The spatiotemporal variations of microbial community in relation to water quality in a tropical drinking water reservoir, Southmost China.

It is well-known that water quality has great significance on microbial community composition in aquatic environments. In this study, we detected water column indicates the microbial community composition of nine sampling sites over two seasons using Illumina TruSeq sequencing in Songtao Reservoir, Hainan Province, Southmost China. The study indicated that the dominant phylum was Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria. The diversity parameters showed that the microbial community composition had significant spatiotemporal variations, including the significantly higher Shannon index and Simpson index upstream than those midstream and downstream. Besides, there were significantly higher Chao1 index, Shannon index, and Simpson index in winter than in summer. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed the microbial structural composition had significant seasonal differences. The results of microbial community composition further revealed that the eutrophication level upstream was higher than that of midstream and downstream. The redundancy analysis (RDA) diagram indicated that the abundance of microbiology species significantly correlated with temperature, total phosphorus, Se, and Ni. Furthermore, the mantel's test showed that the temperature and total phosphorus significantly affected the community composition of archaea and bacteria. Overall, our finding here partially validated our hypothesis that the spatiotemporal variations of microbial community composition are significantly related to nutrients, physicochemical factors and metals, which has been unknown previously in tropical drinking waterbodies. This study substantially contributed to understanding of the composition of microbial community in tropical drinking water reservoirs and the main environmental driving factors in tropical zones. It also provided a reference for the management of reservoir operation to ensure drinking water safe.

Increase in HIV reservoir and T cell immune response after CoronaVac vaccination in people living with HIV.

Introduction: CoronaVac, an inactivated vaccine developed by Sinovac Life Sciences, has been widely used for protection against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigates its effect on the HIV reservoir and T cell repertoires in people living with HIV (PLWHs). Methods: Blood samples were collected from fifteen PLWHs who were administered at least two doses of CoronaVac between April 2021 and February 2022. The levels of cell-associated HIV RNA (CA HIV RNA) and HIV DNA, as well as the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire profiles, TCR clustering and TCRß annotation, were studied. Results: A significant increase was observed in CA HIV RNA at 2 weeks (431.5 ± 164.2 copies/106 cells, P = 0.039) and 12 weeks (330.2 ± 105.9 copies/106 cells, P = 0.019) after the second dose, when compared to the baseline (0 weeks) (73.6 ± 23.7 copies/106 cells). Various diversity indices of the TCRß repertoire, including Shannon index, Pielou's evenness index, and Hvj Index, revealed a slight increase (P < 0.05) following CoronaVac vaccination. The proportion of overlapping TCRß clonotypes increased from baseline (31.9 %) to 2 weeks (32.5 %) and 12 weeks (40.4 %) after the second dose. We also found that the breadth and depth of COVID-19-specific T cells increased from baseline (0.003 and 0.0035) to 12 weeks (0.0066 and 0.0058) post the second dose. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated an initial increase in HIV reservoir and TCR repertoire diversity, as well as an expansion in the depth and breadth of COVID-19-specific T-cell clones among CoronaVac-vaccinated PLWHs. These findings provide important insights into the effects of COVID-19 vaccination in PLWHs.

Endoparasitic helminth fauna and diet of Geophagus sveni (Pisces) in Upper Paraná River basin.

In freshwater ecosystems, parasite infection patterns are influenced by factors including spatial-temporal variations, host diet, and habitat. Fish often change diets, affecting their parasite communities. This study focused on non-native host fish Geophagus sveni, aiming to characterize diet and endoparasitic helminth fauna patterns in the invaded area, investigating spatial and seasonal possible differences of endoparasite infections and correlating with host diet, in São José dos Dourados River and Tietê River areas. The host fish were collected in these areas during the dry and rainy season using gillnets. The endoparasites were collected and preserved in alcohol and identified using taxonomic methods, and stomach contents were examined for diet analysis. Parasitism descriptors were calculated and evaluated spatially and seasonally by ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis tests. PERMANOVA assessed G. sveni diet differences, and RDA correlated the endohelminth abundance with the host diet. Two endoparasites were recorded: metacercariae of Austrodiplostomum compactum (Trematoda) and larvae and adults of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) lanfrediae (Nematoda). Spatial differences were observed for the mean abundance and prevalence of R. (S.) lanfrediae and A. compactum prevalence. Seasonal variations of parasitic descriptors occurred for the nematode in the Tietê River area. The detritus and aquatic insects were the most consumed items by G. sveni. Detritus consumption positively correlates with nematode abundance. The findings indicate that factors such as artificial channels and rainfall, which can influence resource availability, may affect the fish's diet and potentially influence the structure of its endoparasite community. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding trophic chain-transmitted parasites and calls for further research in Neotropical environments.

