Incobotulinum Toxin-A in Professional Musicians with Focal Task-Specific Dystonia: A Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Cross-Over Study.

Background: Musician's focal task-specific dystonia is a complex disorder of fine motor control, with incomplete understanding of its etiology. There have been relatively few trials of botulinum toxin in upper limb task-specific dystonia, and prior studies have yielded variable results, leading to skepticism regarding the utility of this approach in elite performers. Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, cross-over study of incobotulinum toxin-A in 21 professional musicians with focal upper extremity task-specific dystonia affecting performance on their instrument, using a novel paradigm of initial injections followed by booster injections at two- and four-week intervals. The primary outcome measure was the change in blinded dystonia rating of the active arm by two expert raters using a Clinical Global Impression numeric scale at week 8 compared to enrollment. Findings: 19 men and 2 women with musicians' dystonia were enrolled over a six-year period. Nineteen patients completed the study. Analysis of the primary outcome measure in comparison to baseline revealed a change in dystonia severity of P = 0.04 and an improvement in overall musical performance of P = 0.027. No clinically significant weakness was observed, and neutralizing antibodies to toxin were not found. Interpretation: Despite its small sample size, our study demonstrated a statistically significant benefit of incobotulinum toxin-A injections as a treatment for musicians' task-specific dystonia. Tailoring the use of toxin with booster injections allowed refinement of dosing strategy and outcomes, with benefits that were meaningful to patients clearly visible on videotaped evaluations. In addition to its application to musicians' dystonia, this approach may have relevance to optimize application of botulinum toxin in other forms of focal dystonia such as blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, writer's cramp, and spasmodic dysphonia.

Priorities for HIV and chronic pain research: results from a survey of individuals with lived experience.

The Global Task Force on Chronic Pain in HIV published seven research priorities in the field of HIV-associated chronic pain in 2019: (1) causes; (2) management; (3) treatment individualization and integration with addiction treatment; (4) mental and social health factors; (5) prevalence; (6) treatment cost effectiveness; and (7) prevention. The current study used a web-based survey to determine whether the research topics were aligned with the priorities of adults with lived experiences of HIV and chronic pain. We also collected information about respondents' own pain and treatment experiences. We received 311 survey responses from mostly US-based respondents. Most respondents reported longstanding, moderate to severe, multisite pain, commonly accompanied by symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. The median number of pain treatments tried was 10 (IQR = 8, 13), with medications and exercise being the most common modalities, and opioids being viewed as the most helpful. Over 80% of respondents considered all research topics either "extremely important" or "very important". Research topic #2, which focused on optimizing management of pain in people with HIV, was accorded the greatest importance by respondents. These findings suggest good alignment between the priorities of researchers and US-based people with lived experience of HIV-associated chronic pain.

Two-Dimensional CuMn-Layered Double Hydroxides: A Study of Interlayer Anion Variants on the Electrochemical Sensing of Trichlorophenol.

Despite their diverse application profile, aromatic organochlorides such as 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TP) are widely renowned for creating a negative toll on the balance of the ecosystem. Strict regulatory regimes are required to limit exposure to such organic pollutants. By deployment of a straightforward detection scheme, electrochemical sensing technology offers a competitive edge over the other techniques and practices available for pollutant monitoring. Here, we present a streamlined hydrothermal approach for synthesizing copper-manganese layered double hydroxide (CuMn-LDH) rods to be employed as electrocatalysts for detecting TP in various media. With a focused intention to leverage the full potential of the prepared CuMn-LDHs, the interlamellar region is configured using a series of intercalants. Further, a thorough comparative analysis of their structures, morphologies, and electrochemical performance is accomplished using various analytical techniques. The electrocatalytic oxidation ability of the CuMn-LDH toward TP molecules is markedly altered by incorporating various anions into the gallery region. The dynamic attributes of the developed sensor, such as a wide linear response (0.02-289.2 µM), a low detection limit (0.0026 µM), and good anti-interfering ability, acclaim its superior viability for real-time detection of TP with exceptional tolerance to the presence of foreign moieties. Hence, this work manifests that the nature of intercalants is a vital aspect to consider while designing LDH-based electrochemical probes to detect priority pollutants.

