Changes In Production Research Articles

Sex differences in cardiac mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species production may predispose Scn1a−/+ mice to cardiac arrhythmias and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy

Dravet Syndrome (DS) is a pediatric-onset epilepsy with an elevated risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Most individuals with DS possess mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene Scn1a, expressed in both the brain and heart. Previously, mutations in Scn1a have been linked to arrhythmia. We used a Scn1a−/+ DS mouse model to investigate changes to cardiac mitochondrial function that may underlie arrhythmias and SUDEP. We detected significant alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics that were sex-specific. Mitochondria from male Scn1a−/+ hearts had deficits in maximal (p = 0.02) and Complex II-linked respiration (p = 0.03). Male Scn1a−/+ mice were also more susceptible to cardiac arrhythmias under increased workload. When isolated cardiomyocytes were subjected to diamide, cardiomyocytes from male Scn1a−/+ hearts were less resistant to thiol oxidation. They had decreased survivability compared to Scn1a+/+ (p = 0.02) despite no whole-heart differences. Lastly, there were no changes in mitochondrial ROS production between DS and wild-type mitochondria at basal conditions, but Scn1a−/+ mitochondria accumulated more ROS during hypoxia/reperfusion. This study determines novel sex-linked differences in mitochondrial and antioxidant function in Scn1a-linked DS. Importantly, we found that male Scn1a−/+ mice are more susceptible to cardiac arrhythmias than female Scn1a−/+ mice. When developing new therapeutics to address SUDEP risk in DS, sex should be considered.

Exploring Lacrimal Gland Tear Production in Sheep under General Anesthesia: Examining the Potential Impact of Utilizing 1% Hyaluronic Acid Ophthalmic Gel.

The aim of the study is to assess the lacrimal gland tear production, using the Schirmer Tear Test (STT), in healthy sheep under general anesthesia and to explore the effects of applying 1% hyaluronic acid ophthalmic gel during general anesthesia. While STT values during anesthesia have been well documented in small animals such as cats and dogs, there seems to be a lack of information available for ruminants like sheep. This gap in the literature highlights the need for further research and exploration into tear production in sheep under anesthesia. The experimental research conducted on twelve adults female sheep provided valuable insights into tear production under anesthesia. By assessing tear production at various key time points the study was able to capture the changes in tear production throughout anesthesia and revealed a significant decrease in Schirmer Tear Test values in all sheep, following general anesthesia. The results showed that closing and taping the eye yielded determined better outcomes compared to administering a 1% lubricant ophthalmic gel. This finding suggests that eye care during anesthesia can impact tear production in sheep.

Durability of motor learning by observing.

Information about another person's movement kinematics obtained through visual observation activates brain regions involved in motor learning. Observation-related changes in these brain areas are associated with adaptive changes to feedforward neural control of muscle activation and behavioral improvements in limb movement control. However, little is known about the stability of these observation-related effects over time. Here, we used force channel trials to probe changes in lateral force production at various time points (1 min, 10 min, 30 min, 60 min, 24 h) after participants either physically performed, or observed another individual performing upper limb reaching movements that were perturbed by novel, robot-generated forces (a velocity-dependent force-field). Observers learned to predictively generate directionally and temporally specific compensatory forces during reaching, consistent with the idea that they acquired an internal representation of the novel dynamics. Participants who physically practiced in the force-field showed adaptation that was detectable at all time points, with some decay detected after 24 h. Observation-related adaptation was less temporally stable in comparison, decaying slightly after 1 h and undetectable at 24 h. Observation induced less adaptation overall than physical practice, which could explain differences in temporal stability. Visually acquired representations of movement dynamics are retained and continue to influence behavior for at least 1 h after observation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used force channel probes in an upper limb force-field reaching task in humans to compare the durability of learning-related changes that occurred through visual observation to those after physical movement practice. Visually acquired representations of movement dynamics continued to influence behavior for at least 1 h after observation. Our findings point to a 1-h window during which visual observation of another person could play a role in motor learning.

