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Introduction and objectives The human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] is a lentevirus, primarily infects certain cells of the immune system, thereby greatly weakens the body’s own defenses against diseases. This study was aimed to explore the value and significance of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the assessment of patients with HIV infection and to examine the presence of quantitative alterations in 18F-FDG uptake among patients with HIV-related infections or malignant diseases in HIV-positive patients. Patients and methods Forty patients with HIV infection were scanned on PET/CT system. The data were registered according to immune status, antiretroviral therapy, and definitive diagnosis. All pathologic lesions and disease related areas were described, 18F-FDG uptake patterns were evaluated. Semiquantitative analysis of 18F-FDG uptake was performed and SUVmax were calculated. Results Twenty-eight patients [70%] were diagnosed with HIV-related infection or malignant diseases. The sensitivity of PET/CT was shown to be 100% and the specificity 92% for concomitant diseases requiring additional treatment to antiretroviral therapy. The SUVmax and CD4 counts were not statistically different between HIV-related reactive lymphadenopathy, HIV-related malignancy, and HIV-related infections. Conclusions The pattern of distribution of nodal/extranodal uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT may facilitate distinction between HIV-related generalized lymphadenopathies, HIV-related opportunistic infections, and malignancies. In this context, 18F-FDG PET/CT should be preferred for routine use in the management of patients infected with HIV.

Hematologic abnormalities are common in HIV and involve all blood cell lineages. A study on cytopenias, as correlated with disease progression, can be valuable in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to determine the hematologic profile of HIV patients and its association with CD4 count and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.This is a retrospective cohort study involving adult Filipino HIV patients with complete blood count (CBC) and CD4 count determinations prior to the initiation of ARV treatment and after ≥6 months of ARV treatment. Logistic regression was performed to determine the association between cytopenias and a CD4 count200 cells/µL.The study included 302 patients. Anemia was the most common cytopenia. Anemia and leukopenia were associated with an increased likelihood of having a CD4 count200 cells/µL in ARV-naïve patients. In ARV-treated patients, leukopenia was associated with an increased probability of having a CD4 count200 cells/µL. An increase in hemoglobin, white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts was observed after ≥6 months of ARV treatment.Anemia and leukopenia can be used as markers of immune status in HIV-infected individuals and improvement in the CBC parameters can be used to assess response to ARV treatment. Routine monitoring of hematologic parameters is recommended.

Graphical abstract, Even given recent advances in nanomedicine development of breast cancer treatment in recent years and promising results in pre-clinical models, cancer nanomedicines often fail at the clinical trial stage. Limitations of conventional in vitro models include the lack of representation of the stromal population, the absence of a three-dimensional (3D) structure, and a poor representation of inter-tumor and intra-tumor heterogeneity. Herein, we review those cell culture strategies that aim to overcome these limitations, including cell co-cultures, advanced 3D cell cultures, patient-derived cells, bioprinting, and microfluidics systems. The in vivo evaluation of nanomedicines must consider critical parameters that include the enhanced permeability and retention effect, the host's immune status, and the site of tumor implantation. Here, we critically discuss the advantages and limitations of current in vivo models and report how the improved selection and application of breast cancer models can improve the clinical translation of nanomedicines.

The development of immunotherapy has led to a paradigm shift in the treatment of both solid and hematologic malignancies. As immunomodulatory therapies are employed with increasing frequency, a greater number of immune-related adverse reactions are being reported, and the majority of these involve the skin. As a result, dermatologists are increasingly becoming involved in the management of these cutaneous adverse reactions-often providing critical recommendations regarding ongoing cancer treatment. Cutaneous immune-related adverse reactions can vary significantly from patient to patient, making early recognition and timely intervention imperative to mitigate associated morbidity and potential treatment interruption. Although there is considerable overlap in the cutaneous adverse events caused by these immune checkpoint inhibitors, specific eruptions are characteristically associated with particular checkpoint inhibitors. In addition, a patient's comorbidities or immune status can play a significant role in the presentation and management of such adverse reactions. This review characterizes and provides management guidelines for the various cutaneous toxicities associated with checkpoint inhibitor therapy, including CTLA-4 inhibitors, PD-1 inhibitors, and PD-L1 inhibitors. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Burkitt lymphoma is a rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with three classifications: endemic, sporadic, and immunodeficiency-related. High-intensity chemotherapeutic regimens have considerably improved overall survival for patients with Burkitt lymphoma. In this Review of HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma, we summarise expert opinion and provide general recommendations for the treatment of Burkitt lymphoma in patients with HIV on the basis of retrospective and prospective studies, taking into consideration immune status, CD4 cell counts, the presence of systemic disease, and the risk of CNS involvement or relapse. We also discuss the role of rituximab and antiretroviral therapy. We highlight the reasons behind the possible different mechanisms of lymphomagenesis in HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma and endemic Burkitt lymphoma, which indicate that HIV might have either a direct or indirect oncogenic role in Burkitt lymphoma. We discuss the possible mechanisms by which HIV and HIV proteins could directly contribute to lymphomagenesis. Identifying these mechanisms might lead to the development of therapies that have fewer toxic effects than high-intensity chemotherapeutic regimens.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of benzoic acid, Bacillus coagulans and oregano oil combined supplementation on growth performance, immune status and intestinal barrier integrity of piglets. In a 26-d experiment, 25 piglets were randomly assigned to 5 treatments: 1) a basal diet, negative control (NC), 2) NC added with antibiotics, positive control (PC); 3) NC added with benzoic acid at 3,000 g/t and Bacillus coagulans at 400 g/t (AB); 4) NC added with benzoic acid at 3,000 g/t and oregano oil at 400 g/t (AO); 5) NC added with 3,000 g/t benzoic acid and Bacillus coagulans at 400 g/t and oregano oil at 400 g/t (ABO). On d 27, all piglets were euthanized to obtain jejunal mucosa to measure immune status and intestinal barrier integrity. Results showed that pigs fed AB diet increased the final body weight and average daily body weight gain and decreased the ratio of feed to gain compared with NC group (P < 0.05). Compared with NC group, AB, AO and ABO decreased serum tumor necrosis factor-α concentration and ABO decreased interleukin-1β concentration in serum and jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05). Compared with NC group, AB up-regulated mRNA expressions of sodium-glucose cotransporte1, claudin-1, occludin and mucin2 in jejunal mucosa and the populations of Bifidobacterium and Bacillus in cecal digesta (P < 0.05). Compared with NC group, ABO increased jejunal mucosal occludin mRNA abundance and Bifidobacterium population in cecal digesta, and decreased Escherichia coli population in cecal digesta (P < 0.05). Furthermore, AB and ABO increased Bacillus population in cecal digesta compared with PC group (P < 0.05). These results indicated that dietary AB supplementation could improve growth performance and intestinal barrier integrity of piglets when fed antibiotic-free diets, which was possibly associated with the improvement of immune status and intestinal microflora. Dietary ABO supplementation is also beneficial to improve immune status and intestinal barrier integrity and microflora of piglets.

