Rapid quantitative PCR on tongue swabs for pulmonary tuberculosis in adults: a prospective multicentre study.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of infectious disease mortality globally, with significant underdiagnosis perpetuating transmission. Tongue swab analysis has emerged as a promising non-invasive method for pulmonary TB diagnosis. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of the TB-EASY quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay using tongue swab specimens.

Assessing the distribution and human health risks of cationic surface-active agents in honey from China.

Cationic surface-active agents (CSAAs) can persist in ambient water, be ingested by bees, and contaminate honey. Residues of CSAAs in honey remains unknown. This study measured the residual levels of five CSAAs in 271 honey samples from China using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry.

Characterization of Endofungal Bacteria and Their Role in the Ectomycorrhizal Fungus .

, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, forms a symbiotic relationship with , a rare and endangered species crucial to desert riparian ecosystems. In this study, endofungal bacteria (EFBs) within the fruiting bodies of were confirmed by a polyphasic approach, including genomic sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene, full-length and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene, and culture methods. The genera , , , and were abundant in the EFBs of fruiting bodies associated with three hosts and were consistently present across different developmental stages.

Sedum alfredii Hance: A cadmium and zinc hyperaccumulating plant.

The hyperaccumulating ecotype Sedum alfredii Hance is one of few Cd hyperaccumulators with Cd contents in leaves and stems up to 9000 mg/kg (dry weight, DW) and 6500 mg/kg (DW) respectively without displaying significant toxicity symptoms as reported in 2004. Numerous studies have been conducted to uncover the mystery of its hypertolerance and hyperaccumulation using high-throughput sequencing, biochemical and molecular techniques, mainly pointing to the root-microorganism interaction, restrained Cd storage in roots, efficient root-shoot translocation, effective cellular detoxification, and phloem-mediated metal remobilization. This also encourages studies on functional genes involved in metal transport, antioxidant, transcription regulation and stress response, providing candidates for genetic modification.

Preparation of cellulose-based fluorescent aggregations with various morphologies and their microstructure-correlated fluorescence behavior.

We provided an efficient method for preparing fluorescent materials with high specificity. Firstly, the cellulose-based aggregations with adjustable morphologies and sizes were obtained by cross-linking copolymerization and self-assembly. Then, after encapsulating the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) into the hydrophobic microregions of the cellulose-based aggregations by ultrasound/dialysis method, a series of cellulose-based fluorescent aggregations with different morphologies was obtained.

Selenomethionine alleviates T-2 toxin-induced articular chondrocyte ferroptosis via the system Xc/GSH/GPX4 axis.

T-2 toxin can induce bone and cartilage development disorder, and oxidative stress plays an important role in it. It is well known that selenomethionine (Se-Met) has antioxidative stress properties and promotes the repair of cartilage lesion, but it remains unclear whether Se-Met can relieve damaged cartilage exposure to T-2 toxin. Here, the oxidative stress and ferroptosis of chondrocytes exposure to T-2 toxin were observed.

DNA sequence-induced solid phase transition as a solution to the genome folding paradox.

Ultra long-range genomic contacts, which emerge as prominent components of genome architecture, constitute a biochemical paradox. This is because regulatory DNA elements make selective and stable contacts with DNA sequences located megabases away, instead of interacting with proximal sequences occupied by the same exact transcription factors (TF). This is exemplified in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), where only a fraction of Lhx2/Ebf1/Ldb1-bound sites interact with each other, converging into highly selective multi-chromosomal enhancer hubs.

Comparison of indoor and outdoor atmospheric organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) from the petrochemical industrial area in North China: occurrence, gas-PM distribution, source appointment and health implications.

The consumption of organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) has surged significantly recent years since global banning of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Industrial activities are an important source of OPFRs, however there are few studies on OPFRs contamination in the indoor and outdoor atmosphere of industrial areas. A study was conducted to analyze contamination of 15 OPFRs individuals in both indoor and outdoor air and PM of living and industrial sites of the petrochemical industrial area (outdoor and indoor sites of living area was LO and LI, outdoor and indoor sites of industrial area was LO and LI).

Polypropylene microplastics triggered mouse kidney lipidome reprogramming combined with ROS stress as revealed by lipidomics and Raman biospectra.

Microplastics intrigue kidney toxicity such as mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation promotion. However, as an organ relying heavily on fatty acid oxidation, how microplastics influence kidney lipidomes remain unclear. Hence, we performed Raman spectra and multidimensional mass spectrometry-based shotgun lipidomics to decode kidney lipidomics landscape under polypropylene microplastics exposure.

Bedaquiline Monotherapy for Multibacillary Leprosy.

Background: Standard multidrug therapy for leprosy may be associated with severe side effects, which add to the stigma and discrimination that affect persons with the disease. In addition, the threat posed by drug-resistant leprosy shows the need for alternative drug combinations and shorter, safer regimens of multidrug therapy.

Methods: In this open-label, proof-of-concept study conducted in Brazil, we assigned patients with previously untreated multibacillary leprosy to receive bedaquiline monotherapy for 8 weeks.

