Sustained transmission over two decades of a previously unrecognised MPT64 negative strain in Queensland, Australia: a whole genome sequencing study.

Background: MPT64 is a key protein used for (MTB) complex strain identification. We describe protracted transmission of an MPT64 negative MTB strain in Queensland, Australia, and explore genomic factors related to its successful spread.

Methods: All MPT64 negative strains identified between 2002 and 2022 by the Queensland Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory, and an additional 2 isolates from New South Wales (NSW), were whole genome sequenced.

A DFT study of the adsorption behavior and sensing properties of CO gas on monolayer MoSe in CO-rich environment.

Context: Carbon monoxide, also known as the "silent killer," is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritable gas that, when inhaled, enters the bloodstream and lungs, binds with the hemoglobin, and blocks oxygen from reaching tissues and cells. In this work, the monolayer MoSe-based CO gas sensors were designed using density functional theory calculation with several dopants including Al, Au, Pd, Ni, Cu, and P. Here, Cu and P were found to be the best dopants, with adsorption energies of -0.

Loss-of-function mutations in do not confer delamanid, ethionamide, isoniazid, or pretomanid resistance in .

Results from clinical strains and knockouts of the H37Rv and CDC1551 laboratory strains demonstrated that () is not a resistance-conferring gene for isoniazid, ethionamide, delamanid, or pretomanid in . This difference in the susceptibility to NAD-adduct-forming drugs compared with other mycobacteria may be driven by differences in the absolute intrabacterial NADH concentration.

Genetic enhancement of okra [ (L.) Moench] germplasm through wide hybridization.

Introduction: The introgression of genetic material from one species to another through wide hybridization and repeated back-crossing, plays an important role in genetic modification and enriching the cultivated gene-pool with novel genetic variations. Okra ( [(L.) Moench)] is a popular vegetable crop with high dietary fibre and protein, rich in essential amino acids, lysine and tryptophan.

Evolution and spread of a highly drug resistant strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Papua New Guinea.

Background: Molecular mechanisms determining the transmission and prevalence of drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in Papua New Guinea (PNG) are poorly understood. We used genomic and drug susceptibility data to explore the evolutionary history, temporal acquisition of resistance and transmission dynamics of DR-TB across PNG.

Methods: We performed whole genome sequencing on isolates from Central Public Health Laboratory, PNG, collected 2017-2019.

Intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomosis for robotic-assisted and laparoscopic right colectomy: short-term outcomes of a multi-center prospective trial.

Background: Studies to date show contrasting conclusions when comparing intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses for minimally invasive right colectomy. Large multi-center prospective studies comparing perioperative outcomes between these two techniques are needed. The purpose of this study was to compare intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses outcomes for robotic assisted and laparoscopic right colectomy.

Analytical performance of the Xpert MTB/XDR® assay for tuberculosis and expanded resistance detection.

In a manufacturer-independent laboratory validation study, the Xpert MTB/XDR® assay demonstrated equivalent limit of detection to Xpert MTB/RIF®, detected 100% of tested resistance mutations and showed some utility for resistance detection in strain mixtures. The Xpert MTB/XDR assay is a reliable, sensitive assay for tuberculosis and expanded resistance detection.

Rapid macrolide and amikacin resistance testing for in people with cystic fibrosis.

complex (MABSC) is an environmental organism and opportunistic pathogen. MABSC pulmonary infections in people with cystic fibrosis are of growing clinical concern. Resistance data guide the use of macrolides and amikacin in MABSC pulmonary disease treatment.

Identification of novel resistant sources for ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei) in chickpea.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the second largest pulse crop grown worldwide and ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta rabiei (Pass.) Labr.

The clinical significance of Mycobacterium triplex.

Objectives: Mycobacterium triplex is a slow-growing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and is a rare cause of human disease. The pathogenicity, natural history and spectrum of disease is unknown. The aim of this study was to review the clinical features, outcomes and drug susceptibility testing (DST) of all M.

Thin-Film Deposition of Surface Passivated Black Phosphorus.

A single-step, direct silicon-substrate growth of black phosphorus (BP) crystals is achieved in a self-contained short-way transport technique under low-pressure conditions (<1.5 MPa). A 115 nm-thick BP hero single crystal is formed with lateral dimensions of 10 × 85 μm.

Cross-Border Movement of Highly Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Papua New Guinea to Australia through Torres Strait Protected Zone, 2010-2015.

In this retrospective study, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to delineate transmission dynamics, characterize drug-resistance markers, and identify risk factors of transmission among Papua New Guinea residents of the Torres Strait Protected Zone (TSPZ) who had tuberculosis diagnoses during 2010-2015. Of 117 isolates collected, we could acquire WGS data for 100; 79 were Beijing sublineage 2.2.

Correction: Controlled p-type substitutional doping in large-area monolayer WSe crystals grown by chemical vapor deposition.

