Examining the influence of body fat distribution on standing balance and functional performance in overweight female patients with degenerative lumbar disease.

Introduction: Degenerative lumbar disease (DLD) is a prevalent disorder that predominantly affects the elderly population, especially female. Extensive research has demonstrated that overweight individuals (categorized by body fat distribution) have a higher susceptibility to developing DLD and an increased risk of falling. However, there is limited research available on the standing balance and functional performance of overweight females with DLD. Aims: To determine the impact of body fat distribution on standing balance and functional performance in overweight females with DLD. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated thirty females with DLD were categorized into three types of body fat distribution based on body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio, specifically as android-type, gynoid-type, and normal weight groups. In addition, a control group of ten age-matched females with normal weight was recruited. The Visual Analogue Scale, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, Cobb angle (Determined using x-ray), and body composition (Determined using the InBody S10), were conducted only on the DLD groups. All participants were assessed standing balance in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions. The functional assessments included timed-up-and-go and 5-times-sit-to-stand tests. Results: There were 10 people in each group. Android-type (Age = 65.00 ± 6.34 years; BMI = 26.87 ± 2.05 kg/m2), Gynoid-type (Age = 65.60 ± 4.99 years; BMI = 26.60 ± 1.75 kg/m2), Normal weight (Age = 65.70 ± 5.92 years; BMI = 22.35 ± 1.26 kg/m2), and Control (Age = 65.00 ± 5.23 years; BMI = 22.60 ± 1.12 kg/m2). The android-type group had higher body fat, visceral fat, and lower muscle mass (p < 0.05), along with an increased Cobb angle (p < 0.05). They showed greater ellipse area, total excursion, and mean distance in the anteroposterior direction (p < 0.05). During the functional performance assessments, the android-type group had longer durations in both the 5-times-sit-to-stand and timed-up-and-go tasks (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study found that android-type overweight individuals showed postural instability, reduced functional performance, and insufficient lower limb muscle strength and mass. These findings might help physical therapists in planning interventions, as they imply that patients with DLD may require specific types of standing balance training and lower extremities muscle-strengthening based on their body fat distribution. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05375201.

Minimally Invasive Chevron Akin (MICA) Osteotomy Corrects Radiographic Parameters but Not Central Metatarsal Loading in Moderate to Severe Hallux Valgus without Metatarsalgia.

BACKGROUND: Central metatarsal pressure is increased in patients with hallux valgus, but the pedographic outcomes after hallux valgus (HV) correction are inconclusive. No known literature has reported the pedographic outcomes after HV correction with Minimally Invasive Chevron and Akin Osteotomy (MICA). METHODS: A prospective cohort of 31 feet from 25 patients with moderate-to-severe symptomatic HV but without metatarsalgia underwent MICA and was evaluated using radiographic parameters and pedographic measurements (Footscan®, RSscan International, Olen, Belgium). Data were collected preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: The radiographic parameters of the hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle, distal metatarsal articular angle, first metatarsal head lateral shape, and lateral sesamoid grade significantly improved after MICA. The corrected first metatarsal length was significantly shortened by 2.3 mm, with consistent second metatarsal protrusion distance, lateral Meary's angle, and calcaneal pitch angle. Max force, max pressure, cumulative force, and cumulative pressure on the central metatarsals did not show significant changes between pre- and post-operative measurements, while these parameters significantly decreased in the hallux and first metatarsal area. CONCLUSION: MICA effectively corrects radiographic parameters but does not reduce central metatarsal loading in patients with moderate-to-severe HV without metatarsalgia.

The Validity and Reliability of a Real-Time Biofeedback System for Lumbopelvic Control Training in Baseball Players.

