Low-cost high-throughput targeted sequencing for the accurate detection of respiratory tract pathogens.

Introduction: The current gold standard for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) diagnosis by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is limited by the number of genes that can be detected. In this study, we developed a low-cost and high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology that can overcome the limitations of real time RT-PCR.

Methodology: A targeted sequencing panel (TSP) consisting of approximately 500 amplicons was designed.

HDL subfractions determined by microfluidic chip electrophoresis predict the vulnerability of intracranial plaque: A HRMRI study.

Aim: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) can be divided into several subfractions based on density, size and composition. Accumulative evidence strongly suggests that the subfractions of HDL have very different roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study was to further delineate the relationship between HDL subfractions extracted by microfluidic chip electrophoresis and the vulnerability of plaques in patients with intracranial atherosclerosis with a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) study.

Jagged1 contained in MSC-derived small extracellular vesicles promotes squamous differentiation of cervical cancer by activating NOTCH pathway.

Purpose: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and poses a major threat to women's health, urgently requiring new treatment methods.

Methods: This study first successfully extracted and identified small extracellular vesicles secreted by human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells. We studied the effects of MSC-sEV on the squamous differentiation levels of cervical cancer CaSki cells in vitro, and explored the effects of MSC-sEV on the NOTCH pathway, the growth, proliferation, migration abilities and squamous differentiation levels of cervical cancer cells.

Inflammatory Factor IL1α Induces Aberrant Astrocyte Proliferation in Spinal Cord Injury Through the Grin2c/Ca/CaMK2b Pathway.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating traumas, and the aberrant proliferation of astrocytes usually causes neurological deficits. However, the mechanism underlying astrocyte over-proliferation after SCI is unclear. Grin2c (glutamate ionotropic receptor type 2c) plays an essential role in cell proliferation.

High expression of P-selectin induces neutrophil extracellular traps via the PSGL-1/Syk/Ca/PAD4 pathway to exacerbate acute pancreatitis.

Background: Excessive neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is involved in the progression of acute pancreatitis (AP) but the mechanisms controlling NETs formation in AP are not fully understood. Therefore, our study sought to investigate the mechanism of the highly expressed P-selectin stimulating the formation of NETs in AP.

Methods: NETs formation was detected by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, and cf-DNA and MPO-DNA complexes were measured as biomarkers of NETs formation.

UCHL1 facilitates protein aggregates clearance to enhance neural stem cell activation in spinal cord injury.

Activation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) is greatly significant for the adult neurogenesis; however, it is extremely limited in the spinal cord after injury. Recent evidence suggests that accumulation of protein aggregates impairs the ability of quiescent NSCs to activate. Ubiquitin c-terminal hydrolase l-1 (UCHL1), an important deubiquitinating enzyme, plays critical roles in protein aggregations clearance, but its effects on NSC activation remains unknown.

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing CXCR7 facilitate treatment of ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis via inhibition of Notch/Jag1 mediated by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

The therapeutic efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is mainly limited by the efficiency of homing of UCMSCs toward tissue damage. C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7), which is involved in the mobilization of UCMSCs, is only expressed on the surface of a small proportion of UCMSCs. This study examined whether overexpression of CXCR7 in UCMSCs (UCMSCs) could improve their homing efficiency, and therefore, improve their effectiveness in fibrosis repair at the site of lung injury caused by ARDS.

Fate and Efficacy of Engineered Allogeneic Stem Cells Targeting Cell Death and Proliferation Pathways in Primary and Brain Metastatic Lung Cancer.

Primary and metastatic lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death and novel therapies are urgently needed. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and death receptor (DR) 4/5 are both highly expressed in primary and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, targeting these receptors individually has demonstrated limited therapeutic benefit in patients. In this study, we created and characterized diagnostic and therapeutic stem cells (SC), expressing EGFR-targeted nanobody (EV) fused to the extracellular domain of death DR4/5 ligand (DRL) (EVDRL) that simultaneously targets EGFR and DR4/5, in primary and metastatic NSCLC tumor models.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells derived extracellular vesicles alleviate salpingitis by promoting M1-to-M2 transformation.

With an increasing number of patients experiencing infertility due to chronic salpingitis after (CT) infection, there is an unmet need for tissue repair or regeneration therapies. Treatment with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (hucMSC-EV) provides an attractive cell-free therapeutic approach. In this study, we investigated the alleviating effect of hucMSC-EV on tubal inflammatory infertility caused by CT using animal experiments.

Shifting Paradigm from Gene Expressions to Pathways Reveals Physiological Mechanisms in Blood Pressure Control in Causation.

Genetics for blood pressure (BP) in human and animals has been partitioned into two separate specialties. However, this divide is mechanistically-misleading. BP physiology is mechanistically participated by products of quantitative trait loci (QTLs).

Cell Infiltrative Inner Connected Porous Hydrogel Improves Neural Stem Cell Migration and Differentiation for Functional Repair of Spinal Cord Injury.

The disadvantages of cell-adaptive microenvironments and cellular diffusion out of the lesion have limited hydrogel-based scaffold transplantation treatment for neural connectivity, leading to permanent neurological disability from spinal cord injury. Herein, porous GelMA scaffold was prepared, in which the inner porous structure was optimized. The average pore size was 168 ± 71 μm with a porosity of 77.

