Diagnostic Accuracy of Antigen-Based Skin Tests (TBSTs) for Tuberculosis Infection Compared with TST and IGRA: A Network Meta-Analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the IGRA, TST, and TBST by combining diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) analysis and network meta-analysis (NMA) to increase the reliability and accuracy of diagnostic methods and promote the eradication of TB. An electronic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted, from the date of establishment to September 30, 2024. Data were synthesized with frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses, a single-group rate meta-analysis algorithm, and a bivariate mixed-effects logistic regression model.

Global prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum coinfection in wild and domesticated animals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Both Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap) can infect humans and animals through tick-borne transmission, resulting in zoonosis. Under certain conditions, human infection can lead to Lyme disease (LD) and human granulocytosis (HGA), whereas infection in animals can cause various acute and non-specific symptoms. The combination of Bb and Ap has been reported to increase the disease severity in infected animals.

Potato β-aminobutyric acid receptor IBI1 manipulates VOZ1 and VOZ2 transcription factor activity to promote disease resistance.

Upon infection with nonpathogenic microorganisms or treatment with natural or synthetic compounds, plants exhibit a more rapid and potent response to both biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon, known as defense priming, are poorly understood. β-minobutyric acid (BABA) is an endogenous stress metabolite that enhances plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses and primes plant defense responses, providing the ability to resist a variety of pathogens (broad-spectrum resistance).

CD4 Effective Memory T Cell Markers GBP2 and LAG3 Are Risk Factors for PTB and COVID-19 Infection: A Study Integrating Single-Cell Expression Quantitative Trait Locus and Mendelian Randomization Analyses.

Observational studies indicate that variations in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets are associated with an increased risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but causal validation is lacking. Here, we combined single-cell expression quantitative trait locus (sc-eQTL) and two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to elucidate the causal relationship between PBMC subsets and the occurrence of PTB and COVID-19 and verified by RT-qPCR. We observed an increase in the CD4 Effective Memory T Cell (CD4 T) cluster in both PTB and COVID-19 patients according to the single-cell transcriptional landscape of PBMC.

Chloroplast elongation factors break the growth-immunity trade-off by simultaneously promoting yield and defence.

Chloroplasts regulate plant development and immunity. Here we report that potato chloroplast elongation factors StTuA and StTuB, targeted by Phytophthora infestans RXLR effector Pi22926, positively regulate immunity and growth. Plants expressing Pi22926, or silenced for TuA/B, show increased P.

Chloroplast protein StFC-II was manipulated by a effector to enhance host susceptibility.

Oomycete secretes a range of RxLR effectors into host cells to manipulate plant immunity by targeting proteins from several organelles. In this study, we report that chloroplast protein StFC-II is hijacked by a pathogen effector to enhance susceptibility. RxLR effector is activated during the early stages of colonization.

Potato miR394 targets StA/N-INVE and StLCR to negatively regulate late blight resistance.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs in eukaryotes. Plant endogenous miRNAs play pivotal roles in regulating plant development and defense responses. MicroRNA394 (miR394) has been reported to regulate plant development, abiotic stresses and defense responses.

Efficacy and safety of antibiotics for treatment of leptospirosis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Leptospirosis, an important zoonotic bacterial disease, commonly affects resource-poor populations and results in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The value of antibiotics in leptospirosis remains unclear, as evidenced by the conflicting opinions published.

Methods: We conducted a search in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for studies.

The intricate role of CCL5/CCR5 axis in Alzheimer disease.

The morbidity and mortality associated with Alzheimer disease (AD), one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, are increasing each year. Although both amyloid β and tau proteins are known to be involved in AD pathology, their detailed functions in the pathogenesis of the disease are not fully understood. There is increasing evidence that neuroinflammation contributes to the development and progression of AD, with astrocytes, microglia, and the cytokines and chemokines they secrete acting coordinately in these processes.

Seventy years of evidence on the efficacy and safety of drugs for treating leprosy: a network meta-analysis.

Objective: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends multidrug therapy (MDT) with rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine for treating leprosy, which is based on very low-quality evidence. Here, we performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to produce quantitative evidence to strengthen current WHO recommendations.

Method: All studies were obtained from Embase and PubMed from the date of establishment to October 9, 2021.

BCG-induced trained immunity: history, mechanisms and potential applications.

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine was discovered a century ago and has since been clinically applicable. BCG can not only be used for the prevention of tuberculosis, but also has a non-specific protective effect on the human body called trained immunity that is mediated by innate immune cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells. Mechanisms of trained immunity include epigenetic reprogramming, metabolic reprogramming, and long-term protection mediated by hematopoietic stem cells.

Efficacy and Safety of Treatments for Different Stages of Syphilis: a Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Observational Studies.

Parenteral penicillin is the first-line regimen for treating syphilis. However, allergic reactions and poor drug tolerance still present challenging problems with respect to use of this antibiotic. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone, erythromycin, minocycline, tetracycline, and doxycycline for syphilis treatment, compared with penicillin, to determine which antibiotic could be a better substitute for penicillin.

Lung Organoids as Model to Study SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic and has severely affected socio-economic conditions and people's life. The lung is the major target organ infected and (seriously) damaged by SARS-CoV-2, so a comprehensive understanding of the virus and the mechanism of infection are the first choices to overcome COVID-19. Recent studies have demonstrated the enormous value of human organoids as platforms for virological research, making them an ideal tool for researching host-pathogen interactions.

Biomechanical Energy Harvesters Based on Ionic Conductive Organohydrogels via the Hofmeister Effect and Electrostatic Interaction.

The recent use of cryoprotectant replacement method for solving the easy drying problem of hydrogels has attracted increasing research interest. However, the conductivity decrease of organohydrogels due to the induced insulating solvent limited their electronic applications. Herein, we introduce the Hofmeister effect and electrostatic interaction to generate hydrogen and sodium bonds in the hydrogel.