Potential bottom-up and top-down control of large microzooplankton in response to contrasting productive scenarios in the tropical southwestern Atlantic

Large microzooplankton, comprising organisms generally between 64 and 200 μm, plays a significant trophic role in marine ecosystems as primary or secondary consumers. In oligotrophic systems such as the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic, where primary production is dominated by Cyanobacteria, they provide a pivotal link between the basis of food webs and higher trophic levels. In this region, seasonal variations in circulation and continental runoff and wind mixing induce heightened phytoplankton biomass during autumn when compared to a less productive scenario observed in spring, leading to increased abundances of higher trophic levels. In order to establish the connection between primary producers and these higher trophic levels, we investigated the dynamics of large microzooplankton abundance in response to variations in phytoplankton biomass across different systems in the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between bottom-up and top-down control mechanisms that shape large microzooplankton assemblages in these ecosystems. The increase in primary production was accompanied by an observable increase in the abundances of large microzooplankton organisms over the continental shelf, thereby supporting the hypothesis of bottom-up control. In contrast, offshore, in the South Equatorial Current System, a lower abundance of large microzooplankton was observed in the more productive scenario. The intricate relationships between large microzooplankton and higher trophic levels, particularly planktonic cnidarians, appear to be a key driver of these contrasting patterns. The presence of voracious gelatinous predators in the offshore systems, suggests a scenario in which top-down predation may counteract the expected bottom-up response of large microzooplankton to increased phytoplankton biomass. This indicates the importance of considering the entire trophic web when analysing the responses of large microzooplankton to changes in primary production.

Age-related decline in goblet cell numbers and mucin content of the human colon: Implications for lower bowel functions in the elderly

Background & aimsOlder people experience a greater incidence of lower bowel disorders, including constipation. Causes can include factors associated with growing older, such as use of medications or disease, but compounded by degenerative changes within the bowel wall. It has been suggested that the latter is exacerbated by loss of an effective mucosal barrier to luminal contents. In human colon, little is known about the impact of ageing on key components of this barrier, namely the goblet cells and mucin content. MethodsChanges in the number of goblet cells and density of mucin content were investigated in macroscopically normal human ascending (AC; n = 13) and descending (DC; n = 14) colon from elderly (≥ 67 years) and younger adults (60 years and below). Samples were serially sectioned and stained for haematoxylin and eosin to assess tissue morphology, and alcian blue periodic acid Schiff (ABPAS) and MUC-2 antibody to identify goblet cells producing mucins. New procedures in visualization and identification of goblet cells and mucin contents were employed to ensure unbiased counting and densitometric analysis. ResultsCompared with the younger adults, the numbers of goblet cells per crypt were significantly lower in the elderly AC (72 ± 1.2 vs 51 ± 0.5) and DC (75 ± 2.6 vs. 54 ± 1.9), although this reduction did not reach statistical significance when assessed per mucosal area (AC: P = 0.068; DC: P = 0.096). In both regions from the elderly, numerous empty vesicles (normally containing mucins) were observed, and some areas of epithelium were devoid of goblet cells. Thus, the density of mucin content per unit mucosal area were significantly reduced with age. ConclusionsAgeing could result in a reduced number of goblet cells and development of degenerative changes in mucin production. Together, these have implications for the mucus barrier function in the colon of elderly individuals.

Ceramic technology evolution at the beginning of the Roman Period

This exploratory archaeometric study investigates pottery from a Großromstedt culture associated with a significant migratory wave from the north into the Bohemian Basin at the transition from the Late La Tène to the Roman periods. The analysis of ceramics from the Mlékojedy settlement reveals evidence of technological discontinuity in two key chronological transitions. The first and more significant transition between the Late La Tène period and the Early Roman period (LT D/R A) is characterised by a change in the pottery forming method, with a turn away from the use of the potter's wheel. New pottery shapes and a new range of ornamentation are also introduced in this period, potentially indicating cultural import or/and population migration. However, the technological changes in pottery production were not absolute, as certain processes persisted. The second technological discontinuity was found between phases R A and R B1 of the Roman period. It appears as a natural evolution of the ceramic technology, which was accelerated by the social changes. The findings suggest that the vast majority of pottery could have been produced from local sources.

