RESUMEN
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations in major neutralizing antibody-binding sites can affect humoral immunity induced by infection or vaccination1-6. Here we analysed the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody and T cell responses in individuals who were previously infected (recovered) or uninfected (naive) and received mRNA vaccines to SARS-CoV-2. While individuals who were previously infected sustained higher antibody titres than individuals who were uninfected post-vaccination, the latter reached comparable levels of neutralization responses to the ancestral strain after the second vaccine dose. T cell activation markers measured upon spike or nucleocapsid peptide in vitro stimulation showed a progressive increase after vaccination. Comprehensive analysis of plasma neutralization using 16 authentic isolates of distinct locally circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants revealed a range of reduction in the neutralization capacity associated with specific mutations in the spike gene: lineages with E484K and N501Y/T (for example, B.1.351 and P.1) had the greatest reduction, followed by lineages with L452R (for example, B.1.617.2). While both groups retained neutralization capacity against all variants, plasma from individuals who were previously infected and vaccinated displayed overall better neutralization capacity than plasma from individuals who were uninfected and also received two vaccine doses, pointing to vaccine boosters as a relevant future strategy to alleviate the effect of emerging variants on antibody neutralizing activity.
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Anticuerpos Antivirales/inmunología , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/virología , SARS-CoV-2/inmunología , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Vacunas Sintéticas/inmunología , Vacunas de ARNm/inmunología , Vacuna nCoV-2019 mRNA-1273/inmunología , Adulto , Anciano , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes/inmunología , Vacuna BNT162/inmunología , Femenino , Personal de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Inmunidad Humoral , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mutación , Estudios Retrospectivos , SARS-CoV-2/clasificación , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/genética , Glicoproteína de la Espiga del Coronavirus/inmunologíaRESUMEN
COVID-19 manifests with a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes that are characterized by exaggerated and misdirected host immune responses1-6. Although pathological innate immune activation is well-documented in severe disease1, the effect of autoantibodies on disease progression is less well-defined. Here we use a high-throughput autoantibody discovery technique known as rapid extracellular antigen profiling7 to screen a cohort of 194 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, comprising 172 patients with COVID-19 and 22 healthcare workers with mild disease or asymptomatic infection, for autoantibodies against 2,770 extracellular and secreted proteins (members of the exoproteome). We found that patients with COVID-19 exhibit marked increases in autoantibody reactivities as compared to uninfected individuals, and show a high prevalence of autoantibodies against immunomodulatory proteins (including cytokines, chemokines, complement components and cell-surface proteins). We established that these autoantibodies perturb immune function and impair virological control by inhibiting immunoreceptor signalling and by altering peripheral immune cell composition, and found that mouse surrogates of these autoantibodies increase disease severity in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our analysis of autoantibodies against tissue-associated antigens revealed associations with specific clinical characteristics. Our findings suggest a pathological role for exoproteome-directed autoantibodies in COVID-19, with diverse effects on immune functionality and associations with clinical outcomes.
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Autoanticuerpos/análisis , Autoanticuerpos/inmunología , COVID-19/inmunología , COVID-19/metabolismo , Proteoma/inmunología , Proteoma/metabolismo , Animales , Antígenos de Superficie/inmunología , COVID-19/patología , COVID-19/fisiopatología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Proteínas del Sistema Complemento/inmunología , Citocinas/inmunología , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones , Especificidad de Órganos/inmunologíaRESUMEN
Recent studies have provided insights into the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)1-4. However, the longitudinal immunological correlates of disease outcome remain unclear. Here we serially analysed immune responses in 113 patients with moderate or severe COVID-19. Immune profiling revealed an overall increase in innate cell lineages, with a concomitant reduction in T cell number. An early elevation in cytokine levels was associated with worse disease outcomes. Following an early increase in cytokines, patients with moderate COVID-19 displayed a progressive reduction in type 1 (antiviral) and type 3 (antifungal) responses. By contrast, patients with severe COVID-19 maintained these elevated responses throughout the course of the disease. Moreover, severe COVID-19 was accompanied by an increase in multiple type 2 (anti-helminths) effectors, including interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-13, immunoglobulin E and eosinophils. Unsupervised clustering analysis identified four immune signatures, representing growth factors (A), type-2/3 cytokines (B), mixed type-1/2/3 cytokines (C), and chemokines (D) that correlated with three distinct disease trajectories. The immune profiles of patients who recovered from moderate COVID-19 were enriched in tissue reparative growth factor signature A, whereas the profiles of those with who developed severe disease had elevated levels of all four signatures. Thus, we have identified a maladapted immune response profile associated with severe COVID-19 and poor clinical outcome, as well as early immune signatures that correlate with divergent disease trajectories.
