COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Factors Associated With Vaccine Uptake Among People With HIV.

Importance: People with HIV (PWH) may be at increased risk for severe outcomes with COVID-19 illness compared with people without HIV. Little is known about COVID-19 vaccination coverage and factors associated with primary series completion among PWH. Objectives: To evaluate COVID-19 vaccination coverage among PWH and examine sociodemographic, clinical, and community-level factors associated with completion of the primary series and an additional primary dose. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data to assess COVID-19 vaccination information from December 14, 2020, through April 30, 2022, from 8 health care organizations of the Vaccine Safety Datalink project in the US. Participants were adults diagnosed with HIV on or before December 14, 2020, enrolled in a participating site. Main Outcomes and Measures: The percentage of PWH with at least 1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine and PWH who completed the COVID-19 vaccine primary series by December 31, 2021, and an additional primary dose by April 30, 2022. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% CIs were estimated using Poisson regression models for factors associated with completing the COVID-19 vaccine primary series and receiving an additional primary dose. Results: Among 22 058 adult PWH (mean [SD] age, 52.1 [13.3] years; 88.8% male), 90.5% completed the primary series by December 31, 2021. Among 18 374 eligible PWH who completed the primary series by August 12, 2021, 15 982 (87.0%) received an additional primary dose, and 4318 (23.5%) received a booster dose by April 30, 2022. Receipt of influenza vaccines in the last 2 years was associated with completion of the primary series (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.15-1.20) and an additional primary dose (RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.54-1.69). PWH with uncontrolled viremia (HIV viral load ≥200 copies/mL) (eg, RR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.85-0.95] for viral load 200-10 000 copies/mL vs undetected or <200 copies/mL for completing the primary series) and Medicaid insurance (eg, RR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.87-0.90] for completing the primary series) were less likely to be fully vaccinated. By contrast, greater outpatient utilization (eg, RR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.05-1.09] for ≥7 vs 0 visits for primary series completion) and residence in counties with higher COVID-19 vaccine coverage (eg, RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.03-1.08] for fourth vs first quartiles for primary series completion) were associated with primary series and additional dose completion (RRs ranging from 1.01 to 1.21). Conclusions and Relevance: Findings from this cohort study suggest that, while COVID-19 vaccination coverage was high among PWH, outreach efforts should focus on those who did not complete vaccine series and those who have uncontrolled viremia.

C8-ceramide modulates microglia BDNF expression to alleviate postoperative cognition dysfunction via PKCδ/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a kind of serious postoperative complication in surgery with general anesthesia and it may affect patients' normal lives. Activated microglia are thought to be one of the key factors in the regulation of POCD process. Once activated, resident microglia change their phenotype and secrete kinds of cytokines to regulate inflammatory response in tissues. Among these secretory factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is considered to be able to inhibit inflammation response and protect nervous system. Therefore, the enhancement of BDNF expression derived from resident microglia is suggested to be potential treatment for POCD. In our study, we focused on the role of C8-ceramide (a kind of interventional drug) and assessed its regulatory effect on improving the expression of BDNF secreted from microglia to treat POCD. According to the results of our study, we observed that C8-ceramide stimulated primary microglia to up-regulate the expression of BDNF mRNA after being treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. We proved that C8-ceramide had ability to effectively improve POCD of mice after being accepted carotid artery exposure and their abnormal behavior recovered better than that of mice from the surgery group. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that C8-ceramide enhanced the cognitive function of mice via the PKCδ/NF-κB signaling pathway. In general, our study has confirmed a potential molecular mechanism that led to the occurrence of POCD caused by surgery and provided a new clinical strategy to treat POCD.

Post-COVID conditions following COVID-19 vaccination: a retrospective matched cohort study of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

