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Increased availability of QL1/QL2 Lidar terrain data has resulted in large datasets, often including large quantities of redundant points. Because of these large memory requirements, practitioners often use decimation to reduce the number of points used to create models. This paper introduces a novel approach to improve decimation, thereby reducing the total count of ground points in a Lidar dataset while retaining more accuracy than Random Decimation. This reduction improves efficiency of downstream processes while maintaining output quality nearer to the undecimated dataset. Points are selected for retention based on their discrete curvature values computed from the mesh geometry of the TIN model of the points. Points with higher curvature values are preferred for retention in the resulting point cloud. We call this technique Curvature Weighted Decimation (CWD). We implement CWD in a new free, open-source software tool, CogoDN, which is also introduced in this paper. We evaluate the effectiveness of CWD against Random Decimation by comparing the resulting introduced error values for the two kinds of decimation over multiple decimation percentages, multiple statistical types, and multiple terrain types. The results show that CWD reduces introduced error values over Random Decimation when 15 to 50% of the points are retained.

Objectives Autoantibody seroconversion has been extensively studied in the context of COVID-19 infection but data regarding post-vaccination autoantibody production is lacking. Here we aimed to determine the incidence of common autoantibody formation following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and in healthy controls. Methods Autoantibody seroconversion was measured by serum ELISA in a longitudinal cohort of IA participants and healthy controls before and after COVID-19 mRNA-based immunization. Results Overall, there was a significantly lower incidence of ANA seroconversion in participants who did not contract COVID-19 prior to vaccination compared with those who been previously infected (7.4% vs 24.1%, P = 0.014). Incidence of de novo anti-CCP seroconversion in all participants was low at 4.9%. Autoantibody levels were typically of low titre, transient, and not associated with increase in IA flares. Conclusions In both health and inflammatory arthritis, the risk of autoantibody seroconversion is lower following mRNA-based immunization than following natural SARS-CoV-2 infection. Importantly, seroconversion does not correlate with self-reported IA disease flare risk, further supporting the encouragement of mRNA-based COVID-19 immunization in the IA population.

The Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) program was established by the National Institutes of Health in 1988 to catalyze and support high-impact HIV research and to develop the next generation of HIV investigators at academic institutions throughout the United States. In 2014, the Penn CFAR, the Johns Hopkins University CFAR and the District of Columbia CFAR developed a partnership—the Mid-Atlantic CFAR Consortium (MACC)—to promote cross-CFAR scientific collaboration, mentoring, and communication and to address the regional HIV epidemic. Over the past 6 years, the creation of the MACC has resulted in a rich web of interconnectivity, which has fostered scientific collaboration through working groups on the black men who have sex with men (MSM) and Latinx regional HIV epidemics, joint peer-reviewed publications, and successful collaborative grant applications on topics ranging from HIV prevention in young MSM, transgender women, implementation science, and clinical epidemiology; supported developmental activities through the MACC Scholars program, cross-CFAR mentoring, joint symposia, cross-CFAR seminar participation, and keynote speakers; and promoted strategic communication through advisory committees, best practices consultations, and the social and behavioral science research network. The MACC has been highly impactful by promoting HIV science through regional collaboration, supporting a diverse network of scholars across three cities and focusing on the epidemic in underrepresented and marginalized communities. Lessons learned from this consortium may have implications for scientific research centers beyond the field of HIV.

Southern giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) are muroid rodents native to subSaharan Africa. They are increasingly used as service animals because of their keen sense of smell and are primarily known for clearing minefields in Africa. The objectives of this study were to determine hematologic and biochemical reference intervals from clinically healthy wild-caught captive adult rats, to describe the cytochemical staining reactions of peripheral blood leukocytes, and to document urinalysis findings. Blood samples were collected from the coccygeal artery of 60 isoflurane-anesthetized rats (36 males and 24 females) and analyzed with automated hematologic and biochemical analyzers; manual differential cell counts were performed on modified Wright–stained blood smears. Urine was collected by cystocentesis, and dipsticks were analyzed on a urine analyzer, with visual examination of unstained sediments. Samples from a male rat with chronic renal disease were excluded from analysis. Reference intervals were determined according to guidelines established by the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Lymphocytes were the dominant leukocyte in peripheral blood and granular lymphocytes were identified in most animals. Male rats had significantly higher RBC, absolute reticulocyte counts, and MCV than did female rats. Minor sex-associated differences in urea nitrogen concentration and GGT activity were noted. Leukocytes showed unique cytochemical staining characteristics. Small amounts of protein and bilirubin were found in the urine of rats of both sexes and of female rats, respectively, particularly in concentrated urine. These results will provide benchmarks for determining health status and identifying disease in this species of rat.

