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The intensity and frequency of drought are increasing in the tropical zone of China under global warming, and accurate assessment of drought severity and duration is critical for sustainable ecosystem management. Previous studies usually rely on one or more drought indices calculated from meteorological station or reanalysis data. However, the assessment results based on these drought indices are not consistent, which can be due to the differences in data sources and index parameters. In this study, we aim to identify the optimal dataset and drought index, and accurately evaluate the drought severity and drought duration in the tropical zone of China. We assessed the accuracy of five drought indices, namely Precipitation Anomaly in Percentage (PA), Relative Moisture Index (MI), Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Meteorological Drought Composite Index (MCI), calculated from meteorological station data and the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) with respect to drought records compiled by local government. Results indicate that the drought index calculated based on meteorological station data can better match the government-compiled drought records than CMFD. MI is the optimal index for drought severity and duration assessment in study area, especially for winter-spring drought and severe drought, followed by PA. The normalized bell-shaped line of fitted precipitation in winter and spring is biased towards the less rainy side in SPI calculations, which leads to more underestimation even for officially recommended MCI, and actual water supply are also misrepresented in SPEI calculations. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers to use optimal dataset and drought index to accurately assess the drought events, and take effective measures to alleviate its impact on tropical ecosystems in China.
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OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the impact of integrated nursing and psychological intervention on pain intensity and patient satisfaction in individuals with urinary calculi. METHODS: This retrospective study included 94 urological patients from the Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, between January 2020 and June 2022. Participants were divided into a control group (n=48), receiving routine nursing and psychological intervention, and a study group (n=46), receiving integrated nursing and psychological intervention. We compared pain intensity, pain relief rate, patient satisfaction, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) score, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, and quality of life scores between the groups. RESULTS: The study group had shorter hospital stays and lower hospitalization costs than the control group (both P < 0.05). Pain relief and satisfaction rates were higher in the study group (both P < 0.05). Post-intervention, both groups showed significant reductions in NRS, PSQI, SDS, and SAS scores, with greater reductions in the study group (all P < 0.05). Quality of life scores increased in both groups, more so in the SG (P < 0.05). The study group also had fewer adverse events (P < 0.05). Both groups showed decreased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels post-intervention, with a more significant decline in the study group (P < 0.05). Education, marital status, and occupation were major factors influencing outcomes in urinary calculi patients. CONCLUSION: Integrated nursing and psychological intervention significantly alleviates pain, improves emotional well-being, enhances sleep quality, increases overall life quality, and contributes to high patient satisfaction among urinary calculi patients.
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INTRODUCTION: Ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block (UTPB) is widely used for postoperative analgesia in thoracic surgery. However, it has many disadvantages. Thoracoscopy-guided thoracic paravertebral block (TTPB) is a new technique for thoracic paravertebral block (TPB). In this study, we compared the use of TTPB and UTPB for pain management after thoracoscopic radical surgery for lung cancer. METHODS: In total, 80 patients were randomly divided 1:1 into the UTPB group and the TTPB group. The surgical time of TPB, the success rate of the first puncture, block segment range, visual analog scale (VAS) scores at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h post operation, and the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The surgical time of TPB was significantly shorter in the TTPB group than in the UTPB group (2.2 ± 0.3 vs. 5.7 ± 1.7 min, t = - 12.411, P < 0.001). The success rate of the first puncture and the sensory block segment were significantly higher in the TTPB group than in the UTPB group (100% vs. 76.9%, χ2 = 8.309, P < 0.001; 6.5 ± 1.2 vs. 5.1 ± 1.3 levels, t = - 5.306, P < 0.001, respectively). The VAS scores were significantly higher during rest and coughing at 48 h post operation than at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h post operation in the TTPB group. The VAS scores were significantly lower during rest and coughing at 12 and 24 h post operation in the TTPB group than in the UTPB group (rest: 2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 3.4 ± 0.6, t = 7.325, P < 0.001; 2.5 ± 0.5 vs. 3.5 ± 0.6, t = 7.885, P < 0.001; coughing: 3.4 ± 0.6 vs. 4.2 ± 0.7, t = 5.057, P < 0.001; 3.4 ± 0.6 vs. 4.2 ± 0.8, t = 4.625, P < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was observed in terms of postoperative adverse reactions between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with UTPB, TTPB shows advantages, such as simpler and more convenient surgery, shorter surgical time, a higher success rate of the first puncture, wider block segments, and superior analgesic effect. TTPB can effectively reduce postoperative pain due to thoracoscopic lung cancer radical surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www.chictr.org.cn , identifier ChiCTR2300072005, prospectively registered on 31/05/2023.
