Protein language models enable prediction of polyreactivity of monospecific, bispecific, and heavy-chain-only antibodies.

Background: Early assessment of antibody off-target binding is essential for mitigating developability risks such as fast clearance, reduced efficacy, toxicity, and immunogenicity. The baculovirus particle (BVP) binding assay has been widely utilized to evaluate polyreactivity of antibodies. As a complementary approach, computational prediction of polyreactivity is desirable for counter-screening antibodies from in silico discovery campaigns. However, there is a lack of such models. Methods: Herein, we present the development of an ensemble of three deep learning models based on two pan-protein foundational protein language models (ESM2 and ProtT5) and an antibody-specific protein language model (PLM) (Antiberty). These models were trained in a transfer learning network to predict the outcomes in the BVP assay and the bovine serum albumin binding assay, which was developed as a complement to the BVP assay. The training was conducted on a large dataset of antibody sequences augmented with experimental conditions, which were collected through a highly efficient application system. Results: The resulting models demonstrated robust performance on canonical mAbs (monospecific with heavy and light chain), bispecific Abs, and single-domain Fc (VHH-Fc). PLMs outperformed a model built using molecular descriptors calculated from AlphaFold 2 predicted structures. Embeddings from the antibody-specific and foundational PLMs resulted in similar performance. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this represents the first application of PLMs to predict assay data on bispecifics and VHH-Fcs.

Investigating Disparities by Sex and LGBTQ Identity: A Content Analysis of Sexual Health Information on College Student Health Center Websites.

Student Health Centers (SHCs) are important resources on U.S. college campuses. In light of recent calls for creating more opportunities for health care services to young men and sexual/gender minorities, this content analytic study evaluated how sexual health information and resources are communicated on SHC websites. Utilizing a stratified random sample of 400 U.S. colleges/universities, we assessed how often sexual health is explicitly labeled for particular groups, the types of sexual health topics on SHC websites, the depth of sexual health information, and the sexual health resources offered on SHC websites. Our findings revealed that women's health webpages far outnumbered men's health webpages, sexual health topics were more common on women's health webpages, and sexual health topics were covered at greater depth on women's health webpages compared to men's health webpages. Similar disparities were found for sexual/gender minorities. General sexual health webpages on SHC websites addressed significantly more sexual health topics in greater depth and offered more sexual health resources than LGBTQ health webpages. The practical implications for college student health and potential health disparities are discussed.

Communication and Control: Hearing the Voices of Low-Income African American Adults to Improve Relationships with Healthcare Providers.

Patient-provider relationships can either impede or encourage patient utilization of healthcare services and adherence to treatment. Given the significant health disparities found among low-income African Americans, it is imperative to understand this population's experiences with healthcare providers and how to improve their patient-provider relationships in order to increase successful treatment outcomes. Relationship management is a well-tested theory that examines factors that improve outcomes between organizations and their publics. This exploratory study uses relationship management theory to understand how African Americans who are medically underserved perceive the quality of their relationships with healthcare providers. Focus groups were held with low-income African American adults. Findings reveal that communication is key to improving trust, but other characteristics needed for a quality relationship were lacking, particularly perceived commitment, which impedes better healthcare. The low-income, medically underserved context influenced participant perceptions of factors such as commitment, but participants also expressed efficacy in feeling in control of healthcare situations, which may help them maintain quality relationships. This study offers theoretical elaboration as well as practical suggestions for how providers may wish to address an important population of patients through communication.

Man shall not live by bread alone: the role of perceived emotional support in low-income adults' health outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Adults with low income have limited access to valuable health resources thus presenting a major obstacle to improving their health. Although there are diverse health enhancement programs for low-income populations, relatively few focus on emotional support despite the positive impact of perceived emotional support on health. This study examines the interaction of perceived emotional support and income on the overall health status and psychological well-being of adults with low income. METHODS: Secondary data were collected from the Health Information National Trends Survey (Cycle 4). A total of 3677 respondents completed the survey, including 889 adults with low income, as determined by their eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Ordinary-least square hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to test main and interaction effects. RESULTS: Perceived emotional support moderated the relationship between SNAP eligibility and health outcomes. Lacking an emotional support network has greater detrimental effects on the overall health and psychological well-being of people with low income compared to similar persons with higher income. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the need for health programs that enhance access to emotional support for adults with low income.

"I'm Scared of the Disappointment": Young Adult Smokers' Relational Identity Gaps and Management Strategies as Sites of Communication Intervention.

While cigarette smoking is decreasing among young adults, rates of nicotine consumption through other devices, most notably electronic cigarettes, are on the rise. Framed by communication theory of identity, this study examines young adult smokers' experiences with relational others in regard to their smoking. Focus group discussions and individual interviews convened with 20 young adult cigarette and electronic cigarette smokers revealed identity gaps implicating the relational layer of identity, including personal-relational, enacted-relational, and personal-enacted-relational identity gaps. Participants used communicative and behavioral strategies to manage relational discrepancies. The documented identity gaps and management strategies present opportunities for targeted smoking cessation interventions that amplify dissonance created through identity gaps as a motivational tactic.

College Males' Enduring and Novel Health Beliefs about the HPV Vaccine.

College males represent an important and overlooked catch-up population in the pursuit of human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention. An in-depth understanding of college males' health beliefs about HPV and HPV prevention can guide the development of HPV health promotion messages targeted toward college males. We convened 9 focus groups among 84 college-aged males to discuss their perceptions of benefits and barriers toward HPV prevention 4 years after vaccine approval. Through participants' discourse, we identified health beliefs that continue to endure as barriers to HPV prevention (e.g., lack of knowledge/awareness, apathy, dismissiveness, stigma, practical barriers, and skepticism). Prevention and protection endure as perceived benefits to HPV prevention. We also identified novel college male health beliefs that have emerged since vaccine approval and hold great potential for the development of more effective health messaging. One novel barrier that emerged was the perception that it was "too late" for college males to benefit from the vaccine. Several novel benefits also emerged including a perception of wider social benefit beyond the self and partner, reduced worry and anticipated regret, and the belief that "there is no reason not to [vaccinate]." This study was guided by the health belief model (HBM) and implications are discussed.