The liver's dilemma: sensing real danger in a sea of PAMPs: the (arterial) sinusoidal segment theory.

The liver is susceptible to viruses and bacterial infections, tumors, and sterile tissue damage, but immunological danger recognition in the liver is highly unconventional. When analyzing innate and adaptive immunity in the organ, the valid concepts that guide danger recognition and immune response in the periphery should be put aside. In the liver, the vascular anatomy is a game changer, as about 80% of the blood that percolates the organ arrives from the hepatic portal vein, draining blood rich in molecules from the intestinal flora.

Intense Caloric Restriction from Birth Prevents Cardiovascular Aging in Rats.

We previously demonstrated that a 50% caloric restriction (CR) from birth improves several cardiometabolic risk factors in young rats. In this study, we investigated in middle-aged rats the consequences of a 50% CR from birth on cardiometabolic risk factors, heart function/morphology, ventricular arrhythmia, and fibrillation incidence, and cardiac intracellular proteins involved with redox status and cell survival. From birth to the age of 18 months, rats were divided into an (AL18) group, which had free access to food, and a CR18 group, which had food limited to 50% of that consumed by the AL18.

Expansion of testing, isolation, quarantine, e-health and telemonitoring strategies in socioeconomically vulnerable neighbourhoods at primary healthcare in the fight against COVID-19 in Brazil: a study protocol of a multisite testing intervention using a mixed method approach.

Introduction: The key tools for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and reducing its transmission include testing, quarantine and isolation, as well as telemonitoring. Primary healthcare (PHC) can be essential in increasing access to these tools. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to implement and expand an intervention consisting of COVID-19 testing, isolation, quarantine and telemonitoring (TQT) strategies and other prevention measures at PHC services in highly socioeconomically vulnerable neighbourhoods of Brazil.

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and factors associated with infection among adolescent men who have sex with men and transgender women in Salvador, Brazil.

Background: Brazil was strongly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on sexual and gender minorities' youth remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and associated factors among adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) and transgender women (ATGW) participants of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis cohort study (PrEP1519).

Methods: This is a cross-sectional design conducted between June and October 2020 in Salvador, Brazil.

A web-based psychoeducational simulation game for adults in stepfamilies ()-study protocol for a randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Background: Stepfamilies are a prevalent family form. However, less stable than nuclear, first marriage families due to the presence of risk factors such as the absence of social norms and the presence of stepchildren. Stepfamilies have unique educational needs regarding stepparenting and co-parenting issues.

Recombinant BCG-LTAK63 Vaccine Candidate for Tuberculosis Induces an Inflammatory Profile in Human Macrophages.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 leading causes of death worldwide. The recombinant BCG strain expressing the genetically detoxified A subunit of the thermolabile toxin from (LTAK63) adjuvant (rBCG-LTAK63) has previously been shown to confer superior protection and immunogenicity compared to BCG in a murine TB infection model. To further investigate the immunological mechanisms induced by rBCG-LTAK63, we evaluated the immune responses induced by rBCG-LTAK63, BCG, and () H37Rv strains in experimental infections of primary human M1 and M2 macrophages at the transcriptomic and cytokine secretion levels.

What's New in Allergen Immunotherapy Patents? A Review.

In recent years, allergies are on the rise. The growth of allergies cases has changed the immune system's response to new pathogens. The therapy used to treat these diseases is based on allergen avoidance, pharmacotherapy and allergen-specific immunotherapy.

The Liver and the Hepatic Immune Response in Infection, a Historical and Updated View.

Chagas disease was described more than a century ago and, despite great efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms that lead to cardiac and digestive manifestations in chronic patients, much remains to be clarified. The disease is found beyond Latin America, including Japan, the USA, France, Spain, and Australia, and is caused by the protozoan . Dr.

Does calorie restriction improve cognition?

Calorie restriction (CR) has been considered the most effective non-pharmacological intervention to counteract aging-related diseases and improve longevity. This intervention has shown beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of several chronic diseases and functional declines related to aging, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and neuroendocrine disorders. However, the effects of CR on cognition show controversial results since its effects vary according to intensity, duration, and the period of CR.

Challenges and proposals for scaling up COVID-19 testing and diagnosis in Brazil.

The Brazilian context of social inequalities and barriers in accessing health services may deteriorate the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, which already affects all Brazilian federative states, with the growing curve of increasing confirmed cases and deaths. National governments and scientific field agents have been looking for evidence for the best practices of prevention and control of transmission, and care of infection and disease, including diagnosis, treatment, and health care measures. The large-scale testing strategy, aimed at early diagnosis, quarantine of the mild cases identified, as well as those of the contacts, and adequate care of severe cases, has been revised and indicated as one of the efficient pandemic control measures in several countries in the world.