International audience; DESIR is, together with S3-LEB, the low-energy part of the SPIRAL2 ISOL facility at GANIL. The High-Resolution mass Separator (HRS) included in DESIR is a 180° symmetric online separator with two 90° magnetic dipole sections arranged with electrostatic quadrupoles, sextupoles and a 48-pole electrostatic multipole on the mid plane. The HRS is now completely mounted at LP2i Bordeaux and under commissioning for the next years before its transfer to the entrance of the DESIR facility. Optical aberrations, mainly introduced by the dipoles, must be corrected up to the highest possible order to guarantee an optimal resolution of the separator. They are measured with a pepperpot-type emittance-meter, analyzed then corrected with the multipole. Up to now, 2nd order (hexapolar) and part of 3rd order (octupolar) aberrations are under control and an optimal FWHM separation has been achieved for two identical beams with a relative energy difference of .In this paper, we present the effects of optical aberrations on the beam and its emittance figure, as well as the effect of the associated corrections with the multipole. Finally, we will show the latest resolution measurements and associated methodology.

Blood is one of the most subtle and sensitive indicators that indicate the functional state of the body, reflecting the picture of its struggle with intruded harm and its reactivity. A detailed study of the pictures of red and white blood opens before us the possibility of not only a diagnostic assessment of the state of hematopoietic tissue, its reaction to a harmful principle, but also the possibility of a prognostic assessment of the state and development of the body's defenses in liberating the body from disease-causing influences.

Summary Background Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at risk of developing COVID-19 due to underlying immune abnormalities and regular use of immunosuppressant medications. We aimed to evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in patients with SLE with or without previous COVID-19-related symptoms or RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods For this analysis, we included patients with SLE from two cohorts based in New York City: the Web-based Assessment of Autoimmune, Immune-Mediated and Rheumatic Patients during the COVID-19 pandemic (WARCOV) study; and the NYU Lupus Cohort (a prospective registry of patients at NYU Langone Health and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue). Patients in both cohorts were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies via commercially available immunoassays, processed through hospital or outpatient laboratories. Patients recruited from the NYU Lupus Cohort, referred from affiliated providers, or admitted to hospital with COVID-19 were tested for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies as part of routine surveillance during follow-up clinical visits. Findings 329 patients with SLE were included in this analysis, 146 from the WARCOV study and 183 from the NYU Lupus Cohort, and were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies between April 29, 2020, and Feb 9, 2021. 309 (94%) were women and 91 (28%) were of Hispanic ethnicity. 51 (16%) of 329 patients had a positive SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody test. Seropositive patients were more likely than seronegative patients to be Hispanic (24 [47%] of 51 vsz 67 [24%] of 278). Other demographic variables, SLE-specific factors, and immunosuppressant use were not associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Of the 29 patients with COVID-19 previously confirmed by RT-PCR, 18 (62%) were on immunosuppressants; 24 (83%) of 29 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Of 17 patients who had symptoms of COVID-19 but negative concurrent RT-PCR testing, one (6%) developed an antibody response. Of 26 patients who had COVID-19-related symptoms but did not undergo RT-PCR testing, six (23%) developed an antibody response. Of 83 patients who had no symptoms of COVID-19 and no RT-PCR testing, four (5%) developed an antibody response. Among 36 patients who were initially SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive, the majority maintained reactivity serially (88% up to 10 weeks, 83% up to 20 weeks, and 80% up to 30 weeks). Seven (70%) of ten patients with confirmed COVID-19 had antibody positivity beyond 30 weeks from disease onset. Interpretation Most patients with SLE and confirmed COVID-19 were able to produce and maintain a serological response despite the use of a variety of immunosuppressants, providing reassurance about the efficacy and durability of humoral immunity and possible protection against re-infection with SARS-CoV-2. Funding National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, and Bloomberg Philanthropies COVID-19 Response Initiative Grant.

