Novel oral adjuvant to enhance cytotoxic memory like NK cell responses in HIV vaccine platform.

Natural killer (NK) cell-driven effector mechanisms, such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, emerged as a secondary correlate of protection in the RV144 HIV vaccine clinical trial, the only vaccine thus far demonstrating some efficacy in human trials. Therefore, leveraging NK cells with enhanced cytotoxic effector responses may bolster vaccine-induced protection against HIV. Here, we investigated the effect of orally administering indole-3-carbinol (I3C), an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonist, as an adjuvant to an RV144-like vaccine platform in a mouse model.

Emerging role of natural killer cells in non-AIDS comorbidities during suppressive antiretroviral therapy.

Purpose Of Review: Despite decades of insights about the role of natural killer (NK) cells in HIV infection, their persistent dysregulation despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) and its pathological consequences have been incompletely delineated. In this review, we highlight recent findings on the immunophenotypic and functional alterations of NK cells during virally suppressed HIV infection and explore their potential impact on promoting non-AIDS related comorbidities among people living with HIV (PLWH).

Recent Findings: Of note are the apparent persistent activated profiles of NK cells and pathophysiological events such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in potentially driving NK cell derived inflammation and tissue destruction.

Atomic Hydrogen Interaction with Transition Metal Surfaces: A High-Throughput Computational Study.

Hydrogen adatoms are involved in many reactions catalyzed by Transition Metal (TM) surfaces, such as the Haber-Bosch process or the reverse water gas shift reaction, key to our modern society. Any rational improvement on such a catalyst requires an atomistic knowledge of the metal↔hydrogen interaction, only attainable from first-principles calculations on suited, realistic models. The present thorough density functional theory study evaluates such H interaction at a low coverage on most stable surfaces of , , and TMs.

BCG immunization induced KLRG1+ NK cells show memory-like responses to mycobacterial and HIV antigens.

Bacille-Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the only approved vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), offering protection not only against tuberculosis (TB) but also non-related infections. 'Trained immunity' of innate immune cells is considered one of the mechanisms of this broad protection derived through BCG. Here, we investigated the effect of BCG on Natural Killer (NK) cells, a key innate immune cell type, and their subsequent responses to mycobacterial and HIV antigens.

Tailored recommendations for infant milk formula intake results in more accurate feeding.

Unlabelled: Currently available guidelines on the daily formula milk requirements of infants are based on the needs of infants with their growth pattern following the 50th percentile of the weight-for-age growth curve. Hence, current recommendations may not thoroughly detail the needs of infants across the broad spectrum of body weight percentiles. This study aimed to provide stratified recommendations for daily formula milk intake of fully formula-fed infants, across different weight-for-age categories from 0 to 4 months.

Synergy Between NK Cells and Monocytes in Potentiating Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Severe COVID-19.

Background: Evidence suggests that COVID-19 predisposes to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While monocytes/macrophages play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis, less is known about their immunopathogenic mechanisms that lead to CVDs during COVID-19. Natural killer (NK) cells, which play an intermediary role during pathologies like atherosclerosis, are dysregulated during COVID-19.

Novel Oral Adjuvant to Enhance Cytotoxic Memory-Like NK Cell Responses in an HIV Vaccine Platform.

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, mediated by natural killer (NK) cells and antibodies, emerged as a secondary correlate of protection in the RV144 HIV vaccine clinical trial, the only vaccine thus far demonstrating some efficacy in human. Therefore, leveraging NK cells with enhanced cytotoxic effector responses may bolster vaccine induced protection against HIV. Here, we investigated the effect of orally administering indole-3-carbinol (I3C), an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonist, as an adjuvant to an RV144-like vaccine platform in a mouse model.

Activated NK Cells with Pro-inflammatory Features are Associated with Atherogenesis in Perinatally HIV-Acquired Adolescents.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with persistent immune activation and dysfunction in people with HIV despite treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Modulation of the immune system may be driven by: low-level HIV replication, co-pathogens, gut dysbiosis /translocation, altered lipid profiles, and ART toxicities. In addition, perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) and lifelong ART may alter the development and function of the immune system.

Learning to Centralize Dual-Arm Assembly.

Robotic manipulators are widely used in modern manufacturing processes. However, their deployment in unstructured environments remains an open problem. To deal with the variety, complexity, and uncertainty of real-world manipulation tasks, it is essential to develop a flexible framework with reduced assumptions on the environment characteristics.

Infant formula containing galacto-and fructo-oligosaccharides and M-16V supports adequate growth and tolerance in healthy infants in a randomised, controlled, double-blind, prospective, multicentre study.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth and tolerance in healthy, term infants consuming a synbiotic formula with daily weight gain as the primary outcome. In a randomised, controlled, double-blind, multicentre, intervention study infants were assigned to an extensively hydrolysed formula containing a specific combination of M-16V and a prebiotic mixture (short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides in a 9:1 ratio; scGOS/lcFOS; synbiotic group), or the same formula without this synbiotic concept for 13 weeks (control group). Anthropometry, formula intake, tolerance, stool characteristics, blood parameters, faecal microbiota and metabolic faecal profile were assessed.

Resistance of Amphiphilic Polysaccharides against Marine Fouling Organisms.

Amphiphilic coatings are promising candidates for fouling-release applications. As hydrophilic components, polysaccharides are interesting and environmentally benign building blocks. We used covalently coupled alginic acid (AA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) and postmodified them with a hydrophobic fluorinated amine.

Microfluidic detachment assay to probe the adhesion strength of diatoms.

