Biological Agents Research Articles

Medical School Regulatory Compliance Burdens for the Physician-Scientist.

Medical school research faculty is increasingly required to complete more comprehensive and time consuming compliance steps for regulatory oversight. These relate to animal studies, information technology, biosafety, and human resources. For physician-scientists, the additional role in clinical care adds to these research areas with regulatory compliance in patient care and ever-growing web trainings. The sum of all these compliance regimes is a considerable time and cost burden, diminished research performance, and disengagement of faculty from colleagues, collaborations, and institutions. Many research and clinical compliance processes were put in place, often using legacy systems, in well-meaning attempts to address straightforward regulations in humane animal care, safe use of biological agents, and medical care delivery. However, their accumulation and negative impact on faculty performance demand time, energy, and resources that impact academic productivity. There are solutions to a relentlessly increasing regulatory load for research faculty, which involve vertical integration, convergence, and performance assessment in medical school and health system compliance regimes. ANN NEUROL 2024.

Microbial agents for the control of ticks Rhipicephalus microplus.

Ticks are ectoparasites responsible for the transmission of various pathogens to vertebrates. They represent one of the major threats to livestock production worldwide due to their impact on the health, production and welfare of livestock destined for human consumption. The development of resistance to the main families of ixodicides used for their control has led to the search for new alternatives, where microbial control is an option. The use of microbial control agents against the tick Rhipicephalus microplus is reviewed in this paper. Bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus spp. the nematodes Steinernema spp. and Heterorhabditis spp. as well as the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana are the most studied organisms for use as biological control agents against ticks. Laboratory, stable and field trials with free-living and parasitised ticks have shown that microbial agents can control both susceptible and ixodicide-resistant tick populations. However, multidisciplinary studies using novel tools like genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics should be carried out to understand the virulence factors which microbial agents use to induce pathogenesis and virulence in ticks. In addition, applied research will be carried out with the aim of improving techniques for large-scale application, as well as the improvement of cultivation, storage, formulation and application methods.

Biological control of tephritid fruit flies Bactrocera spp. in Himachal Pradesh, India

Over the years, chemical-based insecticides have been used to enhance crop yield in the agricultural industry. However, the hazards associated with these insecticides have highlighted the need for an alternative method that is economical, eco-friendly, and safe. In this investigation, the efficacy of various biological materials, such as Neem kavach, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo), and clay, was evaluated against fruit flies under open field conditions. The results revealed that the highest infestation was recorded in the control (71.67 %), while the lowest infestation (25.67 %) was observed in the plot treated with B. bassiana (1.5 %). This was followed by Neem kavach-treated plot (4 %) with an infestation rate of 26.67 %, and the clay-treated plot (15 g/L) with an infestation rate of 38.67 %, after the third spray. The impact of these biological agents on cucumber yield was also evaluated. The highest yield, 9.36 kg/plot, was obtained from the B. bassiana-treated plot, followed by Neem kavach-treated plots with yields of 8.94 and 7.28 kg/plot, respectively. The lowest yield of 4.58 kg/plot was recovered in the untreated plots. These findings suggest that the application of these biological agents is highly effective, as they repel egg-laying (oviposition deterrence), thereby minimizing fruit infestation and maximizing yield profit.

No Evidence of Gut Microbiota Alteration in Psoriasis Patients Switching to Brodalumab after Loss of TNFα Inhibition Effect

Biological agents used to treat severe psoriasis may alter the gut microbiota, though current knowledge is limited. This study examines whether switching from TNFα inhibitors, from which patients had reduced or lost effect, to brodalumab, an IL-17 inhibitor, affects the gut microbiota in patients with psoriasis and how these changes correlate with the clinical variables of psoriasis severity and depressive symptoms. Fecal samples from patients were collected before the treatment switch and 12 weeks after the switch and were analyzed for the microbiota composition using next-generation sequencing targeting the V3–V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene, followed by bioinformatics analysis. No significant changes in overall gut microbiota composition were observed after the treatment switch, although individual variations in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio were noted, and no significant correlations with clinical variables were found. These findings suggest that short-term changes in gut microbiota in patients with psoriasis are limited and that dysbiosis may be influenced by the interplay of various microbial populations rather than specific taxa. This study provides a foundation for further research into the effects of biological treatments on the gut microbiota in patients with psoriasis.