Sex-specific racial and ethnic variations in short-term outcomes among patients with first or recurrent ischemic stroke: Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program, 2016-2020.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To understand the association of sex-specific race and ethnicity on the short-term outcomes of initial and recurrent ischemic stroke events. METHODS: Using the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program from 2016-2020, we examined 426,062 ischemic stroke admissions from 629 hospitals limited to non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic patients. We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the combined effects of sex-specific race and ethnicity on short-term outcomes for acute ischemic stroke patients presenting with initial or recurrent stroke events. Outcomes assessed include rates of in-hospital death, discharge to home, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) after reperfusion treatment. RESULTS: Among studied patients, the likelihood of developing sICH after reperfusion treatment for initial ischemic stroke was not significantly different. The likelihood of experiencing in-hospital death among patients presenting with initial stroke was notably higher among NHW males (AOR 1.59 [95 % CI 1.46, 1.73]), NHW females (AOR 1.34 [95 % CI 1.23, 1.45]), and Hispanic males (AOR 1.57 [95 % CI 1.36, 1.81]) when compared to NHB females. Hispanic females were more likely to be discharged home when compared to NHB females after initial stroke event (AOR 1.32 [95 % CI 1.23, 1.41]). NHB males (AOR 0.90 [95 % CI 0.87, 0.94]) and NHW females (AOR 0.89 [95 % CI 0.86, 0.92]) were less likely to be discharged to home. All groups with recurrent ischemic strokes experienced higher likelihood of in-hospital death when compared to NHB females with the highest likelihood among NHW males (AOR 2.13 [95 % CI 1.87, 2.43]). Hispanic females had a higher likelihood of discharging home when compared to NHB females hospitalized for recurrent ischemic stroke, while NHB males and NHW females with recurrent ischemic stroke hospitalizations were less likely to discharge home. CONCLUSIONS: Sex-specific race and ethnic disparities remain for short-term outcomes in both initial and recurrent ischemic stroke hospitalizations. Further studies are needed to address disparities among recurrent ischemic stroke hospitalizations.

Unlocking Catalytic Potential: Exploring the Impact of Thermal Treatment on Enhanced Electrocatalysis of Nanomaterials.

In the evolving field of electrocatalysis, thermal treatment of nano-electrocatalysts has become an essential strategy for performance enhancement. This review systematically investigates the impact of various thermal treatments on the catalytic potential of nano-electrocatalysts. The focus encompasses an in-depth analysis of the changes induced in structural, morphological, and compositional properties, as well as alterations in electro-active surface area, surface chemistry, and crystal defects. By providing a comprehensive comparison of commonly used thermal techniques, such as annealing, calcination, sintering, pyrolysis, hydrothermal, and solvothermal methods, this review serves as a scientific guide for selecting the right thermal technique and favorable temperature to tailor the nano-electrocatalysts for optimal electrocatalysis. The resultant modifications in catalytic activity are explored across key electrochemical reactions such as electrochemical (bio)sensing, catalytic degradation, oxygen reduction reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, overall water splitting, fuel cells, and carbon dioxide reduction reaction. Through a detailed examination of the underlying mechanisms and synergistic effects, this review contributes to a fundamental understanding of the role of thermal treatments in enhancing electrocatalytic properties. The insights provided offer a roadmap for future research aimed at optimizing the electrocatalytic performance of nanomaterials, fostering the development of next-generation sensors and energy conversion technologies.

Mapping disease regulatory circuits at cell-type resolution from single-cell multiomics data.

