VXX-401, a novel anti-PCSK9 vaccine, reduces LDL-C in cynomolgus monkeys

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of disease burden in the world and is highly correlated with chronic elevations of LDL-C. LDL-C-lowering drugs, such as statins or monoclonal antibodies against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), are known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, statins are associated with limited efficacy and poor adherence to treatment, whereas PCSK9 inhibitors are only prescribed to a "high-risk" patient population or those who have failed other therapies. Based on the proven efficacy and safety profile of existing monoclonal antibodies, we have developed a peptide-based vaccine against PCSK9, VXX-401, as an alternative option to treat hypercholesterolemia and prevent ASCVD. VXX-401 is designed to trigger a safe humoral immune response against PCSK9, resulting in the production of endogenous antibodies and a subsequent 30-40% reduction in blood LDL-C. In this article, VXX-401 demonstrates robust immunogenicity and sustained serum LDL-C-lowering effects in nonhuman primates. In addition, antibodies induced by VXX-401 bind to human PCSK9 with high affinity and block the inhibitory effect of PCSK9 on LDL-C uptake in a hepatic cell model. A repeat-dose toxicity study conducted in nonhuman primates under good laboratory practices toxicity indicated a suitable safety and tolerability profile, with injection site reactions being the main findings. As a promising safe and effective LDL-C-lowering therapy, VXX-401 may represent a broadly accessible and convenient option to treat hypercholesterolemia and prevent ASCVD.

Collection Time, Location, and Mosquito Species Have Distinct Impacts on the Mosquito Microbiota

The mosquito microbiota affects many aspects of mosquito biology including development and reproduction. It also strongly impacts interactions between the mosquito host and pathogens that cause important disease in humans, such as dengue and malaria. Critically, the mosquito microbiota is highly diverse and can vary in composition in response to multiple environmental variables, but these effects are not always consistent. Understanding how the environment shapes mosquito microbial diversity is a critical step in elucidating the ubiquity of key host-microbe-pathogen interactions in nature. To that end, we examined the role of time of collection, collection location and host species on mosquito microbial diversity by repeating collections at two-month intervals on a trapping grid spanning three distinct biomes. We then used 16S rRNA sequencing to compare the microbiomes of Aedes taeniorhynchus, Anopheles crucians, and Culex nigripalpus mosquitoes from those collections. We saw that mosquito diversity was strongly affected by both time and collection location. We also observed that microbial richness and diversity increased from March to May, and that An. crucians and Cx. nigripalpus had greater microbial diversity than Ae. taeniorhynchus. However, we also observed that collection location had no impact on microbial diversity except for significantly lower bacterial richness observed in mosquitoes collected from the mangrove wetlands. Our results highlight that collection time, collection location, and mosquito species each affect aspects of mosquito microbial diversity, but their importance is context dependent. We also demonstrate that these variables have differing impacts on mosquito diversity and mosquito microbial diversity. Our findings suggest that the environment likely plays an important but variable role in influencing the composition of the mosquito microbiota.

Mosquito Communities Vary across Landscape and Vertical Strata in Indian River County, Florida

Mosquito and arbovirus surveillance is essential to the protection of public health. A majority of surveys are undertaken at ground level. However, mosquitoes shelter, breed, and quest for hosts across vertical strata, thus limiting our ability to fully describe mosquito and arboviral communities. To elucidate patterns of mosquito vertical stratification, canopy traps were constructed to sample mosquitoes at heights of 1.5, 5.0, and 8.7 m across three different landscape types in a Florida coastal conservation area. We assessed trapping efforts using individual-based rarefaction and extrapolation. The effects of height, landscape, site location, and sampling date on mosquito community composition were parsed out using permutational ANOVA on a Hellinger-transformed Bray–Curtis dissimilarity abundance matrix. Lastly, a generalized linear mixed effects model (GLMM) was used to explore species-specific vertical patterns. We observed differences in sampling effort and community composition structure across various heights and landscapes. Our GLMM revealed significant effects of trap height for Aedes taeniorhynchus, Anopheles crucians, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, and Culex coronator, but not for Culex nigripalpus, the ultra-dominant species present in this area. Together these data provide evidence that height and landscape significantly affect mosquito community structures and highlight a need to develop sampling regimes to target specific vector and nuisance species at their preferred height and across different landscape types.

