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BackgroundLittle is known about the immune determinants for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in individuals vaccinated against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We therefore attempted to identify differences in humoral and cellular immune responses between patients with non-severe and severe breakthrough COVID-19.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled hospitalized patients with breakthrough COVID-19 (severe and non-severe groups) and uninfected individuals who were vaccinated at a similar time (control group). Severe cases were defined as those who required oxygen therapy while hospitalized. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and flow cytometry were used to evaluate humoral and cellular immune responses, respectively.ResultsAnti-S1 IgG titers were significantly lower in the severe group than in the non-severe group within 1 week of symptom onset and higher in the non-severe group than in the control group. Compared with the control group, the cellular immune response tended to be diminished in breakthrough cases, particularly in the severe group. In multivariate analysis, advanced age and low anti-S1 IgG titer were associated with severe breakthrough COVID-19.ConclusionsSevere breakthrough COVID-19 might be attributed by low humoral and cellular immune responses early after infection. In the vaccinated population, delayed humoral and cellular immune responses may contribute to severe breakthrough COVID-19.

BackgroundDespite the fact of ongoing worldwide vaccination programs for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), understanding longevity, breadth, and type of immune response to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is still important to optimize the vaccination strategy and estimate the risk of reinfection. Therefore, we performed thorough immunological assessments 1 year post-COVID-19 with different severity.MethodsWe analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma samples at 1 year post-COVID-19 in patients who experienced asymptomatic, mild, and severe illness to assess titers of various isotypes of antibodies (Abs) against SARS-CoV-2 antigens, phagocytic capability, and memory B- and T-cell responses.FindingsA total of 24 patients (7, 9, and 8 asymptomatic, mild, and severe patients, respectively) and eight healthy volunteers were included in this study. We firstly showed that disease severity is correlated with parameters of immune responses at 1 year post-COVID-19 that play an important role in protecting against reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, namely, the phagocytic capacity of Abs and memory B-cell responses.InterpretationVarious immune responses at 1 year post-COVID-19, particularly the phagocytic capacity and memory B-cell responses, were dependent on the severity of the prior COVID-19. Our data could provide a clue for a tailored vaccination strategy after natural infection according to the severity of COVID-19.

Additional file 2: Figure S2. Representative gating strategy for the SARS-CoV-2-specific activated and cytokine-producing T cells.

Additional file 5: Figure S4. Cytokine-producing T cells against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the Delta variant according to vaccination status after COVID-19. a CD4+ T-cell populations producing specific cytokines. b CD8+ T-cell populations producing specific cytokines. NS, not significant; IFN-γ, interferon- γ; IL, interleukin; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor-α.

Additional file 1: Supplementary Figure 1. A The pH of the medium was adjusted by HCl or NaOH and stabilized in a 5% CO2 incubator. the medium pH was measured using a pH meter. B The pH of the medium was adjusted by HCl or NaOH, and MDA-MB-231 cells were incubated for 18 h. mRNA levels were analyzed by qPCR. Supplementary Fig. 2. A–C MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with various conditioned media for 18 h. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting (A), mRNA levels were analyzed by qPCR (B), and the culture medium pH was measured using a pH meter (C). D, E MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with lactic acid, with/without, NaOH for 24 h. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting (D) and the culture medium pH was measured using a pH meter (E). Supplementary Fig. 3. A MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with lactic acid or sodium lactate, with/without, NaOH for 24 h. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting. B MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with various conditioned media with/without NaOH for 18 h. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting. C The summarization of the process by which various conditioned media are prepared. CON: control; fresh media, NCM: normoxic conditioned media, HCM: hypoxic conditioned media, Oxamate pre-treated HCM). D-F The various conditioned media were treated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells for 18 h. Cells were analyzed by westernblotting (D) and qPCR (E), and cultured media pH was measured using a pH meter (F). G MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with a nifuroxazide under acidic conditions for 18 h. Protein levels were analyzed by western blotting. Supplementary Fig. 4. A Acidic media were treated in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells for 18 h. Cell lysates were analyzed by westernblotting. Supplementary Fig. 5. Densitometric and statistical analysis of all western blot data in main figures. Supplementary Fig. 6. Densitometric and statistical analysis of all western blot data in supplementary figures. Supplementary Fig. 7. Full-length blots in Figure 1. The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 8. Full-length blots in Figure 2. The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 9. Full-length blots in Figure 3. The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 10. Full-length blots in Figure 4. The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 11. Full-length blots in Supplementary Figure 2. The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 12. Full-length blots in Supplementary Figure 3.The red dotted lines are the main figures. Supplementary Fig. 13. Full-length blots in Supplementary Fig. 4.The red dotted lines are the main figures.