BACKGROUND: This study validates real-time biofeedback for lumbopelvic control training in baseball. The lumbopelvic region is crucial for generating kinetic energy in pitching. Real-time biofeedback enhances training effectiveness and reduces injury risk. The validity and reliability of this system were examined. PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the real-time biofeedback system for lumbopelvic control training. METHODS: Twelve baseball players participated in this study, with data collected in two sessions separated by a week. All participants needed to do the lateral slide exercise and single-leg squat exercise in each session. Pelvic angles detected by the real-time biofeedback system were compared to the three-dimensional motion capture system (VICON) during training sessions. Additionally, pelvic angles measured by the biofeedback system were compared between the two training sessions. RESULTS: The real-time biofeedback system exhibited moderate to strong correlations with VICON in both exercises: lateral slide exercise (r = 0.66-0.88, p < 0.05) and single-leg squat exercise (r = 0.70-0.85, p < 0.05). Good to excellent reliability was observed between the first and second sessions for both exercises: lateral slide exercise (ICC = 0.76-0.97) and single-leg squat exercise (ICC = 0.79-0.90). CONCLUSIONS: The real-time biofeedback system for lumbopelvic control training, accurately providing the correct pelvic angle during training, could enhance training effectiveness.

Virtual reality skateboarding training for balance and functional performance in degenerative lumbar spine disease.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative lumbar spine disease (DLD) is a prevalent condition in middle-aged and elderly individuals. DLD frequently results in pain, muscle weakness, and motor impairment, which affect postural stability and functional performance in daily activities. Simulated skateboarding training could enable patients with DLD to engage in exercise with less pain and focus on single-leg weight-bearing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) skateboarding training on balance and functional performance in patients with DLD. METHODS: Fourteen patients with DLD and 21 age-matched healthy individuals completed a 6-week program of VR skateboarding training. The motion capture and force platform systems were synchronized to collect data during a single-leg stance test (SLST). Musculoskeletal simulation was utilized to calculate muscle force based on the data. Four functional performance tests were conducted to evaluate the improvement after the training. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was also employed for pain assessment. RESULTS: After the training, pain intensity significantly decreased in patients with DLD (p = 0.024). Before the training, patients with DLD took longer than healthy individuals on the five times sit-to-stand test (p = 0.024). After the training, no significant between-group differences were observed in any of the functional performance tests (p > 0.05). In balance, patients with DLD were similar to healthy individuals after the training, except that the mean frequency (p = 0.014) was higher. Patients with DLD initially had higher biceps femoris force demands (p = 0.028) but shifted to increased gluteus maximus demand after the training (p = 0.037). Gluteus medius strength significantly improved in patients with DLD (p = 0.039), while healthy individuals showed consistent muscle force (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to apply the novel VR skateboarding training to patients with DLD. VR skateboarding training enabled patients with DLD to achieve the training effects in a posture that relieves lumbar spine pressure. The results also emphasized the significant benefits to patients with DLD, such as reduced pain, enhanced balance, and improved muscle performance.

Urinary angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and its activity in cats with chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) played an important role in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and it was proved to be renoprotective in renal disease. Urinary angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (uACE2) has been shown to reflect renal injury in human and experimental studies, but its role in feline kidney disease remains unknown. Aims: Our objectives involve comparing uACE2 concentrations and activities in cats across CKD stages with healthy controls, investigating the relationship between uACE2 concentrations, activities, and clinicopathological data in feline CKD patients, and assessing the predictive abilities of both for CKD progression. Methods: A retrospective, case-control study. The concentration and activity of uACE2 were measured by commercial ELISA and fluorometric assay kits, respectively. The concentration was adjusted to give uACE2 concentration-to-creatinine ratios (UACCRs). Results: In total, 67 cats consisting of 24 control and 43 chronic kidney disease (CKD), including 24 early-stage CKD and 19 late-stage CKD, were enrolled in this study. UACCR values were significantly higher in both early-stage (2.100 [1.142-4.242] x 10-6) and late-stage feline CKD (4.343 [2.992-5.0.71] x 10-6) compared to healthy controls (0.894 [0.610-1.076] x 10-6; p < 0.001), and there was also significant difference between-early stage group and late-stage group (p = 0.026). Urinary ACE2 activity (UAA) was significantly lower in CKD cats (1.338 [0.644-2.755] x pmol/min/ml) compared to the healthy cats (7.989 [3.711-15.903] x pmol/min/ml; p < 0.001). UACCR demonstrated an independent, positive correlation with BUN (p < 0.001), and UAA exhibited an independent, negative correlation with plasma creatinine (p < 0.001). Both UACCR and UAA did not yield significant results in predicting CKD progression based on the ROC curve analysis. Conclusion and clinical importance: uACE2 concentration and activity exhibit varying changes as renal function declines, particularly in advanced CKD cats.

