The Spleen Modulates the Balance of Natural and Pathological Autoantibodies in a Mouse Model of Autoimmune Arthritis.

Natural autoantibodies (natAAbs) react with evolutionarily conserved antigens but they do not lead to pathological tissue destruction, contrary to pathological autoantibodies (pathAAbs). NatAAbs usually belong to the IgM isotype, and their network, also known as the "immunological homunculus", is thought to play a role in immunological tolerance. NatAAbs are produced by B1 cells found mostly on the serosa surfaces or the spleen.

Comparative analysis of the postadmission and antemortem oropharyngeal and rectal swab microbiota of ICU patients.

Shotgun metabarcoding was conducted to examine the microbiota in a total of 48 samples from 12 critically ill patients, analyzing samples from both the oropharynx and rectum. We aimed to compare their postadmission microbiota, characterized as moderately dysbiotic, with the severely dysbiotic antemortem microbiota associated with patients' deaths. We found that, compared with postadmission samples, patient antemortem swab samples presented moderate but not significantly decreased diversity indices.

Presence of Additional Pathology in Low-Grade Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries.

Objective: To determine if additional pathology is present in low-grade acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries.

Design: Prospective case series.

Setting: Patients were assessed by primary care sports medicine physicians at a single institution between 2019 and 2023.

Raising Epidemiological Awareness: Assessment of Measles/MMR Susceptibility in Highly Vaccinated Clusters within the Hungarian and Croatian Population-A Sero-Surveillance Analysis.

Perceptions of the complete eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) may foster complacency and compromise vaccination efforts. Decreased measles vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the risk of outbreaks, even in adequately vaccinated populations. To address this, we have aligned with ECDC recommendations, leveraging previous cross-border sero-epidemiological assessments between Pécs, Hungary, and Osijek, Croatia, to identify latent risk groups and uncover potential parallels between our nations.

Altered Levels of Natural Autoantibodies against Heat Shock Proteins in Pregnant Women with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.

The function of natural autoantibodies (nAAbs) in maintaining immunological tolerance has been comprehensively explained; however, their function in pregnant patients dealing with autoimmune diseases has not been thoroughly investigated. As Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the predominant organ-specific autoimmune condition of women of childbearing age, this study's objective was to evaluate IgM and IgG nAAbs targeting mitochondrial citrate synthase (CS) and heat shock proteins (Hsp60 and Hsp70) in women diagnosed with HT who were pregnant (HTP). Serum samples collected from HTP and healthy pregnant (HP) women in the first and third trimesters were tested using in-house-developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).

Calcium carbonate precipitating extremophilic bacteria in an Alpine ice cave.

Extensive research has provided a wealth of data on prokaryotes in caves and their role in biogeochemical cycles. Ice caves in carbonate rocks, however, remain enigmatic environments with limited knowledge of their microbial taxonomic composition. In this study, bacterial and archaeal communities of the Obstans Ice Cave (Carnic Alps, Southern Austria) were analyzed by next-generation amplicon sequencing and by cultivation of bacterial strains at 10 °C and studying their metabolism.

Habitat-related variability in the morphological and taxonomic diversity of microbial communities in two Hungarian epigenic karst caves.

The physical and chemical characteristics of the bedrock, along with the geological and hydrological conditions of karst caves may influence the taxonomic and functional diversity of prokaryotes. Most studies so far have focused on microbial communities of caves including only a few samples and have ignored the chemical heterogeneity of different habitat types such as sampling sites, dripping water, carbonate precipitates, cave walls, cave sediment and surface soils connected to the caves. The aim of the present study was to compare the morphology, the composition and physiology of the microbiota in caves with similar environmental parameters (temperature, host rock, elemental and mineral composition of speleothems) but located in different epigenic karst systems.

Following Natural Autoantibodies: Further Immunoserological Evidence Regarding Their Silent Plasticity and Engagement in Immune Activation.

Contradictory reports are available on vaccine-associated hyperstimulation of the immune system, provoking the formation of pathological autoantibodies. Despite being interconnected within the same network, the role of the quieter, yet important non-pathological and natural autoantibodies (nAAbs) is less defined. We hypothesize that upon a prompt immunological trigger, physiological nAAbs also exhibit a moderate plasticity.

Canyon Diablo lonsdaleite is a nanocomposite containing c/h stacking disordered diamond and diaphite.

In 1967, a diamond polymorph was reported from hard, diamond-like grains of the Canyon Diablo iron meteorite and named lonsdaleite. This mineral was defined and identified by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) features that were indexed with a hexagonal unit cell. Since 1967, several natural and synthetic diamond-like materials with XRD data matching lonsdaleite have been reported and the name lonsdaleite was used interchangeably with hexagonal diamond.

Natural and Pathological Autoantibodies Show Age-Related Changes in a Spontaneous Autoimmune Mouse (NZB) Model.

The natural autoantibody (natAAb) network is thought to play a role in immune regulation. These IgM antibodies react with evolutionary conserved antigens; however, they do not lead to pathological tissue destruction as opposed to pathological autoantibodies (pathAAb). The exact relation between the natAAbs and pathAAbs is still not completely understood; therefore, in the present study, we set out to measure nat- and pathAAb levels against three conserved antigens in a spontaneous autoimmune disease model: the NZB mouse strain which develops autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) from six months of age.

Complexity of the Immune Response Elicited by Different COVID-19 Vaccines, in the Light of Natural Autoantibodies and Immunomodulatory Therapies.