Tuberculosis in Wild Pigs from Argentina.

Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) and non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM), may infect wild and domestic mammals, including humans. Although cattle are the main hosts and spreaders of M. bovis, many wildlife hosts play an important role worldwide. In Argentina, wild boar and domestic pigs are considered important links in mammalian tuberculosis (mTB) transmission. The aim of this work was to investigate the presence of M. bovis in wild pigs from different regions of Argentina, to characterize isolates of M. bovis obtained, and to compare those with other previously found in vertebrate hosts. A total of 311 samples from wild pigs were obtained, and bacteriological culture, molecular identification and genotyping were performed, obtaining 63 isolates (34 MTC and 29 NTM). Twelve M. bovis spoligotypes were detected. Our findings suggest that wild pigs have a prominent role as reservoirs of mTB in Argentina, based on an estimated prevalence of 11.2 ± 1.8% (95% CI 8.0-14.8) for MTC and the frequency distribution of spoligotypes shared by cattle (75%), domestic pigs (58%) and wildlife (50%). Argentina has a typical scenario where cattle and pigs are farm-raised extensively, sharing the environment with wildlife, creating conditions for effective transmission of mTB in the wildlife-livestock-human interface.

Response of microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling functions to sediment physicochemical properties and microplastic pollution under damming and water diversion projects.

Understanding the interactions among flow-sediment, microorganisms, and biogeochemical cycles is crucial for comprehending the ecological response mechanisms of dams and water diversion. This study focused on the spatial patterns of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur (CNPS) cycle functional genes in the water resource for the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, specifically the Danjiangkou Reservoir (comprising the Han and Dan reservoirs). The investigation incorporated sediment physicochemical properties and microplastic pollution. Numerous microbial species were identified, revealing that microbial communities demonstrated sensitivity to changes in sedimentary mud content. The communities exhibited greater ß diversity due to finer sediment particles in the Han Reservoir (HR), whereas in the Dan Reservoir (DR), despite having higher sediment nutrient content and MPs pollution, did not display this pattern. Regarding the composition and structure of microbial communities, the study highlighted that sediment N and P content had a more significant influence compared to particle size and MPs. The quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) results confirmed the presence of extensive chemolithotrophic microbes and strong nitrogen cycle activity stemming from long-term water storage and diversion operations. The denitrification intensity in the HR surpassed that of the DR. Notably, near the pre-dam area, biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus removal, and sulfur reduction exhibited noticeable increases. Dam construction refined sediment, fostering the growth of different biogeochemical cycling bacteria and increasing the abundance of CNPS cycling genes. Furthermore, the presence of MPs exhibited a positive correlation with S cycling genes and a negative correlation with C and N cycling genes. These findings suggest that variations in flow-sediment dynamics and MPs pollution have significant impact the biogeochemical cycle of the reservoir.

The identification of intact HIV proviral DNA from human cerebrospinal fluid.

