Deciphering recursive polyploidization in Lamiales and reconstructing their chromosome evolutionary trajectories.

Lamiales is an order of core eudicots with abundant diversity, and many Lamiales plants have important medicinal and ornamental values. Here, we comparatively reanalyzed 11 Lamiales species with well-assembled genome sequences and found evidence that Lamiales plants, in addition to a hexaploidization or whole-genome triplication (WGT) shared by core eudicots, experienced further polyploidization events, establishing new groups in the order. Notably, we identified a whole-genome duplication (WGD) occurred just before the split of Scrophulariaceae from the other Lamiales families, such as Acanthaceae, Bignoniaceae, and Lamiaceae, suggesting its likely being the causal reason for the establishment and fast divergence of these families. We also found that a WGT occurred ∼68 to 78 million years ago (Mya), near the split of Oleaceae from the other Lamiales families, implying that it may have caused their fast divergence and the establishment of the Oleaceae family. Then, by exploring and distinguishing intra- and intergenomic chromosomal homology due to recursive polyploidization and speciation, respectively, we inferred that the Lamiales ancestral cell karyotype had 11 proto-chromosomes. We reconstructed the evolutionary trajectories from these proto-chromosomes to form the extant chromosomes in each Lamiales plant under study. We must note that most of the inferred 11 proto-chromosomes, duplicated during a WGD thereafter, have been well preserved in jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) genome, showing the credibility of the present inference implementing a telomere-centric chromosome repatterning model. These efforts are important to understand genome repatterning after recursive polyploidization, especially shedding light on the origin of new plant groups and angiosperm cell karyotype evolution.

The Microbiota of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus Ticks Collected from a Highly Populated City of Eastern Europe.

Recent investigations have examined, through sequencing the V6 region of 16S rRNA gene, the microbiota of questing Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks collected from rural areas of Central (Dnipropetrovs'k (region D) and Poltava (region P)) and Northeastern (Kharkiv (region K)) Ukraine. In addition to defining the bacterial microbiota of both tick species, the previous investigations also revealed a high degree of inter-sex and inter-regional variations in the tick microbiota. As a continuation of the two studies, the present investigation has analyzed individual microbiota of questing I. ricinus (n = 50) and D. reticulatus (n = 50) ticks originating from Kyiv, the largest city of Ukraine. The Kyiv tick microbiota were compared between males and females for each tick species. Additionally, a cross-regional analysis was performed to compare the microbiota of Kyiv ticks to those from regions D, K, and P. Numerous statistically significant inter-sex and inter-regional variations were detected when alpha diversity, beta diversity, the bacterial relative and differential abundances were assessed. The overall results demonstrated that the microbiota of Kyiv ticks were statistically different compared to the ticks of the other three regions. Besides existing climatic and geographical differences between the four regions, the authors hypothesize that various anthropogenic factors of the megapolis (e.g., animal species translocation, land management, ecology) could have contributed to the distinct microbiota of Kyiv ticks observed in this study.

Fabrication, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity of Carvacrol-Loaded Zein Nanoparticles Using the pH-Driven Method.

To reduce the application of synthetic additives in the field of food preservation, this study utilized carvacrol as an antibacterial agent, and zein and sodium caseinate as carriers, to prepare composite nanoparticles loaded with carvacrol by the pH-driven method. The composite nanoparticles of zein/sodium caseinate had an excellent encapsulation efficiency (77.96~82.19%) for carvacrol, and it had remarkable redispersibility. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the formation of the composite nanoparticles mainly depended on the hydrogen bond and the hydrophobic zone force, and thermal gravimetric analysis showed that carvacrol was loaded successfully into nanoparticles, and loading efficiency reached 24.9%. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the composite nanoparticles were spherical, with a particle size range of 50~200 nm, and through the free radical scavenging method and the plate counting method to confirm the particle has stronger antioxidant and antibacterial properties, and with the composite nanoparticles with poly (vinyl alcohol) film applied to the preservation of banana together, it was found that PVA film containing 5 wt% CA-loaded composite NPs can significantly extend the storage period of banana. Therefore, when the composite nanoparticles were applied to food packaging, they could effectively inhibit food spoilage and lengthen the shelf life of food, which displays potential application prospects in the food industry.

