Autoantibodies in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Objectives: CD209L and its homologous protein CD209 act as alternative entry receptors for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are highly expressed in the virally targeted tissues. We tested for the presence and clinical features of autoantibodies targeting these receptors and compared these with autoantibodies known to be associated with COVID-19.

Methods: Using banked samples ( = 118) from Johns Hopkins patients hospitalised with COVID-19, we defined autoantibodies against CD209 and CD209L by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Alcohol drinking is attenuated by PDE4 inhibition but partial microglia depletion is not sufficient to block stress-induced escalation of alcohol intake in female mice.

Stress is a major contributing factor to binge drinking and development of alcohol use disorders (AUD), particularly in women. Both stress and chronic ethanol can enhance neuroinflammatory processes, which may dysregulate limbic circuits involved in ethanol reinforcement. Clinical and preclinical studies have identified sex differences in alcohol intake in response to neuroinflammatory triggers.

Addressing lung truncation in Tc-MAA SPECT/CT for Y microsphere radioembolization treatment planning.

Background: Prior studies have established that macroaggregated albumin (MAA)-SPECT/CT offers more robust lung shunt fraction (LSF) and lung mean absorbed dose (LMD) estimates in Y radioembolization in comparison to planar imaging. However, incomplete SPECT/CT coverage of the lungs is common due to clinical workflows, complicating its potential use for LSF and LMD calculations. In this work, lung truncation in MAA-SPECT/CT was addressed via correction strategies to improve Y treatment planning.

Chemical structure metagenomics of microbial natural products: surveying nonribosomal peptides and beyond.

Bioactivity-guided fractionation (BGF) has historically been a fruitful natural product discovery workflow. However, it is plagued by increasing rediscovery rates in recent years and new methods capable of exploring the natural product chemical space more broadly and more efficiently is in urgent need. Chemical structure metagenomics as one such method is the theme of this Perspective.

Overview of reproductive and pregnancy health principles and practice used by maternal-fetal medicine specialists for fetal-neonatal neurology consultants.

Unique from other fetal anatomical systems, the central nervous system (CNS) starts development early in the embryonic period shortly after fertilization before most patients are even aware they are pregnant. Maturation throughout pregnancy involve complicated structural and functional changes, most likely below the resolution of testing to detect. During this time, the fetal CNS is susceptible to lesions that reflect trimester-specific adverse events.

Preliminary in vivo investigation of the mesenchymal stromal cell secretome as a novel treatment for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in equine skin wounds.

Objective: We aimed to study the antimicrobial and pro-healing potential of equine mesenchymal stromal cell secreted products (i.e. secretome), collected as conditioned media (mesenchymal stromal cell-conditioned media, MSC CM), in a novel in vivo model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-inoculated equine thorax wounds.

Canadian College of Medical Geneticists: clinical practice advisory document - responsibility to recontact for reinterpretation of clinical genetic testing.

Background: Advances in technology and knowledge have facilitated both an increase in the number of patient variants reported and variants reclassified. While there is currently no duty to recontact for reclassified genetic variants, there may be a responsibility. The purpose of this clinical practice advisory document is to provide healthcare practitioners guidance for recontact of previously identified and classified variants, suggest methods for recontact, and principles to consider, taking account patient safety, feasibility, ethical considerations, health service capacity and resource constraints.

Neurocognitive Functioning is Impaired in Perinatally HIV-Infected Youth.

Background: The present study examined neurocognitive differences between Perinatally HIV (PHIV)-infected-youth and age and gender matched healthy controls. Despite early, long-term anti-viral treatment (ART), significant neurocognitive deficiencies remain for PHIV-infected-youth reaching adulthood compared to controls.

Methods: Participants were assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.

inhibits the TNF-α-induced increase in intestinal epithelial tight junction permeability via a TLR-2 and PI3K-dependent inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Background: Defective intestinal epithelial tight junction (TJ), characterized by an increase in intestinal TJ permeability, has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the immunopathology of IBD and has been shown to cause an increase in intestinal epithelial TJ permeability. Although TNF-α antibodies and other biologics have been advanced for use in IBD treatment, these therapies are associated with severe side effects and have limited efficacy, and there is an urgent need for therapies with benign profiles and high therapeutic efficacy.

Flow Cytometry Analysis of Microglial Phenotypes in the Murine Brain During Aging and Disease.

Microglia, the brain's primary resident immune cell, exists in various phenotypic states depending on intrinsic and extrinsic signaling. Distinguishing between these phenotypes can offer valuable biological insights into neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes. Recent advances in single-cell transcriptomic profiling have allowed for increased granularity and better separation of distinct microglial states.

Role of microglia in stress-induced alcohol intake in female and male mice.

Rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) have escalated in recent years, with a particular increase among women. Women are more susceptible to stress-induced alcohol drinking, and preclinical data suggest that stress can increase alcohol intake in female rodents; however, a comprehensive understanding of sex-specific neurobiological substrates underlying this phenomenon is still emerging. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, are essential for reshaping neuronal processes, and microglial activity contributes to overall neuronal plasticity.

Bifidobacterium bifidum Strain BB1 Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Increase in Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junction Permeability via Toll-Like Receptor-2/Toll-Like Receptor-6 Receptor Complex-Dependent Stimulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ and Suppression of NF-κB p65.

Bifidobacterium bifidum strain BB1 causes a strain-specific enhancement in intestinal epithelial tight junction (TJ) barrier. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α induces an increase in intestinal epithelial TJ permeability and promotes intestinal inflammation. The major purpose of this study was to delineate the protective effect of BB1 against the TNF-α-induced increase in intestinal TJ permeability and to unravel the intracellular mechanisms involved.

Single-shot diffusion trace spectroscopic imaging using radial echo planar trajectories.

Purpose: Demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the performance of single-shot diffusion trace-weighted radial echo planar spectroscopic imaging (Trace DW-REPSI) for quantifying the trace ADC in phantom and in vivo using a 3T clinical scanner.

Theory And Methods: Trace DW-REPSI datasets were acquired in 10 phantom and 10 healthy volunteers, with a maximum b-value of 1601 s/mm and diffusion time of 10.75 ms.

3D ultra-short echo time P-MRSI with rosette k-space pattern: Feasibility and comparison with conventional weighted CSI.

Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (P-MRSI) provides valuable non-invasive information on tissue metabolism but is burdened by poor sensitivity and prolonged scan duration. Ultra-short echo time (UTE) acquisitions minimize signal loss when probing signals with relatively short spin-spin relaxation time (T), while also preventing first-order dephasing. Here, a three-dimensional (3D) UTE sequence with a rosette k-space trajectory is applied to P-MRSI at 3T.

New full-counts phase-matched data-driven gated (DDG) PET/CT.

Background: Data-driven gated (DDG) PET has gained clinical acceptance and has been shown to match or outperform external-device gated (EDG) PET. However, in most clinical applications, DDG PET is matched with helical CT acquired in free breathing (FB) at a random respiratory phase, leaving registration, and optimal attenuation correction (AC) to chance. Furthermore, DDG PET requires additional scan time to reduce image noise as it only preserves 35%-50% of the PET data at or near the end-expiratory phase of the breathing cycle.

The monocyte cell surface is a unique site of autoantigen generation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Although anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPAs) are a hallmark serological feature of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the mechanisms and cellular sources behind the generation of the RA citrullinome remain incompletely defined. Peptidylarginine deiminase IV (PAD4), one of the key enzymatic drivers of citrullination in the RA joint, is expressed by granulocytes and monocytes; however, the subcellular localization and contribution of monocyte-derived PAD4 to the generation of citrullinated autoantigens remain underexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that PAD4 displays a widespread cellular distribution in monocytes, including expression on the cell surface.

Connexin 43 Regulates Intercellular Mitochondrial Transfer from Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Chondrocytes.

Background: The phenomenon of intercellular mitochondrial transfer from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has shown promise for improving tissue healing after injury and has potential for treating degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis (OA). Recently MSC to chondrocyte mitochondrial transfer has been documented, but the mechanism of transfer is unknown. Full-length connexin43 (Cx43, encoded by ) and the truncated internally translated isoform GJA1-20k have been implicated in mitochondrial transfer between highly oxidative cells, but have not been explored in orthopaedic tissues.

Prenatal findings in 11 cases with craniofacial microsomia using the Alberta Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System, 1997-2019.

Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) primarily includes specific head and neck anomalies that co-occur more frequently than expected. The anomalies are usually asymmetric and affect craniofacial features; however, there are frequently additional anomalies of variable severity. Published prenatal findings for CFM are limited.

Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome, large cystic hygroma, and cleft palate: Rare and severe fetal presentations of RYR1- and NEB-related congenital myopathies.

Congenital myopathies are a genetically heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders that commonly present with congenital hypotonia and weakness but can also present broadly. The most severe presentation is neonatal with arthrogryposis and, rarely, fetal akinesia and pterygia, features also seen in lethal multiple pterygium syndrome (LMPS). We describe two fetuses with similar phenotype, including hydrops fetalis, large cystic hygromas, bilateral talipes, and fetal akinesia in the second trimester.

The complete genome sequence of probiotic ATCC 9224 isolated from sour milk.

We present the complete genome sequence of the probiotic strain ATCC 9224. The genome sequence provides a valuable resource for investigating the phylogenetic evolution of this lineage and conducting comparative genomics with other strains and species.