T cell epitope mapping reveals immunodominance of evolutionarily conserved regions within SARS-CoV-2 proteome.

As SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to emerge capable of evading neutralizing antibodies, it has become increasingly important to fully understand the breadth and functional profile of T cell responses to determine their impact on the immune surveillance of variant strains. Here, sampling healthy individuals, we profiled the kinetics and polyfunctionality of T cell immunity elicited by mRNA vaccination. Modeling of anti-spike T cell responses against ancestral and variant strains of SARS-CoV-2 suggested that epitope immunodominance and cross-reactivity are major predictive determinants of T cell immunity.

Bovine placental extracellular vesicles carry the fusogenic syncytin BERV-K1.

Syncytins are endogenous retroviral envelope proteins which induce the fusion of membranes. A human representative of this group, endogenous retrovirus group W member 1 envelope (ERVW-1) or syncytin-1 is present in trophoblast-derived extracellular vesicles and supports the incorporation of these extracellular vesicles into recipient cells. During pregnancy, placenta-derived extracellular vesicles participate in feto-maternal communication.

The recruitment of TRiC chaperonin in rotavirus viroplasms correlates with virus replication.

Unlabelled: Rotavirus (RV) replication takes place in the viroplasms, cytosolic inclusions that allow the synthesis of virus genome segments and their encapsidation in the core shell, followed by the addition of the second layer of the virion. The viroplasms are composed of several viral proteins, including NSP5, which serves as the main building block. Microtubules, lipid droplets, and miRNA-7 are among the host components recruited in viroplasms.

Picosecond pulsed 532 nm laser system for roughening and secondary electron yield reduction of inner surfaces of up to 15 m long tubes.

Laser-induced surface structuring is a promising method to suppress electron mulitpacting in the vacuum pipes of particle accelerators. Electrons are scattered inside the rough surface structure, resulting in a low Secondary Electron Yield (SEY) of the material. However, laser processing of internal pipe surfaces with a large aspect ratio is technologically challenging in terms of laser beam guidance and focusing.

TiO nanoparticles abrogate the protective effect of the Crohn's disease-associated variation within the PTPN22 gene locus.

Objective: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial condition driven by genetic and environmental risk factors. A genetic variation in the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) gene has been associated with autoimmune disorders while protecting from the IBD subtype Crohn's disease. Mice expressing the murine orthologous PTPN22-R619W variant are protected from intestinal inflammation in the model of acute dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis.

Rotavirus Spike Protein VP4 Mediates Viroplasm Assembly by Association to Actin Filaments.

Rotavirus (RV) viroplasms are cytosolic inclusions where both virus genome replication and primary steps of virus progeny assembly take place. A stabilized microtubule cytoskeleton and lipid droplets are required for the viroplasm formation, which involves several virus proteins. The viral spike protein VP4 has not previously been shown to have a direct role in viroplasm formation.

Immunologic characteristics of intrarenal T cells: trafficking of expanded CD8+ T cell β-chain clonotypes in progressive lupus nephritis.

Objective: To better define the immunologic character of the T cell infiltrate in lupus nephritis.

Methods: We performed double immunohistochemical staining and clonotypic T cell receptor (TCR) β-chain sequencing in multiple anatomic regions isolated by laser-capture microdissection from renal biopsy samples.

Results: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) kidneys have a variably patterned and often extensive infiltrate of predominantly clonally expanded T cells of CD4 and CD8 lineages.

Circulating activated and effector memory T cells are associated with calcification and clonal expansions in bicuspid and tricuspid valves of calcific aortic stenosis.

We sought to delineate further the immunological significance of T lymphocytes infiltrating the valve leaflets in calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) and determine whether there were associated alterations in circulating T cells. Using clonotypic TCR β-chain length and sequence analysis we confirmed that the repertoire of tricuspid CAS valves contains numerous expanded T cell clones with varying degrees of additional polyclonality, which was greatest in cases with severe calcification. We now report a similar proportion of clonal expansions in the much younger bicuspid valve CAS cases.

Postlesion recovery of motor and sensory cortex in the early twentieth century.

This article addresses early work on partial recovery that followed small motor cortical lesions. Leyton and Sherrington (1917) studied the motor cortex in apes, hoping to learn more about the contralateral muscle representations. Then they placed small lesions within the precentral cortex, followed by a loss of the contralateral muscle twitches.

Multiple stressor effects of high light irradiance and photosynthetic herbicides on growth and survival of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Exposure of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Dangeard to a combination of environmental stress by high light irradiance and chemical stress by each of the three herbicides paraquat, atrazine, and norflurazon resulted in diverse multiple stressor effects on growth and survival of the cells. Under low light conditions, growth analyzed by cell numbers was generally more sensitive to herbicide treatment than optical density-based growth rates or colony-forming unit endpoints, which both also analyzed the viability of the cells. However, growth analyzed by optical density and colony-forming units in herbicide-treated cultures was affected much more strongly by high light irradiance, as shown by reduced 50% effective concentrations, indicating extensive multiple stressor effects of the combined treatment on the viability of the cells.

Bimanual coordination of bowing and fingering in violinists--effects of position changes and string changes.

Music performance is based on demanding motor control with much practice from young age onward. We have chosen to investigate basic bimanual movements played by violin amateurs and professionals. We posed the question whether position and string changes, two frequent mechanisms, may influence the time interval bowing (right)-fingering (left) coordination.

Role of singlet oxygen in chloroplast to nucleus retrograde signaling in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

High light illumination of photosynthetic organisms stimulates the production of singlet oxygen by photosystem II and causes photooxidative stress. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, singlet oxygen also induces the expression of the nuclear-encoded glutathione peroxidase homologous gene GPXH. We provide evidence that singlet oxygen stimulates GPXH expression by activating a signaling mechanism outside the thylakoid membrane.

