An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its caused coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been reported in China since December 2019. More than 16% of patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, and the fatality ratio was about 1%–2%. No specific treatment has been reported. Herein, we examined the effects of Favipiravir (FPV) versus Lopinavir (LPV)/ritonavir (RTV) for the treatment of COVID-19. Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who received oral FPV (Day 1: 1600 mg twice daily; Days 2–14: 600 mg twice daily) plus interferon (IFN)-α by aerosol inhalation (5 million U twice daily) were included in the FPV arm of this study, whereas patients who were treated with LPV/RTV (Days 1–14: 400 mg/100 mg twice daily) plus IFN-α by aerosol inhalation (5 million U twice daily) were included in the control arm. Changes in chest computed tomography (CT), viral clearance, and drug safety were compared between the two groups. For the 35 patients enrolled in the FPV arm and the 45 patients in the control arm, all baseline characteristics were comparable between the two arms. A shorter viral clearance time was found for the FPV arm versus the control arm (median (interquartile range, IQR), 4 (2.5–9) d versus 11 (8–13) d, P < 0.001). The FPV arm also showed significant improvement in chest imaging compared with the control arm, with an improvement rate of 91.43% versus 62.22% (P = 0.004). After adjustment for potential confounders, the FPV arm also showed a significantly higher improvement rate in chest imaging. Multivariable Cox regression showed that FPV was independently associated with faster viral clearance. In addition, fewer adverse events were found in the FPV arm than in the control arm. In this open-label before-after controlled study, FPV showed better therapeutic responses on COVID-19 in terms of disease progression and viral clearance. These preliminary clinical results provide useful information of treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Genome editing tools such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated system (Cas) have been widely used to modify genes in model systems including animal zygotes and human cells, and hold tremendous promise for both basic research and clinical applications. To date, a serious knowledge gap remains in our understanding of DNA repair mechanisms in human early embryos, and in the efficiency and potential off-target effects of using technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 in human pre-implantation embryos. In this report, we used tripronuclear (3PN) zygotes to further investigate CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in human cells. We found that CRISPR/Cas9 could effectively cleave the endogenous β-globin gene (HBB). However, the efficiency of homologous recombination directed repair (HDR) of HBB was low and the edited embryos were mosaic. Off-target cleavage was also apparent in these 3PN zygotes as revealed by the T7E1 assay and whole-exome sequencing. Furthermore, the endogenous delta-globin gene (HBD), which is homologous to HBB, competed with exogenous donor oligos to act as the repair template, leading to untoward mutations. Our data also indicated that repair of the HBB locus in these embryos occurred preferentially through the non-crossover HDR pathway. Taken together, our work highlights the pressing need to further improve the fidelity and specificity of the CRISPR/Cas9 platform, a prerequisite for any clinical applications of CRSIPR/Cas9-mediated editing.
The most severe sequelae after rehabilitation from SARS are femoral head necrosis and pulmonary fibrosis. We performed a 15-year follow-up on the lung and bone conditions of SARS patients. We evaluated the recovery from lung damage and femoral head necrosis in an observational cohort study of SARS patients using pulmonary CT scans, hip joint MRI examinations, pulmonary function tests and hip joint function questionnaires. Eighty medical staff contracted SARS in 2003. Two patients died of SARS, and 78 were enrolled in this study from August 2003 to March 2018. Seventy-one patients completed the 15-year follow-up. The percentage of pulmonary lesions on CT scans diminished from 2003 (9.40 ± 7.83)% to 2004 (3.20 ± 4.78)% (P < 0.001) and remained stable thereafter until 2018 (4.60 ± 6.37)%. Between 2006 and 2018, the proportion of patients with interstitial changes who had improved pulmonary function was lower than that of patients without lesions, as demonstrated by the one-second ratio (FEV1/FVC%, t = 2.21, P = 0.04) and mid-flow of maximum expiration (FEF25%–75%, t = 2.76, P = 0.01). The volume of femoral head necrosis decreased significantly from 2003 (38.83 ± 21.01)% to 2005 (30.38 ± 20.23)% (P = 0.000 2), then declined slowly from 2005 to 2013 (28.99 ± 20.59)% and plateaued until 2018 (25.52 ± 15.51)%. Pulmonary interstitial damage and functional decline caused by SARS mostly recovered, with a greater extent of recovery within 2 years after rehabilitation. Femoral head necrosis induced by large doses of steroid pulse therapy in SARS patients was not progressive and was partially reversible.
