Multi-Country Evaluation of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Two Commercially-Available NS1 ELISA Assays for Dengue Diagnosis

Background

Early diagnosis of dengue can assist patient triage and management and prevent unnecessary treatments and interventions. Commercially available assays that detect the dengue virus protein NS1 in the plasma/serum of patients offers the possibility of early and rapid diagnosis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The sensitivity and specificity of the Pan-E Dengue Early ELISA and the Platelia™ Dengue NS1 Ag assays were compared against a reference diagnosis in 1385 patients in 6 countries in Asia and the Americas. Platelia was more sensitive (66%) than Pan-E (52%) in confirmed dengue cases. Sensitivity varied by geographic region, with both assays generally being more sensitive in patients from SE Asia than the Americas. Both kits were more sensitive for specimens collected within the first few days of illness onset relative to later time points. Pan-E and Platelia were both 100% specific in febrile patients without evidence of acute dengue. In patients with other confirmed diagnoses and healthy blood donors, Platelia was more specific (100%) than Pan-E (90%). For Platelia, when either the NS1 test or the IgM test on the acute sample was positive, the sensitivity versus the reference result was 82% in samples collected in the first four days of fever. NS1 sensitivity was not associated to disease severity (DF or DHF) in the Platelia test, whereas a trend for higher sensitivity in DHF cases was seen in the Pan-E test (however combined with lower overall sensitivity).

Conclusions/Significance

Collectively, this multi-country study suggests that the best performing NS1 assay (Platelia) had moderate sensitivity (median 64%, range 34–76%) and high specificity (100%) for the diagnosis of dengue. The poor sensitivity of the evaluated assays in some geographical regions suggests further assessments are needed. The combination of NS1 and IgM detection in samples collected in the first few days of fever increased the overall dengue diagnostic sensitivity.     

An inhibitor of O-glycosylation induces apoptosis in NIH3T3 cells and developing mouse embryonic mandibular tissues

The family of UDP-GalNAc:polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases (ppGaNTases) is responsible for initiating mucin-type O-linked glycosylation in higher eukaryotes. To begin to examine the biological role of O-linked glycosylation, mammalian cells were treated with a small molecule inhibitor (designated 1-68A, Ref. 15) of ppGaNTase activity. NIH3T3 cells exposed to the inhibitor were shown to undergo a significant reduction in cell surface O-glycosylation as detected by staining with jacalin and peanut agglutinin lectins after 30 min of treatment; no reduction in staining using antibodies to O-linked N-acetylglucosamine or the lectin concanavalin A was detected. Apoptosis was also observed in treated cells after 45 min of exposure, ostensibly following the O-glycosylation reduction. Overexpression of several different ppGaNTase isoforms restored cell surface O-glycosylation and rescued inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Additionally, mouse embryonic mandibular organ cultures exposed to 1-68A developed abnormally, presumably because of epithelial and mesenchymal apoptosis that followed a reduction in jacalin and peanut agglutinin staining. Our studies suggest that mucin-type O-linked glycosylation may be required for normal development and that ppGaNTases may play a role in the regulation of apoptosis.     

The regulatory role of CO2 on nutrient releases from ashed rice straw phytoliths

Biogeochemistry - Phytolith is widely known as a silica structure in numerous silicon (Si) accumulator plants, e.g., rice, and it contains various nutrients and other beneficial elements. When rice...     

Development of 3D hydrogel culture systems with on-demand cell separation

Recently there has been an increased interest in the effects of paracrine signaling between groups of cells, particularly in the context of better understanding how stem cells contribute to tissue repair. Most current 3D co-culture methods lack the ability to effectively separate two cell populations after the culture period, which is important for simultaneously analyzing the reciprocal effects of each cell type on the other. Here, we detail the development of a 3D hydrogel co-culture system that allows us to culture different cell types for up to 7 days and subsequently separate and isolate the different cell populations using enzyme-sensitive glues. Separable 3D co-culture laminates were prepared by laminating PEG-based hydrogels with enzyme-degradable hydrogel adhesives. Encapsulated cell populations exhibited good segregation with well-defined interfaces. Furthermore, constructs can be separated on-demand upon addition of the appropriate enzyme, while cell viability remains high throughout the culture period, even after laminate separation. This platform offers great potential for a variety of basic cell signaling studies as the incorporation of an enzyme-sensitive adhesive interface allows the on-demand separation of individual cell populations for immediate analysis or further culture to examine persistence of co-culture effects and paracrine signaling on cell populations. See accompanying commentary by Danielle R. Bogdanowicz and Helen H. Lu DOI: 10.1002/biot.201300054     

大理鸢尾和高原鸢尾的花粉形态

大理鸢尾（ＩｒｉｓｄａｌｉｅｎｓｉｓＸＤＤｏｎｇｅｔＹＴＺｈａｏ）是笔者发表的鸢尾植物分类群（董晓东等,１９９７）,因与高原鸢尾（ＩｒｉｓｃｏｌｅｔｉＨｏｋ．ｆ．）相似,国外有学者认为它是高原鸢尾的一个变种（Ｈｅｎｒｙ,１９９５）。为弄清它的...     

A Randomised Trial Evaluating the Safety and Immunogenicity of the Novel Single Oral Dose Typhoid Vaccine M01ZH09 in Healthy Vietnamese Children

Background

The emergence of drug resistant typhoid fever is a major public health problem, especially in Asia. An oral single dose typhoid vaccine would have major advantages. M01ZH09 is a live oral single dose candidate typhoid vaccine containing Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Ty2 aroC ⁻ ssaV ⁻) ZH9 with two independently attenuating deletions. Studies in healthy adults demonstrated immunogenicity and an acceptable safety profile.