We evaluated the HIV-1 DNA reservoir in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in people with HIV (PWH) and associations to cognitive dysfunction. Using the intact proviral DNA assay (IPDA), an emerging technique to identify provirus that may be the source of viral rebound, we assessed HIV DNA in CSF and PBMC in PWH regardless of antiretroviral therapy (ART). CSF was used as a sampling surrogate for the central nervous system (CNS) as opposed to tissue. IDPA results (3' defective, 5' defective, and intact HIV DNA) were analyzed by compartment (Wilcoxon signed rank; matched and unmatched pairs). Cognitive performance, measured via a battery of nine neuropsychological (NP) tests, were analyzed for correlation to HIV DNA (Spearman's rho). 11 CSF and 8 PBMC samples from PWH were evaluated both unmatched and matched. Total CSF HIV DNA was detectable in all participants and was significantly higher than in matched PBMCs (p â€‹= â€‹0.0039). Intact CSF HIV DNA was detected in 7/11 participants and correlated closely with those in PBMCs but tended to be higher in CSF than in PBMC. CSF HIV DNA did not correlate with global NP performance, but higher values did correlate with worse executive function (p â€‹= â€‹0.0440). Intact HIV DNA is frequently present in the CSF of PWH regardless of ART. This further supports the presence of an HIV CNS reservoir and provides a method to study CNS reservoirs during HIV cure studies. Larger studies are needed to evaluate relationships with CNS clinical outcomes.

Assessing the ecological security of the Three Gorges reservoir complex ecosystem based on the improved three-dimensional emergy ecological footprint model.

The ecological security (ES) of the reservoir complex ecosystem (RCE) is one of the critical components of watershed water security and sustainable development. Hence, accurately assessing the ES of the RCE is of utmost importance. This study proposed a novel ecological security assessment model based on the improved three-dimensional emergy ecological footprint (ESM-IEEF3D), which integrated various emergy flows during the RCE's construction and operation into a three-dimensional emergy ecological footprint (EEF3D) calculation account. The Three Gorges Project (TGP) is selected as a case study to evaluate the ES from 1993 to 2022 comprehensively. The results showed that the Three Gorges RCE mainly showed an ecological remainder state, and the inflow runoff enormously promoted the TGP's sustainability. The EEF3D indicated a fluctuation decrease trend with a mean value of 7.18 × 102 ha, illustrating that TGP's ecological security and sustainability levels are gradually improving. Regarding the ES evaluation indicators, the TGP's resource dependency and ecological pressure on the natural ecosystem and the external socio-economic system are steadily relieved. Furthermore, the Three Gorges RCE's resource utilization condition is safe, the structural characteristics are healthy, and the eco-economic coordination degree is continuously enlightening. Finally, applicable policy implications for improving the ecological security of Three Gorges RCE were provided. This study helps to understand the complex relationship between humans and ecosystems. It provides a novel framework to be used as an evaluation index and policy insights for hydropower ecological security and sustainable development.

Reservoir Computing Based on Oxygen-Vacancy-Mediated X-ray Optical Synaptic Device for Medical CT Bone Diagnosis.

Recognition and judgment of X-ray computed tomography (CT) images play a crucial role in medical diagnosis and disease prevention. However, the storage and calculation of the X-ray imaging system applied in the traditional CT diagnosis is separate, and the pathological judgment is based on doctors' experience, which will affect the timeliness and accuracy of decision-making. In this paper, a simple-structured reservoir computing network (RC) is proposed based on Ga2O3 X-ray optical synaptic devices to recognize medical skeletal CT images with high accuracy. Through oxygen vacancy engineering, Ga2O3 X-ray optical synaptic devices with adjustable photocurrent gain and a persistent photoconductivity effect were obtained. By using the Ga2O3 X-ray optical synaptic device as a reservoir, we constructed an RC network for medical skeletal CT diagnosis and verified its image recognition capability using the MNIST data set with an accuracy of 78.08%. In the elbow skeletal CT image recognition task, the recognition rate is as high as 100%. This work constructs a simple-structured RC network for X-ray image recognition, which is of great significance in applications in medical fields.

Reservoir temperature prediction based on characterization of water chemistry data-case study of western Anatolia, Turkey.