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The objective of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) by a method of meta-analysis. China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched to collect relevant literature until March 2023. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the bias risk of the literature included. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of LMR in PCa. Stata 15.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. A total of six published articles were included in this meta-analysis, containing 1,104 patients with PCa. The results of the meta-analysis indicated better overall survival (OS; HR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.73, p = .001) and progression-free survival (PFS; HR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.58~4.38, p < .001) in patients with PCa with low LMR compared with high LMR. In conclusion, compared with low LMR, PCa patients with high LMR have a better prognosis. LMR is an independent risk factor affecting the long-term prognosis of patients with PCa. The detection of LMR before treatment is of certain significance in judging the clinical prognosis of patients with PCa.
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Linfocitos , Monocitos , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Humanos , Neoplasias de la Próstata/mortalidad , Neoplasias de la Próstata/sangre , Masculino , Pronóstico , Recuento de LinfocitosRESUMEN
The theory-led prediction of LaBeH8, which has a high superconducting critical temperature (Tc) above liquid nitrogen under a pressure level below 1 Mbar, has been experimentally confirmed. YBeH8, which has a structural configuration similar to that of LaBeH8, has also been predicted to be a high-temperature superconductor at high pressure. In this study, we focus on the structural phase transition and superconductivity of YBeH8 under pressure by using first-principles calculations. Except for the known face-centered cubic phase of Fm3Ìm, we found a monoclinic phase with P1Ì symmetry. Moreover, the P1Ì phase transforms to the Fm3Ìm phase at â¼200 GPa with zero-point energy corrections. Interestingly, the P1Ì phase undergoes a complex electronic phase transition from semiconductor to metal and then to superconducting states with a low Tc of 40 K at 200 GPa. The Fm3Ìm phase exhibits a high Tc of 201 K at 200 GPa, and its Tc does not change significantly with pressure. When we combine the method using two coupling constants, λopt and λac, with first-principles calculations, λopt is mainly supplied by the Be-H alloy backbone, which accounts for about 85% of total λ and makes the greatest contribution to the high Tc. These insights not only contribute to a deeper understanding of the superconducting behavior of this ternary hydride but may also guide the experimental synthesis of hydrogen-rich compounds.
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Mountain treelines are thought to be sensitive to climate change. However, how climate impacts mountain treelines is not yet fully understood as treelines may also be affected by other human activities. Here, we focus on "closed-loop" mountain treelines (CLMT) that completely encircle a mountain and are less likely to have been influenced by human land-use change. We detect a total length of ~916,425 km of CLMT across 243 mountain ranges globally and reveal a bimodal latitudinal distribution of treeline elevations with higher treeline elevations occurring at greater distances from the coast. Spatially, we find that temperature is the main climatic driver of treeline elevation in boreal and tropical regions, whereas precipitation drives CLMT position in temperate zones. Temporally, we show that 70% of CLMT have moved upward, with a mean shift rate of 1.2 m/year over the first decade of the 21st century. CLMT are shifting fastest in the tropics (mean of 3.1 m/year), but with greater variability. Our work provides a new mountain treeline database that isolates climate impacts from other anthropogenic pressures, and has important implications for biodiversity, natural resources, and ecosystem adaptation in a changing climate.