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Infecciones por Coronavirus/inmunología , Infecciones por Coronavirus/fisiopatología , Citocinas/análisis , Neumonía Viral/inmunología , Neumonía Viral/fisiopatología , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , COVID-19 , Análisis por Conglomerados , Citocinas/inmunología , Eosinófilos/inmunología , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina E/análisis , Inmunoglobulina E/inmunología , Interleucina-13/análisis , Interleucina-13/inmunología , Interleucina-5/análisis , Interleucina-5/inmunología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pandemias , Linfocitos T/citología , Linfocitos T/inmunología , Carga Viral , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccination on pregnancy and fertility has become a major topic of public interest. We investigated 2 of the most widely propagated claims to determine (1) whether COVID-19 mRNA vaccination of mice during early pregnancy is associated with an increased incidence of birth defects or growth abnormalities; and (2) whether COVID-19 mRNA-vaccinated human volunteers exhibit elevated levels of antibodies to the human placental protein syncytin-1. Using a mouse model, we found that intramuscular COVID-19 mRNA vaccination during early pregnancy at gestational age E7.5 did not lead to differences in fetal size by crown-rump length or weight at term, nor did we observe any gross birth defects. In contrast, injection of the TLR3 agonist and double-stranded RNA mimic polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, or poly(I:C), impacted growth in utero leading to reduced fetal size. No overt maternal illness following either vaccination or poly(I:C) exposure was observed. We also found that term fetuses from these murine pregnancies vaccinated prior to the formation of the definitive placenta exhibit high circulating levels of anti-spike and anti-receptor-binding domain (anti-RBD) antibodies to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) consistent with maternal antibody status, indicating transplacental transfer in the later stages of pregnancy after early immunization. Finally, we did not detect increased levels of circulating anti-syncytin-1 antibodies in a cohort of COVID-19 vaccinated adults compared to unvaccinated adults by ELISA. Our findings contradict popular claims associating COVID-19 mRNA vaccination with infertility and adverse neonatal outcomes.
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COVID-19 , Animales , Anticuerpos Antivirales , COVID-19/prevención & control , Femenino , Feto , Productos del Gen env , Humanos , Ratones , Placenta/metabolismo , Embarazo , Proteínas Gestacionales , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , SARS-CoV-2 , VacunaciónRESUMEN
STAU2 is a double-stranded RNA-binding protein enriched in the nervous system. During asymmetric divisions in the developing mouse cortex, STAU2 preferentially distributes into the intermediate progenitor cell (IPC), delivering RNA molecules that can impact IPC behavior. Corticogenesis occurs on a precise time schedule, raising the hypothesis that the cargo STAU2 delivers into IPCs changes over time. To test this, we combine RNA-immunoprecipitation with sequencing (RIP-seq) over four stages of mouse cortical development, generating a comprehensive cargo profile for STAU2. A subset of the cargo was 'stable', present at all stages, and involved in chromosome organization, macromolecule localization, translation and DNA repair. Another subset was 'dynamic', changing with cortical stage, and involved in neurogenesis, cell projection organization, neurite outgrowth, and included cortical layer markers. Notably, the dynamic STAU2 cargo included determinants of IPC versus neuronal fates and genes contributing to abnormal corticogenesis. Knockdown of one STAU2 target, Taf13, previously linked to microcephaly and impaired myelination, reduced oligodendrogenesis in vitro. We conclude that STAU2 contributes to the timing of corticogenesis by binding and delivering complex and temporally regulated RNA cargo into IPCs.
