Scanning tunnelling miscroscopy/spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies of Co adatoms and anoislands on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

In this paper, the scanning tunneling microscopy, scanning tunneling spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy of cobalt adatoms and nanoislands were studied on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Local electronic structure were observed by STS.\ud \u

RNA expression of breast cancer resistance protein, lung resistance-related protein, multidrug resistance-associated proteins 1 and 2, and multidrug resistance gene 1 in breast cancer: correlation with chemotherapeutic response

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether expression of particular drug resistance genes in primary operable breast cancer correlates with response to first-line chemotherapy in advanced disease. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We determined mRNA levels of BCRP, LRP, MRP1, MRP2, and MDR1 in 59 primary breast tumor specimens of patients who

New primers for promising single-copy genes in fungal phylogenetics and systematics

Developing powerful phylogenetic markers is a key concern in fungal phylogenetics. Here we report degenerate primers that amplify the single-copy genes Mcm7 (MS456) and Tsr1 (MS277) across a wide range of Pezizomycotina (Ascomycota). Phylogenetic analyses of 59 taxa belonging to the Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes, Leotiomycetes, Lichinomycetes and Sordariomycetes, indicate the utility of these loci for fungal phylogenetics at taxonomic levels ranging from genus to class. We also tested the new primers in silico using sequences of Saccharomycotina, Taphrinomycotina and Basidiomycota to predict their potential of amplifying widely across the Fungi. The analyses suggest that the new primers will need no, or only minor sequence modifications to amplify Saccharomycotina, Taphrinomycotina and Basidiomycota

A Prospective Study of Key Correlates for Household Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

Background: Randomized controlled trials evaluated monoclonal antibodies for the treatment (Study 2067) and prevention (Study 2069) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Household contacts of the infected index case in Study 2067 were enrolled in Study 2069 and prospectively followed; these cohorts provided a unique opportunity to evaluate correlates of transmission, specifically viral load. Methods: This post hoc analysis was designed to identify and evaluate correlates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission, adjusting for potential confounding factors related to source SARS-CoV-2 viral load and risk of SARS-CoV-2 acquisition in this population. Correlates of transmission were evaluated in potential transmission pairs (any infected household member plus susceptible household contact). Results: In total, 943 participants were included. In multivariable regression, 2 potential correlates were determined to have a statistically significant (P <. 05) association with transmission risk. A 10-fold increase in viral load was associated with a 40% increase in odds of transmission; sharing a bedroom with the index participant was associated with a 199% increase in odds of transmission. Conclusions: In this prospective, post hoc analysis that controlled for confounders, the 2 key correlates for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within a household are sharing a bedroom and increased viral load, consistent with increased exposure to the infected individual

A systematic review of maternal smoking during pregnancy and fetal measurements with meta-analysis

Background Maternal smoking during pregnancy is linked to reduced birth weight but the gestation at onset of this relationship is not certain. We present a systematic review of the literature describing associations between maternal smoking during pregnancy and ultrasound measurements of fetal size, together with an accompanying meta-analysis. Methods Studies were selected from electronic databases (OVID, EMBASE and Google Scholar) that examined associations between maternal smoking or smoke exposure and antenatal fetal ultrasound measurements. Outcome measures were first, second or third trimester fetal measurements. Results There were 284 abstracts identified, 16 papers were included in the review and the metaanalysis included data from eight populations. Maternal smoking was associated with reduced second trimester head size (mean reduction 0.09 standard deviation (SD) [95% CI 0.01, 0.16]) and femur length (0.06 [0.01, 0.10]) and reduced third trimester head size (0.18SD [0.13, 0.23]), femur length (0.27 SD [0.21, 0.32]) and estimated fetal weight (0.18 SD [0.11, 0.24]). Higher maternal cigarette consumption was associated with a lower z score for head size in the second (mean difference 0.09 SD [0, 0.19]) and third (0.15 SD [0.03, 0.26]) trimesters compared to lower consumption. Fetal measurements were not reduced for those whose mothers quit before or after becoming pregnant compared to mothers who had never smoked. Conclusions Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with reduced fetal measurements after the first trimester, particularly reduced head size and femur length. These effects may be attenuated if mothers quit or reduce cigarette consumption during pregnancy

Examining protective effects of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies after vaccination or monoclonal antibody administration

While new vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 are authorized based on neutralizing antibody (nAb) titer against emerging variants of concern, an analogous pathway does not exist for preventative monoclonal antibodies. In this work, nAb titers were assessed as correlates of protection against COVID-19 in the casirivimab + imdevimab monoclonal antibody (mAb) prevention trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT4452318) and in the mRNA-1273 vaccine trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT04470427). In the mAb trial, protective efficacy of 92% (95% confidence interval (CI): 84%, 98%) is associated with a nAb titer of 1000 IU50/ml, with lower efficacy at lower nAb titers. In the vaccine trial, protective efficacies of 93% [95% CI: 91%, 95%] and 97% (95% CI: 95%, 98%) are associated with nAb titers of 100 and 1000 IU50/ml, respectively. These data quantitate a nAb titer correlate of protection for mAbs benchmarked alongside vaccine induced nAb titers and support nAb titer as a surrogate endpoint for authorizing new mAbs

Pharmacogenomic associations of adverse drug reactions in asthma: systematic review and research prioritisation

A systematic review of pharmacogenomic studies capturing adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to asthma medications was undertaken, and a survey of Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortia members was conducted. Studies were eligible if genetic polymorphisms were compared with suspected ADR(s) in a patient with asthma, as either a primary or secondary outcome. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. The ADRs and polymorphisms identified were change in lung function tests (rs1042713), adrenal suppression (rs591118), and decreased bone mineral density (rs6461639) and accretion (rs9896933, rs2074439). Two of these polymorphisms were replicated within the paper, but none had external replication. Priorities from PiCA consortia members (representing 15 institution in eight countries) for future studies were tachycardia (SABA/LABA), adrenal suppression/crisis and growth suppression (corticosteroids), sleep/behaviour disturbances (leukotriene receptor antagonists), and nausea and vomiting (theophylline). Future pharmacogenomic studies in asthma should collect relevant ADR data as well as markers of efficacy