Article
Immunology
Martin Beukema, Shuran Gong, Kasem Al-Jaawni, Jacqueline J. de Vries-Idema, Florian Krammer, Fan Zhou, Rebecca Jane Cox, Anke Huckriede
Summary: This study found that prolonging the delivery of influenza vaccine can improve the quality of the induced immune responses, including the levels of cellular and humoral immune responses, the amount of high avidity antibodies, a balanced IgG subclass profile, and the level of cross-reactive antibodies.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Rahul Ukey, Natalie Bruiners, Hridesh Mishra, Pankaj K. Mishra, Deborah McCloskey, Alberta Onyuka, Fei Chen, Abraham Pinter, Daniela Weiskopf, Alessandro Sette, Jason Roy, Sunanda Gaur, Maria Laura Gennaro
Summary: This study compared the immunogenicity of Ad26.COV2.S and mRNA vaccines and found that mRNA vaccines elicited stronger humoral immune responses, while there were no significant differences in antigen-specific B cell and T cell responses between the two vaccine classes.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Menglu Zhao, Chun-Yan Yan, Ya-Nan Wei, Xi-He Zhao
Summary: This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying drug tolerance induced by PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and proposes mechanism-based combination therapies and small molecule drugs that target intrinsic immunity and immune checkpoints. Optimization of individualized combination therapy can enhance PD-1/PD-L1-mediated immunoregulation, reduce chemotherapy resistance, and offer new ideas for chemotherapy-resistant cancer.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Fermin K. Broni, Festus K. Acquah, Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, Evans K. Obboh, Esther Sarpong, Linda E. Amoah
Summary: The study found that IgG responses against Pfs230 and Pfs48/45 in children decreased during the dry season and began to increase by the early rainy season. Older children with active infections generally had lower antibody levels against both antigens. The relative avidities of IgG against both antigens followed the trend of IgG levels until the middle of the dry season, after which they correlated inversely with the antibody levels.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Justin Patrick
Summary: This article discusses two competing approaches in student leadership literature: student representation and student partnerships. It responds to critiques of student representation and reframes the dichotomy of representation and partnership within the context of power relations in education systems. The article also provides a critique of student partnership approaches and applies populism scholarship to illustrate how it can be reduced. Emphasizing the importance of students having structural power in education decision-making, the article offers a framework to measure student power.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Tingting Xu, Jihong Zhang, Tianyun Wang, Xiaoyin Wang
Summary: This review focuses on the aggregation of recombinant therapeutic antibodies (RTAs), discussing factors causing aggregation during RTA production and strategies for overcoming RTA aggregation.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gayatri Amirthalingam, Jamie Lopez Bernal, Nick J. Andrews, Heather Whitaker, Charlotte Gower, Julia Stowe, Elise Tessier, Sathyavani Subbarao, Georgina Ireland, Frances Baawuah, Ezra Linley, Lenesha Warrener, Michelle O'Brien, Corinne Whillock, Paul Moss, Shamez N. Ladhani, Kevin E. Brown, Mary E. Ramsay
Summary: The UK extended the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses to 12 weeks, leading to higher antibody levels and estimated greater vaccine effectiveness. This study highlights the importance of an extended vaccine schedule in enhancing protection against COVID-19.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Frantisek Petrovic, Patrik Maturkanic
Summary: The paper focuses on the urban-rural dichotomy as one of the dichotomies of quality of life. It aims to compare the quality of urban and rural life in Czechia and identify predictors of quality of life. The study found strong correlations between quality of life and other variables, and also discovered that women generally have higher measured values than men. The combination of quality of place and quality of the environment was rated higher than the combination of QOL and happiness by the respondents.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Soeren Hornig, Katrin Bauerfeld, Maike Beier
Summary: Currently, annual loads from long-term series simulations are commonly used to evaluate rainwater management and treatment measures, although the temporal distribution of pollution and quantity has a noticeable impact on treatment performance. A joint research project in Lower Saxony established measurement devices and scenario studies to dynamically simulate output values in relation to rainfall events, catchment characteristics, and dry periods. First measurement results of surface runoff qualities in an urban sub-catchment in Braunschweig, Germany were presented, along with correlation analysis identifying additional explanatory parameters for the first flush effect.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Mauricio de Gois Gomes, Adelena Goncalves Maia, Joana D'arc Freire de Medeiros
