Pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 associates with strong T cell responses induced by inactivated COVID-19 vaccines.

Individuals with a recent common cold coronavirus infection, which leads to pre-existing immunity against SARS-CoV-2, displayed a less severe course of COVID-19. However, the relationship between pre-existing immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and the inactivated-vaccine-induced immune response is still unknown. Here, 31 healthcare workers who received standard two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines (Weeks 0 and 4, respectively) were enrolled, vaccine-induced neutralization and T cell responses were detected, and the correlation between the pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity was analyzed. We found the SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, pseudovirus neutralization test (pVNT) titers, and spike-specific interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were significantly elevated after two doses of inactivated vaccines. Interestingly, the pVNT titers after the second dose of vaccination displayed no significant correlation with the pre-existing SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies or B cells, nor the pre-existing spike-specific CD4+ T cells. Notably, the spike-specific T cell response after the second dose of vaccination was positively correlated with the pre-existing receptor binding domain (RBD)-specific B cells and CD4+ T cells, which were documented by the frequencies of RBD-binding B cells, the breadth of RBD-specific B cell epitopes, and the frequency of IFN-γ-expressing RBD-specific CD4+ T cells. Overall, the inactivated-vaccine-induced T cell responses, not the inactivated-vaccine-induced neutralization, closely correlated with pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2. Our results provide a better understanding of inactivated-vaccine-induced immunity and help predict the immunogenicity induced by inactivated vaccines in individuals.

Contribution of Different Phenotypes of Obesity to Metabolic Abnormalities from a Cross-Sectional Study in the Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: This study has been conducted to explore the correlation between phenotypes of obesity and metabolic comorbidities. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 14,724 adults aged ≥18 years with a randomized stratified sampling strategy. Obesity was classified into four types according to body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR): normal weight with central obesity (NWCO) and without (NW) CO, and obese or overweight with (OBCO) and without (OB) central obesity. Uric acid (UA), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and lipid profile were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of hyperuricemia in the 4 groups (NW, NWCO, OB and OBCO) was 3.7%, 5.6%, 8.7% and 12.4%, whilst the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was 13.4%, 27.4%, 30.3% and 43.7%, separately. The prevalence of hypo-high-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia (hypo-HDL emia) was 20.1%, 21.4%, 30.8% and 27.9%, while the prevalence of hyper-low-density lipoprotein cholesterolemia (hyper-LDL emia) was 9.8%, 24.4%, 12.3% and 27.9%. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was 11.2%, 23.5%, 14.7%, 28.5% and the prevalence of hyperglycemia was 9.7%, 22.6%, 18.5%, and 27.0%, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 6.9%, 13.1%, 14.7%, and 20.6%. For various metabolic abnormalities, OBCO have the highest risks compared with NW (hyperuricemia: adjusted OR (aOR)= 2.60; hypertriglyceridemia: aOR= 3.19; hypercholesterolemia: aOR= 1.48; hyper LDLemia: aOR= 2.21; hypo HDLemia: aOR= 1.42; hyperglycemia: aOR= 1.95; hypertension: aOR= 2.16). The risk of hyper LDLemia, hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia in the NWCO group was higher than that in the OB group (hyperLDLemia: aOR: 1.69 vs 0.97; hypercholesterolemia: aOR: 1.27 vs 1.24; hyperglycemia: aOR: 1.62 vs 1.28). CONCLUSION: Different phenotypes of obesity are significantly associated with metabolic abnormalities. NWCO is more closely associated with hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia and hyper LDLemia. General obesity and central obesity have a synergistic effect on the diseases.

Synthesis and characterization of promising insensitive energetic salts based on 3-amino-5-hydrazinopyrazole.

The development of green energetic materials is based on environmental friendliness, safety and performance improvement. It is of great significance to design and synthesize new nitrogen rich salts for a new generation of green energetic materials. In the present work, a series of 3-amino-5-hydrazinopyrazole energetic salts comprising energetic anions were synthesized and were characterized using elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Compounds 1-5 were further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction and the sensitivities were measured by the standard BAM methods. Additionally, the structure-property relationship was elucidated from the experimental results and theoretical calculations. Energetic salts of 2 and 5 exhibited high heat of formation (5, 1160.06 kJ mol-1), high decomposition temperature (2, 172 °C; 5, 186 °C), excellent detonation performance (2, Dv, 9076 m s-1, P 34.1 GPa; 5, Dv, 8974 m s-1, P 31.9 GPa), moderate sensitivity towards outer stimuli and high nitrogen contents (2, 41.03%; 5, 63.84%). This work increases future prospects for the design of insensitive and novel high-energy green energetic material.

