A widely recognized benefit of gut microbiota is that it provides colonization resistance against enteric pathogens. The gut microbiota and their products can protect the host from invading microbes directly via microbe-pathogen interactions and indirectly by host-microbiota interactions, which regulate immune system function. In contrast, enteric pathogens have evolved mechanisms to utilize microbiota-derived metabolites to overcome colonization resistance and increase their pathogenic potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrimary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are the preferred cell source to address liver function. Despite originating from the native tissue, one of the bottlenecks when using primary material is the donor-to-donor variability. Cryopreserved PHHs offer a high number of cells from the same donor and standardization of cell isolation and cryopreservation procedures, mitigating some of the inter-donor variability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrans R Soc Trop Med Hyg
January 2025
Background: Determining esophageal and colon involvement in patients with Chagas disease occurs through invasive and uncomfortable examinations, which in most cases are not performed. The objective of this study was to assess the involvement of anti-M2-pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) autoantibodies in the development of digestive alterations and/or in the diagnosis of the digestive form of human Chagas disease.
Methods: The total IgG and isotype (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) production was quantified using the antigen of Trypanosoma cruzi and the human M2-PK recombinant protein via the ELISA technique.
Assessing the reliability of measurement instruments and equipment is essential to ensure the accurate tracking of athletes over extended periods, minimizing the measurement errors caused by chance or other factors. However, a less common but equally important analysis is the verification of inter-measurement agreement, which complements the reliability results. To evaluate the intra- and inter-test reliability of an isometric hip adduction strength and asymmetries test in professional soccer players.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNew antimalarial combination therapies with novel modes of action are required to counter the emergence and spread of drug resistance against existing therapeutics. Here, we present a study to evaluate the preventive activity of a combination of clinical antimalarial drug candidates, cabamiquine and ganaplacide, that have multistage activity against the liver and blood stages of infection. Cabamiquine (DDD107498, M5717) inhibits parasite protein synthesis, and ganaplacide (KAF156) inhibits protein trafficking, blocks the establishment of new permeation pathways, and causes endoplasmic reticulum expansion.
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