Screening of Castor Germplasm and Efficacy Studies of Bioagents and Fungicides Against Botryotinia ricini (Godfrey) Whetzel

Castor is an important non-edible oilseed crop having exceptional oil characteristics for the chemical industry. The crop hosts several diseases, among them gray mold is the most destructive one hindering its productivity. This article presents a study assessing the resistance of different germplasm lines screened against Botrytis ricini under artificial conditions. It also examines the effect of various fungicides on B. ricini isolates, which were obtained from infected Ricinus communis (castor oil plant) using standard tissue isolation techniques. The fungus was isolated from infected Castor raceme by standard tissue isolation technique and its pathogenicity was established by proving Koch’s postulates. Out of 47 germplasm lines screened, TSIL-19 showed resistance response to gray mold under both detached spike and capsule method. Under in vitro assessment, Trichoderma viride (86.11 %) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (71.48 %) bio agents exhibited maximum mycelial growth inhibition of the pathogen. Among the seven combination fungicides evaluated, Fenamidone 10% + Mancozeb 50% WG recorded highest mycelial growth inhibition (100%) of B. ricini.

Aspergillus niger as an efficient biological agent for separator sludge remediation: two-level factorial design for optimal fermentation

Background The booming palm oil industry is in line with the growing population worldwide and surge in demand. This leads to a massive generation of palm oil mill effluent (POME). POME is composed of sterilizer condensate (SC), separator sludge (SS), and hydro-cyclone wastewater (HCW). Comparatively, SS exhibits the highest organic content, resulting in various environmental impacts. However, past studies mainly focused on treating the final effluent. Therefore, this pioneering research investigated the optimization of pollutant removal in SS via different aspects of bioremediation, including experimental conditions, treatment efficiencies, mechanisms, and degradation pathways. Methods A two-level factorial design was employed to optimize the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity using Aspergillus niger. Bioremediation of SS was performed through submerged fermentation (SmF) under several independent variables, including temperature (20–40 °C), agitation speed (100–200 RPM), fermentation duration (72–240 h), and initial sample concentration (20–100%). The characteristics of the treated SS were then compared to that of raw sludge. Results Optimal COD and turbidity removal were achieved at 37 °C 100 RPM, 156 h, and 100% sludge. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant effect of selective individual and interacting variables (p < 0.05). The highest COD and turbidity removal were 97.43% and 95.11%, respectively, with less than 5% error from the predicted values. Remarkably, the selected optimized conditions also reduced other polluting attributes, namely, biological oxygen demand (BOD), oil and grease (OG), color, and carbon content. In short, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of A. niger in treating SS through the application of a two-level factorial design.

Biocontrol of Aflatoxin-Producing Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546 by a Non-Aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus ATCC 9643

The biological control of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus by non-aflatoxigenic strains has been introduced in cotton- and peanut-cultivating fields and proven successful at reducing aflatoxin (AFB) contamination of crops and agricultural soils. In this study, a non-aflatoxigenic strain, A. flavus ATCC 9643 (ATCC 9643), was evaluated for its ability to competitively inhibit the growth of an aflatoxigenic strain, A. flavus ATCC 22546 (ATCC 22546), and mitigate AFB production in ATCC 22546 during competitive growth. To comparatively analyze the suppressive effect of ATCC 9643 on ATCC 22546, a non-aflatoxigenic strain (A. flavus ATCC 96045, known as AF36) was used as a positive control in some experiments. The two non-aflatoxigenic strains did not produce AFB1 or AFB2 owing to the absence of several AFB biosynthesis-related genes, especially aflK and aflL, which encode versicolorin B synthase and desaturase, respectively. To create a competitive growth environment, ATCC 9643 and ATCC 22546 were co-inoculated into a solid agar medium, and they grew at similar rates when added at a 1:1 ratio. Increasing the inoculum rate of ATCC 9643 (1:1, 1:3, 1:5) dramatically inhibited ATCC 22546 growth, and AFB production was effectively decreased by about 84%, 95%, and 97% by treatment with ATCC 9643. On rice, ATCC 22546 attenuated ATCC 9643 growth only when the rice was submerged in distilled water, whereas agar addition enhanced it. Taken together, ATCC 9643 is a promising candidate biological agent for suppressing aflatoxigenic A. flavus strain growth and alleviating AFB contamination. Further studies on AFB reduction in crop fields, including cotton-cultivation and maize-cultivation fields, are warranted.

