Is boosting the immune system in sepsis appropriate?

A relative immunosuppression is observed in patients after sepsis, trauma, burns, or any severe insults. It is currently proposed that selected patients will benefit from treatment aimed at boosting their immune systems. However, the host immune response needs to be considered in context with pathogen-type, timing, and mainly tissue specificity. Indeed, the immune status of leukocytes is not universally decreased and their activated status in tissues contributes to organ failure. Accordingly, any new immune-stimulatory therapeutic intervention should take into consideration potentially deleterious effects in some situations

Vitamin D supplementation for COVID-19: is it necessary?

The development of the COVID-19 vaccine is currently quite encouraging amid increasing mortality and transmission of the COVID-19 virus in various countries. Apart from vaccination, the government also needs to consider vitamin D supplementation policies because it has a significant role in boosting the immune system

Some liver function indices and blood parameters in T. brucei-infected rats treated with honey

Honey has been reported to clear infection through a number of properties including boosting the immune system, its anti-inflammatory action, antioxidant activity and stimulation of cell growth.Anaemia and serum biochemical changes are common features of African trypanosomosis. We investigated whether honey has protective effect on some liver functions and blood parameters affected by trypanosome infection. The serum albumin concentration in infected untreated rats increased significantly (

Evaluation of important mineral nutrients and vitamins in polyherbal medicines used for the treatment of tuberculosis in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Polyherbal medicines are widely used for the treatment of various diseases in the developing countries. In order to validate their ability in boosting the immune system of tuberculosis patients, the mineral nutrients and vitamins present were determined. Their nutritive properties were analysed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer, while the vitamins were determined using standardized methods. The polyherbal preparations were found to be rich in mineral nutrients and vitamins. Calcium was the highest mineral nutrient detected, while the lowest nutrient was phosphorus. Quantitatively, calcium and magnesium contents in the remedies ranged from 973.30 to 6503.30 mg/100g and 80.00 to 406.00 mg/100g respectively. The amount of phosphorus and potassium was between 20.00 and 263.30 mg/100g; 160.00 and 2050.00 mg/100g respectively. Micro nutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc, aluminium and copper were also detected. Iron was the highest nutrient in the majority of the polyherbal preparations while the lowest value was recorded for copper. However, vitamin C was absent in the herbal preparations while vitamin A and E were detected. These findings indicate that these polyherbal formulations contain the essential mineral nutrients and vitamins that could probably be boosting the immune system of tuberculosis patients.

Adoptive T cell therapy: Boosting the immune system to fight cancer

Cellular therapies have shown increasing promise as a cancer treatment. Encouraging results against hematologic malignancies are paving the way to move into solid tumors. In this review, we will focus on T-cell therapies starting from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to optimized T-cell receptor-modified (TCR) cells and chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-Ts). We will discuss the positive preclinical and clinical findings of these approaches, along with some of the persisting barriers that need to be overcome to improve outcomes

Cultivation and analysis of anthocyanin containing types of potatoes in organic farming regarding cultivability and additional health benefits

In a two year research project a representative spectrum of blue potato varieties were cultivated and tested in detail regarding disease infestation, yield potential and the influence of production systems (organic). Cultivation recommendations for blue potatoes could be deduced from this. Furthermore the varying anthocyanin content as well as the antioxidant capacity of the varieties used was analysed. Varieties with a particularly high content will undergo further tests to show the influence of the manner of preparation (boiling, steaming, frying) and determine their use for the processing industry. The combination of ecologically produced potatoes with „additional health benefits“ arouses the customers interest. The cultivation of high yield blue types can be an alternative to the cultivation of yellow fleshed high yield varieties in organic operating companies

The hospital ‘superbug’: social representations of MRSA

The so-called ‘hospital superbug’ methcillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) became a topic of media and political concern from the middle of the 1990’s. It was increasingly politicised in the period leading up to the British General Election of 2005. This study examines the meanings of MRSA that circulate in Britain by analysing newspaper coverage of the disease over a ten year period. It utilises social representations theory and contextualises MRSA within existing research on representations of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). A key pattern in the representation of EIDs is to externalise the threat they pose by linking the origin, risk and blame to ‘the other’ of those who represent them. In this light the study investigates who and what MRSA is associated with and the impact that these associations have on levels of alarm and blame. Key findings are that MRSA is represented as a potentially lethal ‘superbug’, marking the end of a ‘golden age of medicine’ in which the story of the discovery of antibiotics has played such a key role. Furthermore, MRSA is constructed around an “it could be you / me” set of assumptions by way of the plethora of human interest stories that dominate the coverage. Finally, the blame for MRSA focuses not on its genesis, but rather on why it spreads. This is attributed to poor hygiene in hospitals, which is ultimately caused by mismanagement of the National Health Service and erosion of the authority and morality symbolised by the ‘matron’ role. This constellation of meanings speaks to a somewhat different pattern of response to MRSA when compared to many past EIDs

Effect of Milk thistle plant, Vitis vinifera extract on immune system of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) challenge by diazinon

The pollutants due to effect on the immune system of fish increase fish sensitivity to pathogens. Diazinon is one of the most used organophosphates pesticide in many agricultural areas. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of diazinon on the immune system of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and application of Milk thistle plant, Vitis vinifera extract to reduce the adverse effects of this pesticide on its immune system. The reduction in the level of plasma peroxides, IgM, total complement and lysozyme were observed in fish exposed to diazinon showing its effect on the fish's immune system. No significant difference between control group and fish fed by Milk thistle plant extract and exposed to diazinon can reflect protective impact of Milk thistle plant extract on the immune system of rainbow trout by eliminating the free radicals and boosting the immune system

Role of T cells in cancer immunotherapy: Opportunities and challenges

Immunotherapies boosting the immune system\u27s ability to target cancer cells are promising for the treatment of various tumor types, yet clinical responses differ among patients and cancers. Recently, there has been increasing interest in novel cancer immunotherapy practices aimed at triggering T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses. Antigen-directed cytotoxicity mediated by T lymphocytes has become a central focal point in the battle against cancer utilizing the immune system. The molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the actions of T lymphocytes have directed new therapeutic approaches in cancer immunotherapy, including checkpoint blockade, adoptive and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, and cancer vaccinology. This review addresses all the strategies targeting tumor pathogenesis, including metabolic pathways, to evaluate the clinical significance of current and future immunotherapies for patients with cancer, which are further engaged in T cell activation, differentiation, and response against tumors