A research group consisting of Associate Professor Kazunori Miyamoto and Professor Masanobu Uchiyama of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences announced that a molecule (C2) consisting of only two carbon atoms was synthesized for the first time at room temperature. Previously, it was thought that it could only be done at ultra-high temperatures of 3500 degrees Celsius or higher. We also discovered that C2 could be the origin of nanocarbons such as fullerenes and carbon nanotubes. It seems that it will open a new path to carbon material research.
C2 is a simple molecule known to exist in outer space and the blue flame of candles, but its basic properties are not well understood even now, a century after its discovery. Nanocarbons were born from the study of interstellar matter, and the results of this time could approach the origin of carbon compounds in the universe.
Also, since carbon has four chemical bonds, C2 should have a quadruple bond, but experimental chemists have observed only double or triple bonds. However, in recent years, theoretical chemists have proposed that they have a quadruple bond in a state where the energy of the molecule is very low, and the views of the two were directly opposed.
The research group designed and synthesized compounds in which acetylene having a triple bond was introduced with atomic groups capable of generating positive and negative charges at both ends. C2 was chemically synthesized for the first time by removing each atomic group under mild conditions of room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The generated C2 was found to have quadruple binding. "I was able to observe the true image that theoretical researchers had predicted," says Associate Professor Miyamoto.
The reactivity of the quadruple bond is very high, and when trying to generate C2 in argon gas, smoke was raised and a black solid was produced. A closer examination of the solids found fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, as well as carbon allotropes such as graphite and carbon nanohorns. The research group is the first to prove that C2 can be a source of nanocarbon.
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the investigational antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease. While there is limited information known about the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19, the investigational drug was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the time to recovery in some patients.
“FDA’s emergency authorization of remdesivir, two days after the National Institutes of Health’s clinical trial showed promising results, is a significant step forward in battling COVID-19 and another example of the Trump Administration moving as quickly as possible to use science to save lives,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “NIH, FDA, and scientists across America and around the world have worked tirelessly with patients to get us this new potential treatment for COVID-19. The seamless cooperation between government and private industry under the President’s all-of-America approach to COVID-19 is getting treatment options to patients in record time.”
The emergency use authorization allows for remdesivir to be distributed in the U.S. and administered intravenously by health care providers, as appropriate, to treat suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in adults and children hospitalized with severe disease. Severe disease is defined as patients with low blood oxygen levels or needing oxygen therapy or more intensive breathing support such as a mechanical ventilator.
“From day one, the FDA has been committed to expediting the development and availability of potential COVID-19 treatments. Today’s action is an important step in our efforts to collaborate with innovators and researchers to provide sick patients timely access to new therapies where appropriate, while at the same time supporting research to further evaluate whether they are safe and effective,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. “There’s tremendous interest among all parties to identify and arm ourselves with medicines to combat COVID-19, and through our Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program, the FDA is working around-the-clock and using every tool at our disposal to speed these efforts.”
Based on evaluation of the emergency use authorization criteria and the scientific evidence available, it was determined that it is reasonable to believe that remdesivir may be effective in treating COVID-19, and that, given there are no adequate, approved, or available alternative treatments, the known and potential benefits to treat this serious or life-threatening virus currently outweigh the known and potential risks of the drug’s use.
The EUA also requires that fact sheets that provide important information about using remdesivir in treating COVID-19 be made available to health care providers and patients, including dosing instructions, potential side effects and drug interactions. Possible side effects of remdesivir include: increased levels of liver enzymes, which may be a sign of inflammation or damage to cells in the liver; and infusion-related reactions, which may include low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and shivering.
Following the declaration by the Secretary of HHS that circumstances exist justifying the emergency use of unapproved products, the FDA may issue an emergency use authorization to allow unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions caused by chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
The issuance of an EUA is different than FDA approval. In determining whether to issue an EUA, the FDA evaluates the available evidence and carefully balances any known or potential risks of any unproven products with any known or potential benefits of making them available during the emergency.
The EUA was issued to Gilead Sciences Inc. The FDA previously allowed for study of the investigational drug under clinical trials, as well as expanded access use for individual patients and through a multi-patient expanded access program coordinated by Gilead.