Identification and genomic characterization of feline calicivirus from a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in Taiwan.

The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) is an endangered wildlife that is protected under Taiwan's regulations. The body of a road-killed leopard cat was found to contain sequences of feline calicivirus (FCV), designated W109-1443. Analysis of the complete genomic sequence revealed that it shared approximately 81% similarity with a Chinese strain of FCV found in a domestic cat. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene indicated that the W109-1443 isolate belonged to genogroup II. Recombination analysis revealed that the W109-1443 isolate may have resulted from recombination between two FCV strains. Given the potential impact of FCV on the health and survival of wild felids, further investigation is necessary to assess its pathogenicity in the leopard cat population.

Gn protein expressed in plants for diagnosis of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) causes the highly fatal disease in humans. To facilitate diagnosis, the native form of subunit glycoprotein (Gn), a prime target for potential vaccines and therapies, was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana using a Bamboo mosaic virus-based vector system. By fusion with secretory signal tags, SSExt, derived from the extension protein, and the (SP)10 motif, the yield of the recombinant Gn (rGn) was remarkably increased to approximately 7 mg/kg infiltrated leaves. Ultimately, an rGn-based ELISA was successfully established for the detection of SFTSV-specific antibodies in serum samples from naturally infected monkeys. As validated with the reference method, the specificity and sensitivity of rGn-ELISA were 94% and 96%, respectively. In conclusion, utilizing well-suited fusion tags facilitates rGn production and purification in substantial quantities while preserving its antigenic properties. The rGn-ELISA, characterized by its commendable sensitivity and specificity could serve as a viable alternative diagnostic method for assessing SFTSV seroprevalence. KEY POINTS: • SFTSV Gn, fused with secretory signal tags, was expressed by the BaMV-based vector. • The plant fusion tags increased expression levels and eased the purification of rGn. • The rGn-ELISA was established and validated; its specificity and sensitivity > 94%.

Low-temperature culture enhances production of flavivirus virus-like particles in mammalian cells.

Flavivirus virus-like particles (VLPs) exhibit a striking structural resemblance to viral particles, making them highly adaptable for various applications, including vaccines and diagnostics. Consequently, increasing VLPs production is important and can be achieved by optimizing expression plasmids and cell culture conditions. While attempting to express genotype III (GIII) Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) VLPs containing the G104H mutation in the envelope (E) protein, we failed to generate VLPs in COS-1 cells. However, VLPs production was restored by cultivating plasmid-transfected cells at a lower temperature, specifically 28 °C. Furthermore, we observed that the enhancement in JEV VLPs production was independent of amino acid mutations in the E protein. The optimal condition for JEV VLPs production in plasmid-transfected COS-1 cells consisted of an initial culture at 37 °C for 6 h, followed by a shift to 28 °C (37/28 °C) for cultivation. Under 37/28 °C cultivation conditions, flavivirus VLPs production significantly increased in various mammalian cell lines regardless of whether its expression was transiently transfected or clonally selected cells. Remarkably, clonally selected cell lines expressing flavivirus VLPs consistently achieved yields exceeding 1 µg/ml. Binding affinity analyses using monoclonal antibodies revealed similar binding patterns for VLPs of genotype I (GI) JEV, GIII JEV, West Nile virus (WNV), and dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) produced under both 37 °C or 37/28 °C cultivation conditions. In summary, our study demonstrated that the production of flavivirus VLPs can be significantly improved under 37/28 °C cultivation conditions without affecting the conformational structure of the E protein. KEYPOINTS: • Low-temperature culture (37/28 °C) enhances production of flavivirus VLPs. • Flavivirus VLPs consistently achieved yields exceeding 1 µg/ml. • 37/28 °C cultivation did not alter the structure of flavivirus VLPs.

Influence of Verbal Instruction on Gait Training in Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Verbal instruction is one of the most commonly used methods that therapists use to correct walking pattern for people with Parkinson disease. This study aimed to compare the long-term training effects of two different verbal instructions that either asked the participants to "take big steps" or "strike the ground with the heel" on walking ability in individuals with Parkinson disease. DESIGN: Forty-five participants with Parkinson disease were randomized into the big-step or heel strike group. The participants underwent 12 sessions of treadmill and overground gait training. Throughout the interventions, the big-step group received an instruction to "take big steps," while the heel strike group received an instruction to "strike the ground with your heel." The primary outcome was gait performance, including velocity, stride length, cadence, and heel strike angle. The participants were assessed before, immediately after, and 1 mo after training. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvements in gait performance after training. The heel strike group showed continuous improvements in velocity and stride length during the follow-up period; however, the big-step group showed slightly decreased performance. CONCLUSIONS: A verbal instruction emphasizing heel strike can facilitate long-term retention of walking performance in people with Parkinson disease.

