Lee Ann

The FBI and ODNI (Office of the Director of National Intelligence) are reporting how Iran hacked information from within the Trump campaign and then sent that information to the United States government, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' campaigns. [ Background Here ]

An ever-growing volume of documents across a real estate organization demands solutions that not only provide centralized access but also drill deep into the details of leases, rent histories and other property-level information while providing ease of use. And with the advent of AI and its clear business case for CRE, there are new opportunities to make smarter decisions and work more nimbly than ever. You can achieve new levels of efficiency with strategies that combine intelligent real estate software with everyday business tools. Read on for some key tips from a recent Yardi white paper.

Facial hyperpigmentation is a highly prevalent dermatological condition, characterized by dark spots on the skin resulting from excess melanin production. Hyperpigmentation significantly impacts patients' quality of life and self-esteem. Current treatments often present disadvantages linked to poor product tolerability. A topical cosmetic approach combining three lightening active ingredients (tranexamic acid, niacinamide, vitamin C) offers a new option for treating dark spots on the skin. The present in-use test under dermatological control evaluated the clinical safety and efficacy of a cream and serum containing these three ingredients, formulated with hyaluronic acid for enhanced delivery, stability, and efficacy. A total of 22 Caucasian patients with facial hyperpigmentation, both male and female, aged between 45 and 67 years, applied the cream and serum for 8 weeks. Clinical assessments, colorimetric evaluations, standardized photography, and self-assessment questionnaires were used to measure outcomes. No serious adverse effects were recorded, and the incidence of local adverse effects was low, highlighting good tolerability of the investigated test items. In most participants, significant improvements in hyperpigmented areas were recorded. Clinical scoring by the dermatologist investigator indicated a statistically significant 13% reduction in color intensity and a 6% reduction in the size of dark spots after 8 weeks of treatment. Colorimetric evaluation showed a statistically significant 1% increase in luminosity (L* parameter) and an 8% improvement in the Individual Typological Angle (ITA°) in endpoint, indicating lighter skin spots. Subjective assessments reflected high user satisfaction, with 95% of participants noting improvements in skin hydration and luminosity, and 77% reporting a reduced appearance of dark spots. Overall, the present work supports the use of tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin C as an effective and well-tolerated combined topical management option for hyperpigmentation. This combination offers a viable alternative to classical whiteners for individuals seeking to reduce facial skin coloration imbalance and improve skin tone.

Development Department, LAM Biotechnologies SA, CH-1066 Epalinges, Switzerland

Knee cartilage has limited natural healing capacity, complicating the development of effective treatment plans. Current non-cell-based therapies (e.g., microfracture) result in poor repair cartilage mechanical properties, low durability, and suboptimal tissue integration. Advanced treatments, such as autologous chondrocyte implantation, face challenges including cell leakage and inhomogeneous distribution. Successful cell therapy relies on prolonged retention of therapeutic biologicals at the implantation site, yet the optimal integration of implanted material into the surrounding healthy tissue remains an unmet need. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a newly developed photo-curable adhesive hydrogel for cartilage repair, focusing on adhesion properties, integration performance, and ability to support tissue regeneration. The proposed hydrogel design exhibited significant adhesion strength, outperforming commercial adhesives such as fibrin-based glues. An in vivo goat model was used to evaluate the hydrogels' adhesion properties and long-term integration into full-thickness cartilage defects over six months. Results showed that cell-free hydrogel-treated defects achieved superior integration with surrounding tissue and enhanced cartilage repair, with notable lateral integration. In vitro results further demonstrated high cell viability, robust matrix production, and successful cell encapsulation within the hydrogel matrix. These findings highlight the potential of adhesive hydrogel formulations to improve the efficacy of cell-based therapies, offering a potentially superior treatment for knee cartilage defects.

If you're in CRE, you already know the challenges of managing and tracking visitor access at your properties. You need to know who is entering and for what purpose, how long they stay and when they leave. This can place a burden on site reception teams and can also lead to a frustrating experience for visitors who must wait for authorization to gain access including for scheduled appointments. New tech makes this process easier for everyone and reduces risk through automation and tracking tools for reporting purposes.

Like almost every other aspect of CRE operations, construction management is undergoing digital transformation. Getting real-time insight into the actual performance of projects against budget and being able to compare jobs based on various metrics is only possible with a connected software solution. Integrated construction management software can help with efficient data access, communication, collaboration, resource management, regulatory compliance and asset health checks.

Industry leaders agree that when it comes to CRE space management, it is critical to centralize lease data, maximize rental square footage (RSF), improve energy efficiency and reconfigure spaces to meet changing needs and put existing spaces to the best use.

The human skin is a remarkable organ capable of extensive regeneration, especially after severe injuries such as burns and related wounds. The de-epidermized dermis (DED) model has become a valuable in vitro tool for skin regeneration studies, particularly for testing the mechanism of action and the efficacy of clinical cutaneous cell therapies. To further improve the quality and robustness of these applications, our study focused on optimizing and standardizing DED tissue preparation and storage, enhancing its effectiveness for clinical testing. Therefore, we optimized the air-liquid interfacial culture medium composition by simplifying the historical formulation without compromising keratinocyte (therapeutic cell model) viability or proliferation. Furthermore, we investigated the impacts of adding burn wound exudates in the model by focusing on cell behavior for enhanced translational significance. The results revealed notable differences in keratinocyte adhesion and proliferation between burn wound exudates collected at the early stages and late stages of acute patient treatment, providing new information on a possible therapeutic window to apply cell therapies on burn patients. Generally, this study reported a robust method for the preclinical in vitro assessment of keratinocyte-based cutaneous cell therapies using DED models. Overall, the study underscored the importance of using in vitro models with enhanced translational relevance to better predict the clinical effects of cutaneous cell therapies in burn patient populations.

When it comes to maintenance operations, continuity is king. A lag in response to work orders or skipped inspections can result in increased costs, equipment breakdowns and unhappy tenants. Over the long term, neglected buildings decrease in value, lose appeal and impact your bottom line.