Performance assessment of a new serological diagnostic test for COVID-19 with candidate peptides from spike and nucleocapsid viral proteins.

Numerous commercial tests for the serological diagnosis of COVID-19 have been produced in recent years. However, it is important to note that these tests exhibit significant variability in their sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of results. Therefore, the objective of this study was to utilize bioinformatics tools to map SARS-CoV-2 peptides, with the goal of developing a new serological diagnostic test for COVID-19.

Effects of Probiotics on Inflammatory Biomarkers and Its Associations With Cardiac Autonomic Function in Women With Arterial Hypertension: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Preclinical evidence suggests that probiotic administration may exert an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce autonomic dysfunction and blood pressure. This study evaluated the effects of probiotic therapy on inflammatory biomarkers and characterized the correlations between inflammation and cardiac autonomic function in women with arterial hypertension. Women were randomized into probiotics (n = 20) or placebo (n = 20).

Evaluation of cardiac autonomic function and low-grade inflammation in children with obesity living in the Northeast Brazilian region.

Objective: Evaluate autonomic function and low-grade inflammation and characterize the correlation between these variables in schoolchildren with obesity living in the Brazilian northeast region.

Methods: 84 children with obesity and 41 with normal weight were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometry, body composition, blood pressure (BP), inflammatory biomarkers, and heart rate variability (HRV) indexes were analyzed in children aged 7 to 11 years.

Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 serotype(s): Is it a matter of time?

Since its identification in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has undergone numerous mutations, resulting in the emergence of several viral variants, which may differ in transmissibility, virulence and/or evasion from host immunity. Particularly, immunity-related changes have been well documented in the Omicron variant, including reports of escaping neutralizing antibodies induced by infection/vaccination with heterologous SARS-CoV-2 or used in serological therapy. These findings may encourage some discussions about the possibility that Omicron is a distinct SARS-CoV-2 serotype.

Cytokine Regulation from Human Peripheral Blood Leukocytes Cultured with Silver Doped Bioactive Glasses Microparticles.

Bioactive glasses (BG) applications include tissue engineering for bone regeneration, coating for implants, and scaffolds for wound healing. BG can be conjugated to ions like silver, which might add some antimicrobial properties to this biomaterial. The immunomodulatory activity of ion-doped bioactive glasses particles was not investigated before.

Mediators Go Together: High Production of CXCL9, CXCL10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α in HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis.

HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic demyelinating and disabling syndrome caused by human T lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1). Although the pathogenic mechanisms that lead to HAM/TSP outcome have not been elucidated, genetic and immunological factors may be involved in the myelopathy occurrence. This study aimed to compare cytokines, chemokines, and nitric oxide (NO) levels in asymptomatic and HAM/TSP HTLV-1-infected patients.

Evaluation of hemagglutination activity of chitosan nanoparticles using human erythrocytes.

Chitosan is a polysaccharide composed of randomly distributed chains of β-(1-4) D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. This compound is obtained by partial or total deacetylation of chitin in acidic solution. The chitosan-based hemostatic agents have been gaining much attention in the management of bleeding.

Evaluation of an interferon gamma assay in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The tuberculin skin test is not an ideal screening test for the patients with rheumatoid arthritis to identify cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) prior to the start of treatment with anti-TNFs, as it responds inadequately to late hypersensitivity, which is fundamental for producing a response to the inoculated antigen. Assays based on detection of the production of IFNγ in vitro by mononuclear peripheral cells stimulated by specific antigens are more specific than PPD in detecting LTBI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of T-SPOT.

The effect of Zymomonas mobilis culture on experimental Schistosoma mansoni infection.

C57Bl/10 male mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni were distributed into mixed, prophylactic and curative groups. A culture of Zymomonas mobilis was orally administered to mice. A 61% protection from the infection was observed in the curative group (p <0.