Objectives. To explore whether beneficial health care policies, when implemented in the context of gender inequality, yield unintended structural consequences that stigmatize and ostracize women with HIV from “what matters most” in local culture. Methods. We conducted 46 in-depth interviews and 5 focus groups (38 individuals) with men and women living with and without HIV in Gaborone, Botswana, in 2017. Results. Cultural imperatives to bear children bring pregnant women into contact with free antenatal services including routine HIV testing, where their HIV status is discovered before their male partners’. National HIV policies have therefore unintentionally reinforced disadvantage among women with HIV, whereby men delay or avoid testing by using their partner’s status as a proxy for their own, thus facilitating blame toward women diagnosed with HIV. Gossip then defines these women as “promiscuous” and as violating the essence of womanhood. We identified cultural and structural ways to resist stigma for these women. Conclusions. Necessary HIV testing during antenatal care has inadvertently perpetuated a structural vulnerability that propagates stigma toward women. Individual- and structural-level interventions can address stigma unintentionally reinforced by health care policies.

Introduction Activation of the complement pathway by immune complexes is a key feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and SLE glomerulonephritis, which translates into low levels of C3 and C4 during active disease. C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is part of a broader group of rare renal diseases, the C3 glomerulopathies, characterized by prominent C3 accumulation in the glomeruli with minimal to no immunoglobulin (Ig) deposition secondary to dysregulation of the alternative pathway of the complement system. Distinguishing lupus nephritis from other complement-mediated kidney disorders, including C3GN, represents a diagnostic challenge with potential therapeutic implications. Methods We report an unusual case of a 55-year-old woman with SLE and previous biopsy-proven class IV lupus nephritis, subsequently diagnosed with C3GN. Furthermore, we review the available literature published from January 2010—March 2021 on the clinical features and management of C3GN in the setting of SLE. Results In addition to our case, very few reports exist in the literature regarding C3GN in association with SLE. The underlying pathogenic mechanism of C3GN consists of dysregulation of the alternative pathway of the complement system, either due to genetic variation in complement-related genes or to acquired autoantibodies targeting C3 or C5 convertases; the latter mechanism could explain the occurrence of C3GN in the setting of autoimmune diseases, although it was not definitively identified in our patient or others with SLE. Similar to some of the previous reports, after suboptimal renal response on mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab, our patient has been successfully treated with eculizumab, thus far with >50% improvement in proteinuria. Conclusions C3GN represents an additional mechanism of renal injury in SLE mediated by alternative complement pathway dysregulation. Although rare, patients with SLE and persistent proteinuria with very low C3 would benefit from expedited renal biopsy to evaluate for C3GN as well as genetic testing, since this entity could require a different therapeutic approach.

The article describes the commissioning and technical development of the Weak Interaction Studies with 32Ar Decay (WISArD) experiment, installed at the radioactive ion-beam facility ISOLDE/CERN. The experiment aims to extend the present limits on scalar and tensor currents in the weak interaction and hence search for physics beyond the Standard Model. The evaluation of these limits relies on measuring the proton energy in beta-delayed proton emission, sensitive to both the beta-neutrino angular correlation coefficient aβν and the Fierz interference term b. The method tries to improve previous studies by considering the positron-proton coincidences when determining the kinematic shift in the energy of the emitted protons. Using this coincidence technique, the aβν and b coefficients will be measured at the per mil level. Simulations were employed to optimize the ion beam transport efficiency and validate proof-of-principle results obtained in November 2018 (Nov2018). Upgrades are ongoing, and we are looking into improvements to the overall performance of the setup.

Despite a comprehensive national program of free HIV services, men living with HIV in Botswana participate at lower rates and have worse outcomes than women. Directed content analysis of five focus groups ( n = 38) and 50 in-depth interviews with men and women with known and unknown HIV status in Gaborone, Botswana in 2017 used the “what matters most” (WMM) and “structural vulnerability” frameworks to examine how the most valued cultural aspects of manhood interact with HIV-related stigma. WMM for manhood in Botswana included fulfilling male responsibilities by being a capable provider and maintaining social status. Being identified with HIV threatened WMM, which fear of employment discrimination could further exacerbate. Our findings indicate how cultural and structural forces interact to worsen or mitigate HIV-related stigma for urban men in Botswana. These threats to manhood deter HIV testing and treatment, but interventions could capitalize on cultural capabilities for manhood to promote stigma resistance.