Comparative evaluation of biological control programs and chemical pesticides for managing insect and mite pests in cucumber greenhouses: a sustainable approach for enhanced pest control and yield

BackgroundCucumber plants are susceptible to several economically damaging pests, including whiteflies, aphids, thrips and spider mites. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two biological control programs, utilizing different releases of bio-agents, in comparison with chemical control method. The bio-agents used were the aphid parasitoid Aphelinus albipodus Hayat and Fatima (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in two release rates; low and high. Additionally, a chemical pesticides treatment was included for comparison in managing the pests in cucumber greenhouses during the winter seasons of 2022 and 2023, in Egypt. Abundances of whitefly, aphids, thrips and spider mites were recorded weekly throughout the study.ResultsThe aphid population in the greenhouse with high release rate (BIO 2) showed the highest reduction, with percentages of 84.55 and 89.88% in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Both greenhouse with low release rate (BIO 1) and BIO 2 exhibited significant reductions in the whitefly population, with proportions of 71.31 and 72.01% in 2022, and 82.05 and 85.94% in 2023, respectively. The thrips population also experienced notable reductions in both BIO 1 and BIO 2 greenhouses, with percentages of 72.08 and 75.71% in 2022, and 59.93 and 61.38% in 2023, respectively. However, the pesticide treatment demonstrated the lowest reduction in populations of aphids, whitefly and thrips in both seasons. Nevertheless, in all treatments in the two evaluated seasons, the high release rate of the predatory mite, P. persimilis (15 individuals/m2), proved to be highly effective in maintaining the mite populations below the economic threshold level. However, the population density of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. (Acari: Tetranychidae), increased in the pesticide-treated greenhouse, indicating the development of resistance to pesticides. Although the tested programs resulted in similar yields, the biological control approach offered the advantage of pesticide-free produce and reduced production costs.ConclusionFor pest management in cucumber growing in greenhouses during winter, it is recommended to use biological control agents at a low release rate at the early occurrence of pests. This approach can help minimize pest populations effectively.

Biosensors and Bioassays for the Medical Detection of Bacillus Anthracis and Diagnosis of Anthrax.

Bacillus anthracis is a causative agent of the highly mortal disease anthrax. This zoonosis is present in nature, but it is also considered one of the most powerful biological warfare agents. A timely diagnosis is necessary for proper therapy and setting of epidemiological countermeasures. Current diagnostic methods should be used in specialized laboratories or medical facilities because there are only a limited number of methods suitable as hand-held assays or even point-of-care tests for detecting B. anthracis or anthrax diagnosis. The lateral flow tests are an exception in this regard, but these tests also have some limitations. Significant progress has been achieved in point-of-care tests for B. anthracis detection and anthrax diagnosis in various biosensors and bioassays. This review focuses on current hand-held and point-of-care tests that can easily prove anthrax or its causative agent outside the context of specialized facilities.

Assessment of non-target toxicity of insecticides on Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering) in laboratory and field conditions.

