Monoclonal antibodies for the S2 subunit of spike of SARS-CoV-1 cross-react with the newly-emerged SARS-CoV-2.

BackgroundA novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which emerged at the end of 2019 and causes COVID-19, has resulted in worldwide human infections. While genetically distinct, SARS-CoV-1, the aetiological agent responsible for an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-2003, utilises the same host cell receptor as SARS-CoV-2 for entry: angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Parts of the SARS-CoV-1 spike glycoprotein (S protein), which interacts with ACE2, appear conserved in SARS-CoV-2.

Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Reversal of Pancreatic Cancer-Induced Immune Evasion.

Pancreatic cancer ranks high among the causes of cancer-related mortality. The prognosis of this grim condition has not improved significantly over the past 50 years, despite advancement in imaging techniques, cancer genetics and treatment modalities. Due to the relative difficulty in the early detection of pancreatic tumors, as low as 20% of patients are eligible for potentially curative surgery; moreover, chemotherapy and radiotherapy (RT) do not confer a great benefit in the overall survival of the patients.

Potential of Endophytic sp. as a New Source of Bioactive Compounds.

Endophytic fungi are symbiotically related to plants and spend most of their life cycle within them. In nature, they have a crucial role in plant micro-ecosystem. They are harnessed for their bioactive compounds to counter human health problems and diseases.

Hemodynamic Safety of Continuous Infusion Labetalol Versus Esmolol Combination Therapies for Type B Aortic Dissections.

Background: Medical management for type B aortic dissections (TBADs) require aggressive blood pressure and heart rate control to minimize further dissection extension and to restore perfusion to vital organs. Current guidelines recommend β-blockers (BB) as first-line therapy, however do not differentiate an ideal agent for use.

Objective: This study evaluated the hemodynamic safety of continuous infusion labetalol compared to esmolol combination (EC) therapies for TBADs.

Preparing your intensive care unit for the COVID-19 pandemic: practical considerations and strategies.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly evolved into a worldwide pandemic. Preparing intensive care units (ICU) is an integral part of any pandemic response. In this review, we discuss the key principles and strategies for ICU preparedness.

Relationships Between the Usage of Televisions, Computers, and Mobile Phones and the Quality of Sleep in a Chinese Population: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: No study has comprehensively investigated the association between the usage of typical screen-based electronic media devices and sleep quality in a Chinese population with individuals in a wide range of ages.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the characteristics of television (TV) viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage in a representative Chinese population in Macau and to examine their roles in predicting the variations in sleep quality.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was an analysis of 1500 Macau residents aged 15 to 90 years based on a community-based health needs assessment study entitled, "Healthy Living, Longer Lives.

Early relapse after complete remission of primary plasma cell leukaemia manifesting clonal evolution: A case report.

Introduction: Plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) is a rare variant of multiple myeloma. We report a case of PCL to demonstrate the clonal evolution, resulting in disease relapse after achieving complete remission, and its aggressive nature of the disease, leading to poor clinical outcome.

Case Report: A 69-year-old man presented with a three-day-history of worsening generalized body weakness, poor oral intake, nausea, significant loss of weight and lower back pain.

Evaluation of coagulation factor activity and sterility of thawed fresh frozen plasma during storage up to 5 days at 4°C.

Introduction: Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is a blood component containing functional quantities of all coagulation factors stored at -18°C or below. FFP has to be thawed and transfused as soon as possible to prevent the loss of certain coagulation factor activities and to minimise microbial contamination.

Materials And Methods: Thirty units of FFP kept at -20°C were thawed using a 37°C water bath and immediately sampled for baseline Factor II (FII), Factor VIII (FVIII) and fibrinogen activity levels and sterility testing.

Dementia Literacy in the Greater Bay Area, China: Identifying the At-Risk Population and the Preferred Types of Mass Media for Receiving Dementia Information.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the dementia literacy of community-dwelling adults in four cities (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Macau, and Zhuhai) of the Greater Bay Area of China, and to determine their mass media preferences for receiving dementia information. The survey was completed by 787 community-dwelling adults. Dementia literacy was indirectly measured using two validated scales-the 30-item Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale and the 20-item Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS).

