Comparison of antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 after two doses of inactivated virus and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines in kidney transplant

Background

Antibody response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) after mRNA or adenoviral vector-based vaccines is weak in kidney transplant (KT) patients. However, few studies have focused on humoral response after inactivated virus-based vaccines in KT. Here, we compare antibody response following vaccination with inactivated virus (CoronaVac®) and BNT162b2 mRNA.

Methods

A national multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted. The study group was composed of patients from all KT centres in Uruguay, vaccinated between 1 and 31 May 2021 (CoronaVac®, n = 245 and BNT162b2, n = 39). The control group was constituted of 82 healthy individuals. Participants had no prior confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test. Blood samples were collected between 30 and 40 days after the second dose. Serum-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein were determined using the COVID-19 IgG QUANT ELISA Kit.

Results

Only 29% of KT recipients showed seroconversion (36.5% BNT162b2, 27.8% inactivated virus, P = 0.248) in comparison with 100% in healthy control with either vaccine. Antibody levels against RBD were higher with BNT162b mRNA than with inactivated virus [median (interquartile range) 173 (73–554) and 29 (11–70) binding antibody units (BAU)/mL, P < 0.034] in KT and 10 times lower than healthy control [inactivated virus: 308 (209–335) and BNT162b2: 2638 (2608–3808) BAU/mL, P < 0.034]. In multivariate analysis, variables associated with negative humoral response were age, triple immunosuppression, estimated glomerular filtration rate and time post-KT.

Conclusion

Seroconversion was low in KT patients after vaccination with both platforms. Antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 were lower with inactivated virus than BNT162b mRNA. These findings support the need for strategies to improve immunogenicity in KT recipients after two doses of either vaccine.

Ciliated Carcinoma Associated With Human Papiloma Virus: Presentation As Cervical Metastasis Of Unknown Primary

Introduction/Objective

There is a significant increase in high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) -related carcinomas of the head and neck. Half of them debut with metastases in cervical nodes, of expansive growth, usually cystic-necrotic. Most are oropharyngeal primaries. They are non-keratinizing squamous carcinomas with mild atypia, sometimes with exceptional characteristics, such as glandular differentiation and inclusion of ciliated cells

Methods

Clinical Case: 39-year-old male patient, operated two years ago, in another institution, for cervical metastasis from HPV-related Ciliated Carcinoma (HPV-RCC), 4.5 x 2 cm. No primary cancer was found in his study. Two months ago, a new 4.3 x 2.7 cm metastasis was resected, performing a right cervical dissection, with another 36 lymph nodes without tumor. Palatine tonsils, adenoids are removed and a biopsy of the oral mucosa is taken, and no malignancy was found. In our center, biopsies of the tongue and right glosso-tonsillar fold are taken, without objectify malignancy.

Results

The metastases had macroscopic cystic-necrotic appearance. Histology corresponded to nonkeratinizing squamous carcinoma with microcystic spaces and the presence of ciliated columnar cells. The immunohistochemical study gave strong and diffuse positivity for p16. The real-time multiple PCR study detected HPV genotype 16.

Conclusion

We present an exceptional case of Ciliated Carcinoma Related to HPV, a recently described entity. These are nonkeratinizing squamous neoplasms, which include cystic spaces and ciliated columnar cells. Both components reveal HPV positivity, with p16 expression and high-risk viral typing. HPV-RCC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of well-differentiated squamous lesions of the oropharyngeal cavity and at the cervical level, with non-neoplastic cysts. Our patient will undergo radiotherapy protocol, for unknown primary

Nitrite inhibition of microalgae induced by the competition between microalgae and nitrifying bacteria

