Evaluation of the recombinant protein -TSP-2 for the serological diagnosis of imported urogenital schistosomiasis and comparison with commercially available tests.

Different agencies have emphasized the need to evaluate current serological methods for screening patients with suspected urogenital schistosomiasis. However, there is still a lack of evidence regarding the most appropriate methods for this purpose. Here we assessed the diagnostic efficacy of a newly developed serological technique that utilizes the recombinant protein -TSP-2, applied to the urine and serum of migrants suspected of having urogenital schistosomiasis.

Proteomic characterization and comparison of the infective and adult life stage secretomes from Necator americanus and Ancylostoma ceylanicum.

More than 470 million people globally are infected with the hookworms Ancylostoma ceylanicum and Necator americanus, resulting in an annual loss of 2.1 to 4 million disability-adjusted-life-years. Current infection management approaches are limited by modest drug efficacy, the costs associated with frequent mass drug administration campaigns, and the risk of reinfection and burgeoning drug resistance.

Longitudinal impact of impulsivity and sensation-seeking on vaping initiation: The moderating role of peer vaping.

Limited research indicates impulsivity and sensation-seeking are associated with electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use in young adulthood, however, no study has examined the moderating effect of peer ENDS use on these associations. We examined the impacts of impulsivity and sensation-seeking on ENDS use initiation and determined if peer ENDS use moderates these associations. Participants were 2,590 ENDS naïve (i.

Helminth extracellular vesicles co-opt host monocytes to drive T cell anergy.

Parasitic helminths secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) into their host tissues to modulate immune responses, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We demonstrate that Ascaris EVs are efficiently internalised by monocytes in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and increase the percentage of classical monocytes. Furthermore, EV treatment of monocytes induced a novel anti-inflammatory phenotype characterised by CD14, CD16, CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) cells.

Characterization of Spirulina-derived extracellular vesicles and their potential as a vaccine adjuvant.

Spirulina is an edible cyanobacterium that increasingly gaining recognition for it untapped potential in the biomanufacturing of pharmaceuticals. Despite the rapidly accumulating information on extracellular vesicles (EVs) from most other bacteria, nothing is known about Spirulina extracellular vesicles (SPEVs). This study reports the successful isolation, characterization and visualization of SPEVs for the first time and it further investigates the potential therapeutic benefits of SPEVs using a mouse model.

Structural analysis of an Asterias rubens peptide indicates the presence of a disulfide-directed β-hairpin fold.

Sea stars are an abundant group of marine invertebrates that display remarkably robust regenerative capabilities throughout all life stages. Numerous proteins and peptides have been identified in a proteome study on the coelomic fluid (biofluid) of the common sea star Asterias rubens, which appear to be involved with the wound-healing response in the organism. However, the three-dimensional structure and function of several of these injury-responsive peptides, including the peptide KASH2, are yet to be investigated.

Schistosoma heamatobium tetraspanins TSP-2 and TSP-6 induce Dendritic Cells maturation, cytokine production and T helper cells differentiation in vitro.

Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium is a major cause of disability in endemic areas. Despite its socio-economic burden, no vaccine exists and the parasite's immunobiology remains underexplored. Genome annotation has revealed over 40 different genes encoding tetraspanins, transmembrane proteins with known immunomodulatory properties in other plathelminthes.

Mechanistic insights into liver-fluke-induced bile-duct cancer.

Liver fluke infection is a major risk for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). It has been established that the Asian liver flukes, Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini secrete growth factors, digestive enzymes, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) which contribute to abnormal cell development in the bile ducts where the worms reside. These secretions - combined with aberrant inflammation and repeated cycles of chronic wounding at the site of parasite attachment and grazing on the epithelium - promote biliary hyperplasia and fibrosis and ultimately malignant transformation.

Cannabis use and associated longitudinal transitions in electronic nicotine delivery systems use among young adults in the United States.

Objective: Cannabis is increasingly the first substance used by young people and research indicates that cannabis use may precede the onset of tobacco use. Little is known, however, about the role of cannabis use in stages of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) uptake and progression across young adulthood. This study examined the associations between past 30-day (P30D) cannabis use frequency and transitions in ENDS use among young adults.

Hookworm vaccines: current and future directions.

Introduction: Hookworms infect about half a billion people worldwide and are responsible for the loss of more than two billion disability-adjusted life years. Mass drug administration (MDA) is the most popular preventive approach, but it does not prevent reinfection. An effective vaccine would be a major public health tool in hookworm-endemic areas.

Problematic social media use and vaping among Mexican-American college students.