G1 strain Ganaspis brasiliensis (Ihering) has been recently released in both Europe and America as a biological control agent of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). In initial phases of classical biological control programs, it becomes imperative to evaluate the susceptibility of parasitoids to insecticides, to identify the best alternatives to adopt in an integrated pest management and organic perspective. In this study, we evaluated lethal and sublethal effects of topical application of five different insecticides classes: neonicotinoids, diamides, pyrethroids, organophosphates and spinosyns. Additionally, we tested residual toxicity in field trials in vineyards and sweet cherry orchards. Adult wasps' susceptibility to different insecticides' classes were consistent between laboratory and field. Spinosad exhibited the highest toxicity, with a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 0.00372 of the maximum field dose, and the highest knock-down effect in field trials, causing 92.5 ± 5% of mortality at T0. λ-cyhalothrin showed sublethal effects on both male and female insects' longevity when applied at LC30. In field trials, deltamethrin showed the highest persistence, causing significant parasitoid mortality up to 14 days after treatment. Conversely, cyantraniliprole was the least toxic active ingredient according to both topical and residual bioassays, even though its residues caused mortality up to 7 days after the treatment in the field. Our results indicate that spinosad and λ-cyhalothrin are highly toxic to G. brasiliensis, making them incompatible with classical biological control programs. Cyantraniliprole exhibited lower toxicity, and may be considered a selective pesticide for the integrated management of D. suzukii. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Ultrasensitive Electrochemiluminescence Biosensing Platform Based on Polymer Dots with Aggregation-Induced Emission for Dual-Biotoxin Assay.

Multitarget assay has always been a hot topic in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) methods. Herein, a "on-off-on" ECL aptasensor was developed for the ultrasensitive and sequential detection of possible biological warfare agents, deoxynivalenol (DON) and abrin (ABR). As a luminophore, polymer dots (Pdots) with aggregation-induced emission exhibit high ECL efficiency in the aptasensor, i.e., the signal "on" state. The DON assays mainly depend on ECL quenching due to the efficient quenching effect between ferrocene-H2-ferrocene (Fc-H2-Fc) and Pdots, i.e., the signal "off" state. When the aptasensor is incubated with the oligonucleotide sequence S2 to replace Fc-H2-Fc, obvious ECL recovery occurs, i.e., the signal "on" state, which can be used to sequentially detect ABR. The limit of detection (LOD) for DON is 0.73 fg·mL-1 in the range of 5.0 to 50 ng·mL-1; and the LOD for ABR is ∼0.38 pg·mL-1 in the range of 1.25 pg·mL-1 to 1.25 μg·mL-1. The as-designed ECL aptasensor exhibits good stability and reproducibility, high specificity, and favorable practicality. Therefore, this work provides a new approach for assays of DON and ABR in food safety and can be used as a model to design an ultrasensitive ECL biosensor for multitarget detection.

Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium L forms suppress tumor growth and promote apoptosis in murine ovarian tumors

To study the effects of attenuated Salmonella typhimurium L forms on the in vivo tumorigenicity and apoptosis of murine epithelial ovarian cancer cells, as well as the related mechanisms. Attenuated Salmonella typhimurium VNP20009 was induced into bacterial L forms by using antibiotic ceftriaxone. CCK-8 cell proliferation assay showed that attenuated S. typhimurium L forms can inhibit the proliferation of murine ovarian epithelial cancer ID8 cells. Attenuated ST L forms can induce apoptosis and inhibit invasion ability of epithelial ovarian cancer cells in vitro. TUNEL assay showed that attenuated ST L forms can induce apoptosis of ID8 cells in murine ovarian tumors. Meanwhile, attenuated ST L forms inhibit tumor growth in murine ovarian tumors. The tumorigenicity-related proteins of xenograft tumors detected by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR assays showed that attenuated ST L forms can reduce the expression of proteins that promote tumor growth and metastasis, such as Lgals9 and MMP9. This study confirmed that attenuated ST L forms can suppress tumor growth and promote apoptosis in murine ovarian tumors. Attenuated ST L forms may serve as a novel biological agent for bacterial-mediated tumor therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells and Multiple Sclerosis.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that play important roles in maintaining immune homeostasis and regulating immune responses. MDSCs can be divided into two main subsets based on their surface markers and functional properties: granulocytic MDSCs (G-MDSCs) and monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSCs). Recently greatest attention has been paid to innate immunity in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), so the aim of our review is to provide an overview of the main characteristics of MDSCs in MS and its preclinical model by discussing the most recent data available. The immunosuppressive functions of MDSCs can be dysregulated in MS, leading to an exacerbation of the autoimmune response and disease progression. Antigen-specific peptide immunotherapy, which aims to restore tolerance while avoiding the use of non-specific immunosuppressive drugs, is a promising approach for autoimmune diseases, but the cellular mechanisms behind successful therapy remain poorly understood. Therefore, targeting MDSCs could be a promising therapeutic approach for MS. Various strategies for modulating MDSCs have been investigated, including the use of pharmacological agents, biological agents, and adoptive transfer of exogenous MDSCs. However, it remained unclear whether MDSCs display any therapeutic potential in MS and how this therapy could modulate different aspects of the disease. Collectively, all the described studies revealed a pivotal role for MDSCs in the regulation of MS.</p>.

