scholarly journals Real-time monitoring epidemic trends and key mutations in SARS-CoV-2 evolution by an automated tool

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binbin Xi ◽  
Dawei Jiang ◽  
Shuhua Li ◽  
Jerome R Lon ◽  
Yunmeng Bai ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWith the global epidemic of SARS-CoV-2, it is important to monitor the variation, haplotype subgroup epidemic trends and key mutations of SARS-CoV-2 over time effectively, which is of great significance to the development of new vaccines, the update of therapeutic drugs, and the improvement of detection reagents. The AutoVEM tool developed in the present study could complete all mutations detections, haplotypes classification, haplotype subgroup epidemic trends and key mutations analysis for 131,576 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences in 18 hours on a 1 core CPU and 2G internal storage computer. Through haplotype subgroup epidemic trends analysis of 131,576 genome sequences, the great significance of the previous 4 specific sites (C241T, C3037T, C14408T and A23403G) was further revealed, and 6 new mutation sites of highly linked (T445C, C6286T, C22227T, G25563T, C26801G and G29645T) were discovered for the first time that might be related to the infectivity, pathogenicity or host adaptability of SARS-CoV-2. In brief, we proposed an integrative method and developed an efficient automated tool to monitor haplotype subgroup epidemic trends and screen out the key mutations in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 over time for the first time, and all data could be updated quickly to track the prevalence of previous key mutations and new key mutations because of high efficiency of the tool. In addition, the idea of combinatorial analysis in the present study can also provide a reference for the mutation monitoring of other viruses.

Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 6871-6883
Author(s):  
Jianming Wang ◽  
Huangzhong Yu ◽  
Chunli Hou

Herein, few-layered β-InSe nanosheets are introduced into the active layers of polymer solar cells as morphological modifiers for the first time. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 175628482093518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélique Saint ◽  
Maxime Benchetrit ◽  
Sébastien Novellas ◽  
Denis Ouzan ◽  
Alexander Tuan Falk ◽  
...  

Introduction: Hepatocholangiocarcinoma (HCC-ICC) is a rare tumor presenting the histologic characteristics of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). As there is no consensus on it management, the therapeutic strategy rests on the specific treatments for HCC or ICC. Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors showed encouraging results in the second line treatment of HCC after sorafenib but it efficacy in HCC-ICC has never been reported. Methods and results: We present the case of a 72-year-old male patient treated for metastatic HCC-ICC due to a viral hepatitis C cirrhosis in progression after two lines of treatment. Tumor was characterized by a PDL-1 status of 85%. Patient received pembrolizumab at doses of 200 mg every 21 days by intravenous infusion. After one injection he was presented an immediate clinical benefit, a partial response was observed after two months of treatment and a complete response two months later. This response was maintained over time along with toxicity-free tumor control after 18 months treatment. Conclusion: To our knowledge, we reported for the first time the efficacy of a PD1 inhibitor treatment in a patient presenting metastatic HCC-ICC due to viral cirrhosis and overexpressing PDL-1 after failure of two lines of treatment.


Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 1802
Author(s):  
Eduardo Martinez-de-Rioja ◽  
Daniel Martinez-de-Rioja ◽  
Rafael López-Sáez ◽  
Ignacio Linares ◽  
Jose A. Encinar

This paper presents two designs of high-efficiency polarizer reflectarray antennas able to generate a collimated beam in dual-circular polarization using a linearly polarized feed, with application to high-gain antennas for data transmission links from a Cubesat. First, an 18 cm × 18 cm polarizer reflectarray operating in the 17.2–22.7 GHz band has been designed, fabricated, and tested. The measurements of the prototype show an aperture efficiency of 52.7% for right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) and 57.3% for left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), both values higher than those previously reported in related works. Then, a dual-band polarizer reflectarray is presented for the first time, which operates in dual-CP in the frequency bands of 20 GHz and 30 GHz. The proposed antenna technology enables a reduction of the complexity and cost of the feed chain to operate in dual-CP, as a linear-to-circular polarizer is no longer required. This property, combined with the lightweight, flat profile and low fabrication cost of printed reflectarrays, makes the proposed antennas good candidates for Cubesat applications.


