ABSTRACT
Confronting the global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), simple, fast and specific non-laboratory SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests are urgently required. However, the current nucleic acid assays generally rely on the diagnostic laboratory, trained staff and specialized equipment for execution and analysis, presenting clear limitations in the field detection. Here, we describe a portable and reliable immobilization-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) device which is mobile, without the requirement of any complicated instrument and appropriate for high-throughput testing. This device was constructed by utilizing the interaction between a carboxyl-tagged primer and an amino-tagged substrate, and capable of catching the target sequence in SARS-CoV-2 produced via the immobilization-based LAMP. In this study, the immobilization conditions and immobilized primer structure were explored and optimized. With this proposed device, the analysis result can be obtained rapidly in 30 min with excellent specificity, even if the template is extracted from a complex sample containing pharyngeal swab or human blood. In addition, the device can be applied to detect the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 and various other pathogens, showing attractive potential for rapid and high-throughput detection at airports, railway stations, cold-chain transportations, community hospitals and so on. Therefore, we believe that the immobilization-based LAMP device is an advanced approach to developing a portable, specific, low-cost and high-throughput diagnostic platform.
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Background. Few studies reported the risk factors of fatal outcome of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to identify the independent risk factors associated with fatal outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods. The clinical data of 109 consecutive COVID-19 patients including 40 (36.7%) common cases and 69 (63.3%) severe cases were included and analyzed. Results: Multivariate regression analysis indicated that platelets (PLT, OR, 0.988;95% CI, 0.978-0.998;P=0.017) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR, 1.047;95% CI, 1.026-1.068;P<0.001) levels were the independent risk factors of fatal outcome in COVID-19 patients. The optimal cut-off value of PLT counts for predicting fatal outcome was 161x109/L with the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.824 (95% CI, 0.739-0.890). The optimal cut-off value of CRP for the prediction of fatal outcome was 46.2 mg/L with the AUROC of 0.954 (95% CI, 0.896-0.985). The CRP levels had higher predictive values for fatal outcome than PLT (P=0.016). The cumulative survival rate was significantly higher in patients with PLT>161x10(9)/L compared with patients with PLT <= 161x10(9)/L (89.4% vs. 12.5%, log-rank test chi(2)=72.17;P<0.001). Survival rate of COVID-19 patients was prominently higher in CRP <= 46.2 mg/L patients compared with patients with CRP>46.2 mg/L (95.9% vs. 22.9%, log-rank test chi(2)=77.85;P<0.001). Conclusions. PLT counts and CRP levels could predict fatal outcome of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with relatively high accuracy.
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Objective: To summarize the rules of acupoint selection of acupoint application to prevent and treat lung diseases under the background the post-epidemic era using data-mining technology. Method: The CNKI, Wanfang database, and VIP database were searched for clinical study articles on lung diseases treated by acupoint application published in the past 5 years. Data-eligible papers were extracted to establish a database of acupoint application for lung disease using Microsoft Excel 2019, with the goal of analyzing the frequency of acupoints, acupoint-meridian association, acupoint-location association, specific acupoint frequency, and cluster analysis. Association rules, consisting of acupoints with an application frequency of ≥ 10, were devised by the Apriori algorithm to explore the correlation between acupoint groups and to analyze the rules of the compatibility of acupoint prescriptions. Results: A total of 229 eligible papers met our inclusion criteria. Forty-seven acupoints were applied, for a total frequency of acupoints of 1,035 times. Among these, acupoints for lung diseases were primarily distributed in the back-and-waist and chest-and-abdomen areas. From the analysis of the association rules, we obtained four groups of acupoint association rules based on acupoint clusters with a frequency ≥ 10 and found that Feishu (BL 13), Tiantu (CV 22), Dazhui (GV 14), Dingchuan (EX-B1), and Danzhong (CV 17) constitute the core acupoints of prescriptions for clinical acupoint application to prevent and treat lung diseases. Conclusion: It is clearly shown that the core acupoints are relatively concentrated and that the selected acupoints were mainly locally selected, which could be a matching reference for the long-term prevention and treatment of lung diseases, including COVID-19.
