Molecular engineering of PETase for efficient PET biodegradation.

The widespread utilization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has caused a variety of environmental and health problems. Compared with traditional thermomechanical or chemical PET cycling, the biodegradation of PET may offer a more feasible solution. Though the PETase from Ideonalla sakaiensis (IsPETase) displays interesting PET degrading performance under mild conditions; the relatively low thermal stability of IsPETase limits its practical application.

Differential microbial composition in parasitic vs. questing ticks based on 16S next-generation sequencing.

Introduction: As tick-borne diseases rise to become the second most prevalent arthropod-transmitted disease globally, the increasing investigations focus on ticks correspondingly. Factors contributed to this increase include anthropogenic influences, changes in vertebrate faunal composition, social-recreational shifts, and climatic variation. Employing the 16S gene sequence method in next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows comprehensive pathogen identification in samples, facilitating the development of refined approaches to tick research omnidirectionally.

Alterations in the Composition of Intestinal DNA Virome in Patients With COVID-19.

Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection mainly present with respiratory issues and related symptoms, in addition to significantly affected digestive system, especially the intestinal tract. While several studies have shown changes in the intestinal flora of patients with COVID-19, not much information is available on the gut virome of such patients. In this study, we used the viromescan software on the latest gut virome database to analyze the intestinal DNA virome composition of 15 patients with COVID-19 and investigated the characteristic alternations, particularly of the intestinal DNA virome to further explore the influence of COVID-19 on the human gut.

Rational engineering of BaLal_16 from a novel Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain to improve catalytic performance.

-amino acid ligases (Lals) are promising biocatalysts for the synthesis of dipeptides with special biological properties. However, their poor (or broad) substrate specificity limits their industrial applications. To address this problem, a molecular engineering method for Lals was developed to enhance their catalytic performance.

Transcriptome Based System Biology Exploration Reveals Homogeneous Tumorigenicity of Alimentary Tract Malignancy.

Malignancies of alimentary tract include esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), and rectum adenocarcinoma (READ). Despite of their similarities in cancer development and progression, there are numerous researches concentrating on single tumor but relatively little on their common mechanisms. Our study explored the transcriptomic data of digestive tract cancers from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, yielding their common differentially expressed genes including 1,700 mRNAs, 29 miRNAs, and 362 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs).

Alterations in the intestinal microbiome and mental health status of workers in an underground tunnel environment.

Background: Working in an underground tunnel environment is unavoidable in professions such as miners and tunnel workers, and there is a concern about the health of these workers. Few studies have addressed alterations in the intestinal microbiome of workers within that environment.

Results: Fecal samples were collected from the workers before they entered the tunnel (baseline status, BS) and after they left the tunnel (exposed status, ES), respectively (a time period of 3 weeks between them).

Potential molecular targets of nonstructural proteins for the development of antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2 have produced high pathogenicity and mortality rates in human populations. However, to meet the increasing demand for treatment of these pathogenic coronaviruses, accelerating novel antiviral drug development as much as possible has become a public concern. Target-based drug development may be a promising approach to achieve this goal.

Construction of an Efficient Nicotinate Dehydrogenase Expression System in Comamonas testosteroni CNB-2 with Multi-level N-Terminal Engineering.

Nicotinate dehydrogenase (NDHase) is a membrane protein with three subunits (ndhS, ndhL, and ndhM), which is difficult to express in a functional form using common hosts such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, or Pichia pastoris. Comamonas testosteroni is a suitable microbial chassis for expressing multi-subunit membrane proteins. However, the expression of NDHase in C.

Efficient heterologous expression of nicotinate dehydrogenase in Comamonas testosteroni CNB-2 with transcriptional, folding enhancement strategy.

Nicotinate dehydrogenase (NDHase) from Comamonas testosteroni JA1 catalyzes the C6 hydroxylation of 3-cyanopyridine with high regional selectivity, which is a very difficult and complex reaction for chemical synthesis. However, because NDHase is a membrane protein with three subunits (ndhS, ndhL and ndhM), it is difficult to express the enzyme in a functional form using common hosts such as Escherichia coli, Bacilus subtilis or Pichia pastoris. Furthermore, the enzyme requires special electron transfer chains in the membrane system for proper catalytic activity.

Effectiveness of advanced nursing care on depression in patients with ovarian cancer: A protocol of systematic review of randomized controlled trial.

Background: This systematic review will assess the effectiveness of advanced nursing care (ANC) on depression in patients with ovarian cancer (OC).

Methods: We will identify any relevant randomized controlled trial from Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Springer, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from their inceptions to March 5, 2019. The primary outcome includes depression.

Hantavirus Gc induces long-term immune protection via LAMP-targeting DNA vaccine strategy.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurs widely throughout Eurasia. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment, and prophylaxis remains the best option against the major pathogenic agent, hantaan virus (HTNV), which is an Old World hantavirus. However, the absence of cellular immune responses and immunological memory hampers acceptance of the current inactivated HFRS vaccine.

Predictive value of non-fasting remnant cholesterol for short-term outcome of diabetics with new-onset stable coronary artery disease.

Background: The relationship between non-fasting remnant cholesterol and cardiovascular outcome in the era of potent statin therapy remained to be elucidated.

Methods: A cohort study of three hundred and twenty eight diabetics diagnosed with new-onset stable coronary artery disease (CAD) by coronary angiography were enrolled. All cases were followed up for an average duration of twelve months.