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Ecosistema , Árboles , Humanos , Temperatura , Cambio Climático , BiodiversidadRESUMEN
Carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology is an emerging technology with large-scale emission reduction potential and an essential component of the global response to climate change to achieve net-zero goals. As the two most important countries in global climate governance, it is necessary to review and examine the current status and trends of research in the field of CCUS in China and the USA. This paper uses bibliometric tools to review and analyze peer-reviewed articles in the Web of Science from both countries during 2000-2022. The results show a significant increase in research interest among scholars from both countries. The number of publications in the CCUS field in China and the USA was 1196 and 1302, respectively, showing an increasing trend. China and the USA have become the most influential countries in CCUS. And the USA has a more significant academic influence on a global scale. Furthermore, the research hotspots in the field of CCUS are diverse and differentiated. That is, China and the USA pay attention to different research hotspots or have different focuses in different periods. This paper also finds that new capture materials and technology development, geological storage monitoring and early warning, CO2 utilization and new energy development, sustainable business models, incentive policies and measures, and public awareness are critical directions for future research in the field of CCUS, to provide a comprehensive review and comparison of CCUS technology development in China and the USA. It helps to gain insight into the research differences and linkages between the two countries in the field of CCUS and identify the research gaps between them. And place some consensus that policymakers can use.
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Bibliometría , Tecnología , Predicción , China , Dióxido de Carbono/análisisRESUMEN
The selection of materials is a complex and elusive process due to the multiple factors related to health. For the effective selection of materials, a comprehensive model for evaluating the health grade of materials was proposed with the mathematical method of the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) and grey relational analysis (GRA). A health evaluation procedure scheme of the AgBB as well as standards of the forestry industry of the People's Republic of China and standards of the health industry of the People's Republic of China were referred to during the process. Based on Qt technology, a computer program was developed to calculate the compound comprehensive evaluation models. The data of Choerospondias axillaris with different lacquers were used as practical examples firstly, and then, the emission and odor characteristics of Xylosma racemosum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Miq. with PU, UV, and waterborne coating were explored with the technology of GC-MS/O. Results showed that: a total of 21 odorants were identified from Xylosma racemosum with PU, UV, and waterborne coating. The health grade of three Xylosma racemosum samples was UV > waterborne > PU, with the health grade of UV coating being "A", and the boards with PU and the waterborne coating were "N", with a fuzzy comprehensive index of PPU = 0.5151, Pwaterborne coatings=0.4950. Based on the results, it is proved that the establishment of the comprehensive evaluation model based on FCE and GRA successfully converts qualitative evaluation into quantitative evaluation; in addition, effectively evaluates the health grade of materials. This study provides a better understanding of materials' health grades, which will aid consumers in reducing indoor air pollution and using their products properly.
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Contaminación del Aire Interior , Humanos , China , Odorantes , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de MasasRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to explore the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism and susceptibility to prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: We searched studies related to ACE I/D polymorphism and susceptibility to PCa through PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases from inception to June 1, 2022. Five gene models, including allelic, dominant, recessive, homozygote, and heterozygote models, were analyzed. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated using Stata 15.0 software. Publication bias was judged by the funnel plot and Egger's test, with the robustness of the findings verified by sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Eight published articles (including ten studies) were identified. The pooled results showed that ACE I/D locus polymorphism was significantly correlated with the risk of PCa under all gene models except for the heterozygous model (D vs. I: OR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.14-2.21; DD vs. DI+II: OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.11-2.54; DD+DI vs. II: OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.11-2.80; DI vs. II: OR= 1.44, 95% CI: 0.99-2.10; DD vs. II: OR= 2.12, 95% CI: 1.15-3.93). Subgroup analysis based on genotype frequencies in the control group meeting Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium showed statistically significant differences in all gene models. The funnel plot and Egger's test indicated no publication bias. The sensitivity analysis verified the robustness of the conclusions obtained in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: ACE I/D locus polymorphism correlates to PCa risk. Allele D, genotype DD+DI, and DD at the ACE I/D locus increase susceptibility to PCa and can therefore serve as a potential diagnostic and screening molecular marker for PCa patients.