Resolving chromatin-remodeling-linked gene expression changes at cell-type resolution is important for understanding disease states. Here we describe MAGICAL (Multiome Accessibility Gene Integration Calling and Looping), a hierarchical Bayesian approach that leverages paired single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell transposase-accessible chromatin sequencing from different conditions to map disease-associated transcription factors, chromatin sites, and genes as regulatory circuits. By simultaneously modeling signal variation across cells and conditions in both omics data types, MAGICAL achieved high accuracy on circuit inference. We applied MAGICAL to study Staphylococcus aureus sepsis from peripheral blood mononuclear single-cell data that we generated from subjects with bloodstream infection and uninfected controls. MAGICAL identified sepsis-associated regulatory circuits predominantly in CD14 monocytes, known to be activated by bacterial sepsis. We addressed the challenging problem of distinguishing host regulatory circuit responses to methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infections. Although differential expression analysis failed to show predictive value, MAGICAL identified epigenetic circuit biomarkers that distinguished methicillin-resistant from methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infections.

Zooming into the structure-function of RING finger proteins for anti-cancer therapeutic applications.

Cancer is one of the most common and widely diagnosed diseases worldwide. With an increase in prevalence and incidence, many studies in cancer biology have been looking at the role pro-cancer proteins play. One of these proteins is the Really Interesting New Gene (RING), which has been studied extensively due to its structure and functions such as apoptosis, neddylation, and its role in ubiquitination. The RING domain is a cysteine-rich domain known to bind Cysteine and Histidine residues. It also binds two zinc ions that help stabilize the protein in various patterns, often with a 'cross-brace' topology. Different RING finger proteins have been studied and found to have suitable targets for developing anti-cancer therapeutics. These identified candidate proteins include Parkin, COP1, MDM2, BARD1, BRCA-1, PIRH2, c-CBL, SIAH1, RBX1 and RNF8. Inhibiting these candidate proteins provides opportunities for shutting down pathways associated with tumour development and metastasis.

Emerging carbonate anion intercalated- ZnCr-layered double hydroxide/vanadium carbide nanocomposite: A electrochemical sensor for diethofencarb fungicide monitoring.

Diethofencarb (DFC) is widely used in agriculture to fight against plant fungal attacks and enhance food crop production. On the other hand, the National food safety standard has set the overall maximum residual limit of DFC to be 1 mg/kg. Hence it becomes essential to limit their usage, and it is vital to quantify the amount of DFC present in real-life samples to safeguard the health and environmental well-being. Here, we introduce a simple hydrothermal procedure for preparing vanadium carbide (VC) anchored by ZnCr-LDH. The sustainably designed electrochemical sensor for the detection of DFC portrayed high electro-active surface area, conductivity, rapid-electron transport ratio, and high ion diffusion parameters. The obtained structural and morphological information confirms the enriched electrochemical activity of the ZnCr-LDH/VC/SPCE towards DFC. The ZnCr-LDH/VC/SPCE electrode has displayed exceptional characteristics with DPV resulting in a vast linear response (0.01-228 µM), and lower LOD (2 nM) with high sensitivity. Real-sample analysis was carried out to demonstrate the specificity of the electrode with an acceptable recovery in both water (±98.75-99.70%) and tomato (±98.00-99.75%) samples.

Acute Abdominal Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Diagnosis.

Acute abdominal pain, defined as nontraumatic abdominal pain lasting fewer than seven days, is a common presenting concern with a broad differential diagnosis. The most common causes are gastroenteritis and nonspecific abdominal pain, followed by cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, diverticulitis, and appendicitis. Extra-abdominal causes such as respiratory infections and abdominal wall pain should be considered. Pain location, history, and examination findings help guide the workup after ensuring hemodynamic stability. Recommended tests may include a complete blood count, C-reactive protein, hepatobiliary markers, electrolytes, creatinine, glucose, urinalysis, lipase, and pregnancy testing. Several diagnoses, such as cholecystitis, appendicitis, and mesenteric ischemia, cannot be confirmed clinically and typically require imaging. Conditions such as urolithiasis and diverticulitis may be diagnosed clinically in certain cases. Imaging studies are chosen based on the location of pain and index of suspicion for specific etiologies. Computed tomography with intravenous contrast media is often chosen for generalized abdominal pain, left upper quadrant pain, and lower abdominal pain. Ultrasonography is the study of choice for right upper quadrant pain. Point-of-care ultrasonography can aid in the prompt diagnosis of several etiologies of acute abdominal pain, including cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, and appendicitis. In patients who have female reproductive organs, diagnoses such as ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and adnexal torsion should be considered. If ultrasonography results are inconclusive in pregnant patients, magnetic resonance imaging is preferred over computed tomography when available.

