Droplet microfluidic system for high throughput and passive selection of bacteria producing biosurfactants.

Traditional methods for the enrichment of microorganisms rely on growth in a selective liquid medium or on an agar plate, followed by tedious characterization. Droplet microfluidic techniques have been recently used to cultivate microorganisms and preserve enriched bacterial taxonomic diversity. However, new methods are needed to select droplets comprising not only growing microorganisms but also those exhibiting specific properties, such as the production of value-added compounds.

A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and disease.

There has been increasing public concern that COVID-19 vaccination causes menstrual disturbance regarding the relative effect of vaccination compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objectives were to test potential risk factors for reporting menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and to compare menstrual parameters following COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 disease. We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective online survey conducted in the UK in March 2021.

Effect of cyclosporine A on the non-specific, innate antiviral immunity of mice.

Different infections are the most common complication of immunosuppressive therapy. In this context, the effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the innate antiviral immunity of mice was studied. The presence of immunity was shown by infection of resident peritoneal cells (RPC) of BALB/c mice with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

[Survival time of progressive systemic sclerosis patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs].

A retrospective analysis of survival time was carried out in 29 progressive systemic sclerosis patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs and in 15 patients who underwent another mode of treatment. It was found that fatality in both groups studied was the same (case fatality rate approximately 35%), but the mean survival time of those who had died was much longer for 10 patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs than for the 5 patients who had not undergone this mode of treatment (p less than 0.05).