Outbreak Prevention & Control Gateway

Low transmission potential of H7N9

Mathematical models suggest the novel influenza A/H7N9 virus has low transmission potential in China, but continued monitoring is warranted as changing seasonal factors and relaxed interventional measures might promote its spread.

Identifying gaps in breast cancer research

Current knowledge 'gaps' in the understanding of breast cancer are examined, and research should focus on these to improve future clinical care.

Complex trait interpretation

Nigel Collier reviews how algorithmic advances are set to enhance the description of complex traits through high-throughput phenotype analysis

Enhancing the immunogenicity of tumors

Sub-lethal irradiation of tumor cell lines results in increased OX40L and 41BBL mRNA and protein expression, suggesting that radiation enhances the immunogenicity of tumors by altering expression of immune relevant genes epigenetically

The birth of commercial genomics

Analysis of financial and intellectual property data on genomic firms in the era of the Human Genome Project shows that commercial genomics emerged as a biotechnology subsector during this period.

Metagenomics and pathogenic detection

Patrick Tang, Jennifer Gardy and colleagues review metagenomics approaches for pathogen detection in public health settings, which have the potential to revolutionize diagnostic and clinical microbiology.

The Indian gut microbiome

This timely review discusses the status of gut microbiome studies in the Indian population and highlights the unique opportunities and challenges for such research.

Similarities: MS and ME/CFS

As multiple sclerosis (MS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) share many symptoms and neuro-immune characteristics, Gerwyn Morris and Michael Maes suggest that CFS should be considered as a neuro-immune disease and that MS patients may be susceptible to develop CFS symptoms.

An examination of benefit sharing

A critical examination of the discourse on benefit sharing reveals the concept as changing and lacking a definition; to strengthen advocacy and decisiveness in international benefit sharing practice, a legal framework is needed.

Inflammation in depression

Depression is associated with a low-grade inflammatory response; Michael Berk and colleagues discuss the sources of inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress in depression and emphasize that these factors can be treated or prevented.

Eric Taylor talks on ADHD

In this Q&A audio podcast, we interview child and adolescent psychiatrist Eric Taylor about the revisions to the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in DSM-5, and explore how these changes will affect clinical practice.

Targeting microspheres to mesothelioma

Silica microparticles loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and modified with a mesothelin specific antibody demonstrate higher effectiveness and lower toxicity than DOX systemic treatment in a mouse xenograft model of human peritoneal mesothelioma.

Fewer sick days with following SCIT

Patients undergoing subcutaneous allergen specific immunotherapy (SCIT) experience fewer symptom-filled days following treatment and reported taking fewer sick days from work as a result of their allergies, showing improvements in quality of life of allergy sufferers.

Rift Valley fever epidemiology in the South West Indian Ocean

Thomas Balenghien and colleagues describe that a single infected animal can trigger a major outbreak of Rift Valley Fever when entering a country with no history of infection.

National dementia plans

The best way to manage dementia at a country level is by developing national plans; Marc Wortmann lists the ten common elements in current plans that can be used as a learning experience.