To evaluate the effects of gelatin and starch encapsulated vitamin A on growth performance, immune status and antioxidant capacity in weaned piglets, a total of 96 weaned piglets (body weight = 9.11 ± 0.03 kg, 30-d-old) were randomly allotted to 3 treatments with 4 replications of 8 piglets each. The 3 treatments were control diet (basal diet without addition of vitamin A), gelatin vitamin A diet (basal diet + 13,500 IU/kg gelatin encapsulated vitamin A), and starch vitamin A diet (basal diet + 13,500 IU/kg starch encapsulated vitamin A), respectively. The results showed that piglets fed starch vitamin A diet had significantly higher final body weight and average daily gain compared to those in control and gelatin vitamin A groups (P

Background Extreme environments are inherently stressful and are characterized by a variety of physical and psychosocial stressors, including, but not limited to, isolation, confinement, social tensions, minimal possibility of medical evacuation, boredom, monotony, and danger. Previous research studies recommend adaptation to the environment to maintain optimal function and remain healthy. Different interventions have been tried in the past for effective management of stress. Yoga practices have been shown to be beneficial for coping with stress and enhance quality of life, sleep and immune status. Objective The current article describes preparation of a Yoga module for better management of stressors in extreme environmental condition of Antarctica. Materials and methods A Yoga module was designed based on the traditional and contemporary yoga literature as well as published studies. The Yoga module was sent for validation to forty experts of which thirty responded. Results Experts (n = 30) gave their opinion on the usefulness of the yoga module. In total 29 out of 30 practices were retained. The average content validity ratio and intra class correlation of the entire module was 0.89 & 0.78 respectively. Conclusion A specific yoga module for coping and facilitating adaptation in Antarctica was designed and validated. This module was used in the 35th Indian Scientific expedition to Antarctica, and experiments are underway to understand the efficacy and utility of Yoga on psychological stress, sleep, serum biomarkers and gene expression. Further outcomes shall provide the efficacy and utility of this module in Antarctic environments.

Oncolytic viruses are promising immunoreagents. Numerous studies have shown that oncolytic virotherapy is effective for many tumors. Herein, we investigated the therapeutic effect of oHSV2, an oncolytic type 2 herpes simplex virus, on mouse colon carcinoma. The in vivo antitumor efficacy of oHSV2 was observed in both unilateral and bilateral colon cancer models. oHSV2 effectively eliminated tumors and prolonged the survival of mice without side effects. Additionally, treatment with oHSV2 effectively prevented the growth of rechallenged tumors and distant implanted tumors. The specific killing ability of splenic immune cells to tumor cells was enhanced. oHSV2 treatment effectively reduced the content of inhibitory immune cells (regulatory T cells [Tregs] and myeloid-derived suppressor cells [MDSCs]) and increased the content of positive immune cells (natural killer [NK], CD8+ T, and dendritic cells [DCs]) in the spleen. Moreover, treatment with oHSV2 remodeled the tumor immune microenvironment. In summary, treatment with oHSV2 can effectively eliminate primary tumors, generate tumor-specific immunity, and elicit immune memory to inhibit tumor recurrence and metastasis. Furthermore, this virotherapy can reshape the immune status of the spleen and tumor microenvironment in mice, which can further improve the therapeutic antitumor effect. Keywords: oncolytic virus, oHSV2, colon carcinoma, tumor microenvironment, immune status, tumor-specific immune response

Purpose Contact lens wearers aged 15–25 years are at higher risk of corneal inflammation, yet little is known about corneal inflammatory state in this group. Previous investigations show density of corneal epithelial dendritic cells (CEDC) may increase with contact lens wear. However, it is not known how corneal distribution or morphology of CEDC alters with lens wear or whether these markers are affected by age. This study characterised CEDC in adolescent and young adult contact lens wearers to determine effects of contact lens wear and age on CEDC density, distribution and morphology. Method Forty participants (20 contact lens wearers, 20 healthy non-wearers; age 16–36 years; 16M:24F) completed this pilot study. Corneal images were captured using in vivo confocal microscopy (HRTII, Rostock). CEDC were manually counted in a 1 mm2 area of the central and mid-peripheral cornea, and ratio of central to midperipheral density was calculated. CEDC morphology and dendrite length were graded. Differences between groups and between regions, and associations with age were examined. Significance was determined at P Results A lower ratio of central to mid-peripheral CEDC density was found with younger age (ρ = 0.42, P = 0.01). CEDC morphology was not associated with age or contact lens wear. CEDC density in the mid-peripheral cornea was higher in soft lens wearers than non-wearers (P = 0.04), but central density did not differ. CEDC density and morphology were not significantly different between centre (median density 11 cells/mm2, range 0–120) and mid-periphery (10 cells/mm2, 0–58). Conclusion Density, distribution and morphology of CEDC do not differ in established contact lens wearers. A relatively lower density of CEDC in the central cornea of younger patients may allude to a more naive immune status in this group and warrants further study. Decreased central CEDC density identified in orthokeratology lens wear requires confirmation in a larger group.

