-018, every day for 7 days. After 15 or 16 days washout, we investigated the effects of JWH-018 on motor function, memory, social dominance and prepulse inhibition (PPI). We also evaluated glutamate levels in dialysates from dorsal striatum, striatal dopamine content and striatal/hippocampal neuroplasticity focusing on the NMDA receptor complex and the neurotrophin BDNF. These measurements were accompanied by in vitro electrophysiological evaluations in hippocampal preparations. Finally, we investigated the density of CB1 receptors and levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and their main synthetic and degrading enzymes in the striatum and hippocampus. KEY RESULTS: The repeated treatment with JWH-018 induced psychomotor agitation while reducing social dominance, recognition memory and PPI in mice. JWH-018 disrupted hippocampal LTP and decreased BDNF expression, reduced the synaptic levels of NMDA receptor subunits and decreased the expression of PSD95. Repeated exposure to JWH-018, reduced hippocampal CB1 receptor density and induced a long-term alteration in AEA and 2-AG levels and their degrading enzymes, FAAH and MAGL, in the striatum. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that repeated administration of a high dose of JWH-018 leads to the manifestation of psychotic-like symptoms accompanied by alterations in neuroplasticity and change in the endocannabinoid system.

GC-MS analysis of soil faecal biomarkers uncovers mammalian species and the economic management of the archeological site "Le Colombare di Negrar".

The identification of the mammalian species based on faecal sediments in modern and ancient environments is the aim of the research of archaeologists, forensic scientists and ecologists. Here, we set up and validated an optimized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method, characterized by a time-saving sample preparation protocol, for the simultaneous analysis of faecal biomarkers (6 sterols/stanols and 5 bile acids) in 14 soil samples from the archaeological site of "Le Colombare di Negrar" in northern Italy. Although the archaeological sediment samples examined are numerically exiguous, a comparative reading of our faecal biomarkers findings with new studies on faunal materials collected in the same stratigraphic detail during recent excavation campaigns will allow to better clarify the economic interest of the animal species farmed in the Colombare site (such as bovines, goats, sheep and pigs) and to shed light on the management of breeding. Together with archaeozoological and archaeobotanical analyses, the investigation of faecal biomarkers can increase our knowledge of how ancient local communities exploited natural resources and may allow us to deduce what their impact on the landscape was.

Convenient and Sensitive Measurement of Lactosylceramide Synthase Activity Using Deuterated Glucosylceramide and Mass Spectrometry.

Lactosylceramide is necessary for the biosynthesis of almost all classes of glycosphingolipids and plays a relevant role in pathways involved in neuroinflammation. It is synthesized by the action of galactosyltransferases B4GALT5 and B4GALT6, which transfer galactose from UDP-galactose to glucosylceramide. Lactosylceramide synthase activity was classically determined in vitro by a method based on the incorporation of radiolabeled galactose followed by the chromatographic separation and quantitation of the product by liquid scintillation counting. Here, we used deuterated glucosylceramide as the acceptor substrate and quantitated the deuterated lactosylceramide product by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We compared this method with the classical radiochemical method and found that the reactions have similar requirements and provide comparable results in the presence of high synthase activity. Conversely, when the biological source lacked lactosylceramide synthase activity, as in the case of a crude homogenate of human dermal fibroblasts, the radiochemical method failed, while the other provided a reliable measurement. In addition to being very accurate and sensitive, the proposed use of deuterated glucosylceramide and LC-MS/MS for the detection of lactosylceramide synthase in vitro has the relevant advantage of avoiding the costs and discomforts of managing radiochemicals.

Computational Design, Synthesis, and Biophysical Evaluation of ß-Amido Boronic Acids as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro Inhibitors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given a strong impetus to the search for antivirals active on SARS-associated coronaviruses. Over these years, numerous vaccines have been developed and many of these are effective and clinically available. Similarly, small molecules and monoclonal antibodies have also been approved by the FDA and EMA for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients who could develop the severe form of COVID-19. Among the available therapeutic tools, the small molecule nirmatrelvir was approved in 2021. It is a drug capable of binding to the Mpro protease, an enzyme encoded by the viral genome and essential for viral intracellular replication. In this work, by virtual screening of a focused library of ß-amido boronic acids, we have designed and synthesized a focused library of compounds. All of them were biophysically tested by microscale thermophoresis, attaining encouraging results. Moreover, they also displayed Mpro protease inhibitory activity, as demonstrated by performing enzymatic assays. We are confident that this study will pave the way for the design of new drugs potentially useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.

