Publications by authors named "K J Saunders"
Elicitation of HIV broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) by vaccination first requires the activation of diverse precursors, followed by successive boosts that guide these responses to enhanced breadth through the acquisition of somatic mutations. Because HIV bnAbs contain mutations in their B cell receptors (BCRs) that are rarely generated during conventional B cell maturation, HIV vaccine immunogens must robustly engage and expand B cells with BCRs that contain these improbable mutations. Here, we engineered an immunogen that activates diverse precursors of an HIV V3-glycan bnAb and promotes their acquisition of a functionally critical improbable mutation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The use of surveillance technologies is becoming increasingly common in inpatient mental health settings, commonly justified as efforts to improve safety and cost-effectiveness. However, their use has been questioned in light of limited research conducted and the sensitivities, ethical concerns and potential harms of surveillance. This systematic review aims to (1) map how surveillance technologies have been employed in inpatient mental health settings, (2) explore how they are experienced by patients, staff and carers and (3) examine evidence regarding their impact.
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- Borderline personality disorder (BPD) lacks widespread treatment options, and digital mental health interventions could help bridge this gap through effective behavior change strategies.
- This systematic review analyzed 40 studies on digital interventions for BPD, including 6611 participants, to evaluate their effectiveness and the role of persuasive system design elements.
- The review found that most interventions targeted symptoms like suicidal ideation (45%) and paranoia (13%), with the majority being randomized controlled trials (84%), highlighting the need for more focused research on the specific effects of these digital approaches on BPD symptoms.
Unlabelled: The B cell antigen receptor (BCR) complex, comprised of antigen recognition and signaling components, functions in initiating B cell activation. While structural studies have described BCR domain organization, gaps remain in our understanding of its antigen binding domain (Fab, fragment antigen-binding) disposition, and how antigen binding is sensed to initiate signaling. Here, we report antigen affinity and signaling of the immunoglobulin (Ig) class IgM and IgG BCRs and define conformational states of full-length BCRs of two human broadly neutralizing antibodies, the glycan-specific, heavy chain domain-swapped, I-shaped 2G12, and a canonical Y-shaped antibody, CH31, that recognizes the CD4-binding site on the HIV-1 Envelope protein (Env).
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- The study investigates how the immune system of young macaques can produce antibodies that neutralize various strains of HIV-1, showing a higher success rate in infants compared to adults.
- Over a 24-month period, 64% of young macaques developed these antibodies, linked to a healthier immune profile with reduced immunosuppressive factors.
- The findings suggest that understanding pediatric immune responses to SHIV may help in creating vaccines to protect infants and children from HIV-1 before they are exposed to the virus.