It has been reported that ACE2 is the main host cell receptor of 2019-nCoV and plays a crucial role in the entry of virus into the cell to cause the final infection. To investigate the potential route of 2019-nCov infection on the mucosa of oral cavity, bulk RNA-seq profiles from two public databases including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Functional Annotation of The Mammalian Genome Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (FANTOM5 CAGE) dataset were collected. RNA-seq profiling data of 13 organ types with para-carcinoma normal tissues from TCGA and 14 organ types with normal tissues from FANTOM5 CAGE were analyzed in order to explore and validate the expression of ACE2 on the mucosa of oral cavity. Further, single-cell transcriptomes from an independent data generated in-house were used to identify and confirm the ACE2-expressing cell composition and proportion in oral cavity. The results demonstrated that the ACE2 expressed on the mucosa of oral cavity. Interestingly, this receptor was highly enriched in epithelial cells of tongue. Preliminarily, those findings have explained the basic mechanism that the oral cavity is a potentially high risk for 2019-nCoV infectious susceptibility and provided a piece of evidence for the future prevention strategy in dental clinical practice as well as daily life.
Skeletal stem and progenitor cells (SSPCs) perform bone maintenance and repair. With age, they produce fewer osteoblasts and more adipocytes leading to a loss of skeletal integrity. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this detrimental transformation are largely unknown. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that Notch signaling becomes elevated in SSPCs during aging. To examine the role of increased Notch activity, we deleted Nicastrin, an essential Notch pathway component, in SSPCs in vivo. Middle-aged conditional knockout mice displayed elevated SSPC osteo-lineage gene expression, increased trabecular bone mass, reduced bone marrow adiposity, and enhanced bone repair. Thus, Notch regulates SSPC cell fate decisions, and moderating Notch signaling ameliorates the skeletal aging phenotype, increasing bone mass even beyond that of young mice. Finally, we identified the transcription factor Ebf3 as a downstream mediator of Notch signaling in SSPCs that is dysregulated with aging, highlighting it as a promising therapeutic target to rejuvenate the aged skeleton.
A novel β-coronavirus (2019-nCoV) caused severe and even fetal pneumonia explored in a seafood market of Wuhan city, Hubei province, China, and rapidly spread to other provinces of China and other countries. The 2019-nCoV was different from SARS-CoV, but shared the same host receptor the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The natural host of 2019-nCoV may be the bat Rhinolophus affinis as 2019-nCoV showed 96.2% of whole-genome identity to BatCoV RaTG13. The person-to-person transmission routes of 2019-nCoV included direct transmission, such as cough, sneeze, droplet inhalation transmission, and contact transmission, such as the contact with oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes. 2019-nCoV can also be transmitted through the saliva, and the fetal–oral routes may also be a potential person-to-person transmission route. The participants in dental practice expose to tremendous risk of 2019-nCoV infection due to the face-to-face communication and the exposure to saliva, blood, and other body fluids, and the handling of sharp instruments. Dental professionals play great roles in preventing the transmission of 2019-nCoV. Here we recommend the infection control measures during dental practice to block the person-to-person transmission routes in dental clinics and hospitals.