Acne treatment: research progress and new perspectives

Acne is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that primarily affects adolescents and is attributed to various factors, including hormonal changes, genetic predisposition, and environmental influences. It typically manifests in areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the face, chest, and back. Symptoms of acne can range from mild to severe and may present as pimples, pustules, nodules, cysts, and scarring. The appearance of acne can significantly impact both the physical and mental well-being of patients, potentially leading to feelings of anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal. The pathogenesis of acne is multifaceted involving genetic predisposition as well as environmental factors such as hormonal imbalances, inflammation, abnormal follicular sebaceous unit keratinization, proliferation of follicular microorganisms like Propionibacterium acnes, increased sebum production, and dietary influences. Traditional treatment methods for acne include topical drug therapy, oral drug therapy, photoelectric therapy, and chemical peeling. With ongoing research into the pathogenesis of acne, treatment methods are rapidly evolving with novel antibiotics, probiotics, biological agents, topical anti-androgen drugs, topical vitamin A acid metabolism blockers, antimicrobial peptides, immunotherapy, micro-needling, and micro-needling patches. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of recent advancements in acne treatment.

Some Chemical and Biological Methods to Control Pepper Root Rot Disease in Iraq

Background: Pepper growing fields in the Babil and Wasit governorates in Iraq, are suffering from a decline in production due to the spread of root rot diseases. The use of biological control techniques, such as the use of beneficial bacteria in the rhizosphere and natural plant extracts, along with chemical fungicides, has recently contributed to reducing the damage of plant pathogens globally. Methods: In this research, the main cause of root rot disease in pepper plants was isolated and diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction technology using (TEF-1α) gene, antagonistic activities of 75 rhizobacterial isolates, natural extracts of garlic and nerium and the fungicides of Promess and Tecto 500 SC were tested in vitro against the pathogen, then the superior bacterial isolates were identified. The ability of biological and chemical agents to control the disease was tested under greenhouse conditions according to the completely randomized design (CRD). Result: The results of isolation showed that the fungus Fusarium solani was dominance and the isolate Fsw45 was the most virulent. 3 of 75 rhizobacterial isolates outperformed the pathogen in an antagonistic tests and identified as Pseudomonas mendocina, P. fluorescens and Staphylococcus kloosii also the fungicides and botanical extracts showed significant antagonistic activities as well in vitro. Under greenhouse conditions, the fungicide treatments excelled in disease control by 100%. As for the 3 bacterial isolates, they achieved a significant reduction in the percentage of disease incidence and disease severity index, their abilities were higher than the nerium and garlic extracts.

Biological diversity detected in two deteriorated Cuban cinematographic films that contribute to their biodegrading

