Implementation of Whole Genome Sequencing of Tuberculosis Isolates in a Referral Center in Rome: Six Years' Experience in Characterizing Drug-Resistant TB and Disease Transmission.

Over the past years, Tuberculosis (TB) control strategies have been effective in reducing drug-resistant (DR) TB globally; however, a wider implementation of new diagnostic strategies, such as Whole genome sequencing (WGS), would be critical for further improvement. The aim of this study, based on WGS of (MTB) strains isolated in a TB referral center over 6 years, was to evaluate the efficacy of this methodology in improving therapy guidance for clinicians and in improving the understanding of the epidemiology of TB transmission. WGS was performed in addition to pDST on 1001 strains consecutively isolated between January 2016 and December 2021; the results allowed us to improve the quality of data on resistance and to identify possible clusters of transmission.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis In A Referral Center In Rome: 2011- 2016.

Purpose: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major burden to public health in low incidence countries in Europe. The aim of this study was to attempt to have a better insight into the trends of MDR-TB in the metropolitan area of Rome, within the Italian and the foreign-born population, based on microbiological and demographic data.

Patients And Methods: We performed a prospective study, collecting microbiological data based on phenotypic drug-resistant testing (DST) of TB strains consecutively isolated in a referral hospital in Rome, the capital city of a low TB incidence country, over a 6-year period, and correlated them to the geographical origin of patients.

Biofouling Properties of Nitroxide-Modified Amorphous Carbon Surfaces.

Amorphous carbon films exhibit attractive optical and surface properties. In this work, modified amorphous carbon films incorporating nitroxide groups (α-CNO) have been obtained by searching for a condensed analogue to classical soft antifouling materials. Thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering in air discharges at varying power conditions were characterized by ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, and water contact angle.

Quantification of the cellular dose and characterization of nanoparticle transport during in vitro testing.

Background: The constant increase of the use of nanomaterials in consumer products is making increasingly urgent that standardized and reliable in vitro test methods for toxicity screening be made available to the scientific community. For this purpose, the determination of the cellular dose, i.e.