Size-dependent As(V) adsorption of reduced graphene oxide/magnetite nanocomposites.

Arsenic (As(V)) contamination in aqueous resources poses a significant environmental, and public health risk due to its high toxicity. To address this challenge, we synthesized and characterized novel reduced graphene oxide/magnetite (rGO/Fe3O4) nanocomposites, which are efficient adsorbents for removing As(V). Using a co-precipitation method, we obtained three distinct sizes of rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites by controlling the salt concentration (Fe2+: Fe3+) ratios. Analysis of the adsorption ability of the samples shows that the adsorption efficiency can reach up to 98.10% within 90 min, and the adsorption capacity value reaches 20.55 mg/g. Furthermore, these test data are ably consistent with both the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model, based on which the adsorption mechanism has been proposed. These results show that the rGO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites that we synthesized are a potential adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from water.

Enhancing the antibacterial activity of ampicillin loaded into chitosan/starch nanocomposites against AMR Staphylococcusaureus.

Ampicillin (Amp), an antibiotic, is widely used to treat bacterial infections in humans and livestock, but recently the rate of resistance has increased rapidly. The aim of this work was to enhancing the antibacterial effect of this compound against AMR Staphylococcus aureus via loading Amp into chitosan/starch nanocomposites by spray drying technique. The results showed that the different ratio of chitosan gel and starch gel used in preparing the nanocomposites can affect its properties and performance. The size distribution of the nanocomposite particles was ranging from 122.0 to 816.9 nm. The zeta potential values of the nanocomposites range from +29.47 to +93.07 mV, indicating the stability of the particles and their tendency to repel each other. Ampicillin was loaded into the chitosan/starch nanocomposites with encapsulation efficiency of 70.7-77.3 %, then their releasing and antibacterial effect against AMR S. aureus were investigated. The results indicated that antibacterial activity of chitosan/starch nanocomposites loaded ampicillin was much higher than ampicillin alone. Chitosan/starch nanocomposites loaded ampicillin at concentration 5.0 µg/mL inhibited 88.6 % growth of S. aureus to a similar extent as 7.5 µg/mL of ampicillin alone. Additionally, at same 7.5 µg/mL ampicillin concentration, the nanocomposites loaded ampicillin showed a higher inhibitory rate (93.27 %) compared to ampicillin alone (88.96 %) over a 12 h-period. Especially, the antibacterial activity of chitosan/starch nanocomposites loaded ampicillin still maintained their effectiveness over 48 h (95.43 %) while those the ampicillin decreased down to 85.76 %. This research highlights the potential of using the chitosan/starch nanocomposites as nanocarriers for ampicillin to enhance its antibacterial activity against AMR Staphylococcus aureus. This approach could be a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Alginate functionalized sugarcane cellulose-based beads to improve methylene blue adsorption from aqueous solution.

The study was carried out with the goal of synthesizing composite bead of cellulose, chitosan functionalized by sodium alginate using as an efficient and applicable adsorbent for methylene blue removal. Fabricating parameters of the material synthesis process like cellulose mass, sodium hydroxide concentration, immersing time and sodium alginate concentration were assessed in detail. The dye adsorption performance in water under the influence of pH, contact time, dye initial concentration, the material mass, shaking speed, temperature was also thoroughly evaluated. The results of advanced analyses showed that the beads were successfully synthesized with a rough surface and mesoporous structure. The adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics of dye adsorption process exhibited that the process was consistent with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating a favorable physical adsorption process with multilayer of the dye on the adsorbent surface. The intra-particle diffusion model showed the strong dye adsorption by the beads occurred during the first two and half hours. The adsorbent could maintain its adsorption performance of 86 % for three times of regeneration. Finally, this study provided a recyclable and effective adsorbent for dyes separation from water.

Nonhalogen Dry Etching of Metal Carbide TiAlC by Low-Pressure N2/H2 Plasma at Room Temperature.