Additional file 3: Table S1. Detailed clinical information of each group in the present study

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Purification of recombinant RBD proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The purity of the purified recombinant protein was determined by non-reducing (left) and reducing (right) 14% SDS-PAGE gels. M, protein ladder. 1. RBD wild-type; 2. RBD Alpha (B.1.1.7, with N501Y mutation); 3. RBD Beta (B.1.351, with K417N, E484K, and N501Y); 4. RBD Gamma (P.1, with K417T, E484K, and N501Y mutations); 5. RBD Delta (B.1.617.2, with L452R and T478K mutations); 6. RBD Omicron (B. 1.1.529, with G339D, S371L, S373P, S375F, K417N, N440K, G446S, S477N, T478K, E484A, Q493R, G496S, Q498R, N501Y, and Y505H).

Additional file 4: Figure S3. Comparisons of humoral and cellular immune responses against different strains of SARS-CoV-2 in individuals who recovered and then received one dose of an mRNA vaccine 18 months later. a IgG-binding activities measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. b Neutralization activities measured using a focus reduction neutralization test. c Proportions of activation-induced marker+ T cells measured by flow cytometric analysis. For simplicity, in Figure S3a, statistical significance is shown by the lines. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.005 NS, not significant; FRNT, focus reduction neutralizing test.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for fall in the elderly population residing in rural areas of Korea and provide useful data for their prevention. Methods As part of farmers' health promotion project, a retrospective study was conducted with a total of 350 elderly people recruited from March 2016 to December 2016. These subjects were divided into two groups: 254 non-fallers and 96 fallers. A person who fell to the floor at least once in the past year was defined as a faller. Participants were asked to visit the hospital once. The demographic characteristics, social environment, and educational levels were surveyed using a questionnaire. Physical examination was performed in the following order: cognitive function, lower leg strength and torque, body composition, and knee image test. Results Statistically significant factors for falls in univariate analysis were female gender, age, living alone, educational level less than middle school, skeletal muscle mass, Mini-Mental State Exam, knee osteoarthritis, hip torque, hip power mean, knee torque, and knee power mean. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify variables most relevant to falls among statistically significant factors in univariate logistic analysis. It was confirmed that female gender and age of 70-79 years were statistically significant factors related to falls. Conclusion Female gender and elderly status (70-79 years) are important risk factors for falls in rural areas underscoring the need for special attention when considering risk factors for falls among the elderly living in rural areas.

The biosorption of dye, Rhodamine B(Rh-B), onto waste activated sludge was investigated. The biosorption capacity and contact time were shown as a simulation of dye adsorption equilibrium and kinetics models. We observed that biosorption of Rh-B occurred rapidly less than 4 hr. These experimental data could be better fitted by a pseudo-second-order rate equation than a pseudo-first-order rate equation. The equilibrium dependence between biosorption capacity and initial concentration of Rh-B was estimated and it was found that the equilibrium data of biosorption were fitted by four kinds of model such as Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich-Peterson, and Koble-Corrigan model. The average percentage errors, , observed between experimental and predicted values by above each model were , respectively, indicating that Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson model could be fitted more accrately than other models.

Waste sludge may be used to recovery wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The waste sludge is an inexpensive readily available source of biomass for biosorption with metal-bearing wastewater. The biosorption of heavy metals such as Pb(II), Cu(II), Cr(II), and Cd(II) onto waste sludge was investigated in batch ex­periments and waste sludge loaded heavy metals was separated by dissolved air flotation. The biosorption equi­bria of heavy metals could be described by Langmuir and Freundich isotherms. The adsorption capacity for waste sludge was in the sequence of Pb(II)>Cr(II)>Cu(II)>Cd(II). The system attained equilibrium about 20 min. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption model effectively described the biosorption equilibrium of Cu(II) and Cr(II) ions on waste sludge. Maximum adsorption capacity of Cu(II) and Cr(II) were 196.08 and 158.73 mg/g, respectively. Solid-liquid separation efficiencies were kept above on waste sludge loaded heavy metals, and were decreased with pH increasing.

International audience; Globalization has substantially transformed the fashion industry. Firms that conduct innovative marketing campaigns for SPA brands, also known as fast fashion, are operating worldwide. Because SPA brands tend to have short trend cycles, corporate profitability is sensitive to consumers' attitudinal changes. The authors of this study establish a theoretical framework by examining research trends related to customer equity at home and abroad by delving into the current state of global SPA brands, defining customer equity, developing customer equity measurements, and conducting empirical analyses. This study uses structural equation models to analyze corporate marketing activity effects on customer lifetime value through brand attitude. Although earlier studies identify customer equity as driving value equity, brand equity, and relationship equity, the authors introduce social network equity as another driver.