The Person Beneath the Hair: Hair Discrimination, Health, and Well-Being.

Discrimination toward black hair is pervasive in today's society. Hair discrimination is negative bias manifested toward black natural or textured hair styles typically worn by persons of African descent. This commentary discusses the potential effects of hair discrimination on the health and well-being of persons of African descent.

Immunotherapy-induced neutralizing antibodies disrupt allergen binding and sustain allergen tolerance in peanut allergy.

In IgE-mediated food allergies, exposure to the allergen activates systemic allergic responses. Oral immunotherapy (OIT) treats food allergies through incremental increases in oral allergen exposure. However, OIT only induces sustained clinical tolerance and decreased basophil sensitivity in a subset of individuals despite increases in circulating allergen-specific IgG in all treated individuals.

Human IgE monoclonal antibody recognition of mite allergen Der p 2 defines structural basis of an epitope for IgE cross-linking and anaphylaxis .

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody is a critical effector molecule for adaptive allergen-induced immune responses, which affect up to 40% of the population worldwide. Allergens are usually innocuous molecules but induce IgE antibody production in allergic subjects. Allergen cross-linking of IgE bound to its high affinity receptor (FcεRI) on mast cells and basophils triggers release of histamine and other mediators that cause allergic symptoms.

Development of COVID-19 vaccine using a dual Toll-like receptor ligand liposome adjuvant.

We developed a SARS-CoV-2 spike subunit vaccine formulation containing dual TLR ligand liposome adjuvant. The vaccine-induced robust systemic neutralizing antibodies and completely protected mice from a lethal challenge. Two immunizations protected against lung injury and cleared the virus from lungs upon challenge.

Racial and socioeconomic disparities in congenital heart surgery: A research article.

Background: Though the modern era has proven to be reassuring with the advancement of perioperative care leading to improved survival, congenital heart disease (CHD) continues to underscore its significance in the lives of newborns and families worldwide. Particularly, CHD has disproportionately afflicted vulnerable minorities such as Black and Hispanic populations from the standpoint of ethnic disparities in mortality following heart surgery, increased resource utilization, and longer durations of stay. This study aims to identify and provide insight regarding the relationships between the aforementioned factors to develop targeted strategies of intervention to mitigate the outcomes for patients of these specific populations.

Surgical Techniques, Complications, and Long-Term Health Effects of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.

Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) has helped with advanced technological improvement in the cardiac field and has been a long-term alternative to medical management. There are different forms of CIEDs such as pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy. These devices are efficient in establishing near-normal hemodynamics and circulation that ultimately aid physicians to improve the quality of life for their patients.

Mapping Human Monoclonal IgE Epitopes on the Major Dust Mite Allergen Der p 2.

IgE Abs drive the symptoms of allergic disease upon cross-linking allergens on mast cells or basophils. If the IgE binding sites on the allergens could be identified, it may be useful for creating new forms of immunotherapy. However, direct knowledge of the human IgE (hIgE) epitopes is limited because of the very low frequency of IgE-producing B cells in blood.

A Human IgE Antibody Binding Site on Der p 2 for the Design of a Recombinant Allergen for Immunotherapy.

Der p 2 is one of the most important allergens from the house dust mite Identification of human IgE Ab binding epitopes can be used for rational design of allergens with reduced IgE reactivity for therapy. Antigenic analysis of Der p 2 was performed by site-directed mutagenesis based on the x-ray crystal structure of the allergen in complex with a Fab from the murine IgG mAb 7A1 that binds an epitope overlapping with human IgE binding sites. Conformational changes upon Ab binding were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance using a 7A1-single-chain variable fragment.

Transcriptomic analysis of differential host gene expression upon uptake of symbionts: a case study with Symbiodinium and the major bioeroding sponge Cliona varians.

Background: We have a limited understanding of genomic interactions that occur among partners for many symbioses. One of the most important symbioses in tropical reef habitats involves Symbiodinium. Most work examining Symbiodinium-host interactions involves cnidarian partners.

Experimental manipulation of sponge/bacterial symbiont community composition with antibiotics: sponge cell aggregates as a unique tool to study animal/microorganism symbiosis.

Marine sponges can harbor dense and diverse bacterial communities, yet we have a limited understanding of important aspects of this symbiosis. We developed an experimental methodology that permits manipulating the composition of the microbial community. Specifically, we evaluated sponge cell aggregates (SCA) from Clathria prolifera that had been treated with different classes of antibiotics to determine whether this system might offer novel experimental approaches to the study of sponge/bacterial symbioses.