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Corteza Cerebral/metabolismo , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/metabolismo , Proteínas de Unión al ARN/metabolismo , ARN/metabolismo , Células Madre/metabolismo , Animales , Células Cultivadas , Reparación del ADN/fisiología , Femenino , Inmunoprecipitación/métodos , Masculino , Ratones , Neurogénesis/fisiología , Neuronas/metabolismo , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Over the last century, outbreaks and pandemics have occurred with disturbing regularity, necessitating advance preparation and large-scale, coordinated response. Here, we developed a machine learning predictive model of disease severity and length of hospitalization for COVID-19, which can be utilized as a platform for future unknown viral outbreaks. We combined untargeted metabolomics on plasma data obtained from COVID-19 patients (n = 111) during hospitalization and healthy controls (n = 342), clinical and comorbidity data (n = 508) to build this patient triage platform, which consists of three parts: (i) the clinical decision tree, which amongst other biomarkers showed that patients with increased eosinophils have worse disease prognosis and can serve as a new potential biomarker with high accuracy (AUC = 0.974), (ii) the estimation of patient hospitalization length with ± 5 days error (R2 = 0.9765) and (iii) the prediction of the disease severity and the need of patient transfer to the intensive care unit. We report a significant decrease in serotonin levels in patients who needed positive airway pressure oxygen and/or were intubated. Furthermore, 5-hydroxy tryptophan, allantoin, and glucuronic acid metabolites were increased in COVID-19 patients and collectively they can serve as biomarkers to predict disease progression. The ability to quickly identify which patients will develop life-threatening illness would allow the efficient allocation of medical resources and implementation of the most effective medical interventions. We would advocate that the same approach could be utilized in future viral outbreaks to help hospitals triage patients more effectively and improve patient outcomes while optimizing healthcare resources.
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COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiología , Triaje , Alantoína , Brotes de Enfermedades , Aprendizaje AutomáticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In Canada, disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples continue to exist in health and education because of the past and current harms of racism and colonization. One step towards closing health gaps is clinicians who can provide health and social care services that are free of racism and mistrust. Indigenous health providers are in the best position to provide this culturally relevant and safe care to their own communities. Therefore, more Indigenous students graduating from health professional programs are required to meet these needs. Indigenous identity support can be a facilitator for Indigenous student academic success but developing one's Indigenous identity can be challenging in post-secondary education environments. We explored how Indigenous rehabilitation students expressed, and wanted to be supported in their identity and academic success. METHODS: Using a narrative inquiry approach, we conducted interviews with seven students from the occupational, physical, and respiratory therapy programs of a Canadian university. Students were asked to tell their story of learning about, applying to, and being in their rehabilitation program and how their Indigenous identity impacted these experiences. Data analysis was conducted by Indigenous and non-Indigenous team members, analyzing the stories on interaction of the participant with (1) themselves and others, (2) time, and (3) situation or place. RESULTS: The researchers developed seven mini-stories, one for each participant, to illustrate the variation between participant experiences in the development of their Indigenous and professional identity, before and during their rehabilitation program. The students appreciated the opportunities afforded to them by being admitted to their programs in a Indigenous Peoples category, including identity affirmation. However, for most students, being in this category came with feared and/or experienced stigma. The work to develop a health professional identity brought even more complexity to the already complex work of developing and maintaining an Indigenous identity in the colonized university environment. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the complexity of developing a rehabilitation professional identity as an Indigenous student. The participant stories call for universities to transform into an environment where Indigenous students can be fully accepted for their unique gifts and the identities given to them at birth.
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Identificación Social , Humanos , Canadá , Femenino , Masculino , Diversidad Cultural , Servicios de Salud del Indígena/organización & administración , Estudiantes del Área de la Salud/psicología , Investigación CualitativaRESUMEN
We analyzed feasibility of pooling saliva samples for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing and found that sensitivity decreased according to pool size: 5 samples/pool, 7.4% reduction; 10 samples/pool, 11.1%; and 20 samples/pool, 14.8%. When virus prevalence is >2.6%, pools of 5 require fewer tests; when <0.6%, pools of 20 support screening strategies.
