Antiviral responses in a Jamaican fruit bat intestinal organoid model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Bats are natural reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses, potentially due to an enhanced capacity to control viral infection. However, the mechanisms of antiviral responses in bats are poorly defined. Here we established a Jamaican fruit bat (JFB, Artibeus jamaicensis) intestinal organoid model of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Medical Device Safety Training by Using Quick Response Codes and Extended Reality-Based Technologies.

This article describes the results of three different study settings where the use of QR codes and XR technologies were tested for medical device training among 132 social and health care professionals. Data from three types of learning events and different contents of training indicated that the professionals considered these novel technologies both beneficial for learning and useful in their working environments for training safe use of medical devices. Based on the collected data, these technologies can be considered prospective options for medical device training.

A TLR4 agonist liposome formulation effectively stimulates innate immunity and enhances protection from bacterial infection.

Stimulation of innate immunity can protect against infectious insult and could be used in combination with other therapies. Since antibiotic resistance is an increasing concern, strategies to reduce the dose or eliminate the need for these drugs are warranted. Lipo-CRX is a formulation in which the TLR4 agonist CRX-527 is incorporated into lipid membranes in liposomes.

Antiviral response mechanisms in a Jamaican Fruit Bat intestinal organoid model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Bats are natural reservoirs for several zoonotic viruses, potentially due to an enhanced capacity to control viral infection. However, the mechanisms of antiviral responses in bats are poorly defined. Here we established a Jamaican fruit bat (JFB) intestinal organoid model of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Pathophysiology of Influenza D Virus Infection in Specific-Pathogen-Free Lambs with or without Prior Exposure.

Polymicrobial pneumonias occur frequently in cattle, swine, and sheep, resulting in major economic losses. Individual pathogens comprising these complex infections may be mild on their own but can instead exhibit synergism or increase host susceptibility. Two examples of such pathogens, () and influenza D viruses (IDVs), naturally infect domestic sheep.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Is Detected in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Asymptomatic Endoscopy Patients but Is Unlikely to Pose a Significant Risk to Healthcare Personnel.

Background And Aims: Recent evidence suggests that the gut is an additional target for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, whether SARS-CoV-2 spreads via gastrointestinal secretions remains unclear. To determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic subjects, we analyzed gastrointestinal biopsy and liquid samples from endoscopy patients for the presence of SARS-CoV-2.

An ADAM17-Neutralizing Antibody Reduces Inflammation and Mortality While Increasing Viral Burden in a COVID-19 Mouse Model.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the primary cell entry receptor for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) is a protease that cleaves ectodomains of transmembrane proteins, including that of ACE2 and the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, from cell surfaces upon cellular activation. We hypothesized that blockade of ADAM17 activity would alter COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Experimental infection of specific-pathogen-free domestic lambs with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae causes asymptomatic colonization of the upper airways that is resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a respiratory pathogen associated with mild to moderate respiratory disease in domestic lambs and severe pneumonia outbreaks in wild ruminants such as bighorn sheep. However, whether M.

A Synthetic Hydrogel, VitroGel ORGANOID-3, Improves Immune Cell-Epithelial Interactions in a Tissue Chip Co-Culture Model of Human Gastric Organoids and Dendritic Cells.

Immunosurveillance of the gastrointestinal epithelium by mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs) is essential for maintaining gut health. However, studying the complex interplay between the human gastrointestinal epithelium and MNPs such as dendritic cells (DCs) is difficult, since traditional cell culture systems lack complexity, and animal models may not adequately represent human tissues. Microphysiological systems, or tissue chips, are an attractive alternative for these investigations, because they model functional features of specific tissues or organs using microscale culture platforms that recreate physiological tissue microenvironments.

Titers, Prevalence, and Duration of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in a Local COVID-19 Outbreak and Following Vaccination.

Information concerning the development of neutralizing antibodies and their duration will be critical to establishing herd immunity for COVID-19. We sought to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific antibodies, their duration, and capacity for SARS-CoV-2 neutralization in volunteers while the pandemic spread within our community starting in March 2020. Those participants with the highest starting titers had the longest-lasting response, up to 12 months post-diagnosis.

Intrinsic signal amplification by type III CRISPR-Cas systems provides a sequence-specific SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic.

There is an urgent need for inexpensive new technologies that enable fast, reliable, and scalable detection of viruses. Here, we repurpose the type III CRISPR-Cas system for sensitive and sequence-specific detection of SARS-CoV-2. RNA recognition by the type III CRISPR complex triggers Cas10-mediated polymerase activity, which simultaneously generates pyrophosphates, protons, and cyclic oligonucleotides.

SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance identifies naturally occurring truncation of ORF7a that limits immune suppression.

Over 950,000 whole-genome sequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been determined for viruses isolated from around the world. These sequences are critical for understanding the spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Using global phylogenomics, we show that mutations frequently occur in the C-terminal end of ORF7a.

