The COVID-19 has now been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. There is an emergent need to search for possible medications.
Utilization of the available sequence information, ...homology modeling, and in slico docking a number of available medications might prove to be effective in inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 two main drug targets, the spike glycoprotein, and the 3CL protease.
Several compounds were determined from the in silico docking models that might prove to be effective inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2. Several antiviral medications: Zanamivir, Indinavir, Saquinavir, and Remdesivir show potential as and 3CLPRO main proteinase inhibitors and as a treatment for COVID-19.
Zanamivir, Indinavir, Saquinavir, and Remdesivir are among the exciting hits on the 3CLPRO main proteinase. It is also exciting to uncover that Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) Adeflavin, B2 deficiency medicine, and Coenzyme A, a coenzyme, may also be potentially used for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The use of these off-label medications may be beneficial in the treatment of the COVID-19.
•Molecular docking has been used for the search of possible medications that fall under the approved bioactive that may inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the 3CLPRO protease.•Several exciting hits on the 3CLPRO main proteinase are Zanamivir, Indinavir, Remdesivir, and Saquinavir.•Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) Adeflavin, a B2 Deficiency medicine, and Coenzyme A, a coenzyme, may also be potentially used for the treatment of COVID-19.
•The prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom during the COVID-19 pandemic were relatively high.•The prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom varies among different countries’ ...college students.•The pooled prevalence of depressive symptom in females was higher compared with males.
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought huge changes to people's lifestyles, college students have also been affected seriously. Evidence about these significant changes indicated that college students were more prone to feel anxious and depressed. To derive a precise assessment of the prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom among college students worldwide, we conducted this meta-analysis.
Based on the guidance of PRISMA, literature was searched in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and PsycArticles (last search November 6, 2020). These articles after the screening were analyzed by a random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom. Also, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were performed in this meta-analysis.
The results showed that the pooled anxiety symptom prevalence was 31% (95% CI: 23-39%), pooled depressive symptom prevalence was 34% (95% CI: 27-41%). Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom among different countries’ college students were different, and the pooled depressive symptom prevalence of females was higher compared with males.
The prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom in worldwide college students could be better assessed by a standard and reliable questionnaire.
The results suggest that the prevalence of anxiety symptom and depressive symptom during the COVID-19 pandemic is relatively high. Except for interventions that should be taken to control the pandemic urgently, mental health services are also needed to decrease the risk of anxiety and depression among college students.
Recently, the use of hybrid double network (DN) hydrogels has become prominent due to their enhanced mechanical properties, which has opened the door for new applications of these soft materials. ...Only a few of these gels have demonstrated both injectable and moldable capabilities. In this work, we report the mechanical properties, gauge factor (GF) values and demonstrate both the injectability and moldability of a gelatin/polyacrylamide DN hydrogel. We optimized several parameters, such as, gelatin to polyacrylamide ratio, reactant concentrations and metal ion concentration, to produce a gelatin/polyacrylamide hydrogel with superior mechanical properties. The highest water content gel was capable of withstanding strains of 5000% before failure. These gels were facilely injected into molds where they effectively changed shape and maintained similar properties prior to remolding. When 20 mM calcium was doped into a similar gel, a tensile strength of 1.71 MPa was achieved. Aside from improving the mechanical properties of the gels, both Ca2+ and Mg2+ also improved their conductivity, so they were tested for use as strain sensors. The sensitivity of the hydrogel strain sensors were measured using the GF. For the 20 mM Ca2+ hydrogel, these GF values ranged from 1.63 to 6.85 for strains of 100% to 2100% respectively. Additionally, the sensors showed good stability over continuous cyclic stretching, demonstrating their long term reliability for strain sensing.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers, with a minimal difference between its incidence rate and mortality rate. Advances in oncology over the past several decades ...have dramatically improved the overall survival of patients with multiple cancers due to the implementation of new techniques in early diagnosis, therapeutic drugs, and personalized therapy. However, pancreatic cancers remain recalcitrant, with a 5-year relative survival rate of <9%. The lack of measures for early diagnosis, strong resistance to chemotherapy, ineffective adjuvant chemotherapy and the unavailability of molecularly targeted therapy are responsible for the high mortality rate of this notorious disease. Genetically, PDAC progresses as a complex result of the activation of oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressors. Although next-generation sequencing has identified numerous new genetic alterations, their clinical implications remain unknown. Classically, oncogenic mutations in genes such as KRAS and loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressors, such as TP53, CDNK2A, DPC4/SMAD4, and BRCA2, are frequently observed in PDAC. Currently, research on these key driver genes is still the main focus. Therefore, studies assessing the functions of these genes and their potential clinical implications are of paramount importance. In this review, we summarize the biological function of key driver genes and pharmaceutical targets in PDAC. In addition, we conclude the results of molecularly targeted therapies in clinical trials and discuss how to utilize these genetic alterations in further clinical practice.
