Search

Purpose: Several studies uncover how the period leading up to the 2016 election and the Trump administration affected college students, in particular those targeted by the rhetoric and policies in this tense sociopolitical environment. This article builds on this scholarship and examines how the broader sociopolitical context shaped how targeted and nontargeted students perceived and experienced the campus climate. Research Methods/Approach: We interviewed 21 students who had taken a higher-education course at one institution to gather their perspectives of campus climate. Students commonly referenced undocumented students and students of color as directly affected by policies and rhetoric during this time. We subsequently considered self-identified students of color and undocumented students as belonging to targeted groups and those who did not as nontargeted. Findings: Students described how the sociopolitical climate between 2016 and 2018 directly and indirectly influenced campus climate based on their perceptions and experiences. Students shared how discourse toward minoritized communities increased overt marginalization in the United States and on campuses. Immigration policies were frequently mentioned as impactful, and nontargeted students expressed major concerns for their targeted peers and family members. A few students also described how the polarized sociopolitical climate outside the university created divisions among students. Implications: Institutions should seek ways to ameliorate concerns and tensions students may feel as a result of challenging sociopolitical and campus climates. In addition to supporting students from targeted communities, institutions should provide opportunities for nontargeted students to learn more about issues affecting targeted communities.

Abstract During COVID-19 pandemic, international pharmaceutical companies put effort to build global manufacturing networks for vaccines. Soberana Plus vaccine, a recombinant protein based vaccine (RBD dimer), with the trade name of PastoCovac Plus in Iran, is based on a protein subunit platform in Cuba and completed preclinical and toxicological assessments. This study aimed at presenting the steps of vaccine technology transfer from Cuba to Iran. This study provides the first practical comparability results in Iran to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of a protein subunit vaccine against COVID-19 after a successful technology transfer from Cuba. PastoCovac Plus was transferred to Iran at the formulation stage. The assessment of the active ingredient pharmaceutical (API) was achieved through physicochemical and clinical data collection and tests to assure if there was any adverse impact on the vaccination results. In order to assess the quality of the vaccine product after technology transfer, we sought different properties including regulatory features, physicochemical quality, vaccine potency and stability as well as its immunogenicity and safety. Following the evaluation of the clinical quality attributes (CQAs) based on the standard protocols, the results showed that the two vaccines are highly similar and comparable, with no considerable effect on safety or efficacy profiles. The CQAs were all in the acceptance limits in terms of safety and efficacy as well as clinical evaluation results. The immunogenicity evaluation also confirmed no significant differences between the vaccines regarding reinfection (P = 0.199) or vaccine breakthrough (P = 0.176). Furthermore, the level of anti-spike and neutralizing antibodies in the both vaccine groups was not significantly different indicating the equality of performance between the two vaccines. According to the results of the quality and clinical assessment of this study, we achieved an acceptable quality attributes and acceptant limits in terms of safety and efficacy of the vaccines pre and post technology transfer.

The aggregation of Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides is associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously identified novel naphtalene derivatives, including the lead compound Amylovis-201, able to form thermodynamically stable complexes with Aβ species, peptides and fibrils. As the drug showed a chemical scaffold coherent for an effective interaction with the σ1 receptor chaperone and as σ1 agonists are currently developed as potent neuroprotectants in AD, we investigated the pharmacological action of Amylovis-201 on the σ1 receptor. We report that Amylovis-201 is a potent σ1 agonist by several in silico, in vitro and in vivo assays and that its anti-amnesic and neuroprotective effects involve a pharmacological action at σ1 receptors. Furthermore, we show for the first time that classical σ1 receptor agonist (PRE-084), and antagonist (NE-100) are able to interact and disaggregate Aβ25–35 fibrils. Interestingly, Amylovis-201 was the only compound inhibiting Aβ25–35 aggregates formation. Our results therefore highlight a dual action of Amylovis-201 as anti-aggregating agent and σ1 receptor agonist that could be highly effective in long-term treatment against neurodegeneration in AD.

