Effect of Temperature on Characteristic of Carbon Nanotube Nano-composite Electrode Supercapacitor

In order to evaluate the effect of temperature on the performance of supercapacitor using coconut shell activated carbon (AC)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as nano-composite electrodes, the supercapacitor's properties were tested in 4mol L -1 KOH solution at 35℃~60℃.The results indicated, when temperature increased from 35℃ to 60℃, the resistance decreased from 0.83Ω to 0.78Ω by 6% and the capacitance increased from 93.32F g -1 to 104.36F g -1 by 11.8%. It was the contribution of high conductivity and the end open ration of CNTs. These results indicated that CNTs-based nano-composite electrode had good performance at high moderate temperature, and would be a promising material for use in low-cost electrical energy storage device

In vitro inhibition of pathogenic Verticillium dahliae, causal agent of potato wilt disease in China by Trichoderma isolates

Twenty (20) of Verticillium dahliae were isolated from wilted potato specimens collected from six districts in Guizhou, China. All the isolates were evaluated for pathogenicity on two potato cultivars, Favorita (susceptible) and Hui-2 (resistant) using the root dip inoculation (RDI) and microsclerotia inoculation (MI). All of the V. dahliae isolates appeared to be pathogenic on both cultivars but VGZ-HZ-4 isolate gave the highest wilt incidence comparing to the others, seconded by VGZ-SC-1 and VGZ-XW-1. Combined analysis of wilt incidence resulting from using two inoculation methods for VGZ-HZ-4 and VGZ-XW-1 isolates on the two potato cultivars showed that the MI gave a higher wilt incidence than that of the RDI and cultivar Favorita had a higher wilt incidence than that of Hui-2. These two V. dahliae isolates were further used as representative isolates for mycelial inhibition (MyI) test with 33 Trichoderma isolates under a dual culture condition on potato dextrose agar plate. The 33 Trichoderma isolates consisting of 21 isolates isolated from potato soils from seven districts of Guizhou, 11 isolates from single spore isolates of the TGZ-150 isolate preserved at Guizhou Institute of Plant Protection (GZIPP) and one isolate TGZ-OLD-81 also preserved at the GZIPP. Most of the single spore isolates and TGZ-SC-4 were found to have higher MyI efficiency than that of the rest. The results indicate that the Trichoderma isolates in this study have initial modes of action of biological control to protect potato crop against V. dahlia.Keywords: Trichoderma, potato wilt disease, growth inhibition, Verticillium dahliae, antagonistic fungi.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(31) 3402-341

In situ preparation of 3D graphene aerogels@hierarchical Fe3O4 nanoclusters as high rate and long cycle anode materials for lithium ion batteries

We describe a novel strategy for in situ fabrication of hierarchical Fe3O4 nanoclusters–GAs. Fe3O4 NCs–GAs deliver excellent rate capability and a high reversible capacity of 577 mAh g−1 over 300 cycles at the current density of 5.2 A g−1.</p

Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in healthcare facilities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Objectives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of opportunistic infections worldwide, particularly in healthcare settings, and frequently demonstrates resistance to commonly prescribed antimicrobials. Carbapenem resistance is prevalent worldwide, however there are currently limited data available from Haiti. The aim of this study was to characterise and document this phenotype in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to further inform the need for appropriate infection control, empirical treatment guidelines and laboratory screening measures, both in Haiti and globally. Methods: A total of 50 P. aeruginosa isolates were characterised by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, of which 8 isolates were also subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify potential genetic correlations of phenotypic resistance. Results: By MLST, 23 sequence types (STs) were identified, including 13 new STs. Nineteen isolates belonged to a single, previously characterised ST (ST654), all of which demonstrated a multidrug-resistant phenotype, including resistance to meropenem, imipenem and ceftazidime; two isolates were also resistant to colistin. WGS revealed the presence of genes encoding several previously characterised resistance determinants in ST654; notably ACC(6′)-Ib3-cr and GES-7. Metallo-β-lactamase genes (blaVIM-5) were also detected in three isolates. Conclusion: These findings confirm that drug-resistant clones of P. aeruginosa are present in Haiti, supporting the need for appropriate screening and control measures and confirming that drug-resistant micro-organisms pose a global threat. Further investigations are required to guide appropriate antimicrobial prescribing in this region

Whole Genome Sequencing Investigation of a Tuberculosis Outbreak in Port-au-Prince, Haiti Caused by a Strain with a “Low-Level” <i>rpoB</i> Mutation L511P – Insights into a Mechanism of Resistance Escalation

