OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to identify a quantitative signature of circulating small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) as a biomarker for pulmonary tuberculosis disease (active-TB/ATB) and explore their regulatory roles in host-pathogen interactions and disease progression.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting subjects diagnosed with active-TB (drug-sensitive and drug-resistant) and healthy controls. Sera samples were collected and utilized for preparing small RNA libraries. Quantitative patterns of circulating sncRNAs (miRNAs, piRNAs and tRFs) were identified via high-throughput sequencing and DeSeq2 analysis and validated in independent active-TB cohorts. Functional knockdown for two selected miRNAs were also performed.
RESULTS: A diagnostic signature of four sncRNAs for both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant active-TB cases was validated, exhibiting an AUC of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.937-0.996, p < 0.001) with 86.7% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.775-0.932) and 91.7% specificity (95% CI: 0.730-0.990) in ROC analysis. Functional knockdown demonstrated regulatory roles of hsa-miR-223-5p and hsa-miR-10b-5p in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) growth and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-6 and IL-8).
CONCLUSIONS: The study identified a diagnostic tool utilizing a signature of four sncRNAs with high specificity and sensitivity, enhancing our understanding of sncRNAs as ATB diagnostic biomarker. Additionally, hsa-miR-223-5p and hsa-miR-10b-5p demonstrated potential roles in Mtb pathogenesis and host-response to infection.

BACKGROUND: Public cord blood banks (CBBs) are required to measure cord blood units (CBUs) potency before their release, allowing for the identification of units that may be unsuitable for haematopoietic transplantation. We have developed a rapid flow cytometry assay based on the measurement of STAT-5 phosphorylation of CD34+ stem cells in response to IL-3 stimulation.
METHODS: To adapt the assay from a research setting to its implementation within our CBB regulated operations, we proceded with a full method validation and a correlation comparison of the IL-3-pSTAT5 assay results with the colony-forming unit assay (CFU) results. A total of 60 CBUs cryopreserved in vials were analysed by flow cytometry to determine the sensitivity, specificity, intra-assay precision, robustness, reproducibility, and inter-laboratory agreement of the assay. The CFU assay was also done on the same samples for comparison purposes.
RESULTS: The assay threshold was established at 50% CD34+CD45+pSTAT5+, which provides a 100% sensitivity and a 98.3% specificity. An average intra-assay CV of 7.3% was determined. All results met our qualitative results acceptance criteria regarding the inter-user and inter-laboratory agreements, IL-3 stimulation time, post-thaw incubation delay and staining time. The IL-3-pSTAT5 assay results correlated well with the total CFU determined using the CFU assay (r2  = 0.82, n = 56).
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that our rapid flow cytometry assay can be successfully validated and that the potency data obtained display good sensitivity, specificity and robustness. These results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing this assay within CBB operations, as a validated potency assay.

We have cultured and phenotyped human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (AT MSCs) and inoculated these cultures with bacteria common to infected skin wounds, i.e. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cell interactions were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), whilst bacterial growth was measured by colony forming unit (c.f.u.) and biofilm assays. AT MSCs appeared to attach to the bacteria and to engulf S. aureus. Significantly fewer bacterial c.f.u. were present in AT MSC : bacterial co-cultures compared with bacteria cultured alone. Antibacterial activity, including an inhibition of P. aeruginosa biofilm formation, was observed when bacteria were treated with conditioned medium harvested from the AT MSC :  bacterial co-cultures, irrespective of the bacterial species to which the AT MSCs had been exposed to previously. Hence, we have demonstrated that AT MSCs inhibit the growth of two common bacterial species. This was associated with bacterial adhesion, potential engulfment or phagocytosis, and the secretion of antibacterial factors.

BACKGROUND: Radiation is increasingly being used for medical purposes and it is an established weapon in the diagnosis and the therapy of cancer. An exposure to 1-2 Gys causes the NVD (Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) syndrome, whereas an exposure to 2-6 Gys causes the haematopoietic syndrome. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effect of the Nardostachys jatamansi root extract (NJE) on the radiation induced haematological damage in rats.
METHODS: EBR was performed at the Microtron Centre, Mangalore University, India. Rats were treated with NJE once daily for 15 days before and after the irradiation. After the irradiation, blood was collected for determining the peripheral blood counts (RBC and WBC), haemoglobin, the platelet count and the packed cell volume (PCV) at 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 5, 10 and 15 days post irradiation. The data was analyzed by one way ANOVA, followed by the Tukey\'s test for multiple comparisons.
RESULTS: NJE provided protection against the radiation induced haematological disorders. The rats treated with NJE exhibited a time dependent significant elevation in all the haematological parameters which were studied and its modulation upto the near normal level was recorded.
CONCLUSIONS: From this study, we concluded that, NJE provides protection by modulating the radiation induced damage on the haematopoietic system.