With the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide, and a lack of proper preventive and therapeutic treatment, herbal medicine is frequently used by many people to increase the immune status of the body. We describe a case of a 56 year-old-man stabilized on warfarin (7 mg daily) from 12 years, experienced an elevated international normalized ratio (INR) of 5.45 after the consumption of an Indian traditional herbal drink “kadha” as a precautionary measure to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Encapsulated probiotic administration can be a nutritional strategy to improve the growth performance and immune status of fish. Here commercial application of encapsulated G. candidum was evaluated as a feed supplement to fingerlings of L. rohita reared in earthen ponds under semi-intensive culture conditions. Fingerlings with an average body weight of 20 ± 2.34 g were distributed randomly in three groups and experiment was conducted in triplicate. The control group (P0) was fed 35% protein basal diet while the two treated groups, P1 and P2 were fed basal diet supplemented with 109 CFU g−1 un-encapsulated (free) and encapsulated G. candidum, respectively, for eleven weeks. Results indicated significantly (P

Background: Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine, can offer prophylactic or therapeutic solutions for COVID-19. Govt of India recommended Guduchi Ghanavati (Ayurveda herbal formulation) as an Immunity enhancer and prophylaxis to SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to assess the effect of Guduchi Ghanavati as prophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2, as immunity enhancer and on Quality of life in adult volunteers who are at high risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Materials & Methods: Non-randomized, multi-centric, controlled trial was conducted on the population of the community dwelling individuals having good health and were at moderate to very high risk of exposure to COVID 19 infection at five cities in Gujarat, India. Participants of the intervention arm received ‘Guduchi Ghana’ (GG) [extract of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers] 1 g/day orally along with standard preventive guidelines (SPG) for SARS-CoV-2 infection (washing hand frequently, physical distancing, and covering the face). Participants of the control group followed standard preventive guidelines only. The outcome measures were the incidence of COVID-19, changes in Immune Status, WHOQOL-BREF, and preliminary safety. Results: a total of 41 incidences of COVID-19 were reported in GG+SPG group (n=15729 analyzed) whereas 16 incidences in SPG only group (n=4845 analyzed) indicating no significant association between the incidence of COVID-19 and Add-on GG intervention (OR, 0.79; CI, 0.44- 1.41 and Adjusted OR, 0.67; CI 0.37-1.21). Analyzing the effect on secondary outcomes, a significant difference (p

Highlights • HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 are likely to exhibit a synergic effect on immunity in serious cases of HIV/SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. • Exhausted T lymphocyte dynamics along with IL-10 and TGFβ growth during COVID-19 course may be an effective prognostic marker of this synergy as well as overall prognosis of the co-infection disease. • HIV without antiretroviral therapy may be a dangerous comorbidity of COVID-19. Conversely, COVID-19 clinical course and immune status of HIV patients with a proper ART did not differ significantly from the control group of SARS-CoV-2 positive people without HIV. • SARS-CoV-2 was detected to exasperate a loss of lymphocytic cytokine-producing ability with respect to IL-2, TNFα and IFNγ., Objectives The aim was to investigate if there is a synergy in HIV and COVID-19 in their influence upon human immunity; if there is an exacerbation of HIV patients’ immune status by SARS-CoV-2; and if HIV without ART leads to a more serious COVID-19 course than HIV with a proper antiretroviral therapy (ART). Design The anonymised blood samplings and clinical data were collected in 47 hospitals, clinics and medical centres in six Russian cities/regions in time range 20 March – 15 June 2020. 376 HIV/COVID-19 patients were studied (171 without ART and 205 with ART). Control group was represented by 382 SARS-CoV-2-positive persons without HIV. Lymphocyte and cytokine amounts were measured by flow cytometry and ELISA. The work is a retrospective study. Results COVID-19 led to rapid augmenting the process of T-cell exhaustion initially caused by HIV and this T cell degradation was most pronounced in patients without ART. A rise in IL-10 and TGFβ serum concentrations was observed. Diminishing CD4+/CD8+ and Th1/Th2 ratios characteristic for HIV progression was accompanied by a surge in exhausted T-cell count with simultaneous exacerbating COVID-19-related respiratory distress. Conclusions HIV without ART may be a very serious comorbidity of COVID-19 whereas immunity of HIV/COVID-19 patients with a proper ART is not generally affected by SARS-CoV-2. HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 are likely to exhibit a synergic effect and exhausted T-lymphocyte dynamics may be its effective marker.

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed and the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Malnutrition is a substantial problem in patients with gastric cancer, associated with poor treatment tolerance and increased morbidity. It has also been recognized as an independent prognostic factor in individuals with cancer. Early detection of malnutrition and effective perioperative nutrition intervention play an important role in the treatment of gastric cancer. Nutrition screening and assessment are the first steps in nutrition management and provide a basis for further nutrition support. Several tools, including the Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment, have been developed for nutrition screening and assessment. Effective nutrition support can significantly improve nutritional and immune status, reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, and accelerate recovery. The aim of this review was to focus on preoperative nutrition risk screening and assessment, and perioperative nutrition support, which may serve as a framework of perioperative nutrition management for gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Distant metastasis (DM) is an important prognostic factor for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of host and tumor factors in development of DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After IRB approval, 1369 patients with OSCC undergoing primary surgery were eligible for the study. The primary endpoint was the development of distant metastasis (DM). Patients were pathologically staged according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer, 8(th) Edition. Pre-operative peripheral blood counts were used to calculate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 39 months (range 1–221). DM were identified in 126 patients during follow-up. When analyzed as a time-dependent covariate, neck recurrence (NR) was a significant predictor of DM (HR 16.35, 95% CI: 11.39–23.47, p

