Article
Microbiology
Rachel F. Rollo, Giorgia Mori, Timothy A. Hill, Doris Hillemann, Stefan Niemann, Susanne Homolka, David P. Fairlie, Antje Blumenthal
Summary: Shorter and more effective treatment regimens as well as new drugs are urgently needed to reduce the global burden of tuberculosis (TB). This study discovered a new compound called wollamide B1, which has antimycobacterial activity and can synergize with existing TB antibiotics, enhancing their effectiveness. Wollamide B1 also remains effective against drug-resistant TB strains.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Yolanda M. Jacobo-Delgado, Adrian Rodriguez-Carlos, Carmen J. Serrano, Bruno Rivas-Santiago
Summary: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major infectious agent causing millions of deaths each year, and its drug resistance has become a significant issue. Antimicrobial peptides have shown effectiveness against multidrug-resistant bacteria, but their efficiency against Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains uncertain due to the complexity of its cell wall.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Hui Xia, Yang Zheng, Dongxin Liu, Shengfen Wang, WenCong He, Bing Zhao, Yuanyuan Song, Xichao Ou, Yang Zhou, Susan van den Hof, Frank Cobelens, YanLin Zhao
Summary: The study revealed an increase in moxifloxacin resistance among MDR-TB patients in China from 2007 to 2013, suggesting cautious use of the drug in MDR/RR-TB regimens. Laboratory confirmation of susceptibility to moxifloxacin is crucial, given the rise in resistance levels.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shagufta Parveen, Taniya Sur, Soumee Sarkar, Rupak Roy
Summary: Tuberculosis (TB) has been identified as a major cause of global deaths from a single-point infectious agent, mainly due to multi-drug resistance. As a result, there is significant research interest in developing alternative treatment methodologies. The application of nanoparticles has been found to have substantial potential as a delivery medium and bactericidal agent. This study evaluated the efficacy of selenium nanoparticles in inhibiting the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the results showed that the synthesized selenium nanoparticles disrupted the integrity of the cell envelope and effectively inhibited its growth. This study proposes a novel approach and opens new avenues in nanoparticle-induced cell disruption strategies.
APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Vien Q. T. Ho, Theo Verboom, Mark K. Rong, Eva Habjan, Wilbert Bitter, Alexander Speer
Summary: Screening for antituberculosis compounds using Mycobacterium tuberculosis is costly and time-consuming due to the requirement of biosafety level 3 facilities. Mycobacterium marinum, a close genetic relative, shows promise as a model for drug screening, with genetic differences in drug susceptibility compared to M. tuberculosis. By overexpressing drug activators EthA and KatG, M. marinum strains demonstrated increased susceptibility to key antituberculosis drugs and potential novel compounds from the TB Alliance library, making them valuable tools for drug discovery.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Alice Kizny Gordon, Ben Marais, Timothy M. Walker, Vitali Sintchenko
Summary: Tuberculosis remains a significant public health issue globally, particularly in low-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on TB control, while whole genome sequencing technology holds important value in the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sukamto S. Mamada, Firzan Nainu, Ayu Masyita, Andri Frediansyah, Rifka Nurul Utami, Mirnawati Salampe, Talha Bin Emran, Clara Mariana Goncalves Lima, Hitesh Chopra, Jesus Simal-Gandara
Summary: This article introduces marine-derived macrolides with promising activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, suggests expanding research to in vivo and clinical trials, and explores the potential of in silico studies for screening effective marine macrolides against mycobacterial infections.