Understanding the intricate relationships between the solid Earth and its surface systems in deep time necessitates comprehensive full-plate tectonic reconstructions that include evolving plate boundaries and oceanic plates. In particular, a tectonic reconstruction that spans multiple supercontinent cycles is important to understand the long-term evolution of Earth’s interior, surface environments and mineral resources. Here, we present a new full-plate tectonic reconstruction from 1.8 Ga to present that combines and refines three published models: one full-plate tectonic model spanning 1 Ga to present and two continental-drift models focused on the late Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic eras. Our model is constrained by geological and geophysical data, and presented as a relative plate motion model in a paleomagnetic reference frame. The model encompasses three supercontinents, Nuna (Columbia), Rodinia, and Gondwana/Pangea, and more than two complete supercontinent cycles, covering ∼40% of the Earth’s history. Our refinements to the base models are focused on times before 1.0 Ga, with minor changes for the Neoproterozoic. For times between 1.8 Ga and 1.0 Ga, the root mean square speeds for all plates generally range between 4 cm/yr and 7 cm/yr (despite short-term fast motion around 1.1 Ga), which are kinematically consistent with post-Pangean plate tectonic constraints. The time span of the existence of Nuna is updated to between 1.6 Ga (1.65 Ga in the base model) and 1.46 Ga based on geological and paleomagnetic data. We follow the base models to leave Amazonia/West Africa separate from Nuna (as well as Western Australia, which only collides with the remnants of Nuna after initial break-up), and South China/India separate from Rodinia. Contrary to the concept of a “boring billion”, our model reveals a dynamic geological history between 1.8 Ga and 0.8 Ga, characterized by supercontinent assembly and breakup, and continuous accretion events. The model is publicly accessible, providing a framework for future refinements and facilitating deep time studies of Earth’s system. We suggest that the model can serve as a valuable working hypothesis, laying the groundwork for future hypothesis testing.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 33 million confirmed cases and over 1 million deaths globally, as of 1 October 2020. During the lockdown and restrictions placed on public activities and gatherings, green spaces have become one of the only sources of resilience amidst the coronavirus pandemic, in part because of their positive effects on psychological, physical and social cohesion and spiritual wellness. This study analyzes the impacts of COVID-19 and government response policies to the pandemic on park visitation at global, regional and national levels and assesses the importance of parks during this global pandemic. The data we collected primarily from Google’s Community Mobility Reports and the Oxford Coronavirus Government Response Tracker. The results for most countries included in the analysis show that park visitation has increased since February 16th, 2020 compared to visitor numbers prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions on social gathering, movement, and the closure of workplace and indoor recreational places, are correlated with more visits to parks. Stay-at-home restrictions and government stringency index are negatively associated with park visits at a global scale. Demand from residents for parks and outdoor green spaces has increased since the outbreak began, and highlights the important role and benefits provided by parks, especially urban and community parks, under the COVID-19 pandemic. We provide recommendations for park managers and other decision-makers in terms of park management and planning during health crises, as well as for park design and development. In particular, parks could be utilized during pandemics to increase the physical and mental health and social well-being of individuals.
Impaired locomotion has been extensively studied worldwide because those afflicted with it have a potential risk of becoming bedridden. Physical exercise at times can be an effective remedy for frailty, but exercise therapy cannot be applied in all clinical cases. Medication is safer than exercise, but there are no drugs that reinforce both muscle and bone when administered alone. Multiple medications increase the risk of adverse events; thus, there is a need for individual drugs targeting both tissues. To this end, we established a novel sequential drug screening system and identified an aminoindazole derivative, locamidazole (LAMZ), which promotes both myogenesis and osteoblastogenesis while suppressing osteoclastogenesis. Administration of this drug enhanced locomotor function, with muscle and bone significantly strengthened. Mechanistically, LAMZ induced Mef2c and PGC-1α in a calcium signaling–dependent manner. As this signaling is activated upon physical exercise, LAMZ mimics physical exercise. Thus, LAMZ is a promising therapeutic drug for locomotor diseases, including sarcopenia and osteoporosis.
β-Thalassemia is a global health issue, caused by mutations in the HBB gene. Among these mutations, HBB −28 (A>G) mutations is one of the three most common mutations in China and Southeast Asia patients with β-thalassemia. Correcting this mutation in human embryos may prevent the disease being passed onto future generations and cure anemia. Here we report the first study using base editor (BE) system to correct disease mutant in human embryos. Firstly, we produced a 293T cell line with an exogenousHBB −28 (A>G) mutant fragment for gRNAs and targeting efficiency evaluation. Then we collected primary skin fibroblast cells from a β-thalassemia patient withHBB −28 (A>G) homozygous mutation. Data showed that base editor could precisely correct HBB −28 (A>G) mutation in the patient’s primary cells. To model homozygous mutation disease embryos, we constructed nuclear transfer embryos by fusing the lymphocyte or skin fibroblast cells with enucleatedin vitro matured (IVM) oocytes. Notably, the gene correction efficiency was over 23.0% in these embryos by base editor. Although these embryos were still mosaic, the percentage of repaired blastomeres was over 20.0%. In addition, we found that base editor variants, with narrowed deamination window, could promote G-to-A conversion atHBB −28 site precisely in human embryos. Collectively, this study demonstrated the feasibility of curing genetic disease in human somatic cells and embryos by base editor system.
