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There are great interests of designing research metrics and indices to measure the research impacts in research institutes. Unfortunately, most of those indices ignore critical design issues, e.g. the disparity between domains, the impact of journals or conferences in which papers are published, normalising the range of the index values to certain intervals, and the scalability of using the index to rank different research entities. In this paper, a new normalised fuzzy index, (NFindex), is proposed as a fuzzy-based research impact metric. The proposed index is a scalable index whose values are normalised to the percentage levels. NFindex achieves both inter-discipline normalisation and intra-discipline consistency. The capability of NFindex to achieve the inter-discipline normalisation enables fair comparison between different research domains regardless their nature in terms of influence and contribution to other research areas, e.g. natural science. Therefore, NFindex gives a universal normalised single-number metric that can be used by research institutes to solve the problem of inter-discipline scholar ranking. Moreover, it can help universal ranking of universities and research institutes according to their research capabilities and impacts. The obtained results, on diverse research areas, prove the potential of NFindex in terms of both intra-discipline consistency and inter-discipline normalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the study entitled “Evaluation of the Immune Response and Efficacy in Chickens of Vaccinces Prepared from P. multocida Capsular Type A Grown in Iron-Depleted Conditions,” at the 2004 Spring Meeting of the WPSA UK Branch.

Telemedicine and electronic medical records (EMRs) have revolutionized healthcare in recent years, offering numerous benefits that improve the delivery of care and the overall patient outcomes. Telemedicine allows providers to diagnose and treat patients remotely, often eliminating the need for face-to-face visits. Its benefits include improved access to care, convenience for patients, and reduced costs both for patients and providers. When used with remote patient monitoring and remote therapeutic monitoring, continuous care becomes possible. EMRs allow providers to store, access, and share patient information more efficiently than paper charts. The benefits of EMRs include improved patient safety, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. The combination of telemedicine with EMRs makes it possible to envision the advent of computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD). This technology uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyze medical information including images, clinical and physiologic data, test results and remotely obtained information to support healthcare providers in making accurate diagnoses. By providing providers with what is essentially a second opinion, CAD systems can help prevent misdiagnoses and improve the quality of care. Such systems are not meant to replace healthcare providers, but rather to support them in making more informed and accurate diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furazolidone (FZD) is a widely used drug in human and veterinary medicine, and has antibacterial and antiprotozoal action. Although it is widely used as a therapy in various pathological conditions, studies on the efficacy of FZD associated with immune responses are still limited. In this review, we seek to describe which immunopharmacological responses are caused by the administration of FZD. The study followed the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). A systematic review of clinical trials and in vitro and in vivo experimental studies was carried out, which resulted in 943 papers, of which 35 were considered eligible and, of these 35, 4 were selected for analysis. The studies listed indicated that administration of FZD can modulate pro- or anti-inflammatory pathways, with a probable increase in the expression of reactive oxygen species and a modulation of apoptotic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a follow-up to the analysis of an inquiry-based learning activity applied to students in a public university in Brazil. We advocate that an effective education in immunology must incorporate elements that are essential to research in the area, such as generating and analysing data. These elements would empower students to apply science reasoning to face professional challenges. Our protocol included two of these elements: experimentation and abstraction. The utmost aim was to examine the production of argument by groups engaged in three different activities: 1) performing experiments and analysing the data generated; 2) reading papers on the subject (activation of complement) prior to the activities in (1), and 3) reading papers on the subject and analysing data generated by others. Our analysis reveals that guided scientific paper presentation was more influential than performing an experiment in terms of production of complex arguments. Additionally, we found that some groups merely described the data rather than relating the obtained data to the original question that led to the experiments. The findings described herein show the importance of engaging students in procedures that actually generate knowledge and thus incorporate scientific reasoning and discourse in higher immunology education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper adopts a socio-historical perspective to explore when, how and why the eradication of poliomyelitis has become politicised to the extent that health workers and security personnel are targeted in drive-by shootings. Discussions of the polio crisis in Afghanistan and Pakistan have tended to focus on Taliban suspicions of a US-led public health intervention and the denunciation of ‘modernity’ by Islamic ‘extremists’. In contrast, this paper considers a broader history of indigenous hostility and resistance to colonial immunisation on the subcontinent, suggesting how interconnected public health and political crises today have reactivated the past and created a continuity between events. The paper explores how the biomedical threat posed by polio has become intertwined with military and governmental discourses premised on the ‘preemptive strike’. Here, the paper tracks the connections between biological immunity and a postcolonial politics that posits an immunological rationale for politico-military interventions. The paper concludes by reflecting on the consequences for global public health of this entanglement of infectious disease with terror. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Electrochemical immunosensors have the potential to transform analytical procedures within the food industry by providing highly specific, rapid, and inexpensive determination of pathogens. In this paper, recent advances in this area are outlined. In particular, attention is paid to new methods that have been developed for the modification of working electrode surfaces. Many advances have been related to the use of novel nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and metallic nanoparticles, often used in conjunction with each other or polymers. The use of these materials has generally provided superior sensor sensitivity. The application of immunosensors to the detection of a range of pathogens in real samples is then investigated to establish whether they provide solutions in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tony Fauci is arguably America's best known clinical investigator and federal medical research administrator. He has authored a torrent of papers in research and professional journals (1,368 as of May 15, 2013) and has appeared well over 100 times on TV news shows explaining aspects of America's fight against autoimmune and infectious diseases, particularly AIDS. The vast majority of today's American medical students and their librarians will also recognize him as editor in chief of the best-selling textbookHarrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. He has been awarded honorary degrees by thirty-eight universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, and Georgetown. His productivity and visibility have spanned three generations of Americans, and yet his work has probably had an even greater impact far beyond our borders. An analysis of the evolving assortment of journals in which he has been published over the course of his career discloses three major patterns: a progressively higher proportion of more prestigious titles as he tackled bigger and bigger scientific and clinical challenges; an extraordinary output of “big picture” papers (generally one in every twenty of his papers were invited review articles); as well as great willingness to publish in brand-new journals (twenty-six), most of which would go on to be highly successful. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Cytokines are a diverse group of peptides produced by different cell types including cancer cells and various subpopulations of immune system cells. They exert their effects as cellular secreted mediators after binding to appropriate membrane receptors. Area covered: In this modern era of a multiomic approach to immuno-oncology this paper discusses the multiple roles of cytokines in oncology and our current understanding of the complex interactions between a tumor and host (in the so-called tumor microenvironment). Because of their pivotal role in biomedicine, we focus on critical comments about advantage between many techniques which are helping our understanding of the signal transduction process, gene activation, gene regulation and their clinical significance. Expert opinion: Integrated investigations based on a multiomic approach to the interactions between cells of the immune system and cancer, which focus at different cellular, molecular and nuclear levels, and involving proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and pharmacogenomics, are expected to lead to improved cancer diagnoses and treatment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several investigations have investigated the gut microbiota in shellfish species, but less information is available on the favorable gut bacteria colonizing the GI tract, the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and these studies have revealed the presence of Carnobacterium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Vagococcus, and Weissella. Identification of LAB in shellfish digestive tract are equally distributed between culture methods and culture-independent techniques. In the majority of the studies, the LAB are identified from the whole intestine or intestinal contents, while less studies have evaluated the autochthonous LAB. Some LAB isolated from shellfish are able to produce antibacterial substances towards different potential fish pathogenic bacteria. They also play an important role in improving the feed utilization and act as effective growth promoters in shellfish, and increase diseases resistance of shellfish culture against infectious bacteria and virus. In addition, enhancement of rearing water quality and increase the resistance against stressful condition have been recorded in shellfish fed LAB diets. LAB effects on the shellfish innate immune system are mostly studied in shrimp. In addition to LAB species studied in finfish or mammal systems, autochthonous strains of LAB are also used for studies. Generally, LAB-treated shellfish (crustaceans, mollusk, and Echinodermata) significantly improve innate immune parameters and display an increased survival rate from pathogen infections. Some of the studies indicate that the treatment of LAB mixture shows better immunomodulatory effects than that of a single strain of LAB. Studies of the underlying mechanisms of shellfish innate immune regulation are required for the identification of species-specific probiotics and the correct assessment of immunological effects. The present review paper focuses on recent findings in the field of isolation and detection of LAB in the GI tract of shellfish, some information on their presence in hepatopancreas and in muscle, their administration as probiotic, their mode of action, and their interaction with shellfish immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an algorithm based on a model of the immune system to handle constraints of all types (linear, nonlinear, equality, and inequality) in a genetic algorithm used for global optimization. The approach is implemented both in serial and parallel forms, and it is validated using several test functions taken from the specialized literature. Our results indicate that the proposed approach is highly competitive with respect to penalty-based techniques and with respect to other constraint-handling techniques which are considerably more complex to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumor, there are limited treatment options for recurrent or aggressive lesions. Compared to other brain tumors, meningiomas may be uniquely amenable to immunotherapy by virtue of their location outside the blood–brain barrier. Areas covered: This review describes our current understanding of the immunology of the meninges, as well as immune cell infiltration and immune signaling in meningioma. Current literature on meningioma immunology and immunotherapy was comprehensively reviewed and summarized by a comprehensive search of MEDLINE (1/1/1990-6/1/2024). Further, we describe the current state of immunotherapeutic approaches, as well as potential future targets. Potential immunotherapeutic approaches include immune checkpoint inhibition, CAR-T approaches, tumor vaccine therapy, and immunogenic molecular markers. Expert opinion: Meningioma immunotherapy is in early stages, as no immunotherapies are currently included in treatment guidelines. There is substantial heterogeneity in immune cell infiltration, immunogenicity, and immune escape across tumors, even within tumor grade. Furthering our understanding of meningioma immunology and tumor classification will allow for careful selection of tumors and patient populations that may benefit from primary or adjunctive immunotherapy for meningioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal focus of this paper is to consider the implications of head and neck transplantation surgery on the issue of personal identity. To this end, it is noted that the immune system has not only been established to impose a level of self-identity on bodily cells, it has also been implicated in mental development and the regulation of mental state. In this it serves as a paradigm for the mind as the product of cephalic and extracephalic systems. The importance of bodily systems in identity is then discussed in relation to phantom tissue syndrome. The data strongly indicate that, even if surgically successful, head and neck transplantation will result in the loss of the continuity of personal identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbiome is a keystone of adult gastrointestinal (GI) tract health, where it facilitates digestion, wards off pathogen colonization, and exerts a powerful influence on the physiological health of organs ranging from the brain to the kidneys. From its establishment at birth and through the initial years of childhood, the human microbiome is particularly dynamic, shifting in its composition and alpha (species) diversity to an adult profile as dietary sustenance transitions from milk-based sources to others such as solid food. An innovative study has now demonstrated how microbiome maturation is requisite both for the progression of immune system development and for long-term gut barrier function. These insights have significant ramifications for designing pediatric approaches to cultivate immune cell ontogeny in the formative stages of human infancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways in which people with lifelong chronic illness engage with learning, and how learning impacts on the ways in which they learn to live with their illness. It considers their engagement with and changing focus of learning at different stages: prior to diagnosis, at about the time of diagnosis, and as their understanding of their condition deepens. It asks how knowledge of their illness affects people’s learning, and whether (and in what ways) learning enables them to deal with their condition. Questionnaires were distributed through the Primary Immunodeficiency Association (PiA) website; via immunology nurses; and through personal contact. Although I had a small rate of return on the questionnaires (22 returned in total), several respondents who completed questionnaires gave their contact details so we could explore the issues further, and I interviewed eight people in greater depth. In exploring connections between bodily experience, emotion, learning and cognition, and asking whether these connections differ according to gender, age and other differences, this paper argues that individual experience can never be understood outside of social, cultural and collective experiences. The relationship between lifelong learning and lifelong illness is complex and multi‐faceted, but clearly learning has been an important element in the respondents’ ability to cope with lifelong illness. In the words of one respondent, ‘I spent so many years feeling vulnerable and at the mercy of an illness that I didn’t understand, I have found learning about it to be very empowering. It gives me a way of taking control over something which previously controlled me completely’. There are several issues that could be further developed. I did not, for example, ask what definitions of disability respondents were using when they replied to my question ‘do you consider yourself disabled?’, nor did I gain sufficient information to explore gendered or classed experiences in the way people gained information about their condition, including the sharing of experiences with each other. There are also differing engagements with learning regarding age, geography and so forth which could be further developed. In addition, the responses to the questionnaires represent current thinking about past memories and actions, and do not represent a longitudinal study. Nevertheless, the findings in this paper could have implications for the role of learning in the management of lifelong illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper consist of two parts: in the first part an experiment investigating the endothelial cell/interleukin 1 system is analyzed by means of a model. The most interesting outcome is a bistability of the system: a small challenge will not lead to a reaction, while a challenge slightly above a certain threshold leads to a complete activation of the endothelial cells. This finding is used in the second part of the paper, where a caricature model of the innate immune response (the part of the immune system that is not based on acquired immunity) is described and analyzed. In this analysis, especially, the possible patterns of the dynamics in the absence of a challenge have been targeted. We find a variety of behaviors possible for the resulting planar system. For certain parameter values, a small challenge is ignored, while a challenge above a certain threshold leads to a massive strike of the immune system that comes eventually to rest again. Also bistability, periodic behavior or an unstable resting state can be found. It is heuristically possible to link most of these dynamical patterns with natural or pathological situations that can be found in clinical pictures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marchuk's model of a general immune reaction is presented in the paper. The results of investigation of the model are summarized. The qualitative behaviour of solutions to the model and its simplification is described. Many illustrations of recovery process, oscillations or lethal outcomes of a disease are shown. The model with time-dependent immune reactivity is also considered. Periodic dynamics caused by different reasons are compared. In the last section adaptation of the model to tumour-immune interactions is proposed. The role of interleukins in immune processes is taken into account to adapt Marchuk's model to tumour growth dynamics. Possible immunotherapy is also considered in the proposed model. Some preliminary analysis of the model is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rubella virus (RV) has a central role in the etiopathogenesis of Fuchs' uveitis syndrome (FUS). We aim to offer new insights by comprehensive analysis of recent laboratory and epidemiologic data.Methods: We conducted a literature search for laboratory data and papers on etiopathogenesis.Results: Aqueous humour samples of FUS patients show immunoreactivity to RV, in a specific and sensitive manner. Identification of RV genome confirm intraocular infection in a subset of FUS patients. Epidemiologic findings further support causality. The clinical spectrum of RV-associated uveitis is similar but not identical to FUS. FUS eyes exhibit a predominance of CD8 + T cells, high IFN-? and IL-10 levels.Conclusions: RV is the leading cause of FUS. Cytokine-based findings mirror a viral etiology and chronic low-grade inflammation. RV-associated FUS represents a common