1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwangpyo Ko ◽  
Harriet A. Burge ◽  
Michael Muilenberg ◽  
Stephen Rudnick ◽  
Melvin First

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is transmitted through the air, and can be captured on ventilation air filters. People handling these filters may be exposed to infectious material. We studied the survival of strains of Mycobacterium on high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter material. We used a model ventilation system to evaluate survival over time of Mycobacterium chelonae and H37Ra (an avirulent stain of MTB) aerosolized and then captured on HEPA filter material. Survival curves for M. chelonae incubated at 55% and 75% RH under static conditions were not different with less than 4% survival at 24 hours. H37Ra was subjected to continuous airflow at the design airflow for the filter material following deposition on the HEPA filter material, and less than 0.1% of cells survived to 48 hours (RH not controlled). H37Ra was resistant to immobilized biocide (trimethoxysilylpropyl dimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride) on HEPA filter material as well as the same biocide in solution. Finally, survival of H37Ra and virulent MTB strain (H37Rv) were not different following deposition onto HEPA filter material from liquid suspension and incubation under static conditions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (03) ◽  
pp. 1850057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Meshkini Far ◽  
Olena V. Ischenko ◽  
Alla G. Dyachenko ◽  
Oleksandr Bieda ◽  
Snezhana V. Gaidai ◽  
...  

Here, we report, for the first time, on the catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to methane at atmospheric pressure. For the preparation of hydrogenation catalysts based on Ni and Fe metals, a convenient method is developed. According to this method, low-temperature reduction of the co-precipitated Ni and Fe oxides with hydrogen gives the effective and selective bimetallic Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text], Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text] and Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text] catalysts. At the temperature range of 300–400[Formula: see text]C, they exhibit a high efficiency of CH4 production with respect to monometallic Ni and Fe catalysts. The results imply a synergistic effect between Ni and Fe which caused the superior activity of the Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text] catalyst conversing [Formula: see text]% of CO2 into CH4 at 350[Formula: see text]C. To adapt the Ni–Fe catalysts in the industry, the effect of two different carriers on the efficiency of the alumina-supported Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text] catalyst was investigated. It is found that the Ni[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-Al2O3 catalyst effectively conversed CO2 giving 100% methane yield already at 275[Formula: see text]C.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruofeng Rao ◽  
Zhilin Pu

By formulating a contraction mapping and the matrix exponential function, the authors apply linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique to investigate and obtain the LMI-based stability criterion of a class of time-delay Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy differential equations. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to obtain the LMI-based stability criterion derived by a fixed point theory. It is worth mentioning that LMI methods have high efficiency and other advantages in largescale engineering calculations. And the feasibility of LMI-based stability criterion can efficiently be computed and confirmed by computer Matlab LMI toolbox. At the end of this paper, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 543
Author(s):  
Tamiko Hisanaga ◽  
Catherine Soos ◽  
Nicola Lewis ◽  
Oliver Lung ◽  
Matthew Suderman ◽  
...  

We describe for the first time the genetic and antigenic characterization of 18 avian avulavirus type-6 viruses (AAvV-6) that were isolated from wild waterfowl in the Americas over the span of 12 years. Only one of the AAvV-6 viruses isolated failed to hemagglutinate chicken red blood cells. We were able to obtain full genome sequences of 16 and 2 fusion gene sequences from the remaining 2 isolates. This is more than double the number of full genome sequences available at the NCBI database. These AAvV-6 viruses phylogenetically grouped into the 2 existing AAvV-6 genotype subgroups indicating the existence of an intercontinental epidemiological link with other AAvV-6 viruses isolated from migratory waterfowl from different Eurasian countries. Antigenic maps made using HI assay data for these isolates showed that the two genetic groups were also antigenically distinct. An isolate representing each genotype was inoculated in specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens, however, no clinical symptoms were observed. A duplex fusion gene based real-time assay for the detection and genotyping of AAvV-6 to genotype 1 and 2 was developed. Using the developed assay, the viral shedding pattern in the infected chickens was examined. The chickens infected with both genotypes were able to shed the virus orally for about a week, however, no significant cloacal shedding was detected in chickens of both groups. Chickens in both groups developed detectable levels of anti-hemagglutinin antibodies 7 days after infection.


Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Jing Zhuang ◽  
Yigang Luan ◽  
Sixuan Wu ◽  
...  

The low-cost material antimony trifluoride (SbF3) was doped into the commonly used tin dioxide (SnO2) for the first time, and the SbF3-doped SnO2 as an electron transport layer (ETL) was...


Author(s):  
Л. Х. Пастушкова ◽  
Д. Н. Каширина ◽  
А. Г. Гончарова ◽  
Н. Б. Захарова ◽  
Е. С. Тийс ◽  
...  

Впервые описаны белки, достоверно увеличивающиеся и уменьшающиеся в моче с возрастом в интервале 20-60 лет. Охарактеризованы комбинации белков, связанных с изменением иммунных процессов, нарушением реологии крови, в том числе риском коагулопатии, противоопухолевых защитных механизмов, инсулинового сигнального пути, с изменением характеристик клеточного деления и качества новообразованной ткани. Таким образом, возрастная динамика основных процессов запускает каскад реакций, проявляющихся в замыкании «патологических биохимических кругов», которые формируют предпосылки к развитию заболеваний и, с течением времени, клинические проявления. For the first time proteins are described, reliably increasing and decreasing in urine with age in the range of 20 to 60 years. The combinations of proteins associated with changes in immune processes, violation of blood reology, including the risk of coagulopathy, anticancer defense mechanisms, insulin signaling pathway, changes in cell characteristics are characterized division and quality of the newly formed fabric. Thus, the age dynamics of the main processes triggers a cascade of reactions manifested in the closure of «pathological biochemical circles» that form the prerequisites for the development of diseases and, over time, clinical manifestations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S27-S28 ◽  
Author(s):  
John DeVincenzo ◽  
Efi Gymnopoulou ◽  
Els De Paepe ◽  
Bryan Murray ◽  
Arangassery Rosemary Bastian ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Despite the high disease burden of RSV in older adults and children, there is currently no approved vaccine. Ad26.RSV.preF, an experimental RSV vaccine, has demonstrated immunogenicity and tolerability in first-in-human clinical studies. The aim of this study was to assess the potential of the Ad26.RSV.preF vaccine to protect against RSV infection and disease in an established RSV human challenge model, used for the first time to evaluate a vaccine. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, human challenge study (NCT03334695). Healthy adults received 1 × 1011 vp Ad26.RSV.preF vaccine (active) or placebo (pbo) intramuscularly. After 28 days, volunteers were challenged intranasally with a low-passage clinical strain of RSV-A (0.8 mL of Memphis 37b) and then quarantined for 12 days. Nasal washes were collected twice daily throughout quarantine, starting 2 days post-challenge (viral load [VL] by qRT-PCR and quantitative cultures). Disease severity was recorded thrice daily using symptom diary cards. Results Fifty-three volunteers (active, n = 27; pbo, n = 26) were challenged with RSV-A. Quantitative viral assessments were consistently lower in active than pbo. The primary endpoint of the study was met: the area under the curve (AUC) for RSV VL over time (via qRT-PCR) was significantly lower in active pbo (P = 0.012). Median peak VL was lower for active (0 log10 copies/mL) than pbo (5.4 log10 copies/mL). Median AUC for RSV VL over time (quantitative culture) was lower for active than pbo (0 vs. 109, P = 0.002). Disease severity was lower for active than pbo, with a median AUC total symptom score of 35 (active) vs. 167 (pbo) (P = 0.002). Overall, RSV infection (defined by qRT-PCR alone or combined with symptoms) and disease severity over time were lower in active vs. pbo. Conclusion RSV infections, VL, and RSV disease severity were consistently lower in healthy adults receiving Ad26.RSV.preF vs. placebo, demonstrating promising protection from RSV infection and disease. This was the first time that antiviral prevention was observed against RSV after active immunization. Ad26.RSV.preF warrants further evaluation in field trials for efficacy against natural RSV infections in populations considered at risk of severe RSV disease. Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.


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