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BackgroundGlobal efforts are needed to elucidate the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the underlying cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including seroprevalence, risk factors, and long-term sequelae, as well as immune responses after vaccination across populations and the social dimensions of prevention and treatment strategies.MethodsIn the United States, the National Cancer Institute in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, established the SARS-CoV-2 Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) as the nation's largest coordinated effort to study coronavirus disease 2019. The network comprises multidisciplinary researchers bridging gaps and fostering collaborations among immunologists, epidemiologists, virologists, clinicians and clinical laboratories, social and behavioral scientists, policymakers, data scientists, and community members. In total, 49 institutions form the SeroNet consortium to study individuals with cancer, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, cardiovascular diseases, human immunodeficiency virus, transplant recipients, as well as otherwise healthy pregnant women, children, college students, and high-risk occupational workers (including healthcare workers and first responders).ResultsSeveral studies focus on underrepresented populations, including ethnic minorities and rural communities. To support integrative data analyses across SeroNet studies, efforts are underway to define common data elements for standardized serology measurements, cellular and molecular assays, self-reported data, treatment, and clinical outcomes.ConclusionsIn this paper, we discuss the overarching framework for SeroNet epidemiology studies, critical research questions under investigation, and data accessibility for the worldwide scientific community. Lessons learned will help inform preparedness and responsiveness to future emerging diseases.

Abstract Neuroepigenetics considers genetic sequences and the interplay with environmental influences to elucidate vulnerability risk for various neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, evaluating DNA methylation of brain tissue is challenging owing to the issue of tissue specificity. Consequently, peripheral surrogate tissues were used, resulting in limited progress compared with other epigenetic studies, such as cancer research. Therefore, we developed databases to establish correlations between the brain and peripheral tissues in the same individuals. Four tissues, resected brain tissue, blood, saliva, and buccal mucosa (buccal), were collected from 19 patients (aged 13–73 years) who underwent neurosurgery. Moreover, their genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip arrays to determine the cross-tissue correlation of each combination. These correlation analyses were conducted with all methylation sites and with variable CpGs, and with when these were adjusted for cellular proportions. For the averaged data for each CpG across individuals, the saliva–brain correlation (r = 0.90) was higher than that for blood–brain (r = 0.87) and buccal–brain (r = 0.88) comparisons. Among individual CpGs, blood had the highest proportion of CpGs correlated to the brain at nominally significant levels (19.0%), followed by saliva (14.4%) and buccal (9.8%). These results were similar to the previous IMAGE-CpG results; however, cross-database correlations of the correlation coefficients revealed a relatively low (brain vs. blood: r = 0.27, saliva: r = 0.18, and buccal: r = 0.24). To the best of our knowledge, this is the fifth study in the literature initiating the development of databases for correlations between the brain and peripheral tissues in the same individuals. We present the first database developed from an Asian population, specifically Japanese samples (AMAZE-CpG), which would contribute to interpreting individual epigenetic study results from various Asian populations.

One of the youngest features on the Moon is Tycho, an 85 km diameter impact crater with a vast ray system that spans much of the lunar nearside. As such, it serves as an important stratigraphic marker for the Moon. One of Tycho’s longest rays crosses the South Pole, where it intersects several candidate landing sites for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which intends to return new lunar samples. Identification of ray-related effects are thus important to understand the provenance of collected material. To help contextualize sampling strategies, here we characterize the South Pole–crossing Tycho ray using monostatic S -band radar observations from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Miniature Radio Frequency instrument. We found that the ray is a ∼15 km wide radar-bright feature extending at least ∼1600 km from Tycho. Polarimetric analysis revealed that the measured radar backscatter is consistent with a terrain enhanced in centimeter-to-decimeter-scale scatterers. Moreover, we found that the abundance of these scatterers likely decreases with distance from the primary crater, suggesting there may be less Tycho-disturbed material, in particular, poleward of 85°S, where the candidate landing sites are located. Nevertheless, we identified craters along the ray and, importantly, within the Haworth candidate landing site that exhibit secondary crater characteristics, such as radar-bright, asymmetric ejecta deposits. We showed, based on solar illumination and topographic slopes, that the likely Tycho-related secondaries within Haworth are accessible by landed missions. Exploration of this site may thus directly sample Tycho-disturbed material, including a nearby permanently shadowed region, providing new insights into lunar surface processes.

