BPR3P0128, a non-nucleoside RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and exerts synergistic antiviral activity in combination with remdesivir.

Viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a highly conserved molecule in RNA viruses, has recently emerged as a promising drug target for broad-acting inhibitors. Through a Vero E6-based anti-cytopathic effect assay, we found that BPR3P0128, which incorporates a quinoline core similar to hydroxychloroquine, outperformed the adenosine analog remdesivir in inhibiting RdRp activity (EC = 0.66 µM and 3 µM, respectively).

Effects of investor sentiment and country governance on unexpected conditional volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from global stock markets.

This paper first investigates the relationship between investor sentiment, captured by internet search behaviour, and the unexpected component of stock market volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data on 12 major stock markets, our research indicates a positive correlation between the Google search volume index on COVID-19 and the unexpected volatility of stock markets. The result suggests that greater COVID-19-related investor sentiment during this pandemic is associated with higher stock market uncertainty.

Antigenicity and immunogenicity of chikungunya virus-like particles from mosquito cells.

The spread of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is reaching pandemic levels, and vaccines and antivirals to control CHIKV infection have yet to be approved. Virus-like particles (VLPs), a self-assembled native multi-subunit protein structure, could potentially be used as an antigen for serological detection and vaccine development. In the current study, we describe the production of novel CHIKV VLPs from mosquitoes using a Baculovirus/Mosquito (BacMos) system in a simple Biosafety Level-2 laboratory.

Corporate governance and financial reporting quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper analyzes whether COVID-19 affects the financial reporting quality of companies and whether corporate governance has a mitigating effect. Using data from UK listed companies, we show that the quality of companies' financial reporting has been lower during the pandemic. Specifically, companies have engaged in more earnings management through real activities during the pandemic.

Association between renal function and cardiovascular mortality: a retrospective cohort study of elderly from health check-up.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular mortality in elderly Asians and decline in renal function.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Community-based health examination database from Taipei city.

Path Model Validation of Breastfeeding Intention Among Pregnant Women.

Objective: To validate a blended health belief model and integrated behavioral model of selected modifiable psychosocial constructs during pregnancy to seek the best-fit path model for breastfeeding intention.

Design: A nonexperimental, cross-sectional study.

Setting: A virtual online market research sample aggregator.

Incorporating hybrid models into lysine malonylation sites prediction on mammalian and plant proteins.

Protein malonylation, a reversible post-translational modification of lysine residues, is associated with various biological functions, such as cellular regulation and pathogenesis. In proteomics, to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of malonylation at the molecular level, the identification of malonylation sites via an efficient methodology is essential. However, experimental identification of malonylated substrates via mass spectrometry is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive.

Mosquito Cell-Derived Japanese Encephalitis Virus-Like Particles Induce Specific Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice.

The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of an acute encephalitis syndrome in many Asian countries, despite the fact that an effective vaccine has been developed. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are self-assembled multi-subunit protein structures which possess specific epitope antigenicities related to corresponding native viruses. These properties mean that VLPs are considered safe antigens that can be used in clinical applications.

Quarantine Vapor Heat Treatment of Papaya Fruit for Bactrocera dorsalis and Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The presence of quarantine insect pests in fruit export can impede trade with other countries. Therefore, to reduce the risk of possible quarantine pests in exported fruit, postharvest disinfestation treatment is essential. This study investigated the effects of vapor heat treatment (VHT) on oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae)) and melon fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera: Tephritidae)) which are major pests for papaya fruits.

Canine-lateral incisor transposition: Controlling root resorption with a bone-anchored T-loop retraction.

A 12-year-old girl presented with a Class II Division 1 malocclusion, complicated by a complete transposition of the maxillary left canine into the position normally occupied by the left lateral incisor. Dental and medical histories were noncontributory. Brackets were bonded on all maxillary teeth, from first molar to first molar, except for the left lateral incisor.

Dengue virus infection induces interferon-lambda1 to facilitate cell migration.

A marked increase in the rate of dengue virus (DENV) infection has resulted in more than 212 deaths in Taiwan since the beginning of 2015, mostly from fatal outcomes such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. The pathogenic mechanisms of these fatal manifestations are poorly understood. Cytokines induce an overwhelming immune reaction and thus have crucial roles.

Homo- and Heteropolynuclear Clusters of Phosphine Triphenolates.

The synthesis and structural characterization of a series of homo- and heteropolynuclear clusters constructed with a potentially tetradentate phosphine triphenolate ligand are presented. Treatment of tris(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)phosphine (H3[O3P]) with 3 equiv of nBuLi in diethyl ether at -35 °C affords hexanuclear Li6[O3P]2(OEt2)2 (1) as colorless crystals. In situ lithiation of H3[O3P] with 3 equiv of nBuLi in THF at -35 °C followed by metathetical reactions with MnCl2 or NiCl2(DME) gives crystals of forest green pentanuclear MnLi4[O3P]2(THF)3 (2) or dark brown tetranuclear Ni2Li2[O3P]2(THF)2 (3), respectively.

Up-regulation of galectin-9 induces cell migration in human dendritic cells infected with dengue virus.

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) exerts immunosuppressive effects by inducing apoptosis in T cells that produce interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. However, Gal-9 can be pro-inflammatory in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes. Using microarray analysis, we observed that Gal-9 was up-regulated in human dendritic cells (DCs) after dengue virus (DV) infection.

Isolation and cytotoxicity evaluation of the chemical constituents from Cephalantheropsis gracilis.

