A systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive recombinant Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) antigens

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Varicella-Zoster virus causes chickenpox upon primary infection and shingles after reactivation. Currently available serological tests to detect VZV-specific antibodies are exclusively based on antigens derived from VZV-infected cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a systematic approach for the identification of novel, serologically reactive VZV antigens. Therefore, all VZV open reading frames were cloned into a bacterial expression vector and checked for small scale recombinant protein expression. Serum profiling experiments using purified VZV proteins and clinically defined sera in a microarray revealed 5 putative antigens (ORFs 1, 4, 14, 49, and 68). These were rearranged in line format and validated with pre-characterized sera.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The line assay confirmed the seroreactivity of the identified antigens and revealed its suitability for VZV serodiagnostics comparable to commercially available VZV-ELISA. Recombinant ORF68 (gE) proved to be an antigen for high-confidence determination of VZV serostatus. Furthermore, our data suggest that a serological differentiation between chickenpox and herpes zoster may be possible by analysis of the IgM-portfolio against individual viral antigens.</p

2021 Update of the International Council for Standardization in Haematology Recommendations for Laboratory Measurement of Direct Oral Anticoagulants

International audienceIn 2018, the International Council for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH) published a consensus document providing guidance for laboratories on measuring direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Since that publication, several significant changes related to DOACs have occurred, including the approval of a new DOAC by the Food and Drug Administration, betrixaban, and a specific DOAC reversal agent intended for use when the reversal of anticoagulation with apixaban or rivaroxaban is needed due to life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding, andexanet alfa. In addition, this ICSH Working Party recognized areas where additional information was warranted, including patient population considerations and updates in point-of-care testing. The information in this manuscript supplements our previous ICSH DOAC laboratory guidance document. The recommendations provided are based on (1) information from peer-reviewed publications about laboratory measurement of DOACs, (2) contributing author's personal experience/expert opinion and (3) good laboratory practice

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine–Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia

Importance: Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) has been reported after vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines ChAdOx1 nCov-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) and Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen/Johnson & Johnson). Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with and without TTS. Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study used data from an international registry of consecutive patients with CVST within 28 days of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination included between March 29 and June 18, 2021, from 81 hospitals in 19 countries. For reference, data from patients with CVST between 2015 and 2018 were derived from an existing international registry. Clinical characteristics and mortality rate were described for adults with (1) CVST in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, (2) CVST after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination not fulling criteria for TTS, and (3) CVST unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Exposures: Patients were classified as having TTS if they had new-onset thrombocytopenia without recent exposure to heparin, in accordance with the Brighton Collaboration interim criteria. Main outcomes and measures: Clinical characteristics and mortality rate. Results: Of 116 patients with postvaccination CVST, 78 (67.2%) had TTS, of whom 76 had been vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCov-19; 38 (32.8%) had no indication of TTS. The control group included 207 patients with CVST before the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 63 of 78 (81%), 30 of 38 (79%), and 145 of 207 (70.0%) patients, respectively, were female, and the mean (SD) age was 45 (14), 55 (20), and 42 (16) years, respectively. Concomitant thromboembolism occurred in 25 of 70 patients (36%) in the TTS group, 2 of 35 (6%) in the no TTS group, and 10 of 206 (4.9%) in the control group, and in-hospital mortality rates were 47% (36 of 76; 95% CI, 37-58), 5% (2 of 37; 95% CI, 1-18), and 3.9% (8 of 207; 95% CI, 2.0-7.4), respectively. The mortality rate was 61% (14 of 23) among patients in the TTS group diagnosed before the condition garnered attention in the scientific community and 42% (22 of 53) among patients diagnosed later. Conclusions and relevance: In this cohort study of patients with CVST, a distinct clinical profile and high mortality rate was observed in patients meeting criteria for TTS after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Untersuchungen zur Transfermiumchemie. Bestimmung von Verteilungskoeffizienten der Elemente 104 und 105 durch kontinuierliche und diskontinuierliche on-line Chromatographie

The subjects of this paper are: 1. development of an, in principle, new procedure of continuous on-line chromatography to determine distribution coefficients (K_d) of short-lived radionuclides, which may also be used under one-atom-at-a-time conditions to study ion exchange equilibriums of transactinide elements, and is based on the radioactive decay of the nuclide to be studied. 2. First determination of K_d values of fluoride complexes of the element 104 in the anion exchange system Wofatit HS 36 - 0.27 m HF - HN0_3, simultaneously with the K_d values of its homologous hafnium. 3. During on-line tests on the behaviour of short-lived isotopes of Mo and W by means of the continuous chromatography method it was proved that both elements in HNO_3 - HF solutions turn into oxidation stage +6 and exist as complexes of the type Mo(W)OF_5. Thanks to systematic studies on the sorption of Mo, W, Hf and Ta in ion exchange systems, effective and quick procedures for w(Mo)/Hf(104) separation could be found. These findings are of fundamental importance for the conception of separation procedures to chemically identify the element 106. (orig./SR)Themen dieses Berichts sind: 1. Entwicklung eines prinzipiell neuen Verfahrens der kontinuierlichen on-line Chromatographie zur Bestimmung von Verteilungskoeffizienten (K_d) kurzlebiger Radionuklide, das auch unter one-atom-at-a-time Bedingungen zum Studium von Ionenaustauschgleichgewichten der Transaktiniden eingesetzt werden kann und auf dem radioaktiven Zerfall des zu untersuchenden Nuklids beruht. 2. Erstmalige Bestimmung von K_d-Werten von Fluoridkomplexen des Elements 104 in dem Anionenaustauschsystem Wofatit HS 36 -0.27 m HF-HNO_3, simultan mit den K_d-Werten seines Homologen Hafnium. 3. Bei on-line Versuchen zum Verhalten von kurzlebigen Isotopen von Mo und W mit der Methode der kontinuierlichen Chromatographie wurde nachgewiesen, dass beide Elemente in HNO_3-HF Loesungen in die Oxidationsstufe +6 uebergehen und als Komplexe des Typ Mo(W)OF_5&quot;- vorliegen. Aufgrund systematischer Untersuchungen zur Sorption von Mo, W, Hf und Ta in Ionenaustauschsystemen konnten effektive und schnelle Verfahren zur W(Mo)/Hf(104) - Trennung gefunden werden. Diese Erkenntnisse haben grundlegende Bedeutung fuer die Konzeption von Trennverfahren zur chemischen Identifizierung von Element 106. (orig./SR)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F96B396+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Recombinant Porcine Factor VIII in Patients with Congenital Hemophilia a with Inhibitors Undergoing Surgery: Phase 3, Multicenter, Single Arm, Open-Label Study

63rd Annual Meeting and Exposition of the American-Society-of-Hematology (ASH) -- DEC 11-14, 2021 -- Atlanta, GA[No Abstract Available]Amer Soc Hemato