Inflammation and Metabolism of Influenza-Stimulated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Adults With Obesity Following Bariatric Surgery.

Background: Obesity dysregulates immunity to influenza infection. Therefore, there is a critical need to investigate how obesity impairs immunity and to establish therapeutic approaches that mitigate the impact of increased adiposity. One mechanism by which obesity may alter immune responses is through changes in cellular metabolism.

Metabolic and functional impairment of CD8 T cells from the lungs of influenza-infected obese mice.

Obesity is an independent risk factor for morbidity and mortality in response to influenza infection. However, the underlying mechanisms by which obesity impairs immunity are unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects of diet-induced obesity on pulmonary CD8 T cell metabolism, cytokine production, and transcriptome as a potential mechanism of impairment during influenza virus infection in mice.

Reduction in mobility and COVID-19 transmission.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have sought to control SARS-CoV-2 transmission by restricting population movement through social distancing interventions, thus reducing the number of contacts. Mobility data represent an important proxy measure of social distancing, and here, we characterise the relationship between transmission and mobility for 52 countries around the world. Transmission significantly decreased with the initial reduction in mobility in 73% of the countries analysed, but we found evidence of decoupling of transmission and mobility following the relaxation of strict control measures for 80% of countries.

Database of epidemic trends and control measures during the first wave of COVID-19 in mainland China.

Objectives: In this data collation study, we aimed to provide a comprehensive database describing the epidemic trends and responses during the first wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) throughout the main provinces in China.

Methods: From mid-January to March 2020, we extracted publicly available data regarding the spread and control of COVID-19 from 31 provincial health authorities and major media outlets in mainland China. Based on these data, we conducted descriptive analyses of the epidemic in the six most-affected provinces.

Targeting T-cell oxidative metabolism to improve influenza survival in a mouse model of obesity.

Background: Obesity is associated with impaired primary and secondary immune responses to influenza infection, with T cells playing a critical role. T-cell function is highly influenced by the cellular metabolic state; however, it remains unknown how altered systemic metabolism in obesity alters T-cell metabolism and function to influence immune response. Our objective was to identify the altered cellular metabolic state of T cells from obese mice so that we may target T-cell metabolism to improve immune response to infection.

Response to COVID-19 in South Korea and implications for lifting stringent interventions.

Background: After experiencing a sharp growth in COVID-19 cases early in the pandemic, South Korea rapidly controlled transmission while implementing less stringent national social distancing measures than countries in Europe and the USA. This has led to substantial interest in their "test, trace, isolate" strategy. However, it is important to understand the epidemiological peculiarities of South Korea's outbreak and characterise their response before attempting to emulate these measures elsewhere.

Individuals with obesity and COVID-19: A global perspective on the epidemiology and biological relationships.

The linkage of individuals with obesity and COVID-19 is controversial and lacks systematic reviews. After a systematic search of the Chinese and English language literature on COVID-19, 75 studies were used to conduct a series of meta-analyses on the relationship of individuals with obesity-COVID-19 over the full spectrum from risk to mortality. A systematic review of the mechanistic pathways for COVID-19 and individuals with obesity is presented.

Obesity-Induced Changes in T-Cell Metabolism Are Associated With Impaired Memory T-Cell Response to Influenza and Are Not Reversed With Weight Loss.

Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for increased influenza mortality and is associated with impaired memory T-cell response, resulting in increased risk of infection. In this study, we investigated if weight loss would restore memory T-cell response to influenza.

Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either low-fat or high-fat diet to induce obesity.

Mechanisms by Which Dietary Fatty Acids Regulate Mitochondrial Structure-Function in Health and Disease.

Mitochondria are the energy-producing organelles within a cell. Furthermore, mitochondria have a role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and proper calcium concentrations, building critical components of hormones and other signaling molecules, and controlling apoptosis. Structurally, mitochondria are unique because they have 2 membranes that allow for compartmentalization.

Obesity Impairs the Adaptive Immune Response to Influenza Virus.