Abstract Development of a vaccine against gonorrhoea is a global priority, driven by the rise in antibiotic resistance. Although Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) infection does not induce substantial protective immunity, highly exposed individuals may develop immunity against re-infection with the same strain. Retrospective epidemiological studies have shown that vaccines containing Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) provide a degree of cross-protection against Ng infection. We conducted a clinical trial (NCT04297436) of 4CMenB (Bexsero, GSK), a licensed Nm vaccine containing OMVs and recombinant antigens, comprising a single arm, open label study of two doses with 50 adults in coastal Kenya who have high exposure to Ng. Data from a Ng antigen microarray established that serum IgG and IgA reactivities against the gonococcal homologs of the recombinant antigens in the vaccine peaked at 10 but had declined by 24 weeks. For most reactive OMV-derived antigens, the reverse was the case. A cohort of similar individuals with laboratory-confirmed gonococcal infection were compared before, during, and after infection: their reactivities were weaker and differed from the vaccinated cohort. We conclude that the cross-protection of the 4CMenB vaccine against gonorrhoea could be explained by cross-reaction against a diverse selection of antigens derived from the OMV component.

Aim: Currently, malignant diseases represent a health issue worldwide. Among these, lung cancer is of growing importance, due to its high incidence and mortality. Chemotherapy, one of the most frequently used treatments, has shown its ability to induce accelerated immunosenescence in classic and as well non-classic lymphocyte compartments, being less described in the latter. The immune restoration strategies have demonstrated their ability to reverse immunosenescence and exhaustion markers in conventional lymphocyte subpopulations after chemotherapy. However, the possible immunorestorative effect on non-classical lymphocytes has not been widely reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy and the administration of a thymic polypeptide factor on non-classical lymphocyte populations in patients with advanced lung cancer. Methods: Eighteen patients with advanced lung cancer, were evaluated at baseline before and after platinum-based chemotherapy (4–6 cycles). All patients could complete treatment with a thymic polypeptide factor [Biomodulina T (BT)] at the end of chemotherapy. Blood from patients was collected by venipuncture in heparinized tubes before and after chemotherapy and at the end of BT treatment to analyze the frequencies of non-classical immune subpopulations by flow cytometry. Results: Natural killer (NK), natural killer T cells (NKT), and double-positive T lymphocyte (DPT) proportions reached normal values in patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer before receiving cytotoxic treatment. Chemotherapy did not induce modifications in the total percent of NK, NKT, and DPT populations in these patients. However, the administration of BT decreased DPTs and NK cells expressing the cluster of differentiation (CD)57 molecule, which is considered a marker of immunosenescence. Conclusions: These results suggest a lower influence of platinum-based chemotherapy on non-classical lymphocytes and the potential to generate a reconstitution of lymphocyte subpopulations in patients with advanced lung cancer by using the thymic factor BT, which reveals a new possibility for improving the response to cancer immunotherapies [Cuban Public Registry of Clinical Trial (RPCEC, https://rpcec.sld.cu/en/trials/RPCEC00000358-En) identifier: RPCEC00000358].

Introduction: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a widely used therapy, but its success largely depends on the number and quality of stem cells collected. Current evidence shows the complexity of the hematopoietic system, which implies that, in the quality assurance of the apheresis product, the hematopoietic stem cells are adequately characterized and quantified, in which mass cytometry (MC) can provide its advantages in high-dimensional analysis. Objective: This research aimed to characterize and enumerate CD45dim/CD34+ stem cells using the MC in apheresis product yields from patients with chronic lymphoid malignant diseases undergoing autologous transplantation at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center. Methods: An analytical and cross-sectional study was performed on 31 apheresis products from 15 patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma (n = 9) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (n = 6) eligible for HSCT. The MC was employed using the MaxPar Kit for stem cell immunophenotyping. The analysis was performed manually in the Kaluza and unsupervised by machine learning in Cytobank Premium. Results: An excellent agreement was found between mass and flow cytometry for the relative and absolute counts of CD45dim/CD34+ cells (Bland-Altman bias: -0.029 and -64, respectively), seven subpopulations were phenotyped and no lineage bias was detected for any of the methods used in the pool of collected cells. A CD34+/CD38+/CD138+ population was seen in the analyses performed on four patients with multiple myeloma. Conclusions: The MC helps to characterize subpopulations of stem cells in apheresis products. It also allows cell quantification by double platform. Unsupervised analysis allows results completion and validation of the manual strategy. The proposed methodology can be extended to apheresis products for purposes other than HSCT.