Self-regulation model applied to menopause: a mixed-methods study

Objectives: Considering that bio-psycho-sociocultural variables influence menopause, this research aimed to assess the suitability of the self-regulation model in explaining the menopausal experience, and to explore differences among participants with different characteristics (e.g. health, sexual related) regarding menopause representations.Methods: Overall, 27 Portuguese women aged 40-65 years were assessed for sociodemographics, health, and sexual activity, as well as menopausal status and symptoms. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. A directed content analysis was performed, and the qualitative data presented. Afterward, the frequencies of the categories were analyzed through quantitative methods (Mann-Whitney U tests).Results: Aging was the most frequently mentioned feature regarding menopause Identity, whereas vasomotor symptoms were the most mentioned regarding Negative Consequences and menses cessation regarding Positive Consequences. Features related to Cause (hormonal changes) and Control (need for acceptance) of menopause were also identified. No differences were found in the frequency of menopause representations between women with different characteristics (e.g. with higher vs. lower vasomotor symptom severity).Conclusion: The suitability of the self-regulation model to explain these women's menopause experience was confirmed and the representations did not vary among participants with different characteristics. This research might help professionals and researchers in developing comprehensive interventions, based on this theoretical model.

Molecular aggregation of naphthalimide organic semiconductors assisted by amphiphilic and lipophilic interactions: a joint theoretical and experimental study

Amphiphilic and lipophilic donor-acceptor naphthalimide-oligothiophene assemblies exhibiting almost identical intramolecular properties, but differing in their intermolecular interactions, have been synthesized. Here we analyze the effect of replacing the normally used lipophilic alkyl chains with hydrophilic ones in directing molecular aggregation from an antiparallel to a parallel stacking. This different molecular packing of the amphiphilic, NIP-3TAmphi, and lipophilic, NIP-3TLipo, systems is assessed by electronic spectroscopies, scanning electronic microscopy and DFT quantum-chemical calculations. Theoretical calculations indicate that the presence of amphiphilic interactions promotes a face-to-face parallel arrangement of neighbor molecules, which induces improved electronic coupling and therefore enhances the charge transport ability and photoconducting properties of this type of materials. Time of flight and photoconducting measurements are used to determine the impact of the amphiphilic and lipophilic interactions on their possible performance in optoelectronic devices.

Dielectric relaxation in concentrated nonaqueous colloidal suspensions

In this work we report on the permittivity of suspensions of elongated goethite particles in silicone oils of different viscosities. In spite of the low conductivity of the systems, the electrode polarization is significant. To correct this phenomenon, the procedure chosen is the one called logarithmic derivative of the real part of the permittivity, and it proves to efficiently reduce the effect of electrodes to the extent that the spectra of pure liquids are flat in the accessible frequency range (20 Hz-1 MHz). In our suspensions, we observe the presence of a dielectric relaxation for frequencies in the range 4-40 kHz. In principle, such relaxations might be ascribed to the Maxwell-Wagner (MW) polarization. However, it is found that both the characteristic frequency and the relaxation amplitude of the suspensions increase with volume fraction, something unexpected for an MW relaxation. Such discrepancy can be explained by considering the Frenkel-Trukhan model, which reproduces the Maxwell-Wagner results in conditions of thin electrical double layers (which it is not our case). An excellent agreement is found between our data and the model predictions, using only the particle surface charge as a parameter.

Infection with Sin Nombre hantavirus: clinical presentation and outcome in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Sin Nombre hantavirus (SNV) is the leading causative agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the United States and Canada. Relatively few cases of HCPS have involved children. This report describes the clinical characteristics of a series of pediatric cases of SNV infection in the United States and Canada from 1993 through March 2000.

METHODS

We analyzed clinical and laboratory data on 13 patients who were </=16 years old with SNV infection from 1993 through March 2000 identified from a database at the University of New Mexico.

RESULTS

The patients ranged from 10 to 16 years of age, with a median of 14. Fifty-four percent were female. Fifty-four percent were Native American. The most common prodromal symptoms were fever, headache, and cough or dyspnea (100%); nausea or vomiting (90%); and myalgia (80%). The most common physical findings at admission were tachypnea (67%) and fever (56%); hypotension was seen in 33% of patients. On admission, all patients manifested thrombocytopenia (median platelet count: 67 000/mm(3)) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (median level: 1243 IU/L), and >85% of patients had elevated levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and hypoalbuminemia. Leukocytosis and hemoconcentration were seen in less than one third of patients at admission. HCPS developed in 12 of the 13 patients (92%), and 4 of those 12 died (33% case-fatality ratio). The majority of HCPS patients (8 of 12 [67%]) were critically ill and required mechanical ventilation. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used in 2 patients, 1 of whom survived. An elevated prothrombin time (>/=14 seconds) at admission was predictive of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Infection with SNV in children and adolescents causes HCPS with a clinical course and mortality rate similar to that described in adults. We believe that early recognition of HCPS in children and adolescents and appropriate referral to tertiary care centers that are experienced with HCPS are important in reducing mortality.