Fouling release (FR) coatings are increasingly applied as an environmentally benign alternative for controlling marine biofouling. As the technology relies on removing fouling by water currents created by the motion of ships, weakening of adhesion of adherent organisms is the key design goal for improved coatings. In this paper, a microfluidic shear force assay is used to quantify how easily diatoms can be removed from surfaces.

Concentration and Purification of Yacon () Root Fructooligosaccharides Using Membrane Technology.

Yacon is a perennial plant originating from the Andean region whose roots have been receiving increased attention due to their high content of prebiotic fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Apart from many health benefits, FOS have interesting characteristics as food ingredients, so are used as sugar substitute, and their extraction from yacon roots may be an alternative to commercially available FOS. This work evaluates membrane technology for concentration and purification of FOS from yacon root extract, combining ultrafiltration (UF) with nanofiltration (NF), with and without the use of discontinuous diafiltration (DF).

Fermented Infant Formula Increases Ileal Protein Digestibility and Reduces Ileal Proteolytic Activity Compared with Standard and Hydrolyzed Infant Formulas in Piglets.

Background: An infant formula that contained milk fermented by the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve and Streptococcus thermophilus (Lactofidus) was reported to alleviate functional digestive symptoms in infants. It was hypothesized that improved protein digestibility of the fermented infant formula could contribute to this effect.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protein digestibility of a specific fermented (FF), a standard (SF), and an extensively hydrolyzed protein (HF) formula.

Iron intake and status of children aged 6-36 months in Europe: a systematic review.

Background: Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. Young children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of iron deficiency because of their rapidly developing brain. This review evaluates the prevalence of inadequate iron intake and iron deficiency (anaemia) in European children aged 6-36 months.

Protein chaperones mediating copper insertion into the CuA site of the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidase of Paracoccus denitrificans.

The biogenesis of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase is a complex process involving the stepwise assembly of its multiple subunits encoded by two genetic systems. Moreover, several chaperones are required to recruit and insert the redox-active metal centers into subunits I and II, two a-type hemes and a total of three copper ions, two of which form the CuA center located in a hydrophilic domain of subunit II. The copper-binding Sco protein(s) have been implicated with the metallation of this site in various model organisms.

Conditioning of self-assembled monolayers at two static immersion test sites along the east coast of Florida and its effect on early fouling development.

Among the first events after immersion of surfaces in the ocean is surface 'conditioning'. Here, the accumulation and composition of the conditioning films formed after immersion in the ocean are analyzed. In order to account for different surface chemistries, five self-assembled monolayers that differ in resistance to microfouling and wettability were used.

Nutritional challenges and opportunities during the weaning period and in young childhood.

The early years of life are a period of very rapid growth and development. In this critical phase, food preferences are formed which carry over into childhood and beyond and foundations are laid for a healthy adult life. Excess energy, imbalances in macronutrient quality, and nutritional deficiencies may form inappropriate nutritional signals, leading to metabolic disturbances and affecting the obesity risk.

Leukocyte β7 integrin targeted by Krüppel-like factors.

Constitutive expression of Krüppel-like factor 3 (KLF3, BKLF) increases marginal zone (MZ) B cell numbers, a phenotype shared with mice lacking KLF2. Ablation of KLF3, known to interact with serum response factor (SRF), or SRF itself, results in fewer MZ B cells. It is unknown how these functional equivalences result.

Influence of zwitterionic SAMs on protein adsorption and the attachment of algal cells.

Zwitterionic polymers are non-fouling materials with immense potential for a range of biological applications. Here, we describe the resistance of zwitterionic self-assembled monolayers prepared from different solution ratios of positively and negatively charged thiols towards the adhesion of proteins, zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza, and cells of the unicellular alga Navicula perminuta. While mixed zwitterionic surfaces with a high hydrophilic nature significantly reduced the adhesion strength of the two algae, the positively and negatively charged components were far less effective.

Situational analysis and expert evaluation of the nutrition and health status of infants and young children in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: The poor feeding practices of pregnant women, infants, and young children contribute to the burden of malnutrition and subsequently to childhood morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Gaining insight into the nutritional and health status of infants and young children will help to focus future nutrition programs and actions.

Objective: To assess the nutrition and health status of infants and young children in five sub-Saharan African countries: Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, Kenya, and Nigeria.

ELF5 suppresses estrogen sensitivity and underpins the acquisition of antiestrogen resistance in luminal breast cancer.

We have previously shown that during pregnancy the E-twenty-six (ETS) transcription factor ELF5 directs the differentiation of mammary progenitor cells toward the estrogen receptor (ER)-negative and milk producing cell lineage, raising the possibility that ELF5 may suppress the estrogen sensitivity of breast cancers. To test this we constructed inducible models of ELF5 expression in ER positive luminal breast cancer cells and interrogated them using transcript profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation of DNA followed by DNA sequencing (ChIP-Seq). ELF5 suppressed ER and FOXA1 expression and broadly suppressed ER-driven patterns of gene expression including sets of genes distinguishing the luminal molecular subtype.

Feasibility and effectiveness of an evidence-based asthma service in Australian community pharmacies: a pragmatic cluster randomized trial.

Objective: To test the feasibility, effectiveness, and sustainability of a pharmacy asthma service in primary care.

Methods: A pragmatic cluster randomized trial in community pharmacies in four Australian states/territories in 2009. Specially trained pharmacists were randomized to deliver an asthma service in two groups, providing three versus four consultations over 6 months.