Article
Microbiology
Jessica Comin, Jesus Vinuelas, Carmen Lafoz, Alberto Cebollada, Daniel Ibarz, Maria-Jose Iglesias, Sofia Samper
Summary: In this study, the AmpliSeq method was used to directly identify lineage and drug resistance from clinical samples. The results showed that the lineage was identified in 100% of culture-derived samples, 95% of smear-positive samples, and 42.1% of smear-negative samples. The drug-resistance profile was accurately identified in most samples, with a few discrepancies.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Samuel Kobina Ekuban Acquah, Prince Asare, Stephen Osei-Wusu, Portia Morgan, Theophilus Afum, Diana Asema Asandem, Emelia Konadu Danso, Isaac Darko Otchere, Linda Aurelia Ofori, Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Richard Kock, Adwoa Asante-Poku, Dorothy Yeboah-Manu
Summary: A cross-sectional study in Northern Ghana revealed the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex sub/lineages and their susceptibility to isoniazid and rifampicin. The Ghana sub-lineage of L4 was found to be associated with both INH and MDR, indicating their importance as TB pathogens in the region. Resistant strains to INH and RIF were also identified among the patients studied.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Margaretha de Vos, Lesley Scott, Anura David, Andre Trollip, Harald Hoffmann, Sophia Georghiou, Sergio Carmona, Morten Ruhwald, Wendy Stevens, Claudia M. Denkinger, Samuel G. Schumacher
Summary: This study compared four automated assays for the detection of TB and MDR-TB and found that assays targeting multicopy genes or targets (Abbott, BD, and Roche) showed increased analytical sensitivity compared to Xpert. All assays demonstrated accuracy comparable to that of Genotype MTBDRplus for rifampicin and isoniazid resistance detection.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Peter van Heusden, Ziphozakhe Mashologu, Thoba Lose, Robin Warren, Alan Christoffels
Summary: The COMBAT-TB Workbench is an easy-to-install and modular open-source application that provides a practical environment for managing and analyzing Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data, making WGS usable in lower- and middle-income countries.
Article
Microbiology
Peter van Heusden, Ziphozakhe Mashologu, Thoba Lose, Robin Warren, Alan Christoffels
Summary: The COMBAT-TB Workbench provides an open-source, modular, easy-to-deploy, and easy-to-use environment for managing and analyzing M. tuberculosis WGS data, making WGS usable in practice in low- and middle-income countries where access to bioinformaticians and system support engineers is limited.
Article
Microbiology
Matthew Silcocks, Xuling Chang, Nguyen Thuy Thuong Thuong, Youwen Qin, Dang Thi Minh Ha, Phan Vuong Khac Thai, Srinivasan Vijay, Do Dang Anh Thu, Vu Thi Ngoc Ha, Hoang Ngoc Nhung, Nguyen Huu Lan, Nguyen Thi Quynh Nhu, David Edwards, Artika Nath, Kym Pham, Nguyen Duc Bang, Tran Thi Hong Chau, Guy Thwaites, A. Dorothee Heemskerk, Chiea Chuen Khor, Yik Ying Teo, Michael Inouye, Rick Twee-Hee Ong, Maxine Caws, Kathryn E. Holt, Sarah J. Dunstan
Summary: In this study, the prevalence and evolutionary dynamics of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam were investigated. The accuracy of predicting drug resistance from sequencing data was assessed. The findings shed light on the transmission and evolution of drug resistance, as well as the need for rapid assays for drug resistance detection.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Carolina Vazquez, Maria Nelly Gutierrez-Acevedo, Sabrina Barbero, Lorena del Carmen Notari, Marina Agozino, Jose Luis Fernandez, Maria Margarita Anders, Nadia Lorena Grigera, Florencia Antinucci, Orlando Nicolas Federico Orozco-Ganem, Maria Dolores Murga, Maria Daniela Perez, Ana Gracia Palazzo, Liria Martinez Rejtman, Ivonne Giselle Duarte, Julio Daniel Vorobioff, Victoria Trevizan, Sofia Bulaty, Fernando Bessone, Marcelo Valverde, Martin Elizondo, Silvia Mabel Borzi, Teodoro Eduardo Stieben, Adriano Carlos Masola, Sebastian Eduardo Ferretti, Diego Arufe, Ezequiel Demirdjian, Maria Pia Raffa, Mirta Peralta, Hugo Alberto Fainboim, Cintia Elizabet Vazquez, Pablo Marcelo Ruiz, Jose Emanuel Martinez, Leandro Alfredo Heffner, Andrea Odzak, Melisa Dirchwolf, Astrid Smud, Manuel Mendizabal, Pablo Anibal Calzetta, Ana Martinez, Jesica Tomatis, Andres Bruno, Agnel Ramos, Josefina Pages, Silvina Tevez, Adrian Carlos Gadano, Diego Hernan Giunta, Sebastian Marciano
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact and microbiological characteristics of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis, in order to provide a platform to revise current practices. The results showed a high short-term mortality rate in cirrhotic patients with bacterial infections, with a majority of the infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms, particularly in urinary tract infections. The information provided may help adapt recommendations for empirical antibiotic treatment in Argentina and Uruguay.