COVID-19 vaccinations protect against severe illness and death, but associations with post-COVID conditions (PCC) are less clear. We aimed to evaluate the association between prior COVID-19 vaccination and new-onset PCC among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection across eight large healthcare systems in the United States. This retrospective matched cohort study used electronic health records (EHR) from patients with SARS-CoV-2 positive tests during March 2021-February 2022. Vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID-19 cases were matched on location, test date, severity of acute infection, age, and sex. Vaccination status was ascertained using EHR and integrated data on externally administered vaccines. Adjusted relative risks (RRs) were obtained from Poisson regression. PCC was defined as a new diagnosis in one of 13 PCC categories 30 days to 6 months following a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. The study included 161,531 vaccinated COVID-19 cases and 161,531 matched unvaccinated cases. Compared to unvaccinated cases, vaccinated cases had a similar or lower risk of all PCC categories except mental health disorders (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.10). Vaccination was associated with ≥10% lower risk of sensory (RR: 0.90, 0.86-0.95), circulatory (RR: 0.88, 0.83-0.94), blood and hematologic (RR: 0.79, 0.71-0.89), skin and subcutaneous (RR: 0.69, 0.66-0.72), and non-specific COVID-19 related disorders (RR: 0.53, 0.51-0.56). In general, associations were stronger at younger ages but mostly persisted regardless of SARS-CoV-2 variant period, receipt of ≥3 vs. 1-2 vaccine doses, or time since vaccination. Pre-infection vaccination was associated with reduced risk of several PCC outcomes and hence may decrease the long-term consequences of COVID-19.

Boosting the Capacitor Performance of the Metal Organic Frameworks Derived V2O5 Nanoflower by Cu Doping.

Due to its ultrahigh theoretical capacitance, vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is considered to be a valid candidate for advanced supercapacitors. However, because of the low electron/electrolyte transfer rate, the capacitive performance still remains to be improved. In this report, Cu doping is adopted to improve the capacitive performance by a two-steps strategy consisting of microwave-assisted solvothermal and postannealing treatments. The electrochemical results indicate that the Cu doping was beneficial for improving the specific capacitance, extending the potential window, and improving the rate ability and long-term stability of V2O5. Furthermore, the mechanism for the performance improvement is explained in detail by combining theoretical calculation and experiments. The results indicated that, compared with that of undoped V2O5, the larger interplanar spacing, better electrical conductivity, a larger proportion of V3+/V4+, and more abundant oxygen vacancies result in an improved capacitive performance. Our proposed Cu-doped V2O5 (Cu-V2O5) can be used as both a positive electrode and a negative electrode for the assembly of the symmetric supercapacitor, which can be used as an energy storage device for light emitting diode lamps.

Recent Progress of Quantum Dots Light-Emitting Diodes: Materials, Device Structures, and Display Applications.

Colloidal quantum dots (QDs), as a class of zero-dimensional semiconductor materials, have generated widespread interest due to their adjustable band gap, exceptional color purity, near-unity quantum yield, and solution-processability. With decades of dedicated research, the potential applications of quantum dots have garnered significant recognition in both the academic and industrial communities. Furthermore, the related quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) stand out as one of the most promising contenders for the next-generation display technologies. Although QD-based color conversion films have been applied to improve the color gamut of existing display technologies, the broader application of QLED devices remains in its nascent stages, facing many challenges on the path to commercialization. This review encapsulates the historical discovery and subsequent research advancements in QD materials and their synthesis methods. Additionally, the working mechanisms and architectural design of QLED prototype devices are discussed. Furthermore, the review surveys the latest advancements of QLED devices within the display industry. The narrative concludes with an examination of the challenges and perspectives for QLED technology in the foreseeable future. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Enterococcus casseliflavus regulates amino acid metabolism in edible insect Clanis bilineata tsingtauica: a functional metagenomics study.

Introduction: The soybean hawkmoth, Clanis bilineata tsingtauica, is an edible insect that possesses high nutritional, medicinal and economic value. It has developed into a characteristic agricultural industry in China. Methods: The dominant gut bacterium in diapause larvae of soybean hawkmoths was identified by metagenomics, and the effect of diapause time on gut microbiome composition, diversity and function was investigated. Results: Enterococcus and Enterobacter were measured to be the dominant genera, with Enterococcus casseliflavus and Enterococcus pernyi being the dominant species. Compared to the controls, the relative abundance of E. casseliflavus and E. pernyi on day 14 was lower by 54.51 and 42.45%, respectively. However, the species richness (including the index of Chao and ACE) of gut microbiota increased on day 28 compared to controls. The gene function was mainly focused on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. Metabolic pathways annotated for amino acids on day 14 increased by 9.83% compared to controls. It is speculated that diapause soybean hawkmoths may up-regulate amino acid metabolism by reducing E. casseliflavus abundance to maintain their nutritional balance. Additionally, tetracycline, chloromycetin and ampicillin were screened as the top three antibiotics against E. casseliflavus. Discussion: This study not only extends our knowledge of gut microbiome in soybean hawkmoths at the species level, but also provides an initial investigation of gene functionality in interaction with insect hosts.