Network for forest by-products charcoal, resin, tar, potash (COST Action EU-PoTaRCh)

COST Action EU-PoTaRCh establishes a network focused on the past, present and future use of the major forest by-products in Europe. The Action emphasizes forest by-products, mainly potash, tar, resin, and charcoal (PoTaRCh), as representatives of the traditional heritage of forest exploitation, including extractives used along the time for their specific chemical, biological activity and therapeutic effect. The scientific objective of the Action is to demonstrate the value of these products for the communities and their socio-economic growth, as well as their impact on biodiversity and climate throughout time. The general aim is to identify and assess changes in production and use of PoTaRCh and extractives, along with their social and environmental impacts on sustainable development, and draw lessons for the future based on this legacy. In this way, the Action supports the sustainable use of forests and the transfer of knowledge about circular economy practices, as a contribution to the systemic shift to the new circular bio-economy. A key component of the Action is to support stakeholders that are knowledgeable about PoTaRCh goods and are interested in them because they are used in production, education and promotion of our natural and cultural heritage. The Action meets a wide range of demands thanks to the participation of partners with various activity profiles (museums, state forests, forest industry, tradition bearers associations, tourism industry, etc.). The EU-PoTaRCh Action highlights three COST inclusivity policies: the participation of inclusivity Target Countries with a long history of developing PoTaRCh, a special emphasis on gender balance, and the involvement of young researchers in leadership positions.

Article Review: Relationship between Toxoplasmosis and other Diseases

Water provision is sensitive to climate change, and agricultural production and food supply are sensitive to water availability. Water scarcity affects food security and agricultural economic development through changes in agricultural production and changes in the composition of produced goods. Recent droughts also led to a decrease in the volume of water allocated to agriculture, which led to a decrease in total agricultural production and exports, and this has subsequent impacts on food security and economic development. The research aimed to measure the impact of water scarcity on agricultural economic development for the period 1990-2022. The research included three behavioral equations with three endogenous variables: the cultivated area, the value of agricultural output, and the value of gross domestic product, and four exogenous variables: the amount of available water, agricultural labor, and the value of agricultural investments and the income of other sectors, the studied model is called the sequential model, which was estimated using the Recursive method, using the ordinary least squares (OLS) method. The results indicated that increasing the amount of available water will lead to an increase in the cultivated areas by 141,129.2 dunums, and that increasing one thousand dunums of the cultivated area will increase agricultural output by 0.00821, and that agricultural labor is inversely proportional to agricultural output. It became clear that if the income of the rest of the sectors increased by one unit, the domestic product would increase by 0.1873. Water scarcity will reduce cultivated areas, which in turn will decrease agricultural output, causing the value of agricultural output to decrease and its contribution to the gross domestic product to decrease. In turn, it will have serious repercussions on agricultural economic development. Therefore, the research recommends the necessity of integrated water management and improving the efficiency of its use, as well as the application of modern technologies in agriculture, such as sprinkler irrigation, hydroponics, and redrawing crop compositions to ensure maximizing the net return per unit of water.

The experience economy is the path to digital transformation

The article discusses aspects of digital transformation leading to an inevitable change in social production. The ability of digital transformation to take your business to a new level and attract a large number of potential clients has been demonstrated. The influence of networking and digitalization on the efficiency of the economy and meeting the needs of all participants in business processes has been studied. The study highlighted options for implementing the digital transformation of social production, allowing us to seize leadership in the chosen area.

On Joy and War: Black Feminism/Intersectionality

Black feminist theorizing developed outside the formal academy to meet the needs of Black women but did not end there. This review offers entrée to some current “wars” and debates on politics of knowledge about Black feminist theories, concepts, and praxis that have deepened within sociology and increasingly extend into live conference panels, online debates, and legislatures. Shared characteristics within Black feminism include persistent and critical attention to Black women's knowledge production, power, and social change—but there is much more. Drawing on sociology and other disciplines, this review of Black feminism/intersectionality covers families of Black feminisms, disciplinary citation trends, methodological considerations, and tensions around embodiment in claims to Black feminism and intersectionality. In the conclusions, we propose directions to untether conflicts, unsettle wars, and move toward joy and liberation as the struggle continues.A Spanish translation is available online at https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-030424-062839

Disasters and technological upgrading measured by changes in demand for ICT labour: estimating the impacts with text

AbstractExtensive literature has studied the economic impact of disasters. However, specific impacts on labour markets have received less attention. Using a massive earthquake (> 8.0 Mw) that struck Chile in 2010 and proprietary data from a Chilean online job board (4136 job postings published between 2008 and 2012), we examine changes in demand for Information and Communications Technologies, ICT, related labour as a proxy for technological upgrading, by assuming that ICT and related technologies drive much of the technical change in production. We implement a structural topic model to discover and estimate the difference in the prevalence of ICT and Construction labour, among others. Our results show that ICT labour does not change. In contrast, Construction labour significantly differed after the disaster, suggesting that reconstruction activities led to employment differences. Our results suggest that there was no substantive technological replacement following the earthquake.