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Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Masculino , Humanos , Mutación INDEL , Polimorfismo Genético/genética , Peptidil-Dipeptidasa A/genética , Neoplasias de la Próstata/genética , Angiotensinas/genéticaRESUMEN
Safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 for children are urgently needed. Here we aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate, WIBP-CorV, in participants aged 3-17 years. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial was conducted in Henan Province, China, in healthy children aged 3-17 years. 240 participants in phase 1 trial and 576 participants in phase 2 trial were randomly assigned to vaccine or control with an age de-escalation in three cohorts (3-5, 6-12 and 13-17 years) and dose-escalation in three groups (2.5, 5.0 and 10.0µg/dose), and received 3 intramuscular injections at day 0, 28, and 56. WIBP-CorV showed a promising safety profile with approximately 17% adverse reactions within 30 days after injection and no grade 3 or worse adverse events. The most common adverse reaction was injection site pain, followed by fever, which were mild and self-limiting. The geometric mean titers of neutralizing antibody ranged from 102.2 to 1065.5 in vaccinated participants at 28 days after the third vaccination, and maintained at a range of 14.3 to 218.2 at day 180 after the third vaccination. WIBP-CorV elicited significantly higher titers of neutralizing antibody in the cohort aged 3-5 years than the other two cohorts. There were no detectable antibody responses in all alum-only groups. Taken together, our data demonstrate that WIBP-CorV is safe and well tolerated at all tested doses in participants aged 3-17 years, and elicited robust humoral responses against SARS-CoV-2 lasted for at least 6 months after the third vaccination. This study is ongoing and is registered with www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2000031809.
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COVID-19 , Vacunas , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes , COVID-19/prevención & control , Vacunas contra la COVID-19/efectos adversos , Niño , Método Doble Ciego , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Streptomyces mobaraenesis transglutaminase (smTG) is widely used to generate protein crosslinking or attachment of small molecules. However, the low thermostability is a main obstacle for smTG application. In addition, it is still hard to achieve the secretory expression of active smTG in E. coli, which benefits the enzyme evolution. In this study, a combined strategy was conducted to improve the thermostability and secretory expression of active smTG in E. coli. RESULTS: First, the thermostable S. mobaraenesis transglutaminase variant S2P-S23V-Y24N-S199A-K294L (TGm1) was intracellularly expressed in pro-enzyme form in E. coli. Fusing the pro-region of Streptomyces hygroscopicus transglutaminase (proH) and TrxA achieved a 9.78 U/mL of intracellular smTG activity, 1.37-fold higher than the TGm1 fused with its native pro-region. After in vitro activation by dispase, the TGm1 with proH yielded FRAPD-TGm1, exhibiting 0.95 â and 94.25% increases in melting temperature and half-life at 60 â compared to FRAP-TGm1 derived from the expression using its native pro-region, respectively. Second, the TGm1 with proH was co-expressed with transglutaminase activating protease and chaperones (DnaK, DnaJ, and GrpE) in E. coli, achieving 9.51 U/mL of intracellular FRAPD-TGm1 without in vitro activation. Third, the pelB signal peptide was used to mediate the secretory expression of active TGm in E. coli, yielding 0.54 U/mL of the extracellular FRAPD-TGm1. A script was developed to shuffle the codon of pelB and calculate the corresponding mRNA folding energy. A 1.8-fold increase in the extracellular expression of FRAPD-TGm1 was achieved by the Top-9 pelB sequence derived from the coding sequences with the lowest mRNA folding energy. Last, deleting the gene of Braun's lipoprotein further increased the extracellular yield of FRAPD-TGm1 by 31.2%, reached 1.99 U/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The stabilized FRAPD-smTG here could benefit the enzyme application in food and non-food sectors, while the E. coli system that enables secretory expression of active smTG will facilitate the directed evolution for further improved catalytic properties. The combined strategy (N-terminal modification, co-expression with chaperones, mRNA folding energy optimization of signal peptide, and lipoprotein deletion) may also improve the secretory expression of other functional proteins in E. coli.