Summary: The study aimed to define operating rules for reservoirs in a semi-arid region of Brazil using a quantity-quality approach. The results showed that a quantitative approach alone could meet priority demands but not the water quality requirements, while a quanti-qualitative approach could meet both quantity and quality demands, but with severe rationing when phosphorus concentration is high.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Faical Brini, Khalil Mseddi, Marian Brestic, Marco Landi
Summary: Light is crucial for plants' life processes and it can affect various physiological and developmental aspects. Excessive variations in light quantity and quality may harm plants, but hormone fluctuations and signaling help plants cope with these changes and protect their photosynthetic system.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Xun Fan, Qiang Gao, Yusong Gao, Geyang Zhang, Fei Huang, Ronglin Xiao, Wei Liu, Fengchao Wang, Jianbin Qin, Emiliano Bilotti, Han Zhang, Xuetao Shi, Guangcheng Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrates a method to fabricate highly-loaded graphene in microcellular epoxy nanocomposites, overcoming the challenges of nanoparticle dispersion and mechanical performance control with the use of supercritical CO2 foaming method. The rearrangement of nanofillers during foaming process enhances the conductive network, resulting in improved electromagnetic interference attenuation. An optimal combination of electrical conductivity, EMI shielding effectiveness, compressive strength, and density has been achieved for the foamed nanocomposite with 32.26 wt% graphene content, opening up possibilities for lightweight structural foams in various applications.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xia Pan, Wenyin Cheng, Yuning Gao, Tomas Balezentis, Zhiyang Shen
Summary: The study found that environmental regulation in China has a certain impact on green innovation, with weaker effects in central and western regions, and a more significant inverted U-shaped relationship in provinces with high state-owned enterprise ratio. Areas with high pollution levels show significant potential for green innovation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuhua Hou, Ming Xu, Shen Qu
Summary: This study uses MRIO and gravity methods to investigate virtual water trade flows among 177 countries in 2014, and finds several strongly correlated factors influencing grey water trade, offering valuable insights for water resource management.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manfred Nairz, Sabina Sahanic, Alex Pizzini, Anna Boehm, Piotr Tymoszuk, Anna-Maria Mitterstiller, Laura von Raffay, Philipp Grubwieser, Rosa Bellmann-Weiler, Sabine Koppelstatter, Andrea Schroll, David Haschka, Martina Zimmermann, Silvia Blunder, Kristina Trattnig, Helene Naschberger, Werner Klotz, Igor Theurl, Verena Petzer, Clemens Gehrer, John E. Mindur, Anna Luger, Christoph Schwabl, Gerlig Widmann, Guenter Weiss, Judith Loeffler-Ragg, Ivan Tancevski, Thomas Sonnweber
Summary: The CovILD study systematically followed up COVID-19 patients and found that S-specific IgG levels are correlated with immune activation, pulmonary function, and CT abnormalities. An S-specific IgG-based recovery score accurately predicted delayed pulmonary recovery after COVID-19. Therefore, S-specific IgG levels can serve as a useful immunological surrogate marker.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Valery Volk, Sebastian J. Theobald, Simon Danisch, Sahamoddin Khailaie, Maja Kalbarczyk, Andreas Schneider, Julia Bialek-Waldmann, Nicole Kronke, Yun Deng, Britta Eiz-Vesper, Anna Christina Dragon, Constantin von Kaisenberg, Stefan Lienenklaus, Andre Bleich, James Keck, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Frank Klawonn, Wolfgang Hammerschmidt, Henri-Jacques Delecluse, Christian Munz, Friedrich Feuerhake, Renata Stripecke
Summary: PTLD is a common malignancy after organ transplantation, often B cell neoplasias carrying EBV. Therapeutic approaches include reducing immunosuppression and immunotherapies targeting CD20. Immune checkpoint inhibition for EBV+ PTLD is not established due to risks of organ rejection and GVHD.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Martin J. Kuehn, Daniel Abele, Sebastian Binder, Kathrin Rack, Margrit Klitz, Jan Kleinert, Jonas Gilg, Luca Spataro, Wadim Koslow, Martin Siggel, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Achim Basermann
