Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in children aged 0 to 19 years in childcare facilities and schools after their reopening in May 2020, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

We investigated data from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected 0–19 year olds, who attended schools/childcare facilities, to assess their role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission after these establishments’ reopening in May 2020 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Child-to-child transmission in schools/childcare facilities appeared very uncommon. We anticipate that, with face mask use and frequent ventilation of rooms, transmission rates in schools/childcare facilities would remain low in the next term, even if classes’ group sizes were increased.

Investigation of antioxidant effects of rosmarinic acid on liver, lung and kidney in rats: a biochemical and histopathological study

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to investigate the protective effects of rosmarinic acid in rats exposed to hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-two rats were randomly classified into four groups of 8 rats each: laparotomy without medication, rosmarinic acid (dose of 50 mg/kg via oral gavage) followed by laparotomy, laparotomy followed by hepatic I/R, and hepatic I/R with rosmarinic acid. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alaninę aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde levels and total oxidant activity and total antioxidant capacity levels of the liver, lung, and kidney were assessed. The histopathologic assessment was also performed.

RESULTS

Rosmarinic acid significantly reduced liver function test parameters and decreased oxidative stress and abnormal histopathologic findings in the liver. The oxidative stress in the lung significantly increased in the I/R group but significantly decreased in the I/R + rosmarinic acid group due to the addition of rosmarinic acid. Rosmarinic acid led to no reduction in oxidative stress in kidney following hepatic I/R injury. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups regarding histopathologic changes in kidney and lung sections.

CONCLUSIONS

Rosmarinic acid has antioxidant properties and is an effective hepatoprotective agent. However, although rosmarinic acid provides useful effects in the lung by increasing antioxidant capacity and reducing oxidative stress after I/R injury, it does not ameliorate histopathologic changes. These findings suggest that rosmarinic acid is likely to provide favourable outcomes in the treatment of hepatic I/R injury.

Active, artificial hair cells for biomimetic sound detection based on active cantilever technology

We aim at building and studying artificial hair cells (AHC) based on MEMS technology to understand the extraordinary sound perception of the human ear and build a sensor system with similar properties. These perception properties, i.e. detecting six orders of sound pressure level and simultaneously frequency differences of only 3-5 Hz, are obtained mainly due to the sophisticated biological sensors in the inner ear, called hair cells, which convert the acoustic waves into electric signals. They amplify weak inputs and compress larger ones, known as compressive nonlinearity, thus enabling this impressive dynamic range, typically not captured by current engineering solutions. We tackle this demand by building artificial hair cells on the basis of smart, self-actuated and self-sensing mechanical resonator beams with suitable actuation feedback. Thereby, we take advantage of the fact that the compressive nonlinearity arises naturally in dynamical systems tuned to a bifurcation point. This tuning is achieved by an appropriate feedback loop inspired by physiological models. Initial results on the detection properties of a single AHC will be shown demonstrating amplification and a decreased width of the resonance peak.

Assessment of brain injury in cattle with Theileria annulata: Neuron-specific biomarkers, inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis

This study aimed to investigate selected brain-specific biomarkers in cattle with tropical theileriosis caused by Theileria annulata (T. annulata) and to evaluate their diagnostic and prognostic significance. The study group consisted of 25 cattle naturally infected with T. annulata, while the control group consisted of 10 healthy cattle. Animals with T. annulata were classified according to hematocrit (HCT) value as severe anemia group 1 (n:12) with HCT ≤12 and moderate anemia group 2 (n:13) with HCT between 13 and 24. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations of the brain tissue were performed in 10 nonsurvivor cattle. Serum calcium-binding protein B (S100B), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), tau protein and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-1 (UCHL-1) concentrations in brain injury were measured using bovine-specific ELISA kits. S100B, GFAP, and Tau concentrations of cattle in the T. annulata group were found to be significantly higher than the control group (P<0.001). Brain specific biomarkers showed significant correlations with erythrocyte count, HCT and bilirubin. The presence of brain damage was confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical techniques. The results of ROC analysis showed that S100B with AUC value of 0.88 and GFAP with an AUC value of 0.82 were significant prognostic indicators. Additionally, S100B, GFAP and Tau showed significant diagnostic performance with an AUC value of 0.88, 0.92 and 0.86, respectively. In conclusion, brain-specific biomarkers can be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers in the assessment of brain damage in cattle naturally infected with T. annulata.