Lymphoplasmacytic plaque in children: Case report and literature review

We report a case of benign lymphoplasmacytic plaque (LPP) in a child. These asymptomatic erythematous papulonodular lesions are an emerging clinicopathological entity. Herein, we describe a previously unreported site for LPP lesions, namely, the volar wrist and the distal ipsilateral palm.     

同型半胱氨酸与绝经后女性颈动脉粥样硬化的相关性研究

目的 研究同型半胱氨酸(homocysteine,Hcy)是否为绝经后女性颈动脉粥样硬化的独立风险因素。 方法 对2017年12月—2018年12月北京协和医院健康体检的1 204名55岁以上绝经后女性,进行Hcy检测和颈动脉超声检查。使用多变量logistic回归方法分析Hcy及其他传统风险因素对颈动脉粥样硬化的影响。 结果 Hcy平均值(12.4±3.3)μmol/L,高Hcy血症176人(14.62%)。Hcy与年龄和BMI正相关(分别r=0.19,P<0.001;r=0.11, P<0.001)。颈动脉粥样硬化患者的Hcy显著升高(Z=-2.56,P=0.011)。logistic回归显示,对于颈动脉粥样硬化只有年龄(OR=1.11,95%CI:1.09~1.14)和收缩压(OR=1.02,95%CI:1.01~1.02)是独立风险因素;对颈动脉斑块形成年龄(OR=1.10,95%CI:1.08~1.12)、收缩压(OR=1.02,95%CI:1.01~1.03)、糖化血红蛋白(OR=1.27,95%CI:1.07~1.50)和高血压病史(OR=1.40,95%CI:1.06~1.87)是独立危险因素。 结论 在绝经后女性,Hcy不是动脉粥样硬化发生的独立风险因素,筛查高Hcy血症在预防该人群颈动脉粥样硬化的意义仍需进一步证明。     

Development of an IgG-Fc fusion COVID-19 subunit vaccine,AKS-452

AKS-452 is a biologically-engineered vaccine comprising an Fc fusion protein of the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike protein receptor binding domain antigen (Ag) and human IgG1 Fc (SP/RBD-Fc) in clinical development for the induction and augmentation of neutralizing IgG titers against SARS-CoV-2 viral infection to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fc moiety is designed to enhance immunogenicity by increasing uptake via Fc-receptors (FcγR) on Ag-presenting cells (APCs) and prolonging exposure due to neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) recycling. AKS-452 induced approximately 20-fold greater neutralizing IgG titers in mice relative to those induced by SP/RBD without the Fc moiety and induced comparable long-term neutralizing titers with a single dose vs. two doses. To further enhance immunogenicity, AKS-452 was evaluated in formulations containing a panel of adjuvants in which the water-in-oil adjuvant, Montanide™ ISA 720, enhanced neutralizing IgG titers by approximately 7-fold after one and two doses in mice, including the neutralization of live SARS-CoV-2 virus infection of VERO-E6 cells. Furthermore, ISA 720-adjuvanted AKS-452 was immunogenic in rabbits and non-human primates (NHPs) and protected from infection and clinical symptoms with live SARS-CoV-2 virus in NHPs (USA-WA1/2020 viral strain) and the K18 human ACE2-trangenic (K18-huACE2-Tg) mouse (South African B.1.351 viral variant). These preclinical studies support the initiation of Phase I clinical studies with adjuvanted AKS-452 with the expectation that this room-temperature stable, Fc-fusion subunit vaccine can be rapidly and inexpensively manufactured to provide billions of doses per year especially in regions where the cold-chain is difficult to maintain.     

Ex vivo identification of atherosclerotic plaque calcification by a 31P solid-state magnetic resonance imaging technique.

Calcified tissue is a common component of atherosclerotic plaques, and occurs most often in mature plaques. The process of calcification is a poorly understood risk factor that may contribute to a plaque's vulnerability to sudden rupture. In this study a solid-state imaging sequence, termed single-point imaging (SPI), was used to observe calcification directly in ex vivo atherosclerotic plaques. Standards were used to validate the ability of (31)P SPI to detect and differentiate calcification from crystalline cholesterol, phospholipids, and other plaque components. After suitable experimental parameters were found, human carotid specimens obtained by endarterectomy were imaged ex vivo by (31)P solid-state imaging and standard (1)H methods. In contrast to (1)H imaging methods, (31)P imaging detected only the calcification in the plaque.     

氯吡格雷防治动脉粥样硬化缺血性疾病的研究进展

氯吡格雷防治动脉粥样硬化斑块破裂后血栓形成尤其是冠状动脉疾病及其经皮冠脉介入性治疗有了充足的临床试验证据,对于粥样斑块的形成和发展的相关依据正在进行,现就氯吡格雷全面预防和治疗动脉粥样硬化缺血性疾病的研究进展作一综述。     

Association between commensal bacteria and opportunistic pathogens in the dental plaque of elderly individuals

Opportunistic infections in the oral cavity of the elderly may increase the incidence of systemic disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the differences in the oral bacterial flora between dependent elderly (inpatients) and independent elderly (community-dwelling residents). After multiple variables were taken into account, inpatients had significantly lower detection rates than community-dwelling residents for alpha-streptococci (p < 0.001) and Neisseria (p 0.004), and higher detection rates for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p 0.024), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (p 0.011) and Actinomyces spp. (p 0.005). Among inpatients, the requirement for a high degree of care was related negatively to detection of alpha-streptococci, but was related significantly to detection of P. aeruginosa (p 0.018) or MRSA (p 0.004). Tube-fed inpatients had a significantly lower detection rate for alpha-streptococci (p 0.041) and a higher detection rate for P. aeruginosa (p 0.004) than those who did not require tube feeding. Inpatients with a history of antibiotic use had a significantly lower detection rate for alpha-streptococci (p 0.049) and a higher detection rate for MRSA (p 0.007) than those without a history of antibiotic use. The detection rates for P. aeruginosa or MRSA in inpatients without alpha-streptococci were higher than in inpatients with alpha-streptococci after controlling for age and gender (P. aeruginosa, p 0.006; MRSA, p 0.001). Overall, detection of alpha-streptococci had an inverse correlation with the detection of P. aeruginosa and MRSA in the oral cavity and is likely to be an indicator of pathogenic bacterial infection.