Industrial digital radiographic image denoising based on improved KBNet.

 Industrial digital radiography (DR) images are essential for industrial inspections, but they often suffer from strong scatter, cross-talk, electronic noise, and other factors that affect image quality. The presence of non-zero mean noise and neighborhood correlation loss in 1D array scanning poses significant challenges for denoising. To enhance the denoising process of industrial DR images and address the issues of low resolution and noise, we propose an improved KBNet (iKBNet) that incorporates lightweight modifications and introduces novel elements to the original KBNet.

Alpaca-derived nanobody targeting the hydrophobic pocket of the HIV-1 gp41 NHR broadly neutralizes HIV-1 by blocking six-helix bundle formation.

The highly conserved hydrophobic pocket region of HIV-1 gp41 NHR triple-stranded coiled coil is crucial for the binding of CHR to NHR to form a six-helix bundle (6-HB). This pocket is only exposed instantaneously during fusion, making it an ideal target for antibody drug design. However, IgG molecule is too big to enter the pocket during the fusion process.

Fully human single-domain antibody targeting a highly conserved cryptic epitope on the Nipah virus G protein.

Nipah virus infection, one of the top priority diseases recognized by the World Health Organization, underscores the urgent need to develop effective countermeasures against potential epidemics and pandemics. Here, we identify a fully human single-domain antibody that targets a highly conserved cryptic epitope situated at the dimeric interface of the Nipah virus G protein (receptor binding protein, RBP), as elucidated through structures by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This unique binding mode disrupts the tetramerization of the G protein, consequently obstructing the activation of the F protein and inhibiting viral membrane fusion.

A clinically used anti-human papilloma virus agent (3-hydroxyphthalic anhydride-modified bovine β-lactoglobulin) has a potential for topical application to prevent sexual transmission of monkeypox virus.

A global outbreak of monkeypox (mpox) caused by the mpox virus (MPXV) has posed a serious threat to public health worldwide, thus calling for the urgent development of antivirals and vaccines to curb its further spread. In this study, we screened 41 anhydride-modified proteins and found that 3-hydroxyphthalic anhydride-modified β-lactoglobulin (3HP-β-LG), a clinically used anti-HPV agent, was highly effective in inhibiting infection of vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (VACV-VTT) and MPXV. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that 3HP-β-LG bound to the virus, not the host cell, by targeting the early stage of virus entry, possibly through the interaction between the amino acids with negatively charges in 3HP-β-LG and the key amino acids with positive charges in the target region of A29L, a key surface protein of MPXV.

Development of T cell antigen-based human coronavirus vaccines against nAb-escaping SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Currently approved vaccines have been successful in preventing the severity of COVID-19 and hospitalization. These vaccines primarily induce humoral immune responses; however, highly transmissible and mutated variants, such as the Omicron variant, weaken the neutralization potential of the vaccines, thus, raising serious concerns about their efficacy. Additionally, while neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) tend to wane more rapidly than cell-mediated immunity, long-lasting T cells typically prevent severe viral illness by directly killing infected cells or aiding other immune cells.

Discovery of a Double-Stapled Short Peptide as a Long-Acting HIV-1 Inactivator with Potential for Oral Bioavailability.

Different from most antiretroviral drugs that act as passive defenders to inhibit HIV-1 replication inside the host cell, virus inactivators can attack and inactivate HIV-1 virions without relying on their replication cycle. Herein, we describe the discovery of a hydrocarbon double-stapled helix peptide, termed D26. D26 is based on the HIV-1 gp41 protein lentiviral lytic peptide-3 motif (LLP3) sequence, which can efficiently inhibit HIV-1 infection and inactivate cell-free HIV-1 virions.

An optimized filter design approach for enhancing imaging quality in industrial linear accelerator.

Background: The polychromatic X-rays generated by a linear accelerator (Linac) often result in noticeable hardening artifacts in images, posing a significant challenge to accurate defect identification. To address this issue, a simple yet effective approach is to introduce filters at the radiation source outlet. However, current methods are often empirical, lacking scientifically sound metrics.

