Search

Allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT) is a potentially life-saving treatment for individuals with HIV and haematological malignancies; challenges include identifying donors and maintaining antiretroviral therapy (ART). The objectives of our study were to investigate interventions to expand donor options and to prevent ART interruptions for patients with HIV in need of alloBMT.

Comparative phosphoproteomics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb)- and Mycobacterium bovisBCG (BCG)-infected macrophages could be instrumental in understanding the characteristic post-translational modifications of host proteins and their subsequent involvement in determining Mtb pathogenesis. To identify proteins acquiring a distinct phosphorylation status, herein, we compared the phosphorylation profile of macrophages upon exposure to Mtb and BCG. We observed a significant dephosphorylation of proteins following Mtb infection relative to those with uninfected or BCG-infected cells. A comprehensive tandem mass tag mass spectrometry (MS) approach detected ∼10% phosphosites on a variety of host proteins that are modulated in response to infection. Interestingly, the innate immune-enhancing interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes were identified as a class of proteins differentially phosphorylated during infection, including the cytosolic RNA sensor RIG-I, which has been implicated in the immune response to bacterial infection. We show that Mtb infection results in the activation of RIG-I in primary human macrophages. Studies using RIG-I knockout macrophages reveal that the Mtb-mediated activation of RIG-I promotes IFN-β, IL-1α, and IL-1β levels, dampens autophagy, and facilitates intracellular Mtb survival. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing exhaustive information on relative and quantitative changes in the global phosphoproteome profile of host macrophages that can be further explored in designing novel anti-TB drug targets. The peptide identification and MS/MS spectra have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium viathe PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD013171.

A mechanistic understanding of HIV-1 latency depends on a model system that recapitulates the in vivo condition of latently infected, resting CD4+T lymphocytes. Latency seems to be established after activated CD4+T cells, the principal targets of HIV-1 infection, become productively infected and survive long enough to return to a resting memory state in which viral expression is inhibited by changes in the cellular environment. This protocol describes an ex vivo primary cell system that is generated under conditions that reflect the in vivo establishment of latency. Creation of these latency model cells takes 12 weeks and, once established, the cells can be maintained and used for several months. The resulting cell population contains both uninfected and latently infected cells. This primary cell model can be used to perform drug screens, to study cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses to HIV-1, to compare viral alleles or to expand the ex vivo life span of cells from HIV-1-infected individuals for extended study.

The present study investigated what factors the parents of children in low-income areas of Auckland, New Zealand, thought could help protect their children from smoking initiation. Participants in a large quasi-experimental trial that tested a community-, school- and family-based smoking-initiation intervention were asked in a questionnaire ‘What could we do to help you protect your children from smoke and taking up smoking?’ Free-text responses were divided into distinct meaning units and categorised independently by two of the researchers. 1806 participants (70% of parents who returned the questionnaire) completed the question. The majority of respondents (80%) were either Pacific Island or Mori mothers and 25% were current smokers. Five main categories of suggested strategies for a preventing smoking initiation were identified: building children's knowledge of the ill-effects of smoking; denormalising smoking; reducing access to tobacco; building children's resilience; and health promotion activities. The most common suggestion was to educate children about smoking. Building children's knowledge of smoking risks was the main strategy parents proposed. There was some support for banning smoking in most public areas and for tougher moves to stop tobacco sales to minors. Few parents suggested innovative or radical strategies, such as banning the sale of tobacco, fining children for smoking or use of competitions. To ensure reductions in smoking initiation for lower socioeconomic and Mori and Pacific Island people, further research a should engage Mori, Pacific Island and lower socioeconomic parents in a process that elicits innovative thinking about culturally a acceptable strategies. Parents are key to preventing child uptake of smoking, but they can't do it alone. When asked what could be done to help, the parents' views reflected standard tobacco control approaches: build children's knowledge, reduce access, denormalise smoking, promote health and increase school monitoring of smoking. A more engaging process is needed to elicit innovative and culturally acceptable strategies.

Metallic nanorods exhibit fascinating optical properties due to surface plasmons—collective oscillation of the electron cloud within a particle. They exhibit two principle absorption bands that correspond to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) along the longitudinal and transverse directions of the nanorod. Most importantly, the longitudinal band can be tuned with the aspect ratio of the rod, making it a spectrally tuneable optical material, which can be applied to a variety of devices from bioimaging to high‐density optical storage. Here, spectral encoding for high‐density optical storage applications is demonstrated on two sizes of gold nanorods (aspect ratios of three and five) doped in a silica sol–gel matrix by femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation. It is widely known that high‐power pulsed laser irradiation causes metal nanorods to undergo shape transformations via the process of melting or fragmentation. The process is enhanced if the laser wavelength is tuned at the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance peak of the nanorods, which results in a significant reduction or shift in the surface plasmon resonance peak. As such a shape change occurs only on the subpopulation of rods that have a longitudinal plasmon band matching the laser wavelength, a size‐ or spectrum‐selective shape transition is possible in a rod mixture with varying aspect ratios. The current spectral encoding technology can be incorporated into existing optical disc technology, such as three‐dimensional bit‐by‐bit and holographic, and can increase the capacity limit by utilizing the spectral domain.

