A sterilization method for human decellularized vaginal matrices.

Vaginal reconstruction is necessary for various congenital and acquired conditions, including vaginal aplasia, trauma, tumors, and gender incongruency. Current surgical and non-surgical treatments often result in significant complications. Decellularized vaginal matrices (DVMs) from human tissue offer a promising alternative, but require effective sterilization to ensure safety and functionality.

Epidemic Zika virus strains from the Asian lineage induce an attenuated fetal brain pathogenicity.

The 2015-2016 Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in the Americas revealed the ability of ZIKV from the Asian lineage to cause birth defects, generically called congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Notwithstanding the long circulation history of Asian ZIKV, no ZIKV-associated CZS cases were reported prior to the outbreaks in French Polynesia (2013) and Brazil (2015). Whether the sudden emergence of CZS resulted from an evolutionary event of Asian ZIKV has remained unclear.

Genome sequencing of Plasmodium malariae identifies continental segregation and mutations associated with reduced pyrimethamine susceptibility.

Plasmodium malariae parasites are widely observed across the tropics and sub-tropics. This slow-growing species, known to maintain chronic asymptomatic infections, has been associated with reduced antimalarial susceptibility. We analyse 251 P.

Human respiratory organoids sustained reproducible propagation of human rhinovirus C and elucidation of virus-host interaction.

The lack of a robust system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, a family of viruses refractory to cultivation in standard cell lines, has substantially hindered our understanding of this common respiratory pathogen. We sought to develop an organoid-based system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, and characterize virus-host interaction using respiratory organoids. We demonstrate that airway organoids sustain serial virus passage with the aid of CYT387-mediated immunosuppression, whereas nasal organoids that more closely simulate the upper airway achieve this without any intervention.

Genomic analysis of global Plasmodium vivax populations reveals insights into the evolution of drug resistance.

Increasing reports of chloroquine resistance (CQR) in Plasmodium vivax endemic regions have led to several countries, including Indonesia, to adopt dihydroarteminsin-piperaquine instead. However, the molecular drivers of CQR remain unclear. Using a genome-wide approach, we perform a genomic analysis of 1534 P.

Antibodies to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 spike mediate productive infection of primary human macrophages.

The role of myeloid cells in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 is well established, in particular as drivers of cytokine production and systemic inflammation characteristic of severe COVID-19. However, the potential for myeloid cells to act as bona fide targets of productive SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the specifics of entry, remain unclear. Using a panel of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) we performed a detailed assessment of antibody-mediated infection of monocytes/macrophages.

Critical assessment of commercially available microtitre panels for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of veterinary pathogens.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) in the veterinary sector by broth microdilution is mainly based on commercially available microtitre plates with specific panels. A critical review of commercially available microtitre panels identified AST panels that fulfil the requirements for obtaining reliable AST results by covering the necessary antimicrobial concentrations for both clinical breakpoints as well as quality control (QC) ranges for approved QC strains. However, there are AST panels in which these prerequisites are only in part fulfilled, and some AST panels that do not fulfil the aforementioned criteria at all.

SARS-CoV-2 NSP3/4 control formation of replication organelle and recruitment of RNA polymerase NSP12.

β-coronavirus rearranges the host cellular membranes to form double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) via NSP3/4, which anchor replication-transcription complexes (RTCs), thereby constituting the replication organelles (ROs). However, the impact of specific domains within NSP3/4 on DMV formation and RO assembly remains largely unknown. By using cryogenic-correlated light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), we discovered that the N-terminal and C-terminal domains (NTD and CTD) of SARS-CoV-2 NSP3 are essential for DMV formation.

Piecing together the narrative of #longcovid: an unsupervised deep learning of 1,354,889 X (formerly Twitter) posts from 2020 to 2023.

Objective: To characterize the public conversations around long COVID, as expressed through X (formerly Twitter) posts from May 2020 to April 2023.

Methods: Using X as the data source, we extracted tweets containing #long-covid, #long_covid, or "long covid," posted from May 2020 to April 2023. We then conducted an unsupervised deep learning analysis using Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT).

Establishment of Biobank and Patient-Derived Xenograft of Soft Tissue and Bone Tumors.

Soft tissue and bone tumors are rare, and their low frequency and diverse histological types make conducting large-scale clinical trials challenging. Patient-derived xenografts (PDX), entailing implantation of cancer specimens in immunocompromised mice, are emerging as a valuable translational model because PDX keeps the original tumors' character and drug sensitivity. We sequentially transplanted 166 surgical and biopsy specimens from orthopedic surgeries, including 138 soft tissue and bone tumors (81 malignant, 23 intermediate, and 34 benign), 16 metastatic bone tumors, 9 hematological malignancies, and 3 non-tumor tissues.

The plasma metabolome of juvenile idiopathic arthritis varies according to subtype and underlying inflammatory status.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is challenging to classify and effectively monitor due to the lack of disease- and subtype-specific biomarkers. A robust molecular signature that tracks with specific JIA features over time is urgently required, and targeted plasma metabolomics may reveal such a signature. The primary aim of this study was to characterise the differences in the plasma metabolome between JIA patients and non-JIA controls and identify specific markers of JIA subtype.

Analysis of risk factors for surgical site infection in spinal surgery patients and study of direct economic losses.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a serious complication of spine surgery, leading to prolonged hospital stays, re-operations, and economic losses. The aim of the study was to explore the types and quantities of pathogenic bacteria involved, the incidence of SSI, and to identify the independent risk factors and direct economic impact on patients with postoperative SSI in spine surgery.

