Potent anti-viral activity of a trispecific HIV neutralizing antibody in SHIV-infected monkeys.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) represent an alternative to drug therapy for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. Immunotherapy with single bNAbs often leads to emergence of escape variants, suggesting a potential benefit of combination bNAb therapy. Here, a trispecific bNAb reduces viremia 100- to 1000-fold in viremic SHIV-infected macaques.

Potent Particle-Based Vehicles for Growth Factor Delivery from Electrospun Meshes: Fabrication and Functionalization Strategies for Effective Tissue Regeneration.

Functionalization of electrospun meshes with growth factors (GFs) is a common strategy for guiding specific cell responses in tissue engineering. GFs can exert their intended biological effects only when they retain their bioactivity and can be subsequently delivered in a temporally controlled manner. However, adverse processing conditions encountered in electrospinning can potentially disrupt GFs and diminish their biological efficacy.

Mechanism of Zn and Ca Binding to Human S100A1.

S100A1 is a member of the S100 family of small ubiquitous Ca-binding proteins, which participates in the regulation of cell differentiation, motility, and survival. It exists as homo- or heterodimers. S100A1 has also been shown to bind Zn, but the molecular mechanisms of this binding are not yet known.

Systems biology analysis of human genomes points to key pathways conferring spina bifida risk.

Spina bifida (SB) is a debilitating birth defect caused by multiple gene and environment interactions. Though SB shows non-Mendelian inheritance, genetic factors contribute to an estimated 70% of cases. Nevertheless, identifying human mutations conferring SB risk is challenging due to its relative rarity, genetic heterogeneity, incomplete penetrance, and environmental influences that hamper genome-wide association studies approaches to untargeted discovery.

GSK-3 Inhibition Is Cytotoxic in Glioma Stem Cells through Centrosome Destabilization and Enhances the Effect of Radiotherapy in Orthotopic Models.

Background: Previous data on glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibition in cancer models support a cytotoxic effect with selectivity for tumor cells compared to normal tissue but the effect of these inhibitors in glioma has not been widely studied. Here, we investigate their potential as cytotoxics in glioma.

Methods: We assessed the effect of pharmacologic GSK-3 inhibition on established (U87, U251) and patient-derived (GBM1, GBM4) glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines using cytotoxicity assays as well as undertaking a detailed investigation of the effect on cell cycle, mitosis, and centrosome biology.

Modeling complex effects of exposure to particulate matter and extreme heat during pregnancy on congenital heart defects: A U.S. population-based case-control study in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study.

Background/objective: Research suggests gestational exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM) and extreme heat may independently increase risk of birth defects. We investigated whether duration of gestational extreme heat exposure modifies associations between PM exposure and specific congenital heart defects (CHDs).

Upstream oil and gas production and ambient air pollution in California.

Background: Prior studies have found that residential proximity to upstream oil and gas production is associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. Emissions of ambient air pollutants from oil and gas wells in the preproduction and production stages have been proposed as conferring risk of adverse health effects, but the extent of air pollutant emissions and resulting nearby pollution concentrations from wells is not clear.

Objectives: We examined the effects of upstream oil and gas preproduction (count of drilling sites) and production (total volume of oil and gas) activities on concentrations of five ambient air pollutants in California.

Energy, Sodium, Sugar and Saturated Fat Content of New Zealand Fast-Food Products and Meal Combos in 2020.

This study aimed to benchmark the healthiness of the New Zealand (NZ) fast-food supply in 2020. There are currently no actions or policies in NZ regarding the composition, serving size and labeling of fast food. Data on serving size and nutrient content of products was collected from company websites and in-store visits to 27 fast-food chains.

Early-pregnancy prediction of risk for pre-eclampsia using maternal blood leptin/ceramide ratio: discovery and confirmation.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a blood test for the prediction of pre-eclampsia (PE) early in gestation. We hypothesised that the longitudinal measurements of circulating adipokines and sphingolipids in maternal serum over the course of pregnancy could identify novel prognostic biomarkers that are predictive of impending event of PE early in gestation.

Study Design: Retrospective discovery and longitudinal confirmation.

Circulating protein carbonyls are specifically elevated in critically ill patients with pneumonia relative to other sources of sepsis.

Background: Septic shock is a life-threatening dysregulated response to severe infection and is associated with elevated oxidative stress. We aimed to assess protein carbonyls in critically ill patients with different sources of sepsis and determine the effect of vitamin C intervention on protein carbonyl concentrations.

Methods: Critically ill patients with septic shock (n = 40) were recruited, and sources of sepsis and ICU severity scores were recorded.

Design of an electrostatic balance mechanism to measure optical power of 100 kW.

A new instrument is required to accommodate the need for increased portability and accuracy in laser power measurement above 100 W. Reflection and absorption of laser light provide a measurable force from photon momentum exchange that is directly proportional to laser power, which can be measured with an electrostatic balance traceable to the SI. We aim for a relative uncertainty of 10 with coverage factor = 2.

