Eosinophils protect against SARS-CoV-2 following a vaccine breakthrough infection.

Waning immunity and the emergence of immune evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants jeopardize vaccine efficacy leading to breakthrough infections. We have previously shown that innate immune cells play a critical role in controlling SARS-CoV-2. To investigate the innate immune response during breakthrough infections, we modeled breakthrough infections by challenging low-dose vaccinated mice with a vaccine-mismatched SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant.

CD4 and CD8 T cells are required to prevent SARS-CoV-2 persistence in the nasal compartment.

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces the generation of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 effector and memory T cells. However, the contribution of T cells in controlling SARS-CoV-2 during infection is not well understood. Following infection of C57BL/6 mice, SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells are recruited to the respiratory tract, and a vast proportion secrete the cytotoxic molecule granzyme B.

Poly-basic peptides and polymers as new drug candidates against Plasmodium falciparum.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria-causing parasite, is a leading cause of infection-induced deaths worldwide. The preferred treatment approach is artemisinin-based combination therapy, which couples fast-acting artemisinin derivatives with longer-acting drugs, such as lumefantrine, mefloquine, and amodiaquine. However, the urgency for new treatments has risen due to the parasite's growing resistance to existing therapies.

Interpersonal Loneliness Predicts the Frequency and Intensity of Nightmares: An Examination of Theoretic Mechanisms.

The evolutionary theory of loneliness (ETL) argues that human belongingness is essential to survival and failing to meet belongingness needs constitutes a threat to viability. In two separate studies (total  = 1,609), links between loneliness and nightmares were examined as a test of ETL postulates. As hypothesized, loneliness predicted nightmare frequency (both studies) and nightmare intensity (Study Two only).

MAPK/ERK activation in macrophages promotes Leishmania internalization and pathogenesis.

The obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania binds several receptors to trigger uptake by phagocytic cells, ultimately resulting in visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis. A series of signaling pathways in host cells, which are critical for establishment and persistence of infection, are activated during Leishmania internalization. Thus, preventing Leishmania uptake by phagocytes could be a novel therapeutic strategy for leishmaniasis.

Clinical Pathways and Outcomes of Andexanet Alfa Administration for the Reversal of Critical Bleeding in Patients on Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibitors.

 Andexanet is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for the reversal of critical bleeding from factor Xa inhibitors and off-label for surgical reversal.

Tobacco smoking clusters in households affected by tuberculosis in an individual participant data meta-analysis of national tuberculosis prevalence surveys: Time for household-wide interventions?

Tuberculosis (TB) and non-communicable diseases (NCD) share predisposing risk factors. TB-associated NCD might cluster within households affected with TB requiring shared prevention and care strategies. We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis of national TB prevalence surveys to determine whether NCD cluster in members of households with TB.

harbors a hypoxia-responsive coproporphyrinogen dehydrogenase-like protein.

Unlabelled: is an apicomplexan parasite that is the cause of toxoplasmosis, a potentially lethal disease for immunocompromised individuals. During infection, the parasites encounter various growth environments, such as hypoxia. Therefore, the metabolic enzymes in the parasites must adapt to such changes to fulfill their nutritional requirements.

New Frontiers in Comparative Victimology: Introduction to the Special Issue of the .

This special issue of the intends to expand the examination of victimology and victim issues. The social problem of violence is universal, and there is much to learn from policies and programs that are found to be effective across the globe. The four issues in this special issue span global problems such as cybercrime, interpersonal violence, violent socialization, and the victimization of college students.

Outer membrane vesicles and the outer membrane protein OmpU govern biofilm matrix assembly.

Biofilms are matrix-encased microbial communities that increase the environmental fitness and infectivity of many human pathogens including . Biofilm matrix assembly is essential for biofilm formation and function. Known components of the biofilm matrix are the polysaccharide polysaccharide (VPS), matrix proteins RbmA, RbmC, Bap1, and extracellular DNA, but the majority of the protein composition is uncharacterized.

BCG vaccination stimulates integrated organ immunity by feedback of the adaptive immune response to imprint prolonged innate antiviral resistance.

Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination can confer nonspecific protection against heterologous pathogens. However, the underlying mechanisms remain mysterious. We show that mice vaccinated intravenously with BCG exhibited reduced weight loss and/or improved viral clearance when challenged with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 B.

harbors a hypoxia-responsive coproporphyrinogen dehydrogenase-like protein.

is an apicomplexan parasite that is the cause of toxoplasmosis, a potentially lethal disease for immunocompromised individuals. During infection, the parasites encounter various growth environments, such as hypoxia. Therefore, the metabolic enzymes in the parasites must adapt to such changes to fulfill their nutritional requirements.

Financing for tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in the Western Pacific Region in 2005-2020.

Objective: This paper provides an overview of financing for tuberculosis (TB) prevention, diagnostic and treatment services in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region during 2005-2020.

Methods: This analysis uses the WHO global TB finance database to describe TB funding during 2005-2020 in 18 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the Western Pacific Region, with additional country-level data and analysis for seven priority countries: Cambodia, China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam.

Results: Funding for the provision of TB prevention, diagnostic and treatment services in the 18 LMICs tripled fromUS$ 358 million in 2005 to US$ 1061 million in 2020, driven largely by increases in domestic funding, which rose from US$ 325 million to US$ 939 million over the same period.

Views of adults living with sickle cell disease on the theoretical return of secondary genomic findings.

Purpose: Although the body of research investigating research participants' opinions on the return of actionable secondary genomic findings grows, there has been limited study of individuals with genetic conditions, such as sickle cell disease (SCD). It is imperative that the views of diverse research participants on return of results (RoR) be investigated and rooted in the context of advancing health equity in genomics research.

Methods: We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 30 adults living with SCD with differing insurance coverages and utilized a directed content analysis to derive themes.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global tuberculosis epidemic.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of ill health worldwide. Until the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, TB was the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. COVID-19 has caused enormous health, social and economic upheavals since 2020, impairing access to essential TB services.

Poly-basic peptides and polymers as new drug candidate against .

, the malaria-causing parasite, is a leading cause of infection-induced deaths worldwide. The preferred treatment approach is artemisinin-combination therapy, which couples fast-acting artemisinin derivatives with longer-acting drugs like lumefantrine, mefloquine, and amodiaquine. However, the urgency for new treatments has risen due to the parasite's growing resistance to existing therapies.

Costs incurred by people receiving tuberculosis treatment in low-income and middle-income countries: a meta-regression analysis.

Background: People accessing and completing treatment for tuberculosis can face large economic costs, even when treatment is provided free of charge. The WHO End TB Strategy targets the elimination of catastrophic costs among tuberculosis-affected households. While low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) represent 99% of global tuberculosis cases, only 29 of 135 LMICs had conducted national surveys of costs for patients with tuberculosis by December, 2022.

Association of diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use with subclinical-to-symptomatic spectrum of tuberculosis in 16 countries: an individual participant data meta-analysis of national tuberculosis prevalence surveys.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and NCD risk factors, such as smoking, increase the risk for tuberculosis (TB). Data are scarce on the risk of prevalent TB associated with these factors in the context of population-wide systematic screening and on the association between NCDs and NCD risk factors with different manifestations of TB, where ∼50% being asymptomatic but bacteriologically positive (subclinical). We did an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of national and sub-national TB prevalence surveys to synthesise the evidence on the risk of symptomatic and subclinical TB in people with NCDs or risk factors, which could help countries to plan screening activities.

A wild boar cathelicidin peptide derivative inhibits severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 and its drifted variants.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a clear threat to humanity. It has infected over 200 million and killed 4 million people worldwide, and infections continue with no end in sight. To control the pandemic, multiple effective vaccines have been developed, and global vaccinations are in progress.

A cathepsin C-like protease mediates the post-translation modification of secretory proteins for optimal invasion and egress.

Microbial pathogens use proteases for their infections, such as digestion of proteins for nutrients and activation of their virulence factors. As an obligate intracellular parasite, must invade host cells to establish its intracellular propagation. To facilitate invasion, the parasites secrete invasion effectors from microneme and rhoptry, two unique organelles in apicomplexans.

Bird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems.

Animal tolerance towards humans can be a key factor facilitating wildlife-human coexistence, yet traits predicting its direction and magnitude across tropical animals are poorly known. Using 10,249 observations for 842 bird species inhabiting open tropical ecosystems in Africa, South America, and Australia, we find that avian tolerance towards humans was lower (i.e.