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Objective To fit the epidemic situation of COVID-19 in Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in July 2020, so as to provide the quantitative and theoretical basis for the prevention and control of epidemic. Methods A dynamical model with stage control strategy was proposed using compartmental modeling method, based on the tracking and isolation measures taken during the COVID-19 epidemic in July 2020 in Urumqi City. The nonlinear least square method was applied to fit this dynamical model by using multi-source data: The cumulative number of confirmed cases, cured cases and asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 from Health Committee of Xinjiang from July to September 2020. Results The parameters of the model were estimated as follows: The rate of diagnosis was 0.6, the infectivity coefficients of latent exposure group and asymptomatic infection group were 0.78 and 0.99 respectively, and the proportion of asymptomatic infection group was 0.4. Parameter sensitivity analysis showed that increasing close tracking and isolation and reducing contact could effectively control the number of new confirmed cases. Conclusion The results show that the model has good fitting effect with the actual data;asymptomatic infection is more infectious;the trend of daily effective reproduction number shows that the government control measures are appropriate with great effect;the relevant departments should increase the close tracking and isolation, and continuously emphasize that reducing contact can effectively control the epidemic of COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are a class of cationic surfactants routinely used for the disinfection of industries, institutions and households, and have seen a sharp increase in use during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, current commercial QACs consist of only stable chemical bonds such as C-N, C-C, and C-H, which makes their natural degradation rather difficult. Recent studies suggest that emerging negative environmental impacts, such as systemic antibiotics resistance and toxicity to living organisms, are directly associated with prolonged exposure to QACs. Here we report a new class of QAC which contains relatively volatile chemical functional groups such as ester and thioether bonds. Degradation kinetics in aqueous solutions suggests that the stability of these QACs depends not only on their intrinsic hydrophobicity but also on external environmental factors such as pH, temperature and ion presence. The microbicidal effects of QACs containing carbon chains with various lengths were also tested, one of which, named "Ephemora", is highly active against a broad spectrum of microbes including fungi, bacteria and viruses, for instance, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The easy synthesis and purification of Ephemora starting from inexpensive commercially available reagents, together with its excellent antimicrobial activity and ability to degrade in natural waters over time, make its large-scale commercial production possible.
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This introduction to the special issue summarizes the contributions from the five leading scholars in the field-their contribution to the conceptualization of such concepts as soft power, sharp power, image shaping, image reception, as well as methodological approaches. It highlights the importance of contextualizing their findings for a full understanding of the image of China in the media narratives examined. In doing so, the Introduction lays foundation for further investigations on the relationship between media coverage of health crisis and image construction as the world continues to fight against the virus.
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Coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and the recently epidemic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), seriously threaten human health and cause significant economic losses. Monoclonal antibodies targeting coronaviruscs may inhibit viral infection by blocking viral binding to the receptor on cells. In this study, the patent applications and clinical trial results for monoclonal antibody drugs against coronavirus were analyzed primarily to provide ideas and references for the application of monoclonal antibodies in the fight against COVID-19, and to accelerate the drug development process. There are currently no established patents related to the monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, both due to COVID-19's relatively recent emergence, and due to the lengthy patent application and publication process. A thorough global analysis of monoclonal antibody patent applications indicates a total of 194 diagnostic monoclonal antibody techniques, accounting for 63%, and 113 therapeutic monoclonal antibody techniques, accounting for 37%. Among those applications related to therapeutic monoclonal antibody technology, product patent applications dominate, with a total number of 96, accounting for 85%. According to the geographical analysis of applicants for coronavirus therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, there are 35 patent applications from, accounting for 31%, and 78 foreign patent applications, accounting for 69%. The analysis of the target of the coronavirus therapeutic monoclonal antibody-related patent applications indicates that there are 61 patent applications for monoclonal antibodies specific to the virus's own antigen, accounting for 54%. This type of monoclonal antibody specifically targets viral antigens to suppress viruses, whereas the other 52 patent applications in this category target viral non-specific monoclonal antibodies, accounting for 46%. Amongst current studies on the monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. relevant patent applications for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are mainly based on products, and the target is the S protein or its receptor binding region (RBD), which prevents virus infection of cells. Currently, there are no available therapeutic monoclonal antibody drugs against coronavirus. The monoclonal antibody drug specifically targeting the S protein of MERS-CoV is still in clinical trials. Three monoclonal antibody drugs treating for COVID-19 are also in clinical trials, all of which involve second use of the known monoclonal antibodies in their mechanisms. The RBD of SARS-CoV-2 has common-epitope peptide with SARS-CoV. By verifying the effect of the monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV in the treatment of COVID-19, patent applications for the use of the monoclonal antibody against COVID-19 can be designed. Methods of blocking monoclonal antibodies against the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 can be used as potential drug mechanisms for the treatment of COVID-19. Related patent applications and drug development will also be hot spots in the future.