Getting the most out of your IP--patent management along its life cycle

Effectively managing and optimizing the value of the patent portfolio is a major challenge for many firms, especially those in knowledge intensive industries, such as the pharmaceutical, biotechnological and chemical industry. However, insights on effective patent portfolio strategies are rare. Therefore, in this article we investigate in detail how firms successfully manage and optimize their patent portfolios to increase their overall competitiveness. We discover that successful patent portfolio management is rooted in managing the patents along their life cycles. Based on the findings of ten case studies, we develop a holistic patent life cycle management model reflecting five distinctive phases of patent management: explore, generate, protect, optimize and decline. We conclude with how our findings can be used in practice.     

Food Insecurity and Depression among US Adults: NHANES 2005–2016

A growing body of evidence suggests that food insecurity is associated with adverse mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. In this study, the relationship between food insecurity and depression was examined using data from the 2005–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Food insecurity was assessed with the 18-item United States Food Security Survey Module with zero affirmative responses indicating high food security, 1 or 2 affirmative responses indicating marginal food security, and ≥3 affirmative responses indicating food insecurity. Depression was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 with scores ≥10 indicating depression. Data were analyzed from 28,448 adult participants aged 20 or older. Food insecurity was present in 19.2% of the sample population (n = 5452). Food security status was significantly associated with gender, race, education level, marital status, smoking status, and BMI (Rao-Scott chi-square, p < 0.05). Fully food secure and very low food security adults experienced depression at a rate of 5.1% and 25.8%, respectively (Rao-Scott chi-square, p < 0.0001). Participants with very low food security had a significantly greater odds of depression than food secure adults, OR = 3.50 (95% CI: 2.98, 4.12). These findings suggest that food insecurity is a significant risk factors for depression in US adults over 20 years of age. To address this issue in our citizenry, police initiatives and public health interventions addressing both food access and mental health should be prioritized.     

Feeding practices in public hospitals’ neonatal intensive care units: An exploration into the ways in which COVID-19 affected the best practice in Gauteng

BackgroundSouth Africa’s healthcare system has a multitude of pre-existing challenges prior to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, ranging from reduced number of staff, lack of resources and units being at overcapacity both in the adult and paediatric populations. The neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) require a team approach to ensure best practice with vulnerable infants, but little is known about how the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown restrictions impacted the feeding practices within the NICU.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the impact that COVID-19 had on the feeding practices within the NICU settings in public hospitals in Gauteng.MethodsA qualitative design was employed with data collected in two NICUs in Gauteng. Data were collected in the form of observations and semi-structured interviews with healthcare workers (HCWs) in the NICU. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsAlthough the sample size of participants was limited, social distancing proved to be a challenge resulting in mothers and healthcare workers being given restricted access. This had effects on the ability to provide adequate feeding practices and resulted in anxiety for the mothers and mental health challenges for the HCWs when feeding these at-risk infants. A limitation of this study was the use of only two sites.ConclusionCOVID-19 amplified the existing challenges in the NICU. A multidisciplinary and family-centred approach to address feeding challenges is required to offset the challenges resulting from the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.     

Timely follow‐up of positive cancer screening results: A systematic review and recommendations from the PROSPR Consortium

Timely follow‐up for positive cancer screening results remains suboptimal, and the evidence base to inform decisions on optimizing the timeliness of diagnostic testing is unclear. This systematic review evaluated published studies regarding time to follow‐up after a positive screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers. The quality of available evidence was very low or low across cancers, with potential attenuated or reversed associations from confounding by indication in most studies. Overall, evidence suggested that the risk for poorer cancer outcomes rises with longer wait times that vary within and across cancer types, which supports performing diagnostic testing as soon as feasible after the positive result, but evidence for specific time targets is limited. Within these limitations, we provide our opinion on cancer‐specific recommendations for times to follow‐up and how existing guidelines relate to the current evidence. Thresholds set should consider patient worry, potential for loss to follow‐up with prolonged wait times, and available resources. Research is needed to better guide the timeliness of diagnostic follow‐up, including considerations for patient preferences and existing barriers, while addressing methodological weaknesses. Research is also needed to identify effective interventions for reducing wait times for diagnostic testing, particularly in underserved or low‐resource settings. CA Cancer J Clin 2018;68:199–216 . © 2018 American Cancer Society .     

