The clinical application of IFN-gamma release assays (IGRAs) has recently improved the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection. In a multicenter study of the Tuberculosis Network European ...Trialsgroup (TBNET) we aimed to ascertain in routine clinical practice the accuracy of a novel assay using selected peptides encoded in the mycobacterial genomic region of difference (RD) 1 for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in comparison with tuberculin skin test (TST), QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube (Cellestis Ltd., Carnegie, Australia) and T-SPOT.TB (Oxfordimmunotec, Abingdon, UK).
425 individuals from 6 different European centres were prospectively enrolled. We found that sensitivity of the novel test, TST, QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube and T-SPOT.TB was respectively 73.1%, 85.3%, 78.1%, and 85.2%; specificity was respectively 70.6%, 48.0%, 61.9% and 44.3%; positive likelihood ratios were respectively 2.48, 1.64, 2.05, and 1.53; negative likelihood ratios were respectively 0.38, 0.31, 0.35, 0.33. Sensitivity of TST combined with the novel test, QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube and T-SPOT.TB increased up to 92.4%, 97.7% and 97.1%, respectively. The likelihood ratios of combined negative results of TST with, respectively, the novel test, QuantiFERON-TB GOLD In-Tube and T-SPOT.TB were 0.19, 0.07 and 0.10.
The assay based on RD1 selected peptides has similar accuracy for active tuberculosis compared with TST and commercial IGRAs. Then, independently of the spectrum of antigens used in the assays to elicit mycobacterial specific immune responses, the novel test, IGRAs, and the TST do not allow an accurate identification of active tuberculosis in clinical practice. However, the combined use of the novel assay or commercial IGRAs with TST may allow exclusion of tuberculosis.
IFN-γ release assays (IGRAs) are one of the referral tests for diagnosing tuberculosis infection (TBI). To improve IGRAs accuracy, several markers have been investigated. Patients with ...immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID), taking biological drugs, have a higher risk to progress to TB-disease compared to the general population. In several guidelines, annual TBI screening is recommended for patients undergoing biological therapy. Aim of this study was to investigate, within the QuantiFERON-TB-Plus (QFT-Plus) platform, if beside IFN-γ, alternative biomarkers help to diagnose TBI-IMID patients.
We enrolled 146 subjects: 46 with TB disease, 20 HD, 35 with TBI and 45 with TBI and IMID. Thirteen IMID subjects with a QFT-Plus negative result were diagnosed as TBI based on radiological evidence of TBI. We evaluated the IP-10 level in response to TB1 and TB2 peptides of QFT-Plus assay and we compared these results with the standardized assay based on IFN-γ. Multiplex immune assay was performed on plasma from TB1 and TB2 tubes and results were analyzed by a gradient boosting machine (GBM) as learning technique.
TBI-IMID showed a significant decreased IP-10 level in response to TB1 and TB2 stimulation compared to TBI-NO IMID (
< 0.0001 and
= 0.0002). The TBI-IMID showed a moderate agreement between the IP-10-based assay and QFT-Plus scores. In TBI-IMID, QFT-Plus showed 70% sensitivity for TBI detection whereas the IP-10-based assay reached 61%. Tests combination increased the sensitivity for TBI diagnosis up to 77%. By a GBM, we explored alternative biomarkers for diagnosing TBI in IMID population reaching 89% sensitivity. In particular, the signature based on IL-2, IP-10, and IL-9 detection was associated with TB status (infection/disease). However, by applying the cut-off identified by ROC analysis, comparing TB and TBI with the HD group, within the IMID population, we did not improve the accuracy for TBI-diagnosis. Similarly, this signature did not improve TBI diagnosis in IMID with radiological evidence of TBI but negative QFT-Plus score.
To develop alternative strategies for TBI immune-diagnosis, future studies are needed to evaluate the memory response of TBI defined by radiological tools. These results may help in tuberculosis management of patients taking lifelong immune-suppressive drugs.
A series of Co‐free Li‐rich layered oxides, Li1.24Mn0.62‐xNi0.14FexO2 (x=0, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03) has been synthetized by a self‐combustion reaction. Fe doping affects either lattice structure and ...bonding as shown by the changes in the size of unit cell calculated from diffraction patterns and in the vibrational frequencies observed in Raman spectra. The electrochemical performance has been evaluated in a lithium cell by galvanostatic cycling: Doped samples show better capacity retention and minor decreases in the specific capacity (i. e., Li1.24Mn0.60Ni0.14Fe0.02O2 can supply a specific capacity of 235 mAhg−1 with 94 % of capacity retention after 150 cycles). These positive effects originated by alterations in the point defectivity (Ni3+ concentration, anionic and cationic vacancies), changes in the transport properties, as showed by Cyclic Voltammetry; as well as an improved structural resilience compared to the un‐doped material in postmortem analyses.
Iron Doping: Small amounts of Fe in the cathode structure effectively modifiy the properties of a Co‐free Lithium Rich Layered Oxides (LRLOs). Tuning of the defectivity, vacancies, and interlayer spacing with the addition of Fe leads to an improvement in the electrochemical properties: capacity retention; structural stability and resilience; lithium diffusion coefficient.
