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The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 has led to the development of a large number of vaccines, several of which are now approved for use in humans. Understanding vaccine-elicited antibody responses against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) in real time is key to inform public health policies. Serum neutralizing antibody titers are the current best correlate of protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge in non-human primates and a key metric to understand immune evasion of VOC. We report that vaccinated BALB/c mice do not recapitulate faithfully the breadth and potency of neutralizing antibody responses against VOC, as compared to non-human primates or humans, suggesting caution should be exercised when interpreting data for this animal model.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 has led to the development of a large number of vaccines, several of which are now approved for use in humans. Understanding vaccine-elicited antibody responses against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) in real time is key to inform public health policies. Serum neutralizing antibody titers are the current best correlate of protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge in non-human primates and a key metric to understand immune evasion of VOCs. We report that vaccinated BALB/c mice do not recapitulate faithfully the breadth and potency of neutralizing antibody responses elicited by various vaccine platforms against VOCs, compared with non-human primates or humans, suggesting caution should be exercised when interpreting data obtained with this animal model.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to an unprecedented global health crisis, resulting in a critical need for effective vaccines that generate protective antibodies. Protein subunit vaccines represent a promising approach but often lack the immunogenicity required for strong immune stimulation. To overcome this challenge, we first demonstrate that advanced biomaterials boost effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 protein subunit vaccines. Additionally, we report that oxygen is a powerful immunological co-adjuvant, a game-changer in the field for unlocking the full potential of vaccines. Mice immunized with oxygen-generating cryogel vaccines exhibited a robust and balanced Th1 and Th2 immune response, leading to sustained and high titer production of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Our data indicate that this platform is a revolutionary technology with the potential to reinforce any vaccine.

Intestinal Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) treated in hospitals may concern patients whose reason for admission is CDI (primary diagnosis) or who have acquired CDI during their stay (secondary diagnosis).The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost for social security and hospitals and the length of hospital stays related to CDIs as the main reason for admission.This study was carried out in 2012 in 13 Belgian hospitals. Cases were selected by using diagnosis recorded in minimum discharge summaries. Pediatric stays are not part of the inclusion criteria (n= 86).The average length of stay (standard deviation) was 13.53 days (11.95). The average cost (standard deviation) covered by social security/hospitals was €5,019.51 / €6,286.39 (9,638.42/ 6,368.45). 7% of patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit during hospitalization, for an average duration (standard deviation) of 8.18 days (2.93). The mortality rate was 8.1%. 19.8% of patients used vancomycin during the stay, 43% were treated with metronidazole only, 12.8% used vancomycin and metronidazole and 24.4% do not received vancomycin or metronidazole. No patients received fidaxomycin.This study made it possible to approach the cost of CDI as the main reason for admission. Such data should allow contributing to optimally assess both the pharmacoeconomic impact of the implementation of prevention strategies and also therapeutic management making use of more expensive medicinal products but associated with decreased risk of recurrence.

An electrochemical cell consisting of cobalt ([CoII/III(P3O9)2]4–/3–) and vanadium ([VIII/II(P3O9)2]3–/4–) bistrimetaphosphate complexes as catholyte and anolyte species, respectively, was constructed with a cell voltage of 2.4 V and Coulombic efficiencies >90% for up to 100 total cycles. The [Co(P3O9)2]4– (1) and [V(P3O9)2]3– (2) complexes have favorable properties for flow-battery applications, including reversible redox chemistry, high stability toward electrochemical cycling, and high solubility in MeCN (1.09 ± 0.02 M, [PPN]4[1]·2MeCN; 0.77 ± 0.06 M, [PPN]3[2]·DME). The [PPN]4[1]·2MeCN and [PPN]3[2]·DME salts were isolated as crystalline solids in 82 and 68% yields, respectively, and characterized by 31P NMR, UV/vis, ESI-MS(−), and IR spectroscopy. The [PPN]4[1]·2MeCN salt was also structurally characterized, crystallizing in the monoclinic P21/c space group. Treatment of 1 with [(p-BrC6H4)3N]+ allowed for isolation of the one-electron-oxidized spin-crossover (SCO) complex, [Co(P3O9)2]3– (3), which is...

Zerovalent group VI metal chemistry of anionic bis((diphenylphosphino)methyl)diphenylborate (Ph2BP2) offers some surprises in comparison to the chemistry of analogous complexes of neutral bidentate phosphines. The enhanced donor ability of Ph2BP2 relative to related bis-PPh2 ligands is confirmed by IR spectral analysis of [ASN][M(CO)4(Ph2BP2)] (ASN = 5-azoniaspiro[4.4]nonane; M = Cr, Mo, W). The mononitriles [ASN][fac-M(CO)3(RCN)(Ph2BP2)] (M = Cr, R = Me; M = Mo, R = Et; M = W, R = Et) are useful reagents for the introduction of sulfur dioxide and isocyanides to the π-basic M(CO)3(Ph2BP2) fragment. While the fundamental coordination chemistry of this anionic fragment mostly mirrors that of its conventional neutral cousins, the electronic impact of Ph2BP2 leads to divergent reactivity in some cases. For example, the sulfur dioxide complexes [ASN][mer-M(CO)3(SO2)(Ph2BP2)] (M = Mo, W) are unreactive toward CH2N2, dramatically different from the case for mer-M(CO)3(SO2)(L2) (L2 = dppm, dppe, dppp). The spectr...

Oxidative decarbonylation of (η5-C5R5)Mo(CO)3X and isoelectronic four-legged piano-stool Mo(II) precursors to homogeneous olefin epoxidation catalysts has garnered significant attention as an alter...