Ternary metal carbide TiAlC has been proposed as a metal gate material in logic semiconductor devices. It is a hard-to-etch material due to the low volatility of the etch byproducts. Here, a simple, highly controllable, and dry etching method for TiAlC has been first presented using nonhalogen N2/H2 plasmas at low pressure (several Pa) and 20 °C. A capacitively coupled plasma etcher was used to generate N2/H2 plasmas containing active species, such as N, NH, and H to modify the metal carbide surface. The etch rate of TiAlC was obtained at 3 nm/min by using the N2/H2 plasma, whereas no etching occurred with pure N2 plasma or pure H2 plasma under the same conditions. The surface roughness of the TiAlC film etched by N2/H2 plasma was controlled at the atomic level. A smooth etched surface was achieved with a root-mean-square roughness of 0.40 nm, comparable to the initial roughness of 0.44 nm. The plasma properties of the N2/H2 plasmas were diagnosed by using a high-resolution optical emission spectrometer, detecting the NH molecular line at 336 nm. The etching behavior and plasma-surface reaction between N2/H2 plasma and TiAlC were investigated by using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry, in situ attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The findings indicate that the N-H, C-N, and Ti(Al)-N bonds form on the TiAlC surface etched by the N2/H2 plasmas. The mechanism for etching of TiAlC involving transformation reactions between inorganic materials (metal carbides) and inorganic etchants (N2/H2 plasma) to form volatile organic compounds such as methylated, methyl-aminated, and aminated metals is proposed. Nonhalogen or nonorganic compound etchants were used during the etching process. The study provides useful insights into microfabrication for large-scale integrated circuits.

Tube-like Gold Clusters M2@Au17 q (M = W, Mo; q = 0, ±1): Structure, Electronic Property, and Optical Nonlinearity.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are carried out to determine the geometries and electronic and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the doubly doped gold clusters in three charge states M2 @ Au17 q with M = W, Mo and q = 0, ±1. At their lowest-lying equilibrium structures, the impurities that are vertically encapsulated inside a cylindrical gold framework, significantly enhance the stability and modify properties of the host. The presence of M2 units results in the formation of a tube-like ground state, which is identified for the first time for gold clusters. Having 30 itinerant electrons, the electron shell of M2@Au17 - can be described as 1S21P61D102S2{1F xz 2 21F yz 2 2}1F z 3 2{1F xyz 21F z(x 2-y 2) 2}{1F y(3x 2 -y 2),1F x(x 2 -3y 2)}. The species is thus stabilized upon doping, but it is not a magic cluster. The optical transitions are shifted to the lower-energy region upon doping Mo and W atoms into Au17 q . The static and dynamic NLO properties of M2@Au17 q are also computed and compared to those of the pure Au19 q (having the same number of atoms) and an external reference molecule, i.e., para-nitroaniline (p-NA). For hyperpolarizabilities, the doped clusters possess smaller values than those of their pure counterparts but much larger values than the p-NA. Of the doubly doped systems, the neutral M2@Au17 exhibits particularly high first and second hyperpolarizability tensors. The doped cluster units can also be used as building blocks for the design of gold-based nanowires with outstanding electronic and optical characteristics.

Crystalline Ru-Decorated MOF-Derived Amorphous CoMo-LDH Nanosheet Arrays as Bifunctional Catalysts for Overall Natural Seawater Electrolysis.

The construction of an amorphous/crystalline heterostructure of MOF-derived electrocatalysts offers an intriguing pathway to improve hydrogen production efficiency, but it has received little attention. Here, we report crystalline Ru-decorated MOF-derived amorphous CoMo-LDH nanosheet arrays as highly active and robust bifunctional electrocatalysts for natural seawater electrolysis. Benefiting from the abundant interfaces, the Ru-CoMo-LDH catalyst exhibits excellent activity toward OER under fresh and natural seawater, in particular; it requires only 257 and 406 mV overpotential at 10 and 500 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH + Seawater, outperforming the benchmark RuO2. In addition, this electrocatalyst is an eminently active and stable HER in various electrolytes, emphasizing its outstanding bifunctional capability. Strikingly, in full-cell overall water splitting in natural seawater test, Ru-CoMo-LDH ∥ Pt/C exhibits superior electrochemical behavior (i.e., overpotential of 1.5545 and 1.731 V to obtain the current density of 10 and 200 mA cm-2, respectively) and high stability. These excellent electrocatalytic activities highlighted the synergistic effects of intimated amorphous/crystalline junctions, which provide a rich population of exposed active sites and enhance electron transport. This, in turn, lowers the adsorption energy barrier of intermediates, leading to improved performance. Our work proves that designing an amorphous/crystalline heterointerface is a promising platform for further enhancing the hydrogen generation efficiency.

Optimization of Vitamin B1, B2, and B6 Absorption in Nang Tay Dum Floating Rice Grains.

