Susceptibility Screening of HIV-1 Viruses to Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies, Teropavimab and Zinlirvimab, in People With HIV-1 Suppressed by Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: HIV envelope (env) diversity may result in resistance to broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Assessment of genotypic or phenotypic susceptibility to antiretroviral treatment is often performed in people with HIV-1 (PWH) and used for clinical trial screening for HIV-1 bNAb susceptibility. Optimal bNAb susceptibility screening methods are not yet clear.

Defining long COVID using a population-based SARS-CoV-2 survey in California.

Background: More than four years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding of SARS-CoV-2 burden and post-acute sequela of COVID (PASC), or long COVID, continues to evolve. However, prevalence estimates are disparate and uncertain. Leveraging survey responses from a large serosurveillance study, we assess prevalence estimates using five different long COVID definitions among California residents.

Suppressed HIV antibody responses following exposure to antiretrovirals-evidence from PrEP randomized trials and early antiretroviral treatment initiation studies.

Background: Exposure to antiretrovirals at or early after HIV acquisition can suppress viral replication and blunt antibody (Ab) responses; a reduced HIV detectability could impact diagnosis and blood donation screening.

Methods: We used three antigen (Ag)/Ab assays and one nucleic acid test (NAT) to analyze samples collected in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trials (iPrEx; Partners PrEP) before infection detection by Ab-only rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), and in early antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation studies (RV254; SIPP).

Results: Reactivity using NAT and Ag/Ab assays in samples collected up to 8 weeks prior to the first reactive RDT from 251 PrEP trials participants varied between 49-61% for active PrEP users and between 27-37% for placebo users.

Autophagy-mediated ID1 turnover dictates chemo-resistant fate in ovarian cancer stem cells.

Background: The mechanisms enabling dynamic shifts between drug-resistant and drug-sensitive states in cancer cells are still underexplored. This study investigated the role of targeted autophagic protein degradation in regulating ovarian cancer stem cell (CSC) fate decisions and chemo-resistance.

Methods: Autophagy levels were compared between CSC-enriched side population (SP) and non-SP cells (NSP) in multiple ovarian cancer cell lines using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy.

Initial experience of SSI Mantra robot-assisted Transabdominal pre-peritoneal repair of primary ventral hernias.

Introduction: Small and medium sized primary midline ventral hernias are best treated by pre-peritoneal mesh placement. This helps in prevention of complications related to intra-peritoneal mesh placement. The challenges we face while performing laparoscopic transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) procedure can be overcome by robot-assisted TAPP (rTAPP), and we present our initial experience with the same.