Crocetin suppresses angiogenesis and metastasis through inhibiting sonic hedgehog signaling pathway in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths and chemoresistance is a key obstacle to the treatment of GC, particularly in advanced GC. As an active component of saffron stigma, crocetin has important therapeutic effects on various diseases including tumors. However, the therapeutic potential of crocetin targeting GC is still unclear and the underlying mechanisms are remained to be further explored. In this study, crocetin significantly inhibited angiogenesis in GC, including tubes of HUVECs and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation of GC cells. Crocetin also suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. To explore which signaling pathway involving in crocetin, HIF-1α, Notch1, Sonic hedgehog (SHH) and VEGF were examined with crocetin treatment and we found that SHH significantly decreased. Crocetin suppressed SHH signaling with SHH, PTCH2, Sufu and Gli1 protein level decreased in western blot assay. In addition, crocetin suppressed SHH secretion in GC and HUVEC cells. The promoted effects on cell migration induced by secreted SHH were also inhibited by crocetin in GC and HUVEC cell co-culture system. Furthermore, recombinant SHH promoted angiogenesis as well as cell migration and proliferation. However, these promoted effects were reversed by crocetin treatment. These results revealed that crocetin suppressed GC angiogenesis and metastasis through SHH signaling pathway, indicating that crocetin may function as an effective therapeutic drug against GC.

An adult co-presented with varicella and herpes zoster caused by varicella zoster virus genotype J, China: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella primarily in childhood, and some rare adults also report varicella. Herpes zoster mainly occurs in adults by endogenous reactivation of latent VZV. Until now, varicella and herpes zoster have seldom been reported simultaneously in one patient. Here, we report a rare case co-presenting with varicella and herpes zoster in a Chinese adult. CASE PRESENTATION: A 44-year-old Chinese man suffered papules and vesicles with pain on the left ear. Five days after onset, he was admitted to the Department of Dermatology of The Third Hospital of Xiamen. Physical examination revealed that small vesicles surrounded by erythema had developed on his trunk, back and neck, and unilateral papules and vesicles in ribbons had also developed on the left ear. This patient was excluded from human immunodeficiency virus and Treponema pallidum infections by ELISA antibody tests. Laboratory tests revealed that the ratio of eosinophils (0.1%) and eosinophil count (0.0 × 109/L) were significantly downregulated. Treatment with valacyclovir, ebastine, mecobalamine, pregabalin and calamine lotion for 5 days was effective therapy for varicella and herpes zoster. Polymerase chain reaction for vesicular fluids from varicella and herpes zoster was positive for VZV, and further phylogenetic analysis and single nucleotide polymorphism variations confirmed that the VZV genotype was type J (clade 2). CONCLUSIONS: This rare case highlights awareness of varicella and herpes zoster caused by VZV infection in adults. Our report provides novel insight into the rare clinical presentation of VZV genotype J.

A label-free and ultrasensitive DNA impedimetric sensor with enzymatic and electrical dual-amplification.

In this work, we report a facile, sensitive, selective, and reproducible DNA impedimetric sensor device. We demonstrate that, combined with exonuclease III, the easily prepared electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could be a desirable platform to amplify signals in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for ultrasensitive DNA detection. Guided by enzyme assisted target recycling, efficient interfacial tuning can be obtained, from the situation with high impedance caused by single-stranded DNA probes directly adsorbed onto rGO to the one with low impedance due to the continuous desorption of target-probe DNA hybrids and the consequent digestion of DNA probes. Just a few DNA targets can specifically trigger the enzymatic digestion of a large number of DNA probes. It is the excellent electrical conductivity of rGO that further enlarges the changes of electron transfer resistance after the removal of DNA probes. As a result of synergistically combining both enzymatic and electrical amplification, the enlarged changes of impedimetric signals can be measured to sensitively report DNA targets. The specificity has been guaranteed by the intrinsic recognition of hybrids through both rGO and exonuclease III. A limit of detection as low as 10 aM target DNA in the matrix of cell culture medium, as well as a wide linear range and good discrimination of mismatched sequences even at the one-base level, suggests its great application prospect in biosensing and biomedical analysis. It also has other advantages including easy operation, low cost, and convenient regeneration, with more competitive performance in developing impedimetric biosensors.