American ginseng vesicles loaded hyaluronic acid hydrogel for ulcerative colitis.

The present study introduces a novel therapeutic approach for ulcerative colitis (UC) utilizing American ginseng vesicles encapsulated within a hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel matrix. UC, a prevalent form of inflammatory bowel disease, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the colonic mucosa, leading to significant morbidity and compromised quality of life. Existing therapeutic modalities such as 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) are associated with substantial side effects and a high recurrence rate.

BASAL: a universal mapping algorithm for nucleotide base-conversion sequencing.

Utilizing base-conversion (BC) techniques, single-base resolution profiling of RNA and DNA modifications has significantly advanced. BC strategies range from one-way conversions (e.g.

Analysis of the association between microbiota and flavor formation during Zizhong Dongjian fermentation process.

Zizhong Dongjian (ZZDJ) is one of the most famous and popular fermented vegetables in China. The aim of this study was to explore the microbial communities and volatile flavor compounds of ZZDJ during different fermentation periods, as well as to reveal the potential correlation between microbiota and flavor. A total of 84 volatile flavor compounds were detected in 0-year to 3-year ZZDJ samples.

Anatomical prior-based vertebral landmark detection for spinal disorder diagnosis.

As one of fundamental ways to interpret spine images, detection of vertebral landmarks is an informative prerequisite for further diagnosis and management of spine disorders such as scoliosis and fractures. Most existing machine learning-based methods for automatic vertebral landmark detection suffer from overlapping landmarks or abnormally long distances between nearby landmarks against anatomical priors, and thus lack sufficient reliability and interpretability. To tackle the problem, this paper systematically utilizes anatomical prior knowledge in vertebral landmark detection.

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer Sensor with Tunable Conjugation Efficiency for Highly Sensitive Detection of Superoxide Anion in Tumors.

Superoxide anion (O) is a highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) within tumor cells, and its abnormal concentrations can lead to various diseases such as cancer, inflammation, and premature aging disorders. Here, we obtained a series of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) systems that can be used for sensitive and specific detection of O by varying the type and reaction time of quantum dots (QDs) and combining them with different concentrations of recombinant aequorin. Among them, the recombinant aequorin-conjugated CdTe/CdSe QDs had the highest conjugation efficiency as the Aeq-QD BRET sensor, which has a remarkable energy transfer efficiency of 35.

Disruption of PCSK9 Suppresses Inflammation and Attenuates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation.

Background: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic vascular inflammatory disease without effective medications. PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9), a serine protease from the proprotein convertase family, has recently been associated with AAA in human genome-wide association studies. However, its role in AAA is unknown.

Distinct lignocelluloses of plant evolution are optimally selective for complete biomass saccharification and upgrading Cd/Pb and dye adsorption via desired biosorbent assembly.

In this study, 15 plant species representing plant evolution were selected, and distinct lignocellulose compositions for largely varied biomass enzymatic saccharification were detected. By comparison, the acid-pretreated lignocellulose of rice mutant was of the highest Congo-red adsorption (298 mg/g) accounting for cellulose accessibility, leading to complete cellulose hydrolysis and high bioethanol production. By conducting oxidative-catalysis with the acid-pretreated lignocellulose of moss plant, the optimal biosorbent was generated with maximum Cd/Pb adsorption (54/118 mg/g), mainly due to half-reduced cellulose polymerization degree and raised functional groups accountable for multiple physical and chemical interactions.

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Checkpoint Inhibitor Pneumonitis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients After Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy.

Objective: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has shown promising results for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, it has been associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP), which can be life-threatening.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed the medical records of 197 NSCLC patients who underwent neoadjuvant checkpoint inhibitor therapy to investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics, and management of CIP.

Constructing protein-functionalized DNA origami nanodevices for biological applications.

In living systems, proteins participate in various physiological processes and the clustering of multiple proteins is essential for efficient signaling. Therefore, understanding the effects of the number, distance and orientation of proteins is of great significance. With programmability and addressability, DNA origami technology has enabled fabrication of sophisticated nanostructures with precise arrangement and orientation control of proteins to investigate the effects of these parameters on protein-involved cellular processes.

Assessment of bovine milk exosome preparation and lyophilized powder stability.

Exosomes are cell-derived nanovesicles that play a crucial role in intercellular communication, presenting promising potential as biomarkers and therapeutic agents. Bovine milk exosomes (MK-Exo) show production scalability and cost-effectiveness, offering distinct advantages over cell-derived exosomes. However, exosome storage and transportation are challenging owing to their unstable nature, necessitating preservation at ultralow temperatures.

Retrospective Analysis of the Epidemiological Evolution of Brucellosis in Animals - China, 1951-1989 and 1996-2021.

Brucellosis poses a significant threat to public health in China. This study utilized a range of epidemiological indices, including seroprevalence and the number of reported cases, to illustrate the epidemic profile of the disease. Although the seroprevalence of brucellosis in animals (including sheep, goats, cattle, and swine) steadily decreased from a severe epidemic level in the 1950s to a low endemic level by 1989, the disease reemerged in 2000.