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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) that have become dominant as the pandemic progresses bear the ORF8 mutation together with multiple spike mutations. A 382-nucleotide deletion (Δ382) in the ORF7b and ORF8 regions has been associated with milder disease phenotype and less systemic inflammation in COVID-19 patients. However, its impact on host immunity against SARS-CoV-2 remains undefined. Here, RNA-sequencing was performed to elucidate whole blood transcriptomic profiles and identify contrasting immune signatures between patients infected with either wildtype or Δ382 SARS-CoV-2 variant. Interestingly, the immune landscape of Δ382 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients featured an increased adaptive immune response, evidenced by enrichment of genes related to T cell functionality, a more robust SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity, as well as a more rapid antibody response. At the molecular level, eukaryotic initiation factor 2 signaling was found to be upregulated in patients bearing Δ382, and its associated genes were correlated with systemic levels of T cell-associated and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study provides more in-depth insight into the host–pathogen interactions of ORF8 with great promise as a therapeutic target to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10875-021-01142-z.

Context: Palliative sedation therapy (PST) can relieve suffering at end-of-life (EOL) in children with intolerable and refractory symptoms. However, updated and consistent guidance on PST practices are imperative. Objectives: We investigate current variations in clinical practice and PST implementation among pediatric palliative care (PPC) and pain management (PM) specialists. Methods: We distributed an IRB-exempt electronic anonymous survey via email through the Society of Pediatric Pain Medicine, and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Survey responses were collated and descriptively reported. Results: Of 83 survey responses, the majority (75%) represented large academic children’s hospitals. The distribution between PPC and pediatric pain management specialists’ responses was 60% and 40%, respectively. Most respondents reported having designated pain management and/or palliative care teams (70% and 90%, respectively). Approximately half (48%) reported following an institutional PST protocol, most not requiring formal ethics consult (69%). Only 54% of respondents noted that the Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order was required prior to PST initiation. PST was primarily utilized for children with oncologic diagnoses (76%). The primary and secondary medications of choice for PST implementation were reported to be opioids (39%) and benzodiazepines (36%) by pain management specialists, and benzodiazepines (52%) and barbiturates (28%) by palliative care specialists. Conclusions: Our study highlights the variability in the practice and implementation of PST. Further educational efforts are key for establishing PST practices and efficient protocol development.

Background Handgrip strength (HGS), lung function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are relevant indicators of future cardiovascular risk and mortality. The impact of cardiac surgery on these predictive variables has been under-explored. The aim of this study was to determine the acute (within hospital) changes in HGS, lung function and HRQoL, and their relationships, in adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Further, the study examined the relationship between these variables and the predictors for lung function and HRQoL in these patients. Methods The study was a prospective cohort study that involved 101 patients who completed pre-operative (1–2 days before surgery) and physiotherapy discharge (5–7 days after surgery) assessments. Handgrip strength, lung function and HRQoL were assessed using JAMAR dynamometers, Vitalograph-Alpha or EasyOne spirometer, and Short-Form 36 questionnaire, respectively. Changes in these variables and their relationships were analysed using paired t-test and Pearson correlation coefficients, respectively. Prediction of lung function and HRQoL using HGS and other co-variates was conducted using regression analysis. Results At the time of physiotherapy discharge, lung function, HGS and the physical component of HRQoL were significantly ( Conclusions Undergoing cardiac surgery acutely and significantly reduced lung function, HGS and physical component of HRQoL in adults with cardiac disease. Assessment of HGS at physiotherapy discharge may be a poor indicator of operative changes in lung function and HRQoL. Clinicians may consider HGS as an inadequate tool in predicting lung function and HRQoL following cardiac surgery.

Various forms of immunotherapy, such as checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, are proving to be effective at restoring T cell-mediated immune responses that can lead to marked and sustained clinical responses, but only in some patients and cancer types1–4. Patients and tumours may respond unpredictably to immunotherapy partly owing to heterogeneity of the immune composition and phenotypic profiles of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within individual tumours and between patients5,6. Although there is evidence that tumour-mutation-derived neoantigen-specific T cells play a role in tumour control2,4,7–10, in most cases the antigen specificities of phenotypically diverse tumour-infiltrating T cells are largely unknown. Here we show that human lung and colorectal cancer CD8+ TILs can not only be specific for tumour antigens (for example, neoantigens), but also recognize a wide range of epitopes unrelated to cancer (such as those from Epstein–Barr virus, human cytomegalovirus or influenza virus). We found that these bystander CD8+ TILs have diverse phenotypes that overlap with tumour-specific cells, but lack CD39 expression. In colorectal and lung tumours, the absence of CD39 in CD8+ TILs defines populations that lack hallmarks of chronic antigen stimulation at the tumour site, supporting their classification as bystanders. Expression of CD39 varied markedly between patients, with some patients having predominantly CD39− CD8+ TILs. Furthermore, frequencies of CD39 expression among CD8+ TILs correlated with several important clinical parameters, such as the mutation status of lung tumour epidermal growth factor receptors. Our results demonstrate that not all tumour-infiltrating T cells are specific for tumour antigens, and suggest that measuring CD39 expression could be a straightforward way to quantify or isolate bystander T cells. Human lung and colorectal tumours contain a population of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes that are specific for tumour-unrelated antigens and, unlike tumour-antigen-specific tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, do not express CD39.

Granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) have been previously defined for their potential to generate various myeloid progenies such as neutrophils and monocytes. Although studies have proposed lineage heterogeneity within GMPs, it is unclear if committed progenitors already exist among these progenitors and how they may behave differently during inflammation. By combining single-cell transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, we identified the early committed progenitor within the GMPs responsible for the strict production of neutrophils, which we designate as proNeu1. Our dissection of the GMP hierarchy led us to further identify a previously unknown intermediate proNeu2 population. Similar populations could be detected in human samples. proNeu1s, but not proNeu2s, selectively expanded during the early phase of sepsis at the expense of monocytes. Collectively, our findings help shape the neutrophil maturation trajectory roadmap and challenge the current definition of GMPs.

The impact of ORF8 382-nucleotide deletion (Δ382) on the cellular host immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains undefined. Here, RNA-sequencing was performed to elucidate whole blood transcriptomic profiles and identify contrasting immune signatures between patients infected with wildtype or Δ382 variant of SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, immune landscape of Δ382 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients featured an increased T cell response, evidenced by enrichment of genes related to T cell functionality that correlated with up-regulation of T cell-associated cytokines, under-expression of neutrophil activation-associated genes, lowered systemic inflammation and effective antibody response. At the molecular level, eukaryotic initiation factor 2 signaling was found to be up-regulated in patients bearing Δ382 and its associated genes were correlated with systemic levels of T cell-associated and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These key insights could serve as an important foundation for future human challenge vaccine studies and highlights the prophylactic potential of Δ382 as vaccine candidate. Funding: The study was supported by core and COVID-19 (project number H20/04/g1/006) research grants provided to Singapore Immunology Network by the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and A*ccelerate GAP-funded project (ACCL/20-GAP001C20H-E) from the Singapore Ministry of Health’s National Medical Research Council. This study was also funded by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) COVID-19 Research fund (COVID19RF-001). SIgN Immunomonitoring Platform is supported by a BMRC IAF 311006 grant and BMRC transition funds #H16/99/b0/011. ATR is supported by the Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA), A*STAR. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest. Ethical Approval: The study design and protocols for the COVID-19 PROTECT study group were evaluated by National Healthcare Group (NHG) Domain Specific Review Board (DSRB) and approved under study number 2012/00917. Collection of healthy donor samples was approved by SingHealth Centralised Institutional Review Board (CIRB) under study number 2017/2806 and NUS IRB 04-140. Written informed consent was obtained from participants in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki for Human Research.

Two linear Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based controllers for the control of a nonlinear system are presented. The optimization and pole placement control design strategies are used. For both strategies, linear ANNs are used to model a Continuous Stirred Tank Heater (CSTH) process. Third-order discrete-time models or Adaline ANNs are used whose parameters are updated at every sampling time to provide adaptability to the controllers. Simulation tests show that the linear ANN-based controllers can overcome strong nonlinear coupling effects, reject step disturbances, and provide adequate damping to the subsystem interactions. Both ANN-based control design strategies are shown to be interchangeable with each other for the control of the CSTH process.

An effective and computationally less intensive method for the stabilization of a Two-Input Two-Output, TITO, system is presented. The Input-Output (IO) models of the TITO under study are each described by a discrete-time model with its parameters estimated once every sample time. The discrete-time models are used in conjunction with two proposed performance indices to yield control signals to improve the overall system performance. The ability of the proposed self-tuning control scheme to reject small and large disturbances, and to overcome strong couplings in Multi-Input Multi-Output, MIMO, systems are investigated and presented in this study. Simulation tests show that the proposed enhanced self-tuning control scheme is suitable for Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) and MIMO systems.

Environmental and sustainability programmes in higher education have gained traction over the last several decades. More-than-disciplinary epistemologies and innovative pedagogies promise transformational learning to grapple with contemporary environmental challenges. Environmental programmes thus have implicit messages of social change. Evaluation, thus far, have tended to be methodologically partial, and neglects the student voice. In this paper, we present our co/autoethnography as two graduates of the Bachelor of Environmental Studies programme from the National University of Singapore. We critically reflect on our experiences in a capstone Environmental Studies module. Highlighting orthordoxies around discourses of ‘behaviour’, the valorising of quantitative knowledges, and the ‘tyranny of relevance’, we argue these neoliberal scripts limits the programme’s potential as an agent of social change. In concluding, we make the case for a more critical environmental education.

Various forms of immunotherapy, such as checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, are proving to be effective at restoring T cell-mediated immune responses that can lead to marked and sustained clinical responses, but only in some patients and cancer types

The trend toward miniaturization in inte- grated circuit fabrication demands good interlayer dielec- tric materials. This need can be met by polyimide (PI), which has extreme thermal and chemical stability and, most importantly, a low dielectric constant. Four porous PIs with symmetrically substituted fluorine contents were synthesized. Different porosity levels were achieved with a sol-gel technique through the incorporation of 10 or 20% tetraethyl orthosilicate into the polymer matrix and then acid etching. Their dielectric constants were correlated with the fluorine contents and porosity levels. High poros- ity levels and higher fluorine contents induced substantial decreases in the PI dielectric constants (2.4-2.7). The re- sultant values were within the applicable range for dielec- tric materials in integrated circuits. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 121: 3192-3200, 2011