Editorial: The Interplay Between Immune Activation and Cardiovascular Disease During Infection, Autoimmunity and Aging: The Role of T Cells

Chronic activation of cells of the immune system including T cells and systemic inflammation are well known risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Many human pathological conditions including viral infections, autoimmune diseases and aging are recognized drivers of increased risk of CVD. Among viral infections, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a contributing risk element to the existing traditional risk factors of atherogenesis; Influenza infection is correlated with ncreased the risk of cardiovascular events leading to deaths and HIV infection is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. The pandemic of SARS-COV2 infection showed that the severe presentation of the disease manifests with vascular damage and cardiovascular events. Autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic disease are also associated with cardiovascular disease. Lastly, in adults over 65 years, the accumulation of age-related phenotypic and functional alterations in immune cells parallels with a decline of the cardiovascular system with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. The mechanisms behind are not well defined, and while the role of innate immune cells has been established, the involvement of T cells in promoting vascular pathology and cardiovascular disease has emerged more recently (1). Chronic systemic inflammation and increased circulating levels of cytokines and chemokines can indeed contribute to vascular damage by promoting endothelial cell activation and oxidative stress thus linking to the increased risk of CVD (2, 3). Activation of endothelial cells promotes recruitment of circulating immune cells including T cells that will be activated and differentiate into distinct effector cells contributing to the pathology of the disease (4–6). Endothelial cells in this context have also been proposed to act as “semiprofessional” antigen presenting cells (APC) presenting antigens and providing several costimulatory signals to T cells leading to T cell activation especially at sites defined as endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity sites by Laser Doppler Flowmetry Assessment (7). A milestone in the understanding the role of T cells in promoting vascular inflammation has been reached with the characterization of the immune cell infiltrate in human atherosclerotic plaque by scRNA-seq technology which defined the main subsets of T cells in atherosclerosis (8). This data paved the way for further investigations about the role of T cells as a putative mechanistic link in pathologies associated with an increased risk of CVD. The proposed mechanisms by which T cells contribute to the pathology of the disease include dysregulated T helper and CD8 T cell function, expansion of terminally differentiated cytotoxic effectors CD4+ CD28- T cells and impaired Tregs function. This Research Topic has the aim to provide an overview of the latest advances in the study of the role of T cell activation and endothelial inflammation in cardiovascular risk and disease in the context of infection, autoimmunity and aging. The Research Topic highlights the emerging common and distinctive features of the putative immune mechanistic links between the pathophysiological conditions and the associated cardiovascular disease. The Research Topic comprises 11 articles, original research articles, 5 review and one systematic review and was divided into 3 sections. 1. Endothelial inflammation and T cell activation in CVD associated with infection. 2. T cell mechanisms involved in CVD associated with autoimmune diseases. 3. The immunology of cardiovascular disease during aging

Effects of Pesticide Treatments on Nutrient Levels in Worker Honey Bees (\u3ci\u3eApis mellifera\u3c/i\u3e)

Honey bee colony loss continues to be an issue and no factor has been singled out as to the cause. In this study, we sought to determine whether two beekeeper-applied pesticide products, tau-fluvalinate and Fumagilin-B, and one agrochemical, chlorothalonil, impact the nutrient levels in honey bee workers in a natural colony environment. Treatments were performed in-hive and at three different periods (fall, spring, and summer) over the course of one year. Bees were sampled both at pre-treatment and two and four weeks post-treatment, weighed, and their protein and carbohydrate levels were determined using BCA and anthrone based biochemical assays, respectively. We report that, based on the pesticide concentrations tested, no significant negative impact of the pesticide products was observed on wet weight, protein levels, or carbohydrate levels of bees from treated colonies compared with bees from untreated control colonies

Towards Intelligent Lower Limb Prostheses with Activity Recognition

User’s volitional control of lower limb prostheses is still challenging task despite technological advancements. There is still a need for amputees to impose their will upon the prosthesis to drive in an accurate and interactive fashion. This study represents a brief review on control strategies using different sensor modalities for the purpose of phases/events detection and activity recognition. The preliminary work that is associated with middle-level control shows a simple and reliable method for event detection in real-time using a single inertial measurement unit. The outcome shows promising results

Effects of Pesticide Treatments on Nutrient Levels in Worker Honey Bees (\u3ci\u3eApis mellifera\u3c/i\u3e)

Honey bee colony loss continues to be an issue and no factor has been singled out as to the cause. In this study, we sought to determine whether two beekeeper-applied pesticide products, tau-fluvalinate and Fumagilin-B, and one agrochemical, chlorothalonil, impact the nutrient levels in honey bee workers in a natural colony environment. Treatments were performed in-hive and at three different periods (fall, spring, and summer) over the course of one year. Bees were sampled both at pre-treatment and two and four weeks post-treatment, weighed, and their protein and carbohydrate levels were determined using BCA and anthrone based biochemical assays, respectively. We report that, based on the pesticide concentrations tested, no significant negative impact of the pesticide products was observed on wet weight, protein levels, or carbohydrate levels of bees from treated colonies compared with bees from untreated control colonies