To succeed, a scientist must write well. Substantial guidance exists on writing papers that follow the classic Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) structure. Here, we fill a critical gap in this pedagogical canon. We offer guidance on developing a good scientific story. This valuable—yet often poorly achieved—skill can increase the impact of a study and its likelihood of acceptance. A scientific story goes beyond presenting information. It is a cohesive narrative that engages the reader by presenting and solving a problem, with a beginning, middle, and end. To create this narrative structure, we urge writers to consider starting at the end of their study, starting with writing their main conclusions, which provide the basis of the Discussion, and then work backwards: Results → Methods → refine the Discussion → Introduction → Abstract → Title. In this brief and informal editorial, we offer guidance to a wide audience, ranging from upper-level undergraduates (who have just conducted their first research project) to senior scientists (who may benefit from re-thinking their approach to writing). To do so, we provide specific instruction, examples, and a guide to the literature on how to “write backwards”, linking scientific storytelling to the IMRaD structure.
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) comprises a group of heritable connective tissue disorders generally defined by recurrent fractures, low bone mass, short stature and skeletal fragility. Beyond the skeletal complications of OI, many patients also report intolerance to physical activity, fatigue and muscle weakness. Indeed, recent studies have demonstrated that skeletal muscle is also negatively affected by OI, both directly and indirectly. Given the well-established interdependence of bone and skeletal muscle in both physiology and pathophysiology and the observations of skeletal muscle pathology in patients with OI, we investigated the therapeutic potential of simultaneous anabolic targeting of both bone and skeletal muscle using a soluble activin receptor 2B (ACVR2B) in a mouse model of type III OI (oim). Treatment of 12-week-old oim mice with ACVR2B for 4 weeks resulted in significant increases in both bone and muscle that were similar to those observed in healthy, wild-type littermates. This proof of concept study provides encouraging evidence for a holistic approach to treating the deleterious consequences of OI in the musculoskeletal system.
Brittle bone disease: Treating bone and muscle
A protein known to increase bone and muscle mass may herald a new approach to treating brittle bone disease. Many patients with the congenital bone disease osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also known as brittle bone disease, report fatigue, muscle weakness and intolerance to physical activity. The activin signaling pathway is well known for its ability to regulate bone and skeletal muscle mass. Led by Douglas DiGirolamo from the Johns Hopkins University and Emily Germain-Lee from the Kennedy Krieger Institute/Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the researchers treated bone and skeletal muscle in mice with one of the most severe forms of OI (type III) with the soluble activin receptor 2B protein. Four weeks of treatment increased bone and muscle mass to a similar extent to that observed in healthy littermates. The findings offer a promising holistic approach to treating the effects of OI on the musculoskeletal system.
Ultra-processed foods have known negative implications for health; however, their effect on skeletal development has never been explored. Here, we show that young rats fed ultra-processed food rich in fat and sugar suffer from growth retardation due to lesions in their tibial growth plates. The bone mineral density decreases significantly, and the structural parameters of the bone deteriorate, presenting a sieve-like appearance in the cortices and poor trabecular parameters in long bones and vertebrae. This results in inferior mechanical performance of the entire bone with a high fracture risk. RNA sequence analysis of the growth plates demonstrated an imbalance in extracellular matrix formation and degradation and impairment of proliferation, differentiation and mineralization processes. Our findings highlight, for the first time, the severe impact of consuming ultra-processed foods on the growing skeleton. This pathology extends far beyond that explained by the known metabolic effects, highlighting bone as a new target for studies of modern diets.
Blastocyst complementation by pluripotent stem cell (PSC) injection is believed to be the most promising method to generate xenogeneic organs. However, ethical issues prevent the study of human chimeras in the late embryonic stage of development. Primate embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which have similar pluripotency to human ESCs, are a good model for studying interspecies chimerism and organ generation. However, whether primate ESCs can be used in xenogenous grafts remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the chimeric ability of cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) ESCs (cmESCs) in pigs, which are excellent hosts because of their many similarities to humans. We report an optimized culture medium that enhanced the anti-apoptotic ability of cmESCs and improved the development of chimeric embryos, in which domesticated cmESCs (D-ESCs) injected into pig blastocysts differentiated into cells of all three germ layers. In addition, we obtained two neonatal interspecies chimeras, in which we observed tissue-specific D-ESC differentiation. Taken together, the results demonstrate the capability of D-ESCs to integrate and differentiate into functional cells in a porcine model, with a chimeric ratio of 0.001–0.0001 in different neonate tissues. We believe this work will facilitate future developments in xenogeneic organogenesis, bringing us one step closer to producing tissue-specific functional cells and organs in a large animal model through interspecies blastocyst complementation.
