Vacuum insulated panels for sustainable buildings: a review of research and applications

New research has identified vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) as highly efficient insulators for use in building construction. They are reported to be several times more effective than conventional materials of a similar thickness in terms of thermal conductivity. Because of their smaller space requirement, VIPs maximize the internal usage area of buildings and so reduce the cost of construction. There are however some obstacles that have hindered the application of VIPs, notably their high cost, susceptibility to perforation and the long-term water and gas effects that worsen their performance. This paper reviews the contemporary research on VIP as a state-of-the-art material for building insulation. The main components and physical principles of VIP performance are discussed. Finally, the review of VIPs available on the market and their performance is provided

HLA-A*32:01 is strongly associated with vancomycin-induced drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms

Background Vancomycin is a prevalent cause of the severe hypersensitivity syndrome drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) which leads to significant morbidity and mortality and commonly occurs in the setting of combination antibiotic therapy which impacts future treatment choices. Variations in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I in particular have been associated with serious T-cell mediated adverse drug reactions which has led to preventive screening strategies for some drugs. Objective To determine if variation in the HLA region is associated with vancomycin-induced DRESS. Methods Probable vancomycin DRESS cases were matched 1:2 with tolerant controls based on sex, race, and age using BioVU, Vanderbilt’s deidentified electronic health record database. Associations between DRESS and carriage of HLA class I and II alleles were assessed by conditional logistic regression. An extended sample set from BioVU was utilized to conduct a time-to-event analysis of those exposed to vancomycin with and without the identified HLA risk allele. Results Twenty-three individuals met inclusion criteria for vancomycin-associated DRESS. 19/23 (82.6%) cases carried HLA-A*32:01 compared to 0/46 (0%) of the matched vancomycin tolerant controls (p=1x10-8) and 6.3% of the BioVU population (n=54,249) (p=2x10-16). Time-to-event analysis of DRESS development during vancomycin treatment among the HLA-A*32:01 positive group indicated that 19.2% developed DRESS and did so within four weeks. Conclusions HLA-A*32:01 is strongly associated with vancomycin DRESS in a population of predominantly European ancestry. HLA-A*32:01 testing could improve antibiotic safety, help implicate vancomycin as the causal drug and preserve future treatment options with co-administered antibiotics

SJS/TEN 2019: From Science to Translation

Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) are potentially life-threatening, immune-mediated adverse reactions characterized by widespread erythema, epidermal necrosis, and detachment of skin and mucosa. Efforts to grow and develop functional international collaborations and a multidisciplinary interactive network focusing on SJS/TEN as an uncommon but high burden disease will be necessary to improve efforts in prevention, early diagnosis and improved acute and long-term management. SJS/TEN 2019: From Science to Translation was a 1.5-day scientific program held April 26-27, 2019, in Vancouver, Canada. The meeting successfully engaged clinicians, researchers, and patients and conducted many productive discussions on research and patient care needs

7th Drug hypersensitivity meeting: part two

No abstract availabl

CD8+ T cells specific for an immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid epitope display high naive precursor frequency and TCR promiscuity

To better understand primary and recall T cell responses during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to examine unmanipulated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific T cells. By using peptide-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tetramers for direct ex vivo analysis, we characterized CD8+ T cells specific for SARS-CoV-2 epitopes in COVID-19 patients and unexposed individuals. Unlike CD8+ T cells directed toward subdominant epitopes (B7/N257, A2/S269, and A24/S1,208) CD8+ T cells specific for the immunodominant B7/N105 epitope were detected at high frequencies in pre-pandemic samples and at increased frequencies during acute COVID-19 and convalescence. SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells in pre-pandemic samples from children, adults, and elderly individuals predominantly displayed a naive phenotype, indicating a lack of previous cross-reactive exposures. T cell receptor (TCR) analyses revealed diverse TCRαβ repertoires and promiscuous αβ-TCR pairing within B7/N105+CD8+ T cells. Our study demonstrates high naive precursor frequency and TCRαβ diversity within immunodominant B7/N105-specific CD8+ T cells and provides insight into SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell origins and subsequent responses

Updates in SJS/TEN: collaboration, innovation, and community

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN) is a predominantly drug-induced disease, with a mortality rate of 15–20%, that engages the expertise of multiple disciplines: dermatology, allergy, immunology, clinical pharmacology, burn surgery, ophthalmology, urogynecology, and psychiatry. SJS/TEN has an incidence of 1–5/million persons per year in the United States, with even higher rates globally. One of the challenges of SJS/TEN has been developing the research infrastructure and coordination to answer questions capable of transforming clinical care and leading to improved patient outcomes. SJS/TEN 2021, the third research meeting of its kind, was held as a virtual meeting on August 28–29, 2021. The meeting brought together 428 international scientists, in addition to a community of 140 SJS/TEN survivors and family members. The goal of the meeting was to brainstorm strategies to support the continued growth of an international SJS/TEN research network, bridging science and the community. The community workshop section of the meeting focused on eight primary themes: mental health, eye care, SJS/TEN in children, non-drug induced SJS/TEN, long-term health complications, new advances in mechanisms and basic science, managing long-term scarring, considerations for skin of color, and COVID-19 vaccines. The meeting featured several important updates and identified areas of unmet research and clinical need that will be highlighted in this white paper