Fractioning and Compared 1H NMR and GC-MS Analyses of Lanolin Acid Components.

The management of food and food-related wastes represents a growing global issue, as they are hard to recycle and dispose of. Foremost, waste can serve as an important source of biomasses. Particularly, fat-enriched biomasses are receiving more and more attention for their role in the manufacturing of biofuels. Nonetheless, many biomasses have been set aside over the years. Wool wax, also known as lanolin, has a huge potential for becoming a source of typical and atypical fatty acids. The main aim of this work was to evaluate and assess a protocol for the fractioning of fatty acids from lanolin, a natural by-product of the shearing of sheep, alongside the design of a new and rapid quantitative GC-MS method for the derivatization of free fatty acids in fat mixtures, using MethElute™. As the acid portion of lanolin is characterized by the presence of both aliphatic and hydroxylated fatty acids, we also evaluated a procedure for the parting of these two species, by using NMR spectroscopy, benefitting of the different solubilities of the components in organic solvents. At last, we evaluated and quantified the fatty acids and the α-hydroxy fatty acids present in each attained portion, employing both analytical and synthetic standards. The performed analyses, both qualitative and quantitative, showed a good performance in the parting of the different acid components, and GC-MS allowed to speculate that the majority of α-hydroxylated fatty acids is formed of linear saturated carbon chains, while the totality of properly said fatty acids has a much more complex profile.

A sensitive method for determining UDP-glucose: ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG) activity in biological samples using deuterated glucosylceramide as acceptor substrate.

Glucosylceramide synthase (UGCG) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of glycosphingolipids and its activity is related to the resistance to anticancer drugs and is involved in the derangement of metabolism in various diseases. Moreover, UGCG acts as a major controller of the balanced levels of individual brain sphingolipids that may trigger neurodegeneration in Gaucher disease and in Parkinson disease associated to pathogenic variants in the glucocerebrosidase-encoding gene GBA. We have developed an effective method for determining UGCG activity in vitro using deuterated ceramide as an acceptor, and quantitation of the formed deuterated glucosylceramide by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The method enabled us to determine the kinetic parameters of UGGC and the effect of the inhibitor GZ667161 on the enzyme activity expressed in model cells, as well as to measure UGCG specific activity in human fibroblasts using a simple crude cell homogenate. This novel approach may be useful in determining the actual UGCG activity levels in patient cells and tissues of animal models of diseases, and to study novel drugs targeting glycosphingolipid metabolism.

Hexahydrocannabinol on the Light Cannabis Market: The Latest "New" Entry.

Introduction: Hexahydrocannabinols (HHCs), referred to as (9R)-HHC and (9S)-HHC diastereoisomers, are poorly studied cannabinoids naturally found in small concentrations in the pollen and the seeds of the hemp plants. Aim: In this study, for the first time, we describe the finding of (9R)-HHC and (9S)-HHC in two commercialized hemp derived products. Methods: The achievement of reference standards by semisynthetic or isolation approach allows us to develop and validate a gas chromatography mass spectrometry method for the identification and quantification of HHCs in hemp-derived resin. Results: The two analyzed samples showed percentage of 42.5 and 41.5 for (9R)-HHC and of 23.6 and 23.6 for (9S)-HHC. Conclusions: Despite the lack of in-depth studies about HHCs activity, potency, toxicity, and safety, these cannabinoids are emerging on the light-cannabis (hemp) market probably because legislations still do not clearly regulate them. Since analytical assay for hemp-derived products usually include only Δ9-THC, THC-A, CBD, and CBD-A, a thorough investigation could be carried out to reveal the possible addition of "new" compounds that might be a matter of safety.

Paediatric biobanking for health: The ethical, legal, and societal landscape.

Biobanks play a central role in pediatric translational research, which deals primarily with genetic data from sample-based research. However, participation of children in biobanking has received only limited attention in the literature, even though research in general and in clinical trials in particular have a long history in involving minors. So, we resolved to explore specific challenging ethical, legal, and societal issues (ELSI) in the current pediatric biobanking landscape to propose a way forward for biobanking with children as partners in research. Methodologically, we first established the accessibility and utilization of pediatric biobanks, mainly in Europe. This was supported by a literature review related to children's participation, taking into account not only academic papers but also relevant guidelines and best-practices. Our findings are discussed under five themes: general vulnerability; ethical issues-balancing risks and benefits, right to an open future, return of results including secondary findings; legal issues-capacity and legal majority; societal issues-public awareness and empowerment; and responsible research with children. Ultimately, we observed an on-going shift from the parents'/guardians' consent being a sine-qua-non condition to the positive minor's agreement: confirming that the minor is the participant, not the parent(s)/guardian(s). This ethical rethinking is paving the way toward age-appropriate, dynamic and participatory models of involving minors in decision-making. However, we identified a requirement for dynamic tools to assess maturity, a lack of co-produced engagement tools and paucity of shared best practices. We highlight the need to provide empowerment and capability settings to support researchers and biobankers, and back this with practical examples. In conclusion, equipping children and adults with appropriate tools, and ensuring children's participation is at the forefront of responsible pediatric biobanking, is an ethical obligation, and a cornerstone for research integrity.

