Hepatitis A Exposure Response and Outbreak Prevention in a Large Urban Jail - Los Angeles County, California, May-July 2023.

Correctional settings provide a high-risk environment for hepatitis A transmission because of the high proportion of homelessness and injection drug use among persons who are incarcerated. On May 30, 2023, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health informed the Communicable Disease Surveillance and Control (CDSC) unit of the Los Angeles County Jail system that a symptomatic incarcerated person had received a positive test result for acute hepatitis A. Upon learning the next day that the patient was a food handler, CDSC staff members identified 5,830 potential contacts of the index patient, 1,702 of whom had been released from the jail. During June 1-12, a total of 2,766 contacts who did not have a documented history of hepatitis A serology or vaccination that could be confirmed from the electronic health record or state immunization registry were identified. These persons were offered hepatitis A vaccination as postexposure prophylaxis; 1,510 (54.6%) accepted vaccination. Contacts who were food handlers without confirmed evidence of immunity and who declined vaccination were removed from food-handling duties for the duration of their potential incubation period. No additional cases were identified. Identifying contacts promptly and using immunization and serology records to ensure rapid delivery of postexposure prophylactic vaccine can help prevent hepatitis A transmission during exposures among incarcerated populations.

PDGF receptor signal mediates the contribution of Nestin-positive cell lineage to subcutaneous fat development.

The beiging of white adipose tissue (WAT) is expected to improve systemic metabolic conditions; however, the regulation and developmental origin of this process remain insufficiently understood. In the present study, the implication of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) was examined in the beiging of inguinal WAT (ingWAT) of neonatal mice. Using in vivo Nestin expressing cell (Nestin+) lineage tracing and deletion mouse models, we found that, in the mice with Pdgfra gene inactivation in Nestin+ lineage (N-PRα-KO mice), the growth of inguinal WAT (ingWAT) was suppressed during neonatal periods as compared with control wild-type mice. In the ingWAT of N-PRα-KO mice, the beige adipocytes appeared earlier that were accompanied by the increased expressions of both adipogenic and beiging markers compared to control wild-type mice. In the perivascular adipocyte progenitor cell (APC) niche of ingWAT, many PDGFRα+ cells of Nestin+ lineage were recruited in Pdgfra-preserving control mice, but were largely decreased in N-PRα-KO mice. This PDGFRα+ cell depletion was replenished by PDGFRα+ cells of non-Nestin+ lineage, unexpectedly resulting in an increase of total PDGFRα+ cell number in APC niche of N-PRα-KO mice over that of control mice. These represented a potent homeostatic control of PDGFRα+ cells between Nestin+ and non-Nestin+ lineages that was accompanied by the active adipogenesis and beiging as well as small WAT depot. This highly plastic nature of PDGFRα+ cells in APC niche may contribute to the WAT remodeling for the therapeutic purpose against metabolic diseases.

Characterizing predictors of COVID-19 vaccine refusal in an urban southern California jail population.

BACKGROUND: Correctional populations have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and many large outbreaks have occurred in jails and prisons. Vaccination is a key strategy to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in carceral settings. Although implementation can be challenging due to vaccine hesitancy and medical mistrust, correctional settings provide largely equitable healthcare access and present a unique opportunity to identify potential predictors of vaccine hesitancy independent of access issues. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed electronic health record data for individuals offered COVID-19 vaccination at the Los Angeles County Jail between January 19, 2021, and January 31, 2023, and used multivariable logistic regression to determine predictors of COVID-19 vaccine refusal. RESULTS: Of the 21,424 individuals offered COVID-19 vaccination, 2,060 (9.6 %) refused. Refusal was associated with male sex ([aOR] = 2.3, 95 % CI (1.9, 2.8)), age 18-34 ([aOR] = 1.2, 95 % CI (1.1, 1.4), referent group: age 45-54), Black race ([aOR] = 1.2, 95 % CI (1.1, 1.4)), reporting ever being houseless ([aOR] = 1.2, 95 % CI (1.1, 1.3)), and having a history of not receiving influenza vaccination while incarcerated ([aOR] = 2.4, 95 % CI (2.0, 2.8)). When analyzing male and female populations separately, male-specific trends reflected those seen in the overall population, whereas the only significant predictor of vaccine refusal in the female population was not receiving influenza vaccination while in custody ([aOR] = 6.5, 95 % CI (2.4, 17.6)). CONCLUSION: Identifying predictors of vaccine refusal in correctional populations is an essential first step in the development and implementation of targeted interventions to mitigate vaccine hesitancy.

Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in Drug Discovery for Gastric Cancer: Current Applications and Future Perspectives.