Reservoir temperature estimation is crucial for geothermal studies, but traditional methods are complex and uncertain. To address this, we collected 83 sets of water chemistry and reservoir temperature data and applied four machine learning algorithms. These models considered various input factors and underwent data preprocessing steps like null value imputation, normalization, and Pearson coefficient calculation. Cross-validation addressed data volume issues, and performance metrics were used for model evaluation. The results revealed that our machine learning models outperformed traditional fluid geothermometers. All machine learning models surpassed traditional methods. The XGBoost model, based on the F-3 combination, demonstrated the best prediction accuracy with an R2 of 0.9732, while the Bayesian ridge regression model using the F-4 combination had the lowest performance with an R2 of 0.8302. This study highlights the potential of machine learning for accurate reservoir temperature prediction, offering geothermal professionals a reliable tool for model selection and advancing our understanding of geothermal resources.

Fabrication of nanocrystal forms of á´ -cycloserine and their application for transdermal and enteric drug delivery systems.

ᴅ-cycloserine (DCS), an FDA-approved medicine for the treatment of tuberculosis, is also a partial agonist at the glycine recognition site of N-methyl-ᴅ-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and has shown significant treatment efficacy for central nervous system (CNS) disorders including depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The physicochemical properties of DCS, however, limit the options of formulation and medicinal applications of DCS, and warrants further investigation for the development of CNS therapeutics. Nanocrystals play an important role in pharmaceutic design and development. The properties of nanocrystals are remarkably different from their bulk material counterpart, attributed to the large surface-area-to-volume ratio which can improve the bioavailability. In this study, for the first time, DCS, a highly water-soluble compound, has formed nanocrystals and this was confirmed by scanning electronic microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. Furthermore, DCS nanocrystals were applied to several formulations to test their stability and then to the in vitro Franz diffusion test with reservoir patch formulation as well as in vivo pharmacokinetics study with enteric capsules. We tested these formulations regarding their nanocrystal physical properties, size effect, and dissolution rate, respectively. We found that DCS nanocrystals showed good performance in the Franz diffusion test and rodent pharmacokinetic studies due to the nanoparticle size and faster dissolution as compared with the commercial DCS powder. These DCS nanocrystal formulations could offer a new approach for the development of an advanced drug delivery system for the treatment of CNS disorders.

Oxygen evolution and its drivers in a stratified reservoir: A supply-side perspective for informing hypoxia alleviation strategies.

Hypoxia in stratified waters greatly threatens aquatic ecology and societal development owing to enhanced nutrient discharge and increasing global temperature. Current research predominantly alleviates hypoxia by reducing dissolved oxygen (DO) consumption or conducting hypolimnetic oxygenation, yet their implementation has encountered bottlenecks. Therefore, this study explores the potential of increasing the inherent DO supplies in stratified reservoirs to mitigate hypoxia. High-frequency in situ observations and massive modeling experiments are integrated to discern the DO supply mode and the dominant driver of DO evolution. Results indicate that periodic thermodynamic conditions determine the DO supply relationships between oxygen sources (inflow carriage, reaeration, and photosynthesis) for different water layers. Thermal stratification causes the hypolimnion to rely mostly on the inflow for DO supply, leading to a fragile budget prone to hypoxia. However, episodic hydrodynamic events (turnover, wind stir, density current, and flood) can promote DO supply and inhibit hypoxia. Temperature and DO regimes are primarily driven by outflow conditions, followed by inflow and meteorology conditions. Furthermore, hypolimnetic hypoxia can be regulated by altering inflow volume, outflow volume, and outlet elevation. These findings highlight the importance of longitudinal solute exchange in DO evolution in stratified reservoirs, providing a basis for alleviating hypoxia through cascade reservoir operations.

Diagnostic biomarker discovery from brain EEG data using LSTM, reservoir-SNN, and NeuCube methods in a pilot study comparing epilepsy and migraine.

The study introduces a new online spike encoding algorithm for spiking neural networks (SNN) and suggests new methods for learning and identifying diagnostic biomarkers using three prominent deep learning neural network models: deep BiLSTM, reservoir SNN, and NeuCube. EEG data from datasets related to epilepsy, migraine, and healthy subjects are employed. Results reveal that BiLSTM hidden neurons capture biological significance, while reservoir SNN activities and NeuCube spiking dynamics identify EEG channels as diagnostic biomarkers. BiLSTM and reservoir SNN achieve 90 and 85% classification accuracy, while NeuCube achieves 97%, all methods pinpointing potential biomarkers like T6, F7, C4, and F8. The research bears implications for refining online EEG classification, analysis, and early brain state diagnosis, enhancing AI models with interpretability and discovery. The proposed techniques hold promise for streamlined brain-computer interfaces and clinical applications, representing a significant advancement in pattern discovery across the three most popular neural network methods for addressing a crucial problem. Further research is planned to study how early can these diagnostic biomarkers predict an onset of brain states.