Sphingosine Kinase 1 Regulates the Survival of Breast Cancer Stem Cells and Non-stem Breast Cancer Cells by Suppression of STAT1.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent rare tumor cell populations capable of self-renewal, differentiation, and tumor initiation and are highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus, therapeutic approaches that can effectively target CSCs and tumor cells could be the key to efficient tumor treatment. In this study, we explored the function of SPHK1 in breast CSCs and non-CSCs.

Identification and engineering of 32 membered antifungal macrolactone notonesomycins.

Notonesomycin A is a 32-membered bioactive glycosylated macrolactone known to be produced by Streptomyces aminophilus subsp. notonesogenes 647-AV1 and S. aminophilus DSM 40186.

A Preliminary Study on Coagulation Parameters and Sterility of Thawed Refrozen Fresh Frozen Plasma.

Thawed fresh frozen plasma (FFP) if not used within 6 h, may have to be discarded due to the risk of contamination and uncertainty about its quality. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of coagulation Factor II (FII), Factor VIII (FVIII), fibrinogen and bacterial growth in thawed refrozen FFP. Thirty FFP samples were collected from healthy donors.

Respiratory muscle training in stroke patients with respiratory muscle weakness, dysphagia, and dysarthria - a prospective randomized trial.

Objective: To examine the efficacy of combined inspiratory and expiratory respiratory muscle training (RMT) with respect to the swallowing function, pulmonary function, functional performance, and dysarthria in patients with stroke.

Design: Prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Tertiary hospital.

Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Potentiometric Field-Effect Transistor Array Platform Using Sensor Learning for Multi-ion Imaging.

This work describes an array of 1024 ion-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) using sensor-learning techniques to perform multi-ion imaging for concurrent detection of potassium, sodium, calcium, and hydrogen. Analyte-specific ionophore membranes are deposited on the surface of the ISFET array chip, yielding pixels with quasi-Nernstian sensitivity to K, Na, or Ca. Uncoated pixels display pH sensitivity from the standard SiN passivation layer.

Homalomena pineodora essential oil nanoparticle inhibits diabetic wound pathogens.

Essential oil of Homalomena pineodora inhibits diabetic pathogens; however, the activity was not sustainable when applied as wound dressing. This study aims to synthesise the essential oil nanoparticle using chitosan. The nanoparticles were synthesised with ion gelation method, confirmed by spectroscopic analysis.

Dinuclear acetylide-bridged ruthenium(ii) complexes with rigid non-aromatic spacers.

Rigid dinuclear ruthenium complexes containing non-aromatic caged and polycyclic spacer groups were synthesised and characterised. The complexes, [trans,trans-{Ru(dmpe)2(C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CtBu)}2(μ-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C-X-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]C)], where X = 1,4-bicyclo[2.2.

Identification of Novel Sesamol Dimers with Unusual Methylenedioxy Ring-Opening Skeleton and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities.

Background: Sesamol is a widely used antioxidant for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The oxidation products of this compound may be accumulated in foods or ingested. Little is known about its effect on human health.

Computational Modelling of the Effect of Infarct Stiffness on Regional Myocardial Mechanics.

Ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction increases the rate of mortality and is highly associated with the extent of infarct transmurality. It is hypothesized that infarct stiffness alters regional mechanics and affects the likelihood of human ventricular remodeling. However, this is yet to be studied in detail.

The synthesis of trifluoromethylated N-nitroaryl-2-amino-1,3-dichloropropane derivatives and their evaluation as potential anti-cancer agents.

Six N-nitroaryl-2-amino-1,3-dichloropropane derivatives have been prepared and evaluated against 18 cancer cell lines and two non-cancerous cell lines. Analysis of cell viability data and IC values indicated that the presence of a trifluoromethyl group in the nitroaryl moiety is an important structural feature associated with the compounds' cytotoxicities.

Trends in the Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in the Province of Manitoba, Canada.

Background: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs) have advantages over oral antipsychotics but are not widely used. We aimed to evaluate the impact of market entry of second-generation LAIAs on prescribing trends.

Methods: We used administrative health databases to describe trends in LAIA use from 1995 to 2015 in the Canadian province of Manitoba.

Report: Cytotoxic activity of phytochemicals from the stem bark of Calophyllum castaneum.

Phytochemical investigation on the dichloromethane stem bark extract of Calophyllum castaneum resulted in the isolation of five compounds, namely isoblancoic acid (1), blancoic acid (2), euxanthone (3), friedelin (4) and friedelinol (5). All these compounds were isolated for the first time from this plant. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on the spectroscopic analyses.