Minassian et al. report that the RH5.1/AS01 B vaccine against blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum malaria is safe and immunogenic in a phase I/IIa clinical trial. They demonstrate a significantly reduced blood-stage parasite growth rate in vaccinees following controlled human malaria infection and identify that in vitro antibody-mediated growth inhibition activity is associated with challenge outcome.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the heterogeneity in tacrolimus dose requirement is associated with ABCB1 and CYP3A5 gene polymorphisms in Chinese liver transplant patients during the first month after transplantation. ABCB1 and CYP3A5 genotyping was performed using the polymerase chain reaction restriction sites polymorphism-based procedure in Chinese liver transplant recipients (n ϭ 50) and their corresponding donors (n ϭ 50). Tacrolimus whole-blood trough concentrations were measured by immunoassays on the IMx analyzers (Abbott Diagnostics Laboratories, Abbott-Park, IL). Doses required to achieve target blood concentrations and dose-adjusted trough concentrations (concentration/dose [C/D] ratios) were compared among patients according to allelic status of ABCB1 and CYP3A5. The ABCB1 3435CC was observed in 23 subjects (23%), whereas 64 (64%) carried 3435CT and 13 (13%) carried 3435TT. The CYP3A5*1/*1 was observed in 13 subjects (13%), 50 (50%) carried *1/*3, and 37 (37%) carried *3/*3. The tacrolimus C/D ratios were obviously lower in recipients carrying ABCB1 3435CC genotype. For CYP3A5, recipients who received organs from CYP3A5*3/*3 donors had higher C/D ratios. But the donors' ABCB1 and recipients' CYP3A5 genotype did not affect the recipients' pharmacokinetics. Analysis of the combination of recipients' ABCB1 and donors' CYP3A5 genotypes revealed that the tacrolimus C/D ratios were significantly lower in the ABCB1 3435CC-carrying recipients, regardless of donors' CYP3A5 genotype. In conclusion, our finding suggests that the recipients' ABCB1 and donors' CYP3A5 genotype affect the tacrolimus dose requirements. ABCB1 C3435T polymorphism is a major determinant of tacrolimus trough concentration in Chinese liver transplant recipients, and recipients with 3435CC genotype will require higher dose of tacrolimus. Liver Transpl 12: 775-780, 2006.

With the decline of oil reserves and production, the gas-to-liquids (GTL) part of Fischer–Tropsch (F-T) synthesis technology has become increasing important. Synthesis gas (H2 + CO) with a stoichiometric ratio (H2/CO) at 2 or ranging from 1 to 2 is generally used in major synthesis-gas-based chemicals production. There are growing interests in the development of an alternative technology, other than the expensive natural-gas-based catalytic process, for cost-effective production of synthesis gas with a flexible hydrogen/carbon monoxide (H2/CO) ratio. Direct production of synthesis gas using coal as a cheap feedstock is attractive but challenging due to its low H2/CO ratio of generated synthesis gas. Three typical U.S. coals of different ranks were tested in a 2.5 in. coal gasifier to investigate their gasification reactivity and adjustability on H2/CO ratio of generated synthesis gas with or without the addition of methane. Tests indicated that lower-rank coals (lignite and sub-bituminous) have higher gasification reactivity than bituminous coals. The coal gasification reactivity is correlated to its synthesis-gas yield and the total percentage of H2 and CO in the synthesis gas, but not to the H2/CO ratio. The H2/CO ratio of coal gasification was found to be correlated to the rank of coals, especially the H/C ratio of coals. Methane addition into the dense phase of the pyrolysis and gasification zone of the cogasification reactor could make the best use of methane in adjusting the H2/CO ratio of the generated synthesis gas. The maximum methane conversion efficiency, which was likely correlated to its gasification reactivity, could be achieved by 70% on average for all tested coals. The actual catalytic effect of generated coal chars on methane conversion seemed coal-dependent. The coal-gasification process benefits from methane addition and subsequent conversion on the adjustment of the H2/CO ratio of synthesis gas. The methane conversion process benefits from the use of coal chars due to their catalytic effects. This implies that there were likely synergistic effects on both.