Circular RNAs play an important role in late-stage gastric cancer: Circular RNA expression profiles and bioinformatics analyses.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common tumors of the digestive system. Here, analysis of the expression profiles of circular RNAs in advanced gastric adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal mucosa tissues revealed differential expression of 306 circular RNAs, among which 273 were predicted to exert regulatory effects on target microRNAs. The downstream pathway networks of circular RNA-microRNA were mapped and the node genes were identified. In particular, we found that the expression of hsa_circ_0058246 was elevated in tumor specimens of patients with poor clinical outcomes. Our collective findings indicate that circular RNAs play a critical role in gastric cancer tumorigenesis. Data from this study provide a new perspective on the molecular pathways underlying metastasis and recurrence of gastric cancer and highlight potential therapeutic targets that may contribute to more effective diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Matrix metalloproteinase-7 mRNA and protein expression in gastric carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) acts as template for protein synthesis. The matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) protein and its mRNA expression have been suggested to be involved in the development of various diseases and cancers. We aimed to study associations between the MMP-7 protein and mRNA expression in gastric carcinoma (GC) patients. We searched in the Science Citation Index, the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Current Contents Index, and several Chinese databases. Studies were pooled and odds ratios and their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Subgroup analyses and publication bias detection were also conducted. Statistical analysis was performed via Version 12.0 STATA software. An updated meta-analysis based on 16 independent cohort studies was performed to investigate this association. The study suggests that significant differences in MMP-7 protein levels were observed in tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) I-II vs. III-IV (odds radio (OR) =3.19, 95 % confidence interval (95%CI) =1.59 ∼ 6.41, P=0.001), in T1-2 vs. T3-4 invasive grade (OR=1.82, 95%CI=1.07 ∼ 3.12, P=0.028), and in distant metastasis-positive vs. metastasis-negative samples (OR=3.14, 95%CI=1.05 ∼ 9.35, P=0.040). Increased MMP-7 mRNA levels were found to be significantly correlated with invasive grade (T3-4 vs. T1-2: OR=5.61, 95%CI=2.64 ∼ 11.95, P<0.001) and in the lymph node (LN) metastasis (positive vs. negative: OR=7.08, 95%CI=4.20 ∼ 11.93, P<0.001) group. Country subgroup analysis yielded significantly different estimates in the protein expression of MMP-7 of all experimental groups. MMP-7 mRNA levels were increased in LN metastasis-positive GC in contrast to metastasis-negative in China and Korea (all P<0.05); this was not shown in Japan (P>0.05). Higher protein and mRNA levels of MMP-7 were statistically associated with aggressive LN metastasis, advanced TNM stage, and invasion in GC patients; MMP-7 can thus potentially serve as a useful biomarker in determining GC progression and prognosis.

Spatiotemporal variations of reference crop evapotranspiration in Northern Xinjiang, China.

To set up a reasonable crop irrigation system in the context of global climate change in Northern Xinjiang, China, reference crop evapotranspiration (ET0) was analyzed by means of spatiotemporal variations. The ET0 values from 1962 to 2010 were calculated by Penman-Monteith formula, based on meteorological data of 22 meteorological observation stations in the study area. The spatiotemporal variations of ET0 were analyzed by Mann-Kendall test, Morlet wavelet analysis, and ArcGIS spatial analysis. The results showed that regional average ET0 had a decreasing trend and there was an abrupt change around 1983. The trend of regional average ET0 had a primary period about 28 years, in which there were five alternating stages (high-low-high-low-high). From the standpoint of spatial scale, ET0 gradually increased from the northeast and southwest toward the middle; the southeast and west had slightly greater variation, with significant regional differences. From April to October, the ET0 distribution significantly influenced the distribution characteristic of annual ET0. Among them sunshine hours and wind speed were two of principal climate factors affecting ET0.

A biomimetic lubricating nanosystem for synergistic therapy of osteoarthritis.