Aquatic photosynthetic carbon pump driven by periodic temperature variations affects dissolved inorganic carbon and hydrochemical characteristics in a groundwater-fed reservoir.

Under the influence of periodic temperature variations, biogeochemical cycling in water bodies is markedly affected by the periodic thermal stratification processes in subtropical reservoirs or lakes. In current studies, there is insufficient research on the influence and mechanism of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) distribution in karst carbon-rich groundwater-fed reservoirs under the coupled effects of thermal structure stratification and the biological carbon pump (BCP) effect. To address this issue, the Dalongdong (DLD) reservoir in the subtropical region of southern China was chosen as the site for long-term monitoring and research on relevant physicochemical parameters of water, DIC, and its stable carbon isotope (δ13CDIC), CO2 emission flux, as well as the reservoir's thermal stratification index. The results show that: (1) the DLD reservoir is a typical warm monomictic reservoir, which exhibits regular variations of mixing period-stratification period-mixing period on a yearly scale due to thermal structure changes; (2) DIC was consumed by aquatic photosynthetic organisms in the epilimnion during the stratification period, leading to a decrease in DIC concentration, partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and CO2 emission flux, and an increase in stable carbon isotope (δ13CDIC). During the mixing period, the trend was reversed; (3) During the thermal stratification, aquatic photosynthesis and water temperature were the primary factors controlling DIC variations in both the epilimnion and thermocline. Regarding the hypolimnion, calcite dissolution, organic matter decomposition, and water temperature were the dominant controlling factors. These results indicate that although carbon-rich karst groundwater provides a plentiful supply of DIC in the DLD reservoir, its availability is still influenced by variations in the reservoir's thermal structure and the metabolic processes of aquatic photosynthetic organisms. Therefore, to better estimate the regional carbon budget in a reservoir or lake, future studies should especially consider the combined effects of BCP and thermal structure variations on carbon variations.

Micro-heterogeneity of transmission shapes submicroscopic malaria carriage in coastal Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic carriage of malaria parasites persists even as malaria transmission declines. Low density infections are often submicroscopic, not detected by rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) or microscopy, but detectable by PCR. METHODS: To characterize submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum carriage in an area of declining malaria transmission, asymptomatic persons >5 years of age in rural Bagamoyo District, Tanzania, were screened using RDT, microscopy, and PCR. We investigated the size of the submicroscopic reservoir of infection across villages, determined factors associated with submicroscopic carriage, and assessed the natural history of submicroscopic malaria over four weeks. RESULTS: Among 6,076 participants, P. falciparum prevalence by RDT, microscopy, and PCR was 9%, 9%, and 28%, respectively, with roughly two-thirds of PCR-positive individuals harboring submicroscopic infection. Adult status, female gender, dry season months, screened windows, and bednet use were associated with submicroscopic carriage. Among 15 villages encompassing 80% of participants, the proportion of submicroscopic carriers increased with decreasing village-level malaria prevalence. Over four weeks, 23% (61/266) of submicroscopic carriers became RDT-positive, with half exhibiting symptoms, while half (133/266) were no longer parasitemic at the end of four weeks. Progression to RDT-positive patent malaria occurred more frequently in villages with higher malaria prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: Micro-heterogeneity in transmission observed at the village level appears to impact both the size of the submicroscopic reservoir and the likelihood of submicroscopic carriers developing patent malaria in coastal Tanzania.

Patients with Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis and Hydrocephalus-Feasibility of Combined Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt and Reservoir Insertion for Intrathecal Chemotherapy.