Epidemiology of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Dogs and Cats in Taiwan.

Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), caused by the SFTS Virus (SFTSV), is a global health threat. SFTSV in Taiwan has only been reported in ruminants and wild animals. Thus, we aimed to investigate the infection statuses of dogs and cats, the animals with closer human interactions. Overall, the SFTSV RNA prevalence was 23% (170/735), with dogs showing a 25.9% (111/429) prevalence and cats at 19.3% (59/306) prevalence. Noticeably, the prevalence in stray animals (39.8% 77/193) was significantly higher than in domesticated ones (17.2%, 93/542). Among the four categories analyzed, the highest SFTSV prevalence was found in the stray dogs at 53.9% (120/193), significantly higher than the 24.2% prevalence noted in stray cats. In contrast, domesticated animals exhibited similar prevalence rates, with 17.1% for dogs and 17.2% for cats. It is noteworthy that in the domesticated animal groups, a significantly elevated prevalence (45%, 9/20) was observed among cats exhibiting thrombocytopenia compared to those platelet counts in the reference range (4.8%, 1/21). The high infection rate in stray animals, especially stray dogs, indicated that exposure to various outdoor environments influences the prevalence of infections. Given the higher human interaction with dogs and cats, there is a need for proactive measures to reduce the risk associated with the infection of SFTSV in both animals and humans.

Human Posture Transition-Time Detection Based upon Inertial Measurement Unit and Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks.

As human-robot interaction becomes more prevalent in industrial and clinical settings, detecting changes in human posture has become increasingly crucial. While recognizing human actions has been extensively studied, the transition between different postures or movements has been largely overlooked. This study explores using two deep-learning methods, the linear Feedforward Neural Network (FNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), to detect changes in human posture among three different movements: standing, walking, and sitting. To explore the possibility of rapid posture-change detection upon human intention, the authors introduced transition stages as distinct features for the identification. During the experiment, the subject wore an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on their right leg to measure joint parameters. The measurement data were used to train the two machine learning networks, and their performances were tested. This study also examined the effect of the sampling rates on the LSTM network. The results indicate that both methods achieved high detection accuracies. Still, the LSTM model outperformed the FNN in terms of speed and accuracy, achieving 91% and 95% accuracy for data sampled at 25 Hz and 100 Hz, respectively. Additionally, the network trained for one test subject was able to detect posture changes in other subjects, demonstrating the feasibility of personalized or generalized deep learning models for detecting human intentions. The accuracies for posture transition time and identification at a sampling rate of 100 Hz were 0.17 s and 94.44%, respectively. In summary, this study achieved some good outcomes and laid a crucial foundation for the engineering application of digital twins, exoskeletons, and human intention control.

Machine Learning for Human Motion Intention Detection.

The gait pattern of exoskeleton control conflicting with the human operator's (the pilot) intention may cause awkward maneuvering or even injury. Therefore, it has been the focus of many studies to help decide the proper gait operation. However, the timing for the recognization plays a crucial role in the operation. The delayed detection of the pilot's intent can be equally undesirable to the exoskeleton operation. Instead of recognizing the motion, this study examines the possibility of identifying the transition between gaits to achieve in-time detection. This study used the data from IMU sensors for future mobile applications. Furthermore, we tested using two machine learning networks: a linearfFeedforward neural network and a long short-term memory network. The gait data are from five subjects for training and testing. The study results show that: 1. The network can successfully separate the transition period from the motion periods. 2. The detection of gait change from walking to sitting can be as fast as 0.17 s, which is adequate for future control applications. However, detecting the transition from standing to walking can take as long as 1.2 s. 3. This study also find that the network trained for one person can also detect movement changes for different persons without deteriorating the performance.

Novel ollusvirus detected in a solitary wild bee species (Osmia taurus) in Japan.