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Prueba de Ácido Nucleico para COVID-19/métodos , COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2/aislamiento & purificación , Saliva/virología , Manejo de Especímenes/métodos , COVID-19/diagnóstico , COVID-19/epidemiología , Creación de Capacidad/métodos , Asignación de Recursos para la Atención de Salud , Humanos , Límite de Detección , Asignación de Recursos/métodos , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The expense of saliva collection devices designed to stabilize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA is prohibitive to mass testing. However, virus RNA in nonsupplemented saliva is stable for extended periods and at elevated temperatures. Simple plastic tubes for saliva collection will make large-scale testing and continued surveillance easier.
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Prueba de Ácido Nucleico para COVID-19/métodos , COVID-19 , ARN Viral , SARS-CoV-2 , Saliva/virología , COVID-19/diagnóstico , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/virología , Creación de Capacidad/métodos , Humanos , Estabilidad del ARN , ARN Viral/aislamiento & purificación , ARN Viral/fisiología , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Asignación de Recursos , SARS-CoV-2/genética , SARS-CoV-2/aislamiento & purificación , Manejo de Especímenes/economía , Manejo de Especímenes/instrumentación , Manejo de Especímenes/métodosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the demographic and clinical features of pediatric severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) syndromes and identify admission variables predictive of disease severity. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, and prospective study of pediatric patients hospitalized with acute SARS-CoV-2 infections and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) at 8 sites in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. RESULTS: We identified 281 hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infections and divided them into 3 groups based on clinical features. Overall, 143 (51%) had respiratory disease, 69 (25%) had MIS-C, and 69 (25%) had other manifestations including gastrointestinal illness or fever. Patients with MIS-C were more likely to identify as non-Hispanic black compared with patients with respiratory disease (35% vs 18%, P = .02). Seven patients (2%) died and 114 (41%) were admitted to the intensive care unit. In multivariable analyses, obesity (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.26-9.10, P = .02) and hypoxia on admission (OR 4.01; 95% CI 1.14-14.15; P = .03) were predictive of severe respiratory disease. Lower absolute lymphocyte count (OR 8.33 per unit decrease in 109 cells/L, 95% CI 2.32-33.33, P = .001) and greater C-reactive protein (OR 1.06 per unit increase in mg/dL, 95% CI 1.01-1.12, P = .017) were predictive of severe MIS-C. Race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status were not predictive of disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: We identified variables at the time of hospitalization that may help predict the development of severe SARS-CoV-2 disease manifestations in children and youth. These variables may have implications for future prognostic tools that inform hospital admission and clinical management.
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COVID-19/epidemiología , Hospitalización , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Síndrome de Respuesta Inflamatoria Sistémica/epidemiología , Adolescente , Biomarcadores/análisis , Proteína C-Reactiva/análisis , COVID-19/sangre , Niño , Preescolar , Connecticut/epidemiología , Femenino , Humanos , Hipoxia/epidemiología , Lactante , Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos , Recuento de Linfocitos , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , New Jersey/epidemiología , New York/epidemiología , Obesidad Infantil/epidemiología , Polipéptido alfa Relacionado con Calcitonina/sangre , Estudios Prospectivos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Síndrome de Respuesta Inflamatoria Sistémica/sangre , Troponina/sangre , Adulto JovenAsunto(s)
Betacoronavirus/aislamiento & purificación , Infecciones por Coronavirus/diagnóstico , Nasofaringe/virología , Neumonía Viral/diagnóstico , Saliva/virología , COVID-19 , Prueba de COVID-19 , Técnicas de Laboratorio Clínico , Humanos , Pandemias , SARS-CoV-2 , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Manejo de Especímenes , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
Compositional and structural patterns play a crucial role in the function of many biological tissues. In the present work, for nanofibrillar hydrogels formed by chemically cross-linked cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and gelatin, we report a microextrusion-based 3D printing method to generate structurally anisotropic hydrogel sheets with CNCs aligned in the direction of extrusion. We prepared hydrogels with a uniform composition, as well as hydrogels with two different types of compositional gradients. In the first type of gradient hydrogel, the composition of the sheet varied parallel to the direction of CNC alignment. In the second hydrogel type, the composition of the sheet changed orthogonally to the direction of CNC alignment. The hydrogels exhibited gradients in structure, mechanical properties, and permeability, all governed by the compositional patterns, as well as cytocompatibility. These hydrogels have promising applications for both fundamental research and for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