As reported by the FAO, in 2022, approximately 735 million people experienced undernourishment, underscoring the critical need for effective strategies to address micronutrient deficiencies. Among these strategies, the mass fortification of staple foods, particularly rice-a dietary staple for half of the global population-has emerged as one of the most effective approaches. Conventional milling processes diminish the nutritional content of rice, necessitating the development of fortification methods to enhance its nutrient profile. This study investigates advanced fortification techniques to improve the nutritional value of rice, focusing on vitamins B1, B2, and B6, with guidelines from the US Institute of Medicine's Dietary Reference Intakes. The results indicate that implementing ultrasonic treatments and optimal soaking conditions (60 °C for 60 min) significantly enhances the absorption of these vitamins. Effective parameters included a concentration of 1500 ppm for vitamin B1 and higher levels for vitamins B2 and B6, with a rice-to-vitamin solution ratio of 1:4. These conditions yielded an absorbed vitamin B1 content of 1050 mg/kg, bringing the fortified rice closer to meeting recommended intake levels. Given the global average daily consumption of 100 g of rice per person, this research demonstrates the feasibility of fortifying rice to address nutrient deficiencies effectively and contribute to improved dietary health worldwide. Further enhancement of vitamin B2 and B6 levels remains essential for optimal fortification, highlighting the potential of fortified rice as a sustainable solution for improving global nutrition.

Identifying the Pathogenic Variants in Heart Genes in Vietnamese Sudden Unexplained Death Victims by Next-Generation Sequencing.

In forensics, one-third of sudden deaths remain unexplained after a forensic autopsy. A majority of these sudden unexplained deaths (SUDs) are considered to be caused by inherited cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigated 40 young SUD cases (<40 years), with non-diagnostic structural cardiac abnormalities, using Targeted NGS (next-generation sequencing) for 167 genes previously associated with inherited cardiomyopathies and channelopathies. Fifteen cases identified 17 variants on related genes including the following: AKAP9, CSRP3, GSN, HTRA1, KCNA5, LAMA4, MYBPC3, MYH6, MYLK, RYR2, SCN5A, SCN10A, SLC4A3, TNNI3, TNNI3K, and TNNT2. Of these, eight variants were novel, and nine variants were reported in the ClinVar database. Five were determined to be pathogenic and four were not evaluated. The novel and unevaluated variants were predicted by using in silico tools, which revealed that four novel variants (c.5187_5188dup, p.Arg1730llefsTer4 in the AKAP9 gene; c.1454A>T, p.Lys485Met in the MYH6 gene; c.2535+1G>A in the SLC4A3 gene; and c.10498G>T, p.Asp3500Tyr in the RYR2 gene) were pathogenic and three variants (c.292C>G, p.Arg98Gly in the TNNI3 gene; c.683C>A, p.Pro228His in the KCN5A gene; and c.2275G>A, p.Glu759Lys in the MYBPC3 gene) still need to be further verified experimentally. The results of our study contributed to the general understanding of the causes of SUDs. They provided a scientific basis for screening the risk of sudden death in family members of victims. They also suggested that the Targeted NGS method may be used to identify the pathogenic variants in SUD victims.

Fatty Acid Uptake in Klebsiella pneumoniae and the Landscape of Its Infectious Niches.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is consistently ranked among the most problematic multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens in healthcare systems. Developing novel treatments requires a better understanding of its interaction with the host environment. Although bacteria can synthesize fatty acids, emerging findings suggest a potential preference for their acquisition from the host. Fatty acid profiling of mice revealed a dramatic increase in the level of hepatic lipids during K. pneumoniae infection. The K. pneumoniae fatty acid composition and uptake capabilities were found to be largely clonally conserved. Correlations between fatty acid uptake, outer membrane vesicle production, and cell permeability were observed, but this did not translate to alterations in cell morphology, capsule production, or antimicrobial susceptibility. Importantly, hyper-capsulation did not prevent the uptake of hydrophobic fatty acids. The uptake of a saturated fatty acid by hypervirulent K. pneumoniae isolate may provide insights into the clinical association of K. pneumoniae infections with hyperlipidemic and/or obese individuals.

A consultation and work-up diagnosis protocol for a multicancer early detection test: a case series study.