Therapeutic management of patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) may require treatment of concomitant hydrocephalus (HC) in addition to intrathecal chemotherapy (ITC). Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) equipped with a valve for manual deactivation of shunt function and a concomitant reservoir for application of ITC pose an elegant solution to both problems. The present study evaluates indication, feasibility, and safety of such a modified shunt/reservoir design (mS/R). All patients with LC aged ≥ 18 years who had undergone mS/R implantation between 2013 and 2020 at the authors' institution were further analyzed. ITC was indicated following the recommendation of the neuro-oncological tumor board and performed according to a standardized protocol. Sixteen patients with LC underwent mS/R implantation for subsequent ITC and concomitant treatment of HC. Regarding HC-related clinical symptoms, 69% of patients preoperatively exhibited lethargy, 38% cognitive impairment, and 38% (additional) visual disturbances. Postoperatively, 86% of patients achieved subjective improvement of HC-related symptoms. Overall, postoperative complications occurred in three patients (19%). No patient encountered cancer treatment-related complications. The present study describes a combination procedure consisting of a standard VPS-system and a standard reservoir for patients suffering from LC and HC. No cancer treatment-related complications occurred, indicating straightforward handling and thus safety.

Long-acting transdermal drug delivery formulations: Current developments and innovative pharmaceutical approaches.

Transdermal administration remains an active research and development area as an alternative route for long-acting drug delivery. It avoids major drawbacks of conventional oral (gastrointestinal side effects, low drug bioavailability, and need for multiple dosing) or parenteral routes (invasiveness, pain, and psychological stress and bio-hazardous waste generated from needles), thereby increasing patient appeal and compliance. This review focuses on the current state of long-acting transdermal drug delivery, including adhesive patches, microneedles, and molecularly imprinted polymeric systems. Each subsection describes an approach including key considerations in formulation development, design, and process parameters with schematics. An overview of commercially available conventional (adhesive) patches for long-acting drug delivery (longer than 24 h), the reservoir- and matrix-type systems under preclinical evaluation, as well as the advanced transdermal formulations, such as the core-shell, nanoformulations-incorporated and stimuli-responsive microneedles, and 3D-printed and molecularly imprinted polymers that are in development, is also provided. Finally, we elaborated on translational aspects, challenges in patch formulation development, and future directions for the clinical advancement of new long-acting transdermal products.

Wildlife-Livestock Host Community Maintains Simultaneous Epidemiologic Cycles of Mycoplasma conjunctivae in a Mountain Ecosystem.

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is an eye disease caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae that affects domestic and wild caprines, including Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica), a medium-sized mountain ungulate. However, its role in IKC dynamics in multi-host communities has been poorly studied. This study assessed M. conjunctivae in Iberian ibex and seasonally sympatric domestic small ruminants in the Natural Space of Sierra Nevada (NSSN), a mountain habitat in southern Spain. From 2015 to 2017, eye swabs were collected from 147 ibexes (46 subadults, 101 adults) and 169 adult domestic small ruminants (101 sheep, 68 goats). Mycoplasma conjunctivae was investigated through real-time qPCR and statistically assessed according to species, sex, age category, year, period, and area. The lppS gene of M. conjunctivae was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Mycoplasma conjunctivae was endemic and asymptomatic in the host community of the NSSN. Three genetic clusters were shared by ibex and livestock, and one was identified only in sheep, although each host species could maintain the infection independently. Naïve subadults maintained endemic infection in Iberian ibex, with an epizootic outbreak in 2017 when the infection spread to adults. Wild ungulates are epidemiologically key in maintaining and spreading IKC and other shared diseases among spatially segregated livestock flocks.

