High-sensitive and rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection by IFN-γ release assay among HIV-infected individuals in BCG-vaccinated area

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An accurate test for <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>infection is urgently needed in immunosuppressed populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic power of enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT)-based IFN-γ release assay in detecting active and latent tuberculosis in HIV-infected population in <it>bacillus Calmette-Guerin </it>(BCG)-vaccinated area. A total of 100 HIV-infected individuals including 32 active tuberculosis patients were recruited. An ELISPOT-based IFN-γ release assay, T-SPOT.TB, was used to evaluate the <it>M. tuberculosis </it>ESAT-6 and CFP-10 specific IFN-γ response. Tuberculin skin test (TST) was performed for all recruited subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The subjects were divided into group HIV+ATB (HIV-infected individuals with active tuberculosis, n = 32), group HIV+LTB (HIV-infected individuals with positive results of T-SPOT.TB assay, n = 46) and group HIV only (HIV-infected individuals with negative results of T-SPOT.TB assay and without evidence of tuberculosis infection, n = 22). In group HIV+ATB and HIV+LTB, T-SPOT.TB positive rate in subjects with TST <5 mm were 50% (16/32) and 41.3% (19/46), respectively. Individuals in group HIV+ATB and HIV+LTB with CD4+ T cells <500/μl, T-SPOT.TB showed a higher sensitivity than TST (64.5% vs. 22.6% and 62.2% vs. 29.7%, respectively, both <it>P </it>< 0.0001). In addition, the sensitivity of T-SPOT.TB assay in group HIV+ATB increased to >85% in patients with TB treatment for less than 1 month and CD4+ T cells ≥200/μl, while for patients treated for more than 3 months and CD4+ T cells <200/μl, the sensitivity was decreased to only 33.3%. Furthermore, the results could be generated by T-SPOT.TB assay within 24 hours, which was more rapid than TST with 48–72 hours.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>ELISPOT-based IFN-γ release assay is more sensitive and rapid for the diagnosis of TB infection in Chinese HIV-infected individuals with history of BCG vaccination, and could be an effective tool for guiding preventive treatment with isoniazid in latently infected people and for TB control in China.</p

Lithofacies Characteristics and Sweet Spot Distribution of Lacustrine Shale Oil: A Case Study from the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, China

AbstractLacustrine shale is characterized by rapid lithofacies transformation and compositional heterogeneity, which present challenges in shale oil sweet spot evaluation and distribution prediction and should be systematically studied. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), low-pressure adsorption isotherm analysis, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and triaxial compression testing were employed to comprehensively analyze the oil-bearing capacity, reservoir properties, fluidity, and frackability of different lithofacies. Via analyses of mineral composition, total organic carbon (TOC) content, and sedimentary structure, seven lithofacies were identified: organic-rich calcareous shale (L1), organic-rich laminated calcareous mudstone (L2), organic-rich laminated carbonate-bearing mudstone (L3), intermediate-organic laminated calcareous mudstone (L4), organic-poor laminated calcareous mudstone (L5), organic-poor thin-bedded calcareous mudstone (L6), and organic-rich laminated silty mudstone (L7). Considered together, the oil-bearing capacity, reservoir properties, fluidity, and frackability suggested that the L1 and L7 lithofacies were high-quality sweet spots, with satisfactory oil-bearing capacity (TOC&gt;3.5%; S1&gt;10 mgHC/grock), well-developed pores and microfractures, notable fluidity (as indicated by a high oil saturation index value), and suitable brittleness. The sweet spot distribution was predicted according to multiresolution graph-based clustering analysis of well logs. The results indicate that comprehensive research of the key factors for shale oil and lithofacies prediction can promote sweet spot prediction and enhance shale oil exploration

Expression of CD44 3′-untranslated region regulates endogenous microRNA functions in tumorigenesis and angiogenesis

The non-coding 3′-untranslated region (UTR) plays an important role in the regulation of microRNA (miRNA) functions, since it can bind and inactivate multiple miRNAs. Here, we show the 3′-UTR of CD44 is able to antagonize cytoplasmic miRNAs, and result in the increased translation of CD44 and downstream target mRNA, CDC42. A series of cell function assays in the human breast cancer cell line, MT-1, have shown that the CD44 3′-UTR inhibits proliferation, colony formation and tumor growth. Furthermore, it modulated endothelial cell activities, favored angiogenesis, induced tumor cell apoptosis and increased sensitivity to Docetaxel. These results are due to the interaction of the CD44 3′-UTR with multiple miRNAs. Computational algorithms have predicted three miRNAs, miR-216a, miR-330 and miR-608, can bind to both the CD44 and CDC42 3′-UTRs. This was confirmed with luciferase assays, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining and correlated with a series of siRNA assays. Thus, the non-coding CD44 3′-UTR serves as a competitor for miRNA binding and subsequently inactivates miRNA functions, by freeing the target mRNAs from being repressed

Study on reaction mechanisms of iron matrix compositesreinforced with in situ Al2O3 particles reacted byAl-Fe2O3-Fe system