Deep Eutectic Solvent-Assisted Synthesis of a Strontium Tungstate Bifunctional Catalyst: Investigation on the Electrocatalytic Determination and Photocatalytic Degradation of Acetaminophen and Metformin Drugs.

In this work, we propose a modified solid-state approach for the sustainable preparation of a SrWO4 bifunctional catalyst using thymol-menthol-based natural deep eutectic green solvents (NADESs). Various spectroscopic and morphological techniques analyzed the as-synthesized SrWO4 particles. Acetaminophen (ATP) and metformin (MTF) were selected as the model drug compounds. The electrochemical detection and photocatalytic degradation of ATP and MTF upon ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) light irradiation in the presence of as-prepared SrWO4 particles as an active catalyst are examined. The present study displayed that the proposed catalyst SrWO4 has enhanced catalytic activity in achieving the optimum experimental conditions, and linear ranges of ATP = 0.01-25.90 µM and MTF = 0.01-25.90 µM, a lower limit of detection (LOD) value (ATP = 0.0031 µM and MTF = 0.008 µM), and higher sensitivity toward ATP and MTF determination were obtained. Similarly, the rate constant was found to be k = ATP = 0.0082 min-1 and MTF = 0.0296 min-1 according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, benefitting from the excellent synergistic impact of the SrWO4 catalyst toward the photocatalytic degradation of the drug molecule. Hence, this work offers innovative insights into the applicability of the as-prepared SrWO4 bifunctional catalyst as an excellent functional material for the remediation of emerging pollutants in water bodies with a recovery range of 98.2-99.75%.

Nanoengineered disposable sensor fabricated with lanthanum stannate nanocrystallite for detecting animal feed additive: Ractopamine.

Ractopamine (RA) has been at the forefront of feed additives as a nutrient repartitioning mediator that recuperates the growth rate, decreases animal fat, and guarantees food safety. However, inappropriate and abusive usage of RA to enhance economic efficiency can negatively impact the environment-animal-human interactions. Therefore, the call for monitoring and quantifying RA is highly desired. In this work, the potentiality of La2Sn2O7 as an electrode modifier on the surface of the portable screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was examined for its precision, disposability, and ability to detect RA. The superior electrocatalytic activity of the fabricated La2Sn2O7/SPCE fortifies its standpoints by displaying a wide linear working range of 0.01-501.2 µM, an enhanced sensitivity, a better stability, a lower LOD of 0.86 nM, and an increased selectivity toward the detection of RA. Furthermore, the investigation of the constructed electrochemical sensor with real-time food samples underpins its practicality and feasibility.

A methylation clock model of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection provides insight into immune dysregulation.

DNA methylation comprises a cumulative record of lifetime exposures superimposed on genetically determined markers. Little is known about methylation dynamics in humans following an acute perturbation, such as infection. We characterized the temporal trajectory of blood epigenetic remodeling in 133 participants in a prospective study of young adults before, during, and after asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. The differential methylation caused by asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections was indistinguishable. While differential gene expression largely returned to baseline levels after the virus became undetectable, some differentially methylated sites persisted for months of follow-up, with a pattern resembling autoimmune or inflammatory disease. We leveraged these responses to construct methylation-based machine learning models that distinguished samples from pre-, during-, and postinfection time periods, and quantitatively predicted the time since infection. The clinical trajectory in the young adults and in a diverse cohort with more severe outcomes was predicted by the similarity of methylation before or early after SARS-CoV-2 infection to the model-defined postinfection state. Unlike the phenomenon of trained immunity, the postacute SARS-CoV-2 epigenetic landscape we identify is antiprotective.