The EUA will be effective until the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of drugs and biologics for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 is terminated and may be revised or revoked if it is determined the EUA no longer meets the statutory criteria for issuance.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
หลังจากที่เลขาธิการ HHS ประกาศว่าสถานการณ์นั้นมีเหตุผลในการใช้ผลิตภัณฑ์ที่ไม่ได้รับการอนุมัติฉุกเฉิน FDA อาจออกหนังสืออนุญาตการใช้ฉุกเฉินเพื่ออนุญาตผลิตภัณฑ์ทางการแพทย์ที่ไม่ผ่านการอนุมัติหรือการใช้ผลิตภัณฑ์ทางการแพทย์ที่ไม่ผ่านการอนุมัติเพื่อใช้ในการวินิจฉัยวินิจฉัย หรือป้องกันโรคหรือเงื่อนไขที่ร้ายแรงหรือเป็นอันตรายถึงชีวิตที่เกิดจากภัยคุกคามทางเคมีชีวภาพรังสีและนิวเคลียร์เมื่อไม่มีทางเลือกที่เพียงพอได้รับการอนุมัติและพร้อมใช้งาน
การออก EUA นั้นแตกต่างจากการอนุมัติของ FDA ในการพิจารณาว่าจะออก EUA หรือไม่ FDA จะประเมินหลักฐานที่มีอยู่และพิจารณาความเสี่ยงที่อาจเกิดขึ้นได้ของผลิตภัณฑ์ที่ไม่ผ่านการพิสูจน์ด้วยความระมัดระวังหรือผลประโยชน์ใด ๆ
EUA ออกให้กับ Gilead Sciences Inc. ก่อนหน้านี้ FDA อนุญาตให้ศึกษายาที่ใช้ในการทดลองภายใต้การทดลองทางคลินิกรวมถึงการขยายการเข้าถึงการเข้าถึงสำหรับผู้ป่วยแต่ละรายและผ่านโปรแกรมการเข้าถึงแบบขยายหลายผู้ป่วยซึ่งประสานงานโดย Gilead
FDA ซึ่งเป็นหน่วยงานภายในกระทรวงสาธารณสุขและบริการมนุษย์ของสหรัฐอเมริกาปกป้องคุ้มครองสาธารณสุขด้วยการรับรองความปลอดภัยประสิทธิผลและความปลอดภัยของยามนุษย์และสัตวแพทย์วัคซีนและผลิตภัณฑ์ชีวภาพอื่น ๆ สำหรับการใช้งานของมนุษย์และอุปกรณ์ทางการแพทย์ หน่วยงานยังรับผิดชอบด้านความปลอดภัยและความมั่นคงของแหล่งอาหารเครื่องสำอางในประเทศของเรา
On the 24th, a nurse working at “Namihaya Rehabilitation Hospital” responded to an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun and testified that the nosocomial infection had spread and the hospital's sluggish response.
・ April 14 was when a female nurse in her 20s was positively confirmed as the first infected person. But the staff had been feeling strange for a few days. "The number of patients with fever and coughing began to increase from around the 11th. At first, it was a few people, and by 15 to 16 days it had spread to a considerable number. The staff thought that it was" funny ". The nurse responds to the interview and looks back.
This hospital does not have outpatient treatment, and is for inpatients who face rehabilitation. The infection seems to have spread mainly to users of the rehabilitation room. According to testimony, by the 15th day, patients with symptoms and those without symptoms were rehabilitating at the same time. Staff at the site suggested to his boss, "There are people with fever, so the rehabilitation room should be closed." However, he did not immediately give instructions for closing.
”“ It's too late for the patient to do something. I want a PCR test (gene test) as soon as possible. ” The first positive was confirmed on the 14th, and the anxiety increased. Half of the staff were treated as rich contacts and had to wait at home, increasing the burden on the nurses all at once.
The hospital could not compensate for the labor shortage, and ordered two female nurses who were confirmed positive to work at night. The hospital explained to a survey in Osaka City that "I had no choice but to ask for a substitute nurse," but as a colleague who was watching the struggles of two people nearby, "For the patient who was responsible and left behind. I think I went to work at the hospital. The hospital did something that should not be done. "
There was no specialist infectious disease staff at this hospital and there was no stockpiling of protective clothing. "There was a limit to the on-site response," he pointed out to the fundamental problem and said, "The problem cannot be solved only by pursuing the responsibility of the hospital. It is also necessary to provide administrative support, such as the establishment of a unified manual." Appealed.
中村祐輔
PROF. YUSUKE NAKAMURA, CHICAGO UNIV., TOKYO UNIV. 1952.12.8.
Yusuke Nakamura is a Japanese prominent geneticist and cancer researcher best known for developing Genome-Wide Association Study. He is one of the world's pioneers in applying genetic variations and whole genome sequencing, leading the research field of personalized medicine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusuke_Nakamura_(geneticist)
Preparations are underway to increase production of the anti-influenza drug "Abigan", which is a potential drug candidate for new coronavirus infections. Expectations for existing Avigan are higher than those for new drugs that take a long time. Efforts to explore the effectiveness of the new corona targeting existing drugs developed for the treatment of other diseases such as Ebola hemorrhagic fever are spreading in Japan and overseas.
Developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical (Tokyo). The new influenza drug approved by the government in 2014 is expected to have a coronavirus growth inhibitory effect. Clinical trials (clinical trials) to confirm the efficacy have started, and there is a possibility that it will be approved and widely administered within the year. Pregnant women cannot take it due to side effects that cause malformations in the fetus.