Background There are currently no effective treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, alleviating gastrointestinal (GI) problems, which are prevalent in ASD patients, can significantly improve the core symptoms of autism. Previous studies have associated GI disorders in ASD patients with abnormal gut microbiota, although few disease-related microorganisms have been identified. Considering that the gut microbiome affects the intestinal immune system and the patient’s behavior, and that immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the main antibody secreted by intestinal immune cells, we investigated stool IgA content as a means of understanding the gut immune status of ASD patients. The IgA level in gut can be used as factor to know the Gene x Environment interactions and diagnose of ASDs. Methods We enrolled 43 ASD patients and 31 gender- and age-matched healthy children. Stool IgA content was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results We found that IgA levels were significantly higher in stool samples from ASD patients than from healthy children (p Conclusions This finding may suggest the presence of gut immune abnormalities in ASD patients. Further studies with larger patient and control cohorts will be necessary to determine whether stool IgA levels can be used as a biomarker for ASDs.

Heat stress abatement is not difficult to implement, and at a minimum all cows should have shade access regardless of housing or pasture access. Active cooling of lactating cows and dry cows can have dramatic effects on productive function and enhance immune status as well. Whereas the method of abatement may vary depending on humidity conditions at a particular location, cooling can be achieved in any environment. Therefore, producers should emphasize appropriate heat stress abatement throughout the production cycle to improve productivity and health, including limiting mastitis.

Botryomycosis has emerged as a multifaceted entity caused by both the aerobes as well as the anaerobes, however, the exact nature of this entity is not understood in entirety as there are varying reports pertaining to its association with other conditions, clinical presentations and the host’s immune status. In the present report we describe a case of granular bacteriosis in a 34 year old male patient with an unclear clinical presentation. The use of the term “granular bacteriosis” when there is misconstrued clinical and microbiologic presentation is the highlight of this paper and the isolated causative factor in the present case is Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes).

Background An incorrect definition of immune status to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can lead to incorrect management of pregnant women. Objectives Aims of the study were: i) to describe 10 cases of unconfirmed HCMV IgG-seroconversion in pregnancy; ii) to develop a panel of confirmatory tests to define HCMV serostatus; iii) to investigate the frequency of false IgG-positive results in pregnant women screened with the LIAISON®CMVIgGII automated assay. Study design Blood samples from 10 pregnant women referred for HCMV IgG-seroconversion were examined to confirm/exclude a primary infection. In addition, samples were tested for HCMV IgG by immunoblotting, neutralization assay, and ELISA against gB, gH/gL/pUL128L and gH/gL/gO recombinant glycoproteins. LIAISON®CMVIgGII results obtained on 1158 pregnant women were reviewed and samples with low IgG titers were further investigated. Results A primary infection was excluded in the 10 women referred for HCMV IgG seroconversion. None of them was confirmed to be IgG-seropositive. Of the 1158 women prenatally screened by LIAISON®CMVIgGII, 678 (59%) were IgG-positive and, of these, 40 (5.9%) showed low levels of IgG (14–50 U/mL). Thirty-three women with low IgG-positivity were further tested by confirmatory tests and 11 (33.3%) were found to be non reactive to HCMV. Conclusions At least 1.6% (11/678) women who tested positive with LIAISON®CMVIgGII were found to be seronegative when tested with confirmatory tests. These women should be informed to reduce the risk of a primary HCMV infection. Furthermore, should a congenital infection occur in any of these women, a maternal non-primary infection could be erroneously diagnosed.

espanolResumen Las infecciones parasitarias del tracto gastrointestinal son causa de una importante morbimortalidad. Aunque mas comunes en paises en vias de desarrollo con pobres condiciones sanitarias, ocurren en todo el mundo; la inmigracion, los viajes internacionales, los cambios en la alimentacion o la importacion de alimentos han supuesto un aumento en la incidencia de parasitosis intestinales, lo que nos obliga a conocer este tipo de infecciones. Los protozoos se asocian a infecciones del tracto gastrointestinal mas frecuentemente que los helmintos en el mundo desarrollado. La presentacion clinica variara en funcion del parasito implicado y la parte afectada del tracto gastrointestinal. La mayoria de las veces los parasitos sobreviven en el aparato digestivo durante periodos prolongados sin provocar sintomas, mientras en otras ocasiones dan lugar a cuadros graves. Los antecedentes epidemiologicos, la situacion inmunitaria del paciente, las manifestaciones clinicas, la exclusion de otras patologias gastrointestinales y los estudios microbiologicos nos proporcionaran el diagnostico. EnglishParasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract cause significant morbidity and mortality. Despite being more prevalent in developing countries with poor sanitary conditions, these infections occur worldwide, as immigration, international travel, dietary changes and food importation have resulted in an increased incidence of intestinal parasitosis, which compels us to be aware of this infection. In the developed world, protozoans are more frequently associated with gastrointestinal tract infections than are helminths. The clinical manifestations of these infections vary according to the parasite involved and the area of the gastrointestinal system that has been affected. These parasites often survive within the digestive tract for extended periods, although they can occasionally result in severe symptoms. The diagnosis of these infections is based on the patient's epidemiological history, immune status and clinical manifestations, as well as the ruling out of other gastrointestinal diseases and the results of microbiological tests.

