TCRs with Distinct Specificity Profiles Use Different Binding Modes to Engage an Identical Peptide-HLA Complex.

The molecular rules driving TCR cross-reactivity are poorly understood and, consequently, it is unclear the extent to which TCRs targeting the same Ag recognize the same off-target peptides. We determined TCR-peptide-HLA crystal structures and, using a single-chain peptide-HLA phage library, we generated peptide specificity profiles for three newly identified human TCRs specific for the cancer testis Ag NY-ESO-1-HLA-A2. Two TCRs engaged the same central peptide feature, although were more permissive at peripheral peptide positions and, accordingly, possessed partially overlapping peptide specificity profiles.

Implementation and Operational Research: Implementation of Routine Counselor-Initiated Opt-Out HIV Testing on the Adult Medical Ward at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi.

The optimal approach of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (PITC) for inpatients in high-burden settings is unknown. We prospectively evaluated the implementation of task shifting from clinician-referral to counselor-initiated PITC on the medical wards of Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi. Most of patients (1905/3154, 60.

Lay-screeners and use of WHO growth standards increase case finding of hospitalized Malawian children with severe acute malnutrition.

Objectives: Strategies to effectively identify and refer children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) to Nutritional Rehabilitation units (NRU) can reduce morbidity and mortality.

Methods: From December 2011 to May 2012, we conducted a prospective study task-shifting inpatient malnutrition screening of Malawian children 6-60 months to lay-screeners and evaluated World Health Organization (WHO) criteria vs. the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) guidelines for SAM.

Use of Xpert for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in severely malnourished hospitalized Malawian children.

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis contributes to increased morbidity and mortality in severely malnourished children in endemic settings. Despite high clinical suspicion, few tuberculosis prevalence estimates exist in malnourished African children. Diagnostics such as Xpert MTB/RIF may help to determine pulmonary tuberculosis prevalence, however its performance in severely malnourished children is largely unknown.

Low coseismic friction on the Tohoku-Oki fault determined from temperature measurements.

The frictional resistance on a fault during slip controls earthquake dynamics. Friction dissipates heat during an earthquake; therefore, the fault temperature after an earthquake provides insight into the level of friction. The Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 343 and 343T) installed a borehole temperature observatory 16 months after the March 2011 moment magnitude 9.