B vitamins are enzyme cofactors that play an important role in energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether B vitamin administration can reduce body weight (BW) gain by improving energy metabolism-related enzyme activities in rats fed on a highfat diet. Fifty rats were randomly assigned to one of the following five groups: control group (C), including rats fed on standard rat chow; four treatment groups (HO, HI, H2, and H3), in which rats were fed on a high-fat diet. Rats in the HI group were treated daily with 100 mg/kg BW thiamine (VB1), 100 mg/kg BW riboflavin (VB2), and 250 mg/kg BW niacin (VPP); rats in the H2 group were treated daily with 100 mg/kg BW pyridoxine (VB6), 100 mg/kg BW cobalamin (VB12), and 5 mg/kg BW folate (FA); and rats in the H3 group were treated daily with all of the B vitamins administered to the HI and H2 groups. After 12 weeks, the BW gains from the initial value were 154.5±58.4 g and 159.1±53.0 g in the HI and C groups, respectively, which were significantly less than the changes in the HO group (285.2±14.8 g, P<0.05). In the HO group, the plasma total cholesterol (CHO) and triglyceride (TG) levels were 1.59±0.30 mmol/L and 1,55±0.40 mmol/L, respectively, which were significantly greater than those in the HI group (1.19±0.18 mmol/L and 0.76±0.34 mmol/L, respectively, P<0.05). The activities of transketolase (TK), glutathione reductase, and Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase were significantly increased in the B vitamin-treated groups and were significantly greater than those in the HO group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvic acid kinase, and succinate dehydrogenase activities also were increased after treatment with B vitamins. Supplementation with B vitamins could effectively reduce BW gain and plasma levels of lipids by improving energy metabolism-related enzyme activities in rats, thus possibly providing potential benefits to humans.
Policies designed to reduce transportation emissions are known to be co-beneficial due to reductions in planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and health-harmful air pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The growing recognition of persistent racial and ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure and associated health impacts has increased demand for policy interventions aimed at systematically reducing such inequities. Here, we use a regulatory-grade air quality model focused on the Chicago region to find that medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) tailpipe emissions account for ~22% of the area’s ambient NO2 concentrations. Exposure to MHDV-tailpipe NO2 in our domain is associated with 1330 (95% confidence interval (CI): 330, 2000) annual premature deaths and 1580 (95% CI: −310, 3870) new cases of pediatric asthma, disproportionately affecting census tracts with higher percentages of residents of color. Given the inequitable impacts of MHDV NO2 exposure, we also use our model to assess the air quality, health, and equity outcomes if a policy scenario based on California’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulation were instantaneously adopted in Illinois. We find that ACT adoption would lead to ~48% of on-road MHDVs having zero tailpipe emissions by 2050; an instantaneous transition to this policy would reduce annual mean population-weighted NO2 concentrations by 0.98 ppb (parts per billion) (−8.4%), resulting in reductions of 500 (95% CI: −120, −750) premature deaths and 600 (95% CI: 120, −1440) fewer new pediatric asthma cases annually – with the largest health benefits observed in neighborhoods with higher percentages of residents of color. Our study highlights the benefits of implementing policy interventions focused on zero-emission MHDVs to address air pollution exposure and health impact disparities.
Background: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have fostered an unprecedented proliferation of high-throughput sequencing projects and a concomitant development of novel algorithms for the assembly of short reads. However, numerous technical or computational challenges in de novo assembly still remain, although many new ideas and solutions have been suggested to tackle the challenges in both experimental and computational settings.
Results: In this review, we first briefly introduce some of the major challenges faced by NGS sequence assembly. Then, we analyze the characteristics of various sequencing platforms and their impact on assembly results. After that, we classify de novo assemblers according to their frameworks (overlap graph-based, de Bruijn graph-based and string graph-based), and introduce the characteristics of each assembly tool and their adaptation scene. Next, we introduce in detail the solutions to the main challenges of de novo assembly of next generation sequencing data, single-cell sequencing data and single molecule sequencing data. At last, we discuss the application of SMS long reads in solving problems encountered in NGS assembly.