Outdoor microalgae cultivation systems treating anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) effluents usually present ammonium oxidising bacteria (AOB) competition with microalgae for ammonium uptake, which can cause nitrite accumulation. In literature, nitrite effects over microalgae have shown controversial results. The present study evaluates the nitrite inhibition role in a microalgae-nitrifying bacteria culture. For this purpose, pilot- and lab-scale assays were carried out. During the continuous outdoor operation of the membrane photobioreactor (MPBR) plant, biomass retention time (BRT) of 2 d favoured AOB activity, which caused nitrite accumulation. This nitrite was confirmed to inhibit microalgae performance. Specifically, continuous 5-d lab-scale assays showed a reduction in the nitrogen recovery efficiency by 32, 42 and 80% when nitrite concentration in the culture accounted for 5, 10 and 20 mg N·L^-1, respectively. On the contrary, short 30-min exposure to nitrite showed no significant differences in the photosynthetic activity of microalgae under nitrite concentrations of 0, 5, 10 and 20 mg N·L^-1. On the other hand, when the MPBR plant was operated at 2.5-d BRT, the nitrite concentration was reduced to negligible values due to increasing activity of microalgae and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB). This allowed obtaining maximum MPBR performance; i.e. nitrogen recovery rate (NRR) and biomass productivity of 19.7 ± 3.3 mg N·L^-1·d^-1 and 139 ± 35 mg VSS·L^-1·d^-1, respectively; while nitrification rate (NOxR) reached the lowest value (13.5 ± 3.4 mg N·L^-1·d^-1). Long BRT of 4.5 d favoured NOB growth, avoiding nitrite inhibition. However, it implied a decrease in microalgae growth and the accumulation of nitrate in the MPBR effluent. Hence, it seems that optimum BRT has to be within the range 2-4.5 d in order to favour microalgae growth with respect to AOB and NOB.

The JAK2 pathway is activated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most rapidly progressive and fatal fibrotic disorder, with no curative therapies. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein is activated in lung fibroblasts and alveolar type II cells (ATII), thereby contributing to lung fibrosis in IPF. Although activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) has been implicated in proliferative disorders, its role in IPF is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze JAK2 activation in IPF, and to determine whether JAK2/STAT3 inhibition is a potential therapeutic strategy for this disease.

Methods and results

JAK2/p-JAK2 and STAT3/pSTAT3 expression was evaluated using quantitative real time-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Compared to human healthy lung tissue (n = 10) both proteins were upregulated in the lung tissue of IPF patients (n = 12). Stimulating primary ATII and lung fibroblasts with transforming growth factor beta 1 or interleukin (IL)-6/IL-13 activated JAK2 and STAT3, inducing epithelial to mesenchymal and fibroblast to myofibroblast transitions. Dual p-JAK2/p-STAT3 inhibition with JSI-124 or silencing of JAK2 and STAT3 genes suppressed ATII and the fibroblast to myofibroblast transition, with greater effects than the sum of those obtained using JAK2 or STAT3 inhibitors individually. Dual rather than single inhibition was also more effective for inhibiting fibroblast migration, preventing increases in fibroblast senescence and Bcl-2 expression, and ameliorating impaired autophagy. In rats administered JSI-124, a dual inhibitor of p-JAK2/p-STAT3, at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day, bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis was reduced and collagen deposition in the lung was inhibited, as were JAK2 and STAT3 activation and several markers of fibrosis, autophagy, senescence, and anti-apoptosis.

Conclusions

JAK2 and STAT3 are activated in IPF, and their dual inhibition may be an attractive strategy for treating this disease.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12931-018-0728-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Freeze-dried phosphatidylcholine liposomes encapsulating various antioxidant extracts from natural waste as functional ingredients in surimi gels

Three antioxidant extracts (collagen hydrolysate, pomegranate peel extract, shrimp lipid extract) were encapsulated in soy phosphatidylcholine liposomes with the addition of glycerol. The particle size of the fresh liposomes ranged from 75.7 to 81.0 nm and zeta potential from -64.6 to -88.2 mV. Freeze-drying increased particle size (199-283 nm), and slightly decreased zeta potential. The lyophilized liposomes were incorporated in squid surimi gels at 10.5% concentration. An alternative functional formulation was also prepared by adding 2% of non-encapsulated bioactive extract. The gels were characterized in terms of colour, texture and oxidative stability (TBARS) after processing and also after frozen storage. The incorporation of the freeze-dried liposomes caused a slight decrease in gel strength and contributed to maintaining the stability of the gels during long-term frozen storage. The antioxidant properties of the bioactive extracts, liposomes and in vitro digested surimi gels were determined.

