SARS-CoV-2 Serologic Assay Needs for The Next Phase of U.S. COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Abstract Background There is a need for validated and standardized SARS-CoV-2 quantitative IgG and neutralization assays that can be used to understand the immunology and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and support the COVID-19 pandemic response. Methods Literature searches were conducted to identify English language publications from peer-reviewed journals and pre-prints from January 2020 through October 12, 2020. Relevant publications were reviewed for mention of IgG or neutralization assays for SARS-CoV-2, or both, and the methods of reporting assay results. Results Quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG results have been reported from a limited number of studies; most studies used in-house laboratory-developed tests in limited settings, and only two semi-quantitative tests have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). As of October12, 2020, there are no neutralization assays with FDA EUA. Relatively few studies have attempted correlation of quantitative IgG titers with neutralization results to estimate surrogates of protection. The number of individuals tested is small compared to the magnitude of the pandemic and persons tested are not representative of disproportionately affected populations. Methods of reporting quantitative results are not standardized to enable comparisons and meta-analyses. Conclusions Lack of standardized SARS-CoV-2 quantitative IgG and neutralization assays precludes comparison of results from published studies. Inter-assay and inter-laboratory validation and standardization of assays will support efforts to better understand antibody kinetics and longevity of humoral immune responses post-illness, surrogates of immune protection, and vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy. Public-private partnerships could facilitate realization of these advances in the United States and world-wide.

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Serological Expression Cloning of Novel Immunoreactive Antigens of Babesia microti

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.68.5.2783-2790.2000 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 68 (5) ◽

pp. 2783-2790 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Michael J. Lodes ◽

Raymond L. Houghton ◽

Elizabeth S. Bruinsma ◽

Raodoh Mohamath ◽

Lisa D. Reynolds ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Babesia Microti ◽

Expression Cloning ◽

Expression Library ◽

Genomic Expression ◽

Humoral Immune ◽

Humoral Immune Responses ◽

Molecular Tests ◽

Immunodominant Antigens ◽

Human Babesiosis

ABSTRACT Increased recognition of the prevalence of human babesiosis in the United States, together with rising concern about the potential for transmission of this infection by blood transfusion, has provided motivation to develop definitive serologic and molecular tests for the causative agent, Babesia microti. To develop more sensitive and specific assays for B. microti, we screened a genomic expression library with patient serum pools. This screening resulted in the identification of three classes of novel genes and an additional two novel, unrelated genes, which together encode a total of 17 uniqueB. microti antigens. The first class (BMN1-2 family) of genes encodes seven closely related antigens with a degenerate six-amino-acid repeat that shows limited homology toPlasmodium sp. merozoite and sporozoite surface antigens. A second class (BMN1-8 family) of genes encodes six related antigens, and the third class (BMN1-17 family) of genes encodes two related antigens. The two remaining genes code for novel and unrelated sequences. Among the three classes of antigens and remaining novel sequences, five were chosen to code for the most immunodominant antigens (BMN1-2, -9, -15, and -17 and MN-10). Western blot analysis with the resulting recombinant proteins indicated that these antigens were targets of humoral immune responses during B. microti infection in humans.

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Mapping the Research Landscape on Poaching: A Decadal Systematic Review

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.630990 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Vukan M. Lavadinović ◽

Camila A. Islas ◽

Murali Krishna Chatakonda ◽

Nevena Marković ◽

Monicah Mbiba

Keyword(s):

Scientific Knowledge ◽

English Language ◽

Developed Countries ◽

The United States ◽

Illegal Hunting ◽

Community Needs ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Developed Countries ◽

Meta Analyses

Poaching is a widespread activity that affects wildlife management goals and undermines conservation efforts worldwide. Despite its complexity, poaching is still commonly addressed by researchers as a one-dimensional phenomenon. To deepen the scientific understanding of poaching, we conducted a systematic literature review in the Web of Science and Scopus databases for the last 10 years, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology. We found that most studies were carried out in Africa, although 43% of all articles on poaching were published by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom. The most studied species are elephants (22%), rhinos (19%), wolves (9%), and bears (6%). Although this study identified a wide range of motives and drivers behind poaching activities, more than half of the analyzed articles do not attempt to provide a deeper understanding of this phenomenon. Its understanding of poaching usually does not go beyond the environmental impact of illegal hunting. Our study’s potential limitations may relate to the focus on exclusively English-language articles and, among them, only those discussing mammal, bird, and reptile species. Our findings indicate that global scientific knowledge on poaching in the last 10 years is biased. There is an imbalance between the developed countries that mostly produce knowledge on poaching (usually from Northern America and Europe) and the developing countries commonly an object of interest. This bias is potentially challenging, as the global scientific knowledge on poaching comes from limited experience based on charismatic species and selective case studies. To overcome this gap and develop a deeper understanding of poaching, the scientific community needs to overcome this bias and address illegal hunting wherever it affects the environment and undermines conservation efforts.