Characteristics of stachyose-induced effects on gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in vitro associated with obesity in children.

Childhood obesity presents a serious health concern associated with gut microbiota alterations. Dietary interventions targeting the gut microbiota have emerged as promising strategies for managing obesity in children. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of stachyose (STS) supplementation on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic processes in obese children. Fecal samples were collected from 40 obese children (20 boys and 20 girls) aged between 6 and 15 and in vitro fermentation was conducted with or without the addition of STS, respectively, followed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and analysis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gases. Notably, our results revealed that STS supplementation led to significant alterations in gut microbiota composition, including an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium, and a decrease in harmful bacteria including Escherichia-Shigella, Parabacteroides, Eggerthella, and Flavonifractor. Moreover, STS supplementation resulted in changes in SCFAs production, with significant increases in acetate levels and reductions in propionate and propionate, while simultaneously reducing the generation of gases such as H2S, H2, and NH3. The Area Under the Curve (AUC)-Random Forest algorithm and PICRUSt 2 were employed to identify valuable biomarkers and predict associations between the gut microbiota, metabolites, and metabolic pathways. The results not only contribute to the elucidation of STS's modulatory effects on gut microbiota but also underscore its potential in shaping metabolic activities within the gastrointestinal environment. Furthermore, our study underscores the significance of personalized nutrition interventions, particularly utilizing STS supplementation, in the management of childhood obesity through targeted modulation of gut microbial ecology and metabolic function.

Spontaneous cytokine production by the cells from peripheral blood, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and skin in a murine model of acute psoriasis-like dermatitis

Imiquimod-induced model of psoriasis in mice is used for the studies in psoriasis. Imiquimod administered as skin application triggers a complex multi-stage process simulating psoriatic inflammation of the skin, accompanied by changes in production of cytokines. The aim of this work was a comprehensive study of their contents in cell supernatants isolated from skin, blood, from central and peripheral lymphoid organs and the effect of imiquimod on these parameters. Forty-six C57BL/6 mice were divided into two groups: (1) control (n = 22), and (2) experimental (n = 24). Development of experimental pathology was evaluated by van de Fits et al. The mice from experimental group were treated with a cream containing 5% imiquimod (62.5 mg/ cm2/ day/mouse) for 7 days. On the 7th day of experiment, the animals were subject to blood sampling, extraction of spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, and skin biopsies were also made. To obtain cell suspensions, the tissues of spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus were crushed in a homogenizer, and then passed through cell filters (50 mcm pore size). The method of spontaneous migration was used to isolate skin cells. The cultures of blood, spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, and skin cells were incubated for 24 hours in RPMI-1640 followed by assessment of spontaneous cytokine production in supernatants. The cytokine level (IFNγ, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL- 17, TNFα, IL-10) was determined using the murine Th1/Th2/Th17 Panel test system. Our study revealed that the cells isolated from blood and lymphoid organs synthesize increased amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines: IL-1 and IL-17. The most pronounced changes in the cytokine profile are observed in cell supernatants from blood, skin and spleen cultures.

Widening global variability in grassland biomass since the 1980s.

Global change is associated with variable shifts in the annual production of aboveground plant biomass, suggesting localized sensitivities with unclear causal origins. Combining remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index data since the 1980s with contemporary field data from 84 grasslands on 6 continents, we show a widening divergence in site-level biomass ranging from +51% to -34% globally. Biomass generally increased in warmer, wetter and species-rich sites with longer growing seasons and declined in species-poor arid areas. Phenological changes were widespread, revealing substantive transitions in grassland seasonal cycling. Grazing, nitrogen deposition and plant invasion were prevalent in some regions but did not predict overall trends. Grasslands are undergoing sizable changes in production, with implications for food security, biodiversity and carbon storage especially in arid regions where declines are accelerating.

