The interest around circulating extracellular vesicles and their cargo in diagnostics has greatly increased; however, several pre-analytical variables affect their determination. In this study, we investigated the effects of sample matrix, processing, and plasma storage delay and temperature on extracellular vesicles and their miRNA content.
 
  Blood was collected from 10 male volunteers in dipotassium ethylendiaminotetraacetate-coated tubes (K
  EDTA), either with plasma-preparation tube (PPT) or without (K2E) gel separator. A stepwise centrifugation was applied to K2E aliquots to obtain platelet-poor plasma (PPP). K2E, PPP and PPT plasma, stored under different conditions, were assayed for extracellular vesicles concentration and size distribution, through dynamic laser light scattering, and microRNAs content, by qPCR.
 
  PPP samples were characterized by the lowest extracellular vesicles count and miRNA detectability. Although having no effects on extracellular vesicles total concentration, storage conditions influenced microRNAs detectability, mainly in PPP and PPT samples. Extracellular vesicles-associated miRNAs levels in K2E were, in general, higher than in PPP and to a very limited extent to PPT. Storage temperature and delay did not affect their profile in K2E samples.
 
  Extracellular vesicles count and extracellular vesicles miRNA profile changed under the analyzed pre-analytical variables, showing the greatest stability in K2E samples. Since pre-analytical variables differently affected extracellular vesicles and their miRNA content, they should be considered in each experimental setting and clinical routine.
 Extracellular vesicles count and extracellular vesicles miRNA profile changed under the analyzed pre-analytical variables, showing the greatest stability in K2E samples. Since pre-analytical variables differently affected extracellular vesicles and their miRNA content, they should be considered in each experimental setting and clinical routine.
  To determine the relative importance weights of items and grades of a newly developed additive outcome measure called the juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system for temporomandibular joints (TMJ, JAMRIS-TMJ).
 
  An adaptive partial-profile discrete choice experiment (DCE) survey using the 1000Minds platform was independently completed by members of an expert group consisting of radiologists and non-radiologist clinicians to determine the group-averaged relative weights for JAMRIS-TMJ. Subsequently, an image-based vignette ranking exercise was done, during which experts individually rank-ordered 14 patient vignettes for disease severity while blinded to the weights and unrestricted to JAMRIS-TMJ assessment criteria. Validity of the weighted JAMRIS-TMJ was tested by comparing the consensus-graded, DCE-weighted JAMRIS-TMJ score of the vignettes with their unrestricted image-based ranks provided by the experts.
 
  Nineteen experts completed the DCE survey and 21 completed the vignette ranking exercise. Synovial thickening and joint enhancement showed higher weights per raw score compared to bone marrow items and effusion in the inflammatory domain, while erosions and condylar flattening showed non-linear and higher weights compared to disk abnormalities in the damage domain. The weighted JAMRIS-TMJ score of the vignettes correlated highly with the ranks from the unrestricted comparison method, with median Spearman's rho of 0.92 (intra-quartile range 0.87-0.95) for the inflammation and 0.93 (0.90-0.94) for the damage domain.
 
  A DCE survey was used to quantify the importance weights of the items and grades of the JAMRIS-TMJ. The weighted score showed high convergent validity with an unrestricted, holistic vignette ranking method.
 A DCE survey was used to quantify the importance weights of the items and grades of the JAMRIS-TMJ. The weighted score showed high convergent validity with an unrestricted, holistic vignette ranking method.
  To identify possibly distinct acute otitis media (AOM) trajectories in childhood and identify determinants associated with specific AOM trajectories. To explore which child will become prone to recurrent AOM episodes and which will not.
 
  Population-based prospective cohort study among 7863 children from birth until 10years and their mothers.
 
  This study was embedded in the Generation R Study a population-based prospective cohort study. Data on AOM and determinants were collected by repeated parental questionnaires. Distinct AOM trajectories within the population were identified with latent-class analyses. Next, using multivariate analysis we checked whether specific determinants were associated with specific trajectories.
 
  Three distinct trajectories were identified; that is, non-otitis prone, early AOM-that is children who suffered AOM episodes until 3years of age but not beyond, and persistent AOM-that is children who remained otitis-prone. Male gender (OR 1.26, CI 1.11-1.43) and day-care attendance (OR 1.31, CI 1.06-1.60) were associated with increased odds of early AOM. Breastfeeding was beneficial for children in both the early-AOM and persistent-AOM trajectories (OR 0.78 and 0.77, respectively). Birth in the summer or autumn as compared with birth in the spring decreased odds of AOM only in the persistent-AOM trajectory. Half of all AOM-prone children recovered after the age of 3years.
 
  Specific determinants are associated with different AOM trajectories. Future research is needed to better predict which child will remain otitis-prone and which recovers after the age of 3years to better tailor treatment towards the needs of the individual child.
 Specific determinants are associated with different AOM trajectories.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/tertiapin-q.html  Future research is needed to better predict which child will remain otitis-prone and which recovers after the age of 3 years to better tailor treatment towards the needs of the individual child.Altered capacity for self-renewal and differentiation is a hallmark of cancer, and many tumors are composed of cells with a developmentally immature phenotype. Among the malignancies where processes that govern cell fate decisions have been studied most extensively is acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a disease characterized by the presence of large numbers of "blasts" that resemble myeloid progenitors. Classically, the defining properties of AML cells were said to be aberrant self-renewal and a block of differentiation, and the term "differentiation therapy" was coined to describe drugs that promote the maturation of leukemic blasts. Notionally however, the simplistic view that such agents "unblock" differentiation is at odds with the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis that posits that tumors are hierarchically organized and that CSCs, which underpin cancer growth, retain the capacity to progress to a developmentally more mature state. Herein, we will review recent developments that are providing unprecedented insights into non-genetic heterogeneity both at steady state and in response to treatment, and propose a new conceptual framework for therapies that aim to alter cell fate decisions in cancer.