Rational design of respiratory syncytial virus dimeric F-subunit vaccines in protein and mRNA forms.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant public health threat, particularly to children and the elderly. Two protein-based vaccines and one mRNA vaccine have been approved, all targeting the prefusion conformation of the fusion (F) trimer. However, it has been reported that the epitope activity of the F protein gradually declines during storage, resulting in a reduction of the vaccines' immunogenicity.

Sequential flaps reconstruction in head and neck cancer: A systematic review.

Objectives: For patients with Head and Neck Cancer (HNC), flap reconstruction is one of the treatment modalities for large head and neck defects. While most patients achieve satisfactory outcomes with a single flap, some may require a second or additional flaps due to various reasons. The aim of our study was to systematically review the relevant articles and investigate the application of sequential flaps in reconstruction of patients with HNC.

Comparison of SPEED and OSDI questionnaires for dry eye symptom in Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To compare the suitability of the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) among Chinese college students, and to further validate the SPEED questionnaire by using the OSDI in a non-clinical sample.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1,084 students from Nanyang Medical College, aged 18 to 21 years. The students completed the OSDI and SPEED questionnaires to assess dry eye symptoms.

CX1/BtSY2 and BANAL-20-52 exhibit broader receptor binding and higher affinities to multiple animal ACE2 orthologs than SARS-CoV-2 prototype.

Animal coronaviruses (CoVs) CX1 (formerly named BtSY2) and BANAL-20-52 are phylogenetically closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and CX1 is the first observed animal betaCoV carrying naturally occurring Y501 in its receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein, a residue related to human adaptation and broader host range. We evaluated the ACE2 usage of CX1 and BANAL-20-52 and observed broader receptor binding spectra and higher affinities to most of the tested animal ACE2 orthologs than the SARS-CoV-2 prototype. Determination of the cryo-EM structures of their S proteins and RBD/hACE2 complexes reveals that Y501 is inter-replaceable with H498 substitution while synergetic with R498 for human ACE2 binding.

Receptor binding and structural basis of raccoon dog ACE2 binding to SARS-CoV-2 prototype and its variants.

Raccoon dog was proposed as a potential host of SARS-CoV-2, but no evidence support such a notion. In our study, we investigated the binding affinities of raccoon dog ACE2 (rdACE2) to the spike (S) protein receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and its variants. It revealed that the binding affinities of RBD from SARS-CoV-2 variants were generally lower than that of the PT RBD.

Analysis of Intelligent Equipment Usage for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Prevention in Miners - Shanxi Province, China, 2023.

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are prevalent in the workforce and occur across various industries. Surveys show that the prevalence of WMSDs among miners is generally over 50%.

What Is Added By This Report?: High levels of intelligent equipment usage (IEU) can decrease the prevalence of WMSDs among miners by 7.

Spike structures, receptor binding, and immune escape of recently circulating SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86, JN.1, EG.5, EG.5.1, and HV.1 sub-variants.

The recently emerged BA.2.86, JN.

Neutralization of EG.5, EG.5.1, BA.2.86, and JN.1 by antisera from dimeric receptor-binding domain subunit vaccines and 41 human monoclonal antibodies.

Background: The recently circulating Omicron variants BA.2.86 and JN.

Key mechanistic features of the trade-off between antibody escape and host cell binding in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike proteins.

Since SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged, it is constantly evolving into multiple sub-variants, including BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.

Recent Advances in the HPPH-Based Third-Generation Photodynamic Agents in Biomedical Applications.

Photodynamic therapy has emerged as a recognized anti-tumor treatment involving three fundamental elements: photosensitizers, light, and reactive oxygen species. Enhancing the effectiveness of photosensitizers remains the primary avenue for improving the biological therapeutic outcomes of PDT. Through three generations of development, HPPH is a 2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl derivative of pyropheophorbide-α, representing a second-generation photosensitizer already undergoing clinical trials for various tumors.

Structural basis of increased binding affinities of spikes from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants to rabbit and hare ACE2s reveals the expanding host tendency.

The potential host range of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been expanding alongside its evolution during the pandemic, with rabbits and hares being considered important potential hosts, supported by a report of rabbit sero-prevalence in nature. We measured the binding affinities of rabbit and hare angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants and found that rabbit and hare ACE2s had broad variant tropism, with significantly enhanced affinities to Omicron BA.4/5 and its subsequent-emerged sub-variants (>10 fold).

