Metatranscriptome of human lung microbial communities in a cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 Omicron patients.

The Omicron variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) infected a substantial proportion of Chinese population, and understanding the factors underlying the severity of the disease and fatality is valuable for future prevention and clinical treatment. We recruited 64 patients with invasive ventilation for COVID-19 and performed metatranscriptomic sequencing to profile host transcriptomic profiles, plus viral, bacterial, and fungal content, as well as virulence factors and examined their relationships to 28-day mortality were examined. In addition, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from invasive ventilated hospital/community-acquired pneumonia patients (HAP/CAP) sampled in 2019 were included for comparison.

Performance of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA From Vitreous and Aqueous Humor for Diagnoses of Intraocular Infections.

Background: Delayed diagnosis and improper therapy for intraocular infections usually result in poor prognosis. Due to limitations of conventional culture and polymerase chain reaction methods, most causative pathogens cannot be identified from vitreous humor (VH) or aqueous humor (AH) samples with limited volume.

Methods: Patients with suspected intraocular infections were enrolled from January 2019 to August 2021.

High specificity of metagenomic next-generation sequencing using protected bronchial brushing sample in diagnosing pneumonia in children.

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Timely and accurate pathogen detection is crucial for proper clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategies. The low detection efficiency of conventional methods and low specificity using respiratory samples seriously hindered the accurate detection of pathogens.

Comparison of metagenomic next-generation sequencing using cell-free DNA and whole-cell DNA for the diagnoses of pulmonary infections.

Although the fast-growing metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been used in diagnosing infectious diseases, low detection rate of mNGS in detecting pathogens with low loads limits its extensive application. In this study, 130 patients with suspected pulmonary infections were enrolled, from whom bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected. The conventional tests and mNGS of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and whole-cell DNA (wcDNA) using BALF were simultaneously performed.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cell-free and whole-cell DNA in diagnosing central nervous system infections.

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) infections pose a fatal risk to patients. However, the limited sample volumes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and low detection efficiency seriously hinder the accurate detection of pathogens using conventional methods.

Methods: We evaluated the performance of metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in diagnosing CNS infections.

Environmental heterogeneity determines the response patterns of microbially mediated N-reduction processes to sulfamethoxazole in river sediments.

The widespread occurrence of antibiotics in aquatic ecosystems leads to potential ecological risks to organisms, in turn affecting microbially mediated processes. Here, we investigated the response of dominant N-reduction processes to the frequently detected antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) along the Chaobai River with regional environmental heterogeneity, including denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and nitrous oxide (NO) release. We found two divergent SMX response patterns for denitrification in contrasting scenarios of geochemical properties.

Haloalkaliphilic denitrifiers-dependent sulfate-reducing bacteria thrive in nitrate-enriched environments.

As bridge in global cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) play more and more important role under various environments, especially the saline-alkali environments with significant increase in area caused by human activities. Sulfate reduction can be inhibited by environmental nitrate. However, how SRB cope with environmental nitrate stress in these extreme environments still remain unclear.

The modified bilobed flap for reconstructing sacral decubitus ulcers.

Background: Sacral pressure ulcers are associated with high morbidity and, in some cases, result in mortality from severe sepsis. Local flaps are frequently used for reconstruction of stage III and IV pressure ulcers. An ideal flap should be simple to design, have a reliable vascular supply and minimal donor site morbidity.

Comammox bacterial abundance, activity, and contribution in agricultural rhizosphere soils.

The newly identified complete ammonia oxidation (comammox), which is capable of oxidizing ammonia directly to nitrate, has complemented our knowledge of nitrification in the global nitrogen (N) cycle. However, understanding the contribution and ecological roles of comammox in complex soil environments is still in its infancy. Here, the community structure and function of comammox and the interactions with other ammonia oxidation processes in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of four different crop fields (maize, cotton, soybean, and millet) were investigated in summer and winter.

Robustness of anammox granular sludge treating low-strength sewage under various shock loadings: Microbial mechanism and little NO emission.

With the increasing application of anammox for the treatment of high-strength industrial wastewater, application of anammox in municipal sewage has been gaining more attention. Sludge granulation in particular enhances the enrichment and retention of anammox bacteria in municipal sewage treatment systems. However, the performance of granular sludge under continuous and varying hydraulic loading shock remains little understood.

Nitrate reduction in the reed rhizosphere of a riparian zone: From functional genes to activity and contribution.

The increased nitrogen (N) fertilizer usage caused substantial nitrate (NO) leaching into groundwater and eutrophication in downstream aquatic systems. Riparian zones positioned as the link interfaces of terrestrial and aquatic environments are effective in NO removal. However, the microbial mechanisms regulating NO reduction in riparian zones are still unclear.

Linking abundance and community of microbial NO-producers and NO-reducers with enzymatic NO production potential in a riparian zone.

As aquatic-terrestrial ecotones, riparian zones are hotspots not only for denitrification but also for nitrous oxide (NO) emission. Due to the potential role of nosZ II in NO mitigation, emerging studies in terrestrial ecosystems have taken this newly reported NO-reducer into account. However, our knowledge about the interactions between denitrification activities and both NO-producers and reducers (especially for nosZ II) in aquatic ecosystems remains limited.

