Subjects: Biology >> Virology submitted time 2020-02-25
Abstract: Frequent outbreaks of coronavirus make the development of an effective vaccine imperative. Recently, vaccines based on in-vitro transcribed messenger RNA (mRNA) have shown great potential. The streamlined manufacturing of mRNA molecules, combined with the superior flexibility in the antigen screening, greatly accelerates the development process. When using an mRNA platform to develop a vaccine, initial antigen choice plays a crucial role in determining the final efficacy and safety of the vaccine. Furthermore, mRNA sequences that encode antigens require extensive optimization to ensure highly efficient and sustained expression. Our ongoing efforts to develop an effective mRNA vaccine against 2019-nCoV place emphasis on the virus-like particles (VLPs) as the presenting antigen. At the same time, our second fast track uses mRNA to express the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein(S-RBD). After extensive optimization, an mRNA cocktail containing three genes is able to produce 2019-nCoV virus-like particles highly similar to the native 2019-nCoV. Meanwhile, an mRNA vaccine candidate expressing S-RBD is being tested in mice for its immunogenicity. We will next compare both the efficacy and the safety of the two mRNA vaccines based on S-RBD and VLPs, respectively.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Medical Psychology submitted time 2019-11-05
Abstract: Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a wide range of cognitive impairments. Mental time travel (MTT) is the ability to mentally re-experience past events and pre-experience possible future events. Studies have shown MTT impairments in individuals with ASD, however, these findings may be confounded by a number of factors including verbal ability to report MTT, factors related to MTT task and demographic factors of participants. The present study provided a meta-analysis on MTT deficits in individuals with ASD and examined the potential moderating variables for these impairments. Twenty-six studies were included, and the participants comprised 667 individuals with ASD and 671 healthy controls. Results showed significant overall MTT impairments (Cohen’s d = −0.95) in individuals with ASD. Moderator and meta-regression analyses revealed that verbal IQ was significantly related to MTT impairments; type of MTT, type of task, measurement indices of MTT, age of participants, gender ratio and full IQ did not explain the MTT impairments. These findings suggest that MTT is severely impaired in individuals with ASD, verbal IQ contributed to MTT impairments, and task characteristics did not affect the degree of impairments.
Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review
Subjects: Psychology >> Cognitive Psychology submitted time 2020-07-27
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Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review