Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Nature 2021 Feb 26. Epub 2021 Feb 26.

Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.

During the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in humans a D614G substitution in the spike (S) protein emerged and became the predominant circulating variant (S-614G) of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, whether the increasing prevalence of the S-614G variant represents a fitness advantage that improves replication and/or transmission in humans or is merely due to founder effects remains elusive. Here, we generated isogenic SARS-CoV-2 variants and demonstrate that the S-614G variant has (i) enhanced binding to human host cell surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), (ii) increased replication in primary human bronchial and nasal airway epithelial cultures as well as in a novel human ACE2 knock-in mouse model, and (iii) markedly increased replication and transmissibility in hamster and ferret models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Read More

Mult Scler Relat Disord 2021 Feb 16;50:102845. Epub 2021 Feb 16.

Instituto de Medicina Traslacional e Ingeniería Biomédica (IMTIB), CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Leloir Institute Foundation, Institute for Biochemical Investigations, IIBBA, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects both white and gray matter. Although it has been traditionally considered as a T cell mediated disease, the role of B cell in MS pathology has become a topic of great research interest. Cortical lesions, key feature of the progressive forms of MS, are involved in cognitive impairment and worsening of the patients' outcome. Read More

Phytomedicine 2021 Feb 11;84:153509. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710054, China. Electronic address:

Background: Radix Astragali (RA) consists of the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge and is one of the most frequently used dietetic Chinese herbs to treat inflammation and neurodegenerative disease among other conditions. Radix Astragali preparata (RAP) is a medicinal form of RA. RA and RAP have been used as anti-aging agent, however, the mechanisms underlying their effects are still unclear. Read More

Thromb Res 2021 Feb 16;201:50-59. Epub 2021 Feb 16.

Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's, Columbus, OH, USA; Division of Hematology/Oncology/Blood & Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Introduction: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is associated with an acquired hypercoagulopathy that drives its strong predilection for life-threatening thrombosis. We previously demonstrated that hypercoagulopathy is proportional to NS disease severity in animal models. Therefore, hypercoagulopathy and disease severity may inform thrombosis risk and better guide therapeutic decision making. Read More

Int J Med Microbiol 2021 Feb 18;311(3):151482. Epub 2021 Feb 18.

Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address:

With the increased interest in the microbiome research, gnotobiotic animals and techniques emerged again as valuable tools to investigate functional effects of host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions. The increased demand for gnotobiotic experiments has resulted in the greater need for housing systems for short-term maintenance of gnotobiotic animals. During the last six years, the gnotobiotic facility of the Hannover Medical School has worked intensively with different housing systems for gnotobiotic animals. Read More