Short-term effects of community-based marine reserves on green abalone, as revealed by population studies.

Marine reserves (MRs) are implemented worldwide to protect, restore, and manage marine ecosystems and species. However, it is important to document the positive effects those marine reserves have on slow-growth, temperate invertebrates such as abalone. Abalone, Haliotis spp., are marine gastropods of high economic value extracted worldwide for decades, which has led to fisheries-driven population decreases. In this work, we focused on a case study and assessed the short-term (1-2 years) effects of marine reserves established and managed by a local fishing cooperative at Guadalupe Island, Mexico. We evaluated the population status of green abalone, H. fulgens, by conducting (1) an assessment of the green abalone population around Guadalupe Island through subtidal monitoring and (2) an evaluation of the effect of two recently established marine reserves on population parameters such as the increase in density (individuals·m2), biomass, number of aggregated abalone, egg production, and proportion of individuals bigger than 150 mm (minimum harvest size) compared to fished areas. To assess the population around Guadalupe Island, we surveyed 11,160 m2 during 2020 and 2021. We recorded 2327 green abalones with a mean ± SE shell length of 135.978 ± 0.83 mm and a mean density of 0.21 ± 0.02 individuals·m2. All variables were statistically higher at the MRs except for shell length in 2021. In this work, we report for the first time the green abalone population status at Guadalupe Island and a positive short-term biological response to community-based marine reserves. This study suggests that a network of MRs combined with good management could help abalone populations in the short term in Guadalupe Island, potentially leading to more sustainable fishing practices and social-ecological resilience.

Expamers: a new technology to control T cell activation.

T cell activation is a cornerstone in manufacturing of T cell-based therapies, and precise control over T cell activation is important in the development of the next generation T-cell based therapeutics. This need cannot be fulfilled by currently available methods for T cell stimulation, in particular not in a time dependent manner. Here, we describe a modular activation reagent called Expamers, which addresses these limitations. Expamers are versatile stimuli that are intended for research and clinical use. They are readily soluble and can be rapidly bound and removed from the cell surface, allowing nearly instantaneous initiation and termination of activation signal, respectively. Hence, Expamers enable precise regulation of T cell stimulation duration and provide promise of control over T cell profiles in future products. Expamers can be easily adopted to different T cell production formats and have the potential to increase efficacy of T cell immunotherapeutics.

Effects of functional and analytical strength training on upper-extremity activity after stroke: a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the effects of functional strengthening (using functional movements) and analytical strengthening (using repetitive movements) on level of activity and muscular strength gain in patients with chronic hemiparesis after stroke. Method A randomized, assessor-blinded trial was conducted in a therapist-supervised home rehabilitation program. Twenty-seven patients with chronic stroke were randomly allocated one of two groups: functional strengthening (FS) (n=13) and analytical strengthening (AS) (n=14). Each group received a five-week muscle strengthening protocol (30 minutes per day, three times per week) including functional movements or analytical movements, respectively. Pre-, post-, and ten-month follow-up outcomes included the Upper-Extremity Performance Test (primary outcome), Shoulder and Grip Strength, Active Shoulder Range of Motion (ROM), the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (secondary outcomes). Results There was significant improvement in the Upper-Extremity Performance Test for the combined unilateral and bilateral task scores in the FS Group (mean difference 2.4; 95% CI=0.14 to 4.6) in the 10-month follow-up. No significant difference was observed between groups in the other outcomes (p>0.05). Conclusion A five-week home-based functional muscle strengthening induced positive results for the upper-extremity level of activity of patients with moderate impairment after chronic stroke.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with upper-limb training for improving function after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several neuromodulation treatments have been developed, and their effects have been studied in recent years in order to improve neurological rehabilitation after a stroke. The association between upper-limb training and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has provoked controversies and produced inconclusive results. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of rTMS combined with upper-limb training versus sham rTMS combined with upper-limb training on the upper-limb recovery after a stroke. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed. The eligible studies were randomized controlled trials with stroke subjects, and the outcomes were related to upper-limb motor/functional status and spasticity. RESULTS: A total of 3234 citations were identified, and 11 studies were included. The meta-analysis included eight studies with 199 participants and did not show any difference between groups, neither for upper-limb function nor for spasticity (upper-limb function [0.03 (95% CI: -0.25 to 0.32; I(2) 0%)] and Modified Ashworth Scale [-0.31 (95% CI: -0.78 to 0.17; I(2) 43%)]). CONCLUSION: The current state of the literature is not enough to support the hypothesis that a combination of rTMS and upper-limb training has a stronger effect on upper-limb function than upper-limb training alone.

Effects of functional and analytical strength training on upper-extremity activity after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the effects of functional strengthening (using functional movements) and analytical strengthening (using repetitive movements) on level of activity and muscular strength gain in patients with chronic hemiparesis after stroke. Method: A randomized, assessor-blinded trial was conducted in a therapist-supervised home rehabilitation program. Twenty-seven patients with chronic stroke were randomly allocated one of two groups: functional strengthening (FS) (n=13) and analytical strengthening (AS) (n=14). Each group received a five-week muscle strengthening protocol (30 minutes per day, three times per week) including functional movements or analytical movements, respectively. Pre-, post-, and ten-month follow-up outcomes included the Upper-Extremity Performance Test (primary outcome), Shoulder and Grip Strength, Active Shoulder Range of Motion (ROM), the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (secondary outcomes). Results: There was significant improvement in the Upper-Extremity Performance Test for the combined unilateral and bilateral task scores in the FS Group (mean difference 2.4; 95% CI=0.14 to 4.6) in the 10-month follow-up. No significant difference was observed between groups in the other outcomes (p>0.05). Conclusion: A five-week home-based functional muscle strengthening induced positive results for the upper-extremity level of activity of patients with moderate impairment after chronic stroke.

