Microbiological evaluation of ultraviolet C light-emitting diodes for disinfection of medical instruments.

Background: Despite the many guidelines for reprocessing of medical instruments, challenges persist such as microbial resistance to biocides, corrosive effects on materials, and time-consuming reprocessing procedures. Ultraviolet (UV) C light-emitting diode (LED) chambers might provide a solution but the integration in healthcare is still in its infancy. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a novel ZAPARAY UVC LED chamber as a time and energy-efficient alternative for reprocessing of medical instruments for which current disinfection protocols exhibit limitations.

A critical role for HNF4α in polymicrobial sepsis-associated metabolic reprogramming and death.

In sepsis, limited food intake and increased energy expenditure induce a starvation response, which is compromised by a quick decline in the expression of hepatic PPARα, a transcription factor essential in intracellular catabolism of free fatty acids. The mechanism upstream of this PPARα downregulation is unknown. We found that sepsis causes a progressive hepatic loss-of-function of HNF4α, which has a strong impact on the expression of several important nuclear receptors, including PPARα.

High-throughput single-cell screening of viable hybridomas and patient-derived antibody-secreting cells using punchable microwells.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) hold significant potential as therapeutic agents and are invaluable tools in biomedical research. However, the lack of efficient high-throughput screening methods for single antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) has limited the diversity of available antibodies. Here, we introduce a novel, integrated workflow employing self-seeding microwells and an automated microscope-puncher system for the swift, high-throughput screening and isolation of single ASCs.

JFH1-based Core-NS2 genotype variants of HCV with genetic stability in vivo and in vitro: Important tools in the evaluation of virus neutralization.

Background And Aims: HCV infection continues to be a major global health burden despite effective antiviral treatments. The urgent need for a protective vaccine is hindered by the scarcity of suitable HCV-permissive animal models tractable in vaccination and challenge studies. Currently, only antibody neutralization studies in infectious cell culture systems or studies of protection by passive immunization of human liver chimeric mice offer the possibility to evaluate the effect of vaccine-induced antibodies.