Failure of articular cartilage lubrication and inflammation are the main causes of osteoarthritis (OA), and integrated treatment realizing joint lubrication and anti-inflammation is becoming the most effective treat model. Inspired by low friction of human synovial fluid and adhesive chemical effect of mussels, our work reports a biomimetic lubricating system that realizes long-time lubrication, photothermal responsiveness and anti-inflammation property. To build the system, a dopamine-mediated strategy is developed to controllably graft hyaluronic acid on the surface of metal organic framework. The design constructs a biomimetic core-shell structure that has good dispersity and stability in water with a high drug loading ratio of 99%. Temperature of the solution rapidly increases to 55 °C under near-infrared light, and the hard-soft lubricating system well adheres to wear surfaces, and greatly reduces frictional coefficient by 75% for more than 7200 times without failure. Cell experiments show that the nanosystem enters cells by endocytosis, and releases medication in a sustained manner. The anti-inflammatory outcomes validate that the nanosystem prevents the progression of OA by down-regulating catabolic proteases and pain-related genes and up-regulating genes that are anabolic in cartilage. The study provides a bioinspired strategy to employ metal organic framework with controlled surface and structure for friction reduction and anti-inflammation, and develops a new concept of OA synergistic therapy model for practical applications.

Anaplasma, Bartonella, and Rickettsia infections in Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus), Hebei, China.

Rodents have been confirmed as hosts of various vector-borne zoonotic pathogens and are important for the maintenance of these microbes in nature. However, surveillance for zoonotic pathogens is limited for many wild rodent species in China, so our knowledge of pathogen ecology, genetic diversity, and the risk of cross-species transmission to humans is limited. In this study, 165 spleen samples of Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus) were collected from Weichang Manchu and the Mongolian Autonomous County of Hebei Province, China, and Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Anaplasma were identified by DNA detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequence analysis identified eight bacterial pathogens: R. raoultii, R. sibirica, Candidatus R. longicornii, B. washoensis, B. grahamii, B. jaculi, A. capra, and Candidatus Anaplasma cinensis. Co-infection of B. grahamii and R. raoultii in one sample was observed. Our results demonstrated the genetic diversity of bacteria in Daurian ground squirrels and contributed to the distribution of these pathogens. Six species, A. capra, R. raoultii, R. sibirica, Candidatus R. longicornii, B. washoensis, and B. grahamii, are known to be pathogenic to humans, indicating a potential public health risk to the local human population, especially to herders who frequently have close contact with Daurian ground squirrels and are thus exposed to their ectoparasites.

Human pathogens in ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China.

Ticks are the hosts or vectors of many human pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa, and can transmit these causative agents to humans when feeding on human bodies. In this study, 26 ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China were tested for the presence of human-pathogenic microorganisms by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or Reversed Transcript PCR (RT-PCR). As a result, 11 ticks tested positive for at least one human pathogen. Specifically, four validated human pathogens, including Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae, Babesia venatorum, and Borrelia garinii, as well as Anaplasma ovis with zoonotic potential, were identified in Ixodes persulcatus, Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis concinna. Importantly, this is the first report of Anaplasma and Babesia species pathogenic to humans in Hebei province. Moreover, the co-infections, including double infection and quadruple infection were observed. In addition, Candidatus R. principis with unknown pathogenicity was identified in one tick, which may be the same species as Candidatus R. hongyuanensis based on the nucleotide identity and phylogenetic analysis. Concluding, four validated tick-borne pathogens and one with zoonotic potential were identified in ticks parasitizing humans, suggesting the potential high public health risk in the local human population.

Cell membrane-bound toll-like receptor-1/2/4/6 monomers and -2 heterodimer inhibit enterovirus 71 replication by activating the antiviral innate response.

Host immune activation is critical for enterovirus 71 (EV71) clearance and immunopathogenesis. However, the mechanism of innate immune activation, especially of cell membrane-bound toll-like receptors (TLRs), against EV71 remains unknown. We previously demonstrated that TLR2 and its heterodimer inhibit EV71 replication. In this study, we systematically investigated the effects of TLR1/2/4/6 monomers and TLR2 heterodimer (TLR2/TLR1, TLR2/TLR6, and TLR2/TLR4) on EV71 replication and innate immune activation. We found that the overexpression of human- or mouse-derived TLR1/2/4/6 monomers and TLR2 heterodimer significantly inhibited EV71 replication and induced the production of interleukin (IL)-8 via activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Furthermore,human-mouse chimeric TLR2 heterodimer inhibited EV71 replication and activated innate immunity. Dominant-negative TIR-less (DN)-TLR1/2/4/6 did not exert any inhibitory effects, whereas DN-TLR2 heterodimer inhibited EV71 replication. Prokaryotic expression of purified recombinant EV71 capsid proteins (VP1, VP2, VP3, and VP4) or overexpression of EV71 capsid proteins induced the production of IL-6 and IL-8 via activation of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. Notably, two types of EV71 capsid proteins served as pathogen-associated molecular patterns for TLR monomers (TLR2 and TLR4) and TLR2 heterodimer (TLR2/TLR1, TLR2/TLR6, and TLR2/TLR4) and activated innate immunity. Collectively, our results revealed that membrane TLRs inhibited EV71 replication via activation of the antiviral innate response, providing insights into the EV71 innate immune activation mechanism.

Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production by space separation of photo-generated charges from S-scheme ZnIn2S4/ZnO heterojunction.

ZnIn2S4/ZnO heterostructures have been achieved by a simple in-situ growth solvothermal method. Under full spectrum irradiation, the optimal photocatalyst 2ZnIn2S4/ZnO exhibits H2 evolution rate of 13,638 (water/ethanol = 1:1) and 3036 (water) µmol·g-1h-1, which is respectively 4 and 5 times higher than that of pure ZnIn2S4. In situ illumination X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ISI-XPS) analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the electrons of ZnIn2S4 are removed to ZnO through hybridization and form an internal electric field between ZnIn2S4 and ZnO. The optical properties of the catalyst and the effect of internal electric field (IEF) can increase photo-generated electrons (e-)-holes (h+) transport rate and enhance light collection, resulting in profitable photocatalytic properties. The photoelectrochemical and EPR results show that a stepped (S-scheme) heterojunction is formed in the ZnIn2S4/ZnO redox center, which greatly promotes separation of e--h+ pairs and efficient H2 evolution. This research offers an effective method for constructing an efficient S-Scheme photocatalytic system for H2 evolution.

Tumor Location Causes Different Recurrence Patterns in Remnant Gastric Cancer.

PURPOSE: Tumor recurrence is the principal cause of poor outcomes in remnant gastric cancer (RGC) after resection. We sought to elucidate the recurrent patterns according to tumor locations in RGC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from the Shanghai Cancer Center between January 2006 and December 2020. A total of 129 patients with RGC were included in this study, of whom 62 had carcinomas at the anastomotic site (group A) and 67 at the non-anastomotic site (group N). The clinicopathological characteristics, surgical results, recurrent diseases, and survival were investigated according to tumor location. RESULTS: The time interval from the previous gastrectomy to the current diagnosis was 32.0±13.0 and 21.0±13.4 years in groups A and N, respectively. The previous disease was benign in 51/62 cases (82.3%) in group A and 37/67 cases (55.2%) in group N (P=0.002). Thirty-three patients had documented sites of tumor recurrence through imaging or pathological examinations. The median time to recurrence was 11.0 months (range, 1.0-35.1 months). Peritoneal recurrence occurred in 11.3% (7/62) of the patients in group A versus 1.5% (1/67) of the patients in group N (P=0.006). Hepatic recurrence occurred in 3.2% (2/62) of the patients in group A versus 13.4% (9/67) of the patients in group N (P=0.038). Patients in group A had significantly better overall survival than those in group N (P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: The tumor location of RGC is an essential factor for predicting recurrence patterns and overall survival. When selecting an optimal postoperative follow-up program for RGC, physicians should consider recurrent features according to the tumor location.

Synthesis of Chiral ß,ß-Disubstituted Ketones via CuH-Catalyzed Coupling of Aryl Alkenes and 3-Aryl-2H-azirines.

A CuH-catalyzed coupling of aryl alkenes with 3-aryl-2H-azirines has been developed to synthesize optically active ß,ß-disubstituted ketones. We propose that this protocol occurs through a sequence in which a chiral alkylcopper complex regioselectively attacks the N-C2 bonds of azirines to generate chiral ß-aryl imines, which additionally afford ketones upon hydrolysis. This method provides a novel complementary approach for synthesizing chiral ß,ß-disubstituted ketones in good yields with high levels of enantioselectivity under mild conditions.

Preparation and Characterization of Carvacrol-Loaded Caseinate/Zein-Composite Nanoparticles Using the Anti-Solvent Precipitation Method.

