The clinical features and immune responses of asymptomatic individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have not been well described. We studied 37 ...asymptomatic individuals in the Wanzhou District who were diagnosed with RT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections but without any relevant clinical symptoms in the preceding 14 d and during hospitalization. Asymptomatic individuals were admitted to the government-designated Wanzhou People's Hospital for centralized isolation in accordance with policy
. The median duration of viral shedding in the asymptomatic group was 19 d (interquartile range (IQR), 15-26 d). The asymptomatic group had a significantly longer duration of viral shedding than the symptomatic group (log-rank P = 0.028). The virus-specific IgG levels in the asymptomatic group (median S/CO, 3.4; IQR, 1.6-10.7) were significantly lower (P = 0.005) relative to the symptomatic group (median S/CO, 20.5; IQR, 5.8-38.2) in the acute phase. Of asymptomatic individuals, 93.3% (28/30) and 81.1% (30/37) had reduction in IgG and neutralizing antibody levels, respectively, during the early convalescent phase, as compared to 96.8% (30/31) and 62.2% (23/37) of symptomatic patients. Forty percent of asymptomatic individuals became seronegative and 12.9% of the symptomatic group became negative for IgG in the early convalescent phase. In addition, asymptomatic individuals exhibited lower levels of 18 pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. These data suggest that asymptomatic individuals had a weaker immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The reduction in IgG and neutralizing antibody levels in the early convalescent phase might have implications for immunity strategy and serological surveys.
Ionic liquids (ILs) comprise mostly of organic salts with negligible vapor pressure and low flammability that are proposed as replacements for volatile solvents. ILs have been promoted as “green” ...solvents and widely investigated for their various applications. Although the utility of these chemicals is unquestionable, their toxic effects have attracted great attention. In order to manage their potential hazards and design environmentally benign ILs, understanding their environmental behavior, fate and effects is important. In this review, environmentally relevant issues of ILs, including their environmental application, environmental behavior and toxicity are addressed. In addition, also presented are the influence of ILs on the environmental fate and toxicity of other coexisting contaminants, important routes for designing nontoxic ILs and the techniques that might be adopted for the removal of ILs.
The application of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as SERS‐active platforms in multiplex volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detection is still unexplored. Herein, we demonstrate that MIL‐100 (Fe) ...serves as an ideal SERS substrate for the detection of VOCs. The limit of detection (LOD) of MIL‐100(Fe) for toluene sensing can reach 2.5 ppm, and can be even further decreased to 0.48 ppb level when “hot spots” in between Au nanoparticles are employed onto MIL‐100 (Fe) substrate, resulting in an enhancement factor of 1010. Additionally, we show that MIL‐100(Fe) substrate has a unique “sensor array” property allowing multiplex VOCs detection, with great modifiability and expandability by doping with foreign metal elements. Finally, the MIL‐100(Fe) platform is utilized to simultaneously detect the different gaseous indicators of lung cancer with a ppm detection limit, demonstrating its high potential for early diagnosis of lung cancer in vivo.
MIL‐100(Fe) is demonstrated to serve as an ideal “SERS‐active” and “sensory array” platform for multiplex sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as the gaseous biomarkers of diseases with low Raman cross‐sections.
Metal oxide nanoparticles (MeO-NPs) are among the most consumed NPs and also have wide applications in various areas which increased their release into the environmental system. Aquatic (water and ...sediments) and terrestrial compartments are predicted to be the destination of the released MeO-NPs. In these compartments, the particles are subjected to various dynamic processes such as physical, chemical and biological processes, and undergo transformations which drive them away from their pristine state. These transformation pathways can have strong implications for the fate, transport, persistence, bioavailability and toxic-effects of the NPs. In this critical review, we provide the state-of-the-knowledge on the transformation processes and bioavailability of MeO-NPs in the environment, which is the topic of interest to researchers. We also recommend future research directions in the area which will support future risk assessments by enhancing our knowledge of the transformation and bioavailability of MeO-NPs.
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•Current state-of-the-knowledge on the transformation and bioavailability of MeO-NPs in the environment has been provided.•Effects of MeO-NPs behavior on their transformations have been reviewed.•Role of the transformation processes on bioavailability of the NPs have been discussed.•Future research directions required to fill the existing research gaps have been provided.
Transformations of MeO-NPs depend on nature of the NPs themselves and chemistry of the medium, and can significantly affect their fate, bioavailability and toxic-effects.
Aim
To determine the overall efficacy of high‐ versus low‐dose sodium‐glucose co‐transporter‐2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Material and Methods
A literature search ...using MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library was performed from 1 January 2006 to 23 September 2020. Random effects models were used to calculate mean differences (MDs) and pooled relative risk (RR). Prespecified subgroup analyses for each SGLT2 inhibitor, follow‐up and controls were performed. Leave‐one‐out sensitivity and meta‐regression analyses were conducted.
