Investigation of an Outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 Myeloencephalopathy in a Population of Aged Working Equids.

The objective of this study was to describe an outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in a population of aged equids. The outbreak was linked to the introduction of five healthy non-resident horses 15 days prior to the first case of acute recumbency. This fulminant EHM outbreak was predisposed by the grouping of the 33 unvaccinated animals in two large pens with shared water and feed troughs.

High-Throughput Sequencing for the Detection of Viruses in Grapevine: Performance Analysis and Best Practices.

Among the cultivated crop species, the economically and culturally important grapevine plays host to the greatest number of distinctly characterized viruses. A critical component of the management and containment of these viral diseases in grapevine is both the identification of infected vines and the characterization of new pathogens. Next-generation high-throughput sequencing technologies, i.

Characterization of Hepatitis B Virus Transcripts in Chronically HBV-Infected Chimpanzees and Patients Treated with ARC-520 siRNA Demonstrates Transcriptional Silencing of cccDNA.

Full-length hepatitis B virus (HBV) transcripts of chimpanzees and patients treated with multidose (MD) HBV siRNA ARC-520 and entecavir (ETV) were characterized by single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing, identifying multiple types of transcripts with the potential to encode HBx, HBsAg, HBeAg, core, and polymerase, as well as transcripts likely to be derived from dimers of dslDNA, and these differed between HBeAg-positive (HBeAg+) and HBeAg-negative (HBeAg-) individuals. HBV transcripts from the last follow-up ~30 months post-ARC-520 treatment were categorized from one HBeAg+ (one of two previously highly viremic patients that became HBeAg- upon treatment and had greatly reduced cccDNA products) and four HBeAg- patients. The previously HBeAg+ patient received a biopsy that revealed that he had 3.

A Randomized, Blinded, Vehicle-Controlled Dose-Ranging Study to Evaluate and Characterize Remdesivir Efficacy Against Ebola Virus in Rhesus Macaques.

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe disease in humans, with mortality as high as 90%. The small-molecule antiviral drug remdesivir (RDV) has demonstrated a survival benefit in EBOV-exposed rhesus macaques. Here, we characterize the efficacy of multiple intravenous RDV dosing regimens on survival of rhesus macaques 42 days after intramuscular EBOV exposure.

Vaccination with a Replication-Dead Murine Gammaherpesvirus Lacking Viral Pathogenesis Genes Inhibits WT Virus Infection.

Gammaherpesviruses are oncogenic pathogens that establish lifelong infections. There are no FDA-approved vaccines against Epstein-Barr virus or Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. Murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV68) infection of mice provides a system for investigating gammaherpesvirus pathogenesis and testing vaccine strategies.

The Role of vIL-6 in KSHV-Mediated Immune Evasion and Tumorigenesis.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a double-stranded DNA gamma herpesvirus. Like other herpesviruses, KSHV establishes a latent infection with limited gene expression, while KSHV occasionally undergoes the lytic replication phase, which produces KSHV progenies and infects neighboring cells. KSHV genome encodes 80+ open reading frames.

Real-World Comparison of Maribavir to Foscarnet for the Treatment of Cytomegalovirus in Solid Organ and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in solid organ transplant (SOT) and hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients may increase the risk of rejection or allograft dysfunction, other infection(s), and morbidity and mortality. Treatment can be challenging due to medication-associated toxicities. Maribavir (MBV) is a promising option for the treatment of resistant or refractory (R/R) CMV infection in lieu of foscarnet (FOS), which has long been the recommended therapy for (val)ganciclovir-resistant infection.

Molecular Characterization and Pathogenicity Analysis of Porcine Rotavirus A.

Porcine rotavirus A (RVA) is one of the major etiological agents of diarrhea in piglets and constitutes a significant threat to the swine industry. A molecular epidemiological investigation was conducted on 2422 diarrhea samples from Chinese pig farms to enhance our understanding of the molecular epidemiology and evolutionary diversity of RVA. The findings revealed an average RVA positivity rate of 42% (943/2422), and the study included data from 26 provinces, primarily in the eastern, southern and southwestern regions.

Cytomegalovirus Biology Viewed Through a Cell Death Suppression Lens.

