OBJECTIVES: While the reported incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections is increasing, the true prevalence remains uncertain due to limitations in diagnostics and surveillance. The emergence of rare and novel species underscores the need for characterization to improve surveillance, detection, and management. METHODS: We performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and/or targeted deep-sequencing using the Deeplex Myc-TB assay on all NTM isolates collected in Slovakia and the Czech Republic between the years 2019 to 2023 that were unidentifiable at the species level by the routine diagnostic line probe assays (LPA) GenoType CM/AS and NTM-DR. Minimal inhibitory concentrations against amikacin, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, clarithromycin, and linezolid were determined, and clinical data were collected. RESULTS: Twenty-eight cultures from different patients were included, of which 9 (32.1%) met the clinically relevant NTM disease criteria. The majority of those had pulmonary involvement, while two children presented with lymphadenitis. Antimycobacterial resistance rates were low. In total, 15 different NTM species were identified, predominantly rare NTM like M. neoaurum, M. kumamotonense and M. arupense. Notably, clinically relevant M. chimaera variants were also identified with WGS and Deeplex-Myc TB, which, unlike other M. chimaera strains, appeared to be undetectable by LPA assays. Deeplex detected four mixed infections that were missed by WGS analysis. In contrast, WGS identified two novel species, M. celatum and M. branderi, which were not detected by Deeplex-Myc TB. Importantly, one of these novel species strains was associated with clinically relevant pulmonary disease. DISCUSSION: Our study demonstrates the clinical relevance of uncommon NTM and the effectiveness of targeted deep-sequencing combined with WGS in identifying rare and novel NTM species.
- Klíčová slova
- Diagnostics, Non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Novel species, Targeted next-generation sequencing, Whole-genome sequencing,
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky * farmakologie MeSH
- atypické mykobakteriální infekce * mikrobiologie diagnóza MeSH
- bakteriální léková rezistence MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- genotyp MeSH
- klinická relevance MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mikrobiální testy citlivosti * MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- netuberkulózní mykobakterie * účinky léků genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- sekvenování celého genomu * MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- vysoce účinné nukleotidové sekvenování MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Slovenská republika epidemiologie MeSH
- Názvy látek
- antibakteriální látky * MeSH
Thermal modification is an environmentally friendly process that does not utilize chemical agents to enhance the stability and durability of wood. The use of thermally modified wood results in a significantly extended lifespan compared with untreated wood, with minimal maintenance requirements, thereby reducing the carbon footprint. This study examines the impact of varying modification temperatures (160, 180, and 210 °C) on the lignin of spruce wood using the ThermoWood process and following the accelerated aging of thermally modified wood. Wet chemistry methods, including nitrobenzene oxidation (NBO), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermogravimetry (DTG), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), were employed to investigate the alterations in lignin. At lower modification temperatures, the predominant reaction is the degradation of lignin, which results in a reduction in the molecular weight and an enhanced yield of NBO (vanillin and vanillic acid) products. At elevated temperatures, condensation and repolymerization reactions become the dominant processes, increasing these traits. The lignin content of aged wood is higher than that of thermally modified wood, which has a lower molecular weight and a lower decomposition temperature. The results demonstrate that lignin isolated from thermally modified wood at the end of its life cycle is a promising feedstock for carbon-based materials and the production of a variety of aromatic monomers, including phenols, aromatic aldehydes and acids, and benzene derivatives.
