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The number of innovative, early stage start-ups that are based on university technologies has declined, threatening the viability of a key source of medical innovations. In this context, Christini questions what universities can do to step up and fill this gap. One solution involves university investment funds that are designed specifically to bridge the funding gap between preclinical research and clinical proof of principle.

Bioinnovation has been a key driver of US economic development, with notable examples of success in California's Bay Area and the Boston/Cambridge nexus in Massachusetts. Today, many other jurisdictions are seeking to replicate this productive ecosystem to support their own economic growth. Noting the mutual benefits that pharma companies, academia and government obtain from these successful precedents, the authors identify the necessary foundations for a strong biotech ecosystem and explore a potential strategy blueprint using Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania as a case study. The seeds of growth in bionnovation are rooted in four stakeholders: Academic medical and research centers; biotech and pharma companies; investors, including VCs; and local, state and federal government institutions. Maximizing the value of these relationships depends on identifying the areas where goals and mission align. While it may appear that the areas of overlap are small, they carry transformative potential. Breaking down silos that thwart the ecosystem of innovation is thus critical to success.

Objectives: To develop and test a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination intervention that includes healthcare team training activities and patient reminders to reduce missed opportunities and improves the rate of appointment scheduling for HPV vaccination in a rural medical clinic in the United States. Methods: The multi-level and multi-component intervention included healthcare team training activities and the distribution of patient education materials along with technology-based patient HPV vaccination reminders for parents/caregivers and young adult patients. Missed vaccination opportunities were assessed pre- and post-intervention ( n = 402 and n = 99, respectively) by retrospective chart review and compared using Pearson χ 2 . The patient parent/caregiver and young adult patient population ( n = 80) was surveyed following the reminder messages and penalized logistic regression quantified unadjusted odds of scheduling a visit. Results: Missed opportunities for HPV vaccination declined significantly from the pre-intervention to the post-intervention period (21.6 vs. 8.1%, respectively, p = 0.002). Participants who recalled receipt of a vaccination reminder had 7.0 (95% CI 2.4–22.8) times higher unadjusted odds of scheduling a visit compared with those who did not recall receiving a reminder. The unadjusted odds of confirming that they had scheduled or were intending to schedule a follow-up appointment to receive the HPV vaccine was 4.9 (95% CI 1.51–20.59) times greater among those who had not received the vaccine for themselves or for their child. Conclusions: Results from this intervention are promising and suggest that vaccination interventions consisting of provider and support staff education and parent/caregiver and patient education materials, and reminders can reduce missed opportunities for vaccinations in rural settings.

To differentiate exposure to the newly introduced chikungunya virus from exposure to endemic dengue virus and other pathogens in Haiti. We used a multiplex bead assay to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to a recombinant chikungunya virus antigen, two dengue virus-like particles and three recombinant Plasmodium falciparum antigens. Most (217) of the blood samples investigated were collected longitudinally, from each of 61 children, between 2011 and 2014 but another 127 were collected from a cross-sectional sample of children in 2014. Of the samples from the longitudinal cohort, none of the 153 collected between 2011 and 2013 but 78.7% (48/61) of those collected in 2014 were positive for IgG responses to the chikungunya virus antigen. In the cross-sectional sample, such responses were detected in 96 (75.6%) of the children and occurred at similar prevalence across all age groups. In the same sample, responses to malarial antigen were only detected in eight children (6.3%) but the prevalence of IgG responses to dengue virus antigens was 60.6% (77/127) overall and increased steadily with age. Spatial analysis indicated that the prevalence of IgG responses to the chikungunya virus and one of the dengue virus-like particles decreased as the sampling site moved away from the city of Leogane and towards the ocean. Serological evidence indicates that there had been a rapid and intense dissemination of chikungunya virus in Haiti. The multiplex bead assay appears to be an appropriate serological platform to monitor the seroprevalence of multiple pathogens simultaneously.//Différentier l'exposition au virus chikungunya, récemment introduit, de l'exposition au virus de la dengue et à d'autres pathogènes endémiques en Haïti. Nous avons procédé à une analyse multiplex à l'aide de billes pour détecter les réponses de l'immunoglobuline G (IgG) à un antigène recombinant du virus chikungunya, à deux particules pseudo-virales de la dengue et à trois antigènes recombinants de Plasmodium falciparum. La plupart des échantillons de sang (217) analysés ont été prélevés de façon longitudinale sur chacun des 61 enfants, entre 2011 et 2014, et 127 autres ont été prélevés sur un échantillon transversal d'enfants en 2014. Dans la cohorte longitudinale, aucun des 153 échantillons prélevés entre 2011 et 2013 n'affichait de réponse positive de l'IgG à l'antigène du virus chikungunya, mais 78,7% (48/61) de ceux prélevés en 2014 étaient en revanche positifs. Dans l'échantillon transversal, des réponses positives ont été relevées chez 96 enfants (75,6%), avec une prévalence similaire dans tous les groupes d'âge. Sur ce même échantillon, des réponses à l'antigène du paludisme n'ont été détectées que chez huit enfants (6,3%) mais la prévalence globale des réponses de l'IgG aux antigènes du virus de la dengue était de 60,6% (77/127) et augmentait progressivement avec l'âge. L'analyse géographique a révélé que la prévalence des réponses de l'IgG au virus du chikungunya et à l'une des particules pseudo-virales de la dengue diminuait à mesure que le site d'échantillonnage s'éloignait de la ville de Léogâne en direction de l'océan. Les preuves sérologiques indiquent que la propagation du virus du chikungunya en Haïti a été rapide et intense. L'analyse multiplex à l'aide de billes s'est avérée être une plate-forme sérologique appropriée pour contrôler simultanément la séroprévalence de plusieurs pathogènes.//Diferenciar la exposición al nuevo virus chikungunya de la exposición al virus endémico del dengue y a otros patógenos en Haití. Se utilizó un ensayo multiplex de microesferas para detectar las respuestas de la inmunoglobulina G (IgG) ante un antígeno recombinante del virus chikungunya, dos partículas similares al virus del dengue y tres antígenos recombinantes de Plasmodium falciparum. La mayoría (217) de las muestras de sangre investigadas se recogieron de forma longitudinal, de cada uno de los 61 niños, entre 2011 y 2014, pero en 2014 también se recogieron otras 127 de una muestra transversal de niños. De las muestras de la cohorte longitudinal, ninguna de las 153 muestras recogidas entre 2011 y 2013 dio un resultado positivo de respuestas de la IgG al antígeno del virus chikungunya, pero sí que lo dieron el 78,7% (48/61) de las muestras recogidas en 2014. En la muestra transversal, se detectaron dichas respuestas en 96 (75,6%) de los niños y se mostró una prevalencia similar en todos los grupos de edades. En la misma muestra, únicamente se detectaron respuestas al antígeno de la malaria en ocho niños (6,3%), aunque la prevalencia de las respuestas de la IgG a los antígenos del virus del dengue fue del 60,6% (77/127) en general y aumentaba de forma estable con la edad. Los análisis territoriales indicaron que la prevalencia de las respuestas de la IgG al virus chikungunya y a una de las partículas similares al virus del dengue se redujo conforme el lugar de la muestra se alejaba de la ciudad de Léogâne y se acercaba al océano. La prueba serológica indica que se ha producido una diseminación rápida e intensa del virus chikungunya en Haití. Parece que el ensayo multiplex de microesferas es una plataforma serológica adecuada para supervisar la seroprevalencia de varios patógenos al mismo tiempo. Reprinted by permission of the World Health Organization