Analysis of plasmon modes in BiSe/graphene heterostructures via electron energy loss spectroscopy.

Topological Insulators (TIs) are promising platforms for Quantum Technology due to their topologically protected surface states (TSS). Plasmonic excitations in TIs are especially interesting both as a method of characterisation for TI heterostructures, and as potential routes to couple optical and spin signals in low-loss devices. Since the electrical properties of the TI surface are critical, tuning TI surfaces is a vital step in developing TI structures that can be applied in real world plasmonic devices.

An empirical test of Baker's law: Dispersal favors increased rates of self-fertilization.

Baker's law is the observation that recently dispersed populations are more likely to be self-fertilizing than populations at the range core. The explanatory hypothesis is that dispersal favors self-fertilization due to reproductive assurance. Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes reproduce via either self-fertilization or outcrossing and frequently disperse in small numbers to new bacterial food sources.

Force-induced melting and S-DNA pathways for DNA overstretching exhibit distinct kinetics.

It is widely appreciated that double stranded DNA (dsDNA) is subjected to strong and dynamic mechanical forces in cells. Under increasing tension B-DNA, the most stable double-stranded (ds) form of DNA, undergoes cooperative elongation into a mixture of S-DNA and single stranded DNA (ssDNA). Despite significant effort, the structure, energetics, kinetics and the biological role of S-DNA remains obscure.

Optimized production of concanamycins using a rational metabolic engineering strategy.

Plecomacrolides, such as concanamycins and bafilomycins, are potent and specific inhibitors of vacuolar-type ATPase. Concanamycins are 18-membered macrolides with promising therapeutic potential against multiple diseases, including viral infection, osteoporosis, and cancer. Due to the complexity of their total synthesis, the production of concanamycins is only achieved through microbial fermentation.

Cabotegravir Maintains Protective Efficacy in the Setting of Bacterial STIs: A Secondary Analysis of HPTN 083.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been shown to facilitate HIV transmission and acquisition. HPTN 083, a global clinical trial, demonstrated superiority of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) versus daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) for HIV prevention among transgender women and cisgender men who have sex with men. This analysis assessed whether CAB-LA maintained protective efficacy when bacterial STIs (syphilis, rectal/urethral gonorrhea and chlamydia) were present.

L1-ORF1p nucleoprotein can rapidly assume distinct conformations and simultaneously bind more than one nucleic acid.

LINE-1 (L1) is a parasitic retrotransposable DNA element, active in primates for the last 80-120 Myr. L1 has generated nearly one-third of the human genome by copying its transcripts, and those of other genetic elements (e.g.

Integrated Prevention Infrastructure: A Framework for Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Substance Use Policy Making.

Substance use and misuse remain formidable public health challenges and are intricately linked to social determinants of health (SDOH). Addressing SDOH requires structural interventions along with clinical support to change relevant policies. In this article, the authors review structural interventions known as prevention infrastructures and provide a framework for considering how different models of prevention infrastructures can be used to address SDOH that contribute to substance use.

A qualitative study on the experiences of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant for Multiple Sclerosis.

Aim: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is an effective treatment for people with highly-active relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), who are not adequately responding to disease-modifying therapies. To date, research has predominantly focused on disease-specific outcome measures. There is a lack of research exploring patient experiences of this complex treatment.

HIV DNA Levels in Persons Who Acquired HIV in the Setting of Long-Acting Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention: Analysis of Cases from HPTN 083 and 084.

We evaluated HIV DNA levels in individuals who received long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) pre-exposure prophylaxis in the HPTN 083 and 084 trials and had HIV DNA testing performed to help determine HIV status. HIV DNA testing was performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples collected after a reactive HIV test was obtained at a study site. DNA was quantified using droplet digital PCR (lower limit of detection [LLOD]: 4.

Safety and immunogenicity of a next-generation live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine produced in a Vero cell line in the USA: a phase 1 randomised, observer-blind, active-controlled, dose-ranging clinical trial.

Background: Recent outbreaks between 2015-17 and production delays have led to a yellow fever vaccine shortage. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new yellow fever vaccines with improved production scalability. A next-generation live-attenuated yellow fever vaccine candidate (vYF), produced in a Vero cell line has shown similar immunogenicity to licensed yellow fever vaccines in preclinical studies.

Pharmacologic Drug Detection and Self-Reported Adherence in the HPTN069/ACTG5305 Phase II PrEP Trial.

Adherence drives efficacy in PrEP clinical trials. We compared drug concentrations and self-reported adherence in HPTN069/ACTG5305, a double-blinded, randomized trial of the safety and tolerability of candidate PrEP regimens that included maraviroc (MVC), tenofovir (TDF), and emtricitabine (FTC). Plasma drug concentrations and self-reported adherence by computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) were assessed at study weeks 24 and 48.

Association between obesity and statin use on mortality and hospital encounters in atrial fibrillation.

Background: Obesity increases risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) at least in part due to pro-inflammatory effects, but has been paradoxically associated with improved mortality. Although statins have pleiotropic anti-inflammatory properties, their interaction with obesity and clinical outcomes in AF is unknown. We explored the relationship between BMI, statin use, and all-cause mortality and AF/congestive heart failure (CHF)-related encounters, hypothesizing that statin exposure may be differentially associated with improved outcomes in overweight/obesity.

