Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD)-box polypeptide 5 (DDX5), also called p68, is a prototypical member of the large ATP-dependent RNA helicases family and is known to participate in all aspects of RNA metabolism ranging from transcription to translation, RNA decay, and miRNA processing. The roles of DDX5 in cell cycle regulation, tumorigenesis, apoptosis, cancer development, adipogenesis, Wnt-β-catenin signaling, and viral infection have been established. Several RNA viruses have been reported to hijack DDX5 to facilitate various steps of their replication cycles. Furthermore, DDX5 can be bounded by the viral proteins of some viruses with unknown functions. Interestingly, an antiviral function of DDX5 has been reported during hepatitis B virus and myxoma virus infection. Thus, the precise roles of this apparently multifaceted protein remain largely obscure. Here, we provide a rapid and critical overview of the structure and functions of DDX5 with a particular emphasis on its role during virus infection.

The diversity and specificity of T cell receptors (TCR), the characteristics of T-cell surface marker, are central to the adaptive immunity. TCR variability is required for successful immunization coverage because this structural foundation is indispensable for the valid identification of short antigen peptides (derived from degraded antigens) that are presented by major histocompatibility molecules on the surfaces of antigen-presenting cells. Despite the vast T-cell repertoire, biased αβ TCR has become a common theme in immunology. To date, numerous examples of TCR bias have been observed in various diseases. Immunotherapy strategies that are based on αβ T cell responses are also emerged as a prominent component of clinical treatment. In the present review, we briefly summarize the current knowledge regarding basic structural information and the molecular mechanisms underlying TCR diversity. Moreover, we outline the role of TCR repertoire bias in some diseases, and its application for therapeutic interventions, as these play significant roles in disease progression, even with patients with a good prognosis.

Cryptosporidium baileyi is the dominant Cryptosporidium species in birds causing emerging health problems in the poultry industry, and is also a model to study the biology of Cryptosporidium spp.. IL-17 (also called IL-17A) is a hallmark pro-inflammatory cytokine of Th17 cells that plays an important role in several human autoimmune diseases and microbial infection disease of many animals, and it may play a role in Cryptosporidium infection.

Nematodirus spp. are among the most common nematodes of ruminants worldwide. N. oiratianus and N. spathiger are distributed worldwide as highly prevalent gastrointestinal nematodes, which cause emerging health problems and economic losses. Accurate identification of Nematodirus species is essential to develop effective control strategies for Nematodirus infection in ruminants. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could provide powerful genetic markers for identifying these closely related species and resolving phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among children in China. However, little is known about parents’ knowledge of HuNoV infection and their understanding of how to prevent and control the disease. Therefore, we performed an exploratory survey to assess the level of knowledge of HuNoV infection among kindergarten parents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by investigating kindergarteners’ parents through an online self-administered questionnaire between October 2020 and November 2020 in Chengdu, China. A total of 771 questionnaires were received with valid responses, and 81.97% of respondents had heard about NoV before. Among parents who had heard about HuNoV before, they had a poor awareness of incubation period, duration, and high-incidence seasons of HuNoV infection. The respondents also had a low-level awareness of how to clean the places contaminated by vomitus or stool. The multiple-regression analysis confirmed that factors associated with good knowledge regarding HuNoV infection were level of education, occupation, history of infection, and HuNoV learning experience. The most expected approach to learn about HuNoV among parents was the internet, followed by knowledge training in kindergartens, community information, and television. This is the first study to assess kindergarten parents’ knowledge and awareness of HuNoV infection. The survey results provide insights that would help in developing effective strategies and educational materials to prevent and control the disease.