Gastric cancer (GC) represents a significant global health burden, ranking as the fifth most common malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Despite recent advancements in GC treatment, the five-year survival rate for advanced-stage GC patients remains low. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify novel drug targets and develop effective therapies. However, traditional drug discovery approaches are associated with high costs, time-consuming processes, and a high failure rate, posing challenges in meeting this critical need. In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and big data in drug discovery, particularly in cancer research. AI has the potential to improve the drug discovery process by analyzing vast and complex datasets from multiple sources, enabling the prediction of compound efficacy and toxicity, as well as the optimization of drug candidates. This review provides an overview of the latest AI algorithms and big data employed in drug discovery for GC. Additionally, we examine the various applications of AI in this field, with a specific focus on therapeutic discovery. Moreover, we discuss the challenges, limitations, and prospects of emerging AI methods, which hold significant promise for advancing GC research in the future.

Four novel mutations in the androgen receptor gene from Vietnamese patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Androgens and androgen receptor (AR) are critical regulators of the masculinization process in male sexual development. The absence of a functioning AR results in the development of the androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS), a rare disorder of sexual development (DSD) characterized by the external genitalia feminization, gynecomastia, and impaired spermatogenesis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the AR gene mutations associated with male DSD in four unrelated Vietnamese patients. METHODS: To detect the disease-causing mutations, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on four patients diagnosed with AIS. Sanger sequencing was then used for validation of the identified mutations. Finally, 12 web-based tools, three-dimensional protein modeling software, and the guidelines issued by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics were used to assess the potential pathogenicity of these mutations. RESULTS: Four distinct novel mutations, namely c.1834T > A (p.Cys612Ser), c.2122 C > G (p.Leu708Val), c.2630T > G (p.Phe877Cys), and c.2641 C > A (p.Leu881Met) in the AR gene, were identified in four AIS patients using WES. The in silico analysis results revealed that the Cys612, Leu708, Phe877, and Leu881 sites are important for an appropriate response to androgens of the AR, and mutation at these sites can have adverse effects on the AR functions, androgen-AR interaction, and AR signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: WES and in silico analyses strongly suggested that four novel AR mutations are pathogenic and have led to the development of AIS in the four Vietnamese patients under consideration.

Implementation of a COVID-19 Infection Control Plan in a Large Urban Jail System.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, the number of people confined in correctional facilities on a single day numbered 1.8 million. Incarcerated people are at an increased risk of contracting and spreading SARS-CoV-2. Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on case recognition, management, isolation, and contact tracing are particularly challenging in jails because of the high turnover of incarcerated people. Beginning in late February 2020, the Department of Correctional Health Services in the Los Angeles County Jail system implemented a multipronged COVID-19 mitigation plan that was progressively amended in accordance with local and national recommendations. This plan entailed the creation of housing for people under investigation, SARS-CoV-2 screening upon entry, a mass-testing program, and identification and monitoring of medically vulnerable people. After the identification of the first laboratory-confirmed case on March 29, 2020, predictive models were generated to visualize potential disease spread and gain support for mitigation strategy planning, which forecasted approximately 3300-4600 cumulative cases during a 278-day period. From March 7 through December 31, 2020, the percentage positivity among unique people tested for SARS-CoV-2 was 11.6% (3933 of 33 921 tested). Among those screened at intake, the percentage positivity was 2.0% (502 of 25 702 tested). The ethnic distribution among people with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result was largely representative of the overall jail population, and most people were asymptomatic. A sustainable, multifaceted mitigation plan that relies on collaboration among medical, custodial, and local public health personnel is essential for limiting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in correctional facilities.

Infection of burn wound by Aspergillus fumigatus with gross appearance of fungal colonies.

The morbidity of invasive aspergillosis in burn patients is low but the diagnosis is difficult and the mortality rate is high. A severe burned patient at the Vietnam National Institute of Burn was suspected of fungal wound infection (FWI) with fungal growth on the wound. The diagnosis of FWI caused by Aspergillus fumigatus was made by isolation and histological examination. This may be the first reported case of FWI caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in Vietnam.

Carbonate-containing apatite (CAP) synthesis under moderate conditions starting from calcium carbonate and orthophosphoric acid.

The synthesis of carbonate-containing apatite (CAP) from calcium carbonate and orthophosphoric acid under moderate conditions was investigated. In all cases, complete precipitation of orthophosphate species was observed. The reaction temperature influenced strongly the decomposition of calcium carbonate and therefore the composition of formed products. The reaction temperature of 80 °C was found to be effective for the complete decomposition of calcium carbonate particles after 48 h of reaction. Infra-red spectroscopy (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), thermogravimetry/mass spectroscopy (TG-MS) coupling, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations allowed the identification of the composition of formed products. By increasing the reaction temperature from 20 °C to 80 °C, the content of A-type CAP increased and that of B-type CAP decreased, according to the favorable effect of temperature on the formation of A-type CAP. The total amount of carbonate content incorporated in CAP's structure, which was determined by TG-MS analysis, increased with the reaction temperature and reached up to 4.1% at 80 °C. At this temperature, the solid product was mainly composed of apatitic components and showed the typical flat-needle-like structure of CAP particles obtained in hydrothermal conditions. These results show an interesting one-step synthesis of CAP from calcium carbonate and orthophosphoric acid as low cost but high purity starting materials.