Broad protective RBD heterotrimer vaccines neutralize SARS-CoV-2 including Omicron sub-variants XBB/BQ.1.1/BF.7.

SARS-CoV-2 variants with severe immune evasion are a major challenge for COVID-19 prevention, especially the circulating Omicron XBB/BQ.1.1/BF.

Structural basis for receptor binding and broader interspecies receptor recognition of currently circulating Omicron sub-variants.

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants, such as BA.2, BA.2.

An updated atlas of antibody evasion by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants including BQ.1.1 and XBB.

Emerging Omicron sub-variants are causing global concerns, and their immune evasion should be monitored continuously. We previously evaluated the escape of Omicron BA.1, BA.

Host range and structural analysis of bat-origin RshSTT182/200 coronavirus binding to human ACE2 and its animal orthologs.

Bat-origin RshSTT182 and RshSTT200 coronaviruses (CoV) from Rhinolophus shameli in Southeast Asia (Cambodia) share 92.6% whole-genome identity with SARS-CoV-2 and show identical receptor-binding domains (RBDs). In this study, we determined the structure of the RshSTT182/200 receptor binding domain (RBD) in complex with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) and identified the key residues that influence receptor binding.

Research on urban path selection of construction vehicles based on bi-objective optimization.

With the implementation of urban central rail transit and old city reconstruction projects, construction vehicles frequently enter and depart the urban area. And because of its large volume and other characteristics, it increases the risk probability and severity of urban traffic accidents. This study takes the transportation path selection of construction vehicles as the breakthrough point, weighs the transportation efficiency and safety of construction vehicles, establishes a bi-objective optimization model, involving constraints such as height limit, weight limit, speed limit, direction limit and traffic limit and uses genetic algorithm to solve it.

Cross-species recognition and molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV binding to ACE2s of marine animals.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has an extremely broad host range that includes hippopotami, which are phylogenetically closely related to whales. The cellular ACE2 receptor is one of the key determinants of the host range. Here, we found that ACE2s from several marine mammals and hippopotami could efficiently bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and facilitate the transduction of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses into ACE2-expressing cells.

Genome-wide analysis of the Thaumatin-like gene family in Qingke ( L. var. ) uncovers candidates involved in plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses.

Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) participate in the defense responses of plants as well as their growth and development processes, including seed germination. Yet the functioning of family genes, in addition to key details of their encoded protein products, has not been thoroughly investigated for Qingke ( L. var.

Structural basis of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants binding to intermediate horseshoe bat ACE2.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a global pandemic. Intermediate horseshoe bats () are hosts of RaTG13, the second most phylogenetically related viruses to SARS-CoV-2. We report the binding between intermediate horseshoe bat ACE2 (bACE2-Ra) and SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), supporting the pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.

Broader-species receptor binding and structural bases of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 to both mouse and palm-civet ACE2s.

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 carries multiple unusual mutations, particularly in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein. Moreover, host-adapting mutations, such as residues 493, 498, and 501, were also observed in the Omicron RBD, which indicates that it is necessary to evaluate the interspecies transmission risk of the Omicron variant. Herein, we evaluated the interspecies recognition of the Omicron BA.

Binding and structural basis of equine ACE2 to RBDs from SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses.

The origin and host range of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are important scientific questions as they might provide insight into understanding of the potential future spillover to infect humans. Here, we tested the binding between equine angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (eqACE2) and the receptor binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variant of concerns (VOCs), as well as their close relatives bat-origin coronavirus (CoV) RaTG13 and pangolin-origin CoVs GX/P2V/2017 and GD/1/2019. We also determined the crystal structures of eqACE2/RaTG13-RBD, eqACE2/SARS-CoV-2 PT-RBD and eqACE2/Omicron BA.

Urolithin A ameliorates diabetic retinopathy via activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a progressive microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus and is characterised by excessive inflammation and oxidative stress. Urolithin A (UA), a major metabolite of ellagic acid, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions in various human diseases. This study, for the first time, uncovered the role of UA in DR pathogenesis.