The Pandemic situation caused due to SARS-CoV-2 causing Coronavirus Disease (CoVID-19) around globe. Recent, COVID-19 main protease complex (M pro), highly modulating enzyme in SARS-CoV-2 was reported for viral replication and transcription. This multifunctionality of M pro attracts for identi cation of potential drug target. Considering impact, In silico analysis was performed for Palmatine alkaloid against M pro. Naturally, present in Tinospora cordifolia, found effective against Cancer, HIV, viral infections, diabetics. In methods, physico-chemical analysis by ProtParam tool and Structure of M pro was predicted by SWISS-MODEL Workspace homology modeling server. Superimposition Structure and signi cant equal QMQE, QSQE values were found for eight highly similar templates. Structural assessment validation by Ramachandran plot (97.67% favoured), Local Quality estimate ratio (>0.6) and higher QMEAN score (y-axis). Further, docking was performed with validated M pro model by SwissDock server. Interaction with-8.281919 ΔG indicates reliable Interaction. Also, comparative docking reveals, most favoured Palmatine interaction. Thus, an attempt was made to nd potent inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2, as there is no promising and speci c anti-viral drug or vaccine available for prevention and treatment of infections. However, In Vitro studies are required. Toxicity studies reported against Palmatine for acute effect (135 mg/kg body weight) on mouse model LD 50.

Current knowledge of RNA virus biodiversity is both biased and fragmentary, reflecting a focus on culturable or disease-causing agents. Here we profile the transcriptomes of over 220 invertebrate species sampled across nine animal phyla and report the discovery of 1,445 RNA viruses, including some that are sufficiently divergent to comprise new families. The identified viruses fill major gaps in the RNA virus phylogeny and reveal an evolutionary history that is characterized by both host switching and co-divergence. The invertebrate virome also reveals remarkable genomic flexibility that includes frequent recombination, lateral gene transfer among viruses and hosts, gene gain and loss, and complex genomic rearrangements. Together, these data present a view of the RNA virosphere that is more phylogenetically and genomically diverse than that depicted in current classification schemes and provide a more solid foundation for studies in virus ecology and evolution.

@ERSpublications These data showed that age ⩾65 years, pre-existing concurrent cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, CD3 + CD8 + T-cells ⩽75 cells·μL −1 and cardiac troponin I ⩾0.05 ng·mL −1 were four risk factors predicting high mortality of COVID-19 pneumonia patients https://bit.ly/2Rh6NqvABSTRACT The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the death of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.All clinical and laboratory parameters were collected prospectively from a cohort of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were hospitalised to Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital (Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China) between 25 December 2019 and 7 February 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed to investigate the relationship between each variable and the risk of death of COVID-19 pneumonia patients.In total, 179 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (97 male and 82 female) were included in the present prospective study, of whom 21 died. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age ⩾65 years (OR 3.765, 95% CI 1.146-17.394; p=0.023), pre-existing concurrent cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases (OR 2.464, 95% CI 0.755-8.044; p=0.007), CD3 + CD8 + T-cells ⩽75 cells·μL −1 (OR 3.982, 95% CI 1.132-14.006; p<0.001) and cardiac troponin I ⩾0.05 ng·mL −1 (OR 4.077, 95% CI 1.166-14.253; p<0.001) were associated with an increase in risk of mortality from COVID-19 pneumonia. In a sex-, age-and comorbid illness-matched case-control study, CD3 + CD8 + T-cells ⩽75 cells·μL −1 and cardiac troponin I ⩾0.05 ng·mL −1 remained as predictors for high mortality from COVID-19 pneumonia.We identified four risk factors: age ⩾65 years, pre-existing concurrent cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, CD3 + CD8 + T-cells ⩽75 cells·μL −1 and cardiac troponin I ⩾0.05 ng·mL −1 . The latter two factors, especially, were predictors for mortality of COVID-19 pneumonia patients.

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Using next-generation sequencing technology alone, we have successfully generated and assembled a draft sequence of the giant panda genome. The assembled contigs (2.25 gigabases (Gb)) cover approximately 94% of the whole genome, and the remaining gaps (0.05 Gb) seem to contain carnivore-specific repeats and tandem repeats. Comparisons with the dog and human showed that the panda genome has a lower divergence rate. The assessment of panda genes potentially underlying some of its unique traits indicated that its bamboo diet might be more dependent on its gut microbiome than its own genetic composition. We also identified more than 2.7 million heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the diploid genome. Our data and analyses provide a foundation for promoting mammalian genetic research, and demonstrate the feasibility for using next-generation sequencing technologies for accurate, cost-effective and rapid de novo assembly of large eukaryotic genomes.

The highly complex structure of the human brain is strongly shaped by genetic influences1. Subcortical brain regions form circuits with cortical areas to coordinate movement2, learning, memory3 and motivation4, and altered circuits can lead to abnormal behaviour and disease2. To investigate how common genetic variants affect the structure of these brain regions, here we conduct genome-wide association studies of the volumes of seven subcortical regions and the intracranial volume derived from magnetic resonance images of 30,717 individuals from 50 cohorts. We identify five novel genetic variants influencing the volumes of the putamen and caudate nucleus. We also find stronger evidence for three loci with previously established influences on hippocampal volume5 and intracranial volume6. These variants show specific volumetric effects on brain structures rather than global effects across structures. The strongest effects were found for the putamen, where a novel intergenic locus with replicable influence on volume (rs945270; P = 1.08 × 10−33; 0.52% variance explained) showed evidence of altering the expression of the KTN1 gene in both brain and blood tissue. Variants influencing putamen volume clustered near developmental genes that regulate apoptosis, axon guidance and vesicle transport. Identification of these genetic variants provides insight into the causes of variability inhuman brain development, and may help to determine mechanisms of neuropsychiatric dysfunction.

Our understanding of the diversity and evolution of vertebrate RNA viruses is largely limited to those found in mammalian and avian hosts and associated with overt disease. Here, using a large-scale meta-transcriptomic approach, we discover 214 vertebrate-associated viruses in reptiles, amphibians, lungfish, ray-finned fish, cartilaginous fish and jawless fish. The newly discovered viruses appear in every family or genus of RNA virus associated with vertebrate infection, including those containing human pathogens such as influenza virus, the Arenaviridae and Filoviridae families, and have branching orders that broadly reflected the phylogenetic history of their hosts. We establish a long evolutionary history for most groups of vertebrate RNA virus, and support this by evaluating evolutionary timescales using dated orthologous endogenous virus elements. We also identify new vertebrate-specific RNA viruses and genome architectures, and re-evaluate the evolution of vector-borne RNA viruses. In summary, this study reveals diverse virus-host associations across the entire evolutionary history of the vertebrates.

Rice is sensitive to cold and can be grown only in certain climate zones. Human selection of japonica rice has extended its growth zone to regions with lower temperature, while the molecular basis of this adaptation remains unknown. Here, we identify the quantitative trait locus COLD1 that confers chilling tolerance in japonica rice. Overexpression of COLD1(jap) significantly enhances chilling tolerance, whereas rice lines with deficiency or downregulation of COLD1(jap) are sensitive to cold. COLD1 encodes a regulator of G-protein signaling that localizes on plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It interacts with the G-protein α subunit to activate the Ca(2+) channel for sensing low temperature and to accelerate G-protein GTPase activity. We further identify that a SNP in COLD1, SNP2, originated from Chinese Oryza rufipogon, is responsible for the ability of COLD(jap/ind) to confer chilling tolerance, supporting the importance of COLD1 in plant adaptation.