Extending shelf life and maintaining the high quality of food are arduous challenges. In this study, the self-assembly properties of zein were used to load carvacrol essential oil, and then sodium caseinate was selected as a stabilizer to fabricate carvacrol-loaded composite nanoparticles. The results showed that the composite nanoparticles had a high encapsulation efficiency for carvacrol (71.52-80.09%). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the carvacrol-loaded composite nanoparticles were spherical and uniformly distributed, with particle sizes ranging from 80 to 220 nm. First and foremost, the carvacrol-loaded nanoparticles exhibited excellent water-redispersibility, storage-stability, and antioxidant properties, as well as antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Benefiting from the antimicrobial and antioxidative abilities, the films with carvacrol-loaded composite nanoparticles effectively inhibited food spoilage and prolonged the shelf-life of cherry tomatoes and bananas. Therefore, carvacrol-loaded composite nanoparticles may have potential application prospects in the food industry.

Nanoanalysis of the leaching process simulation of Pb in agricultural soil.

Using the Spectral characteristics of gold nanorods to investigate heavy metals Pb in agricultural soils. Studied included: (1) The effects of humic acid on Pb transformation and its formation changing were explored. The laboratory model was established to simulate Pb leaching process in the soil and investigated the change of total Pb content at different layers. (2) The migration and transformation of different forms Pb were studied by the nano system. The effect of humic acid and pH were analyzed based on the nano-analysis method. (3) The relationship between various forms Pb irons were analyzed. (4) The data showed that ion exchange state and iron-manganese oxidation state Pb were more likely to enriched at 0 cm depth, and organic bound state was more likely to enriched at 10 cm depth. Humic acid increased the solidify ability of different forms of Pb in agricultural soil, and the analysis system was efficient to supply the exactly transition process.

Genetic diversity of Bartonella infection in residential and field rodents in Hebei, China.

Rodents are the primary natural reservoirs of Bartonella spp., and some of which are zoonotic causative agents. Hence, surveillance of Bartonella sp. infection in rodents is very important for the prevention of human bartonellosis caused by them. In this study, rodents were captured, and their spleen samples were collected for Bartonella sp. DNA detection and identification by amplifying the 16S rRNA, gltA, and ftsz genes using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results indicated that Bartonella sp. DNA was detected in seven Rattus norvegicus individuals with a detection rate of 6.7% in Chengde City and bacterial DNA in 31 Apodemus agrarius individuals with a detection rate of 28.4% in Handan City. The DNA detection rate across the genders and ages of rodents was not found to be statistically significant. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the above-mentioned three genes demonstrated that at least eight Bartonella species were circulating in Hebei Province, of which three, including Bartonella rattimassiliensis, Bartonella grahamii, and Bartonella tribocorum, are human pathogens, thus suggesting the existence of a major public health risk. Overall, these results revealed the detection rate and genetic diversity of Bartonella species infection in rodents in Hebei Province, which could be potentially helpful for the prevention of bartonellosis caused by rodent-associated Bartonella species. This study highlights the urgent need for the surveillance of Bartonella infections in rodents and ectoparasites that affect both rodents and humans and can cause fever of unknown origin or endocarditis.

Molecular detection of "Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" by Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) of the ompA gene.

"Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae" (CRT) is increasingly being recognized as a disease causative agent in China and poses a great challenge to public health. Rapid and accurate detection is indispensable for laboratory diagnosis of infection caused by CRT and its surveillance in ticks. In the present study, a novel DNA-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the ompA gene was developed for the detection of CRT in tick samples. A set of universal primers specific to CRT were designed using PrimerExplorer V5 software. The analytical sensitivity, evaluated using recombinant plasmids containing the ompA gene, reached up to 1 copy per reaction, greater than that of the PCR assay targeting the same gene. This LAMP assay specifically detected CRT and showed no cross-reaction with other species common in China within the genus Rickettsia. In addition, this newly developed LAMP assay presented high diagnostic sensitivity of CRT detection validated by known positive DNA samples from ticks and simulated clinical samples. The applicability of the LAMP assay was evaluated by screening CRT from ticks, and the result showed that CRT circulation in Weichang County, China, was confirmed. Our findings indicate that this LAMP method is sensitive and specific for the detection of CRT and may have a potential application in the detection of CRT infection in patients and ticks.