The relationship of the chiroptical response of a molecule to its absolution configuration does not exist now. In this letter, I intend to report a general rule with exceptions to predict the sign of ...optical rotation of chiral molecules with a RCHXY structure from their absolute configurations using the Hammett constant,
σ
p
, which is based on the electron withdrawing/donating power of functional groups. In this rule, a priority list of functional groups based on the electron withdrawing powers of the groups are used. When the lowest priority group is in the back of the molecule, a clockwise arrangement of the other three priorities from the most electron withdrawing to the least withdrawing (1-2-3) is predicted to be dextrorotatory, the counterclockwise arrangement is predicted to be levorotatory.
The relationship of the chiroptical response of a molecule to its absolution configuration does not exist now.
2D hybrid halide double perovskites (HHDPs) have been demonstrated to be a promising alternative to conventional lead‐based halide perovskites as a new system of photoferroelectrics, due to their ...unique characteristics of environmental friendliness, favorable stability, and fascinating optoelectronic properties. Herein, for the first time, a 2D iodide double perovskite photoferroelectric is reported based on Ag/Sb ions, (4,4‐DFPD)4AgSbI8 (4,4‐DFPD = 4,4‐difluoropiperidinium), which possesses a high Curie temperature of 414 K (above BaTiO3), a large spontaneous polarization of 9.6 μC cm−2, ferroelectric photovoltaic effect, and photostrictive effect. Notably, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the discovery of photostriction in HHDP photoferroelectrics is unprecedented. Moreover, (4,4‐DFPD)4AgSbI8 exhibits an impressive X‐ray responsivity, with a sensitivity as high as 704.8 μC Gyair−1 cm−2 at 100 V bias and a detection limit as low as 0.36 μGyair s−1 at 10 V bias, both of which outperform the current all HHDP photoferroelectrics. This work enriches the photoferroelectric family, and proves that Ag/Sb‐based HHDP photoferroelectrics are a promising candidate for the next‐generation optoelectronic devices.
The first silver/antimony‐based double perovskite photoferroelectric, (4,4‐difluoropiperidinium)4AgSbI8, is discovered, which exhibits ferroelectric photovoltaic effect and photostrictive effect under light radiation. Moreover, (4,4‐difluoropiperidinium)4AgSbI8 exhibits an exciting X‐ray responsivity including a sensitivity as high as 704.8 μC Gyair−1 cm−2 at 100 V bias and a detection limit as low as 0.36 μGyair s–1, both of which are the best among all HHDP photoferroelectrics.
