Fee-for-service as a business model of growing importance: the academic biobank experience

Biorepositories offer tremendous scientific value to a wide variety of customer groups (academic, commercial, industrial) in their ability to deliver a centralized, standardized service model, encompassing both biospecimen storage and related laboratory services. Generally, the scientific expertise and economies of scale that are offered in centralized, properly resourced research biobanks has yielded value that has been well-recognized by universities, pharmaceutical companies, and other sponsoring institutions. However, like many facets of the economy, biobanks have been under increasing cost pressure in recent years. This has been a particular problem in the academic arena, where direct support from grant sources (both governmental and philanthropic) typically now is more difficult to secure, or provides reduced financial support, relative to previous years. One way to address this challenge is to establish or enhance a well-defined fee-for-service model which is properly calibrated to cover operational costs while still offering competitive value to users. In this model, customers are never charged for the biospecimens themselves, but rather for the laboratory services associated with them. Good communication practices, proper assessment of value, implementation of best practices, and a sound business plan are all needed for this initiative to succeed. Here we summarize our experiences at Washington University School of Medicine in the expectation they will be useful to others

Global point-of-care ultrasound education and training in the age of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional global point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education and training, as a result of travel restrictions. It has also provided an opportunity for innovation using a virtual platform. Tele-ultrasound and video-conferencing are alternative and supportive tools to augment global POCUS education and training. There is a need to support learners and experts to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from the use of these innovative modalities

In vivo characterisation of a therapeutically relevant self-assembling 18 F-labelled β-sheet forming peptide and its hydrogel using positron emission tomography

Positron emission tomography (PET) and fluorescence labelling have been used to assess the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and eventual fate of a hydrogel-forming nonapeptide, FEFKFEFKK (F9) in healthy mice, using 18F-labelled and fluoresceinisothiocyanate (FITC) - labelled F9 analogues. F9 was site-specifically radiolabelled with 2-[18F]fluoro-3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde ([18F]FPCA) via oxime bond formation. [18F]FPCA-F9 in vivo fate was evaluated both as a solution, following intravenous administration, and as a hydrogel when subcutaneously injected. The behaviour of FITC-F9 hydrogel was assessed following subcutaneous injection. [18F]FPCA-F9 demonstrated high plasma stability and primarily renal excretion; [18F]FPCA-F9 when in solution and injected into the bloodstream displayed prompt bladder uptake (53.4 ± 16.6 SUV at 20 minutes post injection) and rapid renal excretion, whereas [18F]FPCA-F9 hydrogel, formed by co-assembly of [18F]FPCA-F9 monomer with unfunctionalised F9 peptide and injected subcutaneously, showed gradual bladder accumulation of hydrogel fragments (3.8 ± 0.4 SUV at 20 minutes post injection), resulting in slower renal excretion. Gradual disaggregation of the F9 hydrogel from the site of injection was monitored using FITC-F9 hydrogel in healthy mice (60 ± 3 over 96 hours), indicating a biological half-life between 1-4 days. The in vivo characterisation of F9, both as a gel and a solution highlights its potential as a biomaterial

Synthesis and coordination chemistry of 2-(di-2-pyridylamino)pyrimidine; structural aspects of spin crossover in an Fe(II) complex

This paper was accepted on February 26 20122-(Di-2-pyridylamino)pyrimidine (L), a potentially ditopic tetradentate ligand, was synthesized from commercially available di-2-pyridylamine and 2-chloropyrimidine. Despite being capable of bridging two metal atoms with bidentate chelation of both metal centres, L prefers to chelate or bridge through the more basic pyridyl donors of the di-2-pyridylamine moiety. Mononuclear trans-[Fe(NCS)2(L)2] and [Cu(L)2(H2O)](BF4)2•H2O complexes, and a discrete [Ag2(L)4](PF6)2 metallomacrocycle were isolated and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. A mononuclear palladium complex [PdCl2(L)]•(solvate), where solvate = ½H2O or CH2Cl2, was also readily obtained in 71% yield. One example of the ligand acting as a bis(bidentate) bridging ligand was observed in a dinuclear [(PdCl2)2(L)]•¾H2O complex that was obtained only in very low yield (ca. 3%) from the reaction that produced [PdCl2(L)]•½H2O. trans-[Fe(NCS)2(L)2] undergoes a temperature dependent HS-LS (HS = high spin; LS = low spin) crossover at ca. 205 K that was 2 observed by X-ray crystallography and magnetic measurements and attempts were made to understand the structural basis of this process. Despite efforts to isolate examples of L bridging two iron(II) centres, only the mononuclear trans-[Fe(NCS)2(L)2] species could be obtained.Rachel S. Crees, Boujemma Moubaraki, Keith S. Murray, and Christopher J. Sumb

Methoxyflurane: a review with emphasis on its role in dental practice

Methoxyflurane was developed as an anaesthetic agent and introduced into clinical practice in 1960. It soon became evident that it possessed analgesic properties that other drugs did not. Due to toxicity concerns, it lost favour in general anaesthesia and had been largely abandoned by the late 1970's. The manufacturer withdrew it in 1999, and the Food and Drug Administration in the United States did not renew its license in 2005. It has also been withdrawn by the European Union. However, it continues to be used in Australasia, primarily as an inhaled self-administered analgesic by emergency services immediately following trauma. It has become attractive for use in dental practice, likely due to its effectiveness as an analgesic and its additional sedative qualities. Its acceptance is controversial as its use in dentistry is largely elective. Despite its good safety record in analgesic doses, adverse reactions have been recorded. Practitioners should be well aware of risks associated with its use before considering administration, and carefully assess whether or not there are equally good alternative options that do not the carry the same risks. Methoxyflurane is reviewed below with an emphasis on its use in dental practice.Angus Kingon, Tami Yap, Carmelo Bonanno, Paul Sambrook, and Michael McCulloug