As is apparent from the many contributions to this Special Issue of the Journal, the impact of age on immunity is nefarious, with all manner of dysregulated responses attributed to "immunosenescence". These range from poorer responses to vaccination, lower capacity to mediate anti-cancer responses, more inflammation and tissue damage, along with autoimmunity and loss of control of persistent infections. Given the grave clinical implications of altered immune status in aged people, it is of paramount importance to understand the nature of and mechanisms responsible for "immunosenescence". As in any rapidly developing research area, certain paradigms establish themselves early on, by necessity based on earlier and fewer data, and have a disproportionate influence on how investigators think about the subject, especially investigators from other disciplines. It may therefore be appropriate to reconsider our basic knowledge at this juncture, asking exactly what do we mean by the term "immunosenescence"? This is attempted in this contribution to the Special Issue.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Arg on growth performance and immunity in broiler chickens. Three hundred 1-d-old broiler chickens were divided into 5 treatments with 6 cages and 10 chickens per cage. The broiler chickens in the 5 treatments were fed with the basal diet (Arg-deficient diet, 8.6% Arg in diet from 0 to 21 d and 6.8% Arg in diet from 21 to 42 d) supplemented with 0%, 0.45%, 0.90%, 1.35%, and 1.80% Arg, respectively. The effects of dietary Arg on performance and immune status were assessed. The results showed that, with increasing of dietary Arg content, body weight was increased quadratically on d 21 (P

The establishment of well-balanced diets that meet nutrient requirements is important to optimize a large-scale production of new aquaculture species. This is the case of meagre (Argyrosomus regius), a promising new aquaculture species, with great potential owing to its high growth rate, feed efficiency and easy adaptation to captivity. Knowledge on the nutritional requirements of this species is still scarce, namely regarding essential fatty acids, which are required to sustain growth, development, immune status and survival. A feeding trial was performed with meagre fingerlings (2.8 g ± 0.23) testing 5 increasing dietary n-3 LC-PUFA levels (0.8, 1.4, 2.0, 2.6 and 3.6% DM) with the purpose of evaluating the n-3 LC-PUFA requirements for fast growth of meagre fingerlings. Meagre reflected very high specific growth rates (4.1 to 4.6%) and low feed conversion ratios (0.7 to 0.8), thus highlighting its great potential for aquaculture production. Fish fed 0.8% n-3 LC-PUFA showed the lowest growth, which was significantly improved by increasing the dietary n-3 LC-PUFA levels up to 2.0–2.6%. DHA and ARA were preferentially retained over EPA in whole fish body. Fish fed 0.8% n-3 LC-PUFA showed an up-regulation of fads2 and elovl5 relative gene expressions. Thus, meagre seems to have active Δ6 desaturases and Elovl5, but their activities being insufficient to produce DHA and EPA from PUFA precursors to sustain fast growth, at least under the experimental conditions tested. Young meagre shows a typical marine requirement for n-3 LC-PUFA, estimated to be, at least, 2.0% DM of the diet.

Tench production is limited in traditional and low intensity cultures. However, its demand is increasing and makes necessary the evaluation of physiological parameters that could affect tench welfare under intensive conditions. This study analyses the growth performance and related indices, hematological and immunological parameters as well as hormone profile and electrolytes in plasma, in fish under three different culture systems: extensive (E), with initial density of 0.07 kg/m3, no control of environmental parameters and natural feeding; semi-intensive (SI), with initial density of 0.42 kg/m3, partial control of temperature and supplementation of artificial food; and intensive (I), with initial density of 2.5 kg/m3, total control of photo- and thermo-period and exclusive artificial diet. Results showed that variables such as weight, length, density increase and specific growth rate (SGR) were higher in I. Higher hepatosomatic index were found in I and SI. In addition, E and SI cultures, which kept natural conditions, achieved greater gonadal increase in detriment of somatic growth. On the other hand, the analysis of hormones and electrolytes, hematological and immunological parameters did not reveal a disturbed immune function in I compared to SI and E. Thus, the general activation of the nonspecific immune system and the mobilization of energy reserves associated to gonadal maturation in fishes from S-I and E systems could be related to an adaptive, non-pathological, response to the natural environmental changes, resulting in reduction of productivity. With all in mind, it can be concluded that adequate artificial feeding and control of the environmental parameters can improve tench productivity by intensive systems without major perturbations of its welfare.

Immunophenotyping of whole blood (WB) by flow cytometry (FC) is used clinically to assess a patient's immune status and also in biomedical research. Current protocols recommend storage of immunolabeled samples at 4°C with FC analysis to be completed within seven days. This data acquisition window can be extended to up to one year post-labeling, but this requires cryopreservation of the samples at ultra-low temperatures (≤-80°C or in liquid nitrogen). In this study we optimized a standardized cryopreservation protocol to enable preservation of immunolabeled, human WB samples at -20°C for FC and tested its effectiveness after 0, 5, 15 or 30days. Analysis of stored samples shows that this protocol effectively preserves immunolabeled WB samples and that the duration of storage has no effect on morphology, viability or frequency of WB cell subpopulations, and that the intensity of fluorescent signal from labeled extracellular markers is fully preserved for at least 15days, and up to 30days for some markers. We demonstrate that using this protocol, we are able to differentiate resting versus activated WB cells as demonstrated by detection of significantly increased expression of CD11b by myeloid cells in WB samples pretreated with LPS (100μg/mL for 12h). Finally, we show that this method allows for labeling and detection of the intracellular cytokine (IL-8) up to 30days following cryopreservation from myeloid cells, in previously labeled and cryopreserved WB samples.

