novoPathFinder: a webserver of designing novel-pathway with integrating GEM-model

To increase the number of value-added chemicals that can be produced by metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, constructing metabolic space with novel reactions/pathways is crucial. However, with the large number of reactions that existed in the metabolic space and complicated metabolisms within hosts, identifying novel pathways linking two molecules or heterologous pathways when engineering a host to produce a target molecule is an arduous task. Hence, we built a user-friendly web server, novoPathFinder, which has several features: (i) enumerate novel pathways between two specified molecules without considering hosts; (ii) construct heterologous pathways with known or putative reactions for producing target molecule within Escherichia coli or yeast without giving precursor; (iii) estimate novel pathways with considering several categories, including enzyme promiscuity, Synthetic Complex Score (SCScore) and LD50 of intermediates, overall stoichiometric conversions, pathway length, theoretical yields and thermodynamic feasibility. According to the results, novoPathFinder is more capable to recover experimentally validated pathways when comparing other rule-based web server tools. Besides, more efficient pathways with novel reactions could also be retrieved for further experimental exploration. novoPathFinder is available at http://design.rxnfinder.org/novopathfinder/

Insight-HXMT observations of Swift J0243.6+6124 during its 2017-2018 outburst

The recently discovered neutron star transient Swift J0243.6+6124 has been monitored by {\it the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope} ({\it Insight-\rm HXMT). Based on the obtained data, we investigate the broadband spectrum of the source throughout the outburst. We estimate the broadband flux of the source and search for possible cyclotron line in the broadband spectrum. No evidence of line-like features is, however, found up to $\rm 150~keV$. In the absence of any cyclotron line in its energy spectrum, we estimate the magnetic field of the source based on the observed spin evolution of the neutron star by applying two accretion torque models. In both cases, we get consistent results with $B\rm \sim 10^{13}~G$, $D\rm \sim 6~kpc$ and peak luminosity of $\rm >10^{39}~erg~s^{-1}$ which makes the source the first Galactic ultraluminous X-ray source hosting a neutron star.Comment: publishe

Overview to the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (Insight-HXMT) Satellite

As China's first X-ray astronomical satellite, the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), which was dubbed as Insight-HXMT after the launch on June 15, 2017, is a wide-band (1-250 keV) slat-collimator-based X-ray astronomy satellite with the capability of all-sky monitoring in 0.2-3 MeV. It was designed to perform pointing, scanning and gamma-ray burst (GRB) observations and, based on the Direct Demodulation Method (DDM), the image of the scanned sky region can be reconstructed. Here we give an overview of the mission and its progresses, including payload, core sciences, ground calibration/facility, ground segment, data archive, software, in-orbit performance, calibration, background model, observations and some preliminary results.Comment: 29 pages, 40 figures, 6 tables, to appear in Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1910.0443

A Network Pharmacology Approach to Investigate the Underlying Mechanisms of Alpinia Katsumadai Hayata on Acne Vulgaris

The Alpinia katsumadai Hayata Doukou, DK, is a traditional Chinese medicine that has shown superior anti-inflammatory property, which is widely used in the food and commodity industry. A network pharmacology analysis was performed to identify the potential anti-acne compounds, hub therapeutic targets, and the key pathways via TCMSP, BATMAN, CTD, PDB and PubChem databases. Finally, the “compoundtarget- pathway” network was constructed. The study found total 7 active compounds, including quercetin, (2R)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-phenylchroman-4-one, dehydrodiisoeugenol, (2R)-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2- phenylchroman-4-one, Pinocembrin, and 1,7-diphenyl-5-hydroxy-6-hepten-3-one alpinolide peroxide. In addition, 30 therapeutic targets, and 4 hub therapeutic targets of the DK were identified. The biological processes were primarily related to inflammatory response, response to oxidative stress, regulation of insulin secretion, etc. Which was significantly associated with ten pathways including the PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, VEGF signaling pathways, etc. Furtherly, the 4 hub targets AKT1, F2, AR, and PTGS2 with higher connectivity in PPI network were verificated though molecular docking, which once again proved that these targets are potential targets of their corresponding chemical molecules. Therefore, DK might have a synergistic effect on the anti-inflammatory effects via the various active compositions, targets and signaling pathways

T4 vertebral compression fracture managed by PKP: A case report with literature review

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) is a complication of osteosis, whose main manifestations are percussion pain and limited activity. OVCF at high levels of vertebral body is rare and usually treated conservatively. We reported a 65-year-old male patient suffering OVCF at T4 vertebral body, treated with PKP to relieve his serious percussion pain instantly. CT and MRI delineated acute compression fractures in T4 and T9 vertebrae as well as an old fracture in L1. As cranial CT scanning shows that the subdural hematoma was very little and no shifting of midline, we chose to perform PKP after a week of observation. This case suggested that as long as patients’ symptoms seriously affect their life quality, PKP is worth to perform with especial caution even if OVCF takes place at upper segments of thoracic vertebrae

The delayed clearance of Talaromyces marneffei in blood culture may be associated with higher MIC of voriconazole after antifungal therapy among AIDS patients with talaromycosis.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of delayed clearance of Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) in blood culture of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) complicated with talaromycosis after antifungal therapy.MethodsThe patients with AIDS complicated with talaromycosis were retrospectively enrolled, and divided into two groups according to the blood T. marneffei culture results in two weeks after antifungal therapy. The baseline clinical data were collected and the antifungal susceptibility of T. marneffei was tested.ResultsA total of 190 patients with AIDS and talaromycosis were enrolled, of whom 101 cases remained positive for T. marneffei (Pos-group) while the other 89 cases were negative in blood culture (Neg-group) after two weeks' antifungal treatment. The Pos-group had a higher baseline Aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 78.5 vs. 105 U/L; P = 0.073) and lower CD4+ T cells level (11 vs. 7 cells/μl; P = 0.061). The percentage of isolates with higher MICs of voriconazole (VOR) and fluconazole (FLU) in the Pos-group were significantly higher than those in the Neg-group (χ2 = 12.623, P ConclusionsThe delayed negative conversion of blood T. marneffei-culture may be associated with some factors especially higher MIC of VOR, indicating the possibility of drug resistance of T. marneffei