Expamers: a new technology to control T cell activation.

T cell activation is a cornerstone in manufacturing of T cell-based therapies, and precise control over T cell activation is important in the development of the next generation T-cell based therapeutics. This need cannot be fulfilled by currently available methods for T cell stimulation, in particular not in a time dependent manner. Here, we describe a modular activation reagent called Expamers, which addresses these limitations.

Effects of functional and analytical strength training on upper-extremity activity after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of functional strengthening (using functional movements) and analytical strengthening (using repetitive movements) on level of activity and muscular strength gain in patients with chronic hemiparesis after stroke.

Method: A randomized, assessor-blinded trial was conducted in a therapist-supervised home rehabilitation program. Twenty-seven patients with chronic stroke were randomly allocated one of two groups: functional strengthening (FS) (n=13) and analytical strengthening (AS) (n=14).

Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with upper-limb training for improving function after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Several neuromodulation treatments have been developed, and their effects have been studied in recent years in order to improve neurological rehabilitation after a stroke. The association between upper-limb training and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has provoked controversies and produced inconclusive results.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rTMS combined with upper-limb training versus sham rTMS combined with upper-limb training on the upper-limb recovery after a stroke.

Strength training associated with task-oriented training to enhance upper-limb motor function in elderly patients with mild impairment after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of loaded exercises associated with a task-oriented training (TOT) program in the recovery of upper-limb function in individuals with chronic hemiparesis after stroke.

Design: This study used a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Patients were included into two TOT groups: one that performed the task-oriented therapy without load (TOT group, n = 10) and another one that performed task-oriented therapy with personalized resistance (TOT_ST group, n = 10) for 6 wks, for a total of 12 sessions.

Serial transfer of single-cell-derived immunocompetence reveals stemness of CD8(+) central memory T cells.

Maintenance of immunological memory has been proposed to rely on stem-cell-like lymphocytes. However, data supporting this hypothesis are focused on the developmental potential of lymphocyte populations and are thus insufficient to establish the functional hallmarks of stemness. Here, we investigated self-renewal capacity and multipotency of individual memory lymphocytes by in vivo fate mapping of CD8(+) T cells and their descendants across three generations of serial single-cell adoptive transfer and infection-driven re-expansion.