Cell-free DNA next-generation sequencing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis obtained from plasma of children with active tuberculosis.

Background: Difficulties in microbiologically confirming childhood tuberculosis (TB) can result in delayed treatment and increased disease severity.

Methods: In this study, we for the first time used whole genome next-generation sequencing (NGS) to detect cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in plasma from children.

Results: We enrolled 94 children with active TB and 32 children with other respiratory infections.

Lsm2 is critical to club cell proliferation and its inhibition aggravates COPD progression.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory condition, with its severity inversely related to the levels of Club cell 10 kDa secretory protein (CC10). The gene Lsm2, involved in RNA metabolism and cell proliferation, has an unclear role in COPD development.

Methods: An in vitro COPD model was developed by stimulating 16HBE cells with cigarette smoke extract (CSE).

Advances in the regulation of inflammasome activation by GBP family in infectious diseases.

Guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) are a subfamily of interferon-inducible proteins that undertake distinct roles in the the context of bacteria, virus, chlamydia and parasites infections. These proteins exert a notable influence on the progression and outcomes of infectious diseases. Within the realm of host cell-autonomous immunity against pathogens, GBPs have been identified as the regulators of pyroptosis through canonical and noncanonical inflammasome activation pathways.

Mechanically robust and personalized silk fibroin-magnesium composite scaffolds with water-responsive shape-memory for irregular bone regeneration.

The regeneration of critical-size bone defects, especially those with irregular shapes, remains a clinical challenge. Various biomaterials have been developed to enhance bone regeneration, but the limitations on the shape-adaptive capacity, the complexity of clinical operation, and the unsatisfied osteogenic bioactivity have greatly restricted their clinical application. In this work, we construct a mechanically robust, tailorable and water-responsive shape-memory silk fibroin/magnesium (SF/MgO) composite scaffold, which is able to quickly match irregular defects by simple trimming, thus leading to good interface integration.

BMSC-Derived Exosomes Attenuate Rat Osteoarthritis by Regulating Macrophage Polarization through PINK1/Parkin Signaling Pathway.

Objective: Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-Exos) may modulate the M1/M2 polarization of macrophages during osteoarthritis (OA). However, the underlying mechanisms of BMSC-Exos in this process still need to be elucidated. In this study, we explored the role of BMSC-Exos in the polarization of macrophages and the OA rats .

The cuproptosis-related gene glutaminase promotes alveolar macrophage copper ion accumulation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Cuproptosis, a novel mode of cell death, is strongly associated with a variety of diseases. However, the contribution of cuproptosis to the onset or progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third most common chronic cause of mortality, is not yet clear. To investigate the potential role of cuproptosis in COPD, raw datasets from multiple public clinical COPD databases (including RNA-seq, phenotype, and lung function data) were used.

Microplastics in the Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid of Chinese Children: Associations with Age, City Development, and Disease Features.

This study characterized the occurrence patterns of microplastics (MPs) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of children with pulmonary diseases. MPs were detected in 89.6% of BALF samples with an average of 4.

The clinical significance of macrolide resistance in pediatric infection during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: (MP) is a commonly occurring pathogen causing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. The global prevalence of macrolide-resistant MP (MRMP) infection, especially in Asian regions, is increasing rapidly. However, the prevalence of MRMP and its clinical significance during the COVID-19 pandemic is not clear.

Respiratory microbiota imbalance in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

Although previous studies have reported the dysregulation of respiratory tract microbiota in infectious diseases, insufficient data exist regarding respiratory microbiota imbalances in the lower respiratory tracts (LRTs) of children with pneumonia (MPP). Here, we analysed the microbial community using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Finally, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from 158 children with MPP and 29 with bacterial or viral pneumonia (control group) were collected.

ERK-estrogen receptor α signaling plays a role in the process of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes protecting against ovariectomy-induced bone loss.

Background: Exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-Exos) are considered as candidates for osteoporosis (OP) therapy. Estrogen is critical in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. However, the role of estrogen and/or its receptor in BMSC-Exos treatment of OP, as well as its methods of regulation during this process remain unclear.

Meropenem for children with severe pneumonia: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Pneumonia, caused by infection or other factors, seriously endangers the health of children. Meropenem is an effective broad-spectrum antibiotic using in the treatment of infectious diseases. In the therapy of pneumonia, meropenem is mostly employed for the treatment of moderate to severe pneumonia.

Improving the efficacy for meropenem therapy requires a high probability of target attainment in critically ill infants and children.

Probability of target attainment is the key factor influencing the outcome of meropenem therapy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the time in which the plasma free concentration of meropenem exceeds the minimum inhibitory concentration of pathogens ( ) during therapy and the clinical outcome of treatment to optimize meropenem therapy. Critically ill children with infections who had received intravenous meropenem monotherapy were included.

Tuberculosis infection screening in children with close contact: a hospital-based study.

Background: Identifying and prioritizing at-risk populations is critical for pediatric tuberculosis control. We aimed to identify a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening strategy that is appropriate for the Chinese context among children with different TB exposure levels and to explore its clinical importance.

Methods: During 2013-2015, we enrolled hospitalized children with suspected respiratory infectious disease (RID) for LTBI screening using the tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) T-SPOT.