Acute Cardiac Events During COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is associated with cardiac complications. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with acute cardiac events during COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among adults. METHODS: During January 2021 to November 2021, medical chart abstraction was conducted on a probability sample of adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection identified from 99 U.S. counties in 14 U.S. states in the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network. We calculated the prevalence of acute cardiac events (identified by International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision-Clinical Modification codes) by history of underlying cardiac disease and examined associated risk factors and disease outcomes. RESULTS: Among 8,460 adults, 11.4% (95% CI: 10.1%-12.9%) experienced an acute cardiac event during a COVID-19-associated hospitalization. Prevalence was higher among adults who had underlying cardiac disease (23.4%; 95% CI: 20.7%-26.3%) compared with those who did not (6.2%; 95% CI: 5.1%-7.6%). Acute ischemic heart disease (5.5%; 95% CI: 4.5%-6.5%) and acute heart failure (5.4%; 95% CI: 4.4%-6.6%) were the most prevalent events; 0.3% (95% CI: 0.1%-0.5%) experienced acute myocarditis or pericarditis. Risk factors varied by underlying cardiac disease status. Patients with ≥1 acute cardiac event had greater risk of intensive care unit admission (adjusted risk ratio: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.8-2.1) and in-hospital death (adjusted risk ratio: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3-2.1) compared with those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Acute cardiac events were common during COVID-19-associated hospitalizations, particularly among patients with underlying cardiac disease, and are associated with severe disease outcomes. Persons at greater risk for experiencing acute cardiac events during COVID-19-associated hospitalizations might benefit from more intensive clinical evaluation and monitoring during hospitalization.

Eutectic solvent mediated synthesis of carbonated CoFe-LDH nanorods: The effect of interlayer anion (Cl-, SO42-, CO32-) variants for comparing the bifunctional electrochemical sensing application.

The unabated usage of priority anthropogenic stressors is a serious concern in the global environmental context. Pharmaceutical drugs such as furazolidone (FL) and nilutamide (NL) have far-reaching repercussions due to the presence of the reactive nitroaromatic moiety. Despite the widespread awareness regarding the dangers posed by nitroaromatic drugs, the promises to alleviate the environmental consequences of drug pollution are often unmet. Accordingly, implementing practices to monitor their presence in various media is a highly desirable, but challenging undertaking. With the advent of deep eutectic solvent-assisted synthesis, it has become possible to fabricate LDH-based sensor materials with minimal energy inputs in a sustainable and scalable manner. In this work, we have framed a series of CoFe-LDH electrocatalysts utilizing deep eutectic solvent-assisted hydrothermal strategies for the simultaneous detection of FL and NL. The CoFe-LDHs intercalated with three distinct anions, namely, (i) Cl-, (ii) SO42-, and (iii) CO32- are compared so as to establish a relationship between anion intercalation and electrochemical activity. Amongst the prepared electrodes, the CF-LDH-ii/SPCE displays highly appreciable selectivity, linear response range (0.09-237.9 µM), low detetion limits (FL = 1.2 nM and NL = 3.8 nM), high sensitivity (FL = 29.71 µA µM⁻1 cm⁻2 and NL = 19.29 µA µM⁻1 cm⁻2), good reproducibility and repeatability towards FL and NL in water and urine samples. Thus, with tailored gallery anions, the proposed electrocatalyst establishes enhanced electrocatalytic performance for the real-time analysis of pharmaceutical contaminants.