The Miniature Radio Frequency instrument (Mini-RF) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter obtained widespread synthetic aperture radar observations of the Moon in the S band (12.6 cm), including nearly complete coverage at both lunar poles. The currently archived monostatic data have spatial offsets from the lunar reference frame, making them more difficult to compare to other data sets. To address this issue, we have developed a new algorithm for spatially controlling the Mini-RF S-band monostatic data set and orthorectifying these data onto lunar topography. Additionally, as the influence of incidence angle changes on radar observations is well known, we describe an empirical approach to account for variations in observation geometry and surface topography. Individual radar swaths and mosaics produced using this method more clearly show the variability in scattering behavior due to changes in lunar regolith properties and suppress some of the behavior arising from these topographic effects alone. Once these terrain effects are taken into account, we find that areas of permanent shadow at both poles have a higher median radar reflectivity than nonpermanently shadowed regions, but the polarization behavior of shadowed versus unshadowed areas is largely similar. The higher radar reflectivity in permanent shadow is likely the result of physical or compositional differences in these unique environments, though the precise cause remains uncertain. The results here illustrate how reducing the influence of topography and geometry effects in Mini-RF radar data may enable better characterization of lunar geologic units, regolith structure, and potential areas hosting volatile deposits at the lunar poles.

Summary: The pairing of antibody genes IGHV2-5/IGLV2-14 is established as a public immune response that potently cross-neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron, by targeting class-3/RBD-5 epitopes in the receptor binding domain (RBD). LY-CoV1404 (bebtelovimab) exemplifies this, displaying exceptional potency against Omicron sub-variants up to BA.5. Here, we report a human antibody, 002-S21B10, encoded by the public clonotype IGHV2-5/IGLV2-14. While 002-S21B10 neutralized key SARS-CoV-2 variants, it did not neutralize Omicron, despite sharing >92% sequence similarity with LY-CoV1404. The structure of 002-S21B10 in complex with spike trimer plus structural and sequence comparisons with LY-CoV1404 and other IGHV2-5/IGLV2-14 antibodies revealed significant variations in light-chain orientation, paratope residues, and epitope-paratope interactions that enable some antibodies to neutralize Omicron but not others. Confirming this, replacing the light chain of 002-S21B10 with the light chain of LY-CoV1404 restored 002-S21B10’s binding to Omicron. Understanding such Omicron evasion from public response is vital for guiding therapeutics and vaccine design.

Certain aspects of the immunogenicity and effectiveness of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines (mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2) developed in response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic are still uncharacterized. Serum or plasma samples from healthy donor recipients of either vaccine (BNT162b2 n = 53, mRNA-1273 n = 49; age 23–67), and individuals naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2 (n = 106; age 18–82) were collected 0–2 months post-infection or 1- and 4 months after second dose of vaccination. Anti-Spike antibody levels and avidity were measured via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, vaccination induced higher circulating anti-Spike protein immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels and avidity compared to infection at similar time intervals. Both vaccines produced similar anti-Spike IgG concentrations at 1 month, while mRNA-1273 demonstrated significantly higher circulating antibody concentrations after 4 months. mRNA-1273 induced significantly higher avidity at month 1 compared to BNT162b2 across all age groups. However, the 23–34 age group was the only group to maintain statistical significance by 4 months. Male BNT162b2 recipients were approaching statistically significant lower anti-Spike IgG avidity compared to females by month 4. These findings demonstrate enhanced anti-Spike IgG levels and avidity following vaccination compared to natural infection. In addition, the mRNA-1273 vaccine induced higher antibody levels by 4 months compared to BNT162b2.

Here we delineate a complete satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS) authentication scheme, including over-the-air rekeying (OTAR), that uses the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) and timed efficient stream loss-tolerant authentication (TESLA) without the quadrature (Q) channel. This scheme appends two new message types to the SBAS scheduler without over-burdening the message schedule. We have taken special care to ensure that our scheme (1) meets the appropriate security requirements needed to prevent and deter spoofing; (2) is compatible with existing cryptographic standards; (3) is flexible, expandable, and future-proof to different cryptographic and implementation schemes; and (4) is backward compatible with legacy receivers. The scheme accommodates a diverse set of features, including authenticating core-constellation ephemerides. We discuss the SBAS provider and receiver machine state and its startup, including its use by aircraft that traverse differing SBAS coverage areas. We tested our scheme with existing SBAS simulation and analysis tools and found that it had negligible effects on current SBAS availability and continuity requirements.

