Increase in invasive group A streptococcal infections and emergence of novel, rapidly expanding sub-lineage of the virulent M1 clone, Denmark, 2023.

A highly virulent sub-lineage of the M1 clone has been rapidly expanding throughout Denmark since late 2022 and now accounts for 30% of the new invasive group A streptococcal infections. We aimed to investigate whether a shift in variant composition can account for the high incidence rates observed over winter 2022/23, or if these are better explained by the impact of COVID-19-related restrictions on population immunity and carriage of group A .

Nanomolar EP4 receptor potency and expression of eicosanoid-related enzymes in normal appearing colonic mucosa from patients with colorectal neoplasia.

Background: Aberrations in cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways in non-neoplastic, normal appearing mucosa from patients with colorectal neoplasia (CRN), could hypothetically qualify as predisposing CRN-markers.

Methods: To test this hypothesis, biopsies were obtained during colonoscopy from macroscopically normal colonic mucosa from patients with and without CRN. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE) receptors, EP1-4, were examined in Ussing-chambers by exposing biopsies to selective EP receptor agonists, antagonists and PGE.

Tuft Cells and Their Role in Intestinal Diseases.

The interests in intestinal epithelial tuft cells, their basic physiology, involvement in immune responses and relevance for gut diseases, have increased dramatically over the last fifteen years. A key discovery in 2016 of their close connection to helminthic and protozoan infection has further spurred the exploration of these rare chemosensory epithelial cells. Although very sparse in number, tuft cells are now known as important sentinels in the gastrointestinal tract as they monitor intestinal content using succinate as well as sweet and bitter taste receptors.

Iso-α-acids in Nonalcoholic and Alcoholic Beer Stimulate Growth of Neuron-like SH-SY5Y Cells and Neuroepithelial Stem Cells.

With the increasing popularity of nonalcoholic beer, the association between beer drinking and alcohol intake is lost. In the present study, we show that nonalcoholic beer can stimulate the expansion of neuron-like cell lines and neuroepithelial stem cells in culture, yielding an effect comparable to that of alcoholic beer. One ingredient in beer is hops, which is derived from the flower of hop plants.