Rapid Icm/Dot T4SS Inactivation Prevents Resuscitation of Heat-Induced VBNC Legionella pneumophila by Amoebae.

Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, employs the Icm/Dot Type IV secretion system (T4SS) to replicate in amoebae and macrophages. The opportunistic pathogen responds to stress by forming 'viable but non-culturable' (VBNC) cells, which cannot be detected by standard cultivation-based techniques. In this study, we document that L.

Incidence of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in different membrane oxygenators: pilot in vitro experiments in commercially available coated membranes.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) were detected in blood samples and in cellular deposits of oxygenator membranes during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy and may be responsible for thrombogenesis. The aim was to evaluate the effect of the base material of gas fiber (GF, polymethylpentene) and heat exchange (HE) membranes and different antithrombogenic coatings on isolated granulocytes from healthy volunteers under static culture conditions. Contact of granulocytes with membranes from different ECMO oxygenators (with different surface coatings) and uncoated-GFs allowed detection of adherent cells and NETotic nuclear structures (normal, swollen, ruptured) using nuclear staining.

In Vivo Induction of Leukemia-Specific Adaptive and Innate Immune Cells by Treatment of AML-Diseased Rats and Therapy-Refractory AML Patients with Blast Modulating Response Modifiers.

There is a high medical need to develop new strategies for the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) refractory to conventional therapy. In vitro, the combinations of the blast-modulatory response modifiers GM-CSF + Prostaglandin E1, (summarized as Kit M) have been shown to convert myeloid leukemic blasts into antigen-presenting dendritic cells of leukemic origin (DC) that were able to (re-)activate the innate and adaptive immune system, direct it specifically against leukemic blasts, and induce memory cells. This study aimed to investigate the immune modulatory capacity and antileukemic efficacy of Kit M in vivo.

Advancing LVAD Technology: Overcoming Challenges and Shaping the Future of Mechanical Circulatory Support.

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) invigorated the management of patients with advanced heart failure, providing a lifeline for patients awaiting transplantation or requiring long-term circulatory support. This article reviews recent advances in VAD technologies, focusing on key areas of progress to overcome existing challenges and the potential for future applications. The reduction or possible elimination of infection-prone components and the evolution to transcutaneous energy transfer systems are two main research fields to reach a new quality of life category for VADs patients.