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Escherichia coli , Transglutaminasas , Codón , Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Señales de Clasificación de Proteína/genética , Transglutaminasas/química , Transglutaminasas/genética , Transglutaminasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the rs13347 polymorphism of the CD44 gene and the risk of kidney stone disease (KSD) in the Han population of northeast Sichuan, China, so as to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of KSD. METHODS: We used PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique to perform genotyping at rs13347 locus of the CD44 gene in the KSD group and the gontrol group. SNP Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) testing was used to confirm the balance of genetic inheritance. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used for the assessment of rs13347 polymorphism and the risk of developing KSD and to compare the relationship between the polymorphism of rs13347 and clinical characteristics of patients with KSD. RESULTS: Genotypic results of rs13347 locus of the CD44 gene in the two groups were consistent with the SNP-HWE test, indicating the genetic balance. At the same time, multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that subjects with CT and TT genotypes at rs13347 in the CD44 gene were more likely to have KSD, and there was a higher prevalence rate in males. Furthermore, carrying allele T at rs13347 was also a risk factor for KSD. In addition, people carrying CT and TT genotypes at rs13347 also have a significantly increased risk of relapsing KSD. CONCLUSION: The rs13347 polymorphism of the CD44 gene may be associated with the risk of KSD in the Han population of northeast Sichuan in China, and the recurrence rate of KSD in the carriers of CT and TT genotypes is higher.
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Pueblo Asiatico/genética , Predisposición Genética a la Enfermedad , Receptores de Hialuranos/genética , Cálculos Renales/genética , Anciano , Estudios de Casos y Controles , China , Biología Computacional , Femenino , Marcadores Genéticos , Genotipo , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
Streptomyces mobaraenesis transglutaminase has been widely used in food processing. We here significantly improved the catalytic properties of S2P-S23V-Y24N-S199A-K294L (TGm1), a highly stabilized variant of the transglutaminase. First, a virtual proline scan was performed based on folding free energy changes to obtain TGm1 variants with enhanced thermostability. Second, the residues within 15 Å of Cys64 in the enzyme-substrate complex of TGm1 were subjected to virtual saturation mutagenesis to generate the variants with reduced binding free energy and increased activity. After combining the favorable mutations, we obtained the variant FRAPD-TGm1-E28T-A265P-A287P (FRAPD-TGm2), exhibiting 66.9 min of half-life at 60 °C (t1/2(60 °C)), 67.8 °C of melting temperature (Tm), and 71.8 U/mg of specific activity, which are 2-fold, 2.6 °C, and 43.8% higher than those of FRAPD-TGm1, respectively. At last, to increase the surface negative net charge of FRAPD-TGm2, we introduced the mutations N96E-S144E-N163D-R183E-R208E-K325E, yielding FRAPD-TGm3. The latter's t1/2(60 °C), Tm, and specific activity were 122.9 min, 68.6 °C, and 83.7 U/mg, which are 83.8%, 0.8 °C, and 16.6% higher than the former, respectively. FRAPD-TGm3 is thus a robust candidate for transglutaminase application.
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Streptomyces , Catálisis , Estabilidad de Enzimas , Mutagénesis , Streptomyces/genética , Streptomyces/metabolismo , Temperatura , Transglutaminasas/genética , Transglutaminasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated vaccine against COVID-19 in Chinese adults aged ≥18 years. METHODS: This is an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial among healthy adults aged ≥18 years in Henan Province, China. Participants (n = 336 in 18-59 age group and n = 336 in ≥60 age group) were enrolled between April 12 and May 17 2020, and were equally randomized to receive vaccine or placebo (aluminum hydroxide adjuvant) in a three-dose schedule of 2·5, 5, or 10 µg on days 0, 28, and 56. Another 448 adults aged 18-59 years were equally allocated to four groups (a one-dose schedule of 10 µg, and two-dose schedules of 5 µg on days 0 and 14/21/28) and received vaccine or placebo (ratio 3:1 within each group). The primary outcomes were 7-day post-injection adverse reactions and neutralizing antibody titres on days 28 and 90 after the whole-course vaccination. Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn #ChiCTR2000031809. FINDINGS: The 7-day adverse reactions occurred in 4·8% to 32·1% of the participants in various groups, and most adverse reactions were mild, transient, and self-limiting. Twenty participants reported 68 serious adverse events which were judged to be unrelated to the vaccine. The 90-day post-injection geometric mean titres of neutralizing antibody ranged between 87 (95% CI: 61-125) and 129 (99-169) for three-dose schedule among younger and older adults; 20 (14-27), 53 (38-75), and 44 (32-61) in 5 µg days 0 and 14/21/28 groups, respectively, and 7 (6-9) in one-dose 10 µg group. There were no detectable antibody responses in all placebo groups. INTERPRETATION: The inactivated vaccine against COVID-19 was well tolerated and immunogenic in both younger and older adults. The two-dose schedule of 5 µg on days 0 and 21/28 and three-dose schedules on days 0, 28, and 56 could be further evaluated for long-term safety and efficacy in the phase 3 trials.