Anammox granular sludge in low-ammonium sewage treatment: Not bigger size driving better performance.

An integrated investigation to document high anammox abundance, activity and diversity in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating low-strength ammonium loading sewage was performed and showed that the optimal anammox granular sludge sizes could mitigate undesirable NO emission. The enhanced anammox bacterial abundance, activity and specific anammox rate were achieved with optimal granules sludge sizes of 0.5-0.

Microbial communities in the native habitats of Agaricus sinodeliciosus from Xinjiang Province revealed by amplicon sequencing.

Agaricus sinodeliciosus is an edible species described from China and has been successfully cultivated. However, no studies have yet reported the influence factors implicated in the process of fructification. To better know abiotic and biotic factors, physiochemical characteristics and microbial communities were investigated in five different soil samples collected in the native habitats of specimens from northern Xinjiang, southern Xinjiang, and Zhejiang Province, respectively.

Review of recent developments in determining volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath as biomarkers for lung cancer diagnosis.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths, its global incidence is rising, and continuing rises are predicted. The potential to diagnose lung cancers based on the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath has been attracting increasing attention with the development of new techniques and methodologies. However, despite many reports of VOC profiling in lung cancer patients, little is known about how specific biomarkers relate to the biochemical pathways involved in lung cancer development, and there is still no reliable method for diagnosing lung cancer at the early stages.

High production of fatty alcohols in Escherichia coli with fatty acid starvation.

Background: Microbial biofuel synthesis attracting increasing attention. Great advances have been made in producing fatty alcohols from fatty acyl-CoAs and fatty acids in Escherichia coli. However, the low titers and limited knowledge regarding the basic characteristics of fatty alcohols, such as location and toxicity, have hampered large-scale industrialization.

Complete genome sequence of Thialkalivibrio versutus D301 isolated from Soda Lake in northern China, a typical strain with great ability to oxidize sulfide.

Thioalkalivibrio versutus D301 isolated from Soda Lake is a haloalkaliphilic and obligated chemolithoautotrophic Gram-negative bacterium. The strain has a good adaption to hyperhaline and highly alkaline environment and a powerful sulfur-oxidizing ability. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of T.

Desulfurization of immobilized sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Thialkalivibrio versutus, by magnetic nanaoparticles under haloalkaliphilic conditions.

Objectives: As a haloalkaliphilic, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Thialkalivibrio versutus D301 can remove sulfide, thiosulfate and polysulfide in wastewater, we investigated how it might be reused when mixed with high concentrations of elemental sulfur.

Results: A process is described to immobilize T. versutus cells by using superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) under haloalkaliphilic conditions (i.

Bacterial communities in haloalkaliphilic sulfate-reducing bioreactors under different electron donors revealed by 16S rRNA MiSeq sequencing.

Biological technology used to treat flue gas is useful to replace conventional treatment, but there is sulfide inhibition. However, no sulfide toxicity effect was observed in haloalkaliphilic bioreactors. The performance of the ethanol-fed bioreactor was better than that of lactate-, glucose-, and formate-fed bioreactor, respectively.

Efficient production of succinic acid from macroalgae hydrolysate by metabolically engineered Escherichia coli.

In this study, microbial production of succinic acid from macroalgae (i.e., Laminaria japonica) was investigated for the first time.

Performance of a haloalkaliphilic bioreactor and bacterial community shifts under different COD/SO₄²⁻ ratios and hydraulic retention times.

Sulfur dioxide from flue gas was converted into sulfate after the absorption of alkaline solutions. Haloalkaliphilic microorganisms have been used in reducing sulfate to decrease expenses and avoid sulfide inhibition. The effects of different COD/SO4(2-) ratios and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) on the sulfate removal efficiency and bacterial community were investigated in model experiments.

Construction of reductive pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for effective succinic acid fermentation at low pH value.

Succinic acid is an important precursor for the synthesis of high-value-added products. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a suitable platform for succinic acid production because of its high tolerance towards acidity. In this study, a modified pathway for succinate production was established and investigated in S.

[Adult orthodontic technique: development and challenge].

Orthodontic treatments have increasingly become accepted by adults. However, the treatment therapies and philosophies for adults and adolescents have numerous differences. Orthodontic treatment for adults requires more careful planning, flexible management, interdisciplinary cooperation, and rational expectations.

[Construction and fermentation control of reductive TCA pathway for malic acid production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

Malic acid is widely used in food, and chemical industries. Through overexpressing pyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase in pdc1-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae, malic acid was successfully produced through the reductive TCA pathway. No malic acid was detected in wild type Saccharomyces cerevisiae, however, 45 mmol/L malic acid was produced in engineered strain, and the concentration of byproduct ethanol also reduced by 18%.

Performance of a haloalkaliphilic bioreactor under different NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratios.

Effects of NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratio on denitrification and sulfate removal efficiency were investigated in model experiments applying haloalkaliphilic bioreactor. The reduction of both substrates performed well at different NO3(-)/SO4(2-) ratios ranging from 17.6 to l.