The C2-WW-HECT-domain E3 ubiquitin ligase SMURF2 emerges as an important regulator of diverse cellular processes. To date, SMURF2-specific modulators were not developed. Here, we generated and investigated a set of SMURF2-targeting synthetic peptides and peptidomimetics designed to stimulate SMURF2’s autoubiquitination and turnover via a disruption of the inhibitory intramolecular interaction between its C2 and HECT domains. The results revealed the effects of these molecules both in vitro and in cellulo at the nanomolar concentration range. Moreover, the data showed that targeting of SMURF2 with either these modifiers or SMURF2-specific shRNAs could accelerate cell growth in a cell-context-dependent manner. Intriguingly, a concomitant cell treatment with a selected SMURF2-targeting compound and the DNA-damaging drug etoposide markedly increased the cytotoxicity produced by this drug in growing cells. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that SMURF2 can be druggable through its self-destructive autoubiquitination, and inactivation of SMURF2 might be used to affect cell sensitivity to certain anticancer drugs.

We conducted a pilot trial of an intervention targeting intersectional stigma related to being pregnant and living with HIV while promoting capabilities for achieving ‘respected motherhood’ (‘what matters most’) in Botswana. A pragmatic design allocated participants to the intervention (N = 44) group and the treatment-as-usual (N = 15) group. An intent-to-treat, difference-in-difference analysis found the intervention group had significant decreases in HIV stigma (d = − 1.20; 95% CI − 1.99, − 0.39) and depressive symptoms (d = − 1.96; 95% CI − 2.89, − 1.02) from baseline to 4-months postpartum. Some, albeit less pronounced, changes in intersectional stigma were observed, suggesting the importance of structural-level intervention components to reduce intersectional stigma.

For the rational treatment of diabetes, a daily quantitative study of the diabetic's urine for sugar content is necessary in order to be able to judge the effect of one or another diet and develop a treatment plan accordingly.

Summary Despite undeniable improvement in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the discovery of more effective, less toxic and, ideally, less immune suppressive drugs are much needed. In the current study, we set to explore the potential anti-rheumatic activity of the non-toxic, tellurium-based immunomodulator, AS101 in an experimental animal model of RA. The effect of AS101 was assessed on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats. Clinical signs of arthritis were assessed. Histopathological examination was used to assess inflammation, synovial changes and tissue lesions. Very late antigen-4 (VLA-4)+ cellular infiltration was detected using immunohistochemical staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure circulating anti-cyclic citrullinated-peptide autoantibody (ACPA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure the in-vitro effect of AS101 on interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β expression in activated primary human fibroblasts. Prophylactic treatment with intraperitoneal AS101 reduced clinical arthritis scores in AIA rats (P

Summary Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease that leads to joint destruction and disability. Despite a significant progress in administration of biological agents for RA patients, there is still a need for improved therapy. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), a pooled polyspecific immunoglobulin (Ig)G extracted from 5000 to 20 000 healthy subjects, showed beneficial therapeutic effect in patients with immune deficiency, sepsis and autoimmune diseases. The current study aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of treatment with IVIG in established collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1j mice. Murine arthritis was induced in DBA/1j mice. Treatment with IVIG began when the disease was established. The clinical score was followed twice a week until day 48. The mice were bled for plasma and the paws were hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained. Cytokine profile in the plasma was analyzed by Luminex technology and titers of circulating anti-collagen antibodies in the plasma was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results show that treatment with IVIG in murine significantly reduced the clinical arthritis score (P

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the hospitalization and death rates among patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to analyze the associations of comorbidities and immunomodulatory medications with infection outcomes. METHODS: Data on clinical and demographic features, maintenance treatment, disease course, and outcomes in individuals with IA (rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis) with symptomatic COVID-19 infection were prospectively assessed via web-based questionnaire followed by individual phone calls and electronic medical record review. Baseline characteristics and medication use were summarized for hospitalized and ambulatory patients, and outcomes with the different medication classes were compared using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients with IA were included in the study (80 with confirmed COVID-19 and 23 with high suspicion of COVID-19). Hospitalization was required in 26% of the participants, and 4% died. Patients who were hospitalized were significantly more likely to be older (P < 0.001) and have comorbid hypertension (P = 0.001) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P = 0.02). IA patients taking oral glucocorticoids had an increased likelihood of being admitted for COVID-19 (P < 0.001), while those receiving maintenance anticytokine biologic therapies did not. CONCLUSION: Among patients with underlying IA, COVID-19 outcomes were worse in those receiving glucocorticoids but not in patients receiving maintenance anticytokine therapy. Further work is needed to understand whether immunomodulatory therapies affect COVID-19 incidence.

