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Since the outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hubei province, the epidemic scale has increased rapidly, and no effective antiviral drug therapy has been identified yet. This study aimed to evaluate the adjuvant efficacy of Natural Herbal Medicine (NHM) combined with Western medicine in the treatment of COVID-19. We performed a retrospective, 1:1 matched, case-control study of the first cohort of hospitalized COVID-19-confirmed cases (January 17, 2020 to January 28, 2020). A total of 22 of the 36 confirmed patients were included in this study, split into two groups of 11: the NHM group (NHM combined standard Western medicine treatment) and control group (standard Western medicine treatment alone). All patients received appropriate supportive care and regular clinical and laboratory monitoring. Main evaluation indicators included improvement of clinical symptoms such as fever, cough and diarrhea after hospitalization; pathogen nucleic acid test result of respiratory tract and fecal specimens of the patient after hospitalization, and change of chest CT examination after hospitalization. The duration of fever in the NHM group ([Formula: see text] days) was significantly shorter than that in the control group ([Formula: see text] days) ([Formula: see text]). During the whole hospitalization period, the number of cases with diarrhea in the NHM group (two cases) was less than that in the control group (eight cases) ([Formula: see text]). Compared with the control group ([Formula: see text]), the duration for improvement (DI) of chest CT in the NHM group ([Formula: see text]) was significantly shorter ([Formula: see text]). Our results suggest that NHM could improve the clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients and may be effective in treating COVID-19; thus, a larger, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial should be conducted to further evaluate the adjuvant efficacy of NHM in the treatment of COVID-19.

The melting temperature, melting enthalpy, and specific heat capacities (C p) of 5′-deoxy-5′-iodo-2′,3′-O-isopropylidene-5-fluorouridine (DIOIPF) were measured using DSC-60 Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The melting temperature and melting enthalpy were obtained to be 453.80 K and 33.22 J g−1, respectively. The relationship between the specific heat capacity and temperature was obtained to be C p/J g−1 K−1 = 2.0261 – 0.0096T + 2 × 10−5 T 2 at the temperature range from 320.15 to 430.15 K. The thermal decomposition process was studied by the TG–DTA analyzer. The results showed that the thermal decomposition temperature of DIOIPF was above 487.84 K, and the decomposition process can be divided into three stages: the first stage is the decomposition of impurities, the mass loss in the second stage may be the sublimation of iodine and thermal decomposition process of the side-group C4H2O2N2F, and the third stage may be the thermal decomposition process of both the groups –CH3 and –CH2OCH2–. The obtained thermodynamic basic data are helpful for exploiting new synthetic method, engineering design, and commercial process of DIOIPF.

An insect trypsin-like enzyme with similar biochemical properties to psychrophilic analogs was purified from Chinese ground beetle (Eupolyphaga sinensis) for the first time. The purified trypsin-like enzyme was designated as E. sinensis trypsin-like enzyme (ESTL) with molecular weight of 22.8 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The maximal activity of ESTL was observed at pH 9.5, and the temperature optimum of ESTL was observed at 45C by its amidolytic effect on the substrate benzoyl-L-Arg-p-nitroanilide. The analysis of inhibitors showed that specific inhibitor of serine proteases (phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride) and trypsin inhibitors (tosyl–lysine chloromethyl ketone, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and benzamidine) inactivated ESTL almost completely. Over the range of tested temperature of 10–30C, the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of the ESTL was about five times than that of bovine trypsin. The N-terminal sequencing of ESTL revealed the following sequence: I1VGGSTTTIQ10NFPYQVSL, and the complementary DNA (cDNA) of ESTL was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Practical Applications In recent years, increasing attention has been drawn to the psychrophilic (cold-adapted) enzymes. Psychrophilic trypsins with high activity may be interesting for several industrial applications of enzymes, such as in certain food-processing operations that require low-processing temperatures. For example, cod trypsin is already used in food production and cosmetics. In this article, a trypsin-like enzyme [Eupolyphaga sinensis trypsin-like enzyme (ESTL) ] was purified from Chinese ground beetle by a relatively simple method, and the complementary DNA (cDNA) of this enzyme was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. This enzyme was characterized for molecular and enzymatic properties, as demonstrated that it had high activity at low and moderate temperature compared with the mammalian trypsins, and maintained good thermal stability compared with psychrophilic trypsins. ESTL has potential interest in food industry.