Stress and its impact on the mucosal membranes of the digestive tract: morphological and functional alterations. A review

Studies of morphological changes in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract under stress are highly relevant in medical science and practice. Understanding these changes can be key to developing effective prevention and treatment methods for related problems. It is also important to improve the quality of life of people who are stressed in various areas of life. The literature review examines the physiological changes in the digestive tract under stress. Stress causes a complex effect on the functional state of the digestive system, including changes in blood supply, peristalsis and enzyme production. Such processes can lead to digestive disorders and aggravation of disorders.

Land Cover and Land Use Ontology—Evolution of International Standards, Challenges, and Opportunities

Knowledge of land is of central importance to manage the impact of mankind upon the environment. The understanding and treatment of land vary greatly across different regions and communities, making the description of land highly specific to each locality. To address the larger global issues, such as world food production or climate change mitigation, one needs to have a common standardized understanding of the biosphere cover and use of land. Different governments and institutions established national systems to describe thematic content of land within their jurisdictions. These systems are all valid and tuned to address various national needs. However, their integration at regional or global levels is lacking. Integrating data from widely divergent sources to create world datasets not only requires standards, but also an approach to integrate national and regional land cover classification systems. The ISO 19144 series, developed through the collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), offers a meta-language for the integration of disparate land classification systems, enhancing interoperability, data sharing, and national to global data integration and comparison. This paper provides an overview of classification system concepts, different stages for the development of standards in ISO and the status of different standards in the ISO 19144 series. It also explores the critical role of the ISO 19144 series in standardizing land cover and land use classification systems. Drawing on practical case studies, the paper underscores the series’ potential to support global sustainable development goals and lays out a path for its future development and application. Using these standards, we gain not only a tool for harmonizing land classification, but also a critical level for advancing sustainable development and environmental stewardship worldwide.

Linking animal and human health burden: challenges and opportunities.

Quantifying the impact of poor animal health outcomes on human health represents a complex challenge. Using the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) metric as an endpoint, this article discusses how animal health outcomes can impact humans through three key processes: directly through zoonotic disease, indirectly via changes in yields and their impacts on nutrition and wealth, and finally, through indirect features associated with the agricultural industry, such as pharmaceuticals and climate change. For each process, the current state of the art and feasibility of global DALY-associated estimates are discussed. Existing frameworks for zoonoses already consider some key pathogens; ensuring completeness in the pathogens considered and consistency in methodological decisions is an important next step. For diet, risk factor frameworks enable a calculation of attributable DALYs; however, significant economic methodological developments are needed to ensure that local production changes are appropriately mapped to both local and global changes in dietary habits. Concerning wealth-related impacts, much work needs to be done on method development. Industry-related impacts require a focus on key research topics, such as attribution studies for animal antimicrobial resistance contributing to human outcomes. For climate change, a critical next step is identifying to what extent associated industry emissions are amenable to change should animal health outcomes improve. Allocation of finite funds to improve animal health must also consider the downstream impact on humans. Leveraging DALYs enables comparisons with other human health-related decisions and would represent a transformative way of approaching animal health decision-making should the obstacles in this article be addressed and new methods be developed.

Assessing Transition Cow Management in Dairy Cows for Improved Health, Milk Production, Pregnancy and Culling Outcomes

Understanding of the social environment has the potential to benefit dairy cow welfare and production. Our aim was to evaluate the associations of stocking density, calving density, days spent in a pre-partum group before calving (days spent in close-up, DCU) and the number of days from a pen filling event (addition of new cows to the pre-partum pen) on early-lactation health, production, pregnancy and culling outcomes in dairy cows. Data were gathered from 2780 cows in 2 herds. Herd management and reproductive records were analyzed for cows receiving treatment in the first 30 d of lactation (days in milk, DIM) for clinical mastitis, reproductive tract disease, ketosis, milk fever and displaced abomasum. Principal component analysis was used to account for the relationship between gestation length (GL) and DCU and their association with early lactation disease, milk production, pregnancy and culling outcomes. The effect of stocking density, the number of days from a pen filling event to calving and the calving density experienced by a cow in her week of calving was also evaluated. Causal inference was used to correct for confounding bias due to farm identity. The odds of disease in the first 30 DIM increased with stocking density before calving. A quadratic association was found between the first principal component (PC1), representing the combined effect of GL and DCU, and the odds of disease in multiparous cows only. Early lactation milk production and 305 d milk production in multiparous cows increased with PC1 score. Quadratic relationships were found between stocking density at d 8 to 2 before calving with both early lactation and 305 d milk production in multiparous cows but no associations were found in primiparous cows. Calving density showed a quadratic association with 305 d milk production in primiparous cows. The number of days from the last pen filling event to calving was not associated with changes in milk production. Disease occurrence was negatively associated with both early lactation and 305 d milk yield in multiparous cows but only with early lactation milk production in primiparous cows. The occurrence of disease was associated with a delayed time to pregnancy only in primiparous cows while both disease and being in lactation group ≥ 3 were negatively associated with time to pregnancy in multiparous cows. Week 4 milk (W4MK) was positively associated with reduced time to pregnancy in multiparous cows. For primiparous cows, increasing age at calving was associated with increased culling risk, while being in lactation group ≥ 3 was associated with increased culling risk in multiparous cows. Culling risk decreased with increasing W4MK in all cows. These results suggest that gestation length, time spent in close-up and stocking density are important factors influencing disease incidence in early lactation and subsequent lactation performance but had differing effects on primiparous versus multiparous cows. A better understanding of how pre-partum management factors influence postpartum health and milk production can help farms to plan facilities and organize the day-to-day management of cows and will assist in improving cow welfare and productivity.