From birth, humans coexist and coevolve with trillions of micro-organisms inhabiting most body surfaces and cavities, referred to as the human microbiome. Advances in sequencing technologies and computational methods have propelled the exploration of the microbiome’s contribution to human health and disease, spearheaded by massive efforts such as the Human Microbiome Project and the Europe-based MetaHit Consortium. Yet, despite the accumulated body of literature and a growing awareness among patients, microbiome research in rheumatology has not had a key impact on clinical practice. Herein, we describe some of the landmark microbiome studies in autoimmunity and rheumatology, the challenges and opportunities of microbiome research and how to navigate them, advances in related fields that have overcome these pitfalls, and future directions of harnessing the microbiome for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Neutron-induced reaction cross sections of unstable nuclei are essential for understanding the synthesis of heavy elements in stars and for applications in nuclear technology. However, their measurement is very complicated due to the radioactivity of the targets involved. We propose to circumvent this problem by using the surrogate reaction method in inverse kinematics, where the nucleus formed in the neutron- induced reaction of interest is produced by a reaction involving a radioactive heavy-ion beam and a stable, light target nucleus. The probabilities as a function of the compound-nucleus excitation energy for γ-ray emission, neutron emission and fission, which can be measured with the surrogate reaction, are particularly useful to constrain model parameters and to obtain more accurate predictions of the neutron-induced reaction cross sections of interest. Yet, the full development of the surrogate method is hampered by numerous long- standing target issues, which can be solved by combining surrogate reactions with the unique and largely unexplored possibilities at heavy-ion storage rings. In this contribution, we describe the developments we are carrying out to measure for the first time simultaneously γ-ray emission, neutron emission and fission probabilities at the storage rings of the GSI/FAIR facility. In particular, we will present the first results of the proof of principle experiment, which we performed in June 2022 at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of GSI/FAIR.

ObjectivesTo investigate the cutaneous microbiome spanning the entire psoriatic disease spectrum, and to evaluate distinguishing features of psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsSkin swabs were collected from upper and lower extremities of healthy individuals and patients with PsO and PsA. Psoriatic patients contributed both lesional (L) and contralateral non-lesional (NL) samples. Microbiota were analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing.ResultsCompared with healthy skin, alpha diversity in psoriatic NL and L skin was significantly reduced (pKocuriaandCutibacteriumwere enriched in healthy subjects, whileStaphylococcuswas enriched in psoriatic disease. Microbe–microbe association networks revealed a higher degree of similarity between psoriatic NL and L skin compared with healthy skin despite the absence of clinically evident inflammation. Moreover, the relative abundance ofCorynebacteriumwas higher in NL PsA samples compared with NL PsO samples (pConclusionsThese findings show differences in diversity, bacterial composition and microbe–microbe interactions between healthy and psoriatic skin, both L and NL. We further identified bacterial biomarkers that differentiate disease phenotypes, which could potentially aid in predicting the transition from PsO to PsA.

IntroductionPsoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complex, immune-mediated disease associated with skin psoriasis that, if left untreated, can lead to joint destruction. Up to 30% of patients with psoriasis progress to PsA. In most cases, psoriasis precedes synovio-entheseal inflammation by an average of 5–7 years, providing a unique opportunity for early and potentially preventive intervention in a susceptible and identifiable population. Guselkumab is an effective IL-23p19 inhibitor Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis and PsA. The Preventing Arthritis in a Multicentre Psoriasis At-Risk cohort (PAMPA) study aims to evaluate the efficacy of guselkumab in preventing PsA and decreasing musculoskeletal power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) abnormalities in a population of patients with psoriasis who are at-increased risk for PsA progression.Methods and analysisThe PAMPA study is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, interventional, preventive trial comparing PDUS involvement and conversion to PsA in patients with psoriasis at-increased risk for progression treated with guselkumab compared with non-biological standard of care. The study includes a screening period, a double-blind treatment period (24 weeks) and an open-label follow-up period (72 weeks). At baseline, 200 subjects will be randomised (1:1) to receive either guselkumab 100 mg (arm 1) or placebo switching to guselkumab 100 mg starting at week 24 (arm 2). Arm 3 will follow 150 at-risk psoriasis patients who decline biological therapy and randomisation. Changes from baseline in the PDUS score at week 24 and the difference in proportion of patients transitioning to PsA at 96 weeks will be examined as the coprimary endpoints.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval for this study was granted by the coordinating centre’s (NYU School of Medicine) Institutional Review Board (IRB). Each participating site received approval through their own IRBs. The findings will be shared in peer-reviewed articles and scientific conference presentations.Trial registration numberNCT05004727.