<div><p>The World Health Organization recommends diagnosing Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in high burden countries by detection of mutations in Rifampin (RIF) Resistance Determining Region of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis rpoB</i> gene with rapid molecular tests GeneXpert MTB/RIF and Hain MTBDR<i>plus</i>. Such mutations are found in >95% of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> strains resistant to RIF by conventional culture-based drug susceptibility testing (DST). However routine diagnostic screening with molecular tests uncovered specific “low level” <i>rpoB</i> mutations conferring resistance to RIF below the critical concentration of 1 μg/ml in some phenotypically susceptible strains. Cases with discrepant phenotypic (susceptible) and genotypic (resistant) results for resistance to RIF account for at least 10% of resistant diagnoses by molecular tests and urgently require new guidelines to inform therapeutic decision making. Eight strains with a “low level” <i>rpoB</i> mutation L511P were isolated by GHESKIO laboratory between 2008 and 2012 from 6 HIV-negative and 2 HIV-positive patients during routine molecular testing. Five isolates with a single L511P mutation and two isolates with double mutation L511P&M515T had MICs for RIF between 0.125 and 0.5 μg/ml and tested susceptible in culture-based DST. The eighth isolate carried a double mutation L511P&D516C and was phenotypically resistant to RIF. All eight strains shared the same spoligotype SIT 53 commonly found in Haiti but classic epidemiological investigation failed to uncover direct contacts between the patients. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) revealed that L511P cluster isolates resulted from a clonal expansion of an ancestral strain resistant to Isoniazid and to a very low level of RIF. Under the selective pressure of RIF-based therapy the strain acquired mutation in the M306 codon of <i>embB</i> followed by secondary mutations in <i>rpoB</i> and escalation of resistance level. This scenario highlights the importance of subcritical resistance to RIF for both clinical management of patients and public health and provides support for introducing <i>rpoB</i> mutations as proxy for MICs into laboratory diagnosis of RIF resistance. This study illustrates that WGS is a promising multi-purpose genotyping tool for high-burden settings as it provides both “gold standard” sequencing results for prediction of drug susceptibility and a high-resolution data for epidemiological investigation in a single assay.</p></div

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of 8 patients in L511P cluster.

<p>* Delayed response</p><p>** Deceased</p><p>n.d. Not determined</p><p>Clinical and microbiological characteristics of 8 patients in L511P cluster.</p

Investigation of the L511P cluster.

<p>(a) Number of SNPs different (above) and common (below) between any two isolates. H37Rv—reference genome, “outgroup”—unrelated clinical isolate with same spoligotype (b) Matrix of unique nucleotide variants found in L511P cluster. Secondary <i>rpoB</i> mutations responsible for escalation of RIF resistance level are in orange (intermediate level) and red (high level). M440T and D441C correspond to M515T and D516C in traditional <i>E</i>.<i>coli</i> numbering of <i>rpoB</i> codons. Isolates from patients G and H were not available for WGS and only positions presented in the matrix were interrogated by Sanger sequencing (c) Links between patients in L511P cluster established with interview. Confirmed and possible contacts between patients are shown in blue. Family members with history of TB and family ties are shown in grey. Crossed out shapes indicate patients who died of TB. (d) Timelines of treatment from onset of symptoms to completion of therapy. Negative AFB smears performed for monitoring of Category IV treatment have been omitted.</p

Establishing the Clinical Utility of ctDNA Analysis for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment Monitoring of Retinoblastoma: The Aqueous Humor Liquid Biopsy

Because direct tumor biopsy is prohibited for retinoblastoma (RB), eye-specific molecular biomarkers are not used in clinical practice for RB. Recently, we demonstrated that the aqueous humor (AH) is a rich liquid biopsy source of cell-free tumor DNA. Herein, we detail clinically-relevant molecular biomarkers from the first year of prospective validation data. Seven eyes from 6 RB patients who had AH sampled at diagnosis and throughout therapy with ≥12 months of follow-up were included. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from each sample was isolated and sequenced to assess genome-wide somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), followed by targeted resequencing for pathogenic variants using a RB1 and MYCN custom hybridization panel. Tumoral genomic information was detected in 100% of diagnostic AH samples. Of the seven diagnostic AH samples, 5/7 were positive for RB SCNAs. Mutational analysis identified RB1 variants in 5/7 AH samples, including the 2 samples in which no SCNAs were detected. Two eyes failed therapy and required enucleation; both had poor prognostic biomarkers (chromosome 6p gain or MYCN amplification) present in the AH at the time of diagnosis. In the context of previously established pre-analytical, analytical, and clinical validity, this provides evidence for larger, prospective studies to further establish the clinical utility of the AH liquid biopsy and its applications to precision oncology for RB