Comparison of Ultrasound and Electrical Stimulation Guidance for Onabotulinum Toxin-A Injections: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Background: Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injection is an established therapy for limb spasticity and focal limb dystonia. Comparative benefits of injection guidance procedures have not been rigorously studied. Objectives: We compared 2 targeting techniques for onabotulinumtoxin-A (onabotA) injection for the treatment of focal hand dystonia and upper limb spasticity: electrophysiologic guidance using electrical stimulation (E-stim) and ultrasound (US). Methods: This was a 2-center, randomized, crossover, assessor-blinded trial. Participants with focal hand dystonia or upper limb spasticity, on stable onabotA therapy for at least 2 previous injection cycles, were randomly assigned to either E-stim or US with crossover at 3 months. The primary outcome was improvement in dystonia or spasticity severity on a visual analog scale (VAS; 0-100) measured 1 month after each injection. The secondary outcome was participant discomfort assessed on a VAS. Repeated-measures analysis of covariance was used with linear mixed-model covariate selection. Results: A total of 19 participants (13 men) completed the study, 10 with upper limb spasticity and 9 with dystonia. Benefit was equivalent between the 2 techniques (VAS least-square mean [LSmean] 51.5 mm with US and 53.1 with E-stim). E-stim was perceived as more uncomfortable by participants (VAS LSmean 34.5 vs. 19.9 for E-stim and US, respectively). Procedure duration was similar with the 2 procedures. There were no serious adverse events related to either approach. Conclusions: US and E-Stim localization guidance techniques provide equivalent efficacy in onabotA injections for spasticity and dystonia. US guidance injections are more comfortable for participants. Both techniques are effective guidance methods, with US potentially preferable based on participant comfort.

Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Larvicidal and Anticancer Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Extracts from Fruits of Lagerstroemia speciose and Flowers of Couroupita guianensis.

The present study aimed to analyze the in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, larvicidal and cytotoxicity properties of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using aqueous extracts from fruits of Lagerstroemia speciosa and flowers of Couropita guinensis. Synthesized Ag NPs were characterized using UV-DRS, FTIR, XRD, DLS, and High-Resolution SEM and TEM analyses. Absorption wavelength was observed at 386 nm by UV-DRS analysis and energy band gap was calculated as 3.24 eV. FTIR analysis showed the existence of various functional groups in the aqueous extract and in the NPs. DLS analysis showed the stability and particle size of the synthesized Ag NPs. SEM analysis revealed that Ag NPs are in a face centered cubic symmetry and spherical shape with a size of 23.9 nm. TEM analysis showed particle size as 29.90 nm. Ag NPs showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. DPPH scavenging trait of Ag NPs was ranging from 20.0 ± 0.2% to 62.4 ± 0.3% and observed significant larvicidal activity (LC50 at 0.742 ppm and LC90 at 6.061 ppm) against Culex quinquefasciatus. In vitro cytotoxicity activity of Ag NPs was also tested against human breast cancer (MCF-7) and fibroblast cells (L-929) and found that cells viabilities are ranging (500 to 25 µg/mL) from 52.5 ± 0.4 to 94.0 ± 0.7% and 53.6 ± 0.5 to 90.1 ± 0.8%, respectively. The synthesized Ag NPs have the potential to be used in the various biomedical applications.

Serum Fc-Mediated Monocyte Phagocytosis Activity Is Stable for Several Months after SARS-CoV-2 Asymptomatic and Mildly Symptomatic Infection.