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Pre-Referral Procedures: Meeting Unique Needs of English Language Learners

Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations ◽

10.1044/cds8.1.4 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 4-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vera Joanna Burton ◽

Betsy Wendt

Keyword(s):

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

School System ◽

English Language ◽

First Language ◽

The United States ◽

Public School System ◽

Language Difference ◽

Number Of Children ◽

School Team

An increasingly large number of children receiving education in the United States public school system do not speak English as their first language. As educators adjust to the changing educational demographics, speech-language pathologists will be called on with increasing frequency to address concerns regarding language difference and language disorders. This paper illustrates the pre-referral assessment-to-intervention processes and products designed by one school team to meet the unique needs of English Language Learners (ELL).

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The Speech-Language Assessment of English Language Learning Students: A Non-Standardized Approach

Perspectives on School-Based Issues ◽

10.1044/sbi14.4.95 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 95-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Robert Kraemer ◽

Allison Coltisor ◽

Meesha Kalra ◽

Megan Martinez ◽

Bailey Savage ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Language Impairment ◽

Specific Language Impairment ◽

English Language ◽

Language Assessment ◽

The United States ◽

English Language Learning ◽

Assessment Practices ◽

Evidence Based ◽

English Speaking

English language learning (ELL) children suspected of having specific-language impairment (SLI) should be assessed using the same methods as monolingual English-speaking children born and raised in the United States. In an effort to reduce over- and under-identification of ELL children as SLI, speech-language pathologists (SLP) must employ nonbiased assessment practices. This article presents several evidence-based, nonstandarized assessment practices SLPs can implement in place of standardized tools. As the number of ELL children SLPs come in contact with increases, the need for well-trained and knowledgeable SLPs grows. The goal of the authors is to present several well-establish, evidence-based assessment methods for assessing ELL children suspected of SLI.

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Working With Interpreters to Support Students Who Are English Language Learners

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/persp1.sig16.15 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (16) ◽

pp. 15-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Henriette W. Langdon ◽

Terry Irvine Saenz

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

First Language ◽

The United States ◽

The Other ◽

Primary Language ◽

Second Best ◽

Support Students

The number of English Language Learners (ELL) is increasing in all regions of the United States. Although the majority (71%) speak Spanish as their first language, the other 29% may speak one of as many as 100 or more different languages. In spite of an increasing number of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who can provide bilingual services, the likelihood of a match between a given student's primary language and an SLP's is rather minimal. The second best option is to work with a trained language interpreter in the student's language. However, very frequently, this interpreter may be bilingual but not trained to do the job.

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Specific humoral immune responses in 12 cases of food sensitization to sesame seed

Clinical & Experimental Allergy ◽

10.1046/j.1365-2222.1997.1490951.x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 27 (11) ◽

pp. 1285-1291 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. N. KOLOPP-SARDA ◽

D. A. MONERET-VAUTRIN ◽

B. GOBERT ◽

G. KANNY ◽

M. BRODSCHII ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Responses ◽

Sesame Seed ◽

Humoral Immune ◽

Humoral Immune Responses ◽

Food Sensitization

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Proportion of Individuals With Past-Year Suicidal Ideation Who Attempted Suicide Over the Past 10 Years in the United States, and the Influence of Age and Sex

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000690 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Shannon Lange ◽

Courtney Bagge ◽

Charlotte Probst ◽

Jürgen Rehm

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Random Effects ◽

Attempted Suicide ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

The United States ◽

Individual Level ◽

The Past ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

Age Category

Abstract. Background: In recent years, the rate of death by suicide has been increasing disproportionately among females and young adults in the United States. Presumably this trend has been mirrored by the proportion of individuals with suicidal ideation who attempted suicide. Aim: We aimed to investigate whether the proportion of individuals in the United States with suicidal ideation who attempted suicide differed by age and/or sex, and whether this proportion has increased over time. Method: Individual-level data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2008–2017, were used to estimate the year-, age category-, and sex-specific proportion of individuals with past-year suicidal ideation who attempted suicide. We then determined whether this proportion differed by age category, sex, and across years using random-effects meta-regression. Overall, age category- and sex-specific proportions across survey years were estimated using random-effects meta-analyses. Results: Although the proportion was found to be significantly higher among females and those aged 18–25 years, it had not significantly increased over the past 10 years. Limitations: Data were self-reported and restricted to past-year suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Conclusion: The increase in the death by suicide rate in the United States over the past 10 years was not mirrored by the proportion of individuals with past-year suicidal ideation who attempted suicide during this period.

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