Lipidomics of Cell Secretome Combined with the Study of Selected Bioactive Lipids in an In Vitro Model of Osteoarthritis.

Analytical advancements in lipidomics have enabled large-scale investigations of lipid biology. Herein, we focused on four bioactive lipid families, namely polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosanoids, endocannabinoids, and N-acylethanolamines, and their involvement in the mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)-related inflammatory scenario. Since MSC secretome may represent a valid therapeutic alternative, here, the complete secretome and its vesicular component from adipose- and bone marrow-derived MSC and dermal fibroblasts were characterized by targeted mass spectrometry lipidomics. The 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2AG) and the palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), previously quantified in the MSC's secretome, were further investigated by assessing hypothetical effects in an in vitro model of osteoarthritis (OA) based on human primary articular chondrocytes (CH) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). TNFα enhances the release of the inflammatory lipid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and an additional increment was observed when CH were treated with both TNFα and 2AG. In contrast, PEA downmodulates the PGE2 release to the levels of unstimulated CH suggesting a protective effect. TNFα also increases the expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), in particular when combined with 2AG, while PEA partly blunts TNFα-induced COX2 expression. In addition, TNFα-stimulated CH produce significantly higher levels of the inflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO) both in the presence and in the absence of 2AG, and PEA was able to partially reduce NO release. Our results show a first partial lipidomic profile of MSC and DF secretome and suggest a possible implication of bioactive lipids in the OA scenario and in the future use of these cell-free products as innovative therapeutics.

Human Osteochondral Explants as an Ex Vivo Model of Osteoarthritis for the Assessment of a Novel Class of Orthobiologics.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent joint disease still lacking effective treatments. Its multifactorial etiology hampers the development of relevant preclinical models to evaluate innovative therapeutic solutions. In the last decade, the potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) secretome, or conditioned medium (CM), has emerged as an alternative to cell therapy. Here, we investigated the effects of the CM from adipose MSCs (ASCs), accounting for both soluble factors and extracellular vesicles, on human osteochondral explants. Biopsies, isolated from total knee replacement surgery, were cultured without additional treatment or with the CM from 106 ASCs, both in the absence and in the presence of 10 ng/mL TNFα. Tissue viability and several OA-related hallmarks were monitored at 1, 3 and 6 days. Specimen viability was maintained over culture. After 3 days, TNFα induced the enhancement of matrix metalloproteinase activity and glycosaminoglycan release, both efficiently counteracted by CM. The screening of inflammatory lipids, proteases and cytokines outlined interesting modulations, driving the attention to new players in the OA process. Here, we confirmed the promising beneficial action of ASC secretome in the OA context and profiled several bioactive factors involved in its progression, in the perspective of accelerating an answer to its unmet clinical needs.

Determination of cannabinoids in hair: Indicators for illegal vs CBD-rich cannabis use.

Cannabis products rich in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (e.g., light cannabis in Italy) are becoming widely popular and available on the market as replacements for THC preparations and tobacco for their recreational and/or therapeutic benefits. In this paper, which aims to establish alternative discrimination parameters between hair samples from CBD-rich and THC-prevalent cannabis users, cannabinoid concentrations, such as THC, CBD, 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) and 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC) were quantified in 127 hair samples by a GC-MS/MS technique. Initially, this analysis was able to discriminate two cohorts: cohort 1 (individuals with THC values ≥ 0.05 ng/mg and THC-COOH ≥ 0.2 pg/mg or THC-positive users, n = 60) and cohort 2 (individuals with THC values ranging between 0.01 and 0.05 ng/mg and THC-COOH or 11-OH-THC ≥ LOQs, n = 67). The evaluation of CBD/THC ratio in cohort 2 identified two further sub-cohorts 2a (CBD/THC<<1 or ~ 1, THC-prevalent cannabis users) and 2b (CBD/THC>>1, suspected CBD-rich and THC-low cannabis users). The latter showed unusual profiles for THC metabolites, in particular for 11-OH-THC. Statistical evaluation of the data of cohort 1, cohort 2a and cohort 2b yielded significant differences in CBD/THC and THC/11-OH-THC. Based on the analysis of 337 seized cannabis samples and 630 CBD-rich/light cannabis samples by GC-FID and GC-MS, respectively, we also evaluated statistical differences in the CBD/THC ratio between biological (hair) and plant-derived samples. Considering the legal implications of a positive result, the obtained findings could be relevant for the interpretation of cannabinoid concentrations in hair. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the reason behind the unusual metabolic ratios.