Age distribution and age-related outcomes of olfactory neuroblastoma: a population-based analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe the age distribution and to evaluate the role of prognostic value of age on survival in patients diagnosed with olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB). A population-based retrospective analysis was conducted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The population-based study of patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) tumor registry, who were diagnosed with ONB from 1973 to 2014, were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The cohort included 876 patients with a median age of 54 years. There was a unimodal distribution of age and ONBs most frequently occurred in the fifth to sixth decades of life. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates of 69% and 78% at 5 years. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that age, SEER stage, and surgery were independent prognostic factors for CSS. The risk of overall death and cancer-specific death increased 3.1% and 1.6% per year, respectively. Patients aged >60 years presented significantly poor OS and CSS compared with patients aged ≤60 years, even in patients with loco-regional disease or in those treated with surgery. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the growing evidence that there is a unimodal age distribution of ONB and that age is an important adverse prognostic factor.

The Sensing Properties of Single Y-Doped SnO2 Nanobelt Device to Acetone.

Pure SnO2 and Y-doped SnO2 nanobelts were prepared by thermal evaporation at 1350 °C in the presence of Ar carrier gas (30 sccm). The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersion spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR). The sensing properties of the devices based on a single SnO2 nanobelt and Y-doped SnO2 nanobelt were explored to acetone, ethanol, and ethanediol. It reveals that the sensitivity of single Y-doped SnO2 nanobelt device is 11.4 to 100 ppm of acetone at 210 °C, which is the highest response among the three tested VOC gases. Y3+ ions improve the sensitivity of SnO2 sensor and have an influence on the optical properties of Y-doped SnO2 nanobelts.

[Phylogenetic comparison between Spirulina and Arthrospira based on 16S rRNA and rpoC1 gene].

OBJECTIVE: Based on 16S rRNA and rpoC1 gene sequences, the phylogenetic relationship between Spirulina and Arthrospira were studied and compared. METHODS: We amplified, sequenced and analyzed 16S rRNA and rpoC1 of 84 strains. Then the phylogenetic trees were constructed and compared. RESULTS: The conserved sites percentage, average G+C content and sequence identity of rpoC1 were 49.7%, 47.7%, 76%-100% respectively, significantly lower than 79.4%, 55.6% and 91%-100% of 16S rRNA, and the heterogeneity degree was higher. The trees generated with two different genes showed similar topologies and thus inferred consistent phylogenetic relationships. Eighty-four experimental strains were divided into 3 groups belonging to 2 genera: F-35 1, F-904-2, F-1070 and TJBC14 were Spirulina and the rest were Arthrospira. Although morphospecies and geographical species could not be distinguished based on 16S rRNA and rpoC1 gene sequences, the bootstrap value of rpoC1 (100%) was higher than that of 16S rRNA (99%). Moreover, clustering effect of rpoC1 for Spirulina and Arthrospirai was better than 16S rRNA. CONCLUSION: Spirulina and Arthrospira were different genera, rpoC1 gene has more advantage to distinguish the strains in the same genus than that of 16S rRNA gene.

A Single Eu-Doped In2O3 Nanobelt Device for Selective H2S Detection.

Eu-doped In2O3 nanobelts (Eu-In2O3 NBs) and pure In2O3 nanobelts (In2O3 NBs) are synthesized by the carbon thermal reduction method. Single nanobelt sensors are fabricated via an ion beam deposition system with a mesh-grid mask. The gas-sensing response properties of the Eu-In2O3 NB device and its undoped counterpart are investigated with several kinds of gases (including H2S, CO, NO2, HCHO, and C2H5OH) at different concentrations and different temperatures. It is found that the response of the Eu-In2O3 NB device to 100 ppm of H2S is the best among these gases and the sensitivity reaches 5.74, which is five times that of pure In2O3 NB at 260 °C. We also found that the former has an excellent sensitive response and great selectivity to H2S compared to the latter. Besides, there is a linear relationship between the response and H2S concentration when its concentration changes from 5 to 100 ppm and from 100 to 1000 ppm. The response/recovery time is quite short and remains stable with an increase of H2S concentration. These results mean that the doping of Eu can improve the gas-sensing performance of In2O3 NB effectually.

