Chang et al. link the RECQ-like helicase BLM and its yeast orthologue Sgs1 to preventing DNA damage caused by the accumulation of DNA:RNA hybrid structures called R-loops. This adds to a growing family of helicases implicated in R-loop resolution.

Clinical immunolocalization has been attempted by others with an anti-Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TF-Ag) mAb that bound both alpha- and beta-linked TF-Ag. In this report, 124 I-labeled mAb JAA-F11 specific for alpha-linked TF-Ag showed higher tumor specificity in in vivo micro-positron emission tomography (micro-PET) of the mouse mammary adenocarcinoma line, 4T1, showing no preferential uptake by the kidney. Labeled product remained localized in the tumor for at least 20 days. Glycan array analysis showed structural specificity of the antibody.

Longstanding social and economic inequities elevate health risks and vulnerabilities for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Engagement of BIPOC communities in infectious disease research is a critical component in efforts to increase vaccine confidence, acceptability, and uptake of future approved products. Recent data highlight the relative absence of BIPOC communities in vaccine clinical trials. Intentional and effective community engagement methods are needed to improve BIPOC inclusion. We describe the methods utilized for the successful enrollment of BIPOC participants in the U.S. Government (USG)-funded COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN)-sponsored vaccine efficacy trials and analyze the demographic and enrollment data across the efficacy trials to inform future efforts to ensure inclusive participation. Across the four USG-funded COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials for which data are available, 47% of participants enrolled at CoVPN sites in the US were BIPOC. White enrollment outpaced enrollment of BIPOC participants throughout the accrual period, requiring the implementation of strategies to increase diverse and inclusive enrollment. Trials opening later benefitted considerably from strengthened community engagement efforts, and greater and more diverse volunteer registry records. Despite robust fiscal resources and a longstanding collaborative and collective effort, enrollment of White persons outpaced that of BIPOC communities. With appropriate resources, commitment and community engagement expertise, the equitable enrollment of BIPOC individuals can be achieved. To ensure this goal, intentional efforts are needed, including an emphasis on diversity of enrollment in clinical trials, establishment of enrollment goals, ongoing robust community engagement, conducting population-specific trials, and research to inform best practices.

The HAI rates in our ICU are less than other hospitals in developing countries. The incidence of VAP is comparable to other studies. Institution of an independent formal infection control monitoring and surveillance team to monitor & undertake infection control practices is an inescapable need in service hospitals.

f Pregnancy malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes that adhere to the placental receptor chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) and sequester in the placenta; women become resistant to pregnancy malaria as they acquire antiadhesion antibodies that target surface proteins of placental parasites. VAR2CSA, a member of the P. falciparum EMP1 variant surface antigen family, is the leading candidate for a pregnancy malaria vaccine. Because VAR2CSA is a high-molecular-weight protein, a vaccine based on the full-length protein may not be feasible. An alternative approach has been to develop a vaccine targeting individual Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains. In this study, a consortium of laboratories under the Pregnancy Malaria Initiative compared the functional activity of antiadhesion antibodies elicited by different VAR2CSA domains and variants produced in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Antisera were initially tested against laboratory lines of maternal parasites, and the most promising reagents were evaluated in the field against fresh placental parasite samples. Recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli elicited antibody levels similar to those expressed in eukaryotic systems, as did the two allelic forms of the DBL4 and DBL5 domains. The procedures developed for this head-to-head comparison will be useful for future evaluation and down-selection of malaria vaccine immunogens.