Plasma homocysteine levels predict early recurrence after catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aims: To assess the association and the predictive value of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) with early recurrence in persistent atrial fibrillation patients after a single ablation procedure.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and fifty-seven consecutive patients with persistent atrial fibrillation who underwent successful catheter ablation were enrolled. Early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmia was documented within 3 months after ablation.

Culprit vessel only versus "one-week" staged percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel disease in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Objective: To explore the impact of a "one-week" staged multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus culprit-only PCI on deaths and major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 447 patients with multivessel disease who experienced a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within 12 h before undergoing PCI between July 26, 2008 and September 25, 2011. After completion of PCI in the infarct artery, 201 patients still in the hospital agreed to undergo PCI in non-infarct arteries with more than 70% stenosis for a "one-week" staged multivessel PCI.

Dynamic response and optimal design of curved metallic sandwich panels under blast loading.

It is important to understand the effect of curvature on the blast response of curved structures so as to seek the optimal configurations of such structures with improved blast resistance. In this study, the dynamic response and protective performance of a type of curved metallic sandwich panel subjected to air blast loading were examined using LS-DYNA. The numerical methods were validated using experimental data in the literature.

[Erythropoietin inhibits angiotensin II induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro via activating PI3K/Akt-eNOS pathway].

Objective: To explore the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on angiotensin II (AngII) induced neonatal rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and the association with PI3K/Akt-eNOS signaling pathway.

Methods: Cardiomyocytes were isolated from new-born Sprague-Dawley rats and stimulated by AngII in vitro. The cell surface area and mRNA expression of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) of cardiomyocytes were determined in the presence and absence of various concentrations of EPO, phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME.

Erythropoietin attenuates hypertrophy of neonatal rat cardiac myocytes induced by angiotensin-II in vitro.

Objective: Erythropoietin (EPO) is a haematopoietic hormone that has been confirmed as a novel cardioprotective agent. In this study, we test the hypothesis that EPO inhibits angiotensin-II (Ang-II)-induced hypertrophy in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

Material And Methods: Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were used to evaluate the effects of EPO on Ang-II-induced hypertrophy in vitro.

[Proliferation and regeneration effects of constructed human beta-nerve growth factor gene on transfected cat corneal endothelial cells in vitro].

Objective: To explore the mechanisms of proliferation and regeneration effects of a human nerve growth factor (beta-NGF) expression vector (pcDNA4-beta-NGF) on the transfected cat corneal endothelial cells in vitro. To provide a new method for long term cultivation of human corneal endothelial cells in vitro and to establish theoretical basis of gene therapy for corneal endothelial defects.

Methods: It was a experimental study.

[Infection status and clinical significance of Epstein-Barr virus in pediatric leukemia---a report of 35 cases].

Background & Objective: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with genesis of many human tumors. This study was to detect EBV infection in pediatric leukemia, and to explore its clinical significance.

Methods: EBV DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 35 pediatric leukemia patients, including 26 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (24 received initial treatment and 2 received retreatment), 8 cases of acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) and 1 case of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and in 14 healthy children was detected by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).

[Expression of the human papillomavirus type 16L/E7 fusion protein in E. coli and observation of its immunogenicity in mice].

Background: Many epidemiological and experimental evidences prove that cervical cancers are strongly associated with genital high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV16 is present in 50% of the tumor specimens. Thus, it is important to develop vaccines against HPV16 and cervical cancer.

[Analysis of the factors which influence allograft calcification after aorta transplantation of allogenetic rat].

Aim: To explore the factors which influence the calcification of homograft after aorta transplantation of allogenetic rat.

Methods: The research was devided into 2 groups: allogene group and isogenenic group. Allogene group: SD -->Wistar.

[Construction and identification of non-replication recombinant vaccinia virus co-expressing human papillomavirus type 16 L1/L2/E6/E7 proteins].

Objective: To generate a human papillomavirus (HPV16) prophylactic and therapeutic vaccine candidate for cervical cancer.

Methods: HPV16 major capsid protein L1 gene/minor capsid protein L2 gene and HPV16 early E6/E7 genes were inserted into a vaccinia virus expression vector. A strain of non-recombinant vaccinia virus containing the sequences was obtained through a homologous recombination and identified.

The induction and function study on dendritic cells derived from blasts from patients with acute myelogenous leukemia.

To investigate the induction method and function of dendritic cells (DC) derived from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) blasts in vitro, cytokine-supplemented suspension cultures of leukemia blasts in 25 AML patients were performed. Mononuclear cells were cultured for 8 to 12 days using recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF), recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhIL-4) and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha). Morphology, phenotype, cytogenetics, and function of induced cells were studied.

Gene expression of collagen types IX and X in the lumbar disc.

Objective: To study gene expression of collagen types IX and X in human lumbar intervertebral discs during aging and degeneration and to explore the role of collagen types IX and X in disc degeneration.

Methods: Fetal, adult and pathologic specimens were subjected to in situ hybridization with cDNA probes to investigate mRNA-expressions of types IX and X collagen gene.

Results: In fetal intervertebral discs, positive mRNA hybridization signals of type IX collagen were concentrated in the nucleus pulposus and the inner layer of anulus fibrosus.

[Non-replicating recombinant vaccinia virus expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 proteins elicits anti-tumor immunity in mice].

Objective: To investigate the anti-tumor immunity of the non-replicating recombinant vaccinia virus expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 proteins.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were immunized by non-replicating recombinant vaccinia virus (NTVJmE6E7), and then specific CTLs were determined. Immune protection effects were evaluated by challenges of different doses of TC-1 tumor cells.