Spatio temporal parameters and symmetry in subjects ascending and descending a ramp, using three different prosthetic feet

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0145-

The Utility of Capsicum annuum L. in Internal Medicine and In Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review

Capsaicin is a chili peppers extract, genus Capsicum, commonly used as a food spice. Since ancient times, Capsaicin has been used as a "homeopathic remedy" for treating a wild range of pathological conditions but without any scientific knowledge about its action. Several studies have demonstrated its potentiality in cardiovascular, nephrological, nutritional, and other medical fields. Capsaicin exerts its actions thanks to the bond with transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1). TRPV1 is a nociceptive receptor, and its activation starts with a neurosensitive impulse, responsible for a burning pain sensation. However, constant local application of Capsaicin desensitized neuronal cells and leads to relief from neuropathic pain. In this review, we analyze the potential adjuvant role of Capsaicin in the treatment of different pathological conditions either in internal medicine or dentistry. Moreover, we present our experience in five patients affected by oro-facial pain consequent to post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathy, not responsive to any remedy, and successfully treated with topical application of Capsaicin. The topical application of Capsaicin is safe, effective, and quite tolerated by patients. For these reasons, in addition to the already-proven beneficial actions in the internal field, it represents a promising method for the treatment of neuropathic oral diseases

Synthesis of zeolites from coal fly ash using mine waters

In this study mine waters obtained from coal mining operations in South Africa were used as a substitute for pure water during the synthesis of zeolites from South African coal fly ash. Procedures that had been optimized to produce single phase zeolite Na-P1 and X using pure water were employed independently. The use of circumneutral mine water resulted in similar quality zeolite Na-P1 and X whereas the use of acidic mine drainage led to the formation of a single phase hydroxysodalite zeolite. Since these two wastes (fly ash and mine waters) are found in close proximity to each other, this study demonstrates that they can be used to ameliorate each other and at the same time produce saleable zeolitic products that can be used to offset their costs of disposal and treatment.Web of Scienc

Accelerated in vivo proliferation of memory phenotype CD4+ T-cells in human HIV-1 infection irrespective of viral chemokine co-receptor tropism.

CD4(+) T-cell loss is the hallmark of HIV-1 infection. CD4 counts fall more rapidly in advanced disease when CCR5-tropic viral strains tend to be replaced by X4-tropic viruses. We hypothesized: (i) that the early dominance of CCR5-tropic viruses results from faster turnover rates of CCR5(+) cells, and (ii) that X4-tropic strains exert greater pathogenicity by preferentially increasing turnover rates within the CXCR4(+) compartment. To test these hypotheses we measured in vivo turnover rates of CD4(+) T-cell subpopulations sorted by chemokine receptor expression, using in vivo deuterium-glucose labeling. Deuterium enrichment was modeled to derive in vivo proliferation (p) and disappearance (d*) rates which were related to viral tropism data. 13 healthy controls and 13 treatment-naive HIV-1-infected subjects (CD4 143-569 cells/ul) participated. CCR5-expression defined a CD4(+) subpopulation of predominantly CD45R0(+) memory cells with accelerated in vivo proliferation (p = 2.50 vs 1.60%/d, CCR5(+) vs CCR5(-); healthy controls; P<0.01). Conversely, CXCR4 expression defined CD4(+) T-cells (predominantly CD45RA(+) naive cells) with low turnover rates. The dominant effect of HIV infection was accelerated turnover of CCR5(+)CD45R0(+)CD4(+) memory T-cells (p = 5.16 vs 2.50%/d, HIV vs controls; P<0.05), naïve cells being relatively unaffected. Similar patterns were observed whether the dominant circulating HIV-1 strain was R5-tropic (n = 9) or X4-tropic (n = 4). Although numbers were small, X4-tropic viruses did not appear to specifically drive turnover of CXCR4-expressing cells (p = 0.54 vs 0.72 vs 0.44%/d in control, R5-tropic, and X4-tropic groups respectively). Our data are most consistent with models in which CD4(+) T-cell loss is primarily driven by non-specific immune activation

Traumatic Pseudoaneurysm of the Internal Maxillary Artery: A Rare Life-Threatening Hemorrhage as a Complication of Maxillofacial Fractures

Pseudoaneurysm of the internal maxillary artery due to a traumatic event is a rare condition. Pseudoaneurysms are usually directly produced by arteries break with extravasation of blood. The compressed perivascular tissue forms the wall of aneurysmal sac. Then, this sac gradually expands and can be damaged. It is rare to see pseudoaneurysms of IMA. They are usually associated with fracture of the neck of the mandible. To the best of our knowledge the pseudoaneurysm of the internal maxillary artery related to maxillofacial trauma is an event extremely rare in the literature and if not quickly managed can lead to the patient’s death. This case underlines how the close cooperation between surgeons and radiologists results in a quick diagnosis and management of such pathological events