- Klíčová slova
- infrared spectroscopy, life cycle, lignin, nitrobenzene oxidation, size exclusion chromatography, spruce wood, thermal treatment, thermogravimetry, vanillin,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Several commercially available triorganotin compounds were previously found to function as agonist ligands for nuclear retinoid X receptor (RXR) molecules. Triphenyltin isoselenocyanate (TPT-NCSe), a novel selenium atom containing a derivative of triorganotin origin, was found to represent a new cognate bioactive ligand for RXRs. TPT-NCSe displayed a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in the cell viability in both human breast carcinoma MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive) and MDA‑MB‑231 (triple negative) cell lines. Reactive oxygen species levels generated in response to TPT-NCSe were significantly higher in both carcinoma cell lines treated with TPT-NCSe when compared to mock-treated samples. Treatment with 500 nM TPT-NCSe caused a decrease in SOD1 and increased SOD2 mRNA in MCF-7 cells. The levels of SOD2 mRNA were more increased following the treatment with TPT-NCSe along with 1 μM all-trans retinoic acid (AtRA) in MCF-7 cells. An increased superoxide dismutase SOD1 and SOD2 mRNA levels were also detected in combination treatment of 500 nM TPT-NCSe and 1 μM AtRA in TPT-NCSe-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The data have also shown that TPT-NCSe induces apoptosis via a caspase cascade triggered by the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. TPT-NCSe modulates the expression levels of apoptosis‑related proteins, Annexin A5, Bcl‑2 and BAX family proteins, and finally, it enhances the expression levels of its cognate nuclear receptor subtypes RXRalpha and RXRbeta.
- Klíčová slova
- Apoptosis, Breast cancer, Retinoid X receptor, Triorganotin isoselenocyanates,
- MeSH
- apoptóza účinky léků MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ligandy MeSH
- MFC-7 buňky MeSH
- nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
- nádory prsu * farmakoterapie metabolismus patologie MeSH
- organocínové sloučeniny * farmakologie MeSH
- organoselenové sloučeniny farmakologie chemie MeSH
- proliferace buněk účinky léků MeSH
- reaktivní formy kyslíku metabolismus MeSH
- retinoidní X receptory metabolismus MeSH
- superoxid dismutáza 1 metabolismus genetika MeSH
- superoxiddismutasa metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- ligandy MeSH
- organocínové sloučeniny * MeSH
- organoselenové sloučeniny MeSH
- reaktivní formy kyslíku MeSH
- retinoidní X receptory MeSH
- SOD1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
- superoxid dismutáza 1 MeSH
- superoxiddismutasa MeSH
- superoxide dismutase 2 MeSH Prohlížeč
- triphenyltin MeSH Prohlížeč
The ERG6 gene is crucial for the biosynthesis of ergosterol, a key component of yeast cell membranes. Our study examines the impact of ERG6 gene deletion on the membrane composition and physicochemical properties of the pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata. Specifically, we investigated changes in selected sterol content, phospholipid composition, transmembrane potential, and PDR16 gene activity. Sterol levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography, the phospholipid profile was analysed via thin-layer chromatography, transmembrane potential was assessed with fluorescence spectroscopy, and gene expression levels were determined by quantitative PCR. Our findings revealed a depletion of ergosterol, increased zymosterol and eburicol content, an increased phosphatidylcholine and a reduced phosphatidylethanolamine content in the Δerg6 strain compared to the wt. Additionally, the Δerg6 strain exhibited membrane hyperpolarization without changes in PDR16 expression. Furthermore, the Δerg6 strain showed increased sensitivity to the antifungals myriocin and aureobasidine A. These results suggest that ERG6 gene deletion leads to significant alterations in membrane composition and may activates an alternative ergosterol synthesis pathway in the C. glabrata Δerg6 deletion mutant.
- Klíčová slova
- Candida glabrata, ERG6, Eburicol, Ergosterol, Phospholipids, Transmembrane potential,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
With the rising demand for electricity storage devices, the performance requirements for such equipment have become increasingly stringent. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are poised to be among the next generation of energy storage systems. However, before they can be commercially viable, several challenges must be addressed, including low sulfur conductivity and the shuttle effect. Herein, polypyrrole based sulfur composite was prepared by simple method in hydrothermal teflon lined autoclave for Li-S battery. The S/SP/ppy/PVDF electrode exhibited the initial discharge capacity of 662 mAh g- 1 at 0.5 C and 637 mAh g- 1 after 100 cycles. The Coulombic efficiency was 96% all along charge/discharge cycling. Moreover, Li-S coin cells were assembled and tested to demonstrate the potential application and scale-up of the polypyrrole-sulfur composite.