ANNALS OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Igor Mokrousov, Tatiana Vinogradova, Marine Dogonadze, Natalia Zabolotnykh, Anna Vyazovaya, Maria Vitovskaya, Natalia Solovieva, Boris Ariel
Summary: This study investigated the virulence and lethality of Latin-American Mediterranean (LAM) family strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a murine model. In addition, whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were performed to understand the relationship between virulence, drug resistance, and transmission. The findings suggest that strain virulence plays a significant role in tuberculosis transmission, and personalized treatment should consider both resistance and virulence of the infecting strains.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Francesca Conradie, Andreas H. Diacon, Nosipho Ngubane, Pauline Howell, Daniel Everitt, Angela M. Crook, Carl M. Mendel, Erica Egizi, Joanna Moreira, Juliano Timm, Timothy D. McHugh, Genevieve H. Wills, Anna Bateson, Robert Hunt, Christo Van Niekerk, Mengchun Li, Morounfolu Olugbosi, Melvin Spigelman
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Medical Informatics
Greg Ball, Raffael Kurek, Barbara A. Hendrickson, James Buchanan, William W. Wang, Susan P. Duke, Amit Bhattacharyya, Mengchun Li, Dennis O'Brien, Judith Weigel, Wenquan Wang, Qi Jiang, Faiz Ahmad, Jonathan H. Seltzer, Esteban Herrero-Martinez, Lothar Tremmel
THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION & REGULATORY SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Conor D. Tweed, Rodney Dawson, Divan A. Burger, Almari Conradie, Angela M. Crook, Carl M. Mendel, Francesca Conradie, Andreas H. Diacon, Nyanda E. Ntinginya, Daniel E. Everitt, Frederick Haraka, Mengchun Li, Christo H. Van Niekerk, Alphonse Okwera, Mohammed S. Rassool, Klaus Reither, Modulakgotla A. Sebe, Suzanne Staples, Ebrahim Variava, Melvin Spigelman
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Jerry R. Nedelman, David H. Salinger, Vishak Subramoney, Rob Woolson, Karen Wade, Mengchun Li, Daniel Everitt, Carl M. Mendel, Mel Spigelman
Summary: The study retrospectively evaluated the recommended dose of pretomanid through exposure-response modeling, finding significant relationships between time to sputum culture conversion and certain adverse events within the recommended range of pharmacokinetic exposures.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mengchun Li, George A. Saviolakis, Wael El-Amin, Mamodikoe K. Makhene, Blaire Osborn, Jerry Nedelman, Tian J. Yang, Daniel Everitt
Summary: Tuberculosis remains a serious threat to global public health, requiring new treatment options. Research showed that Pretomanid demonstrated good cardiac safety in healthy volunteers, with no adverse effects when used in combination with other drugs.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY IN DRUG DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Medical Informatics
James Buchanan, Mengchun Li, Xiao Ni, Jeremy Wildfire
Summary: The American Statistical Association Biopharmaceutical Safety Working Group's Interactive Safety Graphics Task Force has developed the next generation of open-source visual analytical tools for safety data by assembling a multidisciplinary team of experts. Using the familiar eDISH graphic as a foundation, they have created an interactive tool and established a unique clinical workflow to guide data analysis. This approach has served as a model for expanding the open-source platform into a suite of other interactive safety analysis tools.
THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION & REGULATORY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xin Yang, Ting Tang, Mengchun Li, Jie Chen, Tingyu Li, Ying Dai, Qian Cheng
Summary: Antibiotic exposure during pregnancy has negative effects on offspring behavior and development, mainly due to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota.
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Dong Cao, Shanshan Ge, Mengchun Li
Summary: This study demonstrated that miR-451a regulates YTHDC1-mediated m6A methylation to activate the AKT/mTOR pathway, stimulating the malignancy of osteosarcoma.
JOURNAL OF BONE ONCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Francesca Conradie, Tatevik R. R. Bagdasaryan, Sergey Borisov, Pauline Howell, Lali Mikiashvili, Nosipho Ngubane, Anastasia Samoilova, Sergey Skornykova, Elena Tudor, Ebrahim Variava, Petr Yablonskiy, Daniel Everitt, Genevieve H. H. Wills, Eugene Sun, Morounfolu Olugbosi, Erica Egizi, Mengchun Li, Alda Holsta, Juliano Timm, Anna Bateson, Angela M. M. Crook, Stella M. M. Fabiane, Robert Hunt, Timothy D. D. McHugh, Conor D. D. Tweed, Salah Foraida, Carl M. M. Mendel, Melvin Spigelman
Summary: The study enrolled 181 participants with 84% to 93% achieving favorable outcomes across all four bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid treatment groups, with the group receiving 600 mg of linezolid daily for 26 weeks reporting fewer adverse events.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Song Guo Xi, Yan Fei Hu, Qing Yang Li, Yu Quan Yuan, Xin Cheng Zhang, Hong Ming Jiang, Mengchun Li, Wei Lin
Summary: The structural properties of divalent metal clusters were thoroughly investigated in this study, revealing that barium atoms tend to substitute magnesium atoms with the increase in magnesium atom number. Furthermore, BaMg9 was found to possess excellent stability within a specific size range.
THEORETICAL CHEMISTRY ACCOUNTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tingting Wang, Mengchun Li, Dongchen Qin, Jiangyi Chen, Hongxia Wu
Summary: Materials with negative Poisson's ratio are attracting more and more attention from research scholars, especially in the field of fuel-efficient vehicles, due to their superior structural and mechanical properties. In this study, a new concave I-shaped honeycomb structure was established by integrating the re-entrant hexagon and the I-shaped beam structure, and its negative Poisson's ratio characteristics and energy absorption properties were investigated. The effect of structural parameters on the energy absorption characteristics was analyzed using a finite element model, and the optimal structure with better crashworthiness was obtained by optimizing the cell sizes.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
James Buchanan, Mengchun Li, Barbara Hendrickson, Parul Bhargava, Satrajit Roychoudhury
Summary: The interpretation of safety data for clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic may be influenced by issues such as reduced participation, data gaps, and changes in adverse event frequencies. This article discusses the clinical and statistical challenges related to safety evaluation and emphasizes the importance of early dialogue among drug development teams.
JOURNAL OF BIOPHARMACEUTICAL STATISTICS
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Ma Shucai, Li Mengchun, Qiao Yu, He Huan, Luo Manling
Summary: Under the background of the continuous increase in the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it is important to provide regular education teachers with knowledge and skills in evidence-based educational interventions for ASD students. By setting up practice-oriented general education courses and providing pre-service teachers with knowledge and skills in evidence-based education interventions, the quality of inclusion education for children with ASD can be improved.
ACTA PSYCHOLOGICA SINICA
(2023)
Review
Medical Informatics
James Buchanan, Mengchun Li
Summary: Safety clinicians have a wealth of resources to perform signal detection, but there are nuances in regulatory approaches and statistical considerations that need to be appreciated. New approaches like FDA Medical Queries emphasize the value of considering medical concepts over individual adverse events. One area that needs further clarity is evaluating the causal relationship between safety signals and the drug of interest. The complexity of this process should be understood to successfully characterize the emerging safety profile of a drug pre-marketing.
THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION & REGULATORY SCIENCE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mengchun Li