Abstract
Background
Etiopathogenesis of the clinical variability of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains mostly unknown. In this study, we investigate the role of killer cell ...immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)/human leukocyte antigen class-I (HLA-I) interactions in the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19.
Methods
We performed KIR and HLA-I genotyping and natural killer cell (NKc) receptors immunophenotyping in 201 symptomatic patients and 210 noninfected controls.
Results
The NKcs with a distinctive immunophenotype, suggestive of recent activation (KIR2DS4low CD16low CD226low CD56high TIGIThigh NKG2Ahigh), expanded in patients with severe COVID-19. This was associated with a higher frequency of the functional A-telomeric activating KIR2DS4 in severe versus mild and/or moderate patients and controls (83.7%, 55.7% and 36.2%, P < 7.7 × 10−9). In patients with mild and/or moderate infection, HLA-B*15:01 was associated with higher frequencies of activating B-telomeric KIR3DS1 compared with patients with other HLA-B*15 subtypes and noninfected controls (90.9%, 42.9%, and 47.3%; P < .002; Pc = 0.022). This strongly suggests that HLA-B*15:01 specifically presenting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 peptides could form a neoligand interacting with KIR3DS1. Likewise, a putative neoligand for KIR2DS4 could arise from other HLA-I molecules presenting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 peptides expressed on infected an/or activated lung antigen-presenting cells.
Conclusions
Our results support a crucial role of NKcs in the clinical variability of COVID-19 with specific KIR/ligand interactions associated with disease severity.
The increasing consumption of pharmaceuticals, alongside their limited removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), have led to their ubiquitous occurrence in receiving aquatic environments. This ...study addresses the occurrence of 68 pharmaceuticals (PhACs) in the Ebro River Delta region (NE Spain), as well as their distribution in different environmental compartments, including surface water, sediments, biota (river biofilm and fish tissues), and field-collected plastic litter. In addition, their concentrations in serving WWTPs, as possible sources of environmental contamination, were also determined.
Our study confirmed the widespread occurrence of PhACs in riverine and, to a more limited extent, coastal environments. Most frequently detected PhACs belonged to analgesics/anti-inflammatories (e.g., ibuprofen) and psychiatric drugs (e.g., venlafaxine) therapeutic groups, followed by antihypertensives (e.g., valsartan) and antibiotics (e.g., azithromycin). Seasonal differences in cumulative levels of PhACs were reported for water and sediments (winter>summer). Despite spatial gradients were not clear along the river, a non-negligible contribution of upstream Ebro sites (reference area) was highlighted, which was unexpected based on the low anthropogenic pressure. Sediments represented a minor attenuation pathway for the selected PhACs, whereas they were more heavily accumulated in biota: fish liver (up to 166 ng/g dw), river biofilms (up to 108 ng/g dw), fish plasma (up to 63 ng/mL), and fish muscle (up to 31 ng/g dw).
These findings highlight the importance of biomonitoring in the characterization of polluted areas and prioritization of hazardous substances (e.g., psychiatric drugs) in aquatic systems, and a particular interest of fish plasma as non-destructive biomonitoring matrix. PhACs were also detected on plastic litter, demonstrating their role as environmental sinks for certain PhACs (e.g., analgesics/anti-inflammatories, psychiatric drugs). Overall, the widespread detection of PhACs in a variety of biotic and abiotic matrices from the lower Ebro River and Delta warns about their possible environmental implications.
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•No geographical variation in pharmaceutical pollution along lower Ebro River basin.•Analgesics/anti-inflammatories, psychiatric drugs and antihypertensives as most frequent in river water•Biomonitoring improves assessment of pharmaceutical contamination compared to grab water.•River biofilm, fish plasma (non-destructive) and liver more informative than fish muscle•Plastic litter as a passive sink of some pharmaceuticals
The Role of Peritoneal Macrophages in Endometriosis Ramírez-Pavez, Tamara N.; Martínez-Esparza, María; Ruiz-Alcaraz, Antonio J. ...
International journal of molecular sciences,
10/2021, Letnik:
22, Številka:
19
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder, defined as the growth of endometrial stromal cells and glands at extrauterine sites. Endometriotic lesions are more frequently located ...into the abdominal cavity, although they can also be implanted in distant places. Among its etiological factors, the presence of immune dysregulation occupies a prominent place, pointing out the beneficial and harmful outcomes of macrophages in the pathogenesis of this disease. Macrophages are tissue-resident cells that connect innate and adaptive immunity, playing a key role in maintaining local homeostasis in healthy conditions and being critical in the development and sustainment of many inflammatory diseases. Macrophages accumulate in the peritoneal cavity of women with endometriosis, but their ability to clear migrated endometrial fragments seems to be inefficient. Hence, the characteristics of the peritoneal immune system in endometriosis must be further studied to facilitate the search for new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. In this review, we summarize recent relevant advances obtained in both mouse, as the main animal model used to study endometriosis, and human, focusing on peritoneal macrophages obtained from endometriotic patients and healthy donors, under the perspective of its future clinical translation to the role that these cells play on this pathology.
•Managers must pay special attention to retain specialized personnel; indirect effects from human resources are significant.•Experience is the most important element of remanufacturing process and ...it´s required personnel to stay in the company.•Because of a bad perception of quality core, cost of spare partes and engineering changes will increase.•Because of a bad perception of quality core, total cost, energy consumption and processing time will increase.
This article assesses the impact of human resources experience and its training level on key process indicators, perceived quality of core, and internal complexity of remanufactured metal-mechanic products. These five elements were integrated as latent variables composed of 13 observed variables and associated through seven hypotheses. Data was gathered from six remanufacturing companies located in the Northern Border of Mexico, including 480 different metal-mechanic remanufactured products such as auto parts, molds for plastic injection molding, and turbine components. Hypotheses were validated using a Structural Equation Model and partial least square. Results indicate that the experience and training of human resources has a positive impact on the perceived quality of core and key process indicators, but not on internal complexity of the remanufacturing process; however, these variables are indirectly associated through perceived quality of core and key process indicators.
The changes in the covalent bond of the hydrogen molecule limited in space by a spherical hard boundary are studied. The sphere is moved along an axis parallel or orthogonal to the molecular axis. ...The diffusion Monte Carlo approach is used to solve the Schrödinger equation with the relevant boundary conditions and to evaluate the changes in the bond energy
versus
the location of the sphere. The vertical and lateral quantum forces exerted on the sphere are evaluated by calculating the energy derivative
versus
the distances to the sphere. The results show that the quantum forces present an important dependence on the distance and vanish rapidly as the separation between the sphere and the molecule increases. In the limiting case the molecular bond breaks due to the electronic depletion induced in the covalent bond. An application of this study is the modelisation of the forces exerted on the passivated cantilever of an atomic force microscope probing the electron cloud in the contact mode in the Pauli exclusion regime.
Electronic depletion of the covalent bond by the Pauli exclusion principle repulsion. Energies and quantum forces are calculated.
Geothermal energy has become of increasing scientific and industrial interest; hence, many works discuss and study its principles, uses, and technical/economic viability. However, much less research ...focuses on the environmental impact of geothermal energy projects.
In this research, we perform a life cycle assessment of five different geothermal heat pump systems (GHPS) installed across five different facilities: three single-family detached houses (heating capacity of GHPS: 10 kW, 15 kW, and 45 kWh, respectively), a multipurpose building (heating capacity of GHPS: 110 kW), and a residential area of semi-detached houses (heating capacity of GHPS: 210 kW).
The overall results demonstrate that the higher the heating capacity of a GHPS, the greater the environmental impact. Such results allow us to establish correlations between GHPS heating capacity and environmental impact across the 11 environmental impact categories.
Amortization periods were calculated with respect to the annual demand for heating and cooling of each facility. In the 10 kW and 15 kW GHPS, the amortization period is shorter than 11 years, followed by an eight-year period for the 45 kW GHPS. Similarly, the amortization period for the 210 kW GHPS decreases up to five years. Conversely, the 110 kW GHPS has an 18-year amortization period.
