Idiotope-Driven T-Cell/B-Cell Collaboration-Based T-Cell Epitope Prediction Using B-Cell Receptor Repertoire Sequences in Infectious Diseases.

T-cell recognition of antigen epitopes is a crucial step for the induction of adaptive immune responses, and the identification of such T-cell epitopes is, therefore, important for understanding diverse immune responses and controlling T-cell immunity. A number of bioinformatic tools exist that predict T-cell epitopes; however, many of these methods highly rely on evaluating conventional peptide presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, but they ignore epitope sequences recognized by T-cell receptor (TCR). Immunogenic determinant idiotopes are present on the variable regions of immunoglobulin molecules expressed on and secreted by B-cells. In idiotope-driven T-cell/B-cell collaboration, B-cells present the idiotopes on MHC molecules for recognition by idiotope-specific T-cells. According to the idiotype network theory formulated by Niels Jerne, such idiotopes found on anti-idiotypic antibodies exhibit molecular mimicry of antigens. Here, by combining these concepts and defining the patterns of TCR-recognized epitope motifs (TREMs), we developed a T-cell epitope prediction method that identifies T-cell epitopes derived from antigen proteins by analyzing B-cell receptor (BCR) sequences. This method allowed us to identify T-cell epitopes that contain the same TREM patterns between BCR and viral antigen sequences in two different infectious diseases caused by dengue virus and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The identified epitopes were among the T-cell epitopes detected in previous studies, and T-cell stimulatory immunogenicity was confirmed. Thus, our data support this method as a powerful tool for the discovery of T-cell epitopes from BCR sequences.

Communication Technology and Social Support to Navigate Work/Life Conflict During Covid-19 and Beyond

Drawing on a national survey of 447 U.S. workers who transitioned to remote work during COVID-19, this study examined how different types of communication technologies (CTs) used for work and private life were associated with work/life conflicts and perceptions of social support across different relationship types (coworker, family, and friends). Findings indicated that work/life conflicts became aggravated when the use of CTs violated relational norms (e.g., mobile texting with coworkers and emailing with family and friends). On the other hand, uses of CTs that were perceived to offer access to social support (e.g., instant messaging with coworkers and friends) were related to lower work/life conflict. Social media (e.g., Facebook) had a direct relationship to higher work/life conflict, but an indirect relationship to lower work/life conflict through social support. Overall, findings suggest that individuals attempt to create work/life boundaries by selecting specific CTs when physical work/life boundaries are collapsed.

Understanding the Effectiveness of Online Engineering Education in the Time of COVID-19

This research paper describes a study of engineering students' perceptions of online classes in the time of COVID-19. In the engineering field, online classes were relatively uncommon prior to the pandemic due to the emphasis on field practice. The pandemic rapidly changed education in general to make online classes the norm-not as a means of assisting face-to-face classes but rather replacing them. The online mode of learning in engineering education holds tremendous promise for traditional and non-traditional students who wish to major in engineering. Therefore, this study explored how students evaluate online engineering classes to effectively implement them during the ongoing pandemic as well as in the post-pandemic era. Drawing from> the SERVQUAL model this paper determines which factors contributed to students' evaluation of the quality of online engineering classes and their perceptions of the benefits of such classes. Ultimately, 186 engineering students participated in this study. The results show that perceived suitability of the online format for teaching engineering courses was the strongest determinant of perceptions toward the quality and benefits of online engineering classes. In addition, how much the instructor knows about the course content and whether useful and accurate information is provided using appropriate multimedia on an e-learning site determine the perceived quality of online classes for students. The students also believed that instructors who showed more empathy generated more benefits for the class. Theoretical as well as practical implications are discussed in this paper. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.

Korean Government’s response to COVID-19: role of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS)

The purpose of this article is to introduce MFDS risk management system and to summarize a series of administrative actions taken during COVID-19. The action covers facilitation of production of personal protective equipment(PPE) including masks and hand sanitizer and their rapid transparent supply, emergency use approval of diagnostic testing kit. MFDS is also in charge of clinical trial approval of therapeutics and vaccine candidates to accelerate the development of vaccines to protect people against COVID-19. At the end, we attempt to assess our COVID-19 management strategies and to suggest future directions in terms of risk management and public communication. © 2021 The Korean Association for Public Administration.

An Earth-mass planet in a time of COVID-19: KMT-2020-BLG-0414Lb

We report the discovery of KMT-2020-BLG-0414Lb, with a planet-to-host mass ratio q (2) = 0.9-1.2 x 10(-5) = 3-4 circle plus at 1 sigma, which is the lowest mass-ratio microlensing planet to date. Together with two other recent discoveries (4 less than or similar to q/q (circle plus) less than or similar to 6), it fills out the previous empty sector at the bottom of the triangular (log s, log q) diagram, where s is the planet-host separation in units of the angular Einstein radius theta E. Hence, these discoveries call into question the existence, or at least the strength, of the break in the mass-ratio function that was previously suggested to account for the paucity of very low-q planets. Due to the extreme magnification of the event, A (max) similar to 1450 for the underlying single-lens event, its light curve revealed a second companion with q (3) similar to 0.05 and ;log s (3);similar to 1, i.e., a factor similar to 10 closer to or farther from the host in projection. The measurements of the microlens parallax pi (E) and the angular Einstein radius theta E allow estimates of the host, planet and second companion masses, (M (1), M (2), M (3)) similar to (0.3 M (circle dot), 1.0 M (circle plus), 17 M-J ), the planet and second companion projected separations, (a (perpendicular to,2), a (perpendicular to,3)) similar to (1.5, 0.15 or 15) au, and system distance D (L) similar to 1 kpc. The lens could account for most or all of the blended light (I similar to 19.3) and so can be studied immediately with high-resolution photometric and spectroscopic observations that can further clarify the nature of the system. The planet was found as part of a new program of high-cadence follow-up observations of high-magnification events. The detection of this planet, despite the considerable difficulties imposed by COVID-19 (two KMT sites and OGLE were shut down), illustrates the potential utility of this program.