Strength training associated with task-oriented training to enhance upper-limb motor function in elderly patients with mild impairment after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the effects of loaded exercises associated with a task-oriented training (TOT) program in the recovery of upper-limb function in individuals with chronic hemiparesis after stroke. DESIGN: This study used a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Patients were included into two TOT groups: one that performed the task-oriented therapy without load (TOT group, n = 10) and another one that performed task-oriented therapy with personalized resistance (TOT_ST group, n = 10) for 6 wks, for a total of 12 sessions. Main measures included The Upper Extremity Performance Test, shoulder flexor and handgrip strength, shoulder active range of motion, motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer Scale), and muscle tone. RESULTS: The TOT_ST group demonstrated better scores relating to unilateral tasks and in the quality aspects of bilateral movements (The Upper Extremity Performance Test, P = 0.04) at the end of rehabilitation protocol. The highest muscle force gain was reached by the TOT_ST group for the shoulder flexors (P = 0.001). Similarly, the active range of motion (P = 0.01) and Fugl-Meyer scores (P = 0.001) were higher in the TOT_ST group compared with the TOT group. Both groups showed improvement after training. CONCLUSIONS: Strength training was able to intensify the upper-limb rehabilitation, as demonstrated by the superior scores achieved by the TOT_ST group in most of the evaluated parameters. Muscle strength training might be a pivotal element of the task-oriented rehabilitation program of chronic patients with mild impairment after stroke.

Serial transfer of single-cell-derived immunocompetence reveals stemness of CD8(+) central memory T cells.

Maintenance of immunological memory has been proposed to rely on stem-cell-like lymphocytes. However, data supporting this hypothesis are focused on the developmental potential of lymphocyte populations and are thus insufficient to establish the functional hallmarks of stemness. Here, we investigated self-renewal capacity and multipotency of individual memory lymphocytes by in vivo fate mapping of CD8(+) T cells and their descendants across three generations of serial single-cell adoptive transfer and infection-driven re-expansion. We found that immune responses derived from single naive T (Tn) cells, single primary, and single secondary central memory T (Tcm) cells reached similar size and phenotypic diversity, were subjected to comparable stochastic variation, and could ultimately reconstitute immunocompetence against an otherwise lethal infection with the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. These observations establish that adult tissue stem cells reside within the CD62L(+) Tcm cell compartment and highlight the promising therapeutic potential of this immune cell subset.

Lowest numbers of primary CD8(+) T cells can reconstitute protective immunity upon adoptive immunotherapy.

Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) are threatened by potentially lethal viral manifestations like cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation. Because the success of today's virostatic treatment is limited by side effects and resistance development, adoptive transfer of virus-specific memory T cells derived from the stem cell donor has been proposed as an alternative therapeutic strategy. In this context, dose minimization of adoptively transferred T cells might be warranted for the avoidance of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), in particular in prophylactic settings after T-cell-depleting allo-HSCT protocols. To establish a lower limit for successful adoptive T-cell therapy, we conducted low-dose CD8(+) T-cell transfers in the well-established murine Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.) infection model. Major histocompatibility complex-Streptamer-enriched antigen-specific CD62L(hi) but not CD62L(lo) CD8(+) memory T cells proliferated, differentiated, and protected against L.m. infections after prophylactic application. Even progenies derived from a single CD62L(hi) L.m.-specific CD8(+) T cell could be protective against bacterial challenge. In analogy, low-dose transfers of Streptamer-enriched human CMV-specific CD8(+) T cells into allo-HSCT recipients led to strong pathogen-specific T-cell expansion in a compassionate-use setting. In summary, low-dose adoptive T-cell transfer (ACT) could be a promising strategy, particularly for prophylactic treatment of infectious complications after allo-HSCT.

A platelet-mediated system for shuttling blood-borne bacteria to CD8α+ dendritic cells depends on glycoprotein GPIb and complement C3.

The acquisition of pathogen-derived antigen by dendritic cells (DCs) is a key event in the generation of cytotoxic CD8(+) T cell responses. In mice, the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is directed from the blood to splenic CD8α(+) DCs. We report that L. monocytogenes rapidly associated with platelets in the bloodstream in a manner dependent on GPIb and complement C3. Platelet association targeted a small but immunologically important portion of L. monocytogenes to splenic CD8α(+) DCs, diverting bacteria from swift clearance by other, less immunogenic phagocytes. Thus, an effective balance is established between maintaining sterility of the circulation and induction of antibacterial immunity by DCs. Other gram-positive bacteria also were rapidly tagged by platelets, revealing a broadly active shuttling mechanism for systemic bacteria.