Comparative immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous ChAdOx1-nCoV-19-priming and BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273-boosting with homologous COVID-19 vaccine regimens.

Comparative analyses of the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of homologous and heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-regimens will inform optimized vaccine strategies. Here we analyze the humoral and cellular immune response following heterologous and homologous vaccination strategies in a convenience cohort of 331 healthy individuals. All regimens induce immunity to the vaccine antigen.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/mRNA vaccination.

Heterologous priming with the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vector vaccine followed by boosting with a messenger RNA vaccine (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) is currently recommended in Germany, although data on immunogenicity and reactogenicity are not available. In this observational study we show that, in healthy adult individuals (n = 96), the heterologous vaccine regimen induced spike-specific IgG, neutralizing antibodies and spike-specific CD4 T cells, the levels of which which were significantly higher than after homologous vector vaccine boost (n = 55) and higher or comparable in magnitude to homologous mRNA vaccine regimens (n = 62). Moreover, spike-specific CD8 T cell levels after heterologous vaccination were significantly higher than after both homologous regimens.

Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor tractography of a midbrain auditory circuit in Alligator.

Knowledge of brain circuitry is critical for understanding the organization, function, and evolution of central nervous systems. Most commonly, brain connections have been elucidated using histological and experimental methods that require animal sacrifice. On the other hand, magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging and associated tractography have emerged as a preferred method to noninvasively visualize brain white matter tracts.

Development of a Biological Science Quantitative Reasoning Exam (BioSQuaRE).

Multiple reports highlight the increasingly quantitative nature of biological research and the need to innovate means to ensure that students acquire quantitative skills. We present a tool to support such innovation. The Biological Science Quantitative Reasoning Exam (BioSQuaRE) is an assessment instrument designed to measure the quantitative skills of undergraduate students within a biological context.

Physician intervention for medication reduction in a nursing home: the polypharmacy outcomes project.

Objective: To examine the effects of a medication review project by geriatricians and geriatric medicine fellows on polypharmacy in a teaching nursing home.

Design: Quality improvement intervention study

Setting: Long-term care facility in Honolulu, HI PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-four patients with the Minimum Data Set quality indicator criteria of polypharmacy (9 or more medications).

Intervention: Geriatric medicine fellows and faculty reviewed each patient's medication list, consulted the updated Beers Criteria and Epocrates online drug-drug interaction program, and recommended medication changes to the patients' primary care physicians.

Statistical relevance of ultrasonographic criteria in the assessment of diffuse liver disease in dogs and cats.

Objective: To determine whether objectively applied ultrasonographic interpretive criteria are statistically useful in differentiating among 7 defined categories of diffuse liver disease in dogs and cats.

Sample Population: Ultrasonographic images of 229 dogs and 104 cats.

Procedures: Liver parenchymal or related sonographic criteria established by the authors were retrospectively and independently applied by 3 radiologists who were not aware of patient status or patient laboratory data.

Computed tomographic evaluation of canine and feline mediastinal masses in 14 patients.

A 15-year retrospective analysis of histologically proven canine and feline mediastinal malignancies at the University of Minnesota was conducted to identify patients imaged by computed tomography (CT). The goal of the study was to characterize the CT appearance, to determine if there were any tumor type-specific appearances, and to clarify the role of CT in patients with mediastinal masses. Fourteen patients meeting these criteria were available for evaluation.

Quantitative contrast harmonic ultrasound imaging of normal canine liver.

Eight adult dogs with no evidence of liver disease, weighing between 8 and 25 kg were imaged after injection of a microbubble contrast medium using harmonic ultrasound imaging. All dogs received three separate bolus contrast injections, and six dogs also received three separate constant rate infusions each. Time/Mean Pixel Value curves were generated for selected regions of the liver.

Harmonic ultrasound: a review.

Harmonic ultrasound is a technique based on the principle of transmitting at frequency f and receiving at frequency 2f (or 1/2f). This technology has become available through the development of wide-bandwidth transducers. Microbubble contrast media produce a large amount of harmonic signal.