The cinematographic films are a reproduced version of reality and have become vital documents to study everything around us. For their preservation it is necessary to study the biodeterioration of these documents. The aims of this study were to characterize the biodeterioration caused mainly by microorganisms in two cinematographic films by applying molecular methodologies, electron microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy as well as to determine the enzymatic characterization of the fungal species isolated. From the Cuban Institute for Cinematographic Industry and Arts (ICAIC) the samples on two damaged cinematographic films were collected. The films were analyzed by different microscopic techniques, including the two types of electron microscopy. Also, the degradative potential of the isolated fungi was determined by qualitative evaluation of the enzymatic activities. A significant fungal colonization on both sides of the films and the damages caused by these microorganisms in the material were observed as well as the exoskeletons of dust mites of the families Tydeidae and Tarsonemidae as part of biofouling that were used as nutrients by the fungi. By epifluorescence microscopy was observed that some of the microorganisms were still viable and active. Using molecular biology techniques could be identified several species corresponding to the fungal genera Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium and Microascus as well as the bacteria genera Bacillus, Staphylococcus and Kocuria, which were responsible of the biodeterioration of these films. All isolated fungal species were capable to degrade the cellulose and gelatin as well as to excrete organic acids and pigments. Bacteria were detected in low concentrations as well as other biological agents, but it was observed that the films were being colonized by a high concentration of various fungal species with a significant biodeteriogenic potential, demonstrating that they were severely affecting the films.

Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Orbital Inflammatory Diseases: Should Steroids Still Be the First Choice?

Objective: To clarify the therapy response in orbital inflammatory diseases (OID), we analyzed the treatment effects of steroid therapy, the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS), and biologicals in our tertiary referral center cohort. Methods: We collected the clinical and demographic data of all patients treated for non-specific orbital inflammation (NSOI) (n = 111) and IgG4-ROD (n = 13), respectively at our center from 2008 to 2020 and analyzed them with descriptive statistics. NSOI were sub-grouped according to the location into either idiopathic dacryoadenitis (DAs) (n = 78) or typical idiopathic orbital myositis (n = 32). Results: Mean age at first clinical manifestation was significantly different between subgroups (IOI: 49.5 ± 18, IgG4-ROD: 63.2 ± 14, p = 0.0171). Among all examined OID, 63 patients (50%) achieved full remission (FR) with corticosteroids (NSOI 53%/IgG4-ROD 31%). In contrast, classic myositis showed a significantly higher response (76%). Disease-modifying drugs (DMARDS) for myositis accomplished only 33% FR (NSOI 57%) and 66% did not respond sufficiently (NSOI 43%). The biologic agent (Rituximab) was significantly more efficient: 19 of 23 patients (82%) achieved full remission and only 4 (17%) did not respond fully and needed orbital irradiation or orbital decompressive surgery.

Causal role of immune cells in uveitis: Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundUveitis, characterized by inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid, presents a significant global clinical challenge, contributing substantially to visual impairment. Risk factors include autoimmune diseases and immune cell dysfunctions, yet many remain unidentified. Immune cells, notably T cells, B cells, and monocytes, play pivotal roles in uveitis pathogenesis. While biologic agents show promise, comprehensive studies on immune cell types in ocular diseases are lacking. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Mendelian randomization (MR) present promising avenues to elucidate genetic susceptibilities and causal relationships between immune cell traits and uveitis risk.MethodsTwo-sample MR analysis was used to evaluate the causal relationship between 731 immune cells and uveitis, and genome-wide significance analysis was performed for genetic variation in 731 immune cells traits (P &amp;lt; 5 × 10-8). Immune characteristics include median fluorescence intensity (MFI), relative cell counts (RC), absolute cell counts (AC), and morphological parameters (MP), which were determined by published GWAS, and public data from the IEU Open GWAS database. The main analysis method of MR is inverse variance weighting (IVW). Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were also assessed.Results5 immunophenotypes, including CD62L-DC %DC, IgD+ CD38dim %B cell, CD3 on CM CD4+T cell, CD3 on CD45RA-CD4 +T cell, and CD3 on CD39+ CD4+ Treg may increase the risk of uveitis. 5 immunophenotypes, including CD11b on CD33dim HLA DR-Myeloid cell, HLA DR on CD33dim HLA DR+ CD11b-myeloid cell, CD14-CD16 + %monocyte, HLA DR on CD14-CD16 + monocyte and PDL-1 on CD14-CD16 + monocyte was negatively associated with the risk of uveitis. Among them, HLA DR on CD14-CD16 + monocyte (OR=0.921, 95%CI =0.875-0.970, P=0.001) and HLA DR on CD33dim HLA DR+ CD11b- (OR=0.879, 95%CI = 0.833-0.927, P=0.00) were negatively associated with the risk of uveitis in bi-direction.ConclusionThese results indicate that 10 immune cells traits are significantly associated with the risk of developing uveitis and 2 of them were strongly associated with uveitis bi-directionally, after excluding the effects of confounding factors such as some immune diseases, which provided new ideas and therapeutic targets for the study of immune mechanism of uveitis.