Latamoxef for Neonates With Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS), a bacterial infection that occurs within 72 h after birth, is associated with high likelihood of neonatal mortality. Latamoxef, a semi-synthetic oxacephem antibiotic developed in 1980s, has been brought back into empirical EONS treatment in recent years. In the preliminary work, we established a population pharmacokinetics (PPK) model for latamoxef in Chinese neonates.

Development and Preliminary Application of Multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Coupled With Lateral Flow Biosensor for Detection of .

The aim of this study was to develop a simple and reliable method to detect (MTBC) and verify its clinical application preliminarily. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification method coupled with lateral flow biosensor (LAMP-LFB) assay, was developed and evaluated for detection of MTBC. Two sets of primers, which targeted IS and IS sequences of MTBC, were designed for establishment of multiplex LAMP-LFB assay.

Correction: High performance blue quantum dot light-emitting diodes by attaching diffraction wrinkle patterns.

Correction for 'High performance blue quantum light-emitting diodes by attaching diffraction wrinkle patterns' by Hui Qi et al., Nanoscale, 2021, DOI: 10.1039/D1NR00082A.

High performance blue quantum light-emitting diodes by attaching diffraction wrinkle patterns.

Highly efficient blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are still challenging to use in displays and solid-state lighting. Enhancing light outcoupling is one of the most effective methods to improve the performance of blue QLEDs. Here, a strategy for a spectrally independent boost in light outcoupling of blue QLEDs is demonstrated by quasi-periodic wrinkles, which are successfully used as a diffraction grating for extracting trapped light at the substrate/air interface.

Extracellular vesicles from GPNMB-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells attenuate bone loss in an ovariectomized rat model.

Aims: The efficacy of anti-osteoporotic treatments is still limited. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) overexpressing glycoprotein non-melanoma clone B (GPNMB) on osteoporosis (OP).

Main Methods: Lentiviral vector for GPNMB overexpression or its negative control was generated and transfected into BMSCs.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection up-regulates MFN2 expression to promote NLRP3 inflammasome formation.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in children. However, the mechanisms by which MTB infects its cellular host, activates an immune response, and triggers inflammation remain unknown. Mitochondria play important roles in the initiation and activation of the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor with a pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, where mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAMs) may serve as the platform for inflammasome assembly and activation.

Graphene oxide and self-avoiding molecular recognition systems-assisted recombinase polymerase amplification coupled with lateral flow bioassay for nucleic acid detection.

A new nucleic acid detection technique, termed Nano-SAMRS-RPA, is reported which employed carbon nanomaterial (graphene oxide, GO) and self-avoiding molecular recognition systems (SAMRS) to improve the specificity of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). In the presence of GO and SAMRS primers, the assay artifacts, including primer-dimers, nonspecific products, off-target hybrids, and non-canonical folds, are completely suppressed and eliminated, which makes the creation of RPA-based methods faster by simplifying the primer design and eliminating the need for primer optimization and complex probe. Moreover, a lateral flow bioassay (LFB) was also devised for simply and rapidly indicating the Nano-SAMRS-RPA results.

Light extraction from quantum dot light emitting diodes by multiscale nanostructures.

Improving the light extraction efficiency by introducing optical-functional structures outside of quantum dot light emitting diodes (QLEDs) for further enhancing the external quantum efficiency (EQE) is essential for their application in display and lighting industries. Although the efficiency of QLEDs has been optimized by controlling the synthesis of the quantum dots, the low outcoupling efficiency is indeed unresolved because of total internal reflections, waveguides and metal surface absorptions within the device. Here, we utilize multiscale nanostructures attached to the outer surface of the glass substrate to extract the trapped light from the emitting layers of QLEDs.

Simultaneous Nucleic Acids Detection and Elimination of Carryover Contamination With Nanoparticles-Based Biosensor- and Antarctic Thermal Sensitive Uracil-DNA-Glycosylase-Supplemented Polymerase Spiral Reaction.

The current report devised a novel isothermal diagnostic assay, termed as nanoparticle-based biosensor (NB)- and antarctic thermal sensitive uracil-DNA-glycosylase (ATSU)-supplemented polymerase spiral reaction (PSR; NB-ATSU-PSR). The technique merges enzymatic digestion of carryover contaminants and isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique (PSR) for simultaneous detection of nucleic acid sequences and elimination of carryover contamination. In particular, nucleic acid amplification and elimination of carryover contamination are conducted in a single pot and, thus, the use of a closed-tube reaction can remove undesired results due to carryover contamination.

Label-Free Cross-Priming Amplification Coupled With Endonuclease Restriction and Nanoparticles-Based Biosensor for Simultaneous Detection of Nucleic Acids and Prevention of Carryover Contamination.

Here, we reported on a label-free cross-priming amplification (CPA) scheme that utilized endonuclease restriction for simultaneous detection of nucleic acids and elimination of carryover contamination. Reaction mixtures were detected in a nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor (LFB). The assay exhibited attractive traits in that it did not require the use of labeled primers or labeled probes, and thus, the technique could prevent undesired results arising from unwanted hybridization between labeled primers or between a probe and labeled primer.