International audience; An experiment was conducted at the GANIL/LISE3 facility to produce the 10+ isomer of 54Ni and measure its proton radioactivity decay branches. The proton detection was achieved with the ACTAR TPC device that enabled the separation of the small signal of the emitted proton from the large signal of the implanted ion, while the decay half-life is of the order of 150 ns. From the measured data, the emitted proton track length and the decay time of the ion can be extracted simultaneously. The full proton radioactivity pattern could be established, with two emission branches and their relative branching ratio. Data processing and analysis that allowed to identify and separate the ion and the proton signals in order to reconstruct the particles trajectories and decay time are detailed. The evaluation of the detection efficiency for the proton radioactivity branches based on a full simulation is described.

Proton radioactivity was discovered exactly 50 years ago. First, this nuclear decay mode sets the limit of existence on the nuclear landscape on the neutron-deficient side. Second, it comprises fundamental aspects of both quantum tunnelling as well as the coupling of (quasi)bound quantum states with the continuum in mesoscopic systems such as the atomic nucleus. Theoretical approaches can start either from bound-state nuclear shell-model theory or from resonance scattering. Thus, proton-radioactivity guides merging these types of theoretical approaches, which is of broader relevance for any few-body quantum system. Here, we report experimental measurements of proton-emission branches from an isomeric state in 54mNi, which were visualized in four dimensions in a newly developed detector. We show that these decays, which carry an unusually high angular momentum, ℓ = 5 and ℓ = 7, respectively, can be approximated theoretically with a potential model for the proton barrier penetration and a shell-model calculation for the overlap of the initial and final wave functions., Proton radioactivity is useful for studying nuclear structure. Here the authors report two proton emission branches from the 10+ state isomer of 54mNi by using a time projection chamber.

To evaluate seroreactivity and disease flares after COVID-19 vaccination in a multiethnic/multiracial cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Ninety SLE patients and 20 healthy controls receiving a complete COVID-19 vaccine regimen were included. IgG seroreactivity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) and SARS-CoV-2 microneutralization were used to evaluate B cell responses; interferon-γ (IFNγ) production was measured by enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay in order to assess T cell responses. Disease activity was measured by the hybrid SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and flares were identified according to the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-SLEDAI flare index.Overall, fully vaccinated SLE patients produced significantly lower IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD compared to fully vaccinated controls. Twenty-six SLE patients (28.8%) generated an IgG response below that of the lowest control (100 units/ml). In logistic regression analyses, the use of any immunosuppressant or prednisone and a normal anti-double-stranded DNA antibody level prior to vaccination were associated with decreased vaccine responses. IgG seroreactivity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD strongly correlated with the SARS-CoV-2 microneutralization titers and correlated with antigen-specific IFNγ production determined by ELISpot. In a subset of patients with poor antibody responses, IFNγ production was similarly diminished. Pre- and postvaccination SLEDAI scores were similar in both groups. Postvaccination flares occurred in 11.4% of patients; 1.3% of these were severe.In a multiethnic/multiracial study of SLE patients, 29% had a low response to the COVID-19 vaccine which was associated with receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Reassuringly, severe disease flares were rare. While minimal protective levels remain unknown, these data suggest that protocol development is needed to assess the efficacy of booster vaccination.

Significance The mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase (GLS) is frequently up-regulated in cancer cells, and a GLS-selective inhibitor is being evaluated in clinical trials. Previous screens identified succinylated lysine residues on GLS, but the functional consequences of these posttranslational modifications have remained unclear. Here, we report that the mitochondrial desuccinylase SIRT5 stabilizes GLS. Both GLS and SIRT5 are upregulated during cellular transformation, and high expression of SIRT5 in human breast tumors correlates with poor patient prognosis. Mechanistically, SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation of residue K164 protects GLS from ubiquitination at K158 and from subsequent degradation. These findings reveal an important role for SIRT5 in mammary tumorigenesis and establish a posttranslational mechanism regulating GLS levels. Collectively, they support further investigation of SIRT5 as a potential therapeutic target.