pathway of intraocular RV inoculation after congenital or acquired infection. Other causes, including HSV and CMV, may lead to FUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel immuno-eco-epidemiological model of competition in which one of the species is affected by a pathogen. The infected individuals from species one are structured by time since- infection and the within-host dynamics of the pathogen and the immune response is also modelled. A novel feature of the model is the impact of the species two numbers on the ability of species one to mount an immune response. The within-host model has three equilibria: an extinction equilibrium, pathogen-only equilibrium and pathogen and immune response equilibrium which exists if the immune response reproduction number R0 > 1. The extinction equilibrium is always unstable, the pathogen-only equilibrium is stable if R0 < 1, and the coexistence equilibrium is stable whenever it exists. The between-host competition model has six equilibria: an extinction equilibrium, three disease-free equilibria: species one-only equilibrium, species two-only equilibrium and a disease-free species coexistence equilibrium. There are also two disease-present equilibria: species one-only disease equilibrium and disease coexistence equilibrium. The existence and stability of these equilibria are governed by six reproduction numbers. Results show that for a nonfatal disease, the disease coexistence equilibrium is stable whenever it exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a multi-strain model that links immunological and epidemiological dynamics across scales is formulated. On the within host scale, the n strains eliminate each other with the strain having the largest immunological reproduction number persisting. However, on the population scale, we extend the competitive exclusion principle to a multi-strain model of SI-type for the dynamics of highly pathogenic flu in poultry that incorporates both the infection age of infectious individuals and biological age of pathogen in the environment. The two models are linked through the age-since-infection structure of the epidemiological variables. In addition the between host transmission rate, the shedding rate of individuals infected by strain j and the disease-induced death rate depend on the within host viral load. The immunological reproduction numbers Rj and the epidemiological reproduction numbers Rj are computed. By constructing a suitable Lyapunov function, the global stability of the infection-free equilibrium in the system is obtained if all reproduction numbers are smaller or equal to one. If Rj, the reproduction number of strain j is larger than one, then a single-strain equilibrium, corresponding to strain j exists. This single-strain equilibrium is globally stable whenever Rj > 1 and Rj is the unique maximal reproduction number and all of the reproduction numbers are distinct. That is, the strain with the maximal basic reproduction number competitively excludes all other strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop and validate with bootstrapping techniques a mechanistic mathematical model of immune response to both BK virus infection and a donor kidney based on known and hypothesized mechanisms in the literature. The model presented does not capture all the details of the immune response but possesses key features that describe a very complex immunological process. We then estimate model parameters using a least squares approach with a typical set of available clinical data. Sensitivity analysis combined with asymptotic theory is used to determine the number of parameters that can be reliably estimated given the limited number of observations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The cocoa, as part of the wonderful nature, provides the mankind a wide variety of valuable food products and health benefits. The most known and universally relished product derived from this fruit is chocolate, an amazing and unique food for the human nutrition with records of consumption of similar products dating to 1000 years BC. In fact, the cocoa is a complex food that includes over 300 different components. This review is designed to inform scientists, technicians, academicians, farmers, and interested communities of numerous studies that have been conducted worldwide to investigate the properties of various cocoa constituents, their relations to human health, and their potential role in the prevention and treatment of many medical conditions. The general population, for example in Brazil, despite being one of the major producers of cocoa, is poorly informed of the significant and beneficial properties of cocoa. The present review covers important topics linking cocoa to human health and show the state of the art of effect of cocoa in different systems that comprise the human body. The paper is organized based on the main human organ system and includes: cardiovascular/circulatory, neurological/nervous, oral health, endocrine, lymphatic and immunological, respiratory, reproductive, and dermatological systems. Scientific findings tend to confirm the historic designation of cocoa as “food of the Gods.” [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In his publications since the three-volume Spheres project, Peter Sloterdijk thematizes religion as a now outmoded immunological system. He says it can no longer perform its historical function because humans have lost the protection of a world periphery. The entirety of what was "outside" is now "inside," and this has happened because: (1) spheres are systems, and as Luhmann shows, systems naturally complexify and expand themselves by becoming self-reflective; and (2), as Nietzsche says, humans are driven by a need to surpass themselves. The loss of world periphery is manifest in the climate crisis, which registers as a general sense that we must "change our lives." This gives Sloterdijk the chance (or so I argue) to create a new sphere (in the symbolic mode) that can be shared by all humans, a function no so-called world religion can fulfill. This new solidarity would come about when the earth becomes the completing "other" to every self, and individuals act in accordance with the imperative to assure the existence of human life on earth. The last section of the paper contrasts Sloterdijk's spherology with Latour's actor–network theory, and his later move into political ecology. I argue that, despite their alliance against "globalism," Latour and Sloterdijk are working with very different models of space (spheres vs. networks) and have different agendas vis-à-vis the climate crisis. Sloterdijk is trying to build ethical solidarity among humans, while Latour is concerned with a politics (in the Schmittian sense) between both human and nonhuman actors, including Gaia, which is both the space of action (a network of networks) and an actor in its own right. And finally, I take up Sloterdijk's statement that religions were never anything other than human practices, compared with Latour's call for acting "religiously," which means "respecting what others cling to." I do this by way of showing there are conceptual limitations to the concept of spheres and to Sloterdijk's project overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial effects of inulin-type fructans are discussed in view of studies that applied the oligosaccharides in colon cancer, chronic inflammatory diseases, vaccination efficacy, and prevention of infection and allergy. In the present paper, we discuss their immunomodulating effects. It is suggested that immunomodulation is elicited through indirect and direct mechanisms. Indirect mechanisms encompass stimulation of growth and activity of lactic acid bacteria, but can also be caused by fermentation products of these bacteria, i.e., short chain fatty acids. Evidence for direct effects on the immune system generally remains to be confirmed. It is suggested that inulin-type fructans can be detected by gut dendritic cells (DCs), through receptor ligation of pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) such as Toll-like receptors, nucleotide oligomerization domain containing proteins (NODs), C-type lectin receptors, and galectins, eventually inducing pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. DCs may also exert antigen presenting capacity toward effector cells, such as B cells, T cells, and natural killer cells locally, or in the spleen. Inulin-type fructans may also ligate PRRs expressed on gut epithelium, which could influence its barrier function. Inulin-type fructans are potent immunomodulating food components that hold many promises for prevention of disease. However, more studies into the mechanisms, dose-effect relations, and structure-function studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Malassezia is a major component of the skin microbiome, a lipophilic symbiotic organism of the mammalian skin, which can switch to opportunistic pathogens triggering multiple dermatological disorders in humans and animals. This phenomenon is favored by endogenous and exogenous host predisposing factors, which may switch Malassezia from a commensal to a pathogenic phenotype. Area covered: This review summarizes and discusses the most recent literature on the pathogenesis of Malassezia yeasts, which ultimately results in skin disorders with different clinical presentation. A literature search of Malassezia pathogenesis was performed via PubMed and Google scholar (up to May 2023), using the following keywords: Pathogenesis and Malassezia;host risk factors and Malassezia, Malassezia and skin disorders; Malassezia and virulence factors: Malassezia and metabolite production; Immunology and Malassezia. Expert opinion: Malassezia yeasts can maintain skin homeostasis being part of the cutaneous mycobiota; however, when the environmental or host conditions change, these yeasts are endowed with a remarkable plasticity and adaptation by modifying their metabolism and thus contributing to the appearance or aggravation of human and animal skin disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a two-strain model that links immunological and epidemiological dynamics across scales is formulated. On the within-host scale, the two strains eliminate each other with the strain with the larger immunological reproduction persisting. However, on the population scale superinfection is possible, with the strain with larger immunological reproduction number super-infecting the strain with the smaller immunological reproduction number. The two models are linked through the age-since-infection structure of the epidemiological variables. In addition, the between-host transmission and the disease-induced death rate depend on the within-host viral load. The immunological reproduction numbers, the epidemiological reproduction numbers and invasion reproduction numbers are computed. Besides the disease-free equilibrium, there are two population-level strain one and strain two isolated equilibria, as well as a population-level coexistence equilibrium when both invasion reproduction numbers are greater than one. The single-strain population-level equilibria are locally asymptotically stable suggesting that in the absence of superinfection oscillations do not occur, a result contrasting previous studies of HIV age-since-infection structured models. Simulations suggest that the epidemiological reproduction number and HIV population prevalence are monotone functions of the within-host parameters with reciprocal trends. In particular, HIV medications that decrease within-host viral load also increase overall population prevalence. The effect of the immunological parameters on the population reproduction number and prevalence is more pronounced when the initial viral load is lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of the dialogue surrounding historical and current dengue incidence, prevalence, morbidity and mortality reveals that race is defined as a risk factor influencing host immune response. African descendent populations in the Americas are often highlighted as having an innate resistance to severe dengue infection. This paper explores this hypothesis and, using a historical, epidemiological and immunological perspective, attempts to evaluate its viability. This multidisciplinary approach elucidates the need to proceed cautiously in any research searching for correlations between biological racial characteristics and disease. It emphasizes that the investigation of the hypothesized African descendent population dengue resistance be approached from the perspective of dengue while at the same time acknowledging variation within a population that has historically been oversimplified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cryotherapy is used in the early treatment of acute injuries (sprains, strains, fractures) yet only a few papers discuss the possible influence of whole-body cryostimulation on inflammation mechanisms or immunology. It is postulated that cold exposure can have an immunostimulating effect related to enhanced noradrenaline response and can be connected with paracrine effects. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different sequences of whole-body cryostimulations on the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in healthy individuals. The research involved 45 healthy men divided into three groups. The groups were subjected to 5, 10 or 20, 3-minute long whole-body cryostimulations each day at −−130°°C. Blood was collected for analysis before the stimulations, after completion of the whole series, and 2 weeks after completion of the series, for the examination of any long-term effect. The analysis of results showed that in response to cryostimulation, the level of ani-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 increased while Il-1αα cytokine level decreased. It seems that the most advantageous sequence was the series of 20 cryostimulations due to the longest lasting effects of stimulation after the completion of the whole series of treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to identify immunologic hallmarks of excessive bodyweight. The analysis is based on 176 adults (106 women, 70 men) who participated in a nested