9 research outputs found

    The oyster genome reveals stress adaptation and complexity of shell formation

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    The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas belongs to one of the most species-rich but genomically poorly explored phyla, the Mollusca. Here we report the sequencing and assembly of the oyster genome using short reads and a fosmid-pooling strategy, along with transcriptomes of development and stress response and the proteome of the shell. The oyster genome is highly polymorphic and rich in repetitive sequences, with some transposable elements still actively shaping variation. Transcriptome studies reveal an extensive set of genes responding to environmental stress. The expansion of genes coding for heat shock protein 70 and inhibitors of apoptosis is probably central to the oyster's adaptation to sessile life in the highly stressful intertidal zone. Our analyses also show that shell formation in molluscs is more complex than currently understood and involves extensive participation of cells and their exosomes. The oyster genome sequence fills a void in our understanding of the Lophotrochozoa. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

    Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

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    Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

    The value of the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and PLT count for the diagnosis and prediction of COVID-19 severity.

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    BackgroundCOVID-19 and influenza A can cause severe respiratory illness. Differentiating between the two diseases and identifying critically ill patients in times of epidemics become a challenge for frontline medical staff. We sought to investigate whether both diseases and their severity could be recognized by routine blood parameters.MethodsOur retrospective study analysed the clinical data and first-time routine blood parameters of 80 influenza A patients and 123 COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients were divided into three groups according to treatment modalities and outcomes: outpatient group, inpatient without invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) group, and inpatient with IMV group. We used the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests to analyze the differences in routine blood parameters between the two or three groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) were used to assess the diagnostic accuracy.ResultsCompared with outpatient influenza A patients, outpatient COVID-19 patients had a higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (6.63 vs 3.55). ROC analysis showed that the NLR had a high diagnostic value for differentiating COVID-19 from influenza A (AUC = 0.739). The best cut-off point of the NLR was 6.48, the diagnostic sensitivity was 0.523, and the specificity was 0.925. The median platelet (PLT) count in the different COVID-19 groups was as follows: outpatient group (189×109/L), inpatient without IMV group (161×109/L), and inpatient with IMV group (94×109/L). Multivariate logistic regression analysis found a significant association between PLT and treatment modality and outcome in COVID-19 patients (pConclusionsNLR can be used as a potential biological indicator to distinguish COVID-19 and influenza A. Decreased PLT predicts the critical condition of COVID-19 patients and helps stratify the treatment of COVID-19 patients
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