Innovative Insurance to Improve US Patient Access to Cell and Gene Therapy.

Unlabelled: Policy Points Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) offer treatment for rare and oftentimes deadly disease, but their prices are high, and payers may seek to limit spending. Total annual costs of covering all existing and expected CGTs for the entire US population 2023-2035 to amount to less than $20 per person and concentrate in commercial and state Medicaid plans. Reinsurance fees add to expected costs.

VISTA-induced tumor suppression by a four amino acid intracellular motif.

VISTA is a key immune checkpoint receptor under investigation for cancer immunotherapy; however, its signaling mechanisms remain unclear. Here we identify a conserved four amino acid (NPGF) intracellular motif in VISTA that suppresses cell proliferation by constraining cell-intrinsic growth receptor signaling. The NPGF motif binds to the adapter protein NUMB and recruits Rab11 endosomal recycling machinery.

Short-chain fatty acid metabolites propionate and butyrate are unique epigenetic regulatory elements linking diet, metabolism and gene expression.

The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) propionate and butyrate have beneficial health effects, are produced in large amounts by microbial metabolism and have been identified as unique acyl lysine histone marks. To better understand the function of these modifications, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing to map the genome-wide location of four short-chain acyl histone marks, H3K18pr, H3K18bu, H4K12pr and H4K12bu, in treated and untreated colorectal cancer (CRC) and normal cells as well as in mouse intestines in vivo. We correlate these marks with open chromatin regions and gene expression to access the function of the target regions.

Correction: Genetic differentiation at extreme latitudes in the socially plastic sweat bee Halictus rubicundus.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Enhancing Special Pathogen Preparedness Through Exercises: Navigating Dual Quarantine Activations.

This case study describes findings from an exercise conducted in April 2023 to assess the readiness of the National Quarantine Unit (NQU) and identify opportunities for improvement. The exercise is part of a multiyear effort to assess the readiness of quarantine and transport capabilities at the NQU through annual workshops, discussion-based exercises, and functional and full-scale exercises. The April 2023 exercise tested interagency coordination and decisionmaking, transport of individuals for monitoring, quarantine unit operations, and escalation of care for symptomatic individuals out of quarantine to high-level isolation units in the United States.