Inhibition of amyloid formation of the Nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2

The SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein (NCAP) functions in RNA packaging during viral replication and assembly. Computational analysis of its amino acid sequence reveals a central low-complexity domain (LCD) having sequence features akin to LCDs in other proteins known to function in liquid-liquid phase separation. Here we show that in the presence of viral RNA, NCAP, and also its LCD segment alone, form amyloid-like fibrils when undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation. Within the LCD we identified three 6-residue segments that drive amyloid fibril formation. We determined atomic structures for fibrils formed by each of the three identified segments. These structures informed our design of peptide inhibitors of NCAP fibril formation and liquid-liquid phase separation, suggesting a therapeutic route for Covid-19. One Sentence SummaryAtomic structures of amyloid-driving peptide segments from SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein inform the development of Covid-19 therapeutics.

The Role of Malic Enzyme on Promoting Total Lipid and Fatty Acid Production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

To verify the function of malic enzyme (ME1), the ME1 gene was endogenously overexpressed in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Overexpression of ME1 increased neutral and total lipid content and significantly increased saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in transformants, which varied between 23.19 and 25.32% in SFAs and between 49.02 and 54.04% in PUFAs, respectively. Additionally, increased ME1 activity was accompanied by elevated NADPH content in all three transformants, indicating that increased ME1 activity produced additional NADPH comparing with that of WT. These results indicated that ME1 activity is NADP-dependent and plays an important role in the NADPH levels required for lipid synthesis and fatty acid desaturation in P. tricornutum. Furthermore, our findings suggested that overexpression of endogenous ME1 represents a valid method for boosting neutral-lipid yield in diatom.

Meta-analysis of risk factors of the surgical site infection through lumbar posterior approach / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection is the main complication after posterior lumbar surgery, which not only increases the patient's hospitalization time, financial burden and physical pain, but also increases the difficulty for the clinical medical staff, delays the recovery of postoperative patients, even leads to deaths. Therefore, it is important to analyze the factors related to the infection of the surgical site after posterior lumbar surgery. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors of the surgical site infection after lumbar posterior approach in China. METHODS: Studies about the surgical site infection after lumbar posterior approach were retrieved by computer. The quality of the studies was evaluated by reading the full text. Heterogeneity was analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. Meta analysis was used to analyze the combined effect. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Totally 20 studies with 423 cases of surgical site infection and 13 995 cases of non-infection were included. (2)Meta-analysis univariate analysis results:body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m2[OR=3.82,95%CI(2.47,5.91),P<0.000 01],age ≥ 60 years [OR=1.99,95%CI(1.44,2.76),P<0.000 1],intraoperative blood loss ≥ 300 mL[OR=3.98,95%CI(2.50,6.33),P<0.000 01],subcutaneous fat thickness[MD=5.35,95%CI(3.58,7.12),P<0.000 01],number of segments ≥ 3[OR=3.83,95%CI(2.02,7.26),P<0.000 1],operation time ≥180 minutes[OR=2.96,95%CI(2.06,4.27),P<0.000 01],preoperative serum protein<35 g/L[OR=2.37,95%CI(1.63,3.46),P<0.000 01],and diabetes[OR=2.88,95%CI(2.22,3.74),P<0.000 01]were risk factors for surgical site infection after lumbar posterior approach.(3)Multivariate analysis results:body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m2[OR=3.21,95%CI(1.97,5.22),P<0.000 01],subcutaneous fat thickness[MD=5.35,95%CI(3.58, 7.12),P<0.000 01],preoperative serum protein<35 g/L[OR=3.73,95%CI(2.30,6.04),P<0.000 01],and diabetes[OR=3.35,95%CI(1.75,6.42), P=0.003]were independent risk factors for surgical site infection after lumbar posterior surgery.(4)Results showed that body mass index ≥27 kg/m2, subcutaneous fat thickness, preoperative serum protein < 35 g/L, and diabetes are independent risk factors for surgical site infection after lumbar posterior approach in China. Due to the number of cases of surgical site infection and its methodological quality during the study, the above conclusions still need to be confirmed by more large-scale, high-quality studies to provide reliable evidence for perioperative management.

Silencing UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene in Phaeodactylum tricornutum affects carbon allocation.