Cephalantheropsis gracilis afforded five new compounds: cephalanthrin-A (1), cephalanthrin-B (2), cephathrene-A (3), cephathrene-B (4), methyl 2-(aminocarbonyl) phenylcarbamate (5), and 52 known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis. Among the compounds isolated, tryptanthrin (6), phaitanthrin A (7), cephalinone D (19), and flavanthrin (30) showed significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7, NCI-H460, and SF-268 cell lines.

Protective roles of interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) in dengue virus infection of human lung epithelial cells.

Interferons (IFNs) are critical cytokines that regulate immune response against virus infections. Dengue virus (DV) infections are a major public health concern worldwide, and especially in Asia. In the present study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of action of IFN-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) in human lung epithelial cells.

Overexpression of T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase predicts poor prognosis in patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma.

Tumor recurrence is the most common cause of disease failure after surgical resection in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma. Identification of clinically relevant prognostic markers could help to predict patients with high risk of disease recurrence. A meta-analysis of available lung adenocarcinoma microarray datasets revealed that T-LAK cell-originated protein kinase (TOPK), a serine/threonine protein kinase, is overexpressed in lung cancer.

Group 4 complexes of a tert-butylphosphine-bridged biphenolate ligand.

The coordination chemistry of group 4 complexes supported by the tridentate, dianionic biphenolate phosphine ligand that carries a phosphorus-bound tert-butyl group, 2,2'-tert-butylphosphino-bis(4,6-di-tert-butylphenolate) ([(t)Bu-OPO](2-)), is described. Metathetical reactions of {[(t)Bu-OPO]Li(2)(DME)}(2) with 2 or 1 equiv of TiCl(4)(THF)(2) selectively produce [(t)Bu-OPO]TiCl(2)(THF) (1a) and Ti[(t)Bu-OPO](2) (2a), respectively. Protonolysis of Ti(O(i)Pr)(4) with 2 or 1 equiv of H(2)[(t)Bu-OPO] cleanly generates 2a and [(t)Bu-OPO]Ti(O(i)Pr)(2) (3a), respectively.

Amido phosphine complexes of zinc: synthesis, structure, and catalytic ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone.

A series of diarylamido phosphine ligands of the type N-(2-dihydrocarbylphosphinophenyl)-2,6-dialkylanilide 1a-d have been prepared and employed to investigate the coordination chemistry of zinc. Protonolysis of ZnMe2 with one equivalent of N-(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline (H[1a]) produced a mixture of [1a]ZnMe (2a) and Zn[1a]2 (4a), whereas that involving ZnEt2 gave exclusively the three-coordinate [1a]ZnEt (3a). In contrast, treatment of ZnR2 (R = Me, Et) with N-(2-diphenylphosphinophenyl)-2,6-diisopropylaniline (H[1b]), N-(2-diisopropylphosphinophenyl)-2,6-dimethylaniline (H[1c]), or N-(2-diisopropylphosphinophenyl)-2,6-diisopropylaniline (H[1d]) under similar conditions generated quantitatively the corresponding three-coordinate zinc methyl 2b-d and zinc ethyl 3b-d.

Supplementary health benefits of soy aglycons of isoflavone by improvement of serum biochemical attributes, enhancement of liver antioxidative capacities and protection of vaginal epithelium of ovariectomized rats.

Background: In the literature, supplement of soy aglycons of isoflavone as estrogen agonists in improvement of serum biochemical attributes, liver antioxidative capacities and vaginal epithelium protection has been meagerly investigated. In this study, ovariectomized (OVX) rats were used as an animal model to simulate post-menopausal status. Supplementary health benefits of soy aglycons of isoflavone (SAI) on improvement of growth and serum biochemical attributes, enhancement of liver antioxidation-related capacities and protection of vaginal epithelium of the OVX rats were assessed.

Kalanchosides A-C, new cytotoxic bufadienolides from the aerial parts of Kalanchoe gracilis.

[Structure: see text] Three new compounds, kalanchosides A-C (1-3), as well as five known compounds, were isolated from the aerial parts of Kalanchoe gracilis. The compound structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. All eight isolated compounds showed significant cytotoxic activity against a panel of human tumor cell lines, with potency reaching the nanomolar range.

Indole alkaloids from Cephalanceropsis gracilis.

Purification of CHCl3 and EtOAc solubles of the MeOH extract of Cephalanceropsis gracilis afforded seven new indole alkaloids, cephalinones A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4) and cephalandoles A (5), B (6), and C (7), besides eight known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis. All 15 indole alkaloids were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects on MCF-7, NCI-H460, and SF-268 cell lines by the MTT method.

Influence of soy aglycon isoflavones on bone-related traits and lens protein characteristics of ovariectomized rats and bioactivity performance of osteoprogenitor cells.

Health benefits of soy isoflavones have attracted the concern of the public and the interest of health-care professionals. In this study, two trials were conducted in characterizing bone-related traits and lens proteins as affected by supplementation of soy aglycon isoflavones (SAI). In trial 1, an in vivo study, 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and randomly distributed into OVX and OVX+SAI (135 mg of SAI/kg of feed; 8.

Constituents of Vittaria anguste-elongata and their biological activities.

Twelve new compounds, vittarin-A (1), -B (2), -C (3), -D (4), -E (5), -F (6), 3-O-acetylniduloic acid (7), ethyl 3-O-acetylniduloate (8), methyl 4-O-coumaroylquinate (9), vittarilide-A (10), and -B (11), and vittariflavone (12), as well as 20 known compounds have been isolated from the whole plant of Vittaria anguste-elongata. The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic and chemical transformation methods. 5,7-Dihydroxy-3',4',5'-trimethoxyflavone (18) displayed moderate cytotoxicity against human lung carcinoma and central nervous system carcinoma cell lines with inhibition of 89 and 61% at a concentration of 58 microM, respectively.