The high cost and protracted time line of new drug discovery are major roadblocks to creating therapies for neglected diseases. To accelerate drug discovery we created a library of 2,687 existing drugs and screened for inhibitors of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The antihistamine astemizole and its principal human metabolite are promising new inhibitors of chloroquine-sensitive and multidrug-resistant parasites, and they show efficacy in two mouse models of malaria.

in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com).Viscosity data for ionic liquids (ILs) are needed for the theoretical study on viscosity or for the design/development of industrial process that involves ILs; understanding the relationship between ionic structure and viscosity is also desired to more rationally design and synthesize ILs with ideal viscosity. A database for the viscosity of pure ILs and their binary/ ternary mixtures with molecular compounds is created by performing a comprehensive collection from published scientific literature sources worldwide covering the period from 1970 to 2009. In this database, there are 5046 data entries, 696 ILs, 306 cations, and 138 anions. Following the database, a direct observation of the effects of ionic structure along with temperature, pressure, and impurity on the viscosity is summarized, and a quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) correlation is performed to understand the viscosity at a micro-electronic or molecular level. Through direct observation and QSPR, the relationship between ILs structure and viscosity is addressed.

Neurally mediated hypotension and bradycardia are believed to be common causes of syncope. We used the "upright-tilt test" (duration, less than or equal to 10 minutes) with or without an infusion of exogenous catecholamine (isoproterenol [1 to 5 micrograms per minute], given intravenously) to elicit bradycardia, hypotension, or both in 24 patients with recurrent syncope and in 18 control subjects. A conventional electrophysiologic test performed before the tilt test was positive in 9 of the 24 patients, revealing arrhythmias that may have caused recurrent syncope, but was negative and thus nondiagnostic in 15 patients. The tilt test alone (i.e., without isoproterenol) induced symptomatic bradycardia or hypotension in 1 of the 9 patients with positive electrophysiologic tests (11 percent), 4 of the 15 patients with negative electrophysiologic tests (27 percent), and none of the controls. When the isoproterenol infusion was administered during the tilt test, 9 of the 11 patients with negative electrophysiologic and tilt tests had syncope, marked slowing of the heart rate, and hypotension. In contrast, isoproterenol was associated with tachycardia and only a slight decline in arterial pressure in the 8 remaining patients with positive electrophysiologic tests and the 18 control subjects, and syncope developed in only 1 of the 8 patients with positive electrophysiologic tests and negative tilt tests (13 percent) and 2 of the 18 control subjects (11 percent). We conclude that an isoproterenol infusion administered in conjunction with the upright-tilt test may be useful for identifying susceptibility to neurally mediated recurrent syncope.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel human coronavirus, there is no specific antiviral drugs. It has been proved that host-cell-expressed CD147 could bind spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and involve in host cell invasion. Antibody against CD147 could block the infection of SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of meplazumab, a humanized anti-CD147 antibody, as add-on therapy in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: All patients received recommended strategy from Diagnosis and Treatment for 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases released by National Health Commission of China. Eligible patients were add-on administered 10 mg meplazumab intravenously at days 1, 2, and 5. Patients hospitalized in the same period were observed as concurrent control. The endpoints include virological clearance rate, case severity, chest radiographic, and laboratory test. This trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of Institution at the Tangdu hospital, and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT 04275245. Findings:17 patients were enrolled and assigned to meplazumab group between Feb 3, 2020 and Feb 10, 2020. 11 hospitalized patients served as concurrent control. Baseline characteristics were generally balanced across two groups. Compared to control group, meplazumab treatment significantly improved the discharged (p=0.006) and case severity (p=0.021) in critical and severe patients. The time to virus negative in meplazumab group was reduced than that in control group (median 3, 95%CI[1.5-4.5] vs. 13, [6.5-19.5]; p=0.014, HR=0.37, 95%CI[0.155-0.833]). The percentages of patients recovered to the normal lymphocyte count and CRP concentration were also increased remarkably and rapidly in meplazumab group. No adverse effect was found in meplazumab-treated patients. Interpretation:Meplazumab efficiently improved the recovery of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with a favorable safety profile. Our results support to carry out a large-scale investigation of meplazumab as a treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia. Funding:National Science and Technology Major Project.

Extractive desulfurization of fuel oils using ionic liquids as extractive reagents.

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is important for social behavior, but the mechanisms by which mPFC neurons code real-time social exploration remain largely unknown. Here, we utilized miniScopes to record calcium activities from hundreds of excitatory neurons in the mPFC while mice freely explored restrained social targets, in the absence or presence of the psychedelic drug phencyclidine (PCP). We identified distinct and dynamic ON and OFF neural ensembles that displayed opposing activities to code real-time behavioral information. We further illustrated that ON and OFF ensembles tuned to social exploration carried information of salience and novelty for social targets. Finally, we showed that dysfunctions in these ensembles were associated with abnormal social exploration elicited by PCP. Our findings underscore the importance of mPFC ON and OFF neural ensembles for proper exploratory behavior including social exploration, and pave the way for future studies elucidating neural circuit dysfunctions in psychiatric disorders.

Aim: To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg1, an effective ingredient from ginsenoside, on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced substantia nigra neuron lesion. Methods: C57-BL mice were given MPTP to prepare Parkinson disease mice model. Different doses of Rg1 (5, 10, and 20 mg·kg) were given 3 d prior to MPTP in the pretreatment groups. Glutathione (GSH) level and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in substantia nigra were determined by spectrophotometry. Nissl staining, tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining, and TUNEL labeling were used to observe the damage and apoptosis of nigral neurons. Western blot analysis was used to detect the phospho-JNK and phospho-c-Jun levels in midbrain homogenates. Results: Pretreatments of C57-BL mice with different doses of Rg1 or NAC were found to protect against MPTP-induced substantia nigra neurons loss. Rg1 or NAC prevented GSH reduction and T-SOD activation in substantia nigra, and attenuated the phosphorylations of JNK and c-Jun following MPTP treatment. Conclusion: The antioxidant property of Rg1 along with the blocking of JNK signaling cascade might contribute to the neuroprotective effect of ginsenoside Rg1 against MPTP.

A simple and effective ratiometric fluorescence nanosensor for the selective detection of Cu(2+) has been developed by covalently connecting the carboxyl-modified red fluorescent cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) to the amino-functionalized blue fluorescent carbon nanodots (CDs). The sensor exhibits the dual-emissions peaked at 437 and 654 nm, under a single excitation wavelength of 340 nm. The red fluorescence can be selectively quenched by Cu(2+), while the blue fluorescence is a internal reference, resulting in a distinguishable fluorescence color change from pink to blue under a UV lamp. The detection limit of this highly sensitive ratiometric probe is as low as 0.36 nM, which is lower than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined limit (20 μM). Moreover, a paper-based sensor has been prepared by printing the hybrid carbon dots-quantum dots probe on a microporous membrane, which provides a convenient and simple approach for the visual detection of Cu(2+). Therefore, the as-synthesized probe shows great potential application for the determination of Cu(2+) in real samples.