Towards Secretome Standardization: Identifying Key Ingredients of MSC-Derived Therapeutic Cocktail.

The therapeutic potential of the conditioned medium (CM) derived from MSCs (mesenchymal stem/stromal cells) in disparate medical fields, from immunology to orthopedics, has been widely suggested by in vitro and in vivo evidences. Prior to MSC-CM use in clinical applications, appropriate quality controls are needed in order to assess its reproducibility. Here, we evaluated different CM characteristics, including general features and precise protein and lipid concentrations, in 3 representative samples from adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs). In details, we first investigated the size and distribution of the contained extracellular vesicles (EVs), lipid bilayer-delimited particles whose pivotal role in intercellular communication has been extensively demonstrated. Then, we acquired Raman signatures, providing an overlook of ASC-CM composition in terms of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. At last, we analyzed a panel of 200 molecules including chemokines, cytokines, receptors, and inflammatory and growth factors and searched for 32 lipids involved in cell signalling and inflammation. All ASC-CM contained a homogeneous and relevant number of EVs (1.0 × 109 ± 1.1 × 108 particles per million donor ASCs) with a mean size of 190 ± 5.2 nm, suggesting the appropriateness of the method for EV retaining and concentration. Furthermore, also Raman spectra confirmed a high homogeneity among samples, allowing the visualization of specific peaks for nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids. An in depth investigation that focused on 200 proteins involved in relevant biological pathways revealed the presence in all specimens of 104 factors. Of these, 26 analytes presented a high degree of uniformity, suggesting that the samples were particularly homogenous for a quarter of the quantified molecules. At last, lipidomic analysis allowed the quantification of 7 lipids and indicated prostaglandin-E2 and N-stearoylethanolamide as the most homogenous factors. In this study, we assessed that ASC-CM samples obtained with a standardized protocol present stable features spanning from Raman fingerprint to specific marker concentrations. In conclusion, we identified key ingredients that may be involved in ASC-CM therapeutic action and whose consistent levels may represent a promising quality control in the pipeline of its preparation for clinical applications.

The CORBEL matrix on informed consent in clinical studies: a multidisciplinary approach of Research Infrastructures Building Enduring Life-science Services.

BACKGROUND: Informed consent forms for clinical research are several and variable at international, national and local levels. According to the literature, they are often unclear and poorly understood by participants. Within the H2020 project CORBEL-Coordinated Research Infrastructures Building Enduring Life-science Services-clinical researchers, researchers in ethical, social, and legal issues, experts in planning and management of clinical studies, clinicians, researchers in citizen involvement and public engagement worked together to provide a minimum set of requirements for informed consent in clinical studies. METHODS: The template was based on a literature review including systematic reviews and guidelines searched on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, NICE, SIGN, GIN, and Clearinghouse databases, and on comparison of templates gathered through an extensive search on the websites of research institutes, national and international agencies, and international initiatives. We discussed the draft versions step-by-step and then we referred to it as the "matrix" to underline its modular character and indicate that it allows adaptation to the context in which it will be used. The matrix was revised by representatives of two international patient groups. RESULTS: The matrix covers the process of ensuring that the appropriate information, context and setting are provided so that the participant can give truly informed consent. It addresses the key topics and proposes wording on how to clarify the meaning of placebo and of non-inferiority studies, the importance of individual participants' data sharing, and the impossibility of knowing in advance how the data might be used in future studies. Finally, it presents general suggestions on wording, format, and length of the information sheet. CONCLUSIONS: The matrix underlines the importance of improving the process of communication, its proper conditions (space, time, setting), and addresses the participants' lack of knowledge on how clinical research is conducted. It can be easily applied to a specific setting and could be a useful tool to identify the appropriate informed consent format for any study. The matrix is mainly intended to support multicentre interventional randomized clinical studies, but several suggestions also apply to non-interventional research.