The helminth glycoprotein omega-1 improves metabolic homeostasis in obese mice through type 2 immunity-independent inhibition of food intake

Type 2 immunity plays an essential role in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and its disruption during obesity promotes meta-inflammation and insulin resistance. Infection with the helminth parasite Schistosoma mansoni and treatment with its soluble egg antigens (SEA) induce a type 2 immune response in metabolic organs and improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in obese mice, yet, a causal relationship remains unproven. Here, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of the T2 ribonuclease omega-1 (omega 1), one of the major S mansoni immunomodulatory glycoproteins, on metabolic homeostasis. We show that treatment of obese mice with plant-produced recombinant omega 1, harboring similar glycan motifs as present on the native molecule, decreased body fat mass, and improved systemic insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This effect was associated with an increase in white adipose tissue (WAT) type 2 T helper cells, eosinophils, and alternatively activated macrophages, without affecting type 2 innate lymphoid cells. In contrast to SEA, the metabolic effects of omega 1 were still observed in obese STAT6-deficient mice with impaired type 2 immunity, indicating that its metabolic effects are independent of the type 2 immune response. Instead, we found that omega 1 inhibited food intake, without affecting locomotor activity, WAT thermogenic capacity or whole-body energy expenditure, an effect also occurring in leptin receptor-deficient obese and hyperphagic db/db mice. Altogether, we demonstrate that while the helminth glycoprotein omega 1 can induce type 2 immunity, it improves whole-body metabolic homeostasis in obese mice by inhibiting food intake via a STAT6-independent mechanism.Radiolog

Value of T-tube in biliary tract reconstruction during orthotopic liver transplantation: a meta-analysis

Objective: To compare biliary complications after biliary tract reconstruction with or without T-tube in orthotopic liver transplantation. Methods: Randomized control trials (RCTs) and comparative studies were identified by a computerized literature search of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (1966/1–2010/4), Scopus (1980/1–2010/4), ClinicalTrials.gov (2010/4), the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Studies and data were extracted and assessed independently. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as odds ratios (ORs) and weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Five RCTs and eight comparative studies with a total of 1 608 subjects were identified. The data showed that the operation with T-tube had better outcomes for duct stenosis (P=0.01, OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.24–0.85). The operations with or without T-tube had equivalent outcomes as follows: overall biliary complications (P=0.85, OR=1.15, 95% CI 0.28–4.72), bile leaks (P=0.38, OR=0.75, 95% CI 0.39–1.42), and cholangitis (P=0.24, OR=4.64, 95% CI 0.36–60.62). These results were strengthened by the analysis of all thirteen non-randomized and randomized studies. Conclusions: Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that the insertion of a T-tube reduces the incidence of biliary stenosis without increasing the incidence of other biliary complications

Triboelectric backgrounds to radio-based polar ultra-high energy neutrino (UHEN) experiments

In the hopes of observing the highest-energy neutrinos (E>1 EeV) populating the Universe, both past (RICE, AURA, ANITA) and current (RNO-G, ARIANNA, ARA and TAROGE-M) polar-sited experiments exploit the impulsive radio emission produced by neutrino interactions. In such experiments, rare single event candidates must be unambiguously identified above backgrounds. Background rejection strategies to date primarily target thermal noise fluctuations and also impulsive radio-frequency signals of anthropogenic origin. In this paper, we consider the possibility that ‘fake’ neutrino signals may also be generated naturally via the ‘triboelectric effect.’ This broadly describes any process in which force applied at a boundary layer results in displacement of surface charge, leading to the production of an electrostatic potential difference ΔV. Wind blowing over granular surfaces such as snow can induce such a potential difference, with subsequent coronal discharge. Discharges over timescales as short as nanoseconds can then lead to radio-frequency emissions at characteristic MHz–GHz frequencies. Using data from various past (RICE, AURA, SATRA, ANITA) and current (RNO-G, ARIANNA and ARA) neutrino experiments, we find evidence for such backgrounds, which are generally characterized by: (a) a threshold wind velocity which likely depends on the experimental trigger criteria and layout; for the experiments considered herein, this value is typically O(10 m/s), (b) frequency spectra generally shifted to the low-end of the frequency regime to which current radio experiments are typically sensitive (100–200 MHz), (c) for the strongest background signals, an apparent preference for discharges from above-surface structures, although the presence of more isotropic, lower amplitude triboelectric discharges cannot be excluded