A class II MHC-targeted vaccine elicits immunity against #SARS-CoV-2 and its variants

Vaccines remain the best hope of curtailing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Currently available vaccines require cold storage and sophisticated manufacturing capacity, complicating their distribution, especially in less developed countries. We report a protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that directly and specifically targets antigen-presenting cells. It consists of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike receptor-binding domain (SpikeRBD) fused to a… Continue reading A class II MHC-targeted vaccine elicits immunity against #SARS-CoV-2 and its variants

Association Between #Melanoma Detected During Routine Skin Checks and Mortality

Are melanomas diagnosed through routine skin checks (a proxy for skin cancer screening) associated with reduced melanoma-specific and all-cause mortality? Findings This population-based cohort study included 2452 patients, each with 1 diagnosed melanoma, 35% of which were detected during a routine skin check. In multivariable analyses, routine skin-check detection was associated with a subhazard ratio… Continue reading Association Between #Melanoma Detected During Routine Skin Checks and Mortality

Strategies to Optimize #Nephrolithiasis Emergency Care (STONE): Prospective Evaluation of an Emergency Department Clinical Pathway

To convene a multi-disciplinary panel to develop a pathway for Emergency Department (ED) patients with suspected nephrolithiasis and then prospectively evaluate its effect on patient care. Materials and MethodsThe STONE Pathway was developed and linked to order sets within our Electronic Health Record in April 2019. Records were prospectively reviewed for ED patients who underwent… Continue reading Strategies to Optimize #Nephrolithiasis Emergency Care (STONE): Prospective Evaluation of an Emergency Department Clinical Pathway

Ankle‐Brachial Index and Subsequent Risk of Severe #Ischemic #Leg Outcomes: The ARIC Study

Ankle‐brachial index (ABI) is used to identify lower‐extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, its association with severe ischemic leg outcomes (eg, amputation) has not been investigated in the general population. Methods and ResultsAmong 13 735 ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study participants without clinical manifestations of PAD (mean age, 54 [SD, 5.8] years; 44.4% men;… Continue reading Ankle‐Brachial Index and Subsequent Risk of Severe #Ischemic #Leg Outcomes: The ARIC Study

The spike protein of #SARS-CoV-2 variant A.30 is heavily #mutated and evades vaccine-induced antibodies with high efficiency

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, continues to rage in many countries, straining health systems and economies. Vaccines protect against severe disease and death and are considered central to ending the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines (and SARS-CoV-2 infection) elicit antibodies that are directed against the viral spike (S) protein and neutralize the virus. However, the emergence… Continue reading The spike protein of #SARS-CoV-2 variant A.30 is heavily #mutated and evades vaccine-induced antibodies with high efficiency

Epidemiology of type 2 #diabetes remission in Scotland in 2019: A cross-sectional population-based study

Clinical pathways are changing to incorporate support and appropriate follow-up for people to achieve remission of type 2 diabetes, but there is limited understanding of the prevalence of remission in current practice or patient characteristics associated with remission. Methods and findingsWe carried out a cross-sectional study estimating the prevalence of remission of type 2 diabetes… Continue reading Epidemiology of type 2 #diabetes remission in Scotland in 2019: A cross-sectional population-based study

Estimating dose-response relationships for vitamin #D with #coronary heart disease, #stroke, and all-cause mortality: observational and Mendelian randomisation analyses

SummaryBackgroundRandomised trials of vitamin D supplementation for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality have generally reported null findings. However, generalisability of results to individuals with low vitamin D status is unclear. We aimed to characterise dose-response relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality in observational and Mendelian… Continue reading Estimating dose-response relationships for vitamin #D with #coronary heart disease, #stroke, and all-cause mortality: observational and Mendelian randomisation analyses

Comprehensive investigations revealed consistent pathophysiological alterations after #vaccination with #COVID-19 vaccines

Large-scale COVID-19 vaccinations are currently underway in many countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we report, besides generation of neutralizing antibodies, consistent alterations in hemoglobin A1c, serum sodium and potassium levels, coagulation profiles, and renal functions in healthy volunteers after vaccination with an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Similar changes had also been reported in… Continue reading Comprehensive investigations revealed consistent pathophysiological alterations after #vaccination with #COVID-19 vaccines

SARS–CoV–2 #Spike Impairs #DNA Damage Repair and InhibitsV(D)J Recombination In Vitro

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV–2) has led to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID–19) pandemic, severely affecting public health and the global economy.Adaptive immunity plays a crucial role in fighting against SARS–CoV–2 infection and directly in-fluences the clinical outcomes of patients. Clinical studies have indicated that patients with severeCOVID–19 exhibit delayed and weak adaptive… Continue reading SARS–CoV–2 #Spike Impairs #DNA Damage Repair and InhibitsV(D)J Recombination In Vitro