Over-distension prediction via hysteresis loop analysis and patient-specific basis functions in a virtual patient model.

Background And Objective: Recruitment maneuvers (RMs) with subsequent positive-end-expiratory-pressure (PEEP) have proven effective in recruiting lung volume and preventing alveolar collapse. However, a suboptimal PEEP could induce undesired injury in lungs by insufficient or excessive breath support. Thus, a predictive model for patient response under PEEP changes could improve clinical care and lower risks.

Trends in eclampsia in the United States, 2009-2017: a population-based study.

Background: Reducing the prevalence of eclampsia, a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity, is a maternal health priority. However, sparse data exist examining trends in the USA prevalence of eclampsia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess temporal trends in the prevalence of eclampsia among live births in the United States from 2009 to 2017.

Mitochondria as the target for disease related hormonal dysregulation.

Mitochondria play an important role in the synthesis of steroid hormones, including the sex hormone estrogen. Sex-specific regulation of these hormones is important for phenotypic development and downstream, sex-specific activational effects in both brain and behavior. First, mitochondrial contribution to the synthesis of estrogen, followed by a discussion of the signaling interactions between estrogen and the mitochondria will be reviewed.

Comparative Effectiveness Analyses of Salvage Prostatectomy and Salvage Radiotherapy Outcomes Following Focal or Whole-Gland Ablative Therapy (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, Cryotherapy or Electroporation) for Localised Prostate Cancer.

Aims: Ablative therapy, such as focal therapy, cryotherapy or electroporation, aims to treat clinically significant prostate cancer with reduced treatment-related toxicity. Up to a third of patients may require further local salvage treatment after ablative therapy failure. Limited descriptive, but no comparative, evidence exists between different salvage treatment outcomes.

Dynamics and origin of rebound viremia in SHIV-infected infant macaques following interruption of long-term ART.

Understanding viral rebound in pediatric HIV-1 infection may inform the development of alternatives to lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) to achieve viral remission. We thus investigated viral rebound after analytical treatment interruption (ATI) in 10 infant macaques orally infected with SHIV.C.

Placentation in Marsupials.

It is sometimes implied that marsupials are "aplacental," on the presumption that the only mammals that have a placenta are the eponymous "placental" mammals. This misconception has persisted despite the interest in and descriptions of the marsupial placenta, even in Amoroso's definitive chapter. It was also said that marsupials had no maternal recognition of pregnancy and no placental hormone production.

Neutrophils Isolated from Septic Patients Exhibit Elevated Uptake of Vitamin C and Normal Intracellular Concentrations despite a Low Vitamin C Milieu.

Vitamin C (ascorbate) plays an important role in neutrophil function and is accumulated by the cells either directly via vitamin C transporters (SVCT) or indirectly following oxidation to dehydroascorbic acid. Septic patients are known to have significantly depleted plasma ascorbate status, but little is known about the ascorbate content of their circulating cells. Therefore, we assessed the ascorbate concentrations of plasma, leukocytes and erythrocytes from septic patients and compared these to healthy controls.

Predicting fluid-response, the heart of hemodynamic management: A model-based solution.

Background: Intravenous fluid infusions are an important therapy for patients with circulatory shock. However, it is challenging to predict how patients' cardiac stroke volume (SV) will respond, and thus identify how much fluids should be delivered, if any. Model-predicted SV time-profiles of response to fluid infusions could potentially be used to guide fluid therapy.

Newborn screen metabolic panels reflect the impact of common disorders of pregnancy.

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and maternal diabetes profoundly affect fetal and newborn growth, yet disturbances in intermediate metabolism and relevant mediators of fetal growth alterations remain poorly defined. We sought to determine whether there are distinct newborn screen metabolic patterns among newborns affected by maternal hypertensive disorders or diabetes in utero.

Methods: A retrospective observational study investigating distinct newborn screen metabolites in conjunction with data linked to birth and hospitalization records in the state of California between 2005 and 2010.

Clinical and pathologic evaluation of chorioretinal lesions in wild owl species.

Objective: Investigate histopathology and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of wild owls with chorioretinitis and identify any potential correlation with an infectious etiology.

Materials And Methods: Ophthalmic examination and retinal OCT imaging were performed on fifteen great horned (Strix varia) and barred (Bubo virginianus) owls (30 eyes) with chorioretinitis and five owls with normal eyes (10 eyes). Testing to investigate the presence of potential infectious diseases included a complete blood count, biochemistry, protein electrophoresis, West Nile virus (WNV) plaque reduction neutralization test, Toxoplasma gondii modified direct agglutination test, WNV RT-PCR, and Avian Influenza RT-PCR.

Dynamics of radiocaesium within forests in Fukushima-results and analysis of a model inter-comparison.

Forests cover approximately 70% of the area contaminated by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011. Following this severe contamination event, radiocaesium (Cs) is anticipated to circulate within these forest ecosystems for several decades. Since the accident, a number of models have been constructed to evaluate the past and future dynamics of Cs in these forests.