Introduction: Social media use and vaping nicotine are highly prevalent in the daily lives of young adults, especially among Mexican-American college students. The excessive and compulsive use of social media platforms, coupled with the urge to stay continuously connected, can lead to problematic social media use. To date, no studies have explored the impact of problematic social media use on the daily patterns of vaping among this vulnerable population.

Trajectories of hookah use among young adult college students in Texas, 2014-2019.

The purpose of the study was to examine trajectories in hookah use behaviors across young adulthood and socio-demographic correlates of the trajectories. Data were drawn from Project M-PACT for the years 2014-2019. Participants were 5,220 college students aged 18 to 25 years at baseline.

Ulcerative colitis: clinical biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and emerging treatments.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two forms of inflammatory bowel disease. It affects 5 million people globally, and is a chronic and recurring inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with clinical presentation of abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and weight loss. The cause and the etiology of UC remain poorly understood.

The Normalization of Vaping on TikTok Using Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, and Qualitative Thematic Analysis: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Social media posts that portray vaping in positive social contexts shape people's perceptions and serve to normalize vaping. Despite restrictions on depicting or promoting controlled substances, vape-related content is easily accessible on TikTok. There is a need to understand strategies used in promoting vaping on TikTok, especially among susceptible youth audiences.

Pharmaceutical Potential of Remedial Plants and Helminths for Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Research is increasingly revealing that inflammation significantly contributes to various diseases, particularly inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a major medical challenge due to its chronic nature, affecting at least one in a thousand individuals in many Western countries, with rising incidence in developing nations. Historically, indigenous people have used natural products to treat ailments, including IBD.

Depressive symptoms predict cannabis vaping initiation among young adults.

Background: Young adults in the United States, including college students, have the highest prevalence of cannabis use compared with other age groups. Although cannabis vaping is increasingly prevalent during young adulthood, little is known about factors contributing to the onset of cannabis vaping during this developmental period.

Methods: Participants were 3085 cannabis vaping naïve young adults aged 18-25 years (M = 20.

Controlled human hookworm infection remodels plasmacytoid dendritic cells and regulatory T cells towards profiles seen in natural infections in endemic areas.

Hookworm infection remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where mass drug administration has not stopped reinfection. Developing a vaccine is crucial to complement current control measures, which necessitates a thorough understanding of host immune responses. By leveraging controlled human infection models and high-dimensional immunophenotyping, here we investigated the immune remodeling following infection with 50 Necator americanus L3 hookworm larvae in four naïve volunteers over two years of follow-up and compared the profiles with naturally infected populations in endemic areas.

Trematode Genomics and Proteomics.

Trematode infections stand out as one of the frequently overlooked tropical diseases, despite their wide global prevalence and remarkable capacity to parasitize diverse host species and tissues. Furthermore, these parasites hold significant socio-economic, medical, veterinary and agricultural implications. Over the past decades, substantial strides have been taken to bridge the information gap concerning various "omic" tools, such as proteomics and genomics, in this field.

Associations between social media engagement and young adults' subsequent onset of ENDS dependence symptoms one year later.

Background: Young adults are more vulnerable than older adults to engagement with online tobacco marketing and to the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products. Our study examined the longitudinal associations between engagement with pro- and anti-tobacco information on social media (SM) and young adults' subsequent onset of symptoms of dependence on ENDS products one year later, which remain unclear.

Methods: Participants were college students in the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas study.

Most commonly used vaping brands by 18-25 year old young adults in Texas-Spring 2023.

Purpose: We aimed to determine (1) the most commonly used brands of electronic vaping products (EVPs) by young adults in Texas during Spring 2023, and (2) if brand preferences differ by sociodemographic characteristics, current cigarette smoking, and current cannabis vaping.

Method: Participants were 2,491 18-25-year-olds (Mean age = 20.6; 62.

Natural Compounds for Bone Remodeling: A Computational and Experimental Approach Targeting Bone Metabolism-Related Proteins.

Osteoporosis, characterized by reduced bone density and increased fracture risk, affects over 200 million people worldwide, predominantly older adults and postmenopausal women. The disruption of the balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts underlies osteoporosis pathophysiology. Standard treatment includes lifestyle modifications, calcium and vitamin D supplementation and specific drugs that either inhibit osteoclasts or stimulate osteoblasts.

Regulation of host metabolic health by parasitic helminths.

Obesity is a worldwide pandemic and major risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D requires lifelong medical support to limit complications and is defined by impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance (IR), and chronic low-level systemic inflammation initiating from adipose tissue. The current preventative strategies include a healthy diet, controlled physical activity, and medication targeting hyperglycemia, with underexplored underlying inflammation.