A case report of a lung transplant recipient receiving belatacept in combination with low dose tacrolimus complicated by progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Belatacept is a novel T-cell costimulation blockade agent that has unresolved controversy in lung transplant recipients. Belatacept has been recognized as a calcineurin sparing agent for solid organ transplant recipients after reported success in renal transplant patients, despite limited evidence in other transplant recipients. We present the first case of a lung transplant recipient receiving Belatacept, in combination with low dose calcineurin inhibitor, who developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.

Recent progress in regenerative therapy for damaged salivary glands: From bench to bedside.

Objective: For functional restoration of salivary glands (SGs) injured by radiation therapy or Sjögren's syndrome (SS), various experimental approaches, such as gene therapy, tissue engineering, and cell-based therapy, have been proposed. This narrative review summarized recent progresses in research using cell-based therapies, including promising trials that could lead to bench-to-clinic applications.

Methods: A literature review based on PubMed publications in the last two decades was performed to summarize progresses in cell-based therapies for SG dysfunction.

Immunomodulatory Macrophages Enable E-MNC Therapy for Radiation-Induced Salivary Gland Hypofunction.

A newly developed therapy using effective-mononuclear cells (E-MNCs) is reportedly effective against radiation-damaged salivary glands (SGs) due to anti-inflammatory and revascularization effects. However, the cellular working mechanism of E-MNC therapy in SGs remains to be elucidated. In this study, E-MNCs were induced from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) by culture for 5-7 days in medium supplemented with five specific recombinant proteins (5G-culture).

Effective-mononuclear cell (E-MNC) therapy alleviates salivary gland damage by suppressing lymphocyte infiltration in Sjögren-like disease.

Sjögren syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by salivary gland (SG) destruction leading to loss of secretory function. A hallmark of the disease is the presence of focal lymphocyte infiltration in SGs, which is predominantly composed of T cells. Currently, there are no effective therapies for SS.

Internet of Things (IoT) based automated sanitizer dispenser and COVID-19 statistics reporter in a post-pandemic world.

Purpose: Coronavirus is among the deadliest viruses of the 21st century. There is still a Coronavirus epidemic that affects most countries worldwide today. To prevent future outbreaks and protect public health, it is essential to invest in research and innovation on vaccines, treatments, diagnostic tests, public health infrastructure, and emergency response planning.