Abstract To explore the effect of Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) mode in the diagnosis and treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pneumonia. A total of 65 patients with suspected COVID-19 pneumonia were included. On February 8, 2020, our hospital officially became a designated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19, and the MDT mode was implemented throughout the diagnosis and treatment for newly admitted patients with suspected COVID-19. The patients were divided into control group and observation group according to whether received MDT mode. Our results showed that the diagnosis time in the observation group was significantly shortened than that in the control group (2.51 days vs. 3.47 days) (p < 0.05). The average daily hospitalization costs in the observation group was significantly decreased in comparison with the control group (¥766.1 vs. ¥1190.4) (p < 0.001). The average daily cost of protective materials in the observation group was significantly reduced in comparison with the control group (¥4226.90 vs. ¥5308.20) (p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the subjective symptoms of patients in the observation group were significantly improved (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the MDT mode shortens the diagnosis time of, reduces the hospitalization costs, and improves the subjective symptoms of COVID-19.

In order to achieve hot processing products with expected microstructures, the construction of corresponding relationships between micro-evolution mechanisms and hot processing parameters is essential. In this study, such corresponding relationships of as-cast AlCu4SiMg alloy were constructed by double evaluating processing maps and Zener-Holloman (Z) parameter maps. Based on the stress-strain data obtained from a series of isothermal compression experiments, the processing maps of AlCu4SiMg alloy were constructed at the strain of 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 s-1. The processing maps revealed that the optimal hot deformation parameter windows corresponding to dynamic recrystallization (DRX) micro-evolution mechanism mainly appear at high temperature and moderate strain rate. On the other hand, the response maps of Z parameter at discrete strains were constructed, and the ideal processing windows were calibrated at the domains with relatively low lnZ-value. A phenomenon was found that the optimal deformation parameter windows identified by Z parameter are more conservative than those identified by processing map. By integrating processing maps and Z parameter maps, the optimal processing parameter windows corresponding to DRX micro-evolution mechanism for AlCu4SiMg alloy were finally obtained.

RESUMO Objetivos: Desenvolver um protocolo padrão, eficiente e xeno-livre, para a reprogramação de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas, que possa ser usado durante as terapias de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas para o tratamento de doenças degenerativas da retina, e comparar a eficácia relativa de sistemas de cultivo de origem animal e de origem não animal na geração de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas. Métodos: Cultivos primários de fibroblastos de pterígio humano e de fibroblastos da cápsula de Tenon humanos foram induzidos a células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas usando um vírus não integrado sob dois sistemas xeno-livres; um sistema tradicional de reprogramação não xeno-livre também foi avaliado como parte deste estudo. Os clones de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas foram selecionados e contados por coloração de células vivas. As eficiências de reprogramação foram avaliadas entre os diferentes fibroblastos e entre os diferentes sistemas de cultivo. Uma série de experimentos, como o PCR e a coloração por imunofluorescência, foram conduzidos para caracterizar as células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas. Resultados: Células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas derivadas de fibroblastos de pterígio humano e fibroblastos da cápsula de Tenon humanos foram estabelecidas com sucesso sob diferentes sistemas de reprogramação e exibiram propriedades de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas. As eficiências de reprogramação das células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas usando o sistema de terapia celular, o sistema tradicional e o sistema E6/E8 foram 0,014, 0,028% e 0,001%, respectivamente. Além disso, as eficiências de reprogramação de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas derivadas de fibroblastos de pterígio humano e de fibroblastos da cápsula de Tenon humanos usando todos os sistemas acima foram de 0,018% e 0,017%, respectivamente. Conclusões: O vírus Sendai pode ser usado para facilitar a reprogramação de fibroblastos oculares pelas células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas. Tanto os fibroblastos de pterígio humano quanto os fibroblastos da cápsula de Tenon humanos são seguros e eficientes para a reprogramação de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas. Embora as eficiências de reprogramação das células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas de origem ocular sob condições xeno-livres não tenham sido superiores às eficiências observadas para o sistema tradicional de reprogramação, o sistema de reprogramação sistema de terapia celular é uma boa opção para a indução de células-tronco pluripotentes induzidas sob condições xeno-livres.