We report on the effects of Lewis bases and other ligands on radiative recombination in CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in several solvents. Long-chain primary amines are found to be the most efficacious capping agents for CdSe QDs in nonpolar solvents. Primary alkylamines are superior to secondary and tertiary alkylamines. The kinetics of chemisorption and desorption in less polar solvents, such as hexane or chloroform, are temperature controlled and obey a Langmuir isotherm. Mercaptan adsorption also obeys a Langmuir isotherm, and alkylmercaptans rapidly displace amines, leading to luminescence quenching. In more polar solvents, such as toluene, ligands desorb, leading to luminescence quenching. It is proposed that surface Cd vacancies function as nonradiative recombination centers. The adsorption of a Lewis base to the QD raises the surface vacancy energy close to, or above, the conduction band edge and eliminates electron capture by the surface vacancies. Solvent polarity has a strong effect on luminescence since the solvent determines the extent of ligand adsorption to the QD surface.

Hydroxyethyl starch (HES 450.000/0.7; Hespan 6.0 g/100 ml) was compared with standard crystalloid solutions in postoperative volume replacement in 20 patients undergoing routine orthopaedic surgery. The HES group showed no clinical evidence of haemorrhage and no laboratory evidence of significant haemostatic defects as assessed by standard coagulation tests, platelet aggregation and fibrinogen concentrations. There was a slight shortening in the thrombin time and a smaller increase in postoperative FVIII RAg and FVIII RCof levels in the HES group. HES is a safe and effective volume expander for postoperative use.

The question of which fluid should be used to augment a falling blood volume has been investigated in several animal models and numerous clinical trials. The results do not indicate an ideal approach. Generally electrolyte solutions are not as good as the other products. Because of the demands on the transfusion service for plasma procurement whole blood is in limited supply. However, whole blood should be available for large acute haemorrhages in excess of 2 l. The synthetic macromolecular colloids are probably as good as albumen solutions and fall into two clinical categories. The first group increase the blood volume by an amount slightly greater than the volume infused but are rapidly eliminated so their clinical effects remain for only two to three hours. Of these solutions the modified gelatins are probably the colloid of choice. For a more prolonged volume expansion of up to 24–36 h the larger macromolecules are more ideal but with a less potent initial oncotic effect [7]. Hydroxyethyl starch seems the most suitable of these substances. Albumen solutions are considerably more expensive but, otherwise have properties of volume expansion intermediate to the two colloid groups and limiting side effects of similar overall frequency. The final choice depends on local availability, cost effectiveness and personal clinical experience.

AbstractThe aim of this research was to look at the emergence of wearable technology and the internet of things (IoT) and their current and potential use in the health and care area. There is a wide and ever-expanding range of wearables, devices, apps, data aggregators and platforms allowing the measurement, tracking and aggregation of a multitude of health and lifestyle measures, information and behaviours. The use and application of such technology and the corresponding richness of data that it can provide bring the health and care insurance market both potential opportunities and challenges. Insurers across a range of fields are already engaging with this type of technology in their proposition designs in areas such as customer engagement, marketing and underwriting. However, it seems like we are just at the start of the journey, on a learning curve to find the optimal practical applications of such technology with many aspects as yet untried, tested or indeed backed up with quantifiable evidence. It is clear though that technology is only part of the solution, on its own it will not engage or change behaviours and insurers will need to consider this in terms of implementation and goals. In the first weeks of forming this working party, it became evident that the potential scope of this technology, the information already out there and the pace of development of it, is almost overwhelming. With many yet-unanswered questions the paper focuses on pulling together in one place relevant information for the consideration of the health and care actuary, and also to open the reader’s eyes to potential future innovations by drawing on use of the technology in other markets and spheres, and the “science fiction–like” new technology that is just around the corner. The paper explores: an overview of wearables and IoT and available measures,examples of how this technology is currently being used,data considerations,risks and challenges,future technology developments andwhat this may mean for the future of insurance.Insurers who engage now are likely to be on an evolving business case model and product development journey, over which they can build up their understanding and interpretation of the data that this technology can provide. An exciting area full of potential – when and how will you get involved?