Objectives: We aimed to analyse the incidence and severity of breakthrough infections (BIs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after a COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination booster dose. ...Methods: We enrolled 194 RA patients and 1002 healthcare workers (HCWs) as controls. Clinical, lifestyle and demographic factors were collected at the time of the third dose, and immunogenicity analyses were carried out in a subgroup of patients at 4–6 weeks after the third dose. Results: BIs were experienced by 42% patients (82/194) with a median time since the last vaccination of 176 days. Older age (>50 years; aHR 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.74), receiving conventional synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) (aHR 0.52, 95%CI: 0.30–0.90) and having a titre of neutralising antibodies >20 (aHR 0.36, 95% CI: 0.12–1.07) were identified as protective factors. Conversely, anti-IL6R treatment and anti-CD20 therapy increased BI probability. BIs were mostly pauci-symptomatic, but the hospitalisation incidence was significantly higher than in HCWs (8.5% vs. 0.19%); the main risk factor was anti-CD20 therapy. Conclusions: Being older than 50 years and receiving csDMARDs were shown to be protective factors for BI, whereas anti-IL6R or anti-CD20 therapy increased the risk. Higher neutralising antibody titres were associated with a lower probability of BI. If confirmed in a larger population, the identification of a protective cut-off would allow a personalised risk–benefit therapeutic management of RA patients.
In the research of new nanocomposite proton-conducting membranes, SnO2 ceramic powders with surface functionalization have been synthesized and adopted as additives in Nafion-based polymer systems. ...Different synthetic routes have been explored to obtain suitable, nanometer-sized sulphated tin oxide particles. Structural and morphological characteristics, as well as surface and bulk properties of the obtained oxide powders, have been determined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, N2 adsorption, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal investigations, water uptake (WU) measurements, and ionic exchange capacity (IEC) tests have been used as characterization tools for the nanocomposite membranes. The nature of the tin oxide precursor, as well as the synthesis procedure, were found to play an important role in determining the morphology and the particle size distribution of the ceramic powder, this affecting the effective functionalization of the oxides. The incorporation of such particles, having sulphate groups on their surface, altered some peculiar properties of the resulting composite membrane, such as water content, thermo-mechanical, and morphological characteristics.
Platinum scarcity and its high cost have led to the requirement of alternative materials catalysing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is the main rate‐determining step occurring in ...electrochemical devices, including metal‐air batteries and fuel cells. We report a study on a sub‐stoichiometric calcium titanate (CaTiO3−δ, CTO) compound used as promoter for the ORR in order to reduce the Pt loading and improve its electrocatalytic activity. Composite catalysts based on Pt/C with different amounts of CTO were prepared and their activity was investigated by rotating disk electrode (RDE). The obtained results proved a higher catalytic activity for the composite electrode, with respect to pure Pt/C, in terms of electrochemically active surface area, oxygen reduction current density, onset potential and stability.
A sub‐stoichiometric calcium titanate (CaTiO3−δ, CTO) compound is used as promoter for the oxygen reduction reaction in order to reduce the Pt loading and enhance its electrocatalytic activity, for possible application in fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Improvements are seen with respect to the catalytic activity of pure Pt/C, in terms of electrochemically active surface area, oxygen reduction current density, onset potential, and stability at degradation tests.
Unawareness of HCV serostatus among persons newly diagnosed with HIV Scognamiglio, Paola; Navarra, Assunta; Orchi, Nicoletta ...
Journal of infection and public health,
September-October 2019, 2019 Sep - Oct, 2019-09-00, 20190901, 2019-09-01, Letnik:
12, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Treatment of chronic HCV infection with direct acting antivirals can achieve high rates of sustained viral response in persons with HIV. In the perspective of HCV elimination in this population, high ...rates of HCV detection will be needed. We evaluated the unawareness of HCV infection in 2927 persons newly diagnosed with HIV during 2004–2015 in Rome, Italy. Two-hundred-fifty persons (8.5%) were anti-HCV positive. The proportion of HCV-unaware individuals at the time of HIV diagnosis was 58.0% (145/250), without significant variations over time, 17.2% showed an advanced fibrosis stage. The absence of previous HIV testing was significantly associated with HCV unawareness.
Polymer electrolytes were prepared using 1 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate–dimethyl carbonate 1:1 wt/wt (LP 30 SelectiLyte™: LP 30 henceforth), N-n-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium hexafluorophosphate ...(Py14PF6), and poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP). To determine adequate composition of liquid electrolyte, we investigated the effect of the ratio of Py14PF6 to LP 30, in terms of thermal stability, ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. The solution, LP 30 with 30 wt% Py14PF6, gave better properties compared to pure LP 30 and other mixtures examined in this study. Then this was used for galvanostatic charge–discharge tests of a lithium cell. The cell, with the chosen electrolyte solution, demonstrated reversible capacity reaching the theoretical values, when Li metal was combined with LiFePO4 or Li4Ti5O12 electrode. A polymer membrane was prepared by combining the chosen solution with PVdF-HFP matrix. The ionic conductivity of this membrane was 4 × 10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature. Furthermore, the polymer electrolyte displayed reasonable thermal stability, reflecting the properties of Py14PF6 in improving the performance of the polymer electrolyte.
► Safety working range of LiPF6–EC–DMC was improved after mixing it with ionic liquid. ► The electrolyte solution retained specific charge capacity over 164 mAh g−1 at C/3. ► The electrolyte solution was mixed with PVdF-HFP to form a polymer electrolyte film. ► The ionic conductivity of the film was 4 × 10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature.
A composite membrane based on a Nafion polymer matrix incorporating a non-stoichiometric calcium titanium oxide (CaTiO3−δ) additive was synthesized and characterized by means of thermal analysis, ...dynamic mechanical analysis, and broadband dielectric spectroscopy at different filler contents; namely two concentrations of 5 and 10 wt.% of the CaTiO3−δ additive, with respect to the dry Nafion content, were considered. The membrane with the lower amount of additive displayed the highest water affinity and the highest conductivity, indicating that a too-high dose of additive can be detrimental for these particular properties. The mechanical properties of the composite membranes are similar to those of the plain Nafion membrane and are even slightly improved by the filler addition. These findings indicate that perovskite oxides can be useful as a water-retention and reinforcing additive in low-humidity proton-exchange membranes.
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