To evaluate racial and ethnic disparities in utilization of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in relation to demographic, health, and socioeconomic status variables.
Prospective study of 102,767 Women's ...Health Initiative postmenopausal women initially aged 50–79, examining utilization rates of primary TKA between non-Hispanic Black/African American, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic/Latina women (hereafter referred to as Black, White, and Hispanic). A total of 8,942 Black, 3,405 Hispanic, and 90,420 White women with linked Medicare claims data were followed until time of TKA, death, or transition from fee-for-service coverage. Absolute disparities were determined using utilization rates by racial/ethnic group and relative disparities quantified using multivariable hazards models in adjusting for age, arthritis, joint pain, mobility disability, body mass index, number of comorbidities, income, education, neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), and geographic region.
TKA utilization was higher among White women (10.7/1,000 person-years) compared to Black (8.5/1,000 person-years) and Hispanic women (7.6/1,000 person-years). Among women with health indicators for TKA including diagnosis of arthritis, moderate to severe joint pain, and mobility disability, Black and Hispanic women were significantly less likely to undergo TKA after adjusting for age Black: HR (95% confidence interval) = 0.70 (0.63–0.79); Hispanic: HR = 0.58 (0.44–0.77). Adjustment for SES modestly attenuated the measured disparity, but significant differences remained Black: HR = 0.75 (0.67–0.89); Hispanic: HR = 0.65 (0.47–0.89).
Compared to White women, Black and Hispanic women were significantly less likely to undergo TKA after considering need and appropriateness for TKA and SES. Further investigation into personal-level and provider-level factors that may explain these disparities is warranted.
Padel is the world’s fastest growing racket sport. However, the analysis of the intake of sports supplements in padel players is scarce. The aim of this research was to analyse and compare the type ...of diet and the use of sports supplements in padel players according to their competition level and sex. A total of 123 players (94 men and 29 women) participated in the study. Subjects were divided according to their sex and competition level. All participants completed an anonymous questionnaire on diet type and nutritional supplement intake. There were differences found in diet type between competition levels. Regarding players’ sex, differences in the number of supplements consumed were reported (p < 0.01). Relationships were found between the number of supplements ingested and the perceived effectiveness of supplements with frequency and time of training (p < 0.05). Creatine in men (≈15%) and vitamin complexes (≈10%) in women were the most used supplements. Lower level padel players do not adapt their diet to the physical demands of padel. Male padel players use a greater number of supplements than female padel players. It is important that nutrition specialists advise players to control diets and supplement.
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•Mixed lipid vesicles containing 4-decylaniline were electrografted on electrodes.•The grafted biomimetic membrane displays an increased stability of 2 weeks.•The antiport ...transmembrane protein NhaA was inserted in the stable lipid deposit.•The function of the Na+/2H+ antiport protein is keep intact after insertion.•Interfacial pH change was monitored with adsorbed anthraquinone sulfonate.
Quartz crystal microbalance studies have been carried out to monitor the fusion of lipid vesicles (pure 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, DMPC) and mixed vesicles (DMPC and 4-decylaniline). In order to increase the stability of the lipid deposits onto the electrodes, we have developed an original approach involving electrografting of adsorbed mixed vesicles. Aryldiazonium salts generated in situ from 4-decylaniline (4DA) present in adsorbed and fused mixed vesicles at the electrode surface allow their cathodic reduction and subsequent grafting. The stability of the supported lipid deposit has been shown to significantly increase from less than one day for pure DMPC to about two weeks with the lipid deposition assisted by electrochemical grafting. In this stable lipid deposit, the insertion of the sodium/proton antiporter membrane protein (NhaA) or its inactive mutant has been carried out by fusion of proteoliposomes. This has been followed by characterization of the inserted protein activity by cyclic voltammetry onto an electrode previously modified by an adsorbed pH sensor (2-anthraquinone sulfonate). Activation of the protein function by sodium ions leads to a shift of the interfacial pH and confirms the integrity of the immobilized NhaA.
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