Methods: The medical records of spine surgery patients from January 2023 to April 2024 at two hospitals in Xinjiang were retrospectively reviewed.

Association between clinical-biological characteristics of Klebsiella pneumoniae and 28-day mortality in patients with bloodstream infection.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection (KP BSI) is a severe clinical condition characterized by high mortality rates. Despite the clinical significance, accurate predictors of mortality in KP BSI have yet to be fully identified.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 90 cases of KP BSI.

A low pathogenic avian influenza A/Mallard/South Korea/KNU2019-34/2019 (H1N1) virus has the potential to increase the mammalian pathogenicity.

Influenza, a highly contagious respiratory infectious disease caused by an influenza virus, is a threat to public health worldwide. Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) have the potential to cause the next pandemic by crossing the species barrier through mutation of viral genome. Here, we investigated the pathogenicity of AIVs obtained from South Korea and Mongolia during 2018-2019 by measuring viral titers in the lungs and extrapulmonary organs of mouse models.

CRTC3 restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication and is antagonized by CREB.

Virus-encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is essential for genome replication and gene transcription of human coronaviruses (HCoVs), including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We previously identified the interaction between the catalytic subunit NSP12 of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and the host protein CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 3 (CRTC3), a member of the CRTC family that regulates cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-mediated transcriptional activation. Currently, the implication of CRTC3 in the pathogenesis of HCoVs is poorly understood.

High-Affinity Lectin Ligands Enable the Detection of Pathogenic Biofilms: Implications for Diagnostics and Therapy.

is a critical priority pathogen and causes life-threatening acute and biofilm-associated chronic infections. The choice of suitable treatment for complicated infections requires lengthy culturing for species identification from swabs or an invasive biopsy. To date, no fast, pathogen-specific diagnostic tools for infections are available.

Engaging rural communities in Bangladesh to tackle antimicrobial resistance through the Community Dialogue Approach: a process evaluation protocol for COSTAR project in Cumilla, Bangladesh.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem and is especially threatening for low-and-middle income countries like Bangladesh. The COSTAR (Community-led Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance) project includes a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Community Dialog Approach (CDA) to improve levels of correct and appropriate knowledge and reported practice about antibiotics, antibiotic use, and antibiotic resistance (ABR) from a One Health perspective, among adult community members in 5 selected sub-districts of Cumilla. The CDA is a community engagement approach involving community members in active discussions also known as Community Dialogs (CD), run by local facilitators.

Mentorship advances antimicrobial use surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries.

A shortage of trained personnel poses significant challenges to implementing antimicrobial use (AMU) surveillance systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Traditional training models, such as workshops, seminars and online courses, often lack the sustained engagement and support necessary for deep learning and skill mastery. This article advocates for mentorship as an effective training method for AMU professionals in LMICs.

Respiratory Morbidity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic from Birth to 18 Months in a Swedish Birth Cohort.

Background: Respiratory infections in early life is one identified risk factor for asthma. We hypothesized that infection preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the risk of respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in early childhood.

Objective: To compare respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in children born before and during the pandemic.

Possible scenarios for the spread of mpox outside the endemic focus in Africa.

The recent expansion of mpox in Africa is characterized by a dramatic increase in zoonotic transmission (clade Ia) and the emergence of a new clade Ib that is transmitted from human-to-human (H2H) by close contact. Clade Ia does not pose a threat in areas without zoonotic reservoir. But clade Ib may spread widely, as did the clade IIb that since 2022 has spread globally among MSM.

pH-responsive cationic guar gum-based multifunctional hydrogel with silver nanoenzymes: Combined photothermal antibacterial therapy and antioxidant properties for MRSA infected wound healing.

Managing wounds infected with multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria remains a significant public health challenge in clinical settings. While multifunctional hydrogels are commonly employed to treat skin infections, there is a scarcity of hydrogels that effectively combine cationic guar gum (CG) with both potent antimicrobial and safe therapeutic actions. This study introduces a novel pH responsive, dual-dynamically crosslinked hydrogel (CFC-PDA/Ag), synthesized by crosslinking CG with polydopamine (PDA)-coated silver nanozymes (PDA/PM-AgNPs).

The Molecular Bacterial Load Assay predicts treatment responses in patients with pre-XDR/XDR-tuberculosis more accurately than GeneXpert Ultra MTB/Rif.

Objectives: Early detection of treatment failure is essential to improve the management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). We evaluated the molecular bacterial load assay (MBLA) in comparison to standard diagnostic tests for monitoring therapy of patients affected by drug-resistant TB.

Methods: The performance of MBLA in tracking treatment response in a prospective cohort of patients with pulmonary MDR/RR- and pre-XDR/XDR-TB was compared with mycobacterial culture, mycobacterial DNA detection using GeneXpert (Xpert) and microscopy detection of sputum acid-fast-bacilli.

Development of a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based targeted metabolomics method for discovering diagnostic biomarkers in Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) has emerged as the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children, primarily due to the absence of highly sensitive and specific biomarkers for early and accurate diagnosis. To address this issue, a simple and comprehensive targeted metabolomics method employing ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q-TRAP mass spectrometry has been developed to identify new metabolite biomarkers for KD. This method enables the simultaneous quantification of 276 metabolites, covering 60 metabolic pathways, with a particular emphasis on metabolites relevant to KD.