case-control study in Italy. All participants were healthy at the time of blood collection and aged between 36 and 75 years. We employed multivariate analysis of variance and a nonparametric Bayesian additive regression tree approach along with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine the immunologic signature of excessive body weight (i.e., obesity and overweight). Interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-10, interferon γγ, and inducible protein 10 were shown to be predictive of excessive body weight with an area under the ROC curve of 71% ( p < 0.0002). We propose that by using this profile-based approach to define immunologic signatures, it might be possible to identify unique immunologic hallmarks of specific types of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the recent data available on infliximab biosimilars in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and propose the best patient profile to be eligible for the use of biosimilars in the future. They cite position papers that have been published by the European Crohn's Colitis Organization that focused on the need for clinical data in IBD, the need for more solid data about safety and immunogenicity in the long term and the Non-proprietary Name given to all infliximab molecules.

Age-induced atrophy of the thymus results in a compromised immune system characterized by a restricted T-cell receptor repertoire, skewed towards memory T cells and a global reduction in immune responsiveness. This has important clinical implications in immune recovery from lymphopenic states, for example, after cytoablative treatment for cancer therapy, in conditioning regimes for bone marrow transplants and severe viral infections, such as HIV. The paper from Napolitano et al. evaluates the use of growth hormone (GH) to regenerate the thymus and replenish the naive T-cell population for immune recovery in adult HIV patients, albeit those carrying a low viral load. This study - an extension of an earlier paper from the same group - provides important evidence that GH, at least when administered over a long period of time, enhances thymopoiesis and therefore facilitates CD4+ T-cell recovery in HIV-1-infected adults. Provided the side effects of GH treatment can be better controlled, these results could contribute towards developing strategies for a broader clinical use of GH in immune recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the potential of an artificial immune-based supervised classification algorithm for land-cover classification. This classifier is inspired by the human immune system and possesses properties similar to nonlinear classification, self/non-self identification, and negative selection. Landsat ETM+ data of an area lying in Eastern England near the town of Littleport are used to study the performance of the artificial immune-based classifier. A univariate decision tree and maximum likelihood classifier were used to compare its performance in terms of classification accuracy and computational cost. Results suggest that the artificial immune-based classifier works well in comparison with the maximum likelihood and the decision-tree classifiers in terms of classification accuracy. The computational cost using artificial immune based classifier is more than the decision tree but less than the maximum likelihood classifier. Another data set from an area in Spain is also used to compare the performance of immune based supervised classifier with maximum likelihood and decision-tree classification algorithms. Results suggest an improved performance with the immune-based classifier in terms of classification accuracy with this data set, too. The design of an artificial immune-based supervised classifier requires several user-defined parameters to be set, so this work is extended to study the effect of varying the values of six parameters on classification accuracy. Finally, a comparison with a backpropagation neural network suggests that the neural network classifier provides higher classification accuracies with both data sets, but the results are not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the construction of a labeless immunosensor for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin and its interrogation using an AC impedance protocol. Commercial screen-printed carbon electrodes were used as the basis for the sensor. Polyaniline was electrodeposited onto the sensors and then utilized to immobilize a biotinylated antibody for ciprofloxacin using classical avidin-biotin interactions. Electrodes containing the antibodies were exposed to solutions of antigen and interrogated using an AC impedance protocol. The faradaic component of the impedance of the electrodes was found to increase with increasing concentration of antigen. Control samples containing a non-specific IgG antibody were also studied and calibration curves obtained by subtraction of the responses for specific and non-specific antibody-based sensors, thereby eliminating the effects of non-specific adsorption of antigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews anticardiolipin antibodies and ocular disease. Its aim is to present the latest knowledge regarding the relationship between the two. It focuses mainly on ocular features and treatment, but also describes the epidemiology, main systemic features, immunology, and immunopathology of the antiphospholipid syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Di‐ and trisaccharide thioglycoside building blocks, ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)‐3‐O‐allyl‐4,6‐di‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside, ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐acetyl‐3‐O‐allyl‐4‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside and ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→4)‐[(2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)]‐3‐O‐allyl‐6‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside, corresponding to repetitive structures in the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Cryptococcus neoformans have been synthesised using silver triflate‐promoted couplings between benzobromoxylose and properly protected mannose ethyl thioglycosides. The blocks contain an orthogonal allyl group in the 3‐position of the mannose residue to allow continued formation of the (1→3)‐linked mannan backbone of the CPS. They have benzyl ethers as persistent protecting groups to facilitate access to the acetylated target structures. Assembly of the blocks employing DMTST as promoter in diethyl ether afforded in high yield and complete stereoselectivity penta‐ and hexasaccharide motifs from C. neoformans serotype A–C. The latter were deallylated into new acceptors to allow synthesis of larger CPS‐fragments. †This paper is dedicated to Professor Gérard Descotes on the occasion of his 70th birthday. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a model of cellular tumor dynamics in competition with the immune system is proposed. The characteristic scale of the phenomenon is the cellular one and the model is developed with probabilistic methods analogous to those of the kinetic theory. The interacting individuals are the cells of the populations involved in the competition between the tumor and the immune system. Interactions can change the activation state of the tumor and cause tumor proliferation or destruction. The model is expressed in terms of a bi-linear system of integro-differential equations. Some preliminary mathematical analysis of the model as well as computational simulations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal immunology research has been hampered by the difficulty and labour-intensiveness of collecting samples. This is especially true for sites such as the lung, and the present paper describes a simple method for obtaining samples from this organ in chickens. Following sacrifice, the bird was placed on its back and the trachea was cut and exteriorized. Narrow-diameter tubing, to which a 30 ml syringe was attached, was threaded down the trachea to the bronchi and air was evacuated from the lung. Warm buffer was administered and the lung sample then aspirated, processed and frozen. In the current experiment this sampling system was tested on hens that were challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis. Elevated anti- Salmonella Enteritidis antibody levels in lung from infected hens were observed in significantly more infected hens than non-infected control hens in two trials. The simplicity and utility of this sampling system will make it a useful tool for those laboratories wishing to expand their humoral mucosal immunology capabilities, even for study of non-respiratory pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial pathogen in the world. A licensed vaccine is not yet available, but the first vaccines have entered clinical trials. We describe the progress that has been made in our understanding of the type of immunity that a protective vaccine should induce, and the challenges that vaccine developers face. We also focus on the clinical development of a chlamydia vaccine. The first chlamydia vaccine candidate has now been tested in a clinical phase I trial, and another phase I trial is currently running. We discuss what it will take to continue this development and what future trial setups could look like. The chlamydia field is coming of age and the first phase I clinical trial of a C. trachomatis vaccine has been successfully completed. We expect and hope that this will motivate various stakeholders to support further development of chlamydia vaccines in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trained Immunity (TI) refers to the long-term modulation of the innate immune response, based on previous interactions with microbes, microbial ligands, or endogenous substances. Through metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming, monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils develop an enhanced capacity to mount innate immune responses to subsequent stimuli and this is persistent due to alterations at the myeloid progenitor compartment. The purpose of this article is to review the current understanding of the TI process and to discuss its potential clinical implications in the near future. We address the evidence of TI involvement in various diseases, the currently developed new therapy, and discuss how TI may lead to new clinical tools to improve existing standards of care. The state of the art in this domain has made considerable progress, linking TI-related mechanisms in multiple immune-mediated pathologies, starting with infections to autoimmune disorders and cancers. As a relatively new area of immunology, it has seen fast progress with many of its applications ready to be investigated in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In UK HE institutions there is a growing realisation and appreciation for academic disciplines to seek research partners beyond their own subject (QAA. 2018. Enterprise and entrepreneurship education: Guidance for UK higher education providers. Accessed 1 April 2020. ). The rewards for developing understanding and sharing methodologies can extend beyond solving research questions to enhance the researcher and student learning experience. When academic researchers and students are given the opportunity to work together outside the confines of the curriculum and inhabit a space of 'otherness' in playful learning, liberated thinking and uninhibited ideation can transform patterns of learning and problem solving. This study aimed to use interdisciplinary co-design workshops to create opportunities for bringing scientists and designers to work together, exposing them to the challenges of developing accessible immunology materials and to develop a pathway to reconcile them through empathy and reflective practice. Our research evidence showed that projects like this are inclusive and engaging. Student participants were excited and inspired by each other's different knowledge and skills, but were also rewarded by overcoming different cultures of learning and communication. The efficacy of playful learning's 'otherness', and the 'out-of-hours' aspect were also interrogated and reflected upon in interviews. The impact of this research will inform pedagogy on interdisciplinary learning, and be a persuasive argument for further Science and Design collaborations. More widely among the community, raised awareness of our immune system has the potential to modify behaviour and improve public health, as the student groups chose to focus on allergies, vaccinations and transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic alterations in pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have gained more attention recently in adults. We assessed the methylation of CD70 promoter, a costimulatory molecule on T cells, in juvenile SLE (JSLE), and compared this to that found in controls and the literature of adult SLE patients. DNA methylation status was evaluated on peripheral blood from JSLE patients and healthy controls. Twenty-five patients with JSLE and 24 healthy controls were compared. JSLE patients had lower unmethylated CpG islands compared to the control group (mean ± SD; 0.78 ± 0.42 vs 10503.80 ± 39796.95). However, the difference was not significant (P-value; 0.22). Despite hypomethylation of CD70 gene promoter in CD4+ T-cells from adult patients with SLE, no statistically significant differences observed in patients with JSLE compared with healthy controls. This may suggest a mechanism different in JSLE patients than in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of training modality and exercise intensity on the modulation of lymphocytes CD4 count in people living with HIV (PLWH). A search for randomised controlled trials was performed using five databases (PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, LILACS, Scielo and CAPES). Meta-analyses of mean differences (MD) were conducted using a random-effects model to compare the effects of training modality and intensity on CD4 count. The CD4 count comparing physical training vs. control group (MD of CD4 was 54.58 cell/ml³ [CI 95% 15.58–93.59], p =< 0.01). In according to the subgroup