Pathogens of wild bees in Japan remain largely unknown. We examined viruses harbored by solitary wild Osmia bees, including Osmia cornifrons and Osmia taurus. Interestingly, the full-length genome of a novel virus (designated as "Osmia-associated bee chuvirus", OABV) was identified in three Osmia taurus bees collected in Fukushima prefecture. The sequences and genomic features are similar to those of Scaldis River bee virus. Phylogenetic analysis based on RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, glycoprotein, and nucleoprotein sequences showed that OABV formed a subcluster within ollusviruses and was closely related to strains identified in European countries. This study extends our knowledge of wild bee parasites in Japan.

Response of elephant peripheral blood mononuclear cells when stimulated with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus glycoprotein B (EEHV-gB).

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus-hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) is the most highly fatal infectious disease among young Asian elephants. Despite the fact that antiviral therapy has been widely used, its therapeutic outcomes remain uncertain. Additionally, the virus has yet to be successfully cultivated in vitro in the process of develop viral envelope glycoproteins for vaccine design. The present study aims to investigate and evaluate EEHV1A glycoprotein B (gB) antigenic epitopes as potential candidates for further vaccine development. Epitopes of EEHV1A-gB were employed in in silico predictions and designed by using online antigenic predicting tools. Candidate genes were then constructed, transformed and expressed in the E. coli vectors prior to examine their potential for acceleration elephant immune responses in vitro. Elephant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from 16 healthy juvenile Asian elephants were investigated for their proliferative capability and cytokine responses after being stimulated with EEHV1A-gB epitopes. Exposure of elephant PBMCs to 20 µg/mL of gB for 72 h resulted in a significant proliferation of CD3 + cells when compared with the control group. Furthermore, proliferation of CD3 + cells was associated with a marked up-regulation of cytokine mRNA expression, involving IL-1ß, IL-8, IL-12 and IFN-γ. It remains to be determined whether these candidate EEHV1A-gB epitopes could activate immune responses in animal models or elephants in vivo. Our potentially promising results demonstrate a degree of feasibility for the use of these gB epitopes in expanding EEHV vaccine development.

A novel balance training approach: Biomechanical study of virtual reality-based skateboarding.

Introduction: The use of virtual reality (VR) technology in training and rehabilitation gained increasing attention in recent years due to its potential to provide immersive and interactive experiences. We developed a novel VR-based balance training, VR-skateboarding, for improving balance. It is important to investigate the biomechanical aspects of this training, as it would have benefited both health professionals and software engineers. Aims: This study aimed to compare the biomechanical characteristics of VR-skateboarding with those of walking. Materials and Methods: Twenty young participants (10 males and 10 females) were recruited. Participants underwent VR-skateboarding and walking at the comfortable walking speed, with the treadmill set at the same speed for both tasks. The motion capture system and electromyography were used to determine joint kinematics and muscle activity of the trunk and legs, respectively. The force platform was also used to collect the ground reaction force. Results: Participants demonstrated increased trunk flexion angles and muscle activity of trunk extensor during VR-skateboarding than during walking (p < 0.01). For the supporting leg, participants' joint angles of hip flexion and ankle dorsiflexion, as well as muscle activity of knee extensor, were higher during VR-skateboarding than during walking (p < 0.01). For the moving leg, only hip flexion increased in VR-skateboarding when compared to walking (p < 0.01). Furthermore, participants increased weight distribution in the supporting leg during VR-skateboarding (p < 0.01). Conclusion: VR-skateboarding is a novel VR-based balance training that has been found to improve balance through increased trunk and hip flexion, facilitated knee extensor muscles, and increased weight distribution on the supporting leg compared to walking. These differences in biomechanical characteristics have potential clinical implications for both health professionals and software engineers. Health professionals may consider incorporating VR-skateboarding into training protocols to improve balance, while software engineers may use this information to design new features in VR systems. Our study suggests that the impact of VR-skateboarding particularly manifest when focusing on the supporting leg.

The First Nationwide Surveillance of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Ruminants and Wildlife in Taiwan.