A growing number of publications are identified toward the use of black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L) on small ruminant animals since many beneficial evidences have been reported in humans and animals. This study used a meta-analysis approach to quantify the effect of black cumin seeds (BCS) supplementation on the productive performance, nutrients utilization, and blood metabolites profile of small ruminant animals. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocols, a total of 23 studies were aggregated in a database and were analyzed using mixed model methodology classifying the studies as random effects and levels of BCS as fixed effects in the models. Results found that interaction between BCS levels and animal species tended to be significant whereas increasing dietary BCS levels linearly increased average daily gain (ADG) (p

The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary nucleotides inclusion rate on growth performance, gut health, and immunity of broiler chickens exposed to high stocking density-induced stress. A total of 315 one-day-old mixed broiler chickens were randomly assigned to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 2 different stocking densities, low stocking density (LSD; 0.073 m2/2.2 kg broiler chicken; 15 broiler chickens/replicate) and high stocking density (HSD; 0.05 m2/2.2 kg broiler chicken; 20 broiler chickens/replicate), and 3 dietary inclusion rates of nucleotides at 0, 0.05, and 0.1%, with 3 cages per treatment. The experiment lasted for 35 days. At the end of the experiment, intestinal histomorphology, digestive enzymes production, immune status, and growth performance of broiler chickens were determined. The results showed that intestinal histomorphological picture, immune indices, and digestive enzymes production were negatively affected (P

Metabolic disorders are a prime global threat, primarily aided by consuming excess carbohydrate or fat-rich diet. Being related to a chronic inflammatory state, metabolic disorders may have a difference in pathophysiology; like adiposity and insulin resistance (IR), based on the individual immune status. Thus, we aim to explore the effects of different diets on the development of adiposity and IR under different immune backgrounds, using immune-biased mouse strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6. Mouse from each strain was randomly divided based on the diets like a) chow-fed control, b) non-resistant starch-rich, c) unsaturated fat-rich or d) saturated fat-rich groups, and observed for eight weeks, to evaluate the extent of various metabolic disease-related pathophysiology. Results revealed that the consumption of a) non-resistant starch-rich diet enhanced lipidemia, b) both the fat-rich diets enhanced visceral adiposity, and c) saturated fat-rich diet increased meta-inflammation. The extent of lipidemia and visceral adiposity were higher in C57BL/6 while the meta-inflammatory responses were higher in BALB/c. IR was severer in all the treatment diet groups of BALB/c mice compared to the control and corresponding C57BL/6 groups. Maximum IR was observed in the saturated fat-rich group which may have related to the intrinsic immune biases of the mice.

Highlights • There is a strong correlation between acute rejection episodes in the postoperative first month and primary etiology that requires liver transplantation. • This difference substantially disappears after the postoperative first month which suggest the effcet of removal of the tumor. • The functional immune status of the patients determines the prognosis following liver transplantation.

As potential substitutes for traditional free-range rearing system, floor-rearing system (FRS) and net-rearing system (NRS) are the current predominant dryland duck rearing systems. However, the influence of these two systems on production performance and duck health is poorly understood. In this study, a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement with two rearing systems (FRS and NRS) and three ages (4w, 8w and 13w) was conducted to study the effects of FRS and NRS on production, antioxidant capacity and immune status of Nonghua ducks. The production performance was mainly affected by the effect of rearing systems at 8w. Body weight, average daily gain, eviscerated weight and semi-eviscerated weight were higher in NRS ducks at 8w, but carcass yield at 8w and 13w was decreased (P 0.05), however, in NRS, slightly better antioxidant capacity was seen at 4w, while glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was higher at 13w (P

The risk of transmission of tuberculosis (TB) in confined spaces is analyzed using the Gammaitoni and Nucci model and its variant, a dose response model. The dose response model with its additional parameters has the benefit of taking the immune status and susceptibility of an individual into account, as a separate term from the generation parameter. It is shown via a sensitivity analysis and a model algebraic identifiability analysis that there is little benefit in using the more complex dose response model unless the number of infectious TB particles in the air can be measured. This is because the uncertainties associated with the additional dose response model parameters are otherwise lumped into the parameter representing the generation of infectious TB particles.

Effective functionality of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and its health, are important factors in determining animal performance. Several, complex mechanisms are involved in the regulation of GIT functionality and health, therefore it is crucial to deepen our knowledge of these interactions so that strategies for the modulation of GIT functionality and health, in context of improved animal performance, can be developed. The concept of “gut health” has started to attract significant interest within the animal science community, however a clear definition of gastrointestinal health and functionality and how it can be measured is lacking. Therefore, this review will present a new definition of gastrointestinal functionality and will address how optimal gastrointestinal functionality can promote animal performances and welfare. The key components of gastrointestinal functionality reviewed in this article are: diet, effective structure and function of the gastrointestinal barrier, host interaction with the gastrointestinal microbiota, effective digestion and absorption of feed and effective immune status. While the relationships between these areas is extremely complex, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to develop nutritional strategies that would allow farm animals to become more resilient to the environmental and physiological challenges that they will have to endure during their productive career. As the demand of animal products from the rapidly growing world human population is ever-growing, the aim of this review is to present animal and veterinary scientists and nutritionists, a new definition of gastrointestinal functionality that can be used to establish a multidisciplinary approach to increase animal health, welfare and performance.

Vulvar fissures, excoriations, and erosions are common problems resulting from a variety of etiologies, many involving other mucosal and cutaneous sites. We present historical and examination features and useful investigations that can help establish a diagnosis so that definitive therapy can be instituted. Vulvar involvement also can be part of life-threatening conditions that require hospital admission and a multidisciplinary approach for optimal patient care. The clinical morphology of these examination findings and response to therapy can be modified by various host factors, particularly immune status, and atypical presentations and responses to therapy should always prompt patient reevaluation.