Growth condition-dependent sensitivity, photodamage and stress response of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exposed to high light conditions.

Different substrate conditions, such as varying CO(2) concentrations or the presence of acetate, strongly influence the efficiency of photosynthesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Altered photosynthetic efficiencies affect the susceptibility of algae to the deleterious effects of high light stress, such as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and PSII photodamage. In this study, we investigated the effect of high light on C.

Constantin von Monakow (1853-1930): a pioneer in interdisciplinary brain research and a humanist.

Constantin von Monakow (1853-1930), director of the Brain Anatomy Institute in Zurich, was a pioneer in the early history of interdisciplinary brain sciences. The elucidation of connectivity in sensory and motor pathways was richly illustrated in two landmark monographs: Pathologie du cerveau (1897) and La localisation de l'encephale et la dégradation fonctionelle par des lésions circonscrites du cortex cérébral (1914). His special merit was to conceptualize his accumulating results.

Eccles' perspective of the forebrain, its role in skilled movements, and the mind-brain problem.

Sir John Eccles' experimental life evolved from the "bottom" up: the synapse to the modular circuitry of the spinal cord, later the cerebellum and, less extensively, also the thalamus and hippocampus. He experimented quantitatively on basic properties of cell membranes, synapses, transmitters, cellular modules, reflexes, and plasticity. In parallel, he was also motivated to consider philosophical problems of mind-brain interactions.

Novel therapeutics for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Purpose Of Review: This review provides an update on recently explored therapies in systemic lupus erythematosus and introduces novel therapeutic approaches under consideration. Recent advances in our understanding of systemic lupus are highlighted as well, as these must now inform consideration of therapeutics.

Recent Findings: Many therapeutic strategies have been shown to be beneficial in murine models of lupus.

The dendritic cell-T cell synapse as a determinant of autoimmune pathogenesis.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune response is targeted to self-antigens, leading to destruction or altered function of specific cells and tissues. Although the aetiology of these diseases has not yet been fully elucidated, it is believed that genetically determined susceptibility and environmental triggers are both implicated in the detrimental immune response against the body's own tissues. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells that play an important role in maintaining peripheral tolerance by preventing self-reactive T cells from causing autoimmune damage.

Goal synchronization of bimanual skills depends on proprioception.

The present experiments in Human subjects were designed to test whether proprioceptive feedback plays a role in optimising bimanual synchronization in a goal-oriented familiar task. Goal-synchronization is a typical feature of bimanual everyday skills. The purpose of the study was to disturb proprioceptive signalling by means of vibrating the leading left limb while subjects performed a bimanual task on a drawer manipulandum.

Coordination of bowing and fingering in violin playing.

Playing string instruments implies motor skills including asymmetrical interlimb coordination. How special is musical skill as compared to other bimanually coordinated, non-musical skillful performances? We succeeded for the first time to measure quantitatively bimanual coordination in violinists playing repeatedly a simple tone sequence. A motion analysis system was used to record finger and bow trajectories for assessing the temporal structure of finger-press, finger-lift (left hand), and bow stroke reversals (right arm).

The quest to understand bimanual coordination.

Many skillful manipulations engage both hands for goal achievement. Whereas the goal is planned consciously and achieved quasi-invariantly, the articulators are mobilized automatically, but in a flexible manner (Lashley's principle of motor equivalence). In brain disorders affecting hand functions, adaptive mechanisms are mobilized to improve goal achievement.

Kinematics of a coordinated goal-directed bimanual task.

The experiments address the problem of bimanual coordination in a familiar task of everyday life. A goal-directed drawer-pulling task, with asymmetrical assignments among hands, was analyzed with the objective to detect discrete kinematic events ('anchors') that potentially could serve in proper goal synchronization. The left hand reached out for the drawer and opened it while the right hand performed a prehension movement to pick up a peg from the drawer.

Control of manipulative forces during unimanual and bimanual tasks in patients with Huntington's disease.

The aim of the study was to investigate grip-load force regulation in Huntington's disease (HD) patients as compared to control subjects during the performance of a manipulative task that required rhythmical unimanual or bimanual isodirectional/non-isodirectional actions in the sagittal plane. Results showed that the profile of grip-load ratio force was characterized by maxima and minima that were attained at upward and downward hand positions, respectively. Minimum force ratio was higher in patients than in controls, which points to an elevated baseline that may be related to the inherent bradykinesia observed in HD.

Role of the corpus callosum in bimanual coordination: a comparison of patients with congenital and acquired callosal damage.

The objective of the study was to investigate temporal control in patients with congenital as compared to acquired pathology of the corpus callosum during two different bimanual paradigms: (i) a drawer-opening task during which one hand opened a drawer while the other hand reached and grasped a small object, and (ii) rhythmical circling movements that were executed according to the in-phase or antiphase mode. Synchronization values revealed that patients with acquired callosal dysfunction generally showed optimal behaviour during the goal-directed and familiar drawer-opening task but demonstrated strong tendencies towards desynchronization during circling movements, which became most apparent for antiphase coordination. Whereas one patient with callosal agenesis showed a similar performance, the other acallosal patients performed both activities successfully.

Movement control of manipulative tasks in patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

When a hand-held object is moved, grip and load force are accurately coordinated for establishing grasp stability. In the present work, the question was raised whether patients with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS), who show tic-like movements, are impaired in grip-load force control when executing a manipulative task. To this end, we assessed force regulation during action patterns that required rhythmical unimanual or bimanual (iso-directional/anti-directional) movements.