Since the first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in China in 2009, SFTSV has rapidly spread through other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Pakistan, in chronological order. Taiwan reported its first discovery of SFTSV in sheep and humans in 2020. However, the prevalence of SFTSV in domestic and wildlife animals and the geographic distribution of the virus within the island remain unknown. A total of 1324 animal samples, including 803 domestic ruminants, 521 wildlife animals and 47 tick pools, were collected from March 2021 to December 2022 from 12 counties and one terrestrial island. The viral RNA was detected by a one-step real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Overall, 29.9% (240/803) of ruminants showed positive SFTSV RNA. Sheep had the highest viral RNA prevalence of 60% (30/50), followed by beef cattle at 28.4% (44/155), goats at 28.3% (47/166), and dairy cows at 27.5% (119/432). The bovine as a total of dairy cow and beef cattle was 27.8% (163/587). The viral RNA prevalence in ticks (predominantly Rhipicephalus microplus) was similar to those of ruminants at 27.7% (13/47), but wild animals exhibited a much lower prevalence at 1.3% (7/521). Geographically the distribution of positivity was quite even, being 33%, 29.1%, 27.5% and 37.5% for northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan, respectively. Statistically, the positive rate of beef cattle in the central region (55.6%) and dairy cattle in the eastern region (40.6%) were significantly higher than the other regions; and the prevalence in Autumn (September-November) was significantly higher than in the other seasons (p < 0.001). The nationwide study herein revealed for the first time the wide distribution and high prevalence of SFTSV in both domestic animals and ticks in Taiwan. Considering the high mortality rate in humans, surveillance of other animal species, particularly those in close contact with humans, and instigation of protective measures for farmers, veterinarians, and especially older populations visiting or living near farms or rural areas should be prioritized.

Strictinin, a Major Ingredient in Yunnan Kucha Tea Possessing Inhibitory Activity on the Infection of Mouse Hepatitis Virus to Mouse L Cells.

Theacrine and strictinin of Yunnan Kucha tea prepared from a mutant variety of wild Pu'er tea plants were two major ingredients responsible for the anti-influenza activity. As the COVID-19 outbreak is still lurking, developing safe and cost-effective therapeutics is an urgent need. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these tea compounds on the infection of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a ß-coronavirus serving as a surrogate for SARS-CoV. Treatment with strictinin (100 µM), but not theacrine, completely eliminated MHV infection, as indicated by a pronounced reduction in plaque formation, nucleocapsid protein expression, and progeny production of MHV. Subsequently, a time-of-drug addition protocol, including pre-, co-, or post-treatment, was exploited to further evaluate the possible mechanism of antiviral activity mediated by strictinin, and remdesivir, a potential drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, was used as a positive control against MHV infection. The results showed that all three treatments of remdesivir (20 µM) completely blocked MHV infection. In contrast, no significant effect on MHV infection was observed when cells were pre-treated with strictinin (100 µM) prior to infection, while significant inhibition of MHV infection was observed when strictinin was introduced upon viral adsorption (co-treatment) and after viral entry (post-treatment). Of note, as compared with the co-treatment group, the inhibitory effect of strictinin was more striking in the post-treatment group. These results indicate that strictinin suppresses MHV infection by multiple mechanisms; it possibly interferes with viral entry and also critical step(s) of viral infection. Evidently, strictinin significantly inhibited MHV infection and might be a suitable ingredient for protection against coronavirus infection.

The Effects of Interactive Virtual Reality in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Interactive virtual reality (iVR) has been widely used for treatment purposes in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders. However, no consensus has been reached on the effects of iVR on pain, psychological distress, and functional disability. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of iVR on pain, psychological distress, and functional disability in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders compared with no rehabilitation and conventional rehabilitation. Methods: Five electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science) were searched from January 2016 to December 2021. All randomized controlled trials using iVR for treating pain, psychological distress, and functional disability in patients with chronic musculoskeletal disorders were included. A subgroup analysis was conducted to compare the effects of nonimmersive and immersive types of iVR on the outcomes of interest. Results: Our study provides good quality evidence that iVR reduced overall pain by 9.28 points as compared with no rehabilitation and by 8.09 points as compared with conventional rehabilitation. In the subgroup analysis, nonimmersive iVR showed a reduction in psychological distress (standardized mean differences = -0.35) as compared with no rehabilitation. However, no statistically significant difference in the outcomes existed between nonimmersive and immersive iVR. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant differences in the outcomes of functional disability. Conclusions: iVR is recommended for reducing pain intensity more than no rehabilitation or conventional rehabilitation. Meanwhile, nonimmersive iVR has been proposed for psychological distress improvement, with effects similar to those of conventional rehabilitation. However, iVR may not be an effective intervention in the case of functional disability.