Correction for 'Controlled p-type substitutional doping in large-area monolayer WSe2 crystals grown by chemical vapor deposition' by Stephen A. Campbell et al., Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 21374-21385.

Controlled p-type substitutional doping in large-area monolayer WSe crystals grown by chemical vapor deposition.

Tungsten diselenide (WSe) is a particularly interesting 2D material due to its p-type conductivity. Here we report a systematic single-step process to optimize crystal size by variation of multiple growth parameters resulting in hexagonal single crystals up to 165 μm wide. We then show that these large single crystals can be controllably in situ doped with the acceptor Niobium (Nb).

Characterization of pncA mutations in multi-drug and pyrazinamide resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates cultured from Queensland migrants and Papua New Guinea residents.

Outbreak of drug resistant tuberculosis in the Western province, Papua New Guinea is a concern to Queensland, Australia due to migration. We performed pncA mutation analysis and genotyping of multi-drug/pyrazinamide (MDR/PZA) resistant isolates from 18 Queensland (Qld) migrants and 81 Papua New Guinea (PNG) residents, to compare with phenotypic evidence of PZA resistance and to evaluate the genotypes obtained from the two countries. Seven different mutations were seen from Qld isolates of which 2 have not been described previously.

A complete high-quality MinION nanopore assembly of an extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing lineage strain identifies novel variation in repetitive PE/PPE gene regions.

A better understanding of the genomic changes that facilitate the emergence and spread of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains is currently required. Here, we report the use of the MinION nanopore sequencer (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) to sequence and assemble an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolate, which is part of a modern Beijing sub-lineage strain, prevalent in Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Using 238-fold coverage obtained from a single flow-cell, de novo assembly of nanopore reads resulted into one contiguous assembly with 99.

First case report of human infection with .

Introduction: We describe the first detailed case report of human infection with . Infection with non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) related to is well described, despite the lack of previous confirmed reports of related human disease. Localised cervical lymphadenitis is the most common NTM disease in children, with species closely related to such as and , having been shown to be rare causative agents.

Multi-clonal evolution of multi-drug-resistant/extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a high-prevalence setting of Papua New Guinea for over three decades.

An outbreak of multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) has been reported on Daru Island, Papua New Guinea. Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains driving this outbreak and the temporal accrual of drug resistance mutations have not been described. Whole genome sequencing of 100 of 165 clinical isolates referred from Daru General Hospital to the Supranational reference laboratory, Brisbane, during 2012-2015 revealed that 95 belonged to a single modern Beijing sub-lineage strain.

Bismuth(III) Complexes with Bis(dimethylphenyl) Dithiophosphates: Synthesis, Characterization and Crystal Structure of [{(3,5-CH3)2C6H3O}2PS2]3Bi.

This work presents four complexes with general formula [(ArO)2PS23Bi] (1-4), where Ar = 2,4-(CH3)2C6H3, 2,5-(CH3)2C6H3, 3,4-(CH3)2C6H3 and 3,5-(CH3)2C6H3, respectively. Reaction of [(ArO)2PS2Na] with Bi(NO3)3 · 5H2O in toluene in 3:1 molar stoichiometry afforded the complexes [(ArO)2PS23Bi]. These newly synthesized complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C and 31P) NMR.

A case of disseminated Mycobacterium bovis 2 years post-intravesicular Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for superficial urinary bladder cancer.

Disseminated Mycobacterium bovis is an uncommon side-effect of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy that may be mediated through Mycobacteraemia. This case report, of a 77-year-old man with a history of intravesical BCG therapy and recent cardiac surgery, highlights the need for patients with similar features on history, presenting with generalised symptoms, to have mycobacterial cultures included in their workup.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, DFT and in vitro biological studies of vanadium(III) complexes of aryldithiocarbonates.

Vanadium(III) tris(dithiocarbonates), [(ROCS)V] (R=o-, m-, p-CHCH and 4-Cl-3-CHCH) and donor stabilized addition complexes [(ROCS)V(Cl)·L] [L=NCH or P(CH)] were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, mass, TGA/DTA, SEM magnetic susceptibility and heteronuclear NMR (H, C and P) spectroscopic studies. The cytotoxicity of the complexes was measured in vitro using the cultivated human cell lines. In addition, the antioxidant activities of the ligands and its vanadium complexes were also investigated through their scavenging effect on DPPH radicals.

Evaluation of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on extrapulmonary and respiratory samples other than sputum: a low burden country experience.

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay on extrapulmonary (EP) and respiratory (non-sputum) clinical samples of patients suspected of having tuberculosis (TB) from Queensland, Australia. A total of 269 EP and respiratory (non-sputum) clinical samples collected from Qld patients who were suspected of having TB were subjected to the GeneXpert MTB/RIF analysis, Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) culture and drug susceptibility testing. Phenotypic and genotypic data were compared.