Effectiveness and durability of mRNA-1273 BA.4/BA.5 bivalent vaccine (mRNA-1273.222) against SARS-CoV-2 BA.4/BA.5 and XBB sublineages.

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 sublineages continue to cause serious COVID-19 disease, but most individuals have not received any COVID-19 vaccine for >1 year. Assessment of long-term effectiveness of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines against circulating sublineages is important to inform the potential need for vaccination with updated vaccines. In this test-negative study at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, sequencing-confirmed BA.4/BA.5- or XBB-related SARS-CoV-2-positive cases (September 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023), were matched 1:3 to SARS-CoV-2-negative controls. We assessed mRNA-1273 bivalent relative (rVE) and absolute vaccine effectiveness (VE) compared to ≥2 or 0 doses of original monovalent vaccine, respectively. The rVE analysis included 20,966 cases and 62,898 controls. rVE (95%CI) against BA.4/BA.5 at 14-60 days and 121-180 days was 52.7% (46.9-57.8%) and 35.5% (-2.8-59.5%) for infection, and 59.3% (49.7-67.0%) and 33.2% (-28.2-68.0%) for Emergency Department/Urgent Care (ED/UC) encounters. For BA.4/BA.5-related hospitalizations, rVE was 71.3% (44.9-85.1%) and 52.0% (-1.2-77.3%) at 14-60 days and 61-120 days, respectively. rVE against XBB at 14-60 days and 121-180 days was 48.8% (33.4-60.7%) and -3.9% (-18.1-11.3%) for infection, 70.7% (52.4-82.0%) and 15.7% (-6.0-33.2%) for ED/UC encounters, and 87.9% (43.8-97.4%) and 57.1% (17.0-77.8%) for hospitalization. VE and subgroup analyses (age, immunocompromised status, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection) results were similar to rVE analyses. rVE of mRNA-1273 bivalent vaccine against BA.4/BA.5 and XBB infections, ED/UC encounters, and hospitalizations waned over time. Periodic revaccination with vaccines targeting emerging variants may be important in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.

Comparison of the Biomechanical Properties between Healthy and Whole Human and Porcine Stomachs.

Gastric cancer poses a societal and economic burden, prompting an exploration into the development of materials suitable for gastric reconstruction. However, there is a dearth of studies on the mechanical properties of porcine and human stomachs. Therefore, this study was conducted to elucidate their mechanical properties, focusing on interspecies correlations. Stress relaxation and tensile tests assessed the hyperelastic and viscoelastic characteristics of porcine and human stomachs. The thickness, stress-strain curve, elastic modulus, and stress relaxation were assessed. Porcine stomachs were significantly thicker than human stomachs. The stiffness contrast between porcine and human stomachs was evident. Porcine stomachs demonstrated varying elastic modulus values, with the highest in the longitudinal mucosa layer of the corpus and the lowest in the longitudinal intact layer of the fundus. In human stomachs, the elastic modulus of the longitudinal muscular layer of the antrum was the highest, whereas that of the circumferential muscularis layer of the corpus was the lowest. The degree of stress relaxation was higher in human stomachs than in porcine stomachs. This study comprehensively elucidated the differences between porcine and human stomachs attributable to variations across different regions and tissue layers, providing essential biomechanical support for subsequent studies in this field.

Real-world effectiveness of recombinant zoster vaccine in self-identified Chinese individuals aged ≥50 years in the United States.

We evaluated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of two doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) against herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in Chinese adults at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). Chinese KPSC members were identified based on self-reported ethnicity or self-reported preferred spoken/written language. Those aged ≥50 years who received two doses of RZV 4 weeks to ≤ 6 months apart were matched 1:4 to RZV unvaccinated Chinese members and followed through June 2022; second doses were accrued 6/1/2018-12/31/2020. We estimated incidence and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing outcomes (HZ and PHN). Adjusted VE (%) was calculated as (1-aHR)×100. 3978 RZV vaccinated Chinese members were matched to 15,912 RZV unvaccinated Chinese members. The incidence per 1000 person-years (95% CI) of HZ in the vaccinated group was 1.5 (0.9-2.5) and 10.9 (9.8-12.1) in the unvaccinated group; aHR (95% CI) was 0.12 (0.07-0.21). Adjusted VE (95% CI) was 87.6% (78.9-92.7) against HZ. We identified 0 PHN cases in the vaccinated group and 19 in the unvaccinated group. Among Chinese adults aged ≥50 years, two doses of RZV provided substantial protection against HZ and PHN supporting the real-world effectiveness of the vaccine in this population.