Objectives

We conducted a randomised placebo controlled, single-blind trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of M01ZH09 in healthy Vietnamese children aged 5 to 14 years.

Methods

Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either a nominal dose of 5×10⁹ CFU of M01ZH09 or placebo and were followed up for 28 days. The primary safety outcome was the proportion of subjects with any adverse event attributed to M01ZH09. The primary immunogenicity endpoint was the proportion of subjects who showed a positive immune response to M01ZH09 in the Salmonella Typhi lipopolysaccharide (LPS) specific serum IgA and IgG ELISA.

Principal Findings

One hundred and fifty-one children were enrolled, 101 subjects received M01ZH09 and 50 subjects received placebo. An intention to treat analysis was conducted. There were no serious adverse events and no bacteraemias. In the M01ZH09 group, 26 (26%; 95% CI, 18–5%) of 101 subjects experienced adverse events compared to 11 (22%; 95% CI, 12–36%) of 50 subjects in the placebo group (odds ratio (OR) [95%CI]  = 1.23 [0.550–2.747]; p = 0.691). Faecal shedding of S. Typhi (Ty2 aroC ⁻ ssaV ⁻) ZH9 was detected in 51 (51%; 95% CI, 41–61%) of 100 M01ZH09 subjects. No shedding was detected beyond day 3. A positive immune response, defined as 70% increase (1.7 fold change) in LPS specific serum IgG (day 14 or 28) and/or 50% increase (1.5 fold change) in LPS specific serum IgA (day 7 or 14) from baseline was detected in 98 (97%; 95% CI, 92–99%) of 101 M01ZH09 recipients and 8 (16%; 95% CI, 7–29%) of 50 placebo recipients. Twenty-eight (100%; 95% CI, 88–100%) of 28 vaccine recipients who were evaluated in the LPS specific IgA ELISPOT assay showed a positive response compared to none of the 14 placebo recipients tested.

Conclusions

This was the first phase II trial of a novel oral candidate typhoid vaccine in children in an endemic country. M01ZH09 had an appropriate safety profile and was immunogenic in children.

Trial Registration

Controlled-trials.comISRCTN91111837     

斜纹夜蛾抗药性监测及茚虫威对其解毒代谢酶的影响

【目的】斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura (Fabricius)是主要的农业害虫之一。本研究旨在明确该害虫在湖南省5个主要蔬菜种植区的抗药性水平,并探讨该害虫对茚虫威的抗性与解毒代谢酶活性之间的关系,为斜纹夜蛾有效防控及抗性治理提供依据。【方法】采用浸叶法测定了2014-2016年湖南5地斜纹夜蛾田间种群对10种杀虫剂的抗性水平;将斜纹夜蛾敏感种群3龄幼虫在死亡率40%~70%的选择压下用茚虫威进行汰选,比较了斜纹夜蛾敏感种群和抗茚虫威种群的羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和多功能氧化酶对硝基苯甲醚O-脱甲基活性。【结果】湖南5地斜纹夜蛾田间种群对有机磷类杀虫剂产生了26.9~220.2倍的抗性,对氨基甲酸酯类杀虫剂产生了68.3~890.8倍的抗性,对拟除虫菊酯类杀虫剂产生了21.0~267.2倍的抗性,对相对较新型杀虫剂（甲维盐、阿维菌素、茚虫威和溴虫腈）产生了5.2~53.4倍的抗性。经茚虫威汰选后第14代[抗性倍数(resistance ratio, RR)=26.43]斜纹夜蛾羧酸酯酶、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和对硝基苯甲醚O-脱甲基酶活性分别上升2.86, 1.01和1.83倍。【结论】斜纹夜蛾对多种药剂产生了不同水平的抗性,斜纹夜蛾幼虫羧酸酯酶和对硝基苯甲醚O-脱甲基活性增强可能是斜纹夜蛾对茚虫威的抗性上升的重要因素。     

放线菌次级代谢产物研究进展

随着耐药细菌和新型病毒的不断出现，癌症的发病率和死亡率持续上升，迫使人们不断寻找新的化合物来治疗疾病。放线菌次级代谢产物结构新颖，作用独特，具有抗菌、杀虫、抗肿瘤、免疫抑制等活性，广泛应用于医疗、农业、食品等领域，深入挖掘放线菌资源来开发新型抗生素潜力巨大。然而从自然界分离的放线菌生产目标化合物的能力较弱，这直接影响其工业应用，增加其生产成本，因此构建目标化合物高产菌株显得尤为重要。本文以此为出发点，从放线菌新药资源挖掘和放线菌产抗能力提高两个方面对近年来的研究情况进行概述，为放线菌资源开发提供参考。     

Damming river shapes distinct patterns and processes of planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities

Planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities play important roles in biogeochemical cycles, but their biogeographic patterns and community assembly processes in large damming rivers still remain unclear. In this study, 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA coding genes were used for sample sequencing analysis of planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in the upper Yangtze River. The upper Yangtze River was divided into dam-affected zones and river zones based on the influence of dams. The results showed that there were significant differences in the bacterial and microeukaryotic communities between the two zones and that dams significantly reduced the α-diversity of the bacterial communities. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that networks in the river zone were denser than those in the dam-affected zone. The relationships among species in bacterial networks were more complex than those in microeukaryotic networks. Dispersal limitation and ecological drift were the main processes influencing planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in the dam-affected zone respectively, whereas the role of deterministic processes increased in the river zone. Anthropogenic activities and hydraulic conditions affected suspended sediment and controlled microbial diversity in the river zone. These results suggest that dams impact planktonic bacteria more strongly than planktonic microeukaryotes, indicating that the distribution patterns and processes of the bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in large rivers are significantly different.