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Celulosa/química , Hidrogel de Polietilenoglicol-Dimetacrilato/química , Nanofibras/química , Ingeniería de Tejidos , Anisotropía , Celulosa/síntesis química , Gelatina/química , Humanos , Hidrogel de Polietilenoglicol-Dimetacrilato/síntesis química , Nanopartículas/química , Medicina RegenerativaRESUMEN
The early stages of ovarian folliculogenesis generally progress independent of gonadotropins, whereas later stages require signaling initiated by FSH. In Siberian hamsters, cycles of folliculogenesis are mediated by changes in photoperiod which depress the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis. Reduced gonadotropins lead to decreases in mature follicle development and ovulation; however, early stages of folliculogenesis have not been explored in regressed ovaries. We hypothesized that intraovarian factors that contribute predominantly to later stages of folliculogenesis would react to changes in photoperiod, whereas factors contributing to earlier stages would not change. To probe if the early stages of folliculogenesis continue in the photoinhibited ovary while late stages decline, we measured the mRNA abundance of factors that interact with FSH signaling (Fshr, Igf1, Cox2) and factors that can function independently of FSH (c-Kit, Kitl, Foxo3, Figla, Nobox, Sohlh1, Lhx8). While plasma FSH, antral follicles, and corpora lutea numbers declined with exposure to inhibitory photoperiod, the numbers of primordial, primary, and secondary follicles did not change. Expression of factors that interact with FSH signaling changed with changes in photoperiod; however, expression of factors that do not interact with FSH were not significantly altered. These results suggest that the photoinhibited ovary is not completely quiescent, as factors important for follicle selection and early follicle growth are still expressed in regressed ovaries. Instead, the lack of gonadotropin support that characterizes the non-breeding season appears to inhibit only final stages of folliculogenesis in Siberian hamsters.
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Anovulación/genética , Hormona Folículo Estimulante/metabolismo , Folículo Ovárico/fisiología , Ovulación/genética , Fotoperiodo , Transcriptoma , Animales , Anovulación/metabolismo , Cricetinae , Femenino , Hormona Folículo Estimulante/genética , Perfilación de la Expresión Génica , Gonadotropinas/genética , Gonadotropinas/metabolismo , Luz , Folículo Ovárico/metabolismo , Folículo Ovárico/efectos de la radiación , Ovario/metabolismo , Ovario/efectos de la radiación , Ovulación/efectos de la radiación , Phodopus , ARN Mensajero/genética , Receptores de HFE/genética , Receptores de HFE/metabolismo , Estaciones del Año , Transducción de Señal/genética , Transducción de Señal/efectos de la radiación , Factores de Tiempo , Transcriptoma/efectos de la radiaciónRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the comparative epidemiology of hospital-onset bloodstream infection (HOBSI) and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective observational study of HOBSI and CLABSI across a three-hospital healthcare system from 01/01/2017 to 12/31/2021. METHODS: HOBSIs were identified as any non-commensal positive blood culture event on or after hospital day 3. CLABSIs were identified based on National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) criteria. We performed a time-series analysis to assess comparative temporal trends among HOBSI and CLABSI incidence. Using univariable and multivariable regression analyses, we compared demographics, risk factors, and outcomes between non-CLABSI HOBSI and CLABSI, as HOBSI and CLABSI are not exclusive entities. RESULTS: HOBSI incidence increased over the study period (IRR 1.006 HOBSI/1,000 patient days; 95% CI 1.001-1.012; P = .03), while no change in CLABSI incidence was observed (IRR .997 CLABSIs/1,000 central line days, 95% CI .992-1.002, P = .22). Differing demographic, microbiologic, and risk factor profiles were observed between CLABSIs and non-CLABSI HOBSIs. Multivariable analysis found lower odds of mortality among patients with CLABSIs when adjusted for covariates that approximate severity of illness (OR .27; 95% CI .11-.64; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: HOBSI incidence increased over the study period without a concurrent increase in CLABSI in our study population. Furthermore, risk factor and outcome profiles varied between CLABSI and non-CLABSI HOBSI, which suggest that these metrics differ in important ways worth considering if HOBSI is adopted as a quality metric.