Evolutionary analysis of SLC10 family members and insights into function and expression regulation of lamprey NTCP.

The Na ( +)-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) is a member of the solute carrier family 10 (SLC10), which consists of 7 members (SLC10a1-SLC10a7). NTCP is a transporter localized to the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes and is primarily responsible for the absorption of bile acids. Although mammalian NTCP has been extensively studied, little is known about the lamprey NTCP (L-NTCP). Here we show that L-NTCP follows the biological evolutionary history of vertebrates, with conserved domain, motif, and similar tertiary structure to higher vertebrates. L-NTCP is localized to the cell surface of lamprey primary hepatocytes by immunofluorescence analysis. HepG2 cells overexpressing L-NTCP also showed the distribution of L-NTCP on the cell surface. The expression profile of L-NTCP showed that the expression of NTCP is highest in lamprey liver tissue. L-NTCP also has the ability to transport bile acids, consistent with its higher vertebrate orthologs. Finally, using a farnesoid X receptor (FXR) antagonist, RT-qPCR and flow cytometry results showed that L-NTCP is negatively regulated by the nuclear receptor FXR. This study is important for understanding the adaptive mechanisms of bile acid metabolism after lamprey biliary atresia based on understanding the origin, evolution, expression profile, biological function, and expression regulation of L-NTCP.

Cost-effectiveness of mepolizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma in China.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the economic value of mepolizumab as an add-on therapy to the standard of care (SoC) for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma in China. METHODS: A Markov model with three health conditions was constructed to calculate the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) in mepolizumab with SoC and SoC only groups from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system throughout an entire lifespan. The model was populated with local costs, while efficacy parameters were obtained from the global Phase III MENSA trial and mortality was derived from two surveys. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. Additional scenario analysis was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness impact of changes in the price of mepolizumab. RESULTS: Over the lifetime treatment horizon, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of mepolizumab plus SoC compared to SoC alone was $170 648.73 per QALY. Sensitivity analyses focused on these results. Scenario analysis showed that mepolizumab would require a price reduction of at least 82% to reach the current willingness-to-pay (WTP=$38 223.34/QALY) threshold. CONCLUSION: Mepolizumab is not a cost-effective healthcare resource in China at its current pricing.

Mechanistic insights into the C-type lectin receptor CLEC12A-mediated immune recognition of monosodium urate crystal.

CLEC12A, a member of the C-type lectin receptor family involved in immune homeostasis, recognizes MSU crystals released from dying cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the CLEC12A-mediated recognition of MSU crystals remains unclear. Herein, we reported the crystal structure of the human CLEC12A-C-type lectin-like domain (CTLD) and identified a unique "basic patch" site on CLEC12A-CTLD that is necessary for the binding of MSU crystals. Meanwhile, we determined the interaction strength between CLEC12A-CTLD and MSU crystals using single-molecule force spectroscopy. Furthermore, we found that CLEC12A clusters at the cell membrane and seems to serve as an internalizing receptor of MSU crystals. Altogether, these findings provide mechanistic insights for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the interplay between CLEC12A and MSU crystals.

Mortality risk after COVID-19 vaccination: A self-controlled case series study.

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies found no-increased mortality risk after COVID-19 vaccination, residual confounding bias might have impacted the findings. Using a modified self-controlled case series (SCCS) design, we assessed the risk of non-COVID-19 mortality, all-cause mortality, and four cardiac-related death outcomes after primary series COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS: We analyzed all deaths between December 14, 2020, and August 11, 2021, among individuals from eight Vaccine Safety Datalink sites. Demographic characteristics of deaths in recipients of COVID-19 vaccines and unvaccinated individuals were reported. We conducted SCCS analyses by vaccine type and death outcomes and reported relative incidences (RI). The observation period for death spanned from the dates of emergency use authorization to the end of the study period (August 11, 2021) without censoring the observation period upon death. We pre-specified a primary risk interval of 28-day and a secondary risk interval of 14-day after each vaccination dose. Adjusting for seasonality in mortality analyses is crucial because death rates vary over time. Deaths among unvaccinated individuals were included in SCCS analyses to account for seasonality by incorporating calendar month in the models. RESULTS: For Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2), RIs of non-COVID-19 mortality, all-cause mortality, and four cardiac-related death outcomes were below 1 and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) excluded 1 across both doses and both risk intervals. For Moderna (mRNA-1273), RI point estimates of all outcomes were below 1, although the 95 % CIs of two RI estimates included 1: cardiac-related (RI = 0.78, 95 % CI, 0.58-1.04) and non-COVID-19 cardiac-related mortality (RI = 0.80, 95 % CI, 0.60-1.08) 14 days after the second dose in individuals without pre-existing cancer and heart disease. For Janssen (Ad26.COV2.S), RIs of four cardiac-related death outcomes ranged from 0.94 to 0.98 for the 14-day risk interval, and 0.68 to 0.72 for the 28-day risk interval and 95 % CIs included 1. CONCLUSION: Using a modified SCCS design and adjusting for temporal trends, no-increased risk was found for non-COVID-19 mortality, all-cause mortality, and four cardiac-related death outcomes among recipients of the three COVID-19 vaccines used in the US.