- Klíčová slova
- Cathode materials, Energy storage, Lithium-sulfur batteries, Polypyrrole,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem status can benefit from DNA metabarcoding as a means to streamline sample processing and specimen identification. Moreover, processing the fixation medium instead of the precious material introduces straightforward protocols that allow subsequent focus on certain organisms detected among the preserved specimens. In this study, we present a proof of concept via the analysis of freshwater invertebrate samples from the Tatra Mountain lakes (Slovakia). Besides highlighting a match between the lake-specific environmental conditions and the results of our fixative DNA metabarcoding, we observed an option to fine-tune the fixation time: to prefer two weeks over a day or a month. This effect emerged from the presence/absence of individual taxa rather than from coarse per-sample records of taxonomic richness, demonstrating that metabarcoding studies-and efforts to optimize their protocols-can use the robust metrics to explore even subtle trends. We also provide evidence that fixative DNA might better capture large freshwater species than terrestrial or meiofauna.
- MeSH
- bezobratlí genetika klasifikace MeSH
- biodiverzita * MeSH
- DNA genetika izolace a purifikace analýza MeSH
- ekosystém MeSH
- jezera * MeSH
- taxonomické DNA čárové kódování * metody MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- DNA MeSH
In this study, we explore the mechanical treatment of two metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), HKUST-1 and MOF-76, applying various milling methods to assess their impact on stability, porosity, and CO2 adsorption capacity. The effects of different mechanical grinding techniques, such as high-energy ball milling and hand grinding, on these MOFs were compared. The impact of milling time, milling speed and ball size during high-energy ball milling was assessed via the Design of Experiments methodology, namely using a 33 Taguchi orthogonal array. The results highlight a marked improvement in CO2 adsorption capacity for HKUST-1 through hand milling, increasing from an initial 25.70 wt.% (5.84 mmol g-1) to 41.37 wt.% (9.40 mmol g-1), marking a significant 38% increase. In contrast, high-energy ball milling seems to worsen this property, diminishing the CO2 adsorption abilities of the materials. Notably, MOF-76 shows resistance to hand grinding, closely resembling the original sample's performance. Hand grinding also proved to be well reproducible. These findings clarify the complex effects of mechanical milling on MOF materials, emphasising the necessity of choosing the proper processing techniques to enhance their stability, texture, and performance in CO2 capture and storage applications.
- Klíčová slova
- Carbon dioxide storage, HKUST-1/MOF-76, Mechanical activation, Metal–organic frameworks, Nitrogen adsorption, Particle size,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The study presents a series of examples of magnetic nanoparticle systems designed for the diagnosis of viral diseases. In this interdisciplinary work, we describe one of the most comprehensive synthetic approaches for the preparation and functionalization of smart nanoparticle systems for rapid and effective RT-PCR diagnostics and isolation of viral RNA. Twelve different organic ligands and inorganic porous silica were used for surface functionalization of the Fe3O4 magnetic core to increase the number of active centres for efficient RNA binding from human swab samples. Different nanoparticle systems with common beads were characterized by HRTEM, SEM, FT-IR, XRD, XPS and magnetic measurements. We demonstrate the application of the fundamental models modified to fit the experimental zero-field cooling magnetization data. We discuss the influence of the nanoparticle shell parameters (morphology, thickness, ligands) on the overall magnetic performance of the systems. The prepared nanoparticles were tested for the isolation of viral RNA from tissue samples infected with hepatitis E virus-HEV and from biofluid samples of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. The efficiency of RNA isolation was quantified by RT-qPCR method.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * diagnóza virologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- magnetické nanočástice * chemie MeSH
- molekulární patologie metody MeSH
- oxid křemičitý * chemie MeSH
- povrchové vlastnosti MeSH
- RNA virová * genetika izolace a purifikace MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * izolace a purifikace genetika MeSH
- virové nemoci diagnóza virologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Názvy látek
- magnetické nanočástice * MeSH
- oxid křemičitý * MeSH
- RNA virová * MeSH
The introduced work represents an implementation of the automatic benchtop electrochemical station (BES) as an effective tool for the possibilities of high-throughput preparation of modified sensor/biosensors, speeding up the development of the analytical method, and automation of the analytical procedure for the determination of paracetamol (PAR) and dopamine (DOP) as target analytes. Within the preparation of gold nanoparticles modified screen-printed carbon electrode (AuNPs-SPCE) by electrodeposition, the deposition potential EDEP, the deposition time tDEP, and the concentration of HAuCl4 were optimized and their influence was monitored on 1 mM [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ redox probe and 50 μM DOP. The morphology of the AuNPs-SPCE prepared at various modification conditions was observed by SEM. The analytical performance of the AuNPs-SPCE prepared at different modification conditions was evaluated by a construction of the calibration curves of DOP and PAR. SPCE and AuNPs-SPCE at modification condition providing the best sensitivity to PAR and DOP, were successfully used to determine PAR and DOP in tap water by "spike-recovery" approach. The BES yields better reproducibility of the preparation of AuNPs-SPCE (RSD = 3.0%) in comparison with the case when AuNPs-SPCE was prepared manually by highly skilled laboratory operator (RSD = 7.0%).
