Purification-analysis of urban rivers by combining graphene photocatalysis with sewage treatment improvement based on the MIKE11 model.

This study takes the Nanfei River as an example, using a hydrodynamic and water quality model based on MIKE11 to predict the effect of graphene photocatalysis on urban rivers. The effect of water quality improvement in the Nanfei River was simulated under three different scenarios (treatment plant upgrade, use of graphene photocatalytic oxidation technology, and a combination of both), and the results showed that implementing a graphene photocatalytic network could significantly improve water quality. The improvement of sewage treatment plants can also improve the water quality to a certain extent, improving the sewage treatment plants alone is insufficient. The combination of graphene photocatalytic oxidation technology with methods to improve wastewater treatment plants produced the best improvement in water quality. The required water quality was achieved, as the total phosphorus content throughout the year was below the limit, and the ammonia nitrogen standard was met 95.89% of the time in the State-controlled section (Shikou section). Therefore, this study provides a new, feasible method for treating the water of polluted rivers.

Isobavachalcone inhibits Pseudorabies virus by impairing virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an important pathogen that threatens the global swine industry. Currently, there is no effective drug that can clinically prevent or treat PRV infections. Isobavachalcone (IBC), a natural chalcone compound derived from Psoralea corylifolia, displays multiple biological activities, such as antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. Recently, it was found that IBC exhibited antiviral activity against an RNA virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), in vitro. In the current study, we further demonstrated for the first time that IBC has a strong inhibitory effect on PRV. Through a viral luciferase expression assay, we showed that the inhibition step occurs mainly in the late stage of viral replication. Finally, via a cell-to-cell fusion assay, we demonstrated that IBC inhibits PRV by blocking virus-mediated cell fusion. Thus, IBC may be a candidate for further therapeutic evaluation against PRV infection in vivo.

Isobavachalcone inhibits post-entry stages of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus life cycle.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a pathogen of great economic significance that impacts the swine industry globally. Since the first report of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) outbreak, tremendous efforts to control this disease, including various national policies and plans incorporating the use of multiple modified live-virus vaccines, have been made. However, PRRSV is still a significant threat to the swine industry, and new variants continually emerge as a result of PRRSV evolution. Several studies have shown that pandemic PRRSV strains have enormous genetic diversity and that commercial vaccines can only provide partial protection against these strains. Therefore, effective anti-PRRSV drugs may be more suitable and reliable for PRRSV control. In this study, we observed that isobavachalcone (IBC), which was first isolated from Psoralea corylifolia, had potent anti-PRRSV activity in vitro. Although many biological activities of IBC have been reported, this is the first report describing the antiviral activity of IBC. Furthermore, after a systematic investigation, we demonstrated that IBC inhibits PRRSV replication at the post-entry stage of PRRSV infection. Thus, IBC may be a candidate for further evaluation as a therapeutic agent against PRRSV infection of swine in vivo.