The emergence of multicancer early detection (MCED) tests holds promise for improving early cancer detection and public health outcomes. However, positive MCED test results require confirmation through recommended cancer diagnostic imaging modalities. To address these challenges, we have developed a consultation and work-up protocol for definitive diagnostic results post MCED testing, named SPOT-MAS. Developed through circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis and in line with professional guidelines and advisory board consensus, this protocol standardizes information to aid general practitioners in accessing, interpreting and managing SPOT-MAS results. Clinical effectiveness is demonstrated through a series of identified cancer cases. Our research indicates that the protocol could empower healthcare professionals to confidently interpret circulating tumor DNA test results for 5 common types of cancer, thereby facilitating the clinical integration of MCED tests.

New tests can now screen for multiple types of cancer early, offering hope for better health outcomes. If one of these tests shows a positive result, doctors need to confirm it with imaging tests. We have developed a guide to help doctors understand and confirm these results. This guide could help healthcare professionals interpret results for five common types of cancer, making it easier to use these tests in regular medical practice.

Efficacy of Jasminum subtriplinerve Extract against 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Cancer in Mice.

Jasminum subtriplinerve Blume tea is a traditional Vietnamese medicine used to treat impetigo, menstruation issues, and painful menstrual hematometra. Previous studies have shown that extracts and isolated compounds from J. subtriplinerve possess diverse pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antidiabetic effects. However, their potential anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms of action have not been clear. Here, we examined the effects of J. subtriplinerve extracts against three human cancer cell lines. We also conducted in vivo analyses using a mouse model of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced breast cancer, including an investigation of changes in histological sections. The effect of the J. subtriplinerve ethyl acetate fraction on cytokine levels (IL-2, PGE2, TNF-α) in serum was determined using ELISA kits. Results showed that the EtOAc fraction had the highest anti-proliferative activity (IC50 = 13.7 mg/ml) against the breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line, while the BuOH and water fractions did not show any anticancer effects. Additionally, the EtOAc fraction at a dose of 14.4 mg/kg was able to elevate IL-2 levels and suppress the expression of PGE2 in the serum of mice. A remarkable decrease in the percentage of death and tumor incidence in mice was achieved following treatment with the EtOAc fraction at a dose of 14.4 mg/kg. No abnormal parameters in blood were observed in the J. subtriplinerve treatment groups. These results suggest that J. subtriplinerve, when used as tea or a functional food, is nontoxic and has clear chemopreventive effects against breast cancer.

Low-frequency CD8+ T cells induced by SIGN-R1+ macrophage-targeted vaccine confer SARS-CoV-2 clearance in mice.

Vaccine-induced T cells and neutralizing antibodies are essential for protection against SARS-CoV-2. Previously, we demonstrated that an antigen delivery system, pullulan nanogel (PNG), delivers vaccine antigen to lymph node medullary macrophages and thereby enhances the induction of specific CD8+ T cells. In this study, we revealed that medullary macrophage-selective delivery by PNG depends on its binding to a C-type lectin SIGN-R1. In a K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, vaccination with a PNG-encapsulated receptor-binding domain of spike protein decreased the viral load and prolonged the survival in the CD8+ T cell- and B cell-dependent manners. T cell receptor repertoire analysis revealed that although the vaccine induced T cells at various frequencies, low-frequency specific T cells mainly promoted virus clearance. Thus, the induction of specific CD8+ T cells that respond quickly to viral infection, even at low frequencies, is important for vaccine efficacy and can be achieved by SIGN-R1+ medullary macrophage-targeted antigen delivery.

Association between rs4994 variant in ß3-Adrenergic receptor and obesity in Vietnamese preschool-age children, independent of eating behaviors.

BACKGROUND: The Arg64 allele of the rs4994 (Trp64Arg) variant in the ß3-adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) gene is involved in the control of energy balance by altering lipolysis and thermogenesis in adipocytes, ultimately contributing to the development of obesity. The objective of our study was to investigate the association between the rs4994 variant of the ADRB3 gene and obesity in Hanoi preschool-age children, adjusting for their eating behaviors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed involving 708 children with normal weight and 304 children with obesity aged 3-5 years from 36 kindergartens in Hanoi, Vietnam. Cheek mucosa cell samples were used for DNA extraction, and genotyping at the ADRB3-rs4994 locus was performed using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method (PCR-RFLP). Eating behaviors were assessed using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ). Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the association between the rs4994 variant and obesity, adjusting for confounding factors such as age, sex, residence, birth weight, and eating behaviors. RESULTS: The frequency of the C allele in the group with obesity was 16.4%, which was higher than in the control group (11.7%, P = 0.003). Children with the CC genotype exhibited significantly greater weight and weight-for-age Z-score compared to those with the TT and TC genotypes (P = 0.004 and 0.03, respectively). Following univariate and multivariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, residence, birth weight, and eating behaviors, a significant association between the rs4994 variant and obesity was observed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the ADRB3-rs4994 variant can be considered as an independent risk factor for obesity in Vietnamese preschool children.