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As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to threaten public health worldwide, the development of effective interventions is urgently needed. Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) have great potential for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, ten nAbs were isolated from two phage-display immune libraries constructed from the pooled PBMCs of eight COVID-19 convalescent patients. Eight of them, consisting of heavy chains encoded by the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene-variable region (IGHV)3-66 or IGHV3-53 genes, recognized the same epitope on the receptor-binding domain (RBD), while the remaining two bound to different epitopes. Among the ten antibodies, 2B11 exhibited the highest affinity and neutralization potency against the original wild-type (WT) SARS-CoV-2 virus (KD = 4.76 nM for the S1 protein, IC50 = 6 ng/mL for pseudoviruses, and IC50 = 1 ng/mL for authentic viruses), and potent neutralizing ability against B.1.1.7 pseudoviruses. Furthermore, 1E10, targeting a distinct epitope on RBD, exhibited different neutralization efficiency against WT SARS-CoV-2 and its variants B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1. The crystal structure of the 2B11-RBD complexes revealed that the epitope of 2B11 highly overlaps with the ACE2-binding site. The in vivo experiment of 2B11 using AdV5-hACE2-transduced mice showed encouraging therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, our results suggest that the highly potent SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibody, 2B11, could be used against the WT SARS-CoV-2 and B.1.1.7 variant, or in combination with a different epitope-targeted neutralizing antibody, such as 1E10, against SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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BACKGROUND: Tumor markers can be diagnostically suggestive and are sometimes even related to prognostic prediction certain diseases. Multiple studies have shown the effectiveness in the prediction of prostate cancer (PCa) by the use of C-reactive protein (CRP). This meta-analysis was conducted to facilitate a conclusion regarding the values of CRP in the prediction of survival rate in patients with PCa. METHODS: Manuscripts were searched, identified, and collected from different databases; quality evaluation was performed according to the different search strategies involved. Information including the comparison between overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate were retained from different studies in patients with evaluated or lowered CRP levels. Progression-free survival (PFS) was also recorded in relation to the log of CRP. Level of relevance was assessed using hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogenicity testing was performed by using Cochran's Q test and Higgins I2 statistics. When P value <0.05, the outcome was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total 12 of manuscripts were included and evaluated from the 1,523 initially identified studies. The results of OS and PFS were 1.57 (95% CI: 1.34 to 1.85) and 1.50 (95% CI: 1.25 to 1.81), respectively. For CSS, the combined HR and 95% CI was 1.92 (95% CI: 1.36 to 2.70), which revealed a significant correlation between increased level of CRP and CSS in PCa patients. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis revealed that CRP value could be one of the critical indicators to predict the survival rate of PCa patients.