Nuclear mutagenesis and adaptive evolution improved photoautotrophic growth of Euglena gracilis with flue-gas CO2 fixation.

To effectively improve biomass growth and flue-gas CO2 fixation of microalgae, acid-tolerant Euglena gracilis was modified with cobalt-60 γ-ray irradiation and polyethylene glycol (PEG) adaptive screening to obtain the mutant strain M800. The biomass dry weight and maximum CO2 fixation rate of M800 were both 1.47 times higher than that of wild strain, which was attributed to a substantial increase in key carbon fixation enzyme RuBisCO activity and photosynthetic pigment content. The high charge separation quantum efficiency in PSII reaction center, efficient light utilization and energy regulation that favors light conversion, were the underlying drivers of efficient photosynthetic carbon fixation in M800. M800 had stronger antioxidant capacity in sufficient high-carbon environment, alleviating lipid peroxidation damage. After adding 1 mM PEG, biomass dry weight of M800 reached 2.31 g/L, which was 79.1 % higher than that of wild strain. Cell proliferation of M800 was promoted, the apoptosis and necrosis rates decreased.

Driving Principle and Stability Analysis of Vertical Comb-Drive Actuator for Scanning Micromirrors.

We have developed a manufacturing process for micromirrors based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The process involves designing an electrostatic vertically comb-driven actuator and utilizing a self-alignment process to produce a height difference between the movable comb structure and the fixed comb structure of the micromirror. To improve the stability of the micromirror, we propose four instability models in micromirror operation with the quasi-static driving principle and structure of the micromirror considered, which can provide a basic guarantee for the performance of vertical comb actuators. This analysis pinpoints factors leading to instability, including the left and right gap of the movable comb, the torsion beams of the micromirror, and the comb-to-beams distance. Ultimately, the voltages at which device failure occurs can be determined. We successfully fabricated a one-dimensional micromirror featuring a 0.8 mm mirror diameter and a 30 µm device layer thickness. The height difference between the movable and fixed comb structures was 10 µm. The micromirror was able to achieve a static mechanical angle of 2.25° with 60 V@DC. Stable operation was observed at voltages below 60 V, in close agreement with the theoretical calculations and simulations. At the driving voltage of 80 V, we observed the longitudinal displacement movement of the comb fingers. Furthermore, at a voltage of 129 V, comb adhesion occurred, resulting in device failure. This failure voltage corresponds to the lateral torsional failure voltage.

Proton-Prompted Ligand Exchange to Achieve High-Efficiency CsPbI3 Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes.

CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are ideal materials for the next generation of red light-emitting diodes. However, the low phase stability of CsPbI3 QDs and long-chain insulating capping ligands hinder the improvement of device performance. Traditional in-situ ligand replacement and ligand exchange after synthesis were often difficult to control. Here, we proposed a new ligand exchange strategy using a proton-prompted in-situ exchange of short 5-aminopentanoic acid ligands with long-chain oleic acid and oleylamine ligands to obtain stable small-size CsPbI3 QDs. This exchange strategy maintained the size and morphology of CsPbI3 QDs and improved the optical properties and the conductivity of CsPbI3 QDs films. As a result, high-efficiency red QD-based light-emitting diodes with an emission wavelength of 645 nm demonstrated a record maximum external quantum efficiency of 24.45% and an operational half-life of 10.79 h.