Gonorrhoea, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is a common sexually transmitted infection. Increasing multi-drug resistance and the impact of asymptomatic infections on sexual and reproductive health underline the need for an effective gonococcal vaccine. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from Neisseria meningitidis induce modest cross-protection against gonococcal infection. However, the presence of proteins in OMVs derived from N. gonorrhoeae that manipulate immune responses could hamper their success as a vaccine. Here we modified two key immunomodulatory proteins of the gonococcus; RmpM, which can elicit 'blocking antibodies', and PorB, an outer membrane porin which contributes to immunosuppression. As meningococcal PorB has adjuvant properties, we replaced gonococcal PorB with a meningococcal PorB. Immunisation with OMVs from N. gonorrhoeae lacking rmpM and expressing meningococcal porB elicited higher antibody titres against model antigens in mice compared to OMVs with native PorB. Further, a gonococcal protein microarray revealed stronger IgG antibody responses to a more diverse range of antigens in the Nm PorB OMV immunised group. Finally, meningococcal PorB OMVs resulted in a Th1-skewed response, exemplified by increased serum IgG2a antibody responses and increased IFNɣ production by splenocytes from immunised mice. In summary, we demonstrate that the replacement of PorB in gonococcal OMVs enhances immune responses and offers a strategy for gonococcal vaccine development.

BackgroundBreast cancer (BC) affects racial and ethnic groups differently, leading to disparities in clinical presentation and outcomes. It is unclear how Hispanic ethnicity affects BC outcomes based on geographic location and proximity to the United States (U.S.)/Mexico border. We hypothesized that the impact of race/ethnicity on BC outcomes depends on geographic location and country of origin within each BC subtype.MethodsWe analyzed BC data from the Texas Cancer Registry by race/ethnicity/birthplace according to BC subtype (luminal A/luminal B/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]/triple-negative breast cancer[TNBC]). Other covariates included age, geographic location (U.S., Mexico), residency (border, non-border), treatments, and comorbidities. Crude and adjusted effects of race/ethnicity and birthplace on overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Cox regression methods.ResultsOur analysis of 76,310 patient records with specific BC subtypes revealed that Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients were diagnosed at a younger age compared with non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients for all BC subtypes. For the 19,748 BC patients with complete data on race/ethnicity/birthplace/residency, Hispanic patients had a higher mortality risk in the Luminal A subtype, regardless of birthplace, whereas U.S.-born Hispanics had a higher risk of death in the TNBC subtype. In contrast, NHB patients had a higher mortality risk in the Luminal A and HER2 subtypes. Residence along the U.S./Mexico border had little impact on OS, with better outcomes in Luminal A patients and worse outcomes in Luminal B patients aged 60–74 years.ConclusionRace/ethnicity, geographic birth location, and residency were significant predictors of survival in BC. Migration, acculturation, and reduced healthcare access may contribute to outcome differences.