Results
A total of 51 randomized controlled trials involving 23 989 participants (weighted mean age, 58.9 years; men, 58.8%) were eligible for our meta‐analysis. For glycaemic regulation ability, a significant reduction in HbA1c (MD −0.080%, 95% confidence interval CI −0.100 to −0.060), fasting plasma glucose (MD −0.227 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.282 to −0.173) and postprandial plasma glucose (MD −0.834 mmol/L, 95% CI −1.268 to −0.400) levels was observed in the high‐dose SGLT2 inhibitor group. Treatment with high‐dose SGLT2 inhibitors enabled easier achievement of the target (HbA1c <7%) than low‐dose SGLT2 inhibitors (RR 1.148, 95% CI 1.104 to 1.193). High‐dose SGLT2 inhibitor‐based treatment resulted in more efficient regulation of body weight and blood pressure (body weight: MD −0.346 kg, 95% CI −0.437 to −0.254; systolic blood pressure: MD −0.583 mmHg, 95% CI −0.903 to −0.263; diastolic blood pressure: MD −0.352 mmHg, 95% CI −0.563 to −0.142). The results were similar in sensitivity analyses.
Conclusions
The overall efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors, mainly canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, was found to be dose dependent.
Over the past decade, the surging interest for higher‐energy‐density, cheaper, and safer battery technology has spurred tremendous research efforts in the development of improved rechargeable ...zinc–air batteries. Current zinc–air batteries suffer from poor energy efficiency and cycle life, owing mainly to the poor rechargeability of zinc and air electrodes. To achieve high utilization and cyclability in the zinc anode, construction of conductive porous framework through elegant optimization strategies and adaptation of alternate active material are employed. Equally, there is a need to design new and improved bifunctional oxygen catalysts with high activity and stability to increase battery energy efficiency and lifetime. Efforts to engineer catalyst materials to increase the reactivity and/or number of bifunctional active sites are effective for improving air electrode performance. Here, recent key advances in material development for rechargeable zinc–air batteries are described. By improving fundamental understanding of materials properties relevant to the rechargeable zinc and air electrodes, zinc–air batteries will be able to make a significant impact on the future energy storage for electric vehicle application. To conclude, a brief discussion on noteworthy concepts of advanced electrode and electrolyte systems that are beyond the current state‐of‐the‐art zinc–air battery chemistry, is presented.
Benefiting from their high theoretical energy density, electrically rechargeable zinc–air batteries lie at the heart of emerging energy storage technology for electric vehicles. Recent key advances in material development for rechargeable zinc–air batteries are described, followed by a brief discussion on novel concepts that are beyond the current state‐of‐the‐art zinc–air battery chemistry.
There is clear evidence that micro- and nanoplastics are accumulating in the environment, and their increasing concern of potential harm to wildlife has been identified as a major global issue. ...However, identification of nanoplastics in environmental samples remains a great challenge, and thus highlighting the great need for new approach. Herein, for the first time, we show that surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offered a feasible approach to identify trace polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics, which is the most produced nanoplastics and also widely presented in the natural environment. We found that when PS nanoplastics were surrounded by SERS-active silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), a set of Raman spectra with chemical information could be obtained via SERS mapping. This map showed the potential PS distribution of the nanoplastics on a silicon wafer, allowing a quick and detailed analysis of the nanoplastics. Moreover, the proposed method was able to identify previously undetectable plastic particles as small as ~50 nm spiked in real water, demonstrating the power of SERS to probe nanoplastics. Our work is thus an important step in nanoplastic research, and we believe that this approach can be further developed to study the occurrence, formation, and transports of nanoplastics in the natural environment.
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•SERS was for the first time demonstrated to be a facile and efficient approach for the identification of nanoplastics.•Previously undetectable plastic particles as small as ~50 nm was identified.•Applicable for real environmental waters.
Background
Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been demonstrated as playing important roles in diverse biological processes including tumorigenesis. However, the clinical significance and biological ...function of LncRNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) in gastric cancer are still unknown. The aim of this study was to identify the role of LncRNA NEAT1 in gastric cancer.
Methods
The expression of LncRNA NEAT1 was detected in gastric cancer samples and cell lines by real-time PCR. The clinical and prognostic significance of LncRNA NEAT1 in gastric cancer patients was analyzed. Furthermore, the biological function of LncRNA NEAT1 on tumor cell growth and mobility were explored through MTT, colony formation, transwell migration, and invasion assays in vitro. The potential mechanism of LncRNA NEAT1 was identified by Western blot.
Results
LncRNA NEAT1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines and corrected with clinical stage, histological type, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Furthermore, patients with high levels of LncRNA NEAT1 had poorer survival than those with lower levels of LncRNA NEAT1. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that LncRNA NEAT1 overexpression was a poor independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer patients. Moreover, knocking down LncRNA NEAT1 expression significantly suppressed the gastric cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and regulated EMT-associated proteins expression.
Conclusion
LncRNA NEAT1 plays an important role on gastric cancer tumorigenesis and progression and may act as a potential biomarker for therapeutic strategy and prognostic prediction.
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