Effect of chemical composition and sonication procedure on properties of food-grade soy lecithin liposomes with added glycerol

The effect of two-step and five-step acetone washing of soybean lecithin (SL) on compositional properties of partially purified phosphatidylcholines (PW2 and PW5) was studied. Trace amounts of protein were detected in SL, PW2 and PW5, with a predominance of glutamic acid and aspartic acid. Increasing the number of acetone washing steps significantly reduced the total content of γ-, δ- and α-tocopherol. Similar reductions (≈90%) of neutral lipids were found in both PW2 and PW5, but the removal of free fatty acids was higher in PW5 than in PW2 (78% vs. 71%). Linoleic acid was the main constituent in both the neutral lipids and the phospholipid fractions of SL, PW2 and PW5, accounting for around 53-59% of total fatty acids; however, a considerable amount of it was removed by increasing the number of washing steps. All phospholipid classes were mostly concentrated in the first two-step washing of lecithin. Further washing increased the concentration of phosphatidylcholine (PC) in PW5, as compared to PW2. Glycerol-containing liposomes from PW2 and PW5 were produced using two different-intensity sonication procedures (method A: 120W, 5min; method B: 30W, 2min) using a probe-type sonicator (100mL volume suspension). Liposomes of soy lecithin and liposomes of PW5 without glycerol were also obtained by using strong sonication (method A). The liposomal dispersion with the highest purification and the stronger sonication was clearly distinguished from the others, both in particle size and in zeta potential. DSC results showed noticeable interference of glycerol in the membrane structure, but minimal changes in particle size and surface charge.

Computer keyboard interaction as an indicator of early Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disease with early manifestation of motor signs. Objective measurements of motor signs are of vital importance for diagnosing, monitoring and developing disease modifying therapies, particularly for the early stages of the disease when putative neuroprotective treatments could stop neurodegeneration. Current medical practice has limited tools to routinely monitor PD motor signs with enough frequency and without undue burden for patients and the healthcare system. In this paper, we present data indicating that the routine interaction with computer keyboards can be used to detect motor signs in the early stages of PD. We explore a solution that measures the key hold times (the time required to press and release a key) during the normal use of a computer without any change in hardware and converts it to a PD motor index. This is achieved by the automatic discovery of patterns in the time series of key hold times using an ensemble regression algorithm. This new approach discriminated early PD groups from controls with an AUC = 0.81 (n = 42/43; mean age = 59.0/60.1; women = 43%/60%;PD/controls). The performance was comparable or better than two other quantitative motor performance tests used clinically: alternating finger tapping (AUC = 0.75) and single key tapping (AUC = 0.61).

Gelificación de serrín de merluza (Merluccius australis) / Gelling of hake (Merluccius australis) sawdust

Fish 'sawdust' is powdered muscle produced by sawing blocks of frozen fish. It is an underuti lized material with very poor functional properties, and is difficult to use in reconstituted prod ucts without the addition of ingredients to enhance these properties. In order to enhance the gel-forming capacity of sawdust from hake muscle (Merluccius australis), different ingredients were added: (1) a formula (designated ACC formula) composed of starch, i-carrageenan and dried egg white (at a proportion of 5, 5 and 3% respectively of the dough), (2) surimi from the same species as sawdust, and (3) sodium ascorbate (100-1500 ppm). The results suggest that fish sawdust with either ACC formula or a high proportion of surimi could be used to produce gels (folding test score 5) highly suitable for restructuring fish products, with good water holding ability (more than 93%) but poor gel strength (13 N·mm). If the proportion of surimi exceeded 75% (with respect to total muscle) and the formula contained sodium ascorbate (750 ppm), gel strength was much greater (more than 40 N·mm).

Chemical and functional properties of sardine (Sardina pilchardus W.) dark and light muscle proteins during frozen storage. Effect of washing on mince quality / Propiedades químicas y funcionales de las proteínas del músculo oscuro y claro de sardina (Sardina pilchardus w.) durante el almacenamiento en congelación. Efecto del lavado en la calidad del músculo picado

This paper examines the effects of eight months of frozen storage on the protein conformation and functionality of whole, light and dark sardine muscles, and washed mince. The variation in protein surface hydrophobicity and Ca-ATPase activity was different in dark muscle from that in whole muscle over the storage period. The dark muscle lacked gel forming capacity because of its higher fat content and a greater presence of low molecular weight proteins, and it also became insoluble faster than the light muscle. The Ca-ATPase activity of the actomyosin extracted from the dark muscle was higher than in light or whole muscle during the first three months. Washing the minced muscle induced conformational changes in the myosin molecule which, together with the added cryoprotectants, contributed to greater functional stability of the washed mince at least during the first three month's storage, at which stage gels were somewhat softer and more elastic than with unwashed mince.