The physiological role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in osteoblast differentiation remains elusive. Exosomal miRNAs isolated from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) culture were ...profiled using miRNA arrays containing probes for 894 human matured miRNAs. Seventy-nine miRNAs (∼8.84%) could be detected in exosomes isolated from BMSC culture supernatants when normalized to endogenous control genes RNU44. Among them, nine exosomal miRNAs were up regulated and 4 miRNAs were under regulated significantly (Relative fold>2, p<0.05) when compared with the values at 0 day with maximum changes at 1 to 7 days. Five miRNAs (miR-199b, miR-218, miR-148a, miR-135b, and miR-221) were further validated and differentially expressed in the individual exosomal samples from hBMSCs cultured at different time points. Bioinformatic analysis by DIANA-mirPath demonstrated that RNA degradation, mRNA surveillance pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, RNA transport were the most prominent pathways enriched in quantiles with differential exosomal miRNA patterns related to osteogenic differentiation. These data demonstrated exosomal miRNA is a regulator of osteoblast differentiation.
The molecular mechanisms underlying estrogen receptor (ER)‐positive breast carcinogenesis and endocrine therapy resistance remain incompletely understood. Here, we report that circPVT1, a circular ...RNA generated from the lncRNA PVT1, is highly expressed in ERα‐positive breast cancer cell lines and tumor samples and is functionally important in promoting ERα‐positive breast tumorigenesis and endocrine therapy resistance. CircPVT1 acts as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to sponge miR‐181a‐2‐3p, promoting the expression of ESR1 and downstream ERα‐target genes and breast cancer cell growth. Furthermore, circPVT1 directly interacts with MAVS protein to disrupt the RIGI–MAVS complex formation, inhibiting type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathway and anti‐tumor immunity. Anti‐sense oligonucleotide (ASO)‐targeting circPVT1 inhibits ERα‐positive breast cancer cell and tumor growth, re‐sensitizing tamoxifen‐resistant ERα‐positive breast cancer cells to tamoxifen treatment. Taken together, our data demonstrated that circPVT1 can work through both ceRNA and protein scaffolding mechanisms to promote cancer. Thus, circPVT1 may serve as a diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ERα‐positive breast cancer in the clinic.
Synopsis
Estrogen receptor (ER)α, encoded by ESR1, promotes mammary malignancies and is targeted in cancer therapy; however, resistance arises frequently. This study reports a novel circRNA, termed circPVT1, with dual mechanisms to enhance ER‐positive breast tumorigenesis, suggesting therapeutic opportunities.
CircPVT1 is highly expressed in ERα‐positive breast tumor patients.
CircPVT1 sponges miR‐181a‐2‐3p to stabilize ESR1 mRNA, activating the expression of estrogen/ERα‐target genes.
CircPVT1 interacts with MAVS protein to disrupt RIGI–MAVS complex formation, repressing the expression of type I IFN and interferon‐stimulated genes.
ASO‐targeting circPVT1 suppresses ERα‐positive breast cancer cell and tumor growth.
Circular RNA circPVT1 has dual function in aggravating ER+ mammary gland malignancies.
Stretchable and tough hydrogels have attracted a lot of attention due to their great potential in applications such as wound healing, drug delivery, tissue culture, etc. They can also be paired with ...electronic components to create artificial skin, wearable electronics, and patches. To promote the development of more hydrogels, we will summarize methods and materials that have been used to develop these gels, and then we will compare the performance of these gels in an aim to guide the future development of gels for superior performance, especially for specific applications.
4D printing is an emerging additive manufacturing technology that combines the precision of 3D printing with the versatility of smart materials. 4D printed objects can change their shape over time ...with the application of a stimulus (i.e., heat, light, moisture). Light driven smart materials are attractive because light is wireless, remote, and can induce a rapid shape change. Herein, we present a method for fabricating polymeric bilayer actuators via 3D printing which reversibly change their shape upon exposure to light. The photoactive layer consists of a poly(siloxane) containing pendant azobenzene groups. Two different photoactive polymers were synthesized, and the photomechanical effect displayed by the bilayers was evaluated. These bilayers exhibit rapid actuation with full cycles completed within seconds, and photo generated stresses ranging from 1.03 to 1.70 MPa.
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