analysis, only aerobic exercise has proved to have a significant effect on CD4 (MD 79.91 cell/ml³ [CI 95% 19.30–140.52], p =< 0.01). When exercise intensities were stratified, only intense training proved to have a significant effect on CD4 (MD 64.87 cell/ml³ [CI 95% 15.79–113.95], p =< 0.01). In meta-regression analysis showed that the aerobic training, as well, high the intensity training were predictors significant to the improvement of CD4 (p =< 0.01). Exercise training is an important strategy to assist in the treatment of PLWH. The aerobic training modality and the high intensity training were able to promote improve the modulation of CD4 count chronically in PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We establish some properties of a within host mathematical model of malaria proposed by Recker et al. [M. Recker et al., Transient cross-reactive immune responses can orchestrate antigenic variation in malaria, Lett. Nature 429 (2004), pp. 555-558; M. Recker and S. Gupta, Conflicting immune responses can prolong the length of infection in Plasmodium falciparum malaria, Bull. Math. Biol. 68 (2006), pp. 821-835.], which includes the role of the immune system during the infection. The model accounts for the antigenic variation exhibited by the malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum). We show that the model can exhibit a wide variety of dynamical behaviours. We provide criteria for global stability, competitive exclusion and persistence. We also demonstrate that the disease equilibrium can be destabilized by non-symmetric cross-reactive responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular adjuvants have recently been studied as tools to induce immune responses and thus to control malignancies. They are, therefore, subject to intensive research in the field of tumor immunotherapy and immunology. In particular, dendritic cells have been shown to efficiently present antigens to T cells and, thus, induce primary and secondary immune responses. Nevertheless, dendritic cell-based clinical applications are challenged by their low frequency, inability to grow in culture and, also, lack of purity. Among other alternatives, CD40-activated B cells have previously been shown to efficiently present antigens and be expandable for several weeks, rendering them an interesting alternative to induce anti-tumor immune responses. Immunological tumor control probably warrants life-long vaccination, emphasizing the need for large amounts of cells. Furthermore, for regulatory reasons, homogenous, well-characterized master cell lines would be ideal to reduce the cost and technical challenges of cellular vaccines. The paper under evaluation introduces the concept that B cells activated via CD40 and IL4 receptor signaling can be expanded for more than 100 doublings to almost unlimited numbers, suggesting that they are conditionally immortalized. Such cells are shown to remain good antigen presenters and, therefore, are a most interesting cellular adjuvant for immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that close to 30% of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion. Although about 60% of spontaneous abortions are thought to be due to genetic, infectious, hormonal, and immunological factors, the role of the environment remains poorly understood. Pregnancy involves a delicate balance of hormonal and immunological functions, which may be affected by environmental substances. Many toxic substances that are persistent in the environment and accumulate in the fatty tissues may disrupt this equilibrium. This overview addresses known risk factors for spontaneous abortions and examines the role, if any, that environmental factors (chemical and physical) may play in the etiology of this adverse health outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We wish to commemorate Paul Ehrlich on the centennial of his being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908. His studies are now considered as milestones in immunology: the morphology of leukocytes; his side-chain theory where he defined the cellular receptor for first time; and his clarification of the difference between serum therapy and chemotherapy. Ehrlich also invented the first chemotherapeutic drug: compound 606, or Salvarsan. We have used some original documents from the Royal Society of London, where Ehrlich was a fellow, and from Leipzig University, where he took a degree in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mini-review briefly describes some of the issues that are important for a transplant physician preparing a patient for an unrelated donor (UD) stem cell transplant. It is primarily directed at referring hemato-oncologists and trainees in transplantation and aims to provide them with the information they require to deal with these patients appropriately and efficiently. It discusses search strategies, the need for urgency and early identification of the major problems that will determine the outcome of the transplant. Excellent communication with the histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratory and the referring physician are emphasized. Many of the recommendations are derived from personal experience; there is a need for more of an evidence base to aid decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an introductory statement to the articles on immunology published in the August 2005 issue of the journal "Immunological Investigations." Effect of thermal stress on the immune response; Correlation between febrile response and role of fever-range thermal stress in promoting lymphocyte trafficking; Enhancement of neutrophil recruitment by fever-range thermal stress.

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) constitute a family of innate immune recognition molecules. In Drosophila, distinct PGRPs bind to peptidoglycans on gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria and provide essential signals upstream of the Toll and Imd pathways required for immunity against infection. Four PGRPs, PGRP-L, -S, -Iα, and -Iβ, are expressed from three genes in mammals. In this paper, we provide direct evidence that the longest family member, PGRP-L, is a secreted serum protein with the capacity to multimerize. Using gene targeting to create PGRP-L-deficient mice, we demonstrate little contribution by PGRP-L to systemic challenge using gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, slightly less susceptible), Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), or yeast (Candida albicans). Peritoneal macrophages from PGRP-L-deficient mice produced decreased amounts of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha when stimulated with E. coli or lipopolysaccharide, but comparable amounts when stimulated with S. aureus, C. albicans, or their cell wall components. Additionally, these cells produced similar amounts of cytokines when challenged with gram-positive or -negative peptidoglycans. In contrast to its critical role in immunity in flies, PGRP-L is largely dispensable for mammalian immunity against bacteria and fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]