We investigated the temporal profile of multiple components of the serological response after asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, in a cohort of 67 previously SARS-CoV-2 naive young adults, up to 8.5 months after infection. We found a significant decrease of spike IgG and neutralization antibody titers from early (11 to 56 days) to late (4 to 8.5 months) time points postinfection. Over the study period, S1-specific IgG levels declined significantly faster than that of the S2-specific IgG. Further, serum antibodies from PCR-confirmed participants cross-recognized S2, but not S1, of the betacoronaviruses HKU1 and OC43, suggesting a greater degree of cross-reactivity of S2 among betacoronaviruses. Antibody-Dependent Natural Killer cell Activation (ADNKA) was detected at the early time point but significantly decreased at the late time point. Induction of serum Antibody-Dependent Monocyte Phagocytosis (ADMP) was detected in all the infected participants, and its levels remained stable over time. Additionally, a reduced percentage of participants had detectable neutralizing activity against the Beta (50%), Gamma (61 to 67%), and Delta (90 to 94%) variants, both early and late postinfection, compared to the ancestral strain (100%). Antibody binding to S1 and RBD of Beta, Gamma, Delta (1.7 to 2.3-fold decrease), and Omicron (10 to 16-fold decrease) variants was also significantly reduced compared to the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain. Overall, we found variable temporal profiles of specific components and functionality of the serological response to SARS-CoV-2 in young adults, which is characterized by lasting, but decreased, neutralizing activity and antibody binding to S1, stable ADMP activity, and relatively stable S2-specific IgG levels. IMPORTANCE Adaptive immunity mediated by antibodies is important for controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. While vaccines against COVID-19 are currently widely distributed, a high proportion of the global population is still unvaccinated. Therefore, understanding the dynamics and maintenance of the naive humoral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is of great importance. In addition, long-term responses after asymptomatic infection are not well-characterized, given the challenges in identifying such cases. Here, we investigated the longitudinal humoral profile in a well-characterized cohort of young adults with documented asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. By analyzing samples collected preinfection, early after infection and during late convalescence, we found that, while neutralizing activity decreased over time, high levels of serum S2 IgG and Antibody-Dependent Monocyte Phagocytosis (ADMP) activity were maintained up to 8.5 months after infection. This suggests that a subset of antibodies with specific functions could contribute to long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2 in convalescent unvaccinated individuals.

Reline deep eutectic solvent mediated synthesis of lanthanum titanate for heavy metal remediation and photocatalytic degradation.

Toxic heavy metal and dye contamination are potential threats that mutilate the essential triad of life; air, water and soil. Despite commercial applicability and importance, the over accumulation of these noxious toxicants has become a disturbing concern. As a result, their remediation has drawn greater fascination leading to the inexplicable quest for a material which can act as both an adsorbent and as a photocatalyst. The present work highlights a novel solid-state technique assisted with reline (Choline chloride: Urea) deep eutectic solvent for the synthesis of lanthanum titanate. The synthesized material was established with physical characterizations like PXRD, FT-IR, UV-DRS, BET, XPS, HR-SEM and TEM techniques. Further, the ruptured petal-like lanthanum titanate was integrated as an adsorbent for the removal of lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) heavy metals. The adsorbent presented increased adsorption efficiencies of 96, 74 and 71% towards Pb, As and Cr respectively. Dependence of the degradation efficiency over concentration, pH, contact time and competitive environments were analyzed and inferred. Furthermore, lanthanum titanate was used for the photocatalytic degradation of reactive black (RB5), red (RR198) and yellow (RY145) dyes. The degradation efficiencies were found to be 68.31, 85.2 and 96.8% for RB5, RR198 and RY145 dyes respectively. Variation in concentration and pH of the dye solutions were examined and reaction kinetics was also proposed. In conclusion, the as synthesized lanthanum titanate is assured to play dual roles as a versatile cost-effective adsorbent for the remediation of heavy metals and as a potential candidate for photocatalytic degradation.

Polymicrobial anaerobic sepsis due to Bacteroides fragilis, Eggerthella lenta, Ruminoccocus gnavus, and Bilophila wadsworthia in a patient with myeloproliferative neoplasm.

We report a rare case of polymicrobial anaerobic bacteremia caused by four different gut anaerobes: Bacteroides fragilis, Eggerthella lenta, Bilophila wadsworthia, and Ruminococcus gnavus. Early initiation of appropriate therapy and species identification with matrix assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) resulted in full recovery from the infection. Our case highlights the clinical significance of polymicrobial cultures and the importance of performing anaerobic cultures for blood specimens to ensure proper identification and treatment.