PTH (1-34) enhances the therapeutic effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines expression on OA chondrocyte repair in vitro.

Background: The effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) during the treatment of cartilage damage have been proven to be attributed to paracrine mechanisms, particularly the effect of exosomes. Exosomes from different batches are inhomogeneous, and different treatment effects are observed between samples. The purpose of this research was to find more effective and homogeneous exosomes for the repair of chondrocytes in osteoarthritis (OA).

requires cellular respiration for NAD regeneration and pathogenesis.

Cellular respiration is essential for multiple bacterial pathogens and a validated antibiotic target. In addition to driving oxidative phosphorylation, bacterial respiration has a variety of ancillary functions that obscure its contribution to pathogenesis. We find here that the intracellular pathogen encodes two respiratory pathways which are partially functionally redundant and indispensable for pathogenesis.

The measurement of war-related trauma amongst internally displaced men and women in South Sudan: Psychometric analysis of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire.

Background: Studies from armed conflict settings, including South Sudan, have revealed the deleterious mental health impact of exposure to war atrocities. However, there is little consensus on what is meant by war trauma, how it should be measured, and how levels of trauma vary across men and women.

Methods: We used psychometric analyses to measure war trauma among 1178 internally displaced adults (mean age = 39 years, 50% women) in the Malakal region of South Sudan.

Cell-adaptable dynamic hydrogel reinforced with stem cells improves the functional repair of spinal cord injury by alleviating neuroinflammation.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most challenging clinical issues. It is characterized by the disruption of neural circuitry and connectivity, resulting in neurological disability. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) serve as a promising source of therapeutic cells for SCI treatment.

[Research progress of hydrogel combined with mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury].

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex pathological process. Based on the encouraging results of preclinical experiments, some stem cell therapies have been translated into clinical practice. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have become one of the most important seed cells in the treatment of SCI due to their abundant sources, strong proliferation ability and low immunogenicity.

Potential role of anti-inflammatory HDL subclasses in metabolic unhealth/obesity.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles comprising heterogeneous subclasses of different functions exert anti-inflammatory effects by interacting with immune-response cells. However, the relationship of HDL subclasses with immune-response cells in metabolic unhealth/obesity has not been defined clearly. The purpose of this study was to delineate the relational changes of HDL subclasses with immune cells and inflammatory markers in metabolic unhealth/obesity to understand the role of anti-inflammatory HDL subclasses.

Nanoparticles composed of the tea polysaccharide-complexed cationic vitamin B-conjugated glycogen derivative.

Tea polysaccharides exhibit multiple important bioactivities, but very few of them can be absorbed through the small intestine. To enhance the absorption efficacy of tea polysaccharides, a cationic vitamin B-conjugated glycogen derivative bearing the diethylenetriamine residues (VB-DETA-Gly) was synthesized and characterized using FTIR, H NMR, and UV-vis spectroscopy. An acidic tea polysaccharide (TPSA) was isolated from green tea.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Amid Osteosarcoma Treatment: A Therapeutic Dilemma and Literature Review.

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a clinical syndrome with multiple variants. GBS is defined as an acute demyelinating polyneuropathy commonly preceded by infection (bacterial or viral), trauma, or inflammatory processes, which triggers an autoimmune response that affects the peripheral nervous system. This case report describes a patient with high-grade osteosarcoma that completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy and underwent surgical resection with no immediate complications.

P-Selectin-Based Dual-Model Nanoprobe Used for the Specific and Rapid Visualization of Early Detection toward Severe Acute Pancreatitis .

Identifying severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) as soon as possible is critical for achieving optimal outcomes and saving lives. In this study, a novel P-selectin-targeted, NIR fluorescent dye (Cy 5.5)-labeled dual-modal nanoprobe based on diethylenetriaminepentaacetic chelates (Gd-DTPA-Cy5.

TRAIL of Hope Meeting Resistance in Cancer.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis selectively via its interaction with the death receptors TRAILR1/DR4 and TRAILR2/DR5 in a wide range of cancers, while sparing normal cells. Despite its tremendous potential for cancer therapeutics, the translation of TRAIL into the clinic has been confounded by TRAIL-resistant cancer populations. We discuss different molecular mechanisms underlying TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and resistance to TRAIL.

Occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in burns treatment during the COVID-19 epidemic: Specific diagnosis and treatment protocol.

Epidemic prevention and control measures for the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has achieved significant results. As of 8 April 2020, 22,073 infection cases of COVID-19 among healthcare workers from 52 countries had been reported to WHO. COVID-19 has strong infectivity, high transmission speeds, and causes serious infection among healthcare worker.

Extracellular electron transfer powers flavinylated extracellular reductases in Gram-positive bacteria.

Mineral-respiring bacteria use a process called extracellular electron transfer to route their respiratory electron transport chain to insoluble electron acceptors on the exterior of the cell. We recently characterized a flavin-based extracellular electron transfer system that is present in the foodborne pathogen , as well as many other Gram-positive bacteria, and which highlights a more generalized role for extracellular electron transfer in microbial metabolism. Here we identify a family of putative extracellular reductases that possess a conserved posttranslational flavinylation modification.