Interfacial Regulation toward Efficient CsPbBr3 Quantum Dot-Based Inverted Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Inverted perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) based on quantum dots (QDs) are some of the most promising candidates for next-generation lighting and display applications. Due to the strong fluorescence quenching caused by zinc oxide, high performance in such inverted devices remains challenging. Here, we report an efficient inverted green CsPbBr3 QDs LED using an emitting buffer layer. Ultrathin CsPbBr3 QD emitters act as the buffer layer to reduce the interface luminescence quenching reaction at the ZnO/upper emitting layer interface, increasing the probability of exciton recombination within the emissive layer and regulating the charge transport, leading to effective carrier recombination. The resulting device exhibits an external quantum efficiency of 13.1%, enhanced by about 4.7 times compared with that without a buffer layer device. This work provides a path to fabricating high-performance inverted PeLEDs.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Testing Practices in a Large US Integrated Healthcare System.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health threat, with >80% of active TB in the United States occurring due to reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI). We may be underscreening those with high risk for LTBI and overtesting those at lower risk. A better understanding of gaps in current LTBI testing practices in relation to LTBI test positivity is needed. METHODS: This study, conducted between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2019 at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, included individuals aged ≥18 years without a history of active TB. We examined factors associated with LTBI testing and LTBI positivity. RESULTS: Among 3 816 884 adults (52% female, 37% White, 37% Hispanic, mean age 43.5 years [standard deviation, 16.1]), 706 367 (19%) were tested for LTBI, among whom 60 393 (9%) had ≥1 positive result. Among 1 211 971 individuals who met ≥1 screening criteria for LTBI, 210 025 (17%) were tested for LTBI. Factors associated with higher adjusted odds of testing positive included male sex (1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-1.35), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.78, 2.68-2.88), current smoking (1.24, 1.20-1.28), diabetes (1.13, 1.09-1.16), hepatitis B (1.45, 1.34-1.57), hepatitis C (1.54, 1.44-1.66), and birth in a country with an elevated TB rate (3.40, 3.31-3.49). Despite being risk factors for testing positive for LTBI, none of these factors were associated with higher odds of LTBI testing. CONCLUSIONS: Current LTBI testing practices may be missing individuals at high risk of LTBI. Additional work is needed to refine and implement screening guidelines that appropriately target testing for those at highest risk for LTBI.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Bauhinia variegata (Leguminosae).

The mitogenome of Bauhinia variegate was assembled and characterized in this study. The mitogenome size was 437,271 bp, and its GC content was 45.5%. 36 protein-coding genes, 17 tRNAs and 3 rRNAs were annotated in the mitogenome. A total of 12 MTPTs, ranging from 71 bp to 3562 bp, were identified in the mitogenome and covered 1.46% (6373 bp) of the mitogenome. Phylogenetic analysis of 15 species of Leguminosae based on 23 core protein-coding genes showed that B. variegata was sister to Tylosema esculentum, another member from the subfamily Cercidoideae. The mitogenome of B. variegata provides a valuable genetic resource for further phylogenetic studies of this family.

In-silico evaluation of Bismurrayaquinone-A phytochemical as a potential multifunctional inhibitor targeting dihydrofolate reductase: implications for anticancer and antibacterial drug development.

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has gained significant attention in drug development, primarily due to marked distinctions in its active site among different species. DHFR plays a crucial role in both DNA and amino acid metabolism by facilitating the transfer of monocarbon residues through tetrahydrofolate, which is vital for nucleotide and amino acid synthesis. This considers its potential as a promising target for therapeutic interventions. In this study, our focus was on conducting a virtual screening of phytoconstituents from the IMPPAT2.0 database to identify potential inhibitors of DHFR. The initial criterion involved assessing the binding energy of molecules against DHFR and we screened top 20 compounds ranging energy -13.5 to -11.4 (kcal/Mol) while Pemetrexed disodium bound with less energy -10.2 (kcal/Mol), followed by an analysis of their interactions to identify more effective hits. We prioritized IMPHY007679 (Bismurrayaquinone-A), which displayed a high binding affinity and crucial interaction with DHFR. We also evaluated the drug-like properties and biological activity of IMPHY007679. Furthermore, MD simulation was done, RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, PCA and FEL explore the time-evolution impact of IMPHY007679 comparing it with a reference drug, Pemetrexed disodium. Collectively, our findings suggest that IMPHY007679 recommend further investigation in both in vitro and in vivo settings for its potential in developing anticancer and antibacterial therapies. This compound holds promise as a valuable candidate for advancing drug research and treatment strategies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.