Humans have evolved intimate symbiotic relationships with a consortium of gut microbes (microbiome) and individual variations in the microbiome influence host health, may be implicated in disease etiology, and affect drug metabolism, toxicity, and efficacy. However, the molecular basis of these microbe-host interactions and the roles of individual bacterial species are obscure. We now demonstrate a''transgenomic'' approach to link gut microbiome and metabolic phenotype (metabotype) variation. We have used a combination of spectroscopic, microbiomic, and multivariate statistical tools to analyze fecal and urinary samples from seven Chinese individuals (sampled twice) and to model the microbialhost metabolic connectivities. At the species level, we found structural differences in the Chinese family gut microbiomes and those reported for American volunteers, which is consistent with population microbial cometabolic differences reported in epidemiological studies. We also introduce the concept of functional metagenomics, defined as ''the characterization of key functional members of the microbiome that most influence host metabolism and hence health.'' For example, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii population variation is associated with modulation of eight urinary metabolites of diverse structure, indicating that this species is a highly functionally active member of the microbiome, influencing numerous host pathways. Other species were identified showing different and varied metabolic interactions. Our approach for understanding the dynamic basis of host-microbiome symbiosis provides a foundation for the development of functional metagenomics as a probe of systemic effects of drugs and diet that are of relevance to personal and public health care solutions. covariation analysis ͉ gut microbiota ͉ metabonomics ͉ metabotype ͉ metagenomics

Novel Staphylococcus aureus clones continue to emerge that cause infections in otherwise healthy people. One example is the sequence type (ST) 398 lineage, which we show here is increasing in importance as a significant cause of community-associated (CA) human infections in China. We have a profound lack of understanding about what determines the considerable virulence potential of such newly emerging clones. Information about the contribution to virulence of the more recently discovered ESAT-6 secretion system (ESS) has remained particularly scarce. The Chinese ST398 isolates exhibited significantly increased expression of ESS genes as compared to predominant hospital-associated clones, which we found is likely due to increased expression of the accessory gene regulator (Agr) system and control of ESS by Agr. Importantly, deletion of essB in ST398 resulted in significantly reduced resistance to neutrophil killing and decreased virulence in murine skin and blood infection models. Our results demonstrate a key function of ESS in promoting virulence and mechanisms of resistance to innate host defense in an important emerging CA-S. aureus lineage. They suggest that ESS has a so far underestimated role in promoting aggressive virulence and epidemiological success of S. aureus.

Deep ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors have wide-range applications in satellite communications, air purification and missile-plume detection. However, the critical barriers for the currently available wide-bandgap semiconductors films based DUV photodetectors are their low efficiency, complicated processes, and lattice mismatch with substrate. Quantum dots (QDs) devices prepared using solution based methods can solve these problems. However, so far, there are no any reports on Page 1 of 28 ACS Paragon Plus Environment ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces photovoltaic-type DUV photodetector using QDs. In this study, we propose a novel methodology to construct a hybrid Zero-/Two-dimensional DUV photodetector (p-type graphene/ZnS QDs/4H-SiC) with photovoltaic characteristics. The device exhibits excellent selectivity for DUV light and has an ultra-fast response speed (rise time: 28 μs and decay time: 0.75 ms), which are much better than those reported for conventional photoconductive photodetectors.

No abstract

Dengue virus (DENV) infection is a major global public health concern, and there is no effective vaccine for it. In this study, we describe the design and characterization of three nucleotide-modified mRNA vaccines (prME-mRNA, E80-mRNA, and NS1-mRNA) for DENV-2. Our results showed that vaccination with E80-mRNA alone or a combination of E80-mRNA and NS1-mRNA can induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies and antigen-specific T cell responses; furthermore, these vaccines confer complete protection against DENV-2 challenge in immunocompetent mice. These data provide foundations for further development of a tetravalent DENV vaccine based on nucleotide-modified mRNA.

Highlights the trapping of NO2 molecules in the porous structure and thus making the film stiffer. Moreover, the Pb(NO3)2-treated sensor showed good stability and selectivity at room temperature.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has caused great public concerns due to its recent large outbreaks and a close association with microcephaly in fetus and Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. Rapid development of vaccines against ZIKV is a public health priority. To this end, we have constructed and purified recombinant ZIKV envelope protein using both prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems, and then tested their immunogenicity and protective efficacy in immune competent mice. Both protein immunogens elicited humoral and cellular immune responses, and protected immune competent mice from ZIKV challenge in vivo. These products could be further evaluated either as stand-alone vaccine candidate, or used in a prime-and-boost regimen with other forms of ZIKV vaccine.

A simple and cost-effective method to synthesize the luminescent noble metal clusters (Au and Pt) in chicken egg white aqueous solution at room temperature is reported. The red-emitting Au cluster is used as fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of H2O2.