Thymol, a Monoterpenoid within Polymeric Iodophor Formulations and Their Antimicrobial Activities.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an emanating threat to humanity's future. The effectiveness of commonly used antibiotics against microbial infections is declining at an alarming rate. As a result, morbidity and mortality rates are soaring, particularly among immunocompromised populations. Exploring alternative solutions, such as medicinal plants and iodine, shows promise in combating resistant pathogens. Such antimicrobials could effectively inhibit microbial proliferation through synergistic combinations. In our study, we prepared a formulation consisting of Aloe barbadensis Miller (AV), Thymol, iodine (I2), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Various analytical methods including SEM/EDS, UV-vis, Raman, FTIR, and XRD were carried out to verify the purity, composition, and morphology of AV-PVP-Thymol-I2. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of this formulation against 10 selected reference strains using impregnated sterile discs, surgical sutures, gauze bandages, surgical face masks, and KN95 masks. The antimicrobial properties of AV-PVP-Thymol-I2 were assessed through disc diffusion methods against 10 reference strains in comparison with two common antibiotics. The 25-month-old formulation exhibited slightly lower inhibitory zones, indicating changes in the sustained-iodine-release reservoir. Our findings confirm AV-PVP-Thymol-I2 as a potent antifungal and antibacterial agent against the reference strains, demonstrating particularly strong inhibitory action on surgical sutures, cotton bandages, and face masks. These results enable the potential use of the formulation AV-PVP-Thymol-I2 as a promising antimicrobial agent against wound infections and as a spray-on contact-killing agent.

Absence of JC polyomavirus in stool samples of patients with multiple sclerosis despite high anti-JCV antibodies in serum.

BACKGROUND: Natalizumab is an effective treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). During therapy, individuals are at increased risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). So far, the relevant reservoir for PML-type JC polyomavirus (JCV) remains elusive. We here tested if the detection of JCV-DNA in stool of persons with MS treated with natalizumab could be a future tool for PML risk assessment. METHODS: The presence of JCV-DNA in stool, urine, and whole blood of MS patients treated with natalizumab and known serum anti-JCV antibodies index values (IV) was studied. Different DNA extraction methods, real-time (RT) and droplet digital (dd) PCR techniques were compared. JCV isolates were screened for PML-associated variants by sequencing. RESULTS: Thirty MS patients treated with natalizumab were screened. For 21 patients, blood, stool, and urine samples were available. These patients were stratified according to their serum anti-JCV antibody IV (high (>1.5, n = 12); medium (1.5-0.9, n = 2); low (<0.9, n = 1); negative (n = 6)). JCV-DNA could not be detected in the whole blood or stool samples. Four urine samples had measurable JCV-DNA, ranging from 1.71×104-1.07×108 international units (IU)/mL detected by RT-PCR, corresponding to 4.62×104-9.85×106 copies/mL measured by ddPCR. All JCV variants were wild-type and derived from patients with high antibody IV. CONCLUSION: Stool-specific DNA extraction methods provided the highest quality of DNA, while the sensitivity of ddPCR and RT- PCR was comparable. Our findings do not support assessing stool samples for PML risk stratification in persons with MS. Further studies are needed to explore where PML-associated viral variants arise.

Seasonality regulates the distinct assembly patterns of microeukaryotic plankton communities in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China.

The hydrographic and environmental factors along the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) have been significantly altered since the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) began working in 2006. Here, we collected 54 water samples, and then measured the environmental factors, followed by sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene and subsequent analysis of community assembly mechanisms. The findings indicated that the majority of environmental variables (such as AN, TP, Chl-a, CODMn, and Cu) exhibited both temporal and spatial variations due to the influences of the TGD. The distribution of different environmental factors and microeukaryotic plankton communities is influenced by the changing seasons. The community structure in TGR showed variations across three seasons, possibly due to variations in their environmental preferences, inherent dissimilarities, and seasonal succession. Furthermore, different communities exhibited a comparable distance-decay trend, suggesting that distinct taxa are likely to exhibit a similar spatial distribution. In addition, the community formation in TGR was influenced by both deterministic and stochastic factors, with the balance between them being mainly controlled by the season. Specifically, deterministic processes could explain 33.9-51.1% of community variations, while stochastic processes could contribute 23.5-32.2%. The findings of this research demonstrated that the varying ecological processes' significance relied on environmental gradients, geographical scale, and ecological conditions. This could offer a fresh outlook on comprehending the composition, assembly mechanisms, and distribution patterns of microeukaryotic plankton in reservoir ecosystems.