Predicting Primary Graft Dysfunction in Lung Transplantation: Machine Learning-Guided Biomarker Discovery.

Background –: There is an urgent need to better understand the pathophysiology of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) so that point-of-care methods can be developed to predict those at risk. Here we utilize a multiplex multivariable approach to define cytokine, chemokines, and growth factors in patient-matched biospecimens from multiple biological sites to identify factors predictive of PGD.

Methods –: Biospecimens were collected from patients undergoing bilateral LTx from three distinct sites: donor lung perfusate, post-transplant bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid (2h), and plasma (2h and 24h).

The Effects of Health Insurance Coverage on Workforce Engagement of Family Caregivers of Children With Intellectual Disability and Autism.

For many families of children with intellectual disability and autism (ID/ASD), private health insurance and public programs, such as Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), are critical sources of support. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of health insurance coverage on workforce engagement of parents of children with ID/ASD. The study utilized 2014-2018 pooled National Health Interview Survey data to construct national estimates and test the effects of health insurance status on parent workforce outcomes.

Early-Career Complementologists (ECCO) - Past achievements and future directions.

The Early-Career Complementologists (ECCO) is a task force that was established, in close collaboration with the European Complement Network (ECN) and the International Complement Society (ICS), with the specific mission to support and connect early-career researchers (ECRs) in the complement field. ECRs are junior scientists at the early stages of their training which include undergraduate as well as graduate students, Ph.D.

Role of C3a as a Novel Regulator of 25(OH)D to 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Metabolism in Upper Airway Epithelial Cells.

In patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, primary human sinonasal epithelial cell (HSNEC) 1α-hydroxylase levels are reduced, as is their ability to metabolize 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D] to its active metabolite, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)D]. In this study, we sought to identify the factor responsible for the regulation of HSNEC metabolism of 25(OH)D, focusing on C3 and C3a. Multiple inhaled irritants trigger the release of complement components, C3 and C3a, leading to suppression of 1α-hydroxylase levels in HSNECs.

ECCO - A new initiative to support early-career researchers in the complement field.

Research on the complement system, like most areas of immunology, has seen tremendous progress over the last decades. Further advances in the complement field will rely on the next generation of scientific leaders, which are today's early-career researchers (ECRs). ECRs are emerging scientists who obtained their PhD degree within the past five years.