Development of the IMP biosensor for rapid and stable analysis of IMP concentrations in fermentation broth.

IMP (inosinic acid) is a crucial intermediate in the purine metabolic pathway and is continuously synthesized in all cells. Besides its role as a precursor for DNA and RNA, IMP also plays a critical or essential role in cell growth, energy storage, conversion, and metabolism. In our study, we utilized the circularly permuted fluorescent protein (cpFP) and IMP dehydrogenase to screen and develop the IMP biosensor, IMPCP1.

Lineage Replacement and Genetic Changes of Four HR-HPV Types during the Period of Vaccine Coverage: A Six-Year Retrospective Study in Eastern China.

Objective: This study aimed to provide clinical evidence for lineage replacement and genetic changes of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) during the period of vaccine coverage and characterize those changes in eastern China.

Methods: This study consisted of two stages. A total of 90,583 patients visiting the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from March 2018 to March 2022 were included in the HPV typing analysis.

Inhibition of influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2 infection or co-infection by griffithsin and griffithsin-based bivalent entry inhibitor.

Outbreaks of acute respiratory viral diseases, such as influenza and COVID-19 caused by influenza A virus (IAV) and SARS-CoV-2, pose a serious threat to global public health, economic security, and social stability. This calls for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals to prevent or treat infection or co-infection of IAV and SARS-CoV-2. Hemagglutinin (HA) on IAV and spike (S) protein on SARS-CoV-2, which contain various types of glycans, play crucial roles in mediating viral entry into host cells.

gp120-derived amyloidogenic peptides form amyloid fibrils that increase HIV-1 infectivity.

Apart from mediating viral entry, the function of the free HIV-1 envelope protein (gp120) has yet to be elucidated. Our group previously showed that EP2 derived from one β-strand in gp120 can form amyloid fibrils that increase HIV-1 infectivity. Importantly, gp120 contains ~30 β-strands.

Structure-based design of pan-coronavirus inhibitors targeting host cathepsin L and calpain-1.

Respiratory disease caused by coronavirus infection remains a global health crisis. Although several SARS-CoV-2-specific vaccines and direct-acting antivirals are available, their efficacy on emerging coronaviruses in the future, including SARS-CoV-2 variants, might be compromised. Host-targeting antivirals provide preventive and therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance and manage future outbreak of emerging coronaviruses.

Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 and JN.1 by CF501 adjuvant-enhanced immune responses targeting the conserved epitopes in ancestral RBD.

The emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron subvariants BA.2.86 and JN.

A subunit-based influenza/SARS-CoV-2 Omicron combined vaccine induced potent protective immunity in BALB/c mice.

Infection with influenza A virus (IAV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a significant risk to human life, health, and the global economy. Vaccination is one of the most effective strategies in the fight against infectious viruses. In this study, we, for the first time, have evaluated the immunogenicity and protective effect of an influenza/SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subunit combined vaccine adjuvanted with MF59 and administered to BALB/c mice.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 promotes SARS-CoV-2 infection of human normal hepatocytes.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes multi-organ damage, which includes hepatic dysfunction, as observed in over 50% of COVID-19 patients. Angiotensin I converting enzyme (peptidyl-dipeptidase A) 2 (ACE2) is the primary receptor for SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells, and studies have shown the presence of intracellular virus particles in human hepatocytes that express ACE2, but at extremely low levels. Consequently, we asked if hepatocytes might express receptors other than ACE2 capable of promoting the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into cells.

SARS-CoV-2 evolution from the BA.2.86 to JN.1 variants: unexpected consequences.

SARS-CoV-2 is continuously evolving. The Omicron subvariant BA.2.

Clinical development of antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.

The unceasing global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) calls for the development of novel therapeutics. Although many newly developed antivirals and repurposed antivirals have been applied to the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), antivirals showing satisfactory clinical efficacy are few in number. In addition, the loss of sensitivity to variants of concern (VOCs) and lack of oral bioavailability have also limited the clinical application of some antivirals.