Culture-free proof of Mycobacterium tuberculosis - a new assay for viable bacteria

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Log canonical pairs over varieties with maximal Albanese dimension

Let $(X,B)$ be a log canonical pair over a normal variety $Z$ with maximal Albanese dimension. If $K_X+B$ is relatively abundant over $Z$ (for example, $K_X+B$ is relatively big over $Z$), then we prove that $K_X+B$ is abundant. In particular, the subadditvity of Kodaira dimensions $\kappa(K_X+B) \geq \kappa(K_F+B_F)+ \kappa(Z)$ holds, where $F$ is a general fiber, $K_F+B_F= (K_X+B)|_F$, and $\kappa(Z)$ means the Kodaira dimension of a smooth model of $Z$. We discuss several variants of this result in Section 4. We also give a remark on the log Iitaka conjecture for log canonical pairs in Section 5.Comment: 24 pages. Some typos fixe

Evaluation of the filter paper IP-10 tests in school children after exposure to tuberculosis: a prospective cohort study with a 4-year follow-up

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Tumor–associated antigens identified by mRNA expression profiling as tumor rejection epitopes

Thirteen H-2(b)-binding peptides derived from six potentially overexpressed proteins in p53(-/- )thymoma (SM7) cells were studied for immunogenecity and vaccine-induced prevention of tumor growth in mice inoculated with SM7 tumor cells. Six of the peptides generated specific CTL responses after immunization, but only two of these peptides (RAD(23–31 )and RAD(24–31)) were capable of generating a weak vaccination-induced protection against adoptive tumor growth. SM7 inoculated mice treated with a blocking antibody against the inhibitory T cell signal transducing molecule CTLA4 appeared to delay tumor take, suggesting that SM7 thymoma cells are recognized by the adaptive immune system of the host. However, prophylactic vaccination with RAD(23–31 )and RAD(24–31 )peptides combined with anti-CTLA4 Ab treatment and did not improve tumor resistance. Our data would indicate that vaccination with immunogenic peptides derived from potentially overexpressed tumor proteins, as identified by mRNA expression profiling of p53(-/- )thymoma cells, at best results in a weak tumor protection thus questioning this way of detection of new tumor rejection epitopes

Integrated testing for TB and COVID-19

Integrated testing for TB and COVID-19 may help find those TB patients who are not accessing care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some molecular platforms with assays for both diseases are already commercially available; however, integrated testing approaches need to be systematically evaluated to ensure their appropriate implementation

Prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection as measured by the QuantiFERON-TB Gold assay and ESAT-6 free IGRA among adolescents in Mwanza, Tanzania

Background The prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is vastly higher than that of tuberculosis (TB) disease and this enormous reservoir of individuals with LTBI impacts the global TB control strategy. Adolescents are at greatest risk of TB infection and are thus an ideal target population for a potential effective TB vaccine to be added to the current BCG programme as it could reduce the number of latent infections and consequently the number of adults with TB disease. However, LTBI rates are often unknown for this population. This study aims to estimate the magnitude of LTBI and to determine if Tanzanian adolescents would be a good population for a prevention of TB infection trial. Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that recruited 193 adolescents aged 12 and 16 years from government schools and directly from the community in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. Socio-demographic characteristics were collected for all enrolled participants. Blood was drawn and tested using QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), and Early Secretory Antigenic Target-6–Free Interferon-gamma Release Assay (ESAT-6 free IGRA). Concordance between QFT-GIT and ESAT-6 free IGRA was evaluated using the McNemar’s test. Results Overall estimates of LTBI prevalence were 19.2% [95%CI, 14.1; 25.2] and 18.6% [95%CI, 13.6; 24.6] as measured by QFT-GIT IGRA and ESAT-6 free IGRA, respectively. The 16-year-old cohort had a higher LTBI prevalence (23.7% [95%CI, 16.1; 32.9]) as compared to 12-year-old cohort (14.6% [95%CI, 8.6; 22.7]) as measured by QFT-GIT IGRA. When measured by ESAT-6 Free IGRA, LTBI prevalence was 24.7% (95%CI, 16.9; 34.0) for the 16-year-old cohort and 12.5% (95%CI, 7.0; 20.3) among the 12-year-old cohort. According to both tests the prevalence of TB infection and the corresponding annual risk of tuberculosis infection (ARTI) and force of infection were high and increased with age. Of all enrolled participants, 97.4% had concordant results for QFT-GIT IGRA and ESAT-6 free IGRA (p = 0.65). Conclusions The prevalence of LTBI and the associated ARTI and force of infection among adolescents is high and increases with age in Mwanza Region. There was a high concordance between the QFT-GIT and the novel ESAT-6 free IGRA assays. These findings suggest Mwanza is a promising area to conduct novel TB vaccine research prevention of infection (POI) studies targeting adolescents.publishedVersio

A Simple Method to Quantitate IP-10 in Dried Blood and Plasma Spots

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