Summary: The study found through numerical simulations that strict lockdown measures and commuter testing at least twice a week can effectively control virus spread in certain regions in Germany, while less strict interventions would require significantly increased testing rates to prevent overall infection dynamics from escalating.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Wadim Koslow, Martin J. Kuehn, Sebastian Binder, Margrit Klitz, Daniel Abele, Achim Basermann, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: We analyzed the relaxation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in Germany with an increasing number of vaccinations. By using a SIR-type model that accounts for age-dependence and realistic contact patterns, we found that relaxing NPIs at the right time can counteract the resurgence of SARS-CoV-2.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Ziqi Long, Bethan Phillips, Daniel Radtke, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Oliver Bannard
Summary: Research has found that cyclic reentry initiation and B cell refueling are independently regulated in germinal centers (GCs). Cyclic reentry initiation is associated with B cell receptor affinity, while B cell refueling is limited by both T cell affinity and cells' intrinsic antigen-acquiring abilities. This less binary selection mechanism supports complex antibody maturation pathways and clonal diversity in GCs.
SCIENCE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Lisa Schlicker, Gang Zhao, Christian-Alexander Dudek, Hanny M. Boers, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Doris M. Jacobs, Karsten Hiller
Summary: The study found that different carbohydrate sources adjust the direction of lactate dehydrogenase and alanine amino transferase fluxes differently to ensure sufficient availability and prevent overflow of the metabolite pools. The systemic lactate pool acts as a metabolic buffer, playing a key role in systemic metabolic homeostasis by being replenished in the early postprandial phase and depleted in the late postprandial phase.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Economics
Florian Dorn, Sahamoddin Khailaie, Marc Stoeckli, Sebastian C. Binder, Tanmay Mitra, Berit Lange, Stefan Lautenbacher, Andreas Peichl, Patrizio Vanella, Timo Wollmershaeuser, Clemens Fuest, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: This study presents a novel approach that combines epidemiological and economic models for data-based simulations during a pandemic. The findings suggest a non-linear U-shape relationship between health protection and economic interests, indicating that it is beneficial to balance non-pharmaceutical interventions to further reduce infection rates. The simulations suggest that a prudent strategy with a reproduction number of around 0.75 is economically optimal.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Danial Lashgari, Elena Merino Tejero, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Mathieu A. F. Claireaux, Marit J. van Gils, Huub C. J. Hoefsloot, Antoine H. C. van Kampen
Summary: Affinity maturation is an evolutionary process where antibodies' affinity to specific antigens increases through rounds of B-cell proliferation, somatic hypermutation, and positive selection in germinal centres. Our research suggests that the mechanism by which B cells capture antigens affects germinal centre dynamics and outputs, with clones having low dissociation rates outcompeting those with high association rates over time in a mechanism where bond rupture is possible during antigen extraction. Understanding germinal centre selection could help in developing optimized immune responses for vaccination.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Theinmozhi Arulraj, Sebastian C. Binder, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: The mechanisms of germinal center shutdown are still unclear. This study uses a mathematical model to identify several mechanisms that can promote germinal center contraction and shutdown, including antigen consumption, antigen masking, alterations in cell differentiation and proliferation capacity. In addition, the study proposes experimental methods to further investigate the mechanistic basis of germinal center shutdown.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Haroon Arshad, Anastasios Siokis, Raimo Franke, Aamna Habib, Juan Carlos Lopez Alfonso, Yuliya Poliakova, Eva Luecke, Katina Michaelis, Mark Broenstrup, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Ursula Bilitewski, Jordi Vila, Laurent Abel, Thomas Illig, Jens Schreiber, Frank Pessler
Summary: Amino acid metabolism is dysregulated in both community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and infection-triggered chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation. Total amino acid concentrations, asparagine, and threonine show promise as plasma biomarkers for differentiating CAP from COPD exacerbation, while reduced tryptophan and histidine levels are accurate biomarkers for distinguishing acute CAP from healthy controls. The kynurenine/tryptophan ratio correlates with clinical recovery and resolution of inflammation.
