Expression of miRNA-29a-3p and IFN-γ as biomarkers in active and latent pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: Diagnosis and management of latent tuberculosis (TB) infections are one of the challenges of eradicating pulmonary TB. A critical aspect of controlling pulmonary TB spread is early diagnosis. One TB biological marker type under evaluation is microRNAs (miRNAs). Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection causes epigenetic changes. The upregulation of miRNA-29a-3p suppresses the immune response by post-transcriptionally inhibiting interferon (INF)-γ expression in T cells, increasing susceptibility to pulmonary TB. This study aimed to assess miRNA-29a-3p expression as a biomarker of active and latent pulmonary TB infection. Methods: This case-control study included 50 individuals with active TB, 33 household contacts with a positive IFN-γ release assay (IGRA), and 30 healthy controls. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based IGRA was used to determine latent pulmonary TB infection in household contacts. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to quantify miRNA-29a-3p expression. Data analysis used analyses of variance and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: miRNA-29a-3p expression differed significantly between active TB, latent TB, and healthy participants (controls; p = <0.001. ROC curve analysis showed that miRNA-29a-3p expression had 86% sensitivity and 73% specificity with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.763 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.668-0.858). The miRNA-29a-3p ROC curve had 84.8% sensitivity and 70% specificity with an AUC of 0.808 (95% CI: 0.698-0.919) for latent TB. Additionally, miRNA-29a-3p expression was significantly correlated with active (p < 0.0001) and latent (p < 0.0001) pulmonary TB. However, miRNA-29a-3p expression was not significantly correlated with INF-γ levels in patients with active (R = 0.005; p = 0.62) and latent (R = 0.010; p = 0.38) pulmonary TB or healthy controls (R = 0.060; p = 0.19). Conclusion: miRNA-29a-3p expression was increased in patients with active and latent pulmonary TB. Therefore, miRNA-29a-3p represents a potential biomarker for latent and active pulmonary TB. However, IFN-γ levels were not correlated with miR-29a-3p expression.

Antagonistic activity and characterization of indigenous soil isolates of bacteria and fungi against onion wilt incited by Fusarium sp.

Tuber rot disease due to phytopathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae (Foc) infection is one of the main factors causing the decreasing global onions production. This study aims to find bacteria and fungi candidates with Foc antagonistic activity through in vitro tests using dual culture techniques. A total of three bacterial isolates and three fungal isolates isolated from the rhizosphere of healthy onion plants showed the ability to inhibit Fusarium oxysporum growth. LC648364 isolate had an average inhibitory capability of 65.93%. At the same time, LC648367 and LC648368 fungal isolates can inhibit the growth of F. oxysporum by as much as 74.82% and 67.76%, respectively. Molecular analysis based on 16S rRNA markers showed three isolates belonging to the Bacillus. The LC648364 isolates are closely related to species Bacillus sp. strain LLB-17, LC648365 is closely related to B. subtilis strain S11 and LC648366 is closely related to B. cereus strain EM6. For the fungi, based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene markers, there are three isolates. The LC648367 isolate is closely related to Aspergillus tubingensis, LC648368 is closely related to Trichoderma asperellum and LC648369 is closely related to Issatchenkia orientalis. This study can be used to develop indigenous microbial consortiums as biological control agents for phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium tuber rot on onion.

Combined effects of nitrification inhibitor and zeolite on greenhouse gas fluxes and corn growth.

Field and incubation experiments were conducted to determine the emission rate of greenhouse gases, nitrogen change, populations of AOB, NOB, and fungi as well as growth of corn in response to amendment of urea granulated with and without nitrification inhibitors and zeolite. The application of urea with neem, urea with zeolite, urea with zeolite + neem, urea with zeolite + dicyandiamide, and urea with dicyandiamide (UD) decreased the N2O emissions by 16.3%, 59.6%, 66.8%, 81.9%, 16.3%, and 86.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, patterns of CH4 fluxes were mostly determined by small emissions. Increase in corn height, weight of cobs, biomass, and chlorophyll leaf contents were not significantly different between urea alone and urea with NIs and zeolite. In the incubation experiment, the highest concentration of NH4+ and N2O production was detected during the first week and it remained high up to the second week of incubation in the combination of urea with NIs and zeolite treatments, although there was no significant difference compared with urea. During NH4+ decrease, the concentration of NO3- started to accumulate from the second to the third weeks. Production of CO2 showed no significant differences among treatments. The static production of CO2 could also explain that NIs and zeolite additions did not change AOB, NOB, and fungi activities after the fourth week of incubation.

Influences of Chemical Fertilizers and a Nitrification Inhibitor on Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in a Corn (Zea mays L.) Field in Indonesia.

The influences of chemical fertilizers and a nitrification inhibitor on greenhouse gas fluxes (N(2)O and CH(4)) in a corn field in Indonesia were investigated using a closed chamber. Plots received 45+45 kg-N ha(-1) of nitrogen fertilizer by split applications of urea, a single application of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF-LP30) or urea+dicyandiamide (DCD; a nitrification inhibitor), and no nitrogen application (control). Cumulative amounts of N(2)O emitted from the field were 1.87, 1.70, 1.06, and 0.42 kg N(2)O-N ha(-1) season(-1) for the urea, CRF-LP30, urea+DCD, and control plots, respectively. The application of urea+DCD reduced the emission of N(2)O by 55.8% compared with urea. On the other hand, the soil acted as a sink for CH(4) in the CRL-LP30, control, and urea+DCD plots with value of -0.09, -0.06 and -0.06 kg CH(4)-C ha(-1) season(-1), respectively. When the viability of AOB (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria) and NOB (nitrite-oxidizing bacteria) were monitored, AOB numbers were correlated with the N(2)O emission. These results suggest that 1) there is a potential for reducing emissions of N(2)O by applying DCD, and 2) corn fields treated with CRF or urea+DCD can act as a sink for CH(4) in a tropical humid climate.