The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic. Drug repurposing may represent a rapid way to fill the urgent need for effective treatment. We evaluated the clinical utility of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19. Forty-eight patients with moderate COVID-19 were randomized to oral treatment with chloroquine (1000 mg QD on Day 1, then 500 mg QD for 9 days; n=18), hydroxychloroquine (200 mg BID for 10 days; n=18), or control treatment (n=12). Adverse events were mild, except for one case of Grade 2 ALT elevation. Adverse events were more commonly observed in the chloroquine group (44.44%) and the hydroxychloroquine group (50.00%) than in the control group (16.67%). The chloroquine group achieved shorter time to clinical recovery (TTCR) than the control group (P=0.019). There was a trend toward reduced TTCR in the hydroxychloroquine group (P=0.049). The time to reach viral RNA negativity was significantly faster in the chloroquine group and the hydroxychloroquine group than in the control group (P=0.006 and P=0.010, respectively). The median numbers of days to reach RNA negativity in the chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and control groups was 2.5 (IQR: 2.0-3.8) days, 2.0 (IQR: 2.0-3.5) days, and 7.0 (IQR: 3.0-10.0) days, respectively. The chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine groups also showed trends toward improvement in the duration of hospitalization and findings on lung computerized tomography (CT). This study provides evidence that (hydroxy)chloroquine may be used effectively in treating moderate COVID-19 and supports larger trials.

VOCs play an increasingly important role in affecting air quality and threatening human health in China in recent years, where industry activities show a significant contribution to VOCs emission. In this article we report our long term study of industrial VOCs emissions of six major industries (vehicle manufacturing, printing, equipment coating, electronic manufacturing, furniture manufacturing and bio-pharming) on the aspects of emission characteristics, environmental impact and health risk assessment, and control challenge analysis with the purpose to obtain in-depth understanding of industry VOCs emissions and offer some original basements for national control and management of industry VOCs emissions. This study shows that all these industries give middle or low emission with total VOCs concentration less than 1000 mg/m 3 at each exhaust pipe. Benzenes, esters, alcohols, ketones, alkanes, chloroalkanes and alkenes were detected as the major emission components and the most frequently monitored VOCs were benzenes, which varied obviously with different processes and industries. The environmental impact assessments indicate that vehicle manufacturing and benzenes should be prior controlled with the purpose to reduce air pollution. While, health risk assessments suggest that furniture manufacturing and chloroalkanes should be firstly controlled. Control analysis indicates that developing technologies with low cost and high efficiency and establishing and completing specific industry emission standards/regulations are the two key issues in VOCs emission management at present stage.

Studies have implicated astrocytic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role of astrocytes in the pathophysiology and treatment of the disease is poorly characterized. Here, we identified astrocytes as independent key factors involved in several Alzheimer-like phenotypes in an APP/PS1 mouse model, including amyloid pathology, altered neuronal and synaptic properties, and impaired cognition. In vitro astrocytes from APP/PS1 mice induced synaptotoxicity as well as reduced dendritic complexity and axonal branching of hippocampal neurons. These astrocytes produced high levels of soluble β-amyloid (Aβ) which could be significantly inhibited by fluoxetine (FLX) via activating serotonin 5-HT2 receptors. FLX could also protect hippocampal neurons against astrocyte-induced neuronal damage in vitro. In the same APP/PS1 mice, FLX inhibited activation of astrocytes, lowered Aβ products, ameliorated neurotoxicity, and improved behavioral performance. These findings may provide a basis for the clinical application of FLX in patients, and may also lay the groundwork for exploration of other novel astrocyte-based therapies of AD.