Conclusions: This review not only gives an overview of the latest methods and developments in assembly algorithms, but also provides guidelines to determine the optimal assembly algorithm for a given input sequencing data type.
Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae) is a filamentous micro-fungus that is used from centuries in fermentation of different foods in many countries all over the world. This valuable fungus is also a rich source of many bioactive secondary metabolites. Moreover, A. oryzae has a prestigious secretory system that allows it to secrete high concentrations of proteins into its culturing medium, which support its use as biotechnological tool in veterinary, food, pharmaceutical, and industrial fields. This review aims to highlight the significance of this valuable fungus in food industry, showing its generosity in production of nutritional and bioactive metabolites that enrich food fermented by it. Also, using A. oryzae as a biotechnological tool in the field of enzymes production was described. Furthermore, domestication, functional genomics, and contributions of A. oryzae in functional production of human pharmaceutical proteins were presented. Finally, future prospects in order to get more benefits from A. oryzae were discussed.
Autonomous agents have long been a research focus in academic and industry communities. Previous research often focuses on training agents with limited knowledge within isolated environments, which diverges significantly from human learning processes, and makes the agents hard to achieve human-like decisions. Recently, through the acquisition of vast amounts of Web knowledge, large language models (LLMs) have shown potential in human-level intelligence, leading to a surge in research on LLM-based autonomous agents. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey of these studies, delivering a systematic review of LLM-based autonomous agents from a holistic perspective. We first discuss the construction of LLM-based autonomous agents, proposing a unified framework that encompasses much of previous work. Then, we present a overview of the diverse applications of LLM-based autonomous agents in social science, natural science, and engineering. Finally, we delve into the evaluation strategies commonly used for LLM-based autonomous agents. Based on the previous studies, we also present several challenges and future directions in this field.
Background: The cellular tumor protein p53 (TP53) is a tumor suppressor gene that is frequently mutated in human cancers. Among various cancer types, the very aggressive high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) exhibits the highest prevalence of TP53 mutations, present in >96% of cases. Despite intensive efforts to reactivate p53, no clinical drug has been approved to rescue p53 function. In this study, our primary objective was to administer in vitro-transcribed (IVT) wild-type (WT) p53-mRNA to HGSOC cell lines, primary cells, and orthotopic mouse models, with the aim of exploring its impact on inhibiting tumor growth and dissemination, both in vitro and in vivo.
Methods: To restore the activity of p53, WT p53 was exogenously expressed in HGSOC cell lines using a mammalian vector system. Moreover, IVT WT p53 mRNA was delivered into different HGSOC model systems (primary cells and patient-derived organoids) using liposomes and studied for proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, colony formation, and chromosomal instability. Transcriptomic alterations induced by p53 mRNA were analyzed using RNA sequencing in OVCAR-8 and primary HGSOC cells, followed by ingenuity pathway analysis. In vivo effects on tumor growth and metastasis were studied using orthotopic xenografts and metastatic intraperitoneal mouse models.
Results: Reactivation of the TP53 tumor suppressor gene was explored in different HGSOC model systems using newly designed IVT mRNA-based methods. The introduction of WT p53 mRNA triggered dose-dependent apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and potent long-lasting inhibition of HGSOC cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis of OVCAR-8 cells upon mRNA-based p53 reactivation revealed significant alterations in gene expression related to p53 signaling, such as apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, and DNA damage. Restoring p53 function concurrently reduces chromosomal instability within the HGSOC cells, underscoring its crucial contribution in safeguarding genomic integrity by moderating the baseline occurrence of double-strand breaks arising from replication stress. Furthermore, in various mouse models, treatment with p53 mRNA reduced tumor growth and inhibited tumor cell dissemination in the peritoneal cavity in a dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions: The IVT mRNA-based reactivation of p53 holds promise as a potential therapeutic strategy for HGSOC, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying p53 function and its relevance in ovarian cancer treatment.
● Screened 8862 metal-organic frameworks for I2 capture via molecular simulation.
● Ranked metal-organic frameworks on predicted I2 uptake and identified Top 10.
● Established quantitative structure-property relationships via machine learning.