Effect of Inactivation Methods on SARS-CoV-2 Virion Protein and Structure.

The risk posed by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus -2 (SARS-CoV-2) dictates that live-virus research is conducted in a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facility. Working with SARS-CoV-2 at lower biosafety levels can expedite research yet requires the virus to be fully inactivated. In this study, we validated and compared two protocols for inactivating SARS-CoV-2: heat treatment and ultraviolet irradiation.

SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance identifies naturally occurring truncations of ORF7a that limit immune suppression.

Over 200,000 whole genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 have been determined for viruses isolated from around the world. These sequences have been critical for understanding the spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Using global phylogenomics, we show that mutations frequently occur in the C-terminal end of ORF7a.

Complete Genome Sequence of Brucella abortus Phage EF4, Determined Using Long-Read Sequencing.

Brucellaphage EF4 was isolated from elk feces. The 38,321-bp double-stranded DNA genome is predicted to contain 72 coding regions, 38 of which have been assigned predicted functions. This phage displays nucleotide similarity to other brucellaphages of the genus .

Tissue Tropism in Streptococcal Infection: Wild-Type M1T1 Group A Is Efficiently Cleared by Neutrophils Using an NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Mechanism in the Lung but Not in the Skin.

Group A (GAS) commonly causes pharyngitis and skin infections. Little is known why streptococcal pharyngitis usually does not lead to pneumonia and why the skin is a favorite niche for GAS. To partially address these questions, the effectiveness of neutrophils in clearing wild-type (wt) M1T1 GAS strain MGAS2221 from the lung and from the skin was examined in murine models of intratracheal pneumonia and subcutaneous infection.

Expression of human TLR4/myeloid differentiation factor 2 directs an early innate immune response associated with modest increases in bacterial burden during infection.

Human TLR4 (hTLR4) and mouse TLR4 molecules respond differently to hypo-acylated LPS. The LPS of is hypo-acylated and heavily glycosylated and causes a minimal response by human cells. Thus, we hypothesized that mice expressing hTLR4 molecules would be more susceptible to infection.

Getting "Inside" Type I IFNs: Type I IFNs in Intracellular Bacterial Infections.

Type I interferons represent a unique and complex group of cytokines, serving many purposes during innate and adaptive immunity. Discovered in the context of viral infections, type I IFNs are now known to have myriad effects in infectious and autoimmune disease settings. Type I IFN signaling during bacterial infections is dependent on many factors including whether the infecting bacterium is intracellular or extracellular, as different signaling pathways are activated.

Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols from Epilobium Angustifolium (Fireweed).

Epilobium angustifolium is a medicinal plant used around the world in traditional medicine for the treatment of many disorders and ailments. Experimental studies have demonstrated that Epilobium extracts possess a broad range of pharmacological and therapeutic effects, including antioxidant, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anti-aging properties. Flavonoids and ellagitannins, such as oenothein B, are among the compounds considered to be the primary biologically active components in Epilobium extracts.

Type I Interferon Counters or Promotes Coxiella burnetii Replication Dependent on Tissue.

Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular pathogen and the cause of Q fever. Gamma interferon (IFN-γ) is critical for host protection from infection, but a role for type I IFN in C. burnetii infection has not been determined.

Adjuvant materials that enhance bovine γδ T cell responses.

Despite the availability of vaccines and antibiotics, viral, bacterial and parasite-induced intestinal and pulmonary diseases still cause significant losses to the livestock industry. Excepting improvements in calf survival due to predation, there have been only modest improvements in bovine calf survival since 1991. Strikingly, digestive and respiratory diseases still account for almost half of the non-predator deaths in calves.

Roles of Toll-Like Receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and MyD88 during Pulmonary Coxiella burnetii Infection.

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, is an obligate intracellular, primarily pulmonary, bacterial pathogen. Although much is known about adaptive immune responses against this bacterium, our understanding of innate immune responses against C. burnetii is not well defined, particularly within the target tissue for infection, the lung.

Aging influences the response of T cells to stimulation by the ellagitannin, oenothein B.

Several plant extracts, including certain polyphenols, prime innate lymphocytes and enhance responses to secondary stimuli. Oenothein B, a polyphenol isolated from Epilobium angustifolium and other plant sources, enhances IFNγ production by both bovine and human NK cells and T cells, alone and in response to secondary stimulation by cytokines or tumor cells. Innate immune cell responsiveness is known to be affected by aging, but whether polyphenol responses by these cells are also impacted by aging is not known.

Amphotericin B stimulates γδ T and NK cells, and enhances protection from Salmonella infection.

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a commonly used antifungal drug, with well-documented effects on cellular immune responses. We determined that AmB-stimulated γδ T-cell activation and proliferation in vitro at very low concentrations. AmB also enhanced IFN-γ production by NK cells in combination with IL-18.