Background There is an urgent need to intentionally develop and expand mentoring for junior faculty from underrepresented communities in the area of HIV research. Such a goal is increasingly recognized as essential across all scientific fields because profound disparities exist regarding which doctorally prepared individuals ultimately end up entering research fields in academic settings. The purpose of this article is to describe a novel inter-Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) program designed to support underrepresented scientists in research to address the HIV epidemic in the Mid-Atlantic region. Methods Three CFARs in the Mid-Atlantic region (the District of Columbia, Johns Hopkins University CFAR, and University of Pennsylvania CFARs) developed a Scholars program designed for underrepresented minority scholars interested in studying the HIV epidemic in the region. The program provided resources for scholarship as well as cross-institutional mentoring and training. Results Scholars in the first cohort have been successful in implementing novel research that informs our understanding of the HIV epidemic in the region as well as increasing skills, publications, and grant submissions and funded applications. Lessons learned from the first cohort will inform future years of the MACC Scholars Program. Conclusions The MACC Scholars Program offers a model for other inter-CFAR collaborations wishing to find novel ways to support the next generation of scientists.

The purpose of this study was to identify causal pathways between HIV infection and severe mental illness. Data were collected through open-ended, semi-structured interviews. An integrated approach to the analysis, using inductive and deductive coding, was used to identify patterns among respondents. Standardized instruments were used to characterize the sample in terms of risk behaviors, physical and mental functioning and depression. Twenty-six men and women with a diagnosis of HIV and unipolar depression (n = 11) or schizophrenia/schizoaffective versus bipolar disorder (n = 15) participated. For persons with unipolar depression, the HIV diagnosis often preceded depressive symptoms. For persons with schizophrenia/schizoaffective versus bipolar disorder, mania and psychosis symptoms often preceded HIV. Substance use, incarceration and adverse childhood experiences were common across diagnoses. Attention to the directionality of effects between mental illness and HIV has important implications for anticipatory guidance for infectious disease specialists, primary care providers and public health practitioners as well as policymakers.

Mental illness is a common comorbidity of HIV and complicates treatment. In Botswana, stigma impedes treatment of mental illness. We examined explanatory beliefs about mental illness, stigma, and interactions between HIV and mental illness among 42 adults, from HIV clinic and community settings, via thematic analysis of interviews. Respondents endorse witchcraft as a predominant causal belief, in addition to drug abuse and effects of HIV. Respondents describe mental illness as occurring “when the trees blossom,” underscoring a conceptualization of it as seasonal, chronic, and often incurable and as worse than HIV. Consequently, people experiencing mental illness (PEMI) are stereotyped as dangerous, untrustworthy, and cognitively impaired and discriminated against in the workplace, relationships, and sexually, increasing vulnerability to HIV. Clinical services that address local beliefs and unique vulnerabilities of PEMI to HIV, integration with peer support and traditional healers, and rehabilitation may best address the syndemic by facilitating culturally consistent recovery-oriented care.

Background Opioid use disorders are associated with increased risk of suicide thoughts, attempts, and death. We explored key variables from two theories of the development of suicidal thoughts and attempts (the interpersonal and three-step theories of suicide) to understand possible mechanisms underlying the association between opioid use and suicide risk. We hypothesized that interpersonal connections, variables reflecting psychological and physical pain, and variables that reduce fear of death (prior overdoses and risk-taking behaviors) would be associated with increased risk of thoughts of suicide. Methods Participants (N = 141) were opioid users recruited from an epicenter of the opioid crisis in Philadelphia using a mobile research center and completed an interview to assess substance use, depression, medical comorbidities, and suicidal thoughts among other variables. Results Univariate analyses showed that prior history of overdose, diagnosis of depression, older age, homelessness, and interpersonal connection were each associated with increased likelihood of endorsing thoughts of death/suicide. Multivariable analyses revealed prior history of overdose and depression were the variables most strongly associated with risk for thoughts of suicide. Conclusions Consistent with two theories of the development of suicidal thoughts and attempts, exposure to variables that reduce fear of death (e.g., overdoses) were associated with suicidal thoughts. In contrast, other risk-taking behaviors, medical comorbidities, and substance use were not key predictors of suicidal thoughts in this sample. Implications for targeted risk assessment among clinicians are discussed.