Functional heterogeneity of mesenchymal stem cells and their therapeutic potential in the K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Despite many years of investigation into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their potential for treating inflammatory conditions such as COVID-19, clinical outcomes remain variable due to factors like donor variability, different tissue sources, and diversity within MSC populations. Variations in MSCs' secretory and proliferation profiles, and their proteomic and transcriptional characteristics significantly influence their therapeutic potency, highlighting the need for enhanced characterization methods to better predict their efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the biological characteristics of MSCs from different tissue origins, selecting the most promising line for further validation in a K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Waste milk consumption in dairy calves: Effects on innate immunity and inflammatory profile.

Waste milk (WM) is commonly used in calf feeding to reduce rearing costs; however, its effects on the innate immune response remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of WM on the innate immune response and inflammatory profile of pre-weaned dairy calves. Thirty male Holstein calves were assigned to receive pasteurized waste milk (PWM), saleable milk (SM), and WM (n = 10 in each group).

Whole-Heart Histological and CMR Validation of Electroanatomic Mapping by Multielectrode Catheters in an Ovine Model.

Background: Accurate electroanatomic mapping is critical for identifying scar and the long-term success of ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Objectives: This study sought to determine the accuracy of multielectrode mapping (MEM) catheters to identify scar on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and histopathology.

Methods: In an ovine model of myocardial infarction, we examined the effect of electrode size, spacing, and mapping rhythm on scar identification compared to CMR and histopathology using 5 multielectrode mapping catheters.

Antibiotic resistance mediated by gene amplifications.

Apart from horizontal gene transfer and sequence-altering mutational events, antibiotic resistance can emerge due to the formation of tandem repeats of genomic regions. This phenomenon, also known as gene amplification, has been implicated in antibiotic resistance in both laboratory and clinical scenarios, where the evolution of resistance via amplifications can affect treatment efficacy. Antibiotic resistance mediated by gene amplifications is unstable and consequently can be difficult to detect, due to amplification loss in the absence of the selective pressure of the antibiotic.

Solar-based technologies for removing potentially toxic metals from water sources: a review.

Technological advances have led to a proportional increase in the deposition of contaminants across various environmental compartments, including water sources. Heavy metals, also known as potentially toxic metals, are of particular concern due to their significant harmful impacts on environmental and human health. Among the available methods for mitigating the threat of these metals in water, solar radiation-based technologies stand out for their cleanliness, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency in removing or reducing the toxicity of heavy metals.