bachelor degree holders). We also found a high level of skepticism and possible community resistance to DNA recombinant vaccines, such as the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Preference for herbal treatments (38/260; 14.6%, 95% CI 10.7-19.3) currently being promoted by the Ugandan government raises major policy concerns. High fear and mistrust for COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials was more common among wealthier participants and more affluent regions of the country. Conclusion-our study found that knowledge, confidence, and trust in COVID-19 vaccines was low among healthcare workers in Uganda, especially those with higher wealth and educational status. There is a need to increase transparency and inclusive participation to address these issues before new trials of COVID-19 vaccines are initiated.Carfilzomib with dexamethasone (Kd) is a well-established regimen for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). There is limited information for the effects of Kd on myeloma-related bone disease.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/cq211.html  This non-interventional study aimed to assess skeletal-related events (SREs) and bone metabolism in patients with RRMM receiving Kd, in the absence of any bone-targeted agent. Twenty-five patients were enrolled with a median of three prior lines of therapy; 72% of them had evidence of osteolytic bone disease at study entry. During Kd treatment, the rate of new SREs was 28%. Kd produced a clinically relevant (≥30%) decrease in C-telopeptide of collagen type-1 (p = 0.048) and of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (p = 0.002) at 2 months. This reduction was at least partially due to the reduction in the osteoclast regulator RANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio, at 2 months (p = 0.026). Regarding bone formation, there was a clinically relevant increase in osteocalcin at 6 months (p = 0.03) and in procollagen type I N-propeptide at 8 months post-Kd initiation. Importantly, these bone metabolism changes were independent of myeloma response to treatment. In conclusion, Kd resulted in a low rate of SREs among RRMM patients, along with an early, sustained and clinically relevant decrease in bone resorption, which was accompanied by an increase in bone formation, independently of myeloma response and in the absence of any bone-targeted agent use.Although the anti-obesity effect of Korean red ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) has been revealed, its underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. Here, we demonstrate an involvement of gut microbiome in the inhibitory effect of Korean red ginseng on high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced mouse obesity, and further provides information on the effects of saponin-containing red ginseng extract (SGE) and saponin-depleted red ginseng extract (GE). Mice were fed with either SGE or GE every third day for one month, and their food intakes, fat weights, plasma glucose, and insulin and leptin levels were measured. Immunofluorescence assays were conducted to measure pancreatic islet size. Stools from the mice were subjected to metagenomic analysis. Both SGE and GE attenuated HFD-induced gain of body weight, reducing HFD-induced increase of food intakes and fat weights. They also reduced HFD-increased plasma glucose, insulin, and leptin levels, decreased both fasting and postprandial glucose concentrations, and improved both insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Immunofluorescence assays revealed that they blocked HFD-induced increase of pancreatic islet size. Our pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V3 region from stools revealed that both SGE and GE modulated HFD-altered composition of gut microbiota. Therefore, we conclude that Korean red ginseng inhibits HFD-induced obesity and diabetes by altering gut microbiome.Nonsyndromic hereditary hearing loss is a common sensory defect in humans that is clinically and genetically highly heterogeneous. So far, 122 genes have been associated with this disorder and 50 of them have been linked to autosomal dominant (DFNA) forms like DFNA68, a rare subtype of hearing impairment caused by disruption of a stereociliary scaffolding protein (HOMER2) that is essential for normal hearing in humans and mice. In this study, we report a novel HOMER2 variant (c.832_836delCCTCA) identified in a Spanish family by using a custom NGS targeted gene panel (OTO-NGS-v2). This frameshift mutation produces a premature stop codon that may lead in the absence of NMD to a shorter variant (p.Pro278Alafs*10) that truncates HOMER2 at the CDC42 binding domain (CBD) of the coiled-coil structure, a region that is essential for protein multimerization and HOMER2-CDC42 interaction. c.832_836delCCTCA mutation is placed close to the previously identified c.840_840dup mutation found in a Chinese family that truncates the protein (p.Met281Hisfs*9) at the CBD. Functional assessment of the Chinese mutant revealed decreased protein stability, reduced ability to multimerize, and altered distribution pattern in transfected cells when compared with wild-type HOMER2. Interestingly, the Spanish and Chinese frameshift mutations might exert a similar effect at the protein level, leading to truncated mutants with the same Ct aberrant protein tail, thus suggesting that they can share a common mechanism of pathogenesis. Indeed, age-matched patients in both families display quite similar hearing loss phenotypes consisting of early-onset, moderate-to-profound progressive hearing loss. In summary, we have identified the third variant in HOMER2, which is the first one identified in the Spanish population, thus contributing to expanding the mutational spectrum of this gene in other populations, and also to clarifying the genotype-phenotype correlations of DFNA68 hearing loss.COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a world-wide problem for the human population. It is known that some animal species, such as mink, can become infected and transmit the virus. However, the susceptibility of most animals is not known. Here, we review the use of sequence analysis of the proteins which are known to interact with SARS-CoV-2 as a way to estimate an animal's susceptibility. Although most such work concentrates on the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2), here TMPRSS2 (Transmembrane Serine Protease 2), neuropilin-1 and furin are also considered. Polymorphisms, especially ones which are known to alter viral/host interactions are also discussed. Analysis of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 protein sequences across species suggests this approach may be of some utility in predicting susceptibility; however, this analysis fails to highlight some susceptible animals such as mink. However, combined with observational data which emerges over time about which animals actually become infected, this may, in the future, be a useful tool to assist the management of risks associated with human/animal contact and support conservation and animal welfare measures.