Assessment of heavy metal(oid) pollution and related health risks in agricultural soils surrounding a coal gangue dump from an abandoned coal mine in Chongqing, Southwest China.

The coal gangue dump may introduce heavy metal(oid)s (HMs) into surrounding agricultural soils, posing potential health risks to nearby communities. This study evaluated heavy metal(oid) pollution in agricultural soils adjacent to a gangue dump at an abandoned coal mine in Chongqing, Southwest China. The concentrations of HMs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were quantified using ICP-MS, and the contamination status was assessed using the Geoaccumulation Index (I), Contamination Factor (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI).

Epidemiology of adenovirus type 5 neutralizing antibodies in healthy people and AIDS patients in Guangzhou, southern China.

Recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) viruses have been extensively explored as vectors for vaccination or gene therapy. However, one major obstacle to their clinical application is the high prevalence of preexisting anti-Ad5 immunity resulting from natural infection. It has been reported that there are geographic variations in the prevalence of natural adenovirus infection.

Short communication: enhancement of immunogenicity of replication-defective adenovirus-based human immunodeficiency virus vaccines in rhesus monkeys.

Adenovirus (Ad) is still under extensive investigation as a vector for HIV vaccination; however, one possible explanation for the failure of Merck's STEP trial is the relatively weak immunogenicity of replication-defective Ad vectors. In this study, a novel strategy to enhance the immunogenicity of replication-defective Ad-based HIV vaccines was developed. First, a recombinant plasmid expressing adenoviral E1 protein (pVAX-E1) was constructed to complement the E1-deleted replication-defective Ad vectors in trans.

Induction of balance and breadth in the immune response is beneficial for the control of SIVmac239 replication in rhesus monkeys.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to induce cellular and humoral responses with enhanced breadth and more balanced magnitude as a possible approach for an effective HIV vaccine.

Methods: All nine of the SIVmac239 genes (gag, pol, env, nef, vif, vpx, vpr, rev and tat) were optimized for mammalian expression, synthesized and cloned into recombinant adenovirus type 5 (Ad5). These vectors were used as a vaccine regimen, and the immunogenicity and immune protection of this regimen was assessed in murine and macaques.