The influence of hypoglycemic drugs on exercise-mediated hypoglycemic effects in elderly type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of different hypoglycemic drugs on exercise-mediated blood glucose (BG) reduction. METHODS: One-hundred and five retirees who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) within a two-year period were included in this study. The participants were instructed to walk for 20 to 30 minutes at a moderate-speed (4.0 to 4.5 km/h) after breakfast. Blood pressure and fingertip BG were measured before and after walking. RESULTS: The rate of BG reduction was significantly higher in all exercise groups when compared to that of non-exercised patients. Among all groups, BG declined the most in the un-medicated group, while the lowest BG reduction was observed in the acarbose group. Surprisingly, the BG reduction in acarbose group was significantly lower when compared with non-acarbose groups (P<0.0001). Interestingly, after further correcting for sex, age, BMI, diabetes history, walking time, walking speed and walking distance, only age was found to be an influencing factor (t=-3.304, P=0.001). Pearson correlation of age and BG reduction showed that correlation coefficient of age was only 0.183 and revealed no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Walking at a moderate speed for 20 to30 minutes after breakfast provided a beneficial BG reduction effect in elderly T2DM patients. Among the medicated groups, the smallest BG reduction rate was observed in patients taking acarbose. We suggest that acarbose might influence hypoglycemic effects of exercise. The results of this study will be helpful for determining the best clinical usage of hypoglycemic medications in elderly T2DM patients.

Synthesis and Gas Sensing Properties of Single La-Doped SnO2 Nanobelts.

Single crystal SnO2 nanobelts (SnO2 NBs) and La-SnO2 nanobelts (La-SnO2 NBs) were synthesized by thermal evaporation. Both a single SnO2 NB sensor and a single La-SnO2 NB sensor were developed and their sensing properties were investigated. It is found that the single La-SnO2 NB sensor had a high sensitivity of 8.76 to ethanediol at a concentration of 100 ppm at 230 °C, which is the highest sensitivity of a single SnO2 NB to ethanediol among three kinds of volatile organic (VOC) liquids studied, including ethanediol, ethanol, and acetone. The La-SnO2 NBs sensor also exhibits a high sensitivity, good selectivity and long-term stability with prompt response time to ethanediol. The mechanism behind the enhanced sensing performance of La-doped SnO2 nanobelts is discussed.

Draft genome sequence of cyanobacteria Arthrospira sp. TJSD091 isolated from seaside wetland.

The cyanobacteria TJSD091 strain, a member of the genus Arthrospira was isolated from seaside wetland in China, Bohai. The draft genome sequence of Arthrospira sp. TJSD091 with a genome size of approximately 6.3 Mbp and a G+C content of 44.75% is reported.

[Study on the mechanical properties of quartz fiber-reinforced composite for canal post].

PURPOSE: To study the mechanical properties of custom-made quartz fiber-reinforced epoxy resin composite for prefabricated post. METHODS: Composite rods of 5 experiment groups with different fiber contents were made of quartz fiber and epoxy resin.Flexural strengths, shear strengths and fiber contents were measured, corresponding elastic modulus were calculated, cross-section surface and fracture surface was viewed under SEM. Statistical analysis was carried out with one way analysis of variance(ANOVA) and Student-Newman-Keuls for the experimental groups. RESULTS: The flexural strength of composite rods increased with the increase of fiber content, within the limitations of this research, the flexural strengths ranged from 741 to 1165 MPa, corresponding fiber contents ranged from 53.3 to 78.6 Wt%, corresponding flexural strengths ranged from 36.7 to 50.4 MPa,corresponding elastic modulus ranged from 30.6 to 51.9 GPa, SEM showed that fiber distribution in resin was uniform, there was good adhesion between fiber and epoxy resin. ANOVA revealed significant differences of flexural strengths and shear strengths between the experimental groups and control group (P<0.01), Student-Newman-Keuls analysis showed significant differences of flexural strengths and shear strengths between the experimental groups(P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The custom-made quartz fiber-reinforced epoxy resin composite can be used for prefabricated post with good mechanical properties.