Beneficial for mental health, exercise more or less?

Regular physical activity may improve mental health during the pandemic by reducing inflammatory responses. However, overtraining or prolonged exercise training may adversely affect mental health.

Human Neutrophil Defensins Disrupt Liver Interendothelial Junctions and Aggravate Sepsis.

Human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP1-3), also known as human -defensins, are the most abundant neutrophil granule proteins. The genes that encode HNP1-3, , exhibit extensive copy number variations, which correlate well with their protein levels. Human and mouse studies have shown that increased copy numbers of worsen sepsis outcomes.

Phenotype, genotype and long-term prognosis of 40 Chinese patients with isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and a review of variant spectra in ACAD8.

Background: Isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (IBDD) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder resulting from variants in ACAD8, and is poorly understood, as only dozens of cases have been reported previously. Based on a newborn screening program, we evaluated the incidence, phenotype and genotype of IBDD as well as the prognosis. Moreover, we reviewed the variant spectrum in ACAD8 associated with IBDD.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people: A comparison between China and the United Kingdom.

Purpose: As COVID-19 spreads globally and affects people's health, there are concerns that the pandemic and control policies may have psychological effects on young people (age from 17 to 35 years). This psychological impact might vary in different countries, and thus we compared the prevalence of self-reported psychological distress, loneliness and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among young people in the United Kingdom (UK) and China at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data of this study came from two sources.

TREM2 Dictates Antibacterial Defense and Viability of Bone Marrow-derived Macrophages during Bacterial Infection.

Macrophages undergo profound metabolic reprogramming to join key immunoregulatory functions, which can be initiated by pattern recognition receptors. TREM2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2), a macrophage phagocytic receptor, plays pivotal roles in sepsis by enhancing bacterial clearance, which is associated with regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. However, how intracellular ROS participate in TREM2-mediated bactericidal activity remains unclear.

Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-2 Protects Aged Mice Against Sepsis by Mitigating the IL-23/IL-17A Response.

Background: Advancing age is an independent predictor of mortality in septic patients. Recent animal studies were unable to reflect this clinical pathophysiological process, largely hampering the development of new efficacious therapies. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM-2) is a novel immune regulator with multiple activities.

Airway Epithelial Hepcidin Coordinates Lung Macrophages and Immunity Against Bacterial Pneumonia.

Background: Hepcidin is a liver-derived master regulator of iron metabolism through its molecular target ferroportin, the only known mammalian iron exporter. Accumulated evidence has shown the important roles of hepatic hepcidin in host defense and infections. Hepcidin is also expressed by airway epithelial cells.

Increased gene copy number of worsens sepsis by inducing endothelial pyroptosis.

Sepsis claims an estimated 30 million episodes and 6 million deaths per year, and treatment options are rather limited. Human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (HNP1-3) are the most abundant neutrophil granule proteins but their neutrophil content varies because of unusually extensive gene copy number polymorphism. A genetic association study found that increased copy number of the HNP-encoding gene is a risk factor for organ dysfunction during sepsis development.

Plasma levels of alarmin HNPs 1-3 associate with lung dysfunction after cardiac surgery in children.

Background: Early onset of lung injury is considerable common after cardiac surgery and is associated with increasing in morbidity and mortality, but current clinical predictors for the occurrence of this complication always have limited positive warning value. This study aimed to evaluate whether elevated plasma levels of human neutrophil peptides (HNPs) 1-3 herald impaired lung function in infants and young children after cardiac surgery necessitating cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Consecutive children younger than 3 years old who underwent cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled.

S1PR3 Signaling Drives Bacterial Killing and Is Required for Survival in Bacterial Sepsis.

Rationale: Efficient elimination of pathogenic bacteria is a critical determinant in the outcome of sepsis. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 3 (S1PR3) mediates multiple aspects of the inflammatory response during sepsis, but whether S1PR3 signaling is necessary for eliminating the invading pathogens remains unknown.

Objectives: To investigate the role of S1PR3 in antibacterial immunity during sepsis.

TRIM22-Mediated Apoptosis is Associated with Bak Oligomerization in Monocytes.

Monocyte apoptosis is a key mechanism that orchestrates host immune responses during sepsis. TRIM22 is constitutively expressed at high levels in monocytes and plays important roles in the antiviral response and inflammation. Overexpression of TRIM22 interferes with the clonogenic growth of monocytic cells, suggesting that TRIM22 may regulate monocyte survival.

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 Regulates Phagosome Maturation and Is Required for Bacterial Clearance in Escherichia coli Sepsis.

Background: Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 is a Ca-permeable cation channel abundantly expressed in macrophages. Trpm2 mice showed exacerbated infection and mortality during polymicrobial sepsis, which is associated with inefficient bacterial killing in macrophages. However, the mechanism of transient receptor potential melastatin 2 regulating bacterial killing remains unknown.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate Receptor 2 Signaling Suppresses Macrophage Phagocytosis and Impairs Host Defense against Sepsis.