The effects of the suppression of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) on chrysolaminaran biosynthesis and carbon allocation were investigated in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The 69% decrease in UGPase activity was accompanied by a 4.89 fold reduction in Ugp transcript abundance. Inactivation of UGPase in P. tricornutum led to a significant decrease in chrysolaminaran content and an increase in lipid synthesis. These findings suggest that UGPase is a rate-limiting enzyme and may play an important role in chrysolaminarin biosynthesis and carbon allocation. Our results support a theoretical deduction that Ugp is a good candidate for improving lipid synthesis in diatoms.

Gut microbiota and osteoporosis / 南方医科大学学报

The rapidly evolving aging society in China is associated with increased incidences of osteoporosis and fractures, which have become common health problems that threaten the quality of life of the elderly. Gut microbiota colonizing in the human intestinal tract form a mutual symbiotic relationship with the host and play an important role in the metabolism and immune regulation of the host. In recent years increasing studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota not only affect the digestive system but also contribute to the disease conditions involving the immune system, and have a close relationship with the occurrence and progression of osteoporosis. This review summarizes the progress and hotspots in recent researches of the associations among gut microbiota, the immune system, osteoporosis.

[Planktonic Algae's Distribution and Correlation with Dissolved Organic Matters' Fluorescence in the End of the Three Gorges Reservoir's Back Water Zone].

For researching the community structure, composition, and distribution of the planktonic algae in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TRG), especially, within TRG water levels' fluctuating, mpacting to water quality with the algae's growing, 6 sampling cites in the end of the TGR's back water zone, from Chaotianmen to Taihonggang Town, are chosen to monitor, at the sensitive stages time of algal bloom between March to May 2012, namely, water levels lowing from the highest impounding. The community's structure, composition, and distribution of the planktonic algae in the TGR, and the correlation of water quality parameters and DOM's fluorescence features with algae density, are obtained. According to the experimental results, blue algae fibre, chlorella, melosira, navicula are the dominated algae in the end of the TGR's back water zone, from Chaotianmen to Taihonggang Town, algae density are 0.40~0.56 × 10(6), 1.9~0.8 × 10(6), 0.36~0.25 × 10(6), 0.42~0.15 × 10(6) cells · L(-1) respectively. Besides, anabaena, phormidium, cladophora, feather, ovate algae are existing in only limited 2 sections. The fitting results reveal obvious linear correlation of the EEM characteristics of DOM with the 4 kinds of dominated algal density, which could be useful conference for the algae bloom monitor, conveniently and effectively.

A descriptive analysis of injury triage, surge of medical demand, and resource use in an university hospital after 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion, China / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The 8.12 Tianjin Port Explosion in 2015 caused heavy casualties. Pingjin Hospital, an affiliated college hospital in Tianjin, China participated in the rescue activities. This study aims to analyze the emergency medical response to this event and share experience with trauma physicians to optimize the use of medical resource and reduce mortality of critical patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>As a trauma centre at the accident city, our hospital treated 298 patients. We retrospectively analyzed the data of emergency medical response, including injury triage, injury type, ICU patient flow, and medical resource use.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were totally 165 deaths, 8 missing, and 797 non-fatal injuries in this explosion. Our hospital treated 298 casualties in two surges of medical demand. The first one appeared at 1 h after explosion when 147 wounded were received and the second one at 4 h when 31 seriously injured patients were received, among whom 29 were transferred from Tianjin Emergency Center which was responsible for the scene injury triage. After reexamination and triage, only 11 cases were defined as critical ill patients. The over-triage rate reached as high as 62.07%. Seventeen patients underwent surgery and 17 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present pre-hospital system is incomplete and may induce two surges of medical demand. The first one has a much larger number of casualties than predicted but the injury level is mild; while the second one has less wounded but almost all of them are critical patients. The over-triage rate is high. The hospital emergency response can be improved by an effective re-triage and implementation of a hospital-wide damage control.</p>