Causal role of immune cells in uveitis: Mendelian randomization study

BackgroundUveitis, characterized by inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid, presents a significant global clinical challenge, contributing substantially to visual impairment. Risk factors include autoimmune diseases and immune cell dysfunctions, yet many remain unidentified. Immune cells, notably T cells, B cells, and monocytes, play pivotal roles in uveitis pathogenesis. While biologic agents show promise, comprehensive studies on immune cell types in ocular diseases are lacking. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Mendelian randomization (MR) present promising avenues to elucidate genetic susceptibilities and causal relationships between immune cell traits and uveitis risk.MethodsTwo-sample MR analysis was used to evaluate the causal relationship between 731 immune cells and uveitis, and genome-wide significance analysis was performed for genetic variation in 731 immune cells traits (P &amp;lt; 5 × 10-8). Immune characteristics include median fluorescence intensity (MFI), relative cell counts (RC), absolute cell counts (AC), and morphological parameters (MP), which were determined by published GWAS, and public data from the IEU Open GWAS database. The main analysis method of MR is inverse variance weighting (IVW). Heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were also assessed.Results5 immunophenotypes, including CD62L-DC %DC, IgD+ CD38dim %B cell, CD3 on CM CD4+T cell, CD3 on CD45RA-CD4 +T cell, and CD3 on CD39+ CD4+ Treg may increase the risk of uveitis. 5 immunophenotypes, including CD11b on CD33dim HLA DR-Myeloid cell, HLA DR on CD33dim HLA DR+ CD11b-myeloid cell, CD14-CD16 + %monocyte, HLA DR on CD14-CD16 + monocyte and PDL-1 on CD14-CD16 + monocyte was negatively associated with the risk of uveitis. Among them, HLA DR on CD14-CD16 + monocyte (OR=0.921, 95%CI =0.875-0.970, P=0.001) and HLA DR on CD33dim HLA DR+ CD11b- (OR=0.879, 95%CI = 0.833-0.927, P=0.00) were negatively associated with the risk of uveitis in bi-direction.ConclusionThese results indicate that 10 immune cells traits are significantly associated with the risk of developing uveitis and 2 of them were strongly associated with uveitis bi-directionally, after excluding the effects of confounding factors such as some immune diseases, which provided new ideas and therapeutic targets for the study of immune mechanism of uveitis.

Longevity of hymenopteran parasitoids in natural versus agricultural habitats and implications for biological control.

Agricultural habitats are frequently disturbed, and disturbances could have major effects on species in upper trophic levels such as hymenopteran parasitoids that are important for biological control. A strategy for conservation biological control is to provide a diversified agricultural landscape which increases the availability of resources such as sugar required by parasitoid biological control agents. Here, we ask whether parasitoids occurring in agriculture benefit from sugar resources more or less than parasitoids occurring in natural habitats surrounding agricultural fields. We collected parasitoids from agricultural alfalfa fields, field margins, and natural prairies, and in the lab we randomly divided them into two treatments: half were given a constant supply of a sugar source to test their residual lifespan, and half were given neither sugar nor water to test their hardiness. Collected individuals were monitored daily and their day of death recorded. Parasitoids receiving a sugar source lived substantially longer than those without. Parasitoids collected in prairies lived longer than those from alfalfa fields in both the residual lifespan and hardiness treatments, with parasitoids from field margins being intermediate between them. Furthermore, the benefits of a sugar source to increase longevity was lower for parasitoids collected in agriculture than in natural habitats. This suggests that, even though parasitoid biological control agents benefit from sugar resources, their short lifespans make the benefit of sugar resources small compared to parasitoids that occur in natural habitats and have longer lifespans, and are adapted to consistent sugar sources.