Cytomegaloviruses, species-specific members of the betaherpesviruses, encode an impressive array of immune evasion strategies committed to the manipulation of the host immune system enabling these viruses to remain for life in a stand-off with host innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. Even though they are species-restricted, cytomegaloviruses are distributed across a wide range of different mammalian species in which they cause systemic infection involving many different cell types. Regulated, or programmed cell death has a recognized potential to eliminate infected cells prior to completion of viral replication and release of progeny.

Is San Diego California on Track to Reach HCV Elimination? A Modeling Analysis of Combination Prevention Strategies.

In 2020, the in the county of San Diego (COSD) was launched, a private-public joint endeavor between the COSD and the American Liver Foundation. We use epidemic modeling to assess whether the COSD is on track to reach its elimination targets (80% reduction in incidence, 65% reduction in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related mortality by 2030 compared to 2015) and what intervention scale-up may be required. We adapted a previously developed dynamic, deterministic model of HCV transmission and disease progression among adults in the COSD, stratified by risk, age, gender, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status.

HIV-1 Antiretroviral Drug Resistance in Mozambique: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review assessed the prevalence of transmitted and acquired HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) and the associated risk factors in Mozambique. A search of the PubMed, Cochrane, B-On, and Scopus databases up to December 2023 was conducted and included 11 studies with 1118 HIV-1 pol sequences. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) to NNRTIs were found in 13% of the drug-naive individuals and 31% of those on ART, while NRTI resistance occurred in 5% and 10%, respectively.

T Cell Responses to BA.2.86 and JN.1 SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Elderly Subjects.

Background/objectives: New SARS-CoV-2 variants are continuously emerging, making it essential to assess the efficacy of vaccine-induced immune protection. Limited information is available regarding T cell responses to BA.2.

The Benefits of COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Patients Hospitalized with Respiratory Symptoms: A Retrospective Cohort Study in South Brazil.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a known risk factor for adverse health outcomes in pregnancy, affecting both maternal and neonatal health. Mounting evidence suggests that even a single dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine protects against severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and is safe for both pregnant persons and neonates. Southern Brazil was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the protective effects of the vaccine on maternal and neonatal health are not well described.

Post-COVID-19 Vaccination and Long COVID: Insights from Patient-Reported Data.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccinations reduce the severity and number of symptoms for acute SARS-CoV-2 infections and may reduce the risk of developing Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). Limited and heterogenous data exist on how these vaccinations received after COVID-19 infection might impact the symptoms and trajectory of PASC, once persistent symptoms have developed.

Methods: We investigated the association of post-COVID-19 vaccination with any SARS-CoV-2 vaccine(s) on PASC symptoms in two independent cohorts: a retrospective chart review of self-reported data from patients ( = 128) with PASC seen in the Stanford PASC Clinic between May 2021 and May 2022 and a 2023 multinational survey assessment of individuals with PASC ( = 484).

Challenges of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Meningitis: Current Treatments and the Role of Glutathione as an Adjunct Therapy.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a significant global health threat, especially when it involves the central nervous system (CNS). Tuberculous meningitis (TBM), a severe manifestation of TB, is linked to high mortality rates and long-term neurological complications, further exacerbated by drug resistance and immune evasion mechanisms employed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Although pulmonary TB remains the primary focus of research, MDR-TBM introduces unique challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.

Seroprevalence of Antibodies to Filoviruses with Outbreak Potential in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review to Inform Vaccine Development and Deployment.

: Orthoebolaviruses and orthomarburgviruses are filoviruses that can cause viral hemorrhagic fever and significant morbidity and mortality in humans. The evaluation and deployment of vaccines to prevent and control Ebola and Marburg outbreaks must be informed by an understanding of the transmission and natural history of the causative infections, but little is known about the burden of asymptomatic infection or undiagnosed disease. This systematic review of the published literature examined the seroprevalence of antibodies to orthoebolaviruses and orthomarburgviruses in sub-Saharan Africa.

Induction of Tier 2 HIV-Neutralizing IgA Antibodies in Rhesus Macaques Vaccinated with BG505.664 SOSIP.

Background: A goal of mucosal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccines is to generate mucosal plasma cells producing polymeric IgA (pIgA)-neutralizing antibodies at sites of viral entry. However, vaccine immunogens capable of eliciting IgA neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) that recognize tier 2 viral isolates have not yet been identified.