Prevalence of vitamin C deficiency and its association with stroke risk among U.S. adult population: A cross-sectional analysis spanning 15 years with over 13,000 participants.

Background: Stroke presents a significant global health challenge. Despite its potential for cardiovascular protection, the role of vitamin C (VTMC) in stroke risk remains contentious. Aim: This study aimed to assess VTMC deficiency in stroke patients and its association with stroke risk. Methods: We analyzed data from 13,339 adults aged 20 and above in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2003 and 2018, excluding those with missing serum VTMC and stroke status. We assessed the VTMC deficiency (<11.4 µmol/L) and stroke incidence association using multivariate weighted logistic regression, adjusting for demographics, BMI, medical history, smoking, and dietary VTMC intake. Results: Stroke rates in the NHANES cycles 2003-2006 and 2017-2018 were 2.8% (95% CI [2.3-3.4]) and 3.3% (95% CI [2.7-4.2]), respectively. VTMC deficiency was more common in individuals with a history of stroke, with rates of 3.6% (95% CI [2.2-5.8]) and 5.3% (95% CI [3-9.1]) compared to 2.7% (95% CI [2.3-3.3]) and 3.2% (95% CI [2.5-4.1]) in the nonstroke population. Nevertheless, VTMC deficiency was distinctly prevalent across diverse demographic and health-related subgroups. Multivariate analyses invalidated any statistically significant association between VTMC deficiency and stroke risk across all employed analytical models within both time intervals. Conclusions: Our study does not support a link between VTMC deficiency and increased stroke risk in U.S. adults. Substantial uncertainties persist regarding the use of VTMC for stroke-related oxidative stress, dosage, and delivery methods, requiring further clinical trials. Healthcare providers should carefully consider its prevalence in specific subgroups.

Redistribution of SOD3 expression due to R213G polymorphism affects pulmonary interstitial macrophage reprogramming in response to hypoxia.

The extracellular isoform of superoxide dismutase (SOD3) is decreased in patients and animals with pulmonary hypertension (PH). The human R213G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in SOD3 causes its release from tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) into extracellular fluids, without modulating enzyme activity, increasing cardiovascular disease risk in humans and exacerbating chronic hypoxic PH in mice. Given the importance of interstitial macrophages (IM) to PH pathogenesis, this study aimed to determine whether R213G SOD3 increases IM accumulation and alters IM reprogramming in response to hypoxia. R213G mice and wild-type (WT) controls were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for 4 or 14 days compared to normoxia. Flow cytometry demonstrated a transient increase in IMs at day 4 in both strains. Contrary to our hypothesis, the R213G SNP did not augment IM accumulation. To determine strain differences in the IM reprogramming response to hypoxia, we performed RNAsequencing on IMs isolated at each time point. We found that IMs from R213G mice exposed to hypoxia activated ECM-related pathways and a combination of alternative macrophage and proinflammatory signaling. Furthermore, when compared to WT responses, IMs from R213G mice lacked metabolic remodeling and demonstrated a blunted anti-inflammatory response between the early (day 4) and later (day 14) time points. We confirmed metabolic responses using Agilent Seahorse assays whereby WT, but not R213G, IMs upregulated glycolysis at day 4 that returned to baseline at day 14. Finally, we identify differential regulation of several redox-sensitive upstream regulators that could be investigated in future studies.

Recent Advancements in Gel Polymer Electrolytes for Flexible Energy Storage Applications.

Since the last decade, the need for deformable electronics exponentially increased, requiring adaptive energy storage systems, especially batteries and supercapacitors. Thus, the conception and elaboration of new deformable electrolytes becomes more crucial than ever. Among diverse materials, gel polymer electrolytes (hydrogels, organogels, and ionogels) remain the most studied thanks to the ability to tune the physicochemical and mechanical properties by changing the nature of the precursors, the type of interactions, and the formulation. Nevertheless, the exploitation of this category of electrolyte as a possible commercial product is still restrained, due to different issues related to the nature of the gels (ionic conductivity, evaporation of filling solvent, toxicity, etc.). Therefore, this review aims to resume different strategies to tailor the properties of the gel polymer electrolytes as well as to provide recent advancements in the field toward the elaboration of deformable batteries and supercapacitors.