The non-isothermal thermal decomposition of taurine was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The experimental data were treated using Flynn–Wall–Ozawa, Doyle, Kissinger, and Satava–Sestak methods, respectively. The results show that the non-isothermal thermal decomposition mechanism of taurine is classified as phase boundary reaction, and the mechanism function is the Mampel Power law with n = 1. The forms of both integral and differential for the mechanism function are $$ G(\alpha ) = \alpha $$ and $$ f(\alpha ) = 1 $$ , respectively. The activation energy and the pre-exponential factor are 167.88 kJ mol−1 and 1.82 × 1013min−1, respectively.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is the most important and widely used technology which is mainly used to analyze the protein molecular weight. Fibrin zymography based on the SDS-PAGE is the best method for qualitative analysis of unknown plasminogen activators (PAs), especially for the analysis of molecular weight. In electrophoresis technique, molecular weight marker is the most important factor. However, it is difficult to detect protein molecular weight markers in fibrin zymography. In this study, some important factors, such as concentrations of fibrinogen and plasminogen, are discussed. Our results provide an efficient and convenient method which can clearly exhibit the dark blue bands of protein molecular weight (MW) markers and the transparent bands of PAs against the light blue background on one gel at the same time, and show high sensitivity.

Two proteins with fibrinolytic activity were partially purified from yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) by ammonium sulfate precipitation between 30 and 70% saturation, gel filtration on Sephacryl-S200-HR, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose-FF and metal chelate on Cu–HiTrap–IMAC–FF, but the enzymes had not been completely separated from each other. The two partially purified fibrinolytic enzymes were designated as TMFE-I and TMFE-II (Tenebrio molitor fibrinolytic enzyme) with molecular weights of 27.5 and 24.9 kDa by SDS-PAGE individually. The partially purified solution of TMFE-I and TMFE-II was considerably stable in the range of pH 5–10 and characterized by pH optimum of the enzymatic activity at 8.0. Thermal stability of TMFE was excellent at 45°C and below. The K M value was 0.26 mM for amidolysis of Bz–Arg–pNA. According to inhibitor analysis by fibrin plate method, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and tosyl-lysine chloromethyl ketone inactivated TMFE almost completely, but trans-(epoxysuccinyl)-l-leucylamino-4-guanidinobutane (E-64) and EDTA had little effect on their fibrinolytic activity. According to metal ion analysis by fibrin plate method, the effect of metal ions on activity of TMFE showed a great difference. Na+, K+ and Zn2+ had little effect on the activity of TMFE. Mg2+ and Cu2+ showed inhibition effect on the fibrinolytic activity of TMFE, but Ca2+ increased the fibrinolytic activity of TMFE at final concentration varying from 0 to 30 mM.

We propose a novel kind of compound permanent magnet synchronous machine (CPMSM), which is applicable in low-speed and high-torque situations. We first explain the structure of the CPMSM. Based on theoretically deducing the calculation formulae of the CPMSM electromagnetic parameters, we analyze the operating characteristics of the CPMSM, and obtain the power-angle curves and working curves. The no-load magnetic field distribution and the cogging torque are analyzed by applying the finite element method of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic fields, to determine the no-load leakage coefficient and the waveform of the cogging torque. Furthermore, the optimal parameters of the permanent magnet for reducing the cogging torque are determined. An important application target of the CPMSM is in direct-drive pumping units. We have installed and tested a directdrive pumping unit in an existing oil well. Test results show that the power consumption of the direct-drive pumping unit driven by CPMSM is 61.1% of that of the beam-pumping unit, and that the floor space and weight are only 50% of those of a beam-pumping unit. The noise output does not exceed 58 dB in a range of 1 m around the machine when the machine is 1.5 m from the ground.

Diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning is life-threatening. The clinical characteristics of patients with liver disease exposed to intravenous DEG have not been clarified.Sixty-four patients with moderate to severe liver disease exposed to DEG in China in 2006 were investigated.The daily exposure total dose was 3-6 mL of a 30% (v/v) mixture. Acute renal failure (ARF), the predominant clinical manifestation, occurred in 23.4% (15/64) of these patients. The average time to onset was 6.53 +/- 3.48 days after exposure to DEG. ARF could be differentiated from the hepatorenal syndrome that usually occurs in patients with severe liver disease. The occurrence of ARF was significantly related to pre-existing renal function abnormality, and was not influenced by the allele distribution of DEG-metabolizing enzyme. The liver function profiles did not significantly change after DEG exposure.ARF was the main clinical manifestation in this intravenous DEG poisoning accident. The influence of underlying liver disease on DEG poisoning or that of DEG exposure on liver disease has many implications.

A new kind of ribosome-inactivating protein (curcin 2), induced by several different kinds of stress from Jatropha curcas leaves, under the control of the CaMV (cauliflower mosaic virus) 35S promoter, was introduced into the tobacco genome by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. The curcin 2 protein was only detected in the transgenic tobacco plantlets transformed with the cur2p fragment (coding premature curcin 2 protein), but not in the plantlets with the cur2m fragment (coding mature curcin 2 protein). The T1 population of the transgenic lines shows an increased tolerance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and a fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani by delaying the development of systemic symptoms of TMV and reducing the damage caused by the fungal disease. The increases of the tolerances correspond to the curcin 2 level in the transgenic plants.

Genomic DNA for Jatropha curcas ribosome inactivating protein (JRIP) was cloned from total DNA of its leaves by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The no intron character was confirmed. The plant expression vector pBI12l-JRIP was constructed by inserting the JRIP gene into pBI12l plasmid. The recombinant Agrobacterium EHA105 strain harboring pBI12l-JRIP was constructed by conducting pBI12l-JRIP to strain EHA105. PCR and Southern blotting were carried out, and the results proved that the JRIP gene was integrated into tobacco genome. It might provide a new material for disease resistance tobacco species breeding.

To study the effect of Eupolyphaga fibrinolyric protein (EFP) on microvessel density (MVD) and the expression of vascular endthelial growth factor in transplantation S180 and H22 mice.The MVD in tumor was measured with immunohistochemical SP method and the VEGF level in serum was measured with ELISA method.Compared with the control group, EFP could significantly reduce the microvessel density and decrease the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor.EFP has the effect of anti-angiogenesis.

Hepatic metabolizing enzymes of diethylene glycol (DEG) are impaired in liver diseases. Thus, the purpose of this study was to increase our understandings in metabolism and toxicology of DEG by clarifying the influences of pre-existing liver disease. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced liver cirrhosis and 20 control rats were intraperitoneally administered a single dose of DEG, and randomly killed 1, 2, 5 or 8 days following exposure. Compared with control rats, the model rats had significantly higher blood CO2-combining power, lower blood urine nitrogen, serum creatinine and alanine aminotransferase levels on the second day and a lower mortality rate on the eighth day following DEG exposure. Enlargements of liver and kidneys and degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes and renal tubules in the model rats was also less serious than in the control rats. Urine DEG levels were significantly higher on the first day in the model rats than the control rats (46.65 ± 8.79 mg vs 18.88 ± 6.18 mg, p < 0.01), but DEG concentrations in the blood, liver and kidneys were lower. Hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in the model rats was significantly lower than that in the control rats, which was positively related to renal damage. The toxic effects of DEG in rats with pre-existing liver cirrhosis are significantly reduced, which may be due to the decreased hepatic ADH activity. It suggests that the metabolite of ADH is responsible for DEG poisoning, and this toxic metabolite may mainly originate in the liver.