Chemical Diversity of Aspergillus alliaceus Phenotypes: Discovery of Brominated Bianthrones with Activity against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Marine-derived fungi have emerged as a source for novel metabolites with a broad range of bioactivities. However, accessing the full potential of fungi under standard laboratory conditions remains challenging. LC-MS-based metabolomics in combination with varied culture conditions is a fast and powerful tool to detect new metabolites.

Cationic Residues of the HIV-1 Nucleocapsid Protein Enable DNA Condensation to Maintain Viral Core Particle Stability during Reverse Transcription.

The HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein (NC) is a multifunctional viral protein necessary for HIV-1 replication. Recent studies have demonstrated that reverse transcription (RT) completes in the intact viral capsid, and the timing of RT and uncoating are correlated. How the small viral core stably contains the ~10 kbp double stranded (ds) DNA product of RT, and the role of NC in this process, are not well understood.

Neuropsychological outcomes following HSCT in MS: A systematic review.

Background: Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is considered an effective treatment for highly active multiple sclerosis (MS). To date, most research has focused primarily on disease outcome measures, despite the significant impact of neuropsychological symptoms on MS patients' quality of life. The current systematic review aimed to examine whether HSCT for MS impacts neuropsychological outcome measures such as cognition, fatigue, mood, and quality of life.

Treatment of Post-Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage With Nebulized Tranexamic Acid: Initial Investigation of a Novel Therapeutic Modality.

Objectives: The use of nebulized tranexamic acid (TXA) in massive pulmonary hemorrhage is well-described. Published utilization in post-tonsillectomy bleeding (PTB) is limited to a single case. This study examines whether TXA resulted in change of operative intervention necessity and narcotic utilization.

HPTN 083-02: factors influencing adherence to injectable PrEP and retention in an injectable PrEP study.

Introduction: HPTN 083 demonstrated the superiority of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) versus daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF/FTC) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (MSM/TGW). HPTN 083 provided the first opportunity to understand experiences with injectable PrEP in a clinical trial.

Methods: Participants from two US sites (Chicago, IL and Atlanta, GA) and one international site (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) were purposively sampled for individual qualitative interviews (N = 40), between November 2019 and March 2020, to explore trial experiences, barriers to adherence and other factors that may have impacted study implementation or outcomes.

Biomathematical modeling of fatigue due to sleep inertia.

Biomathematical models of fatigue capture the physiology of sleep/wake regulation and circadian rhythmicity to predict changes in neurobehavioral functioning over time. We used a biomathematical model of fatigue linked to the adenosinergic neuromodulator/receptor system in the brain as a framework to predict sleep inertia, that is, the transient neurobehavioral impairment experienced immediately after awakening. Based on evidence of an adenosinergic basis for sleep inertia, we expanded the biomathematical model with novel differential equations to predict the propensity for sleep inertia during sleep and its manifestation after awakening.

SARS-CoV-2 recombinant spike ferritin nanoparticle vaccine adjuvanted with Army Liposome Formulation containing monophosphoryl lipid A and QS-21: a phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, first-in-human clinical trial.

Background: A self-assembling SARS-CoV-2 WA-1 recombinant spike ferritin nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine co-formulated with Army Liposomal Formulation (ALFQ) adjuvant containing monophosphoryl lipid A and QS-21 (SpFN/ALFQ) has shown protective efficacy in animal challenge models. This trial aims to assess the safety and immunogenicity of SpFN/ALFQ in a first-in-human clinical trial.

Methods: In this phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, first-in-human clinical trial, adults were randomly assigned (5:5:2) to receive 25 μg or 50 μg of SpFN/ALFQ or saline placebo intramuscularly at day 1 and day 29, with an optional open-label third vaccination at day 181.

Spontaneous Repolarization Alternans Causes VT/VF Rearrest That Is Suppressed by Preserving Gap Junctions.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) rearrest after successful resuscitation is common, and survival is poor. A mechanism of VT/VF, as demonstrated in ex vivo studies, is when repolarization alternans becomes spatially discordant (DIS ALT), which can be enhanced by impaired gap junctions (GJs). However, in vivo spontaneous DIS ALT-induced VT/VF has never been demonstrated, and the effects of GJ on DIS ALT and VT/VF rearrest are unknown.

Targeting the Substrate for Atrial Fibrillation: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

The identification of the pulmonary veins as a trigger source for atrial fibrillation (AF) has established pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) as a key target for AF ablation. However, PVI alone does not prevent recurrent AF in many patients, and numerous additional ablation strategies have failed to improve on PVI outcomes. This therapeutic limitation may be due, in part, to a failure to identify and intervene specifically on the pro-fibrillatory substrate within the atria and pulmonary veins.

The occurrence of and factors associated with mental ill-health amongst humanitarian aid workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Humanitarian crises and disasters affect millions of people worldwide. Humanitarian aid workers are civilians or professionals who respond to disasters and provide humanitarian assistance. In doing so, they face several stressors and traumatic exposures.