Intramuscular Immune Serum Globulin (IM ISG) is recommended as post-measles exposure prophylaxis (PEP) when administered within 6days of initial exposure, with variable effectiveness in preventing measles disease. Effectiveness of IM ISG PEP in preventing clinical measles was assessed during a 2014 measles outbreak among a religious-affiliated community in British Columbia, Canada.Fifty-five self-reporting measles susceptible contacts were offered exclusively IM ISG PEP within an eligibility period best surmised to be within 6days of initial measles case exposure. Clinical outcome of IM ISG PEP recipients was determined by selective active surveillance and case self-reporting. IM ISG PEP failure was defined as onset of a measles-like rash 8-21days post-IM ISG PEP. Post-IM ISG PEP measles IgG antibody level was tested in 8 recipients. Factors associated with measles disease were analyzed.Seventeen of 55 IM ISG PEP recipients developed clinically consistent measles in the following 8-21days, corresponding to an estimated crude protective effectiveness of 69%. In school aged children 5-18years, among whom potential exposure intensity and immune status confounders were considered less likely, estimated IM ISG PEP protective effectiveness was 50%. Age25years was significantly associated with breakthrough clinical measles in bivariate analysis (p=0.0217). Among 8 tested contacts of 17 considered IM ISG PEP failures, post-IM ISG PEP measles IgG antibody levels (mean 16.3days (range 16-17days) post-PEP) were all150mIU/ml.The estimated crude IM ISG PEP protective effectiveness against measles disease within 8-21days post-ISG administration was 69%. Accuracy of this estimated protective effectiveness is vulnerable to assumptions and uncertainties in ascertaining exposure details and pre-exposure immune status. Increasing the Canadian recommended measles IM ISG PEP dose from 0.25 to 0.5ml/kg (up to 15ml maximum volume) may increase protective effectiveness.

The remarkable efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA4 immune checkpoint inhibitors has led to numerous approvals in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and several other cancers. Nevertheless, a response is observed in a variable proportion of patients, emphasizing the need for predictive biomarkers of efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors effectiveness. Several predictive biomarkers of efficacy are of interest: companion tests such PD-L1 immunohistochemistry, the mutational load, the immune status of the tumor and its molecular profile. They do not allow a perfect selection of the patients, but standardization procedures for certain techniques are ongoing. Moreover the emergence of new approaches, such as the multiplex in situ techniques and the microbiote analysis, may offer the opportunity to better select patients who really benefit from immunotherapy. The goal of this article is to discuss available and promising predictive biomarkers of efficacy for immunotherapy strategies.

Background Systematic inflammation has been thought to play a crucial role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. This study is aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of time-series behavior of systematic inflammation-immune status before and after definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Methods The relation between systematic inflammation-immune score (SIS, defined as pretreatment peripheral platelet count × neutrophil count / lymphocyte count) and prognosis was tested in a retrospective study of 386 consecutive LA-NSCLC patients (Group A) with pretreatment SIS and 161 patients (Group B) with SIS before and one month after dCRT. Results SIS of 1400 × 109 was found to be an optimal cutoff point to stratify the patients into high (>1400 × 109) and low (≤1400 × 109) SIS groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the SIS, whether before or after dCRT, was an independent predictor for overall survival (OS), progress-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). High SIS (>1400 × 109) was shown to predict poor 3-year OS (p=0.006, hazard ratio [HR]=2.427), PFS (p=0.001, HR=2.442) and DMFS (p=0.015, HR=2.119). However, SIS was not related with Local regional recurrence-free survival either in Group A (p=0.346) or Group B (p=0.486). Further, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the SIS for OS was higher than neutrophil count / lymphocyte count ratio, platelet count / lymphocyte count ratio and other conventional clinic-pathological indices. Conclusions The SIS is a stable and more sensitive survival predictor than other inflammation‑based factors and conventional clinical indices, which may aid in more accurately stratifying patients for risk assessment and treatment decision.

Background Adoptive cell therapy using CMV-specific cytotoxic T-cells (CMV CTLs) has demonstrated efficacy in treating CMV in the post HCT setting. However, little is known about the mechanism by which adoptively transferred CTLs exert durable responses. Therefore, we studied the relationship between response and recipient factors. Methods We retrospectively reviewed pediatric and adult patients (pts) who received primary or 3rd party donor CMV CTLs for the treatment of CMV viremia/disease after HCT between 9/2009 and 1/2018. Outcomes of interest were response to CMV CTLs and death from CMV. We evaluated these in relationship to time to start of CMV CTLs and IR using a CD4 count of 50 × 106/L and of 200 × 106/L as markers of IR. Pts whose CMV response was not attributable to CMV CTLs were excluded from analysis. Results Pts (n=102) were transplanted for malignant (n=83) and non-malignant (n=19) disease at a median age of 51.8 (range 0.3-73). Pts were treated with primary (n=25), 3rd party (n=74) and both (n=3) type of donor CMV CTLs. The median time from HCT to treatment was 127 days (range 29-2763). There was no difference in time to IR (p=0.4) or response to CMV CTLs between donor types (p=0.17). However, recipients with a baseline CD4>50 × 106/L were significantly (p=0.015) more likely to respond to CMV CTLs (26/29, 90%) vs those with a baseline CD4 50 × 106/L in responding vs non-responding recipients. Using a conventional measure of IR as CD4>200 × 106/L there was no evidence of difference in time to achieve IR between responders and non-responders. Responders (n=5) died less frequently from CMV than non-responders (n=12) (p= Conclusion We demonstrate that adoptive therapy with CMV CTLs may rely on recipient immune components to mediate durable response to therapy. Irrespective of the time from HCT, pts with a baseline CD4

This study investigated the expression status of signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family 6 (SLAMF6) in CD8+ T lymphocytes of patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and its association with the clinical indicators and immune status of the disease. The effects of SLAMF6 on the function and apoptosis of CD8+ T lymphocytes were also investigated. Levels of SLAMF6 and SLAM-associated protein in the CD8+ T lymphocytes of SAA patients were significantly lower than the normal controls, and they were positively correlated with hematopoietic-related indicators but negatively correlated with the levels of functional molecules of CD8+ T lymphocytes. After blocking SLAMF6, CD8+ T lymphocyte functional molecule secretion was upregulated and RICD was downregulated in SAA patients, suggesting that SLAMF6, is involved in the pathogenetic mechanism of SAA by regulating CD8+ T lymphocyte functional molecule secretion and RICD levels. SLAMF6 may be a novel target for the regulation of CD8+ T lymphocyte homeostasis.