IntroductionMaternally derived antibodies are crucial for neonatal immunity. Understanding the binding and cross-neutralization capacity of maternal and cord antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants following COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy can inform neonatal immunity.MethodsHere we characterized the binding and neutralizing antibody profile at delivery in 24 pregnant individuals following two doses of Moderna mRNA-1273 or Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccination. We analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 multivariant cross-neutralizing antibody levels for wildtype Wuhan, Delta, Omicron BA1, BA2, and BA4/BA5 variants. In addition, we evaluated the transplacental antibody transfer by profiling maternal and umbilical cord blood.ResultsOur results reveal that the current COVID-19 vaccination induced significantly higher RBD-specific binding IgG titers in cord blood compared to maternal blood for both the Wuhan and Omicron BA1 strain. Interestingly, the binding IgG antibody levels for the Omicron BA1 strain were significantly lower when compared to the Wuhan strain in both maternal and cord blood. In contrast to the binding, the Omicron BA1, BA2, and BA4/5 specific neutralizing antibody levels were significantly lower compared to the Wuhan and Delta variants. It is interesting to note that the BA4/5 neutralizing capacity was not detected in either maternal or cord blood.DiscussionOur data suggest that the initial series of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were immunogenic in pregnant women, and vaccine-elicited binding antibodies were detectable in cord blood at significantly higher levels for the Wuhan and Delta variants but not for the Omicron variants. Interestingly, the vaccination did not induce neutralizing antibodies for Omicron variants. These results provide novel insight into the impact of vaccination on maternal humoral immune response and transplacental antibody transfer for SARS-CoV-2 variants and support the need for bivalent boosters as new variants emerge.

Combination of proximity biotinylation and protein cross-linking allows proximity phosphoproteomics of the kinetochore in Leishmania parasites during the cell cycle and captures perturbations at the kinetochore after treatment with a protein kinase inhibitor.

Planetary radar observations have provided invaluable information on the solar system through both ground-based and space-based observations. In this overview article, we summarize how radar observations have contributed in planetary science, how the radar technology as a remote-sensing method for planetary exploration and the methods to interpret the radar data have advanced in the eight decades of increasing use, where the field stands in the early 2020s, and what are the future prospects of the ground-based facilities conducting planetary radar observations and the planned spacecraft missions equipped with radar instruments. The focus of the paper is on radar as a remote-sensing technique using radar instruments in spacecraft orbiting planetary objects and in Earth-based radio telescopes, whereas ground-penetrating radar systems on landers are mentioned only briefly. The key scientific developments are focused on the search for water ice in the subsurface of the Moon, which could be an invaluable in situ resource for crewed missions, dynamical and physical characterization of near-Earth asteroids, which is also crucial for effective planetary defense, and a better understanding of planetary geology.

In this article, we summarize the work of the NASA Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) Roadmaps to Ocean Worlds (ROW) group. The aim of this group is to assemble the scientific framework that will guide the exploration of ocean worlds, and to identify and prioritize science objectives for ocean worlds over the next several decades. The overarching goal of an Ocean Worlds exploration program as defined by ROW is to "identify ocean worlds, characterize their oceans, evaluate their habitability, search for life, and ultimately understand any life we find." The ROW team supports the creation of an exploration program that studies the full spectrum of ocean worlds, that is, not just the exploration of known ocean worlds such as Europa but candidate ocean worlds such as Triton as well. The ROW team finds that the confirmed ocean worlds Enceladus, Titan, and Europa are the highest priority bodies to target in the near term to address ROW goals. Triton is the highest priority candidate ocean world to target in the near term. A major finding of this study is that, to map out a coherent Ocean Worlds Program, significant input is required from studies here on Earth; rigorous Research and Analysis studies are called for to enable some future ocean worlds missions to be thoughtfully planned and undertaken. A second finding is that progress needs to be made in the area of collaborations between Earth ocean scientists and extraterrestrial ocean scientists.

The early medieval coin‐using economy is traditionally conceptualized as a masculine sphere with minimal female involvement. This article examines a corpus of 135 gold and pale gold coins of the later sixth and seventh centuries that underwent modification as coin‐pendants, a form of jewellery that belongs almost exclusively to feminine contexts. Analysis of this corpus reveals that these coins were valued as coins, with their attendant symbolic and economic significance, and that this transformation into jewellery did not irreversibly remove them from circulation, offering important evidence for female engagement in the seventh‐century coin‐based economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present the development of a new coupled weather and carbon monoxide (CO) data assimilation system based on the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) operational ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). The estimated meteorological state is augmented to include CO. Variable localization is used to prevent the direct update of meteorology by the observations of the constituents and vice versa. Physical localization is used to damp spurious analysis increments far from a given observation. Perturbed surface flux fields are used to account for the uncertainty in CO due to errors in the surface fluxes. The system is demonstrated for the estimation of three-dimensional CO states using simulated observations from a variety of networks. First, a hypothetically dense, uniformly distributed observation network is used to demonstrate that the system is working. More realistic observation networks, based on surface hourly observations, and space-based observations provide a demonstration of the complementarity of the different networks and further confirm the reasonable behavior of the coupled assimilation system. Having demonstrated the ability to estimate CO distributions, this system will be extended to estimate surface fluxes in the future.