WHO Surgical Safety Checklist compliance rate at a large tertiary hospital in Vietnam.

The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist has been instrumental in reducing surgical deaths by 47% globally since its inception in 2009. A study was conducted to assess the compliance of hospital staff with the Surgical Safety Checklist and identify potential barriers to its implementation at a large tertiary public hospital in Vietnam. The study analysed 135 surgical cases between February and September 2021 using the Pareto principle with eight error categories, including (1) patient identification, (2) equipment, (3) risk management, (4) blood loss, (5) allergy, (6) items left inside the patient, (7) surgical specimens and (8) patient safety and recovery management. Compliance with the Surgical Safety Checklist was between 77% and 93%, with five categories accounting for more than 80% of errors. Periodic monitoring and staff training can improve compliance and help reduce errors for better patient safety. Long-term solutions addressing infrastructure challenges are also crucial.

SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells from people with long COVID establish and maintain effector phenotype and key TCR signatures over 2 years.

Long COVID occurs in a small but important minority of patients following COVID-19, reducing quality of life and contributing to healthcare burden. Although research into underlying mechanisms is evolving, immunity is understudied. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses are of key importance for viral clearance and COVID-19 recovery. However, in long COVID, the establishment and persistence of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are far from clear, especially beyond 12 mo postinfection and postvaccination. We defined ex vivo antigen-specific B cell and T cell responses and their T cell receptors (TCR) repertoires across 2 y postinfection in people with long COVID. Using 13 SARS-CoV-2 peptide-HLA tetramers, spanning 11 HLA allotypes, as well as spike and nucleocapsid probes, we tracked SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and B-cells in individuals from their first SARS-CoV-2 infection through primary vaccination over 24 mo. The frequencies of ORF1a- and nucleocapsid-specific T cells and B cells remained stable over 24 mo. Spike-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and B cells were boosted by SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, indicating immunization, in fully recovered and people with long COVID, altered the immunodominance hierarchy of SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes. Meanwhile, influenza-specific CD8+ T cells were stable across 24 mo, suggesting no bystander-activation. Compared to total T cell populations, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were enriched for central memory phenotype, although the proportion of central memory T cells decreased following acute illness. Importantly, TCR repertoire composition was maintained throughout long COVID, including postvaccination, to 2 y postinfection. Overall, we defined ex vivo SARS-CoV-2-specific B cells and T cells to understand primary and recall responses, providing key insights into antigen-specific responses in people with long COVID.

Comparative genomic analysis of thermophilic fungi reveals convergent evolutionary adaptations and gene losses.

Thermophily is a trait scattered across the fungal tree of life, with its highest prevalence within three fungal families (Chaetomiaceae, Thermoascaceae, and Trichocomaceae), as well as some members of the phylum Mucoromycota. We examined 37 thermophilic and thermotolerant species and 42 mesophilic species for this study and identified thermophily as the ancestral state of all three prominent families of thermophilic fungi. Thermophilic fungal genomes were found to encode various thermostable enzymes, including carbohydrate-active enzymes such as endoxylanases, which are useful for many industrial applications. At the same time, the overall gene counts, especially in gene families responsible for microbial defense such as secondary metabolism, are reduced in thermophiles compared to mesophiles. We also found a reduction in the core genome size of thermophiles in both the Chaetomiaceae family and the Eurotiomycetes class. The Gene Ontology terms lost in thermophilic fungi include primary metabolism, transporters, UV response, and O-methyltransferases. Comparative genomics analysis also revealed higher GC content in the third base of codons (GC3) and a lower effective number of codons in fungal thermophiles than in both thermotolerant and mesophilic fungi. Furthermore, using the Support Vector Machine classifier, we identified several Pfam domains capable of discriminating between genomes of thermophiles and mesophiles with 94% accuracy. Using AlphaFold2 to predict protein structures of endoxylanases (GH10), we built a similarity network based on the structures. We found that the number of disulfide bonds appears important for protein structure, and the network clusters based on protein structures correlate with the optimal activity temperature. Thus, comparative genomics offers new insights into the biology, adaptation, and evolutionary history of thermophilic fungi while providing a parts list for bioengineering applications.