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The pandemic of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been posing great threats to the world in many aspects. Effective therapeutic and preventive approaches including drugs and vaccines are still unavailable although they are in development. Comprehensive understandings on the life logic of SARS-CoV-2 and the interaction of the virus with hosts are fundamentally important in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we briefly summarized the current advances in SARS-CoV-2 research, including the epidemic situation and epidemiological characteristics of the caused disease COVID-19. We further discussed the biology of SARS-CoV-2, including the origin, evolution, and receptor recognition mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. And particularly, we introduced the protein structures of SARS-CoV-2 and structure-based therapeutics development including antibodies, antiviral compounds, and vaccines, and indicated the limitations and perspectives of SARS-CoV-2 research. We wish the information provided by this review may be helpful to the global battle against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas treat complex diseases through combined botanical drugs which follow specific compatibility rules to reduce toxicity and increase efficiency. “Jun, Chen, Zuo and Shi” is one of most used compatibility rules in the combination of botanical drugs. However, due to the deficiency of traditional research methods, the quantified theoretical basis of herbal compatibility including principles of “Jun, Chen, Zuo and Shi” are still unclear. Network pharmacology is a new strategy based on system biology and multi-disciplines, which can systematically and comprehensively observe the intervention of drugs on disease networks, and is especially suitable for the research of TCM in the treatment of complex diseases. In this study, we systematically decoded the “Jun, Chen, Zuo and Shi” rules of Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) in the treatment of diseases for the first time. This interpretation method considered three levels of data. The data in the first level mainly depicts the characteristics of each component in single botanical drug of HJD, include the physical and chemical properties of component, ADME properties and functional enrichment analysis of component targets. The second level data is the characterization of component-target-protein (C-T-P) network in the whole protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, mainly include the characterization of degree and key communities in C-T-P network. The third level data is the characterization of intervention propagation properties of HJD in the treatment of different complex diseases, mainly include target coverage of pathogenic genes and propagation coefficient of intervention effect between target proteins and pathogenic genes. Finally, our method was validated by metabolic data, which could be used to detect the components absorbed into blood. This research shows the scientific basis of “Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi” from a multi-dimensional perspective, and provides a good methodological reference for the subsequent interpretation of key components and speculation mechanism of the formula.

In order to recognize the mode of analog modulation with low SNR, a recognition procedure is proposed. In this procedure, the high-order feature is used as characteristic parameter for recognition. Firstly, the characteristic parameter needs to be extracted from the signal to be recognized. Secondly, the threshold values of four modulation modes need to be calculated. At last, the characteristic parameter extracted will be compared with the four threshold values, respectively. The method and order of comparison is based on decision tree classifier. By comparison, the mode of analog modulation with low SNR can be recognized accurately.

By using OPNET simulation platform, the network simulation model of campus network was constructed and the user’s behaviors of the networks were analyzed. The network latency, the page response time and the throughput capacity of the switch were simulated in the original campus network and the extended network. By using the two sets of data for comparison and analysis, the impact of the campus network performance factors and \"bottleneck\" were found. An appropriate optimization design of the campus network was proposed and simulated again. Through the simulation, the reliability and accuracy of the design will be proved, and the network construction period will be shortened.

Aim： To explore the role of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor （GLP-1R） in geniposide regulated insulin secretion in rat INS-1 insulinoma cells. Methods： Rat INS-1 insulinoma cells were cultured. The content of insulin in the culture medium was measured with ELISA assay. GLP-1R gene in INS-1 cells was knocked down with shRNA interference. The level of GLP-1R protein in INS-1 cells was measured with Western blotting. Results： Geniposide （0.01-100 pmol/L） increased insulin secretion from INS-1 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Geniposide （10 pmol/L） enhanced acute insulin secretion in response to both the low （5.5 mmol/L） and moderately high levels （11 mmol/L） of glucose. Blockade of GLP-1R with the GLP-1R antagonist exendin （9-39） （200 nmol/L） or knook-down of GLP-1R with shRNA interfer- ence in INS-1 cells decreased the effect of geniposide （10 IJmol/L） on insulin secretion stimulated by glucose （5.5 mmol/L）. Conclusion： Geniposide increases insulin secretion through glucagon-like peptide 1 receptors in rat INS-1 insulinoma cells.

Climate change may impact the distribution of species by shifting their ranges to higher elevations or higher latitudes. The impacts on alpine plant species may be particularly profound due to a potential lack of availability of future suitable habitat. To identify how alpine species have responded to climate change during the past century as well as to predict how they may react to possible global climate change scenarios in the future, we investigate the climatic responses of seven species of Meconopsis, a representative genus endemic in the alpine meadow and subnival region of the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains. We analyzed past elevational shifts, as well as projected shifts in longitude, latitude, elevation, and range size using historical specimen records and species distribution modeling under optimistic (RCP 4.5) and pessimistic (RCP 8.5) scenarios across three general circulation models for 2070. Our results indicate that across all seven species, there has been an upward shift in mean elevation of 302.3 m between the pre‐1970s (1922–1969) and the post‐1970s (1970–2016). The model predictions suggest that the future suitable climate space will continue to shift upwards in elevation (as well as northwards and westwards) by 2070. While for most of the analyzed species, the area of suitable climate space is predicted to expand under the optimistic emission scenario, the area contracts, or, at best, shows little change under the pessimistic scenario. Species such as M. punicea, which already occupy high latitudes, are consistently predicted to experience a contraction of suitable climate space across all the models by 2070 and may consequently deserve particular attention by conservation strategies. Collectively, our results suggest that the alpine high‐latitude species analyzed here have already been significantly impacted by climate change and that these trends may continue over the coming decades. The study aims to identify how species of Meconopsis in a biodiversity hotpot have responded to climate change during the past century as well as to predict how they may react to possible global climate change scenarios in the future. Our findings added an explicit example that species distributed in relatively high latitudes would be significantly impacted by future climate change and may be a model for the study of the impact of climate change on a large number of alpine plants.

