Gold-based paper for antigen detection of monkeypox virus.

In 2022, the outbreak of the monkeypox virus occurred in many non-endemic countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed that this outbreak was "atypical". The establishment of a rapid and effective assay that can be used for the early diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection is crucial for outbreak prevention and control. In this study, the monkeypox virus A29 protein and the homologous vaccinia virus A27 protein and cowpox virus 162 protein were expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 for screening. We synthesized the monkeypox virus A2917-49 peptide as the immunogen and obtained 25 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the A29 protein using mouse hybridoma techniques. Then an immunochromatographic test strip method for detecting A29 was established. The strips utilizing mAb-7C5 and 5D8 showed the best sensitivity and lowest limit of detection: 50 pg mL-1 for purified A29 and specificity tests showed that the strips did not cross-react with other orthopox viruses (vaccinia virus or cowpox virus) as well as common respiratory pathogens (SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and influenza B). Therefore, this method can be used for early and rapid diagnosis of monkeypox virus infection by antigen detection.

Impact of COVID-19 on recent trends in digital payments – A case study on China

One of the global megatrends Is the expansion of digital financial solutions, and seemingly this expansion will continue as there is still room for adopting technology-driven solutions in finance. Regarding global data, the majority of people already have access to financial services: nearly 69 percent of responding adults confirmed that they have accounts at financial institutions. With the far-reaching development of technology, digital payments came into the public as one of the digital financial solutions. In particular, this development sped up during the COVID-19 epidemic, during which people were using remote services in order to keep their physical distance and avoid contamination. Though legal and cybersecurity concerns emerge, the physical infrastructure is developed enough to provide accessible financial services for many more people than today. Countries in various regions adopt modern financial solutions differently, but digital financial solutions are inevitable. In this research paper, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the recent trends of digital payment is examined and presented. The paper aims to detect how new payment solutions change the landscape. The methodology of this study is a case study and data analysis. The successful example of China as a digital payment adopting country is analysed as a case study since the country experienced a large expansion in digital finance. Digital financial solutions and digital payment data are collected from the World Bank. The paper contributes to the literature on digital financial development in China during and after COVID-19.

The role of lung macrophages in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an acute and diffuse inflammatory lung injury in a short time, one of the common severe manifestations of the respiratory system that endangers human life and health. As an innate immune cell, macrophages play a key role in the inflammatory response. For a long time, the role of pulmonary macrophages in ARDS has tended to revolve around the polarization of M1/M2. However, with the development of single-cell RNA sequencing, fate mapping, metabolomics, and other new technologies, a deeper understanding of the development process, classification, and function of macrophages in the lung are acquired. Here, we discuss the function of pulmonary macrophages in ARDS from the two dimensions of anatomical location and cell origin and describe the effects of cell metabolism and intercellular interaction on the function of macrophages. Besides, we explore the treatments for targeting macrophages, such as enhancing macrophage phagocytosis, regulating macrophage recruitment, and macrophage death. Considering the differences in responsiveness of different research groups to these treatments and the tremendous dynamic changes in the gene expression of monocyte/macrophage, we discussed the possibility of characterizing the gene expression of monocyte/macrophage as the biomarkers. We hope that this review will provide new insight into pulmonary macrophage function and therapeutic targets of ARDS.

Recent Progress in ZnO-Based Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Antimicrobial in Water Treatment: A Review

Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of antimicrobial technology of nanomaterials. In recent years, photocatalytic antibacterial disinfection methods with ZnO-based nanomaterials have attracted extensive attention in the scientific community. In addition, recently widely and speedily spread viral microorganisms, such as COVID-19 and monkeypox virus, have aroused global concerns. Traditional methods of water purification and disinfection are inhibited due to the increased resistance of bacteria and viruses. Exploring new and effective antimicrobial materials and methods has important practical application value. This review is a comprehensive overview of recent progress in the following: (i) preparation methods of ZnO-based nanomaterials and comparison between methods;(ii) types of nanomaterials for photocatalytic antibacterials in water treatment;(iii) methods for studying the antimicrobial activities and (iv) mechanisms of ZnO-based antibacterials. Subsequently, the use of different doping strategies to enhance the photocatalytic antibacterial properties of ZnO-based nanomaterials is also emphatically discussed. Finally, future research and practical applications of ZnO-based nanomaterials for antibacterial activity are proposed.

