Programmable Macrophage Vesicle Based Bionic Self-Adjuvanting Vaccine for Immunization against Monkeypox Virus.

The emergence of monkeypox has become a global health threat after the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the lack of available specifically treatment against MPV, developing an available vaccine is thus the most prospective and urgent strategy. Herein, a programmable macrophage vesicle based bionic self-adjuvanting vaccine (AM@AEvs-PB) is first developed for defending against monkeypox virus (MPV).

Analysis of binding and authentic virus-neutralizing activities of immune sera induced by various monkeypox virus antigens.

Monkeypox cases continue to increase globally, and there is an urgent need to develop a highly effective vaccine against monkeypox. This study investigated the binding and authentic-virus neutralizing activities of sera from mice immunized with EEV (extracellularly enveloped viruses) antigens B6R and A35R, and IMV (intrinsic material viruses) antigens M1R, A29L, E8L, and H3L against monkeypox virus. The results showed that immunizations of A35R and E8L could only induce lower titers of binding antibodies, in contrast, immunization of M1R induced the highest titers of binding antibodies, while immunization of B6R, H3L, and A29L induced moderate titers of binding antibodies.

Status and Developing Strategies for Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in the Omicron Era of COVID-19.

The monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based treatment is a highly valued therapy against COVID-19, especially for individuals who may not have strong immune responses to the vaccine. However, with the arrival of the Omicron variant and its evolving subvariants, along with the occurrence of remarkable resistance of these SARS-CoV-2 variants to the neutralizing antibodies, mAbs are facing tough challenges. Future strategies for developing mAbs with improved resistance to viral evasion will involve optimizing the targeting epitopes on SARS-CoV-2, enhancing the affinity and potency of mAbs, exploring the use of non-neutralizing antibodies that bind to conserved epitopes on the S protein, as well as optimizing immunization regimens.

Three neutralizing mAbs induced by MPXV A29L protein recognizing different epitopes act synergistically against orthopoxvirus.

The worldwide outbreak of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) has become a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC). Severe monkeypox virus infection can be fatal, however, effective therapeutic methods are yet to be developed. Mice were immunized with A35R protein and A29L protein of MPXV, and the binding and neutralizing activities of the immune sera against poxvirus-associated antigens and viruses were identified.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies recognizing different antigenic epitopes act synergistically against the influenza B virus.

The discovery of broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against influenza viruses has raised hope for the successful development of new antiviral drugs. However, due to the speed and variety of mutations in influenza viruses, single-component antibodies that recognize specific epitopes are susceptible to viral escape and have limited efficacy when administration is delayed. Hence, it is necessary to develop alternative strategies with better antiviral activity.

Humoral immune response to authentic circulating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants elicited by booster vaccination with distinct receptor-binding domain subunits in mice.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants could induce immune escape by mutations of the spike protein which are threatening to weaken vaccine efficacy. A booster vaccination is expected to increase the humoral immune response against SARS-CoV-2 variants in the population. We showed that immunization with two doses of wild type receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein, and booster vaccination with wild type or variant RBD protein all significantly increased binding and neutralizing antibody titers against wild type SARS-CoV-2 and its variants in mice.

Nomogram based on neutrophil-to-platelet ratio to predict in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis.

To develop a nomogram based on neutrophil-to-platelet ratio (NPR) to predict in-hospital mortality in infective endocarditis (IE) patients. We retrospectively analyzed 294 consecutive patients classified as survivors or nonsurvivors according to hospitalization outcome. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors for in-hospital mortality.

Hepatitis B surface antigen kinetics after discontinuation of and retreatment with oral antivirals in non-cirrhotic HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B.

The outcome of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) discontinuation and retreatment is still uncertain. We evaluated hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) kinetics after NAs discontinuation and during retreatment due to off-treatment clinical relapse among non-cirrhotic HBeAg-positive CHB patients. Four groups were studied: 129 HBeAg-positive patients from a prospective cohort who stopped NAs therapy after achieving sustained response (Group A), 39 patients who received retreatment after off-treatment clinical relapse in the discontinuation group (Group B), 214 patients who maintained treatment after achieving sustained response (Group C) and 291 patients who firstly initiated antiviral treatment (Group D).

Preoperative false-negative transthoracic echocardiographic results in native valve infective endocarditis patients: a retrospective study from 2001 to 2018.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a lethal disease that is difficult to diagnosis early. Although echocardiography is one of the most widely used diagnostic technique, it has limited sensitivity. This study surveyed the clinical features of IE patients who underwent surgery and compared transthoracic echocardiography and histological findings to explore the factors related to false-negative echocardiographic results.

Patients with tuberculous meningitis and hepatitis B co-infection have increased risk for antituberculosis drug-induced liver injury and poor outcomes.

Background: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is one of the most severe forms of tuberculosis. Previous studies reported that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection could increase the risk of antituberculosis drug-induced liver injury (ATB-DILI) in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. To date, only a few studies exist on the effect of HBV on TBM.

A changing profile of infective endocarditis at a tertiary hospital in China: a retrospective study from 2001 to 2018.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a lethal disease which has been changing significantly over the past decades; however, information about IE in China remains scarce. This study surveyed the changes in clinical characteristics of IE at a tertiary hospital in south China over a period of nearly 18 years.

Methods: Medical records with IE patients consecutively hospitalized between June 2001 and June 2018 were selected from the electronic medical records system in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University.