Deletion of gene OV132 attenuates Orf virus more effectively than gene OV112.

Orf virus (ORFV), a Parapoxvirus in Poxviridae, infects sheep and goats resulting in contagious pustular dermatitis. ORFV is regarded as a promising viral vector candidate for vaccine development and oncolytic virotherapy. Owing to their potential clinical application, safety concerns have become increasingly important. Deletion of either the OV132 (encoding vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF) or OV112 (encoding the chemokine binding protein, CBP) genes reduced ORFV infectivity, which has been independently demonstrated in the NZ2 and NZ7 strains, respectively. This study revealed that the VEGF and CBP gene sequences of the local strain (TW/Hoping) shared a similarity of 47.01% with NZ2 and 90.56% with NZ7. Due to the high sequence divergence of these two immunoregulatory genes among orf viral strains, their contribution to the pathogenicity of Taiwanese ORFV isolates was comparatively characterized. Initially, two ORFV recombinants were generated, in which either the VEGF or CBP gene was deleted and replaced with the reporter gene EGFP. In vitro assays indicated that both the VEGF-deletion mutant ORFV-VEGFΔ-EGFP and the CBP deletion mutant ORFV-CBPΔ-EGFP were attenuated in cells. In particular, ORFV-VEGFΔ-EGFP significantly reduced plaque size and virus yield compared to ORFV-CBPΔ-EGFP and the wild-type control. Similarly, in vivo analysis revealed no virus yield in the goat skin biopsy infected by ORFV-VEGFΔ-EGFP, and significantly reduced the virus yield of ORFV-CBPΔ-EGFP relative to the wild-type control. These results confirmed the loss of virulence of both deletion mutants in the Hoping strain, whereas the VEGF-deletion mutant was more attenuated than the CBP deletion strain in both cell and goat models. KEY POINTS: • VEGF and CBP genes are crucial in ORFV pathogenesis in the TW/Hoping strain • The VEGF-deletion mutant virus was severely attenuated in both cell culture and animal models • Deletion mutant viruses are advantageous vectors for the development of vaccines and therapeutic regimens.

NS2 is a key determinant of compatibility in reassortant avian influenza virus with heterologous H7N9-derived NS segment.

Influenza A viruses are common pathogens with high prevalence worldwide and potential for pandemic spread. While influenza A infections typically elicit robust cellular innate immune responses, the non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antagonizes host anti-viral responses and is critical for efficient virus replication and virulence. The avian influenza virus (AIV) H7N9 initially emerged in China in 2013 and has since crossed the avian-human barrier, causing severe disease in humans. To investigate the influence of the H7N9 NS gene (NS079) on viral replication and innate immune response, we generated several recombinant AIVs bearing various NS079 segments on the backbone of H6N1 (strain 0702). Intriguingly, the recombinant virus bearing the heterologous NS079 gene was highly attenuated compared with virus carrying the homologous NS gene (NS0702). Furthermore, we generated a NS079-0702R virus that expresses a chimeric NS gene in which part of the NS079 effector domain was replaced with the sequence from NS0702. The NS079-0702R virus exhibited significantly enhanced viral yield, approximately 100-fold more than virus bearing NS079. The high infection rate of NS079-0702R virus was reflected by strong induction of IFN and Mx expression in human A549 cells. Intriguingly, our in vitro comparative analysis suggested that the increased NS079-0702R infection capacity was independent of the ability of NS1 to interact with cellular partners, such as PKR and CPSF30. Since partial substitution of the effector domain from NS0702 altered the coding sequence of NS2, we further generated another recombinant virus with NS2 derived from H7N9. Surprisingly, the virus with H7N9-derived NS2 exhibited growth characteristics similar to NS079. Our data demonstrate that swapping NS2 components changes infection efficiency, suggesting a key role for NS2 as a determinant of viral compatibility upon reassortment. These findings warrant further investigation into the precise mechanisms by which NS2 contributes to viral replication and host immunity.1.