Background: Sepsis is characterized by an inappropriate systemic inflammatory response and bacteremia that promote multiorgan failure and mortality. Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) modulates endotoxin-induced inflammation in endothelium. However, as a highly expressed S1P receptor in macrophages, its role in regulating macrophage response to bacterial infection remains unclear.

Hepatic hepcidin protects against polymicrobial sepsis in mice by regulating host iron status.

Background: Hepcidin is a master regulator of iron metabolism primarily produced by the liver. Markedly increased hepcidin levels have been observed in septic individuals, while decreased hepatic hepcidin expression has been demonstrated in liver diseases that tend to develop into sepsis. However, the role of liver hepcidin in sepsis remains unknown.

Defensins and sepsis.

Sepsis is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the critical illness. Multiple immune inflammatory processes take part in the pathogenesis of sepsis. Defensins are endogenous antimicrobial peptides with three disulphide bonds created by six cysteine residues.

Silencing airway epithelial cell-derived hepcidin exacerbates sepsis induced acute lung injury.

Introduction: The production of antimicrobial peptides by airway epithelial cells is an important component of the innate immune response to pulmonary infection and inflammation. Hepcidin is a β-defensin-like antimicrobial peptide and acts as a principal iron regulatory hormone. Hepcidin is mostly produced by hepatocytes, but is also expressed by other cells, such as airway epithelial cells.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 protects against polymicrobial sepsis by enhancing bacterial clearance.

Rationale: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM-2) is a cell surface receptor primarily expressed on macrophages and monocyte-derived cells. TREM-2 not only functions as a regulator of inflammatory response, but also serves as a phagocytic receptor for bacteria. However, the role of TREM-2 in sepsis remains unknown.

Polymorphisms of the HTR3B gene are associated with post-surgery emesis in a Chinese Han population.

What Is Known And Objectives: The serotoninergic receptor 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 3 (HTR3) is instrumental in the regulation of nausea and emesis (vomiting).This study investigated whether common genomic variations of the A and B subunits of HTR3 (HTR3A, HTR3B) are associated with the incidence of post-operative vomiting in a Chinese Han population.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-one female Chinese Han patients undergoing gynaecological surgery with standardized general anaesthesia were recruited for the study.

Altered melatonin secretion and circadian gene expression with increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in early-stage sepsis patients.

Inflammatory and immune responses, as well as melatonin secretion, are affected by circadian regulation. Abnormal circadian rhythm of melatonin release has been reported to be associated with the later stages of sepsis; however, its role in the early stages of sepsis is unclear. We studied 11 septic and 11 non-septic patients in our intensive care unit (ICU).

Plasma sRAGE enables prediction of acute lung injury after cardiac surgery in children.

Introduction: Acute lung injury (ALI) after cardiac surgery is associated with a high postoperative morbidity and mortality, but few predictors are known for the occurrence of the complication. This study evaluated whether elevated plasma levels of soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and S100A12 reflected impaired lung function in infants and young children after cardiac surgery necessitating cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Consecutive children younger than 3 years after cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled and assigned to ALI and non-ALI groups, according to the American-European Consensus Criteria.

Circulating nucleosomes as a predictor of sepsis and organ dysfunction in critically ill patients.

Objectives: Sepsis is a leading cause of death in critically ill patients, and apoptosis plays a major role in the pathophysiology of sepsis. Elevated levels of circulating nucleosomes released by apoptotic cells have been detected in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic/prognostic value of circulating nucleosomes in sepsis.

Small molecules in treatment of sepsis.

Sepsis is a common and frequently a fatal syndrome. Though, there is steady progress in the management of sepsis, further reduction of its mortality is still hampered by the lack of specific remedies. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of sepsis and innovations in drug design have enabled researchers to develop new strategies for the treatment of this complicated condition in a more efficient way.

[Construction and evaluation of recombinant plasmid containing human triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 gene].

Objective: To construct a eukaryotic expression plasmid containing human triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1(TREM-1) gene.

Methods: The entire gene coding region of human TREM-1 was amplified from total RNA of human peripheral blood by means of RT-PCR. The fragment of TREM-1 was cloned to vector pUCm-T.

Increased genomic copy number of DEFA1/DEFA3 is associated with susceptibility to severe sepsis in Chinese Han population.

Background: Human neutrophil peptides 1-3 are endogenous cationic antimicrobial peptides implicated in host defense against microbes. The genes encoding human neutrophil peptides 1-3 (DEFA1/DEFA3) exhibit copy number variations. This study was designed to determine whether DEFA1/DEFA3 copy number variations conferred susceptibility to infection-induced complications such as severe sepsis.