- Klíčová slova
- Acetaminophen, Differential pulse voltammetry, Electrodeposition, Electroplating, Screen-printed electrode, Sensor array,
- MeSH
- biosenzitivní techniky metody MeSH
- dopamin * analýza MeSH
- elektrochemické techniky * metody přístrojové vybavení MeSH
- elektrody MeSH
- kovové nanočástice * chemie MeSH
- limita detekce MeSH
- paracetamol * analýza MeSH
- uhlík chemie MeSH
- zlato * chemie MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Názvy látek
- dopamin * MeSH
- paracetamol * MeSH
- uhlík MeSH
- zlato * MeSH
BACKGROUND: Intestinal parasitic infections remain a significant global health issue, particularly affecting poor and marginalised populations. These infections significantly contribute to children's diseases, malnutrition, poor school performance, cognitive disorders, and future economic losses. This study aimed to explore and compare the occurrence of intestinal parasites in early childhood among the group of infants from the Slovak majority population and from marginalised Roma communities (MRCs). Furthermore, it aimed to explore the health complaints of children with and without intestinal parasitic infection in the past month and assess the effect of various risk factors on the occurrence of intestinal parasitic infection in infants from MRCs. METHODS: We obtained cross-sectional data from mothers and stool samples of their children aged 13-21 months using the first wave of the longitudinal RomaREACH study. A total of 181 stools from infants were analysed: 105 infants from the Slovak majority population and 76 from MRCs. RESULTS: Infants from MRCs are significantly more often infected by Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Giardia duodenalis than their better-off peers from the majority population. Infection rates are 30% in infants from MRCs vs. 0% in the majority population (p < 0.001). Single and mixed infections were observed in children from MRCs. Infants with intestinal parasitic infections suffer significantly more often from various health complaints, particularly cough, stomach ache, irritability, and diarrhoea. Within MRCs, the risk of parasitic infections in infants is significantly increased by risk factors such as the absence of flushing toilets in households (OR = 4.17, p < 0.05) and contact with un-dewormed animals (OR = 3.61, p < 0.05). Together with the absence of running water in the household, these three factors combined increase the risk more than ten times (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Maintaining hygienic standards in conditions of socioeconomic deprivation in MRCs without running water and sewage in the presence of un-dewormed animals is problematic. These living conditions contribute to the higher prevalence of parasitic infections in children from MRCs, causing various health complaints and thus threatening their health and healthy development.
- Klíčová slova
- Early childhood, Health complaints, Hygienic standards, Marginalised Roma communities, Parasitic infections, Risk factors, Un-dewormed animals,
- MeSH
- feces * parazitologie MeSH
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- parazitární nemoci střev * epidemiologie MeSH
- prevalence MeSH
- průřezové studie MeSH
- rizikové faktory MeSH
- Romové * statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- kojenec MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Slovenská republika epidemiologie MeSH