Rapid colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 total antibodies after vaccination.

An epidemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) spread globally in just a few months. To prevent the further spread of the virus, millions of people around the world have been vaccinated for COVID-19. Although the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) has become the gold standard method for determining neutralizing antibodies, this method has many limitations; therefore, there remains an urgent need for a quick and accurate technique to evaluate the immune efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Here, after the recombinant expression of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (S-RBD), we established a colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) based on the principle of a double antigen sandwich for the detection of total antibodies in sera. Under the developed conditions, the GICA was capable of the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 total antibodies within 15 min. In addition, the anti-S-RBD antibodies measured by the GICA had a good correlation with the results measured by ELISA, indicating that the GICA may be used as a rapid tool for the detection of neutralizing antibodies derived from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Clinical detection was performed using serum samples obtained from 40 subjects who had received their two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and 20 unvaccinated serum samples. We found that our method had high sensitivity and specificity; therefore, our convenient and rapid GICA method could preliminarily evaluate the protection rate and effectiveness of vaccines by monitoring total antibody levels.

Exploring Opportunities and Challenges of Solar PV Power under Carbon Peak Scenario in China: A PEST Analysis

China has experienced rapid social and economic development in the past 40 years. However, excessive consumption of fossil fuel energy has caused an energy shortage and led to severe environmental pollution. To achieve sustainable development, China is striving to transform its growth mode. Adopting renewable energy (RE) including solar photovoltaic (PV) power is an effective measure. How to promote the further development of solar PV power under the scenario of China’s aspirational target of carbon peak by 2030 and 20% RE ratio in the energy mix remains a theme that need to be addressed. This paper analyzes the potential opportunities and challenges confronting solar PV power in China. The analysis covers the dimensions of political, economic, social, and technological (PEST). The results revealed a significant prospect for the further deployment of solar PV power in the coming decades. The aggressive estimated installed capacity of solar PV power is expected to reach 80+ GW annually. To successfully achieve the goal of 80+ GW, barriers that hinder the further development of solar PV power have to be eliminated. Suggestions for policymakers include maintaining enforceability and continuity of policies, favorable financial supports, mandatory RE quotas for all parties, and supporting fundamental R&D. Suggestions for the solar PV industry include full utilization of integrated applications, set up an after-sales service network, collaborative innovation among the industry chain, and engaging in storage and hydrogen technology. The findings are greatly beneficial for policymakers and the solar PV industry.

Heterogeneous Shareholders’ Participation, COVID-19 Impact, and Innovation Decisions of State-Owned Firms: Evidence from China

Innovation ability has become an important factor affecting the global competitiveness and sustainable development of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China, particularly during the COVID-19 period. This study examined the association between heterogeneous shareholders and SOE innovation, in addition to the moderating impact of corporate governance characteristics and the COVID-19 pandemic on this association. Using data from Chinese A-share listed mixed ownership enterprises (MOEs), we found that the mixed ownership reform of SOEs positively affected firm innovation compared to other MOEs by reducing agency costs, indicating that the manager view channel was proven. We also found that heterogeneous shareholders resulted in more innovation output in state-owned holding mixed ownership enterprises (SHMOEs) with affiliated managers, in those audited by lower reputation accounting firms or that had a lower external marketization, or during the COVID-19 period. The implications of this study are of importance for improving heterogeneous shareholders’ active participation in the mixed ownership reform of SOEs.

Rapid, ultrasensitive and highly specific biosensor for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical blood samples

In this study, a lateral flow combined IgG-IgM immunochromatographic assay is developed for the rapid, simultaneous detection of IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in clinical blood samples within 15 min. The clinical detection sensitivity and specificity of the assay strips is investigated in samples of blood from inpatients with COVID-19. The sensitivity and specificity of this assay are 85.29% and 100.00%, respectively. Compared with a single IgG and IgM test, the combined IgG-IgM immunochromatographic strip test has higher sensitivity. Our results demonstrate that the combined IgG-IgM immunochromatographic strip is suitable for the rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection, among confirmed COVID-19 patients, suspect patients and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers.