The esterase Est8 from the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus sp. K91 belongs to the GDSL family and is active on a variety of acetylated compounds, including 7‐aminocephalosporanic acid. In contrast to ...other esterases of the GDSL family, the catalytic residues Asp182 and His185 were more pivotal for the catalytic activity of Est8 than the Ser11 residue. To better understand the biochemical and enzymatic properties of Est8, recombinant Est8 protein was purified and crystallized. Crystals of Est8 were obtained by the hanging‐drop vapour‐diffusion method using 2.0 M ammonium sulfate, 5%(v/v) 2‐propanol as the crystallization solution. X‐ray diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.30 Å with an Rmerge of 16.4% from a crystal belonging to space group P41212 or P43212, with unit‐cell parameters a = b = 68.50, c = 79.57 Å.
Purification, crystallization and X‐ray crystallographic analysis were employed to determine the catalytic mechanism of Est8, a GDSL‐motif esterase from Bacillus sp. K91.
As a treatment option for cancer, thermal ablation has satisfactory effects on many types of solid tumors (such as liver and renal cancers). However, its clinical applications for the treatment of ...thyroid nodules and metastatic cervical lymph nodes are still under debate both in China and abroad. In 2015, the "Zhejiang Expert consensus on thermal ablation for thyroid benign nodules, microcarcinoma, and metastatic cervical lymph nodes (2015 edition)," was released by the Thyroid Cancer Committee of Zhejiang Anti-Cancer Association, China. To further standardize the application of thermal ablation for thyroid tumors, the Thyroid Tumor Ablation Experts Group of Chinese Medical Doctor Association has organized many seminars and finally produced a consensus to formulate the "Expert consensus workshop report: Guidelines for thermal ablation of thyroid tumors (2019 edition)."
All patients were hospitalized in the period from December 2012 to October 2013 at the first Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. the patients having normal coronary arteries detected ...by coronary angiography were included as a control group.According to clinical classification, the patients were divided into: stable angina, unstable angina, acute myocardial infaction and coronary heart disease with type 2 diabetes; According to angiographic results, the patients were divided into: single-vessel disease group, double vessel disease and multivessel disease group; according to SYNTAX score, the patients were divided into: 0~10, 10~20, 20~30 score and above 30 score; According to whether active smoking, the patients were divided into active smoking and non-smoking; According to the results of the CA coronary, the lesion vessels were divided into collateral circulation group and no collateral circulation, collateral circulation group on the basis of Rentrop grade, divided into a level 0, level 1, level 2, level 3, and compared with normal group of CA,The protein expression levels of CEACAM-1, MMP-9 were analyzed and compared by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Cubic perovskite structure photocatalysts of Na0.5La0.5TiO3 and (Na0.5La0.5TiO3)1.00(LaCrO3)0.08 solid solution that consisted of well‐defined single‐crystal nanocubes were successfully prepared by ...means of facile and surfactant‐free hydrothermal reactions for the first time. The results from different instrumental characterizations and theoretical calculations consistently confirmed the formation of nanocubic single‐crystal solid solution of (Na0.5La0.5TiO3)1.00(LaCrO3)0.08, and clearly revealed the modification of its physicochemical properties compared with those of Na0.5La0.5TiO3. In particular, the effective narrowing of the bandgap (from 3.19 to 2.25 eV) by Cr3+ in the solid solution made it possible to utilize visible light. The solid‐solution configuration maintained the charge balance to preserve the valence of Cr3+ rather than Cr6+, and accommodated Cr3+ with high content to form new energy bands instead of localized impurity levels. The hydrothermal preparation strategy ensured the formation of single crystals with high purity, few defects, and regulated morphology; it also guaranteed the valences of Ti4+ and Cr3+ in the solid solution. Consequently, the recombination of photogenerated carriers could be effectively suppressed to benefit photocatalytic H2 evolution. (Na0.5La0.5TiO3)1.00(LaCrO3)0.08 nanocubic single‐crystal solid solution showed stable photocatalytic activity, and thus was proved to be a promising candidate for visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic H2 evolution.
All things visible: A nanocubic single‐crystal solid‐solution perovskite photocatalyst of (Na0.5La0.5TiO3)1.00(LaCrO3)0.08 was prepared hydrothermally. The narrowing of the bandgap by Cr3+ enabled the utilization of visible light (see graphic). Ultimately, this material showed stable photocatalytic activity for visible‐light‐driven H2 evolution.
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a histologically identifiable glomerular injury often leading to proteinuria and renal failure. To identify its causal genes, whole-exome sequencing and ...Sanger sequencing were performed on a large Chinese cohort that comprised 40 FSGS families, 50 sporadic FSGS patients, 9 independent autosomal recessive Alport's syndrome (ARAS) patients, and 190 ethnically matched healthy controls. Patients with extrarenal manifestations, indicating systemic diseases or other known hereditary renal diseases, were excluded. Heterozygous COL4A3 mutations were identified in five (12.5%) FSGS families and one (2%) sporadic FSGS patient. All identified mutations disrupted highly conserved protein sequences and none of them was found in either public databases or the 190 healthy controls. Of the FSGS patients with heterozygous COL4A3 mutations, segmental thinning of the glomerular base membrane (GBM) was only detected in the patient with electronic microscopy examination results available. Five ARAS patients (55.6%) had homozygous or compound-heterozygous mutations in COL4A3 or COL4A4. Serious changes in the GBM, hearing loss, and ocular abnormalities were found in 100%, 80%, and 40% of the ARAS patients, respectively. Overall, a new subgroup of FSGS patients resulting from heterozygous COL4A3 mutations was identified. The mutations are relatively frequent in families diagnosed with inherited forms of FSGS. Thus, we suggest screening for COL4A3 mutations in familial FSGS patients.
Formation damage is an inevitable problem during drilling in the sandstone gas reservoir. The invasion of drilling fluid could cause the decreasing of permeability of the formation and induce the ...reduction of gas production. In this paper, one kind of microemulsion is designed to improve the performance of drilling fluid in Sulige gas field, China. The fundamental chemical/physical properties and damage mechanism of targeted tight sandstone formation is analyzed using a combination of several experimental methods, including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, core inhibition test, and etc. It shows that the formation rock is composed of medium to coarse particles and massive sensitive minerals, distributed with tiny connected pore throats. The rock has a high potential for water blocking damage and shows a medium to a strong performance of water sensitivity and stress sensitivity. Aiming to avoid these damages, one protective additive (microemulsion) is specifically designed. Through adsorption morphology test and core inhibition test, it shows that the newly developed microemulsion (0.5% concentration) could effectively weaken the inhibition effects induced by capillary pressure and decrease the flow back resistance of drilling fluid. Finally, a new drilling fluid using this new additive is designed and evaluated. The new drilling fluid works effectively in preventing water blocking by decreasing surface tension and transforming the wettability of tight sandstone from hydrophilic to intermediate wet. This contributes to the significant recovery of formation permeability (more than 92.1%) and the increasing of gas production.
•The damage mechanism of tight sandstone gas reservoir has been explored.•Highly efficient protective agent of microemulsion has been designed and evaluated.•The new protective drilling fluid can protect tight sandstone gas reservoir.
Abstract
Background
Almost 4 million children have tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as of June 3 2021, representing 14% of all cases in USA. Children present with diverse ...clinical findings including the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). In this study, we measured serum cytokine concentrations in children with COVID-19 to identify differences in immune profiles according to clinical presentations.
Methods
A total of 133 children 0-21 years of age with COVID-19 were enrolled at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, in Columbus, Ohio. Nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR testing was used for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification. Clinical and laboratory information were obtained, and blood samples were collected for measurement of cytokines with a 92-plex inflammation assay (Olink). Normalized cytokine expression levels in patients were compared with serum samples from 66 pre-pandemic age-matched healthy controls.
Results
COVID-19 children included: 1) those identified by universal screening (n=47); 2) moderate disease (ward; n=48); 3) severe disease (PICU; n=20); 4) MIS-C (n=18). Children identified by universal screening were hospitalized for trauma, appendicitis or new onset diabetes among others. Children with symptomatic COVID-19 had significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 viral loads than children with MIS-C or those identified via universal screening. Concentrations of interferon (IFN) related cytokines (IFNg, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11), interleukins (IL6, IL8, IL10, IL17A, IL18, IL24) and other inflammatory cytokines (TGF, TNF, VEGF, MCP, CD40) were significantly increased in children with acute COVID-19 and MIS-C compared with children identified by universal screening and healthy controls. These cytokines were positively correlated with C-reactive protein, D-dimer and disease severity in COVID-19, but negatively correlated with viral loads (Fig 1). MIS-C showed stronger inflammatory response than acute COVID-19 (Fig 2).
Correlation of Age-adjusted cytokine expression values with viral load, disease severity, CRP and D-dimer. Pearson correlation coefficient is shown for each pair. Red: positive correlation; blue: negative correlation
Cytokines that differentiate MIS-C from acute COVID-19
Heatmap shows the differential expressed cytokines between MIS-C and acute severe COVID-19 (padj<0.05, FC>2). The age-adjusted expression values are normalized the median of healthy controls. Red: up-regulation, blue: down-regulation.
Conclusion
We identified three cytokine clusters in children with COVID-19 according to clinical presentations. Correlations of serum cytokines with clinical/laboratory parameters could be used to identify potential biomarkers associated with disease severity in COVID-19
Disclosures
Asuncion Mejias, MD, PhD, MsCS, Janssen (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Merck (Grant/Research Support, Advisor or Review Panel member)Roche (Advisor or Review Panel member)Sanofi (Advisor or Review Panel member) Octavio Ramilo, MD, Adagio (Consultant)Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Grant/Research Support)Janssen (Grant/Research Support)Lilly (Consultant)Merck (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)NIH (Grant/Research Support)Pfizer (Consultant)SANOFI (Board Member)
The biotransformation of puerarin catalyzed by Bacillus cereus NT02 was studied. A primary screening was carried out using 307 strains of bacteria isolated from soil which were able to grow in the ...presence of puerarin. Strain NT02, identified as B. cereus, was able to convert puerarin into puerarin-6″-O-phosphate. Under the optimum conditions, resting cells of B. cereus NT02 converted 27% of added 0.4 g/l puerarin into puerarin-6″-O-phosphate that was characterized by MS, 13C NMR, 31P NMR. The activity of puerarin-6″-O-phosphate was 25 times higher than that of puerarin in the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging system. The water solubility of puerarin-6″-O-phosphate was 85.4 times higher than that of puerarin.
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