catena-Poly[[[2-(pyridin-2-yldisulfan­yl)pyridine-κ2 N,S]copper(I)]-μ1,5-dicyanamido]

In the title compound, [Cu(C2N3)(C10H8N2S2)]n, the CuI atoms are connected by bridging dicyanamide ligands, forming chains parallel to [100]. Each CuI atom displays a tetra­hedral coordination environment, formed by one S atom and three N atoms from one 2-(pyridin-2-yldisulfan­yl)pyridine and two dicyanamide ligands. The crystal structure is stabilized by C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network

Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies Reduce Human Cytomegalovirus Infection and Spread in Developing Placentas.

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a leading cause of birth defects worldwide, yet the most effective strategies for preventing virus transmission during pregnancy are unknown. We measured the efficacy of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to HCMV attachment/entry factors glycoprotein B (gB) and the pentameric complex, gH/gL-pUL128-131, in preventing infection and spread of a clinical strain in primary placental cells and explants of developing anchoring villi. A total of 109 explants from five first-trimester placentas were cultured, and infection was analyzed in over 400 cell columns containing ~120,000 cytotrophoblasts (CTBs). mAbs to gB and gH/gL, 3-25 and 3-16, respectively, neutralized infection in stromal fibroblasts and trophoblast progenitor cells. mAbs to pUL128-131 of the pentameric complex, 1-103 and 2-18, neutralized infection of amniotic epithelial cells better than mAbs 3-25 and 3-16 and hyperimmune globulin. Select mAbs neutralized infection of cell column CTBs, with mAb 2-18 most effective, followed by mAb 3-25. Treatment of anchoring villi with mAbs postinfection reduced spread in CTBs and impaired formation of virion assembly compartments, with mAb 2-18 achieving better suppression at lower concentrations. These results predict that antibodies generated by HCMV vaccines or used for passive immunization have the potential to reduce transplacental transmission and congenital disease

Evaluating green innovation and performance of financial development: mediating concerns of environmental regulation

This research measures the relationship between green innovation and the performance of financial development by using an econometric estimation during the year of 2000 to 2018 in 28 Chinese provinces. It is intended to explore the relative role of green technological innovation in driving green financial development in the west and central China, as well as how it influences economic growth in these regions. Ordinary least square (OLS) framework was utilized in mainland China to perform empirical studies by using an econometric estimation. This study claims that China has adopted research-based education system, while those for economic growth and expenditure in the regions while the innovation parts results shows that the tertiary education were 12.42% and 13.53% versus the 10.50% and 10.6% in the eastern area. The research-based education increases the patents in green innovation and boosts the environmental policy. The financial development led to green technological development and innovation. Green innovation and financial development decrease the emissions, and it is apparent that as environmental regulations stimulate technical development, the superiority of human resources increases. The findings indicate that green financing reduces short-term lending, thus limiting clean energy overinvestment, while the long-term loans have little impact on renewable energy overinvestment, and the intermediary effect is unmaintainable. Meanwhile, the green financial growth will reduce renewable energy overinvestment and increase renewable energy investment productivity to certain amount

The nexus between COVID-19 fear and stock market volatility

This study described an empirical link between COVID-19 fear and stock market volatility. Studying COVID-19 fear with stock market volatility is crucial for planning adequate portfolio diversification in international financial markets. The study used AR (1) – GARCH (1,1) to measure stock market volatility associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 fear is the ultimate cause driving public attention and stock market volatility. The results demonstrate that stock market performance and GDP growth decreased significantly through average increases during the pandemic. Further, with a 1% increase in COVID-19 cases, the stock return and GDP decreased by 0.8%, 0.56%, respectively. However, GDP growth demonstrated a slight movement with stock exchange. Moreover, public attention to the attitude of buying or selling was highly dependent on the COVID-19 pandemic reported cases index, death index, and global fear index. Consequently, investment in the gold market, rather than in the stock market, is recommended. The study also suggests policy implications for key stakeholders

Oxidative Stress-Related Mechanisms and Antioxidant Therapy in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes and is the leading cause of blindness in young adults. Oxidative stress has been implicated as a critical cause of DR. Metabolic abnormalities induced by high-glucose levels are involved in the development of DR and appear to be influenced by oxidative stress. The imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the antioxidant defense system activates several oxidative stress-related mechanisms that promote the pathogenesis of DR. The damage caused by oxidative stress persists for a considerable time, even after the blood glucose concentration has returned to a normal level. Animal experiments have proved that the use of antioxidants is a beneficial therapeutic strategy for the treatment of DR, but more data are required from clinical trials. The aims of this review are to highlight the improvements to our understanding of the oxidative stress-related mechanisms underlying the development of DR and provide a summary of the main antioxidant therapy strategies used to treat the disease

Numerical study on characteristics of combustion and pollutant formation in a reheating furnace

Energy consumption of fuel-fired industrial furnace accounts for about 23% of the national total energy consumption every year in China. Meanwhile, the reduction of combustion-generated pollutants in furnace has become very important due to the stringent environment laws and policy introduced in the recent years. It is therefore a great challenge for the researchers to simultaneously enhance the fuel efficiency of the furnace while controlling the pollution emission. In this study, a transient three- dimensional mathematical combustion model coupled with heat transfer and pollution formation model of a walking-beam-type reheating furnace has been developed to simulate the essential combustion, and pollution distribution in the furnace. Based on this model, considering nitrogen oxides formation mechanism, sensitivity study has been carried out to investigate the influence of fuel flow rate, air-fuel ratio on the resultant concentration of nitrogen oxides in the flue gas. The results of present study provide valuable information for improving the thermal efficiency and pollutant control of reheating furnace

Vertical financial disparity, energy prices and emission reduction: Empirical insights from Pakistan

The economic and environmental aspects of energy production have become important due to the increasing complexity energy sector and environmental pollution, warranting to test the connection between financial imbalances, energy prices and carbon emission. The study aims to test the impact of vertical fiscal imbalances (VFI) on energy prices and carbon emission trends by considering the dual-perspectives of environmental regulation and industrial structure. The empirical outcomes indicated that vertical fiscal imbalances limited the environmental quality of Pakistan. Furthermore, VFI also caused environmental degradation by affecting industrial structure. VFI inhibits the intensity of environmental regulation, promotes the upgrade of industrial structures, both of which cause additional carbon emissions. The study suggest to energy ministries and energy regulation offices to revisit the mechanism of energy prices determination and revised mechanism should provide a user-friendly assessment to understand the actual costs associated with the rising concern of environmental pollution. By this, environmental protection maximization and optimal energy conservation is expected to increase. Based on empirical findings, the study extends the suggestion that vertical fiscal imbalances should be considered an active indicator by the key policy makers and other stakeholders for energy prices determination and environmental quality upgradation

Neutralization of Diverse Human Cytomegalovirus Strains Conferred by Antibodies Targeting Viral gH/gL/pUL128-131 Pentameric Complex

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the leading cause of congenital viral infection, and developing a prophylactic vaccine is of high priority to public health. We recently reported a replication-defective human cytomegalovirus with restored pentameric complex glycoprotein H (gH)/gL/pUL128-131 for prevention of congenital HCMV infection. While the quantity of vaccine-induced antibody responses can be measured in a viral neutralization assay, assessing the quality of such responses, including the ability of vaccine-induced antibodies to cross-neutralize the field strains of HCMV, remains a challenge. In this study, with a panel of neutralizing antibodies from three healthy human donors with natural HCMV infection or a vaccinated animal, we mapped eight sites on the dominant virus-neutralizing antigen-the pentameric complex of glycoprotein H (gH), gL, and pUL128, pUL130, and pUL131. By evaluating the site-specific antibodies in vaccine immune sera, we demonstrated that vaccination elicited functional antiviral antibodies to multiple neutralizing sites in rhesus macaques, with quality attributes comparable to those of CMV hyperimmune globulin. Furthermore, these immune sera showed antiviral activities against a panel of genetically distinct HCMV clinical isolates. These results highlighted the importance of understanding the quality of vaccine-induced antibody responses, which includes not only the neutralizing potency in key cell types but also the ability to protect against the genetically diverse field strains. IMPORTANCE HCMV is the leading cause of congenital viral infection, and development of a preventive vaccine is a high public health priority. To understand the strain coverage of vaccine-induced immune responses in comparison with natural immunity, we used a panel of broadly neutralizing antibodies to identify the immunogenic sites of a dominant viral antigen-the pentameric complex. We further demonstrated that following vaccination of a replication-defective virus with the restored pentameric complex, rhesus macaques can develop broadly neutralizing antibodies targeting multiple immunogenic sites of the pentameric complex. Such analyses of site-specific antibody responses are imperative to our assessment of the quality of vaccine-induced immunity in clinical studies

Traditional Chinese medicine residues promote the growth and quality of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge by improving soil health under continuous monoculture

Continuous monoculture of crops has resulted in reduced yields and quality, as well as soil deterioration. Although traditional Chinese medicine residues (TCMRs) are known to promote plant growth and soil health, few studies have investigated their effectiveness in continuous monoculture soils. Here, we studied the impact of chemical fertilizers (CF) and four TCMRs with antibacterial activities on the growth of S. miltiorrhiza (a widely used medicinal plant in China), accumulation of active ingredients in plants, and soil health under continuous monoculture conditions. Compared with no fertilizer (CK) and CF, fermented Sophora flavescens radix residue (SFRf) and fermented and unfermented Moutan cortex residue (MCRf and MCRu, respectively) resulted in a reduction of the disease index of root rot, while CF did not. The CF and four TCMR treatments increased the accumulation of nitrogen (N) (42.8-124.6% and 17.0-101.7%), phosphorous (P) (19.8-74.7% and 8.3-27.4%), and potassium (K) (104.1-212.0% and 9.3-51.8%) in shoots and roots compared to CK. The differences in nutrient accumulation between the CF and TCMR treatments were statistically insignificant, excepted for the N accumulation in the roots. All fertilization treatments increased plant biomass compared to CK, with increases of 25.57-89.86% and 2.62-35.28% in shoots and roots, respectively. The SFRf treatment exhibited the most significant enhancement in both shoot and root biomass. CF significantly reduced the accumulation of seven active ingredients in roots by 23.90-78.95% compared to CK, whereas each TCMR increased accumulation of certain active ingredients. The TCMR treatments effectively improved the health of deteriorated soil by enhancing soil physicochemical properties, restoring the balance of the microbial community, recruiting beneficial bacteria, and reducing the relative abundance of the pathogen Fusarium. The SFRf treatment exhibited superior performance in improving soil health than other treatments. Overall, the TCMRs outperformed CF in restoring soil health and promoting the yield and quality of S. miltiorrhiza. These findings offer guidance for improving the health of continuous cropping soil and recycling TCMRs