Ferroelectric topological objects provide a fertile ground for exploring emerging physical properties that could potentially be utilized in future nanoelectronic devices. Here, we demonstrate quasi-one-dimensional metallic high conduction channels associated with the topological cores of quadrant vortex domain and center domain (monopole-like) states confined in high quality BiFeO 3 nanoislands, abbreviated as the vortex core and the center core. We unveil via the phase-field simulation that the superfine metallic conduction channels along the center cores arise from the screening charge carriers confined at the core region, whereas the high conductance of vortex cores results from a field-induced twisted state. These conducting channels can be reversibly created and deleted by manipulating the two topological states via electric field, leading to an apparent electroresistance effect with an on/off ratio higher than 10 3 . These results open up the possibility of utilizing these functional one-dimensional topological objects in high-density nanoelectronic devices, e.g. nonvolatile memory. Ferroelectric topological defects show emerging exotic physical properties, which are important for future nanoelectronic devices. Here, the authors demonstrate conductive metallic conduction channels in two types of topological defects, namely vortex and center cores.

Edible and medicinal mushrooms are extensively cultivated and commercially consumed around the world. However, green mold disease (causal agent, Trichoderma spp.) has resulted in severe crop losses on mushroom farms worldwide in recent years and has become an obstacle to the development of the Ganoderma industry in China. In this study, a new species and a new fungal pathogen on Ganoderma sichuanense fruitbodies were identified based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of two genes, the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) and the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) genes. The new species, Trichoderma ganodermatigerum sp. nov., belongs to the Harzianum clade, and the new fungal pathogen was identified as Trichoderma koningiopsis. Furthermore, in order to better understand the interaction between Trichoderma and mushrooms, as well as the potential biocontrol value of pathogenic Trichoderma, we summarized the Trichoderma species and their mushroom hosts as best as possible, and the phylogenetic relationships within mushroom pathogenic Trichoderma species were discussed.

Environmental pollution by emerging contaminants, e.g. pharmaceuticals, has become a matter of widespread concern in recent years. We investigated the membrane transport of diclofenac and its toxic effects on gene expression and the development of zebrafish embryos. The association of diclofenac with the embryos conformed to the general partition model at low concentration, the partition coefficient being 0.0033 ml per embryo. At high concentration, the interaction fitted the Freundlich model. Most of the diclofenac remained in the extracellular aqueous solution with less than 5% interacting with the embryo, about half of which was adsorbed on the membranes while the rest entered the cytoplasm. Concentrations of diclofenac over 10.13 μM were lethal to all the embryos, while 3.78 μM diclofenac was teratogenic. The development abnormalities at 4 day post treatment (dpt) include shorter body length, smaller eye, pericardial and body edema, lack of liver, intestine and circulation, muscle degeneration and abnormal pigmentation. The portion of the diclofenac transferred into the embryo altered the expression of certain genes, e.g. down-regulation of Wnt3a and Gata4 and up-regulation of Wnt8a . The alteration of expression of such genes or the regulation of downstream genes could cause defects in the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Postoperative abdominal adhesion is one of most common complications after abdominal operations. 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxyamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) is an adenosine 5'-monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway agonist that inhibits inflammation, reduces cell fibrosis and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) injury, promotes autophagy and mitochondrial function. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of AICAR in inhibiting adhesion formation. Forty rats were randomly divided into five groups. All of the rats except the sham group received cecal abrasion to establish an adhesion model. The rats in the sodium hyaluronate group were treated with 2 mL sodium hyaluronate before closing the peritoneal cavity. The AICAR 1 and 2 groups were treated with 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg AICAR, respectively. Seven days after the operation, all of the rats were euthanized, and the adhesion condition was evaluated by Nair's system. Inflammation was assessed by Eosin-hematoxylin (HE) staining and transforming growth factor-[beta] (TGF-[beta]1) detection. Oxidative stress effect was determined by ROS, nitric oxide (NO) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in adhesion tissue. Then, Sirius red picric acid staining was used to detect the fiber thickness. Immunohistochemical staining of cytokeratin-19 (CK-19), alpha-smooth muscle actin ([alpha]-SMA) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was also performed. Finally, HMrSV5 cells were treated with TGF-[beta]1 and AICAR, the mRNA expression of E-cadherin, [alpha]-SMA and vimentin was assessed by q-PCR and cellular immunofluorescent staining. The rats in the AICAR-treated group had fewer adhesion formation incidences and a reduced Nair's score. The inflammation was determined by HE staining and TGF-[beta]1 concentration. The ROS, SOD, Catalase, Gpx, MDA levels and fiber thickness were decreased by AICAR treatments compared to the control. However, the NO production, Nrf2 levels and peritoneal mesothelial cell integrity were promoted after AICAR treatments. In vitro work, AICAR treatments reduced E-cadherin, [alpha]-SMA and vimentin mRNA level compared to that in the TGF-[beta]1 group. AICAR can inhibit postoperative adhesion formation by reducing inflammation, decreasing oxidative stress response and promoting peritoneal mesothelial cell repair.