Rational Use of Monoclonal Antibodies as Therapeutic Treatment in an Oncologic Patient with Long COVID

We present the case of a 76-year-old male patient persistently infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the setting of a stage IIIC cutaneous melanoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Due to the persistent coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), all cancer treatments were discontinued. Because of the worsening of his clinical state and the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 positivity for more than six months, the patient was treated with sotrovimab, which was ineffective due to resistance mutations acquired during that time. In order to resume cancer treatment and make the patient free from SARS-CoV-2, an in vitro screening of Evusheld monoclonal antibodies (tixagevumab–cilgavimab) against the viral strains isolated from the subject was performed. The promising results obtained during in vitro testing led to the authorization of the off-label use of Evusheld, which made the patient negative for SARS-CoV-2, thus, allowing him to resume his cancer treatment. This study highlights the Evusheld monoclonal antibodies’ efficacy, not only in prevention but also in successful therapy against prolonged COVID-19. Therefore, testing neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in vitro against SARS-CoV-2 mutants directly isolated from patients could provide useful information for the treatment of people affected by long COVID

レオナルド ダ ヴィンチ フクセイ ソビョウガテン キネン シンポジウム ホウコクショ

静岡文化芸術大学創立10周年を記念した展覧会(大学ギャラリー、2010年10月14日〜27日)に併せて、シンポジウム「乱反射するレオナルド・ダ・ヴィンチ」(176大講義室、2010年10月15日)が開催された。そこから発表者3名の報告を収録する。To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Shizuoka University of Art and Culture, the exhibition «The Drawingsof Leonardo Da Vinci» was held between 14 - 27 October 2010 in the Gallery of the University, to introduce theLeonardo Collection of the Komaba Museum of the University of Tokyo. This collection consists of Leonardo drawings\u27reproductions selected according to the study, The drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci of A.E. Popham (New York 1945).The symposium was also held in conjunction with the exhibition to seek Leonardo\u27s other images as "irregularreflections"

Epidemiologic Relationship between Toscana Virus Infection and Leishmania infantum Due to Common Exposure to Phlebotomus perniciosus Sandfly Vector

Sand flies are recognised vectors of parasites in the genus Leishmania and a number of arthropod-borne viruses, in particular viruses within the genus Phlebovirus, family Bunyaviridae. In southern France, Toscana phlebovirus (TOSV) is recognized as a prominent cause of summer meningitis. Since Leishmania and TOSV have a common vector (Phlebotomus perniciosus), an epidemiologic link has been assumed for a long time. However, there is no scientific evidence of such a link between human leishmaniosis and phleboviral infections. To identify a possible link, we investigated the presence and distribution of antibodies against these two microorganisms (i) in individuals and (ii) at a spatial level in the city of Marseille (south-eastern France). Five hundred sera were selected randomly in the biobank of the Department of Parasitology of the Public Hospitals of Marseille. All sera were previously tested for IgG against Leishmania by Western Blotting, and TOSV IgG were detected by indirect immunofluorescence. The seropositivity rates were 21.4% for TOSV and 28% for Leishmania. Statistical analysis demonstrated that seropositivity for one pathogen was significantly associated with seropositivity to the other pathogen. This result provided the first robust evidence for the existence of an epidemiological relationship between Leishmania infantum and TOSV. Addresses of tested patients were geolocalized and integrated into Geographical Information System software, in order to test spatial relationship between the two pathogens. Spatial analysis did not allow to identify (i) specific patterns for the spatial distribution of positive serological results for TOSV or Leishmania, and (ii) a spatial relationship between Leishmania and TOSV positive serological results. This may reflect the fact that the sample studied was not powerful enough to demonstrate either a spatial clustering or co-location, i.e. that the actual risk exposure area is smaller than the mean of distance between patients in our study (245 m)

Immunoprotectivity of HLA-A2 CTL Peptides Derived from Respiratory Syncytial Virus Fusion Protein in HLA-A2 Transgenic Mouse

Identification of HLA-restricted CD8+ T cell epitopes is important to study RSV-induced immunity and illness. We algorithmically analyzed the sequence of the fusion protein (F) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and generated synthetic peptides that can potentially bind to HLA-A*0201. Four out of the twenty-five 9-mer peptides tested: peptides 3 (F33–41), 13 (F214–222), 14 (F273–281), and 23 (F559–567), were found to bind to HLA-A*0201 with moderate to high affinity and were capable of inducing IFN-γ and IL-2 secretion in lymphocytes from HLA-A*0201 transgenic (HLA-Tg) mice pre-immunized with RSV or recombinant adenovirus expressing RSV F. HLA-Tg mice were immunized with these four peptides and were found to induce both Th1 and CD8+ T cell responses in in vitro secondary recall. Effector responses induced by these peptides were observed to confer differential protection against live RSV challenge. These peptides also caused better recovery of body weight loss induced by RSV. A significant reduction of lung viral load was observed in mice immunized with peptide 23, which appeared to enhance the levels of inflammatory chemokines (CCL17, CCL22, and IL-18) but did not increase eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. Whereas, significant reduction of infiltrated eosinophils induced by RSV infection was found in mice pre-immunized with peptide 13. Our results suggest that HLA-A2-restricted epitopes of RSV F protein could be useful for the development of epitope-based RSV vaccine

<Article>Leonardo and the Gonfalon of Piety: A Contribution to the Attribution Theory

This article will examine the case of the Gonfalon of Farneto (Perugia), representing the Virgin mourning the Dead Christ (Pietà) between St. Jerome and St. Mary Magdalene. This banner was attributed to the Umbrian painter Fiorenzo di Lorenzo and later (in particular starting from the '80s) to Pietro Perugino. A closer analysis reveals the presence of the intervention of different painters. This poses the question of workshop composition in the 15th Century Italian Renaissance. In this case, the question is particularly relevant because Perugino belonged to the workshop of Verrocchio together with Leonardo da Vinci. When in a workshop we find only minor painters it is not so important to individuate the contribution of each painter, but the case is different for painters of primary importance like these. Therefore, another problem arises: how to distinguish each contribution? To this aim we have to retake the problem of the theory of attribution, going back to their founders like Morelli. Now today have more theoretical instruments than one century ago. But we also need a new epistemological framework passing from the true/false paradigm to probabilistic one adopted today by deep learning AI systems. In this way, a new alliance between art-history and digital technology is today possible