Influenza, a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, affects millions of adults and children each year. Several high-risk populations include children, the elderly, the immunocompromised, and recently the obese. Given the dramatic rise in obesity over the past few decades, this increased risk for influenza infection poses a serious public health threat because nearly 500 million adults and children worldwide are classified as obese.

Obesity altered T cell metabolism and the response to infection.

An epidemic of obesity over the past three decades increases the risk of chronic and infectious diseases for adults and children alike. Within the past few years, obesity has been shown to impair the adaptive immune response to infection through alterations in T cell functioning. Growing evidence suggests that perturbations in T cell metabolism drives this stunted immune response, stemming from nutrient, hormone and adipokine dysregulation in the obese.

A platform for the discovery of new macrolide antibiotics.

The chemical modification of structurally complex fermentation products, a process known as semisynthesis, has been an important tool in the discovery and manufacture of antibiotics for the treatment of various infectious diseases. However, many of the therapeutics obtained in this way are no longer effective, because bacterial resistance to these compounds has developed. Here we present a practical, fully synthetic route to macrolide antibiotics by the convergent assembly of simple chemical building blocks, enabling the synthesis of diverse structures not accessible by traditional semisynthetic approaches.

Engineered selective plant male sterility through pollen-specific expression of the EcoRI restriction endonuclease.

Unintended gene flow from transgenic plants via pollen, seed and vegetative propagation is a regulatory concern because of potential admixture in food and crop systems, as well as hybridization and introgression to wild and weedy relatives. Bioconfinement of transgenic pollen would help address some of these concerns and enable transgenic plant production for several crops where gene flow is an issue. Here, we demonstrate the expression of the restriction endonuclease EcoRI under the control of the tomato pollen-specific LAT52 promoter is an effective method for generating selective male sterility in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco).

Syntheses of Dihydroconduramines (±)-B-1, (±)-E-1, and (±)-F-1 via Diastereoselective Epoxidation of N-Protected 4-Aminocyclohex-2-en-1-ols.

Diastereoselective syntheses of dihydroconduramines (±)-B-1, (±)-E-1, and (±)-F-1 have been achieved from N-protected 4-aminocyclohex-2-en-1-ols via two complementary procedures for epoxidation as the key step. Treatment of either trans- or cis-4-N-benzylaminocyclohex-2-en-1-ol with Cl3CCO2H and then m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA) resulted in initial formation of the corresponding ammonium species, followed by epoxidation on the face syn to the ammonium moiety exclusively; chemoselective N-benzylation then provided either (1RS,2SR,3RS,4RS)- or (1RS,2RS,3SR,4SR)-2,3-epoxy-4-N,N-dibenzylaminocyclohexan-1-ol, respectively. Treatment of either trans- or cis-4-N,N-dibenzylaminocyclohex-2-en-1-ol with m-CPBA resulted in initial formation of the corresponding N-oxide, followed by epoxidation on the face syn to the hydroxyl group exclusively; reduction then provided either (1RS,2RS,3SR,4RS)- or an alternative route to (1RS,2RS,3SR,4SR)-2,3-epoxy-4-N,N-dibenzylaminocyclohexan-1-ol, respectively.

Garlic extract diallyl sulfide (DAS) activates nuclear receptor CAR to induce the Sult1e1 gene in mouse liver.

Constituent chemicals in garlic extract are known to induce phase I and phase II enzymes in rodent livers. Here we have utilized Car(+/+) and Car(-/-) mice to demonstrate that the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR regulated the induction of the estrogen sulfotransferase Sult1e1 gene by diallyl sulfide (DAS) treatment in mouse liver. DAS treatment caused CAR accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in a remarkable increase of SULT1E1 mRNA (3,200 fold) and protein in the livers of Car(+/+) females but not of Car(-/-) female mice.

A symmetrical Waxholm canonical mouse brain for NeuroMaps.

NeuroMaps (2010) is a Web-based application that enables investigators to map data from macaque studies to a canonical atlas of the macaque brain. It currently serves as an image processor enabling them to create figures suitable for publication, presentation and archival purposes. Eventually it will enable investigators studying any of several species to analyze the overlap between their data and multimodality data mapped by others.