Development of a quadruple PCR-based gene microarray for detection of vaccine and wild-type classical swine fever virus, African swine fever virus and atypical porcine pestivirus.

BACKGROUND: Classical swine fever (CSF), African swine fever (ASF), and atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV) are acute, virulent, and contagious viral diseases currently hampering the pig industry in China, which result in mummification or stillbirths in piglets and mortality in pigs. Diagnostic assays for the differentiation of infection and vaccination of CSFV, in addition to the detection of ASFV and APPV, are urgently required for better prevention, control, and elimination of these viral diseases in China. METHODS: A quadruple PCR-based gene microarray assay was developed in this study to simultaneously detect wild-type and vaccine CSFV strains, ASFV and APPV according to their conserved regions. Forty-two laboratory-confirmed samples, including positive samples of 10 other swine viral diseases, were tested using this assay to confirm its high specificity. RESULTS: This assay's limit of detections (LODs) for the wild-type and vaccine CSFV were 6.98 and 6.92 copies/µL. LODs for ASFV and APPV were 2.56 × 10 and 1.80 × 10 copies/µL, respectively. When compared with standard RT-PCR or qPCR for CSFV (GB/T 26875-2018), ASFV (MARR issue No.172), or APPV (CN108611442A) using 219 clinical samples, the coincidence was 100%. The results showed that this assay with high sensitivity could specifically distinguish ASFV, APPV, and CSFV, including CSFV infection and immunization. CONCLUSION: This assay provides a practical, simple, economic, and reliable test for the rapid detection and accurate diagnosis of the three viruses and may have good prospects for application in an epidemiological investigation, prevention, and control and elimination of these three diseases.

Intermolecular interactions between σ- and π-holes of bromopentafluorobenzene and pyridine: computational and experimental investigations.

The characters of σ- and π-holes of bromopentafluorobenzene (C6F5Br) enable it to interact with an electron-rich atom or group like pyridine which possesses an electron lone-pair N atom and a π ring. Theoretical studies of intermolecular interactions between C6F5Br and C5H5N have been carried out at the M06-2X/aug-cc-pVDZ level without and with the counterpoise method, together with single point calculations at M06-2X/TZVP, wB97-XD/aug-cc-pVDZ and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ levels. The σ- and π-holes of C6F5Br exhibiting positive electrostatic potentials make these sites favorably interact with the N atom and the π ring of C5H5N with negative electrostatic potentials, leading to five different dimers connected by a σ-holen bond, a σ-holeπ bond or a π-holeπ bond. Their geometrical structures, characteristics, nature and spectroscopy behaviors were systematically investigated. EDA analyses reveal that the driving forces in these dimers are different. NCI, QTAIM and NBO analyses confirm the existence of intermolecular interactions formed via σ- and π-holes of C6F5Br and the N atom and the π ring of C5H5N. The experimental IR and Raman spectra gave us important information about the formation of molecular complexes between C6F5Br and C5H5N. We expect that the results could provide valuable insights into the investigation of intermolecular interactions involving σ- and π-holes.

Linear σ-hole⋯CO⋯σ-hole intermolecular interactions between carbon monoxide and dihalogen molecules XY (X, Y=Cl, Br).

Carbon monoxide can interact with two dihalogen molecules XY (X, Y=Cl, Br) in the form of X(Y)⋯COX(Y)⋯CO⋯X(Y)X(Y) trimeric complex, and their nature and characteristics were investigated at MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level without and with counterpoise method, together with single point calculations at CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ level. The optimized geometries, stretching modes and interaction energies of a series of X(Y)⋯COX(Y)⋯CO⋯X(Y)X(Y) trimeric complexes were obtained and discussed. The cooperativity in these complexes was evaluated. EDA analyses reveal that the electrostatic interaction is the dominant net driving force in each trimer, but the contributions of other interactions like exchange, dispersion and polarization interactions are also important. QTAIM and NCI analyses confirm the existence of attractive halogen-bonding interactions. Additionally, EDDMF analysis was employed for the component dimers of these trimers, which indicates that the formation of halogen-bonding interactions is closely related to the charge shift and the rearrangement of electronic density in the formation of these complexes. The results would provide valuable insight into for these linear halogen bonds.

Luminescent lanthanide metal-organic frameworks for chemical sensing and toxic anion detection.

Prototype lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (LnMOFs), Ln(BTC) (Ln = Eu and Tb; BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate), have been considered as luminescent sensors for detecting toxic anions, while their neutral pore structures have limited the entrance and encapsulation of anions to produce highly anion-responsive photoluminescence (PL). To facilitate anions to enter the pore space of Ln(BTC), a one-pot synthesis method was proposed in which BTC was partially replaced with its structural analogue L·BF4 (H3L·BF4 = 2,4,6-tricarboxy-1-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate) which consists of an anion affinity site of cationic methylpyridinium. Compared to the original Ln(BTC), the co-doped cationic framework Eu0.05Tb0.95-BTC0.9L0.1 is highly sensitive for detecting different toxic anions by tuning the energy absorption of organic chromophores, the energy transfer efficiency to Ln3+ ions and the energy allocation between different Ln3+ ions in the PL spectra. We demonstrated that the Eu0.05Tb0.95-BTC0.9L0.1 PL sensor has the capability of decoding various toxic anions with a clearly differentiable and unique emission intensity ratio of 5D4 → 7F5 (Tb3+, 545 nm) to 5D0 → 7F2 (Eu3+, 618 nm) transitions (ITb/IEu). Compared to Ln(BTC), the co-doped Eu0.05Tb0.95-BTC0.9L0.1 presents self-calibrating, high distinguishable and stable PL signals for detecting toxic anions.

[Study on resting-state default mode network in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder after the earthquake].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by studying default mode network during the resting state in patients with PTSD after homologous traumatic experience. METHODS: Seventeen PTSD patients and 20 matched normal controls received the examnation of resting-state fMRI scanning. Left and right posterior cingulate cortex was regarded as seed region respectively, and the functional connectivity about whole brain was assessed by using resting-state functional connectivity analysis. RESULTS: Compared with control group, the patients with PTSD showed that the brain area with decreased functional connectivity included left superior frontal gyrus and right fusiform gyrus, while the brain area with increased functional connectivity included right precuneus, right superior temporal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus. CONCLUSION: The brain default mode network of PTSD patients is abnormal in resting state. These abnormalities might be the neuropathological mechanisms of PTSD.

[Brain evoked potentials in patients with depression or anxiety].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the features and clinical implications of event related potential (ERP) and cognitive-processing in patients with depression, anxiety or both anxiety and depression METHODS: A total of 34 patients with anxiety (HAMA>14, HAMD<17), 33 patients with depression (HAMD>17, HAMA<14), 54 patients with both anxiety and depression (HAMA>14, HAMD>17), and 37 health volunteers were recruited in the study. The event related potential were recorded by Nihon Kohden instruments. RESULTS: Compared with the healthy volunteers, the latency of P3a and P3b was longer (P<0.05) and the amplitude of N2-P3b was lower in the patients with anxiety (P<0.05); the Amplitude of N2-P3b was lower (P<0.05) in the patients with depression; the latency of P3a was longer and the amplitude of N2-P3b was lower (P<0.05) in the patients with both anxiety and depression. The latencies of P3a and P3b in the patients with anxiety and both anxiety and depression were longer than in the patients with depression(P<0.05). The latency of N2 in the patients with anxiety and depression was longer than in the patients with anxiety or depression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The features of ERP in patients with depression are different from those with anxiety, which provides an electroneurophysiology basis for the clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis for anxiety and depression.