A complete diagnostic autopsy is the gold-standard to gain insight into Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis. To delineate the in situ immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 viral infection, here we perform comprehensive high-dimensional transcriptional and spatial immune profiling in 22 COVID-19 decedents from Wuhan, China. We find TIM-3-mediated and PD-1-mediated immunosuppression as a hallmark of severe COVID-19, particularly in men, with PD-1⁺ cells being proximal rather than distal to TIM-3⁺ cells. Concurrently, lymphocytes are distal, while activated myeloid cells are proximal, to SARS-CoV-2 viral antigens, consistent with prevalent SARS-CoV-2 infection of myeloid cells in multiple organs. Finally, viral load positively correlates with specific immunosuppression and dendritic cell markers. In summary, our data show that SARS-CoV-2 viral infection induces lymphocyte suppression yet myeloid activation in severe COVID-19, so these two cell types likely have distinct functions in severe COVID-19 disease progression, and should be targeted differently for therapy.

This study analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of sacral extradural spinal meningeal cysts with spinal nerve root fibers treated by reconstruction of the nerve root sheaths. The relationships between the cysts and spinal nerve root fibers were examined microscopically, the cysts were partially excised, and the defects were oversewn to reconstruct the nerve root sheaths. The Improved Japanese Orthopedic Association (IJOA) scoring system was used to evaluate preoperative and postoperative neurological function. Thirty-eight patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 41.4±15.57 years. The mean IJOA score was 18.8±1.32 preoperatively and 19.6±0.65 postoperatively, which was a significant difference (t=−3.77, P=0.001). These results indicate a significant improvement in neurological function after surgery. The most significant improvement in neurological function was sensation (z=−2.86, P=0.004), followed by bowel/bladder function (z=−2.31, P=0.02).

Nanotechnology is widely used in the fields of biology and medicine. Some special nanoparticles with good biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and photostability can be used as ideal systems for biomedical imaging in early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Among them, aggregation-induced emission materials are new antiaggregation-caused quenching nano-imaging materials, which have advantages in biocompatibility, imaging contrast, and light stability. Meanwhile, heterogeneity of nanoparticles may cause various adverse immune reactions. In response to the above problems, many researchers have modified nano-materials to be multifunctional nano-composites, aiming at combining diagnosis and treatment with simultaneous imaging and targeted therapy and additionally avoiding immune reactions, which is of great potential in imaging-guided therapy. This review discusses the application of aggregation-induced emission materials, and other nano-imaging materials are also mentioned. We hope to provide new ideas and methods for the imaging of nano-materials in diagnosis and treatment.