Background The increasing trends of morbidity and mortality of Lassa fever is becoming more alarming in Nigeria. Information about immune response to the virus is limited. At exposure, the level of immunity plays a vital role in the vulnerability of individuals infected. Objective Investigating the immune status of health workers, infected cases and contacts of infected cases of Lassa fever in Ondo State. Study Design Blood samples were collected from 233 individuals comprising 102 health workers, 22 infected cases and 109 contacts of infected cases from Owo and Ose Local Government Areas and transported in triple level packaging. Plasma samples were analyzed for IgG and IgM markers using ReLASV® Pan-Lassa NP IgG/IgM ELISA Kit (Zalgen Labs, LLC, USA) while RNAs extracted from IgM positive samples were analyzed for LASV RNA according to manufacturers’ instructions. Result Among the health workers, 20/102 (19.6%) and 2/102 (2.0%) were IgG and IgM positive respectively. While 16/22 (72.7%) and 14/22 (63.6%) were IgG and IgM positive respectively among the infected cases. Of the contacts of infected cases screened, 64/109 (58.7%) were IgG positive while 4/109 (3.7%) were positive for IgM. There was no detectable LASV RNA in the samples analyzed. Conclusion These findings suggest that majority of the health workers are naive to the virus and hence may be prone to the viral infection. It could also be suggestive that a good personal protective procedure is been practiced by the health workers, hence the low exposure. However, most of the contacts of infected cases show exposure to the virus.

Marine macroalgae are considered to be alternative promising animal feed resources with numerous advantages, such as high growth rate, exceptional tolerance to be potentially cultivated in marine water and non-competition of arable lands for cultivation, over conventional terrestrial resources. Beyond that, macroalgae are rich exclusive sources of several bioactive components such as laminarin and fucoidan (complex carbohydrates), which are of growing interests for their potential beneficial impacts on health of livestock and fish. Dietary supplementation with algae and algae extracts was found to enhance the immune status and improve growth performance of fish. Positive improvements in productive parameters and general health have been observed due to the use of different macroalgae in fish diets. Also, macroalgae and their extracts are recently introduced as safer alternative prophylactic and therapeutic agents to control the infectious diseases affecting farmed fish. Several studies have shown that marine algae are a suggested source of antibacterial agents against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. This review highlights the health benefits and the potential application of macroalgae phenolic molecules in fish nutrition. Moreover, this review offers future perspectives on curcumin and its nanoparticles, and their applications in fish nutrition.

Infections of the central nervous system are important sources of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The risk for infections with specific bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic agents varies greatly with the patient's age, immune status, prior vaccination history, seasonality and geographic exposures. While vaccines are available for many viral and bacterial pathogens, there has been a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in recent years due to under-vaccination of eligible children and adults. This review will discuss key pathognomonic features of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases of the central nervous system that may be encountered in general surgical and autopsy practice.

There are 2 types of central nervous system lymphoma: primary and secondary. Both have variable imaging features making them diagnostic challenges. Furthermore, a patient's immune status significantly alters the imaging findings. Familiarity with typical appearances, variations, and common mimics aids radiologists in appropriately considering lymphoma in the differential diagnosis. Moreover, special types of lymphoma, such as lymphomatosis cerebri, intravascular lymphoma, and lymphomatoid granulomatosis, also are found. This article discusses uncommon types of lymphoma and the differential diagnosis for focal, multifocal, meningeal, and infiltrative lymphomas.

Research into how the central nervous system (CNS) and the skin of mammals are physiologically connected and how this "brain-skin connection" may be therapeutically targeted in clinical medicine has witnessed a renaissance. A key element in this development has been the discovery that mammalian skin and its appendages, namely human scalp hair follicles (HFs), not only are important, long-underestimated target tissues for classical neurohormones, neurotrophins and neuropeptides, but also are eminent peripheral tissue sources for the production and/or release of these neuromediators. This essay summarizes the many different levels of biology at which human scalp HFs respond to and generate a striking variety of neurohormones, and portrays HFs as prototypic, cyclically remodelled miniorgans that utilize these neurohormones to autoregulate their growth, hair shaft production, rhythmic organ transformation, pigmentation, mitochondrial energy metabolism, and immune status. The essay also explores how preclinical research on human scalp HFs can be exploited to unveil and explore "novel" and clinically as yet untapped, but most likely ancestral functions of neurohormones within mammalian epithelial biology that still impact substantially on human skin physiology. Arguably, systematic investigation of the "brain-skin connection" is one of the most intriguing current research frontiers in investigative dermatology, not the least since it has reversed the traditional CNS focus in studying the interactions between two key organ systems by placing the skin epithelium on center stage.

SUMMARY The immune system is complex, with redundant and overlapping functions. Identifying the correct immune parameters to study the immune status of an animal is challenging. Nutritional immunologists often measure different isotypes of antibodies, hematological parameters, parasite loads, functional assays of macrophages and T cells, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, phosphorylation status of proteins involved in signaling pathways, and several other parameters to identify the immune status of birds. Papers in which authors misinterpret immune parameters are common. This article discusses the drawbacks of some of the common interpretations of several immunological assays available for nutritional immunologists.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of purified, low-molecular-weight, polymannuronate on the performance, immune status, antioxidant capacity and the intestinal tract fermentation profile of weaned piglets. In a 28-d experiment, 180 crossbred Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets weighing 9.19 ± 1.47 kg and weaned at 35 days of age, were divided into 5 groups and fed corn-soybean meal based diets supplemented with 0, 3, 4, 5 or 6 g/kg polymannuronate (supplemented at the expense of corn). Each treatment was replicated 6 times with 6 pigs per replicate. Average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F) ratio as well as the serum IgM and hepatic glutathione linearly increased ( P P E. coli in ileum and colon was linearly decreased ( P P P