Factors affecting the simple febrile seizures in COVID-19 children: a case–control study from China

ObjectiveThe over-age phenomenon of simple febrile seizures (SFS) was found during the epidemic in COVID-19, but there was no clear explanation, especially in China. This study aimed to analyze the clinical and auxiliary examination features of SFS in children infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsIn total, 78 patients with SFS in the Department of Pediatric and Neurology of Qujing First People's Hospital were enrolled and divided into the COVID-19-positive group (case group) and the COVID-19-negative group (control group). The clinical characteristics, auxiliary examinations, and risk factors were analyzed.ResultsThere were significant differences in age stratification between the two groups. The proportion of children aged over 5 years old in the case group (47.4%) was higher than that of the control group (5%) (p < 0.0001). In terms of sex distribution, the proportion of males in the case group was higher than that in the control group (71.1% vs. 50%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.0678). For blood cell analysis, the values of white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes (LY), and monocytes (MN) in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.01). Serum electrolyte analysis showed the greatest difference in blood sodium. The proportion of hyponatremia in the case group was higher than that in the control group (36.8% vs. 17.5%), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.0745). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the history of FS was a independent protective factors for SFS in children with COVID-19 (OR = 0.115, p = 0.009), and age was an independent risk factor for SFS in children with COVID-19 (OR = 1.042, p = 0.001).ConclusionAge distribution, sex a previous history of FS and hyponatremia were different between children with and without COVID-19 in SFS. The history of FS was an independent protective factors for SFS in children with COVID-19

Functional Production and Characterization of a Fibrin-Specific Single-Chain Antibody Fragment from Bacillus subtilis: Effects of Molecular Chaperones and a Wall-Bound Protease on Antibody Fragment Production

To develop an ideal blood clot imaging and targeting agent, a single-chain antibody (SCA) fragment based on a fibrin-specific monoclonal antibody, MH-1, was constructed and produced via secretion from Bacillus subtilis. Through a systematic study involving a series of B. subtilis strains, insufficient intracellular and extracytoplasmic molecular chaperones and high sensitivity to wall-bound protease (WprA) were believed to be the major factors that lead to poor production of MH-1 SCA. Intracellular and extracytoplasmic molecular chaperones apparently act in a sequential manner. The combination of enhanced coproduction of both molecular chaperones and wprA inactivation leads to the development of an engineered B. subtilis strain, WB800HM[pEPP]. This strain allows secretory production of MH-1 SCA at a level of 10 to 15 mg/liter. In contrast, with WB700N (a seven-extracellular-protease-deficient strain) as the host, no MH-1 SCA could be detected in both secreted and cellular fractions. Secreted MH-1 SCA from WB800HM[pMH1, pEPP] could be affinity purified using a protein L matrix. It retains comparable affinity and specificity as the parental MH-1 monoclonal antibody. This expression system can potentially be applied to produce other single-chain antibody fragments, especially those with folding and protease sensitivity problems

Additional file 4 of Genomics and epigenetics guided identification of tissue-specific genomic safe harbors

Additional file 4: Table S3. Expression level changes of genes near integration site

Additional file 8 of Genomics and epigenetics guided identification of tissue-specific genomic safe harbors

Additional file 8: Table S7. Detailed pMEI annotations for GSH selection

Additional file 10 of Genomics and epigenetics guided identification of tissue-specific genomic safe harbors

Additional file 10. Review history

Additional file 3 of Genomics and epigenetics guided identification of tissue-specific genomic safe harbors

Additional file 3: Table S2. Differentially expressed genes in GFP integrated cell lines