We performed large-scale molecular simulation to screen and identify metal-organic framework materials for gaseous iodine capture, as part of our ongoing effort in addressing management and handling issues of various radionuclides in the grand scheme of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. Starting from the computation-ready experimental (CoRE) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) database, grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation was employed to predict the iodine uptake values of the MOFs. A ranking list of MOFs based on their iodine uptake capabilities was generated, with the Top 10 candidates identified and their respective adsorption sites visualized. Subsequently, machine learning was used to establish structure-property relationships to correlate MOFs’ various structural and chemical features with their corresponding performances in iodine capture, yielding interpretable common features and design rules for viable MOF adsorbents. The research strategy and framework of the present study could aid the development of high-performing MOF adsorbents for capture and recovery of radioactive iodine, and moreover, other volatile environmentally hazardous species.
The emerging of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused COVID-19 pandemic. The first case of COVID- 19 was reported at early December in 2019 in Wuhan City, China. To examine specific antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in biological samples before December 2019 would give clues when the epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 might start to circulate in populations. We obtained all 88,517 plasmas from 76,844 blood donors in Wuhan between 1 September and 31 December 2019. We first evaluated the pan-immunoglobin (pan-Ig) against SARS-CoV-2 in 43,850 samples from 32,484 blood donors with suitable sample quality and enough volume. Two hundred and sixty-four samples from 213 donors were pan-Ig reactive, then further tested IgG and IgM, and validated by neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Two hundred and thirteen samples (from 175 donors) were only pan-Ig reactive, 8 (from 4 donors) were pan-Ig and IgG reactive, and 43 (from 34 donors) were pan-Ig and IgM reactive. Microneutralization assay showed all negative results. In addition, 213 screened reactive donors were analyzed and did not show obviously temporal or regional tendency, but the distribution of age showed a difference compared with all tested donors. Then we reviewed SARS-CoV-2 antibody results from these donors who donated several times from September 2019 to June 2020, partly tested in a previous published study, no one was found a significant increase in S/CO of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Our findings showed no SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies existing among blood donors in Wuhan, China before 2020, indicating no evidence of transmission of COVID-19 before December 2019 in Wuhan, China.
● Online learning models accurately predict influent flow rate at wastewater plants.
● Models adapt to changing input-output relationships and are friendly to large data.
● Online learning models outperform conventional batch learning models.
● An optimal prediction strategy is identified through uncertainty analysis.
● The proposed models provide support for coping with emergencies like COVID-19.
Accurate influent flow rate prediction is important for operators and managers at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as it is closely related to wastewater characteristics such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspend solids (TSS), and pH. Previous studies have been conducted to predict influent flow rate, and it was proved that data-driven models are effective tools. However, most of these studies have focused on batch learning, which is inadequate for wastewater prediction in the era of COVID-19 as the influent pattern changed significantly. Online learning, which has distinct advantages of dealing with stream data, large data set, and changing data pattern, has a potential to address this issue. In this study, the performance of conventional batch learning models Random Forest (RF), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and their respective online learning models Adaptive Random Forest (aRF), Adaptive K-Nearest Neighbors (aKNN), and Adaptive Multi-Layer Perceptron (aMLP), were compared for predicting influent flow rate at two Canadian WWTPs. Online learning models achieved the highest R2, the lowest MAPE, and the lowest RMSE compared to conventional batch learning models in all scenarios. The R2 values on testing data set for 24-h ahead prediction of the aRF, aKNN, and aMLP at Plant A were 0.90, 0.73, and 0.87, respectively; these values at Plant B were 0.75, 0.78, and 0.56, respectively. The proposed online learning models are effective in making reliable predictions under changing data patterns, and they are efficient in dealing with continuous and large influent data streams. They can be used to provide robust decision support for wastewater treatment and management in the changing era of COVID-19 and also under other unprecedented emergencies that could change influent patterns.
Inflammation is a common feature of aging tissues, being involved in most, if not all, age-related diseases. The origin of a low-grade inflammation state in aging (inflammaging) is multifactorial and may involve changes in body composition, immunosenescence, autophagy, microbiota modification and loss of proteostasis. The heat shock response pathway (HSR, and HSP70 expression) plays an important role as a mechanism of resolution of inflammation and proteostasis control. In this review, we sought to discuss the mechanisms that may lead to inflammaging, and the importance of the HSP70 in this process. Besides, we also discuss how physical exercise, particularly resistance training, can improve the HSR and the inflammatory balance of elderly people.