Infectious disease responses to human climate change adaptations.

Many recent studies have examined the impact of predicted changes in temperature and precipitation patterns on infectious diseases under different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. But these emissions scenarios symbolize more than altered temperature and precipitation regimes; they also represent differing levels of change in energy, transportation, and food production at a global scale to reduce the effects of climate change. The ways humans respond to climate change, either through adaptation or mitigation, have underappreciated, yet hugely impactful effects on infectious disease transmission, often in complex and sometimes nonintuitive ways. Thus, in addition to investigating the direct effects of climate changes on infectious diseases, it is critical to consider how human preventative measures and adaptations to climate change will alter the environments and hosts that support pathogens. Here, we consider the ways that human responses to climate change will likely impact disease risk in both positive and negative ways. We evaluate the evidence for these impacts based on the available data, and identify research directions needed to address climate change while minimizing externalities associated with infectious disease, especially for vulnerable communities. We identify several different human adaptations to climate change that are likely to affect infectious disease risk independently of the effects of climate change itself. We categorize these changes into adaptation strategies to secure access to water, food, and shelter, and mitigation strategies to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. We recognize that adaptation strategies are more likely to have infectious disease consequences for under-resourced communities, and call attention to the need for socio-ecological studies to connect human behavioral responses to climate change and their impacts on infectious disease. Understanding these effects is crucial as climate change intensifies and the global community builds momentum to slow these changes and reduce their impacts on human health, economic productivity, and political stability.

Cellular immune response to a single dose of live attenuated hepatitis a virus vaccine in obese children and adolescents

BackgroundLimited data are currently available regarding the cellular immune response to a live attenuated hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine, especially in children with obesity. The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the activation of antigen-specific interferon (IFN)-γ+ T cells in obese children and adolescents with healthy individuals before and after immunization with a single dose of live attenuated HAV vaccine. MethodsBlood samples were obtained from the 2021 study by Dumrisilp et al. investigating the immunogenicity of the live attenuated hepatitis A vaccine in children and young adults. Prior to enrollment, all 212 subjects had never received any HAV vaccine and tested negative for anti-HAV antibodies. The participants were vaccinated with a freeze-dried, live attenuated HAV vaccine of the H2 strain. In this study, we analyzed the stored peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from a subgroup of 30 obese subjects and 30 normal-weight healthy controls of the same age and sex. PBMCs were collected before and 8–9 weeks after HAV vaccination for further analysis. These cells were stimulated with a recombinant antigen derived from HAV-VP3, and the immune response was evaluated using the IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay. ResultsThe between-group analysis indicated that the T-cell response of obese participants was comparable to that of normal-weight controls both before and after vaccination. The change in IFN-γ production from before to after vaccination in the obese group was not significantly different from that of the control group. Additionally, in the obese group, no correlation was found between IFN-γ production and clinical characteristics such as sex, body mass index, waist circumference, and acanthosis nigricans. ConclusionTesting for cellular immune response provides a comprehensive understanding of the overall immune response to vaccination. This study, the first to explore this significant aspect, suggests that obesity does not affect the short-term cellular immune response to live attenuated HAV vaccination.