Extension of shelf life of chilled hake (Merluccius capensis) by high pressure/Prolongación de la vida útil de merluza (Merluccius capensis) sometida a altas presiones conservada en refrigeración

Vacuum packed hake muscle subjected to 400 MPa (three 5-min cycles) at 7 °C proved to be more stable at chilled temperatures (2-3 °C), and sensorially acceptable, until 43 days of storage in comparison with the nine days for the non-pressurized hake. The lot pressurized at 400 MPa had the appearance of cooked muscle. The microbial load was initially reduced by two log units by pressurization at 400 MPa. Trimethylamine nitrogen (TMA-N) values were also very low. Pressurization had no effect on dimethylamine nitrogen (DMA-N) production. The lot pressurized at 400 MPa showed slower increase in drip loss from day 15 of storage. In the lot subjected to 200 MPa (three 5-min cycles) at 7 °C, which retained the appearance of raw fish, microorganisms were one log unit lower than in the non-pressurized sample and TMA-N was lower. In conclusion, the chilled shelf life was prolonged by about one week in the lot pressurized at 200 MPa and about two weeks in the lot pressurized at 400 MPa.

Influencia de la subespecie, estacionalidad y procedimientos de estabilización en la aptitud gelificante del músculo de sardina (Sardina pilchardus) congelado/Influence of subspecies, season and stabilization procedures in gel-forming ability of frozen minced muscle of sardine (Sardina pilchardus)

This paper examines the gel-forming ability of minced muscle of sardine - caught from the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean at different seasons - kept in frozen storage for 150 days. The influence of atmospheric and vacuum packaging on the gel-forming capacity of minced muscle, and the addition of tocopherol as antyoxidant were also studied. From the outset of frozen storage, Mediterranean sardine muscle exhibited greater gel strength than that from the Bay of Biscay. Sardines from the Bay of Biscay caught in November produced the best gels from any area. Generally, when frozen muscle was vacuum-packed, rancidity was less and gel strength improved. Activity of tocopherol does not seem sufficiently clear. In nearly all cases, gel strength was greater the longer the muscle was kept in frozen storage, although in Bay of Biscay sardine muscle there was progressive myofibrillar protein aggregation throughout the storage.

Partial protease activity characterization of squid (Todaropsis eblanae) mantle / Caracterización parcial de la actividad proteolítica del manto de pota (Todaropsis eblanae)

Proteolytic activity in mantle of Todaropsis eblanae was maximum at 40 and 65 °C. Several peaks of activity were detected over the pH range studied (1.5-9.5), indicating the presence of acidic, neutral and alkaline proteases, depending on the temperature. The substantial enzymic inhibition at acidic pH by the inhibitor trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamine-4-guanidine butane (E-64) revealed the pre dominance of lysosomal cysteine proteases (cathepsins) which showed higher activity at 65 °C than at 40 °C. At 65 °C and pH 5.5 metallo-proteases were also detected by the inhibition with phenanthroline. Serine protease activity predominated at neutral pH (higher at 40 °C than at 65 °C), and cysteine proteases were detected at alkaline pH. There was evidence of cathepsin B and L activity at 65 °C and to a lesser degree at 40 °C.

Behavior of Octopus Muscle (Octopus vulgaris) under a Process of Pressure-Time-Temperature Combinations

Octopus muscle ( Octopus vulgaris) of different sex was treated for various different simultaneous combinations of pressure (0.1 or 450 MPa), time (15 or 30 min) and temperature (7, 40, 75 or 100 °C). The sex of specimens was not a significant factor. High pressure was effective in reducing the microbial load and the intense autolytic activity in the octopus muscle. Pressurization time was found to be a significant factor for hardness, but neither hardness nor the exudates were reduced by pressurizing at 450 MPa. Progressive raising of the temperature increased the drip loss, while hardness was reduced only at high temperatures. Increasing temperature produced ultrastructural changes relating to softening, but nevertheless, the ultrastructural changes observed after pressurization did not correspond with modifications in shear strength.