Sterol regulatory element binding protein-mediated effect of fluvastatin on cytosolic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase transcription

The effects of acute treatment with fluvastatin, a hypocholesteremic drug, on the mRNA levels of several regulatory enzymes of cholesterogenesis and of the LDL receptor were determined in rat liver. Fluvastatin increased the hepatic mRNA levels for HMG-CoA reductase up to 12-fold in 5 weeks of treatment at a daily dose of 6. 3 mg/kg. The effect was less marked in cytosolic HMG-CoA synthase, farnesyl-PP synthase, squalene synthetase, and LDL receptor. SREBP-2 mRNA levels were also increased, but SREBP-1 were not. De novo synthesis of cholesterol in several cultured cells was reduced by increasing concentrations of fluvastatin, and the IC(50) values of fluvastatin in HepG2, CV-1, and CHO cells were respectively 0.01, 0. 05, and 0.1 microM. When CHO cells stably transfected with a chimeric gene composed of the promoter of cytosolic HMG-CoA synthase and the CAT gene as a reporter were incubated with fluvastatin, the CAT gene was overexpressed, an effect which was similar to the cotransfection with the processed form of SREBP-1a. Both ALLN and fluvastatin increased the transcriptional activity of cytosolic HMG-CoA synthase. Mutation in either SRE or NF-Y boxes abolished the increase in transcriptional rate caused by fluvastatin in the promoter of cytosolic HMG-CoA synthase. These results indicate that the increase in transcriptional activity in the HMG-CoA synthase gene attributable to fluvastatin is a consequence of the activation of the proteolytic cleavage of SREBPs by reduced levels of intracellular cholesterol.

Attitudes of physicians practicing in New Mexico toward gay men and lesbians in the profession

PURPOSE

To examine the attitudes of physicians practicing in New Mexico toward gay and lesbian medical students, house officers, and physician colleagues.

METHOD

In May 1996, the authors mailed a questionnaire with demographic and attitude questions to 1,949 non-federally employed physicians practicing in New Mexico. The questionnaire consisted of questions dealing with medical school admission, residency training, and referrals to colleagues. The response rate was 53.6%.

RESULTS

Of all the responding physicians, 4.3% would refuse medical school admission to applicants known to be gay or lesbian. Respondents were most opposed to gay and lesbian physicians' seeking residency training in obstetrics and gynecology (10.1%), and least opposed to their seeking residency training in radiology (4.3%). Disclosure of homosexual orientation would also threaten referrals to gay and lesbian obstetrician-gynecologists (11.4%) more than to gay or lesbian physicians in other specialties.

CONCLUSION

Physicians' attitudes toward gay and lesbian medical students, house officers, and physician colleagues seem to have improved considerably from those reported previously in the literature. However, gay men and lesbians in medicine continue to face opposition in their medical training and in their pursuit of specialty practice.

Thiocyanate transport across fish intestine (Pleuronectes platessa)

When bathed on both sides with identical chloride-containing salines the in vitro preparation of the plaice intestine maintains a negative (serosa to mucosa) short-circuit current of 107 +/- 11 muA/cm2, a transepithelial potential difference of 5.5 +/- 0.6 mV (serosa negative), and a mean mucosal membrane potential of -45.4 +/- 0.6 mV. Under these conditions the intracellular chloride activity is 32 mM. If chloride in the bathing media is partially, or completely substituted by thiocyanate the measured electrical parameters do not change but transepithelial flux determinations show a reduction in chloride fluxes and the presence of a significant thiocyanate flux. The addition of piretanide (10-4M) reduced the short-circuit current and the mucosa-to-serosa fluxes of chloride and thiocyanate; this inhibition is similar to the effect of piretanide on chloride transport in this tissue. The results indicate that thiocyanate is transported in this tissue via the piretanide-sensitive "chloride" pathway and are compared with the effects of thiocyanate on other tissues reported in the literature.