Iron matrix composites reinforced with Al2O3 particles were fabricated in situ through exothermic dispersive (XD) reaction from a powder mix of pure elements Fe, Al and Fe2O3. The fabrication and reaction mechanisms were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The reaction between Al and Fe2O3 was found to occur in three steps. Their activation energies are 203.8 kJ/mol, 1100.9 kJ/mol and 380 kJ/mol, respectively. DSC analysis shows that the reaction peak shifts to a higher temperature with an increase in the heating rate. When the heating rate is 10 K/min, the rates of the three reactions exhibit a similar trend, i.e., the reaction rate is very slow at the start, and then it increases rapidly, finally it becomes slow again. Their reaction times are 456, 672 and 650 s, respectively

Study on reaction mechanisms of iron matrix compositesreinforced with in situ Al

Iron matrix composites reinforced with Al2O3 particles were fabricated in situ through exothermic dispersive (XD) reaction from a powder mix of pure elements Fe, Al and Fe2O3. The fabrication and reaction mechanisms were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The reaction between Al and Fe2O3 was found to occur in three steps. Their activation energies are 203.8 kJ/mol, 1100.9 kJ/mol and 380 kJ/mol, respectively. DSC analysis shows that the reaction peak shifts to a higher temperature with an increase in the heating rate. When the heating rate is 10 K/min, the rates of the three reactions exhibit a similar trend, i.e., the reaction rate is very slow at the start, and then it increases rapidly, finally it becomes slow again. Their reaction times are 456, 672 and 650 s, respectively

Activities of Amphioxus GH-Like Protein in Osmoregulation: Insight into Origin of Vertebrate GH Family

GH is known to play an important role in both growth promotion and osmoregulation in vertebrates. We have shown that amphioxus possesses a single GH-like hormone (GHl) gene encoding a functional protein capable of promoting growth. However, if GHl can mediate osmoregulation remains open. Here, we demonstrated clearly that GHl increased not only the survival rate of amphioxus but also the muscle moisture under high salinity. Moreover, GHl induced the expression of both the ion transporter Na+-K+-ATPase (NKA) and Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC) in the gill as well as the mediator of GH action IGFl in the hepatic caecum, indicating that GHl fulfills this osmoregulatory activity through the same mechanisms of vertebrate GH. These results together suggest that the osmoregulatory activities of GH had emerged in the basal chordate amphioxus. We also proposed a new model depicting the origin of pituitary hormone family in vertebrates

Evaluating the application of the 2009 Institute of Medicine gestational weight gain guidelines on pregnant Chinese women

Background The 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines were initially developed for pregnant women in the United States. Objective This study aimed to investigate whether the IOM guidelines were suitable for pregnant Chinese women. Methods A retrospective cohort study comprising 20,593 singleton pregnant women was conducted at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019). Applicability was evaluated by comparing the GWG corresponding to the lowest point of the predicted composite risk curve with the 2009 IOM GWG Guidelines. The IOM Guidelines serve as the standard for the GWG categories and the pre-pregnancy body mass index. An exponential function model was used to fit the weight gain during pregnancy and the probability of caesarean section, preterm birth, small for gestational age, and large for gestational age. A quadratic function model was used to fit the combined probability of the above-mentioned adverse pregnancy outcomes. The applicability of the IOM guidelines was evaluated by comparing the weights corresponding to the lowest predicted probability with the GWG range recommended by the IOM guidelines. Results According to the 2009 IOM GWG Guidelines, 43% of the women achieved adequate weight, almost 32% gained excessive weight, and 25% gained inadequate weight. The GWG range proposed by the IOM included the lowest predicted probability value for underweight women and exceeded the lowest predicted probability for normal weight, overweight, and obese women. Conclusions The 2009 IOM guidelines were suitable for Chinese women whose pre-pregnancy body mass index was classified as underweight. The guidelines were not suitable for normal, overweight, or obese pre-pregnancy body mass index classifications. Therefore, based on the above evidence, the 2009 IOM guidelines are not suitable for all Chinese women

Control factors on tight sandstone reservoirs below source rocks in the Rangzijing slope zone of southern Songliao Basin, East China

Based on the analysis of reservoir characteristics, this paper studies on the control factors on quality of the tight sandstone reservoirs in Fuyu oil layer below source rocks in Rangzijing slope zone in the Southern Songliao Basin from 5 aspects, i.e. base level cycle, deposition, diagenesis, tectonic activity and CO2 filling, so as to identify the sweet spots in the reservoirs. The following results are obtained: (1) base level cycle and deposition condition control the relation of source rocks and reservoirs, stacking pattern of reservoirs and original property of reservoirs; (2) compaction is the main factor making the reservoirs tight, and cementation exacerbates the tightness; (3) the secondary pores produced by organic acids migrating downward into reservoirs improve the reservoir quality to some extent; (4) tectonic activity plays a positive role in improvement of reservoir quality in three levels, and (5) CO2 filling can improve the percolation of local reservoirs, but it is adverse for the formation of effective reservoirs. In the study area, the formation of high-quality tight sandstone reservoirs is controlled by the coupling of base level cycle, main sedimentary facies, dominant corrosion zone and tectonic uplifting area. Key words: reservoirs below source rocks, tight sandstone, reservoir quality, CO2 filling, Fuyu oil layer, Rangzijing slope zon