Characterisation of alternative expression vectors for recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guérin as live bacterial delivery systems.

BACKGROUND Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is considered a promising live bacterial delivery system. However, several proposals for rBCG vaccines have not progressed, mainly due to the limitations of the available expression systems. OBJECTIVES To obtain a set of mycobacterial vectors using a range of promoters with different strengths based on a standard backbone, previously shown to be stable.

Isolated branched-chain amino acid intake and muscle protein synthesis in humans: a biochemical review.

Alongside a proper diet, ergogenic aids with potential direct and/or indirect physical performance enhancing effects are sought after for improved adaptation to physical training. Nutritional ergogenics include diet composition changes and/or dietary supplementation. Branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine are widely popular among products with ergogenic claims.

Serum magnesium levels during magnesium sulfate infusion at 1 gram/hour versus 2 grams/hour as a maintenance dose to prevent eclampsia in women with severe preeclampsia: A randomized clinical trial.

Background: Magnesium sulfate is the ideal drug for the prevention and treatment of eclampsia. Nevertheless, the best regimen for protection against eclampsia with minimal side effects remains to be established. This study aimed to compare serum magnesium levels during intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate at 1 gram/hour versus 2 grams/hour as a maintenance dose to prevent eclampsia in pregnant and postpartum women with severe preeclampsia.

Refeeding abolishes beneficial effects of severe calorie restriction from birth on adipose tissue and glucose homeostasis of adult rats.

Objectives: Calorie restriction (CR) is an important intervention for reducing adiposity and improving glucose homeostasis. Recently we found that in rats, a severe calorie restriction (SCR) beginning at birth up to adult age promotes positive effects on cardiometabolic risk factors and heart. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this new model of SCR on adipose tissue and glucose homeostasis of rats and to evaluate the effects of refeeding.

Ascites in a Young Woman: A Rare Presentation of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.

Introduction: Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a rare idiopathic disease that can affect one or more organs of the digestive tract. It has an estimated incidence of 1-20 cases per 100,000 patients. Klein et al.

Effects of life events on infertility diagnosis: comparison with presumably fertile men and women.

Objective: To compare the occurrence and degree of stress attributed to life events during childhood/adolescence and adulthood between individuals diagnosed with infertility and presumably fertile individuals, and to examine the effect of life events occurrence and stress levels on an infertility diagnosis.

Background: Although stress has been explored as a consequence of the experience of infertility, its role as a predictor of this disease still lacks research, particularly regarding the use of adequate control groups composed of non-parents.

Methods: The final sample had 151 infertile subjects (74 males and 77 females) and 225 presumably fertile participants (95 males and 130 females), who completed a questionnaire indicating occurrence (y/n) and degree of stress of life events (1-5) during childhood/adolescence and adulthood.

Recombinant BCG Expressing LTAK63 Adjuvant induces Superior Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In order to develop an improved BCG vaccine against tuberculosis we have taken advantage of the adjuvant properties of a non-toxic derivative of Escherichia coli heat labile enterotoxin (LT), LTAK63. We have constructed rBCG strains expressing LTAK63 at different expression levels. Mice immunized with BCG expressing low levels of LTAK63 (rBCG-LTAK63) showed higher Th1 cytokines and IL-17 in the lungs, and when challenged intratracheally with Mycobacterium tuberculosis displayed a 2.

Severe Calorie Restriction Reduces Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Protects Rat Hearts from Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Background And Aims: Recent studies have proposed that if a severe caloric restriction (SCR) is initiated at the earliest period of postnatal life, it can lead to beneficial cardiac adaptations later on. We investigated the effects of SCR in Wistar rats from birth to adult age on risk factors for cardiac diseases (CD), as well as cardiac function, redox status, and HSP72 content in response to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

Methods And Results: From birth to the age of 3 months, CR50 rats were fed 50% of the food that the ad libitum group (AL) was fed.

The Tyrosine Kinase Pyk2 Contributes to Complement-Mediated Phagocytosis in Murine Macrophages.

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) is a member of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) family and is mainly expressed in neuronal and hematopoietic cells. As FAK family members are involved in signaling connections downstream of integrins, we studied the role of Pyk2 in complement-receptor 3 (CR3, also known as Mac-1, integrin αMβ2, CD11b/CD18)-mediated phagocytosis, a key process in innate immunity. Using 3 independent approaches, we observed that Pyk2 contributes to CR3-dependent phagocytosis by RAW 264.

Peripheral blood fibrocytes: new information to explain the dynamics of Leishmania infection.

Fibrocytes are important for understanding the progression of many diseases because they are present in areas where pathogenic lesions are generated. However, the morphology of fibrocytes and their interactions with parasites are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the morphology of peripheral blood fibrocytes and their interactions with Leishmania (L.