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Cell type-specific alternative splicing (AS) enables differential gene isoform expression between diverse neuron types with distinct identities and functions. Current studies linking individual RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to AS in a few neuron types underscore the need for holistic modeling. Here, we use network reverse engineering to derive a map of the neuron type-specific AS regulatory landscape from 133 mouse neocortical cell types defined by single-cell transcriptomes. This approach reliably inferred the regulons of 350 RBPs and their cell type-specific activities. Our analysis revealed driving factors delineating neuronal identities, among which we validated Elavl2 as a key RBP for MGE-specific splicing in GABAergic interneurons using an in vitro ESC differentiation system. We also identified a module of exons and candidate regulators specific for long- and short-projection neurons across multiple neuronal classes. This study provides a resource for elucidating splicing regulatory programs that drive neuronal molecular diversity, including those that do not align with gene expression-based classifications.
RESUMEN
Centrins are calcium binding proteins that belong to the EF-hand superfamily with diverse biological functions. Herein we present the first systematic study that establishes the relative stability of related centrins via complementary biophysical techniques. Our results define the stepwise molecular behavior of human centrins by two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) correlation spectroscopy, the change in heat capacity and enthalpy of denaturation by differential scanning calorimetry, and the relative stability of the helical regions of centrins by circular dichroism. More importantly, 2D IR correlation spectroscopy provides unique information about the similarities and differences in dynamics between these related proteins. The thermally induced molecular behavior of human centrins can be used to predict biological target interactions that have a relative dependence on calcium affinity. This information is essential for understanding why certain isoforms may be used to rescue a phenotype and therefore also for explaining the different functions these proteins may have in vivo. Furthermore, this comparative approach can be applied to the study of recombinant therapeutic protein candidates for the treatment of disease states.
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Proteínas de Unión al Calcio/química , Calcio/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/química , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Sitios de Unión , Proteínas de Unión al Calcio/metabolismo , Rastreo Diferencial de Calorimetría , Proteínas de Ciclo Celular/metabolismo , Dicroismo Circular , Humanos , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Conformación Proteica , Desnaturalización Proteica , Espectroscopía Infrarroja por Transformada de Fourier , Análisis Espectral/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening testing is a recommended mitigation strategy for schools, although few descriptions of program implementation are available. METHODS: Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students and staff practicing universal masking during the delta and omicron variant waves from five schools in Durham, North Carolina and eight schools in Kansas City, Missouri participated; Durham's program was structured as a public health initiative facilitated by school staff, and Kansas City's as a research study facilitated by a research team. Tests included school-based rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction testing, at-home rapid antigen testing, and off-site nucleic acid amplification testing. RESULTS: We performed nearly 5700 screening tests on more than 1600 K-12 school students and staff members. The total cost for the Durham testing program in 5 public charter K-12 schools, each with 500-1000 students, was $246 587 and approximately 752 h per semester; cost per test was $70 and cost per positive result was $7076. The total cost for the Kansas City program in eight public K-12 schools was $292 591 and required approximately 537 h in personnel time for school-based testing; cost per test was $132 and cost per positive result was $4818. SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were generally lower (0-16.16%) than rates in the community (2.7-36.47%) throughout all testing weeks. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Voluntary screening testing programs in K-12 schools are costly and rarely detect asymptomatic positive persons, particularly in universally masked settings. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04831866.
