Assessing microbiota in vivo: debugging with medical imaging.

The microbiota is integral to human health and has been mostly characterized through various ex vivo 'omic'-based approaches. To better understand the real-time function and impact of the microbiota, in vivo molecular imaging is required. With technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT), insight into microbiological processes may be coupled to in vivo information.

The commitment of the human cell atlas to humanity.

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) is a global partnership "to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells-the fundamental units of life - as a basis for both understanding human health and diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease." ( https://www.humancellatlas.

Exploring patient involvement in obstetrics and gynaecology education for medical students: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: It is important to incorporate the patient perspective into healthcare education, as we know that patients are experts in their own conditions. The expertise gained through lived experience serves to complement the theoretical knowledge that healthcare educators can provide. This scoping review aims to explore patient involvement in medical education within obstetrics and gynaecology, a specialty that can provide unique challenges and complexities to patient involvement due to its potentially highly sensitive and intimate nature.

A comparative study to elucidate factors explaining willingness to use home-care robots in Japan, Ireland, and Finland.

The implementation of home-care robots is sometimes unsuccessful. This study aimed to explore factors explaining people's willingness to use home-care robots, particularly among care recipients and caregivers. Surveys were conducted in Japan, Ireland, and Finland.

The VEGF-Mediated Cytoprotective Ability of MIF-Licensed Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in House Dust Mite-Induced Epithelial Damage.

Enhancing mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapeutic efficacy through licensing with proinflammatory cytokines is now well established. We have previously shown that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-licensed MSCs exerted significantly enhanced therapeutic efficacy in reducing inflammation in house dust mite (HDM)-driven allergic asthma. Soluble mediators released into the MSC secretome boast cytoprotective properties equal to those associated with the cell itself.

Essential magnetosome proteins MamI and MamL from magnetotactic bacteria interact in mammalian cells.

To detect cellular activities deep within the body using magnetic resonance platforms, magnetosomes are the ideal model of genetically-encoded nanoparticles. These membrane-bound iron biominerals produced by magnetotactic bacteria are highly regulated by approximately 30 genes; however, the number of magnetosome genes that are essential and/or constitute the root structure upon which biominerals form is largely undefined. To examine the possibility that key magnetosome genes may interact in a foreign environment, we expressed mamI and mamL as fluorescent fusion proteins in mammalian cells.

Metabolic Pathophysiology of Cortical Spreading Depression: A Review.

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is an electrophysiologic pathological state in which a wave of depolarization in the cerebral cortex is followed by the suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity. This transient spread of neuronal depolarization on the surface of the cortex is the hallmark of CSD. Numerous investigations have demonstrated that transmembrane ion transport, astrocytic ion clearing and fatigue, glucose metabolism, the presence of certain genetic markers, point mutations, and the expression of the enzyme responsible for the production of various arachidonic acid derivatives that participate in the inflammatory response, namely, cyclooxygenase (COX), all influence CSD.

Evaluation of fibroblast activation protein-specific PET/CT in a patient with post-COVID pneumonitis.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often leads to a spectrum of pulmonary complications, including interstitial lung disease (ILD) with the potential for fibrotic sequelae. Assessing the presence of ongoing active inflammation versus established residual fibrosis as a result of lung parenchymal injury and repair in these patients is a clinical challenge. Better understanding of the disease process is crucial for guiding appropriate therapeutic strategies.

Implementing contingency management into rural recovery housing: recommendations of a professional advisory expert panel.

Rural areas in the United States have been severely impacted by recent rises in substance use related mortality and psychosocial consequences. There is a dearth of treatment resources to address substance use disorder (SUD). Rural recovery houses (RRH) are important services that provide individuals with SUD with an environment where they can engage in recovery-oriented activities, but dropout rates are unacceptably high, and evidence-based interventions such as contingency management (CM) may reduce dropout and improve outcomes for RRH residents.

The Parasite-Derived Peptide, FhHDM-1, Selectively Modulates miRNA Expression in -Cells to Prevent Apoptotic Pathways Induced by Proinflammatory Cytokines.

We have previously identified a parasite-derived peptide, FhHDM-1, that prevented the progression of diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Disease prevention was mediated by the activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway to promote -cell survival and metabolism without inducing proliferation. To determine the molecular mechanisms driving the antidiabetogenic effects of FhHDM-1, miRNA:mRNA interactions and predictions of the gene networks were characterised in -cells, which were exposed to the proinflammatory cytokines that mediate -cell destruction in Type 1 diabetes (T1D), in the presence and absence of FhHDM-1.

Impact of Simulation Training on Core Skill Competency of Undergraduate Medical Students.

Introduction: Simulation based medical training (SBMT) is gaining traction for undergraduate learning and development. We designed, implemented, and independently assessed the impact of an SBMT programme on competency in surgical history taking and clinical examination for senior clinical students.

Methods: With institutional ethical approval and initial pilot study of student volunteers that ensured format appropriateness, we implemented an SBMT programme weekly for ten weeks during the core surgery module of our Medicine degree programme.

A small-molecule allele-selective transcriptional inhibitor of the MIF immune susceptibility locus.

Functional variants of the gene for the cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) are defined by a 4-nucleotide promoter microsatellite (-794 CATT, rs5844572) and confer risk for autoimmune, infectious, and oncologic diseases. We describe herein the discovery of a prototypic, small molecule inhibitor of MIF transcription with selectivity for high microsatellite repeat number and correspondingly high gene expression. Utilizing a high-throughput luminescent proximity screen, we identify 1-carbomethoxy-5-formyl-4,6,8-trihydroxyphenazine (CMFT) to inhibit the functional interaction between the transcription factor ICBP90 (namely, UHRF1) and the MIF -794 CATT promoter microsatellite.

Mesenchymal stromal cells dampen trained immunity in house dust mite-primed macrophages expressing human macrophage migration inhibitory factor polymorphism.

Background: Trained immunity results in long-term immunological memory, provoking a faster and greater immune response when innate immune cells encounter a secondary, often heterologous, stimulus. We have previously shown that house dust mite (HDM)-induced innate training is amplified in mice expressing the human macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) CATT functional polymorphism.

Aim: This study investigated the ability of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to modulate MIF-driven trained immunity both in vitro and in vivo.