Post-disaster medical rescue strategy in tropical regions / 世界急诊医学杂志（英文）

BACKGROUND: Earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms, mudslides, landslides, and forest wild fires are serious threats to human lives and properties. The present study aimed to study the environmental characteristics and pathogenic traits, recapitulate experiences, and augment applications of medical reliefs in tropical regions. METHODS: Analysis was made on work and projects of emergency medical rescue, based on information and data collected from 3 emergency medical rescue missions of China International Search and Rescue Team to overseas earthquakes and tsunamis aftermaths in tropical disaster regions Indonesia-Aceh, Indonesia-Yogyakarta, and Haiti-Port au Prince. RESULTS: Shock, infection and heat stroke were frequently encountered in addition to outbreaks of infectious diseases, skin diseases, and diarrhea during post-disaster emergency medical rescue in tropical regions. CONCLUSIONS: High temperature, high humidity, and proliferation of microorganisms and parasites are the characteristics of tropical climate that impose strict requirements on the preparation of rescue work including selective team members suitable for a particular rescue mission and the provisioning of medical equipment and life support materials. The overseas rescue mission itself needs a scientific, efficient, simple workflow for providing efficient emergency medical assistance. Since shock and infection are major tasks in post-disaster treatment of severely injured victims in tropical regions, the prevention and diagnosis of hyperthermia, insect-borne infectious diseases, tropic skin diseases, infectious diarrhea, and pest harms of disaster victims and rescue team staff should be emphasized during the rescue operations.

Clinical study of rigid gas-permeable lenses to correct astigmatism for keratoconus / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To evaluate visual outcome and wearing times in eyes fitted with a rigid gas permeable contact lenses and to assess the role of these lenses in therapeutic contact lens practice.METHODS: Patients fitted with RGP from May 2004 to December 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Ocular diagnosis,flat and steep curvatures by corneal topography. The data included initial base curve, power, and the number of changes made in parameters during the follow-up. The outcome data included visual acuity and the duration of follow-up and lens wear. Complications and complaints were also noted.RESULTS: Forty-Three eyes of 25 patients had keratoconus were reviewed. The mean age of patients was 19.88 ±3.11years. 26 (60.5%)eyes achieved 20/20 visual acuity;15(34.9%) eyes achieved 20/25 to 20/40; and 1 (2.3%) eyes achieved 20/50 to 20/70. 37 (86.0%) eyes achieved visual improvement. No infection or neovascularization was noted; a corneal abrasion occurred in one eye.CONCLUSION: RGP may be a better alternative in selected patients with keratoconus rather than penetrating keratoplasty.

Clinical analysis of vertebral-basilar insufficiency caused by related ophthalmologic signs / 眼科

Objective To analyze the ophthalmologic characteristics and examinations which caused by vertebral-basilar insuffi- ciency.Design Retrospective case series.Participants 469 eases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency.Methods Retrospective analysis of 469 cases of vertebral-basilar insufficiency patients with ophthalmologic signs' features,incidence,the main cause,color Doppler flow imaging and(or)digital subtraction angiography clearly stenosis location,the degree of stenosis from July 1st 2005 to July ist 2007 in PLA General Hospital.Main Outcome Measures Ophthalmologic signs' related reasons and supplementary examination.Results 96 cases were with the corresponding eye symptoms(20.4%).Vision decreased in 83 cases,diplopia was in 56 cases,ipsilateral hemiopia quadrant blind in 12 cases and depending on deformation in 10 cases,fundus arteriosclerosis in 72 cases,nystagmus in 39 cases,the eye movement disorder in 16 cases.Among 96 patients with associated ocular symptoms,75 patients with color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI)showed unilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 66 cases(88%),among those blood flow velocity decreased in 26 cases,17 cases with vascular plaque stenosis,thinning in 20 cases,3 cases with complete occlusion;different bilateral vertebral artery abnormal in 9 cases(12%),among those velocity dropped in 4 cases,two cases with vascular plaque stenosis and thinning in 3 cases.Forty-five cases with the digital subtraction angiography(DSA),left vertebral artery was abnormal in 24 cases,18 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 5 cas- es,abnormal bending in 1 case.Right vertebral artery was abnormal in 16 cases,13 cases with stenosis,occlusion in 3 cases.Bilateral vertebral artery stenosis was found in 2 cases;vertebral artery stenosis was in 3 patients.Conclusion Vertebral-basilar insufficiency may cause eye-related symptoms,therefore,vision acuity decrease,fundus 'arteriosclerosis,diplopia and nystagmus symptoms are more likely for patients with vertebral-patients with basilar artery insufficiency performance of the eye.(Ophthalmol CHN,2002,16:406-410)