Article
Immunology
Neta Gurwicz, Liat Stoler-Barak, Niklas Schwan, Arnab Bandyopadhyay, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Ziv Shulman
Summary: This study reveals that Tingible body macrophages (TBMs) originate from lymph node-resident precursors and consume germinal center B cells through dynamic protrusions to prevent intracellular-content dissemination. The dynamics and function of TBMs provide insights into the emergence of various antibody-mediated autoimmune conditions.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Coraline Mlynarczyk, Matt Teater, Juhee Pae, Christopher R. Chin, Ling Wang, Theinmozhi Arulraj, Darko Barisic, Antonin Papin, Kenneth B. Hoehn, Ekaterina Kots, Jonatan Ersching, Arnab Bandyopadhyay, Ersilia Barin, Hui Xian Poh, Chiara M. Evans, Amy Chadburn, Zhengming Chen, Hao Shen, Hannah M. Isles, Benedikt Pelzer, Ioanna Tsialta, Ashley S. Doane, Huimin Geng, Muhammad Hassan Rehman, Jonah Melnick, Wyatt Morgan, Diu T. T. Nguyen, Olivier Elemento, Michael G. Kharas, Samie R. Jaffrey, David W. Scott, George Khelashvili, Michael Meyer-Hermann, Gabriel D. Victora, Ari Melnick
Summary: Multicellular life relies on altruistic cooperation among cells. However, a study found that mutations in the BTG1 gene disrupt a crucial mechanism that limits B cell fitness during antibody affinity maturation, leading to the emergence of aggressive lymphomas.
Article
Cell Biology
Theinmozhi Arulraj, Sebastian C. Binder, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: In this study, computer simulations were used to investigate the role of soluble antibodies in the interaction between germinal centers (GCs). The findings suggest that intense interactions by soluble antibodies can limit the magnitude and lifetime of GC responses, and also lead to a bias in epitope recognition. The study also highlights the importance of GC-GC interactions in the affinity maturation towards antigenic variants during an ongoing GC reaction.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lito A. Papaxenopoulou, Gang Zhao, Sahamoddin Khailaie, Konstantinos Katsoulis-Dimitriou, Ingo Schmitz, Eva Medina, Haralampos Hatzikirou, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: This study developed a mathematical model to investigate chronic Staphylococcus aureus infection. The model suggested a therapeutic strategy using heat-killed S. aureus, which was tested in vivo. The results showed that the treatment protocol eliminated the infection and restored immune system function.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Arnab Bandyopadhyay, Marta Schips, Tanmay Mitra, Sahamoddin Khailaie, Sebastian C. Binder, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: During the first wave of COVID-19 in Italy, hospital and ICU beds were overwhelmed, leading to increased death rates. By studying data from different regions in Italy, the impact of testing strategies on infection dynamics was analyzed. It was found that early testing and isolation could greatly reduce hospital usage and death toll, but it cannot solve the issue of insufficient healthcare facilities.
COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gang Zhao, Rainer H. Straub, Michael Meyer-Hermann
Summary: This study constructs a mathematical model for energy flow between different subsystems of an organism and explores the role of the brain and fat in immune response. The results reveal a connection between obesity and aging with chronic infections.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2022)