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COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humanos , Instituciones Académicas , EscolaridadRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Overlapping surgery, in which one attending surgeon manages two overlapping operating rooms (ORs) and is present for all the critical portions of each procedure, is an important policy that improves healthcare access for patients and case volumes for surgeons and surgical trainees. Despite several studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of overlapping neurosurgical operations, the practice of overlapping surgery remains controversial. To date, there are no studies that have investigated long-term complication rates of overlapping functional and stereotactic neurosurgical procedures. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the 1-year complication rates and OR times for nonoverlapping versus overlapping functional procedures. The secondary objective was to gain insight into what types of complications are the most prevalent and test for differences between groups. METHODS: Seven hundred eighty-three functional neurosurgical cases were divided into two cohorts, nonoverlapping (n = 342) and overlapping (n = 441). The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scale score was used to compare the preoperative risk for both cohorts. A complication was defined as any surgically related reason that required readmission, reoperation, or an unplanned emergency department or clinic visit that required intervention. Complications were subdivided into infectious and noninfectious. Chi-square tests, independent-samples t-tests, and uni- and multivariable logistic regressions were used to determine significance. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in mean ASA scale score (2.7 ± 0.6 for both groups, p = 0.997) or overall complication rates (8.8% nonoverlapping vs 9.8% overlapping, p = 0.641) between the two cohorts. Infections accounted for the highest percentage of complications in both cohorts (46.6% vs 41.8%, p = 0.686). There were no statistically significant differences between mean in-room OR time (187.5 ± 141.7 minutes vs 197.1 ± 153.0 minutes, p = 0.373) or mean open-to-close time (112.2 ± 107.9 minutes vs 121.0 ± 123.1 minutes, p = 0.300) between nonoverlapping and overlapping cases. CONCLUSIONS: There was no increased risk of 1-year complications or increased OR time for overlapping functional and stereotactic neurosurgical procedures compared with nonoverlapping procedures.
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Procedimientos Ortopédicos , Complicaciones Posoperatorias , Humanos , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/epidemiología , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/etiología , Estudios Retrospectivos , Procedimientos Neuroquirúrgicos/efectos adversos , Procedimientos Neuroquirúrgicos/métodos , Reoperación/efectos adversos , Procedimientos Ortopédicos/efectos adversosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is prevalent in most NICUs, with a high rate of skin colonization and subsequent invasive infections among hospitalized neonates. The effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce MRSA infection in the NICU during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has not been characterized. METHODS: Using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement, we implemented several process-based infection prevention strategies to reduce invasive MRSA infections at our level IV NICU over 24 months. The outcome measure of invasive MRSA infections was tracked monthly utilizing control charts. Process measures focused on environmental disinfection and hospital personnel hygiene were also tracked monthly. The COVID-19 pandemic was an unexpected variable during the implementation of our project. The pandemic led to restricted visitation and heightened staff awareness of the importance of hand hygiene and proper use of personal protective equipment, as well as supply chain shortages, which may have influenced our outcome measure. RESULTS: Invasive MRSA infections were reduced from 0.131 to 0 per 1000 patient days during the initiative. This positive shift was sustained for 30 months, along with a delayed decrease in MRSA colonization rates. Several policy and practice changes regarding personnel hygiene and environmental cleaning likely contributed to this reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative aimed at infection prevention strategies led to a significant decrease in invasive MRSA infections in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Infección Hospitalaria , Staphylococcus aureus Resistente a Meticilina , Infecciones Estafilocócicas , Recién Nacido , Humanos , Infección Hospitalaria/prevención & control , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Unidades de Cuidado Intensivo Neonatal , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/epidemiología , Infecciones Estafilocócicas/prevención & control , Pandemias/prevención & control , Control de Infecciones , COVID-19/prevención & controlRESUMEN
mRNA-based vaccines dramatically reduce the occurrence and severity of COVID-19, but are associated with rare vaccine-related adverse effects. These toxicities, coupled with observations that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with autoantibody development, raise questions whether COVID-19 vaccines may also promote the development of autoantibodies, particularly in autoimmune patients. Here we used Rapid Extracellular Antigen Profiling to characterize self- and viral-directed humoral responses after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in 145 healthy individuals, 38 patients with autoimmune diseases, and 8 patients with mRNA vaccine-associated myocarditis. We confirm that most individuals generated robust virus-specific antibody responses post vaccination, but that the quality of this response is impaired in autoimmune patients on certain modes of immunosuppression. Autoantibody dynamics are remarkably stable in all vaccinated patients compared to COVID-19 patients that exhibit an increased prevalence of new autoantibody reactivities. Patients with vaccine-associated myocarditis do not have increased autoantibody reactivities relative to controls. In summary, our findings indicate that mRNA vaccines decouple SARS-CoV-2 immunity from autoantibody responses observed during acute COVID-19.