ABSTRACT Purposes: To develop an efficient and xeno-free standard eye-derived induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming protocol for use during induced pluripotent stem cell-based cell therapies in treating retinal degenerative diseases and to compare the relative effectiveness of both animal- and non-animal-derived culture systems in the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Methods: Primary cultured human pterygium fibroblasts and human Tenon’s capsule fibroblasts were induced to induced pluripotent stem cells using a non-integrated virus under two xeno-free systems; as part of this study, a traditional non-xeno-free reprogramming system was also assessed. Induced pluripotent stem cell clones were selected and counted by live staining. Reprogramming efficiencies were evaluated between the fibroblasts and among different culture systems. In a series of experiments, such as PCR and immunofluorescence staining, the induced pluripotent stem cells were characterized. Results: Human pterygium fibroblast- and human Tenon’s capsule fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells were successfully established using different reprogramming systems, under which they exhibited properties of induced pluripotent stem cells. Reprogramming efficiencies of induced pluripotent stem cells using the cell therapy system, the traditional system, and the E6/E8 system were 0.014%, 0.028%, and 0.001%, respectively, and those of human pterygium fibroblast- and human Tenon’s capsule fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells-using the aforementioned systems-were 0.018% and 0.017%, respectively. Conclusions: Sendai virus facilitates induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming of ocular fibroblasts-both human pterygium and human Tenon’s capsule fibroblasts being safe and efficient for induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. Although the reprogramming efficiencies of ocular-derived induced pluripotent stem cells under xeno-free conditions were not superior to those observed using the traditional reprogramming system, the cell therapy system reprogramming system is a good option when induced pluripotent stem cells are to be induced under xeno-free conditions.

Abstract The thermo-hydro-mechanical problems associated with a poroelastic half-space soil medium with variable properties under generalized thermoelasticity theory were investigated in this study. By remaining faithful to Biot’s theory of dynamic poroelasticity, we idealized the foundation material as a uniform, fully saturated, poroelastic half-space medium. We first subjected this medium to time harmonic loads consisting of normal or thermal loads, then investigated the differences between the coupled thermohydro-mechanical dynamic models and the thermo-elastic dynamic models. We used normal mode analysis to solve the resulting non-dimensional coupled equations, then investigated the effects that non-dimensional vertical displacement, excess pore water pressure, vertical stress, and temperature distribution exerted on the poroelastic half-space medium and represented them graphically.

Abstract Background: The gamma-type phospholipase A2 inhibitor (ΡLIγ) is a natural protein commonly found in snake serum, which can neutralize pathophysiological effects of snake venom phospholipases A2. Therefore, this protein is a potential candidate to the development of a novel antivenom. To the best of our knowledge, there is no antibody currently available for PLIγ identification and characterization. Methods: Bioinformatics prediction of epitope using DNAStar software was performed based on the sequence of Sinonatrix annularis PLIγ (SaPLIγ). The best epitope 151CPVLRLSNRTHEANRNDLIKVA172 was chosen and synthesized, and then conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and bovine serum albumin for use as an immunogen and plate-coating antigen, respectively. Results: Eighteen IgG anti-PLIγ mAb hybridoma cell strains were obtained, and all the mAbs had positive interaction with recombinant His6-PLIγ and natural SaPLIγ. Moreover, the mAb from 10E9 strain was also successfully used for the immunodetection of other snake serum PLIγs. cDNA sequence alignment of those PLIγs from different snake species showed that their epitope segments were highly homologous. Conclusions: The successful preparation of anti-PLIγmAb is significant for further investigation on the relationship between the structure and function of PLIγs, as well as the interaction between PLIγs and PLA2s.

Background: 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) plays an important role at the divergence point from general phenylpropanoid metabolism to several branch pathways. Although 4CL sin higher plants have been extensively studied, little has known about the 4CL gene of bamboo. Results: In current study, a Na4CL gene putative encoding 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) and its 5’-flanking region were isolated from bamboo (Neosinocalamus affinis) by RACE-PCR and genomic DNA walker, respectively. Na4CL encodes a predicted protein of 557 amino acids, with conserved motifs of adenylate-forming enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Na4CL shared 62~85% identity with other known plant 4CLs, and cluster closely with some known 4CLs in monocots. Sequence analysis revealed conserved cis-acting elements (Box A and AC-II element) present in the Na4CL promoter. Additionally, a Na4CL RNAi construct was transformed into tobacco. Transgenic tobaccos displayed significant down-expression of endogenesis 4CL and reduced lignin contents. Conclusion: These results contribute to the knowledge of the presence of Na4CL gene and its possible role in phenylpropanoid metabolism.