Despite the abundance of data on the COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune activation, the impact of natural autoantibodies (nAAbs) on these processes is less well defined. Therefore, we investigated potential connections between vaccine efficacy and nAAb levels. We were also interested in the impact of immunomodulatory therapies on vaccine efficacy.

Thermally Induced Solid-Phase Quasi-Intramolecular Redox Reactions of [Hexakis(urea-)iron(III)] Permanganate: An Easy Reaction Route to Prepare Potential (Fe,Mn)O Catalysts for CO Hydrogenation.

Research on new reaction routes and precursors to prepare catalysts for CO hydrogenation has enormous importance. Here, we report on the preparation of the permanganate salt of the urea-coordinated iron(III), [hexakis(urea-)iron(III)]permanganate ([Fe(urea-O)](MnO)) via an affordable synthesis route and preliminarily demonstrate the catalytic activity of its (Fe,Mn)O thermal decomposition products in CO hydrogenation. [Fe(urea-O)](MnO) contains O-coordinated urea ligands in octahedral propeller-like arrangement around the Fe cation.

Distinct Uptake Routes Participate in Silver Nanoparticle Engulfment by Earthworm and Human Immune Cells.

The consequences of engineered silver nanoparticle (AgNP) exposure and cellular interaction with the immune system are poorly understood. The immunocytes of the earthworm are frequently applied in ecotoxicological studies and possess functional similarity to vertebrate macrophages. Hence, we characterized and compared the endocytosis mechanisms for the uptake of 75 nm AgNPs by earthworm coelomocytes, human THP-1 monocytes, and differentiated THP-1 (macrophage-like) cells.

Shock-formed carbon materials with intergrown sp- and sp-bonded nanostructured units.

Studies of dense carbon materials formed by bolide impacts or produced by laboratory compression provide key information on the high-pressure behavior of carbon and for identifying and designing unique structures for technological applications. However, a major obstacle to studying and designing these materials is an incomplete understanding of their fundamental structures. Here, we report the remarkable structural diversity of cubic/hexagonally (/) stacked diamond and their association with diamond-graphite nanocomposites containing sp-/sp-bonding patterns, i.

Measles Vaccination and Outbreaks in Croatia from 2001 to 2019; A Comparative Study to Other European Countries.

Due to the current burden of COVID-19 on public health institutions, increased migration and seasonal touristic traveling, there is an increased risk of epidemic outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). The aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemiological data on MMR immunization coverage and the number of measles cases in 2001−2019 in Croatia and a number of European countries. Results revealed a decreasing trend in vaccination in 2001−2019 throughout Europe.

An exceptionally stable and widespread hydrated amorphous calcium carbonate precipitated by the dog vomit slime mold Fuligo septica (Myxogastria).

Biogenic amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is typically metastable and can rapidly transform through aging, dehydration, and/or heating to crystalline calcium carbonate. Gaining insight into its structure and properties is typically hampered by its tendency to crystallize over short time periods once isolated from the host organism, and also by the small quantities that are usually available for study. Here we describe an exceptionally stable hydrated ACC (HACC) precipitated by the cosmopolitan slime mold Fuligo septica (L.

Dynamic Features of Herd Immunity: Similarities in Age-Specific Anti-Measles Seroprevalence Data between Two Countries of Different Epidemiological History.

(1) Background: Measles immunization gap(s) raise the concern of potential outbreaks. Both Croatia and Hungary are situated in the vicinity of measles-endemic countries. Potentially compromised immunization activities due to the COVID-19 surge is a ground for concern.

Validation of the PAM-13 instrument in the Hungarian general population 40 years old and above.

Background: Patient activation comprises the skills, knowledge and motivation necessary for patients' effective contribution to their care. We adapted and validated the 13-item Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13) in the ≥ 40 years old Hungarian general population.

Methods: A cross-sectional web survey was conducted among 900 respondents selected from an online panel via quota sampling.

Bacterial Engulfment Mechanism Is Strongly Conserved in Evolution Between Earthworm and Human Immune Cells.

Invertebrates, including earthworms, are applied to study the evolutionarily conserved cellular immune processes. Earthworm immunocytes (so-called coelomocytes) are functionally similar to vertebrate myeloid cells and form the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Hereby, we compared the engulfment mechanisms of THP-1 human monocytic cells, differentiated THP-1 (macrophage-like) cells, and coelomocytes towards and bacteria applying various endocytosis inhibitors [amantadine, 5-(-ethyl--isopropyl) amiloride, colchicine, cytochalasin B, cytochalasin D, methyl-ß-cyclodextrin, and nystatin].

Erratum: Shock-synthesized quasicrystals. Corrigendum.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1107/S2052252520005254.].

Injury-Induced Innate Immune Response During Segment Regeneration of the Earthworm, .

Regeneration of body parts and their interaction with the immune response is a poorly understood aspect of earthworm biology. Consequently, we aimed to study the mechanisms of innate immunity during regeneration in earthworms. In the course of anterior and posterior regeneration, we documented the kinetical aspects of segment restoration by histochemistry.

Effect of the Microstructure of the Semiconductor Support on the Photocatalytic Performance of the Pt-PtO/TiO Catalyst System.

The influence of the semiconductor microstructure on the photocatalytic behavior of Pt-PtO/TiO catalysts was studied by comparing the methanol-reforming performance of systems based on commercial P25 or TiO from sol-gel synthesis calcined at different temperatures. The Pt co-catalyst was deposited by incipient wetness and formed either by calcination or high-temperature H treatment. Structural features of the photocatalysts were established by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron spin resonance (ESR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optical absorption, Raman spectroscopy and TEM measurements.