On April 24, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made it a candidate drug for the treatment of new coronavirus infections, and the antimalarial drug recommended by President Trump has serious side effects that cause heart abnormalities when administered to new corona infected persons. Has issued a document calling attention to the above. There are also deaths.
Targeted drugs are chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Because the infected person who received the drug has side effects such as tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, he is urged to take it only in clinical trials or in hospitals where doctors can monitor the progress. In addition, it is said that the risk of heart abnormality may increase when used in combination with the antibiotic azithromycin.
COVID-19: reminder of risk of serious side effects with chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine
サイトカインストームはまた、2005年に流行した鳥インフルエンザ（H5N1型）でみられた高い致死率の要因の一つとされている他、第1次世界大戦（World War I）末期に大流行し、約5000万人の死者を出したスペイン風邪のような過去のパンデミックにも関係していた可能性があると、専門家らは考えている。
英ロンドンのユニバーシティー・カレッジ病院（University College Hospital）の炎症専門家、ジェシカ・マンソン（Jessica Manson）氏は、「これまでに集められた情報を見る限り、COVID-19の重症患者の一部グループについては、サイトカインストーム症候群を発症している可能性がある」と指摘している。
米アイオワ大学（University of Iowa）の免疫学者スタンリー・パールマン（Stanley Perlman）教授は、「現時点では」有効な治療法が存在しないことを認めている。「現在、最良なアプローチについての検討が行われている。分かっていることは、コルチコステロイドが有害であり、悪い作用の方が大きいということだ」
One of the most disturbing features of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is a phenomenon known as the "cytokine storm" in which the immune system rapidly overreacts.
While many COVID-19 patients only have to experience mild symptoms, a severe immune response that kills the most severe patients occurs against the new coronavirus. Experts believe that cytokine storms can explain these reactions.
The following is a summary of what is known about the cytokine storm that was first revealed about 20 years ago.
What is a cytokine storm
Cytokines are a group of proteins secreted as part of the action of the immune system, and induce inflammation when the body feels that it is exposed to an attack by infection.
However, in some cases, such as when the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that caused this pandemic (global pandemic) invades the lungs, the immune system may become runaway. To be When the immune system runs away, a so-called cytokine storm occurs, in which the concentration of secreted cytokine becomes uncontrollable, which may lead to death of the patient.
“Storm of hyperinflammation” in the lungs was one of the complications of coronaviruses that have been prevalent in the past such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The SARS epidemic, which occurred mainly in Asia between 2002 and 2003, killed 774 people, and the 2012 Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic killed 866 people.
Cytokine storm is also considered to be one of the causes of the high lethality observed in the 2005 influenza avian influenza (H5N1 type), and it became a major epidemic at the end of World War I. Experts believe they may have been involved in past pandemics such as the Spanish flu, which killed 50 million people.
■ Suddenly worsening medical condition, 7-10 days after the first symptoms
According to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), most patients hospitalized with the new coronavirus suffer from pneumonia.
Patients often have a sudden worsening of their condition about 7 to 10 days after the first symptoms appear.
"As far as the information gathered so far, we have seen some groups of critically ill patients with COVID-19," said Jessica Manson, an inflammation specialist at the University College Hospital in London, UK. May have cytokine storm syndrome. "
■ How to control
The problem for doctors and scientists is how to calm down the cytokine storm without compromising the patient's immune defenses.
Immunology professor Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa has admitted that there is no effective treatment “at the moment”. "Currently, the best approach is being considered. What we know is that corticosteroids are more harmful and more harmful."
"The virus will stay for a long time," Tedros warned in a press conference, saying that the number of infected people is increasing in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. "The road (until the end of the new Corona) will definitely be long," he predicted.
According to the statistics of Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the number of deaths due to the infection of the new corona exceeded 180,000 worldwide on the 22nd. "The virus is still very dangerous," Tedros reminded countries to thoroughly test and isolate patients.
WHO = Secretary-General of the World Health Organization Tedros has acknowledged that the world will never return to what it was before the spread of the new coronavirus, and that people's lives will enter a "new everyday".
”The world cannot return to the way we were, it will be a“ new everyday ”” (Tedross Secretary-General)
At the press conference, Tedros said at the interview on the 22nd that the fight against the new coronavirus is a long way and that he will live in the presence of the virus for a long period of time, and he will take measures to prevent the spread of infection such as maintaining social distance. He showed his recognition that he would enter a new "new daily life".
A British research team working on a new coronavirus vaccine hopes to start clinical trials later next week.
According to Sarah Gilbert, a professor at Oxford University in the UK who leads the vaccine development team, previous studies suggest that the virus may be repeatedly transmitted.
Professor Gilbert, who starred in the BBC program "Andrew Marshaw" on the 19th, further said that immunization by vaccination may outlast the immunity acquired by natural infection.