Levels of circulating cell-free nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in benign and malignant ovarian tumors

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the levels of circulating cell-free nuclear DNA and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA in patients with benign and malignant ovarian tumors using a gold-standard assay and to investigate whether quantitative alterations of the circulating cell-free species have values in the management of the patients. METHODS: One hundred four patients were recruited for this study. We developed a quantitative, multiplex polymerase chain reaction to measure the levels of circulating cell-free nuclear DNA and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA in serum and plasma of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, benign epithelial ovarian tumors, or endometriosis. The levels of the circulating cell-free DNA were compared with those of a healthy, age-matched control group. RESULTS: The patients with epithelial ovarian cancer had significantly higher amounts of circulating cell-free nuclear DNA and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA in plasma compared with the healthy control group (mean of nuclear DNA 10,723/2,591 and mean of mitochondrial DNA 4,918,978/2,294,264, P=.009 and 0.022, respectively) and with the other group with benign ovarian diseases (mean of nuclear DNA 10,723/2,965 and mean of mitochondrial DNA 4,918,978/1,597,551, P=.027 and 0.002, respectively). However, no relationship between levels of the circulating cell-free DNA and the pathological parameters as well as CA 125 measurement in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer was found. A significant difference between the epithelial ovarian cancer and endometriosis group was found in circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA but not in circulating cell-free nuclear DNA (mean of mitochondrial DNA 4,918,978/2,273,988 and mean of nuclear DNA 10,723/3,291, P=.013 and 0.105, respectively). CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of circulating cell-free nuclear DNA and circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA in epithelial ovarian cancer may have diagnostic value. Our finding suggests that the circulating molecules might be potential biomarkers in the disease.     

The influence of pregnancy and gender on perivascular innervation of rat posterior cerebral arteries

The authors investigated the influence of pregnancy and gender on the density of trigeminal and sympathetic perivascular nerves in posterior cerebral arteries (PCA) and the reactivity to norepinephrine and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). PCAs were isolated from nonpregnant, late-pregnant, postpartum, and male rats, mounted and pressurized on an arteriograph chamber to obtain concentration-response curves to norepinephrine and CGRP. Arteries were immunostained for CGRP-, tyrosine hydroxylase-, and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5)-containing perivascular nerves, and nerve density was determined morphologically. Pregnancy had a trophic effect on trigeminal perivascular innervation (P < .01 vs male); however, this was not accompanied by a change in reactivity to CGRP. Sympathetic and PGP 9.5 nerve densities were not altered by pregnancy or gender, and there were no differences in reactivity to norepinephrine. Together, these results suggest that the increase in trigeminal innervation during pregnancy is more related to nociception than in controlling resting cerebral blood flow.     

Revisiting the sponge sources, stereostructure, and biological activity of cyclocinamide a

The dramatic biogeographical variations in the secondary metabolites from Psammocinia aff. bulbosa have complicated our efforts to reisolate the two most cytotoxic of its metabolites, (+)-psymberin and (+)-cyclocinamide A. Reported now are the results of a new study that demonstrates our ability to repeatedly isolate these two compounds through targeted collection efforts. Additional study of the new sample of (+)-cyclocinamide A has enabled finalizing its biological activity and absolute stereochemistry as 4S, 7S, 11S, 14S.     

Androgens and insulin--two key players in polycystic ovary syndrome. Recent concepts in the pathophysiology and genetics of polycystic ovary syndrome

Androgens and insulin are endocrine key players in the pathophysiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a heterogenic condition of unexplained etiology and a suspected genetic background. Androgens mediate the clinical phenotype of the disease. Therefore,all criteria of the recent PCOS consensus definition are based on their biological effects. Insulin resistance, followed by compensatory hyperinsulinemia, is frequently found in patients with PCOS. Insulin resistance is correlated with a risk of metabolic complications of PCOS, and recent research has focused on possible long-term health consequences of the syndrome. Newest molecular genetic findings at the receptor level of both androgens and insulin support their pivotal role in PCOS. These results could help to better characterize the heterogenic disorder, enabling a refinement of existing individualized therapeutic strategies.