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Importance: A vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is urgently needed. Objective: To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an investigational inactivated whole-virus COVID-19 vaccine in China. Interventions: In the phase 1 trial, 96 participants were assigned to 1 of the 3 dose groups (2.5, 5, and 10 µg/dose) and an aluminum hydroxide (alum) adjuvant-only group (n = 24 in each group), and received 3 intramuscular injections at days 0, 28, and 56. In the phase 2 trial, 224 adults were randomized to 5 µg/dose in 2 schedule groups (injections on days 0 and 14 [n = 84] vs alum only [n = 28], and days 0 and 21 [n = 84] vs alum only [n = 28]). Design, Setting, and Participants: Interim analysis of ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 and 2 clinical trials to assess an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine. The trials were conducted in Henan Province, China, among 96 (phase 1) and 224 (phase 2) healthy adults aged between 18 and 59 years. Study enrollment began on April 12, 2020. The interim analysis was conducted on June 16, 2020, and updated on July 27, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary safety outcome was the combined adverse reactions 7 days after each injection, and the primary immunogenicity outcome was neutralizing antibody response 14 days after the whole-course vaccination, which was measured by a 50% plaque reduction neutralization test against live severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Results: Among 320 patients who were randomized (mean age, 42.8 years; 200 women [62.5%]), all completed the trial up to 28 days after the whole-course vaccination. The 7-day adverse reactions occurred in 3 (12.5%), 5 (20.8%), 4 (16.7%), and 6 (25.0%) patients in the alum only, low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups, respectively, in the phase 1 trial; and in 5 (6.0%) and 4 (14.3%) patients who received injections on days 0 and 14 for vaccine and alum only, and 16 (19.0%) and 5 (17.9%) patients who received injections on days 0 and 21 for vaccine and alum only, respectively, in the phase 2 trial. The most common adverse reaction was injection site pain, followed by fever, which were mild and self-limiting; no serious adverse reactions were noted. The geometric mean titers of neutralizing antibodies in the low-, medium-, and high-dose groups at day 14 after 3 injections were 316 (95% CI, 218-457), 206 (95% CI, 123-343), and 297 (95% CI, 208-424), respectively, in the phase 1 trial, and were 121 (95% CI, 95-154) and 247 (95% CI, 176-345) at day 14 after 2 injections in participants receiving vaccine on days 0 and 14 and on days 0 and 21, respectively, in the phase 2 trial. There were no detectable antibody responses in all alum-only groups. Conclusions and Relevance: In this interim report of the phase 1 and phase 2 trials of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, patients had a low rate of adverse reactions and demonstrated immunogenicity; the study is ongoing. Efficacy and longer-term adverse event assessment will require phase 3 trials. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2000031809.
Asunto(s)
Betacoronavirus/inmunología , Infecciones por Coronavirus/prevención & control , Inmunogenicidad Vacunal , Pandemias/prevención & control , Neumonía Viral/prevención & control , Vacunas Virales/inmunología , Adyuvantes Inmunológicos/administración & dosificación , Adyuvantes Inmunológicos/efectos adversos , Adolescente , Adulto , Hidróxido de Aluminio/administración & dosificación , Hidróxido de Aluminio/efectos adversos , Anticuerpos Neutralizantes/sangre , Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Betacoronavirus/genética , COVID-19 , Vacunas contra la COVID-19 , Infecciones por Coronavirus/inmunología , Relación Dosis-Respuesta Inmunológica , Método Doble Ciego , Femenino , Humanos , Inyecciones Intramusculares , Masculino , Neumonía Viral/inmunología , Propiolactona , SARS-CoV-2 , Vacunas de Productos Inactivados/inmunología , Vacunas Virales/administración & dosificación , Vacunas Virales/efectos adversos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) are essential substances for the tree growth and metabolism, and play an important role in environmental adaptation of trees. At temporal scale, NSC contents in trees have limited inter-annual variation, which could be attributed to the strategy of tree growth and carbon storage. Different factors influence NSC contents of trees in various climatic regions, which change substantially at the seasonal scale. At spatial scale, the variations of NSC content in trees show an insignificantly decreasing trend with the decreases of latitude at global and continental scales, which are mainly related to the hydrothermal gradients. The trend at regional scale is opposite because of the decrease of hydrothermal gradients and lower sample frequency. More sophisticated relations exist between the variations of NSC content in trees and altitudes, which are caused by species-specific characteristics and the variations of micro-habitat conditions. The variations of NSC content in trees at multiple spatial-temporal scales are generally determined by both biotic and abiotic factors, which are mainly dependent on the tradeoff among photosynthate production, respiratory depletion, and tree growth. Furthermore, the methods used for the determination of NSC content are different, which results in great uncertainties in comparing conclusions from different studies. The methods used for sample collection and measurement of NSC should be improved and unified to enhance the comparison among different studies. The NSC contents of trees in different age classes should be measured with all organs collected at multiple spatial-temporal scales. The underlying mechanisms, significance of NSC storage, transformation and allocation on tree growth and survival should be further discussed.