Background/Objectives: This international multicenter study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Pivot-Shift Meter (PSM) mobile application in diagnosing and classifying anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, emphasizing the need for standardization to improve diagnostic precision and treatment outcomes. Methods: ACL evaluations were conducted by eight experienced orthopedic surgeons across five Latin American countries (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico). The PSM app utilized smartphone gyroscopes and accelerometers to standardize the pivot-shift test. Data analysis from 224 control tests and 399 standardized tests included non-parametric statistical methods, such as the Mann–Whitney U test for group comparisons and chi-square tests for categorical associations, alongside neural network modeling for injury grade classification. Results: Statistical analysis demonstrated significant differences between standardized and control tests, confirming the effectiveness of the standardization. The neural network model achieved high classification accuracy (94.7%), with precision, recall, and F1 scores exceeding 90%. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis yielded an area under the curve of 0.80, indicating reliable diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions: The PSM mobile application, combined with standardized pivot-shift techniques, is a reliable tool for diagnosing and classifying ACL injuries. Its high performance in predicting injury grades makes it a valuable addition to clinical practice for enhancing diagnostic precision and informing treatment planning.

Summary: Background: Increased pediatric COVID-19 occurrence due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has raised concerns about the effectiveness of existing vaccines. The protection provided by the SOBERANA-02-Plus vaccination scheme against this variant has not yet been studied. We aimed to evaluate the scheme's effectiveness against symptomatic Omicron infection and severe disease in children. Methods: In September 2021, Cuba implemented a mass pediatric immunization with the heterologous SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme: 2 doses of conjugated SOBERANA-02 followed by a heterologous SOBERANA-Plus dose. By December, before the Omicron outbreak, 95.4% of 2–18 years-old had been fully immunized. During the entire Omicron wave, we conducted a nationwide longitudinal post-vaccination case-population study to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme against symptomatic infection and severe disease in children without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The identification of COVID-19 cases relied on surveillance through first line services, which refer clinical suspects to pediatric hospitals where they are diagnosed based on a positive RT-PCR test. We defined the Incidence Rate ratio (IRR) as IRvaccinated age group/IRunvaccinated 1-year-old and calculated vaccine effectiveness as VE = (1—IRR)∗100%. 24 months of age being the ‘eligible for vaccination’ cut-off, we used a regression discontinuity approach to estimate effectiveness by contrasting incidence in all unvaccinated 1-year-old versus vaccinated 2-years-old. Estimates in the vaccinated 3–11 years-old are reported from a descriptive perspective. Findings: We included 1,098,817 fully vaccinated 2–11 years-old and 98,342 not vaccinated 1-year-old children. During the 24-week Omicron wave, there were 7003/26,241,176 person-weeks symptomatic COVID-19 infections in the vaccinated group (38.2 per 105 person-weeks in 2-years-old and 25.5 per 105 person-weeks in 3–11 years-old) against 3577/2,312,273 (154.7 per 105 person-weeks) in the unvaccinated group. The observed overall vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection was 75.3% (95% CI, 73.5–77.0%) in 2-years-old children, and 83.5% (95% CI, 82.8–84.2%) in 3–11 years-old. It was somewhat lower during Omicron BA.1 then during Omicron BA.2 variant circulation, which took place 1–3 and 4–6 months after the end of the vaccination campaign. The effectiveness against severe symptomatic disease was 100.0% (95% CI not estimated) and 94.6% (95% CI, 82.0–98.6%) in the respective age groups. No child death from COVID-19 was observed. Interpretation: Immunization of 2–11 years-old with the SOBERANA-02-Plus scheme provided strong protection against symptomatic and severe disease caused by the Omicron variant, which was sustained during the six months post-vaccination follow-up. Our results contrast with the observations in previous real-world vaccine effectiveness studies in children, which might be explained by the type of immunity a conjugated protein-based vaccine induces and the vaccination strategy used. Funding: National Fund for Science and Technology (FONCI-CITMA-Cuba).

The emergence and re-emergence of tick-borne bacteria (TBB) as a public health problem raises the uncertainty of antibiotic resistance in these pathogens, which could be dispersed to other pathogens. The impact of global warming has led to the emergence of pathogenic TBB in areas where they were not previously present and is another risk that must be taken into account under the One Health guides. This review aimed to analyze the existing information regarding antibiotic-resistant TBB and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARG) present in the tick microbiome, considering the potential to be transmitted to pathogenic microorganisms. Several Ehrlichia species have been reported to exhibit natural resistance to fluoroquinolones and typhus group Rickettsiae are naturally susceptible to erythromycin. TBB have a lower risk of acquiring ARG due to their natural habitat, but there is still a probability of acquiring them; furthermore, studies of these pathogens are limited. Pathogenic and commensal bacteria coexist within the tick microbiome along with ARGs for antibiotic deactivation, cellular protection, and efflux pumps; these ARGs confer resistance to antibiotics such as aminoglycosides, beta-lactamase, diaminopyrimidines, fluoroquinolones, glycopeptides, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. Although with low probability, TBB can be a reservoir of ARGs.

Abstract Background Perception of drug adulteration has increased in Mexico, but there is little research on adulterants and toxicity. The aim of this study was to identify drug composition in an electronic music outdoor festival nearby Mexico City. Methods The participants completed a questionnaire with demographic data, harm reduction strategies, drug-use patterns, history, and the drug they expected to find. We took a small sample of each substance and prepared it for drug checking. A two-section drug testing station was placed within the grounds of the festival. Interaction with participants occurred at the front part. Drug checking was conducted at the rear part. The service was free of charge, voluntary and confidential. Forty persons aged 22 to 48 years participated (mode = 28), of which 92.5% were male, most (82.5%) were single. Through the Substance Analysis Program of “ReverdeSer Collective,” we conducted the testing with the attendants that provided 51 drug samples, following ethical and biosafety protocols. We used colorimetry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, and fentanyl immunoassay strips for sample analysis. Results Substances of choice among attendants were psychostimulants (MDMA and other amphetamine-like drugs) and hallucinogens. Most samples contained what the users expected plus adulterants. Main adulterants were methylene-dioxy-ethyl-amphetamine, methylene-dioxy-propyl-amphetamine, hydroxyamphetamine, and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor venlafaxine. Fentanyl was present in 2 out of 4 cocaine samples and in 14 of the 22 confirmed MDMA samples. Conclusions Some of the adulterants found pose serious health risks, especially fentanyl, amphetamine-like substances, and venlafaxine. Therefore, it is urgent to monitor these adulterants at electronic music festivals and to implement prevention, treatment, and harm reduction public policies. Naloxone distribution and drug-assisted therapies should be part of government programs in Mexico.

La comunicación oral pedagógica constituye una necesidad social que trasciende a la formación de los profesionales de la Educación. Por tales razones, se planteó como objetivo socializar un modelo pedagógico para el mejoramiento del proceso de formación de la comunicación oral pedagógica, instrumentado mediante una estrategia para los estudiantes de la carrera Licenciatura en Educación Informática, de la Universidad de Pinar del Río. Como principales métodos se contemplaron, el dialéctico-materialista, como general, así como teóricos, como el histórico -lógico y empíricos, la entrevista, la encuesta y el análisis de documentos que junto a los estadísticos para el análisis posterior de los datos obtenidos. Como resultados se diseñó e implementó el modelo sistémico se concibió desde la triada de lo instructivo, educativo y desarrollador, en el tránsito por las etapas elemental, intermedia y avanzada, articulándose en los colectivos de los años académicos y en la estrategia de comunicación, para darle salida a lo académico, laboral, investigativo y extensionista, mediado por la gestión didáctica y las relaciones que se establecen entre las disciplinas Práctica Integral de la Lengua Española y Práctica Laboral e Investigativa. A través de los grupos focales se obtuvieron los resultados para la validación teórica y práctica de la propuesta, y el experimento pedagógico en su variante prexperimental se empleó para la validación práctica de la estrategia. La principal conclusión estuvo en que el modelo reúne los requisitos para contribuir al proceso de formación de la comunicación oral pedagógica del futuro profesional y su preparación integral.