Methods: To determine if stabilized native-like HIV-1 envelope (Env) trimers could generate IgA nAbs, we purified total IgA and IgG from the banked sera of six rhesus macaques that had been found in a previous study to develop serum nAbs after subcutaneous immunization with BG505.

HPV Vaccines Among University Students: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators of Vaccine Uptake.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection and plays a significant role in cervical, penile, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and oropharyngeal cancers as well as non-cancerous genital warts and genital dysplasia. In the United States, there are approximately 46,000 new HPV-related cancers a year. There is an effective vaccine to prevent over 90% of these cancers and other HPV-related diseases; however, those that are aged 18-26 have the lowest vaccine rates among eligible age groups.

Effect of School HPV Vaccination Requirements on Pediatricians' Recommendations.

: Pediatrician recommendations are highly influential in parents' decisions to vaccinate their children against HPV. Unqualified, presumptive, and bundled recommendations (UPBRs) are associated with increased HPV vaccine uptake and are considered best practice. This study analyzes pediatricians' self-reported data to assess changes in UPBR use and the psychosocial determinants of UPBR use as a result of the implementation of a multi-level intervention, the Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP).

The Glycopeptide PV-PS A1 Immunogen Elicits Both CD4+ and CD8+ Responses.

Background/objectives: The MHCII-dependent, CD4+ T-cell zwitterionic polysaccharide PS A1 has been investigated as a promising carrier for vaccine development because it can induce an MHCII-dependent CD4+ response towards a variety of tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs). However, PS A1 cannot elicit cytotoxic T lymphocytes through MHCI, which may or may not hamper its potential clinical use in cancer, infectious and viral vaccine development. This paper addresses PS A1 MHCI independence through the introduction of an MHCI epitope, the poliovirus (PV) peptide, to establish an MHCI- and MHCII-dependent vaccine.

Routine Immunization Microplanning Challenges and Opportunities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Mixed-Method Landscape Analysis.

Background: Microplanning is widely recognized as a critical tool for improving immunization coverage and equity and is considered a core component of routine immunization. However, there is limited evidence on how microplans are developed and implemented and the effectiveness of microplanning. As such, this study sought to review the existing evidence on implementation and institutionalization of microplanning; identify strategies to improve microplanning; and document evidence on new approaches to microplanning, including digitally enhanced and integrated microplanning.

CabbageNet: Deep Learning for High-Precision Cabbage Segmentation in Complex Settings for Autonomous Harvesting Robotics.

Reducing damage and missed harvest rates is essential for improving efficiency in unmanned cabbage harvesting. Accurate real-time segmentation of cabbage heads can significantly alleviate these issues and enhance overall harvesting performance. However, the complexity of the growing environment and the morphological variability of field-grown cabbage present major challenges to achieving precise segmentation.

An Investigation into High-Accuracy and Energy-Efficient Novel Capacitive MEMS for Tire Pressure Sensor Application.

Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMSs) are essential for maintaining driving safety by continuously monitoring critical tire parameters, such as pressure and temperature, in real time during vehicle operation. Among these parameters, tire pressure is the most significant, necessitating the use of highly precise, cost-effective, and energy-efficient sensing technologies. With the rapid advancements in micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology, modern automotive sensing and monitoring systems increasingly rely on MEMS sensors due to their compact size, low cost, and low power consumption.

An Elastic Filtering Algorithm with Visual Perception for Vehicle GNSS Navigation and Positioning.

Amidst the backdrop of the profound synergy between navigation and visual perception, there is an urgent demand for accurate real-time vehicle positioning in urban environments. However, the existing global navigation satellite system (GNSS) algorithms based on Kalman filters fall short of precision. In response, we introduce an elastic filtering algorithm with visual perception for vehicle GNSS navigation and positioning.

A Time-Frequency-Based Data-Driven Approach for Structural Damage Identification and Its Application to a Cable-Stayed Bridge Specimen.

Structural damage identification based on structural health monitoring (SHM) data and machine learning (ML) is currently a rapidly developing research area in structural engineering. Traditional machine learning techniques rely heavily on feature extraction, where weak feature extraction can lead to suboptimal features and poor classification performance. In contrast, ML-based methods, particularly deep learning approaches like convolutional neural networks (CNNs), automatically extract relevant features from raw data, improving the accuracy and adaptability of the damage identification process.