Luiz Philipe, who was born with microcephaly, sleeps in his house in Marica, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, on March 9, 2016. Brazil will adopt the World Health Organization (WHO) standards from the next week to determine if a baby has microcephaly, the Brazilian Health Ministry said on Wednesday. [Photo/Xinhua] WASHINGTON -- Chinese researchers said Thursday they might have solved the mystery of why the Zika virus causes microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. In a study published in the US journal Science, a team led by Cheng-Feng Qin of the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology reported that one single genetic change, likely acquired in 2013, gave the mosquito-borne virus the ability to cause severe fetal microcephaly. Our findings offer a reasonable explanation for the unexpected causal link of Zika to microcephaly, and will help understand how Zika evolved from an innocuous mosquito-borne virus into a congenital pathogen with global impact, Qin said. Zika was first identified in 1947 in Uganda, and until its recent emergence in the Americas, was a little known one that sporadically causes mild infections. Then, it rapidly swept through South and Central America in 2015, and due to its link to congenital brain abnormalities, especially microcephaly during pregnancy, the World Health Organization declared in early 2016 the current epidemics a public health emergency of international concern. However, scientists remain unable to determine why the virus evolved into a pathogen triggering severe neurological syndromes. By comparing contemporary Zika virus strains from the 2015 and 2016 South American epidemics with an ancestral Cambodian virus that was circulating in 2010, Qin and colleagues found one critical mutation that conferred the ability to cause microcephaly in mouse models of fetal infection. That one change, S139N, which replaced a serine amino acid with an asparagine at the 139th position of a Zika protein called prM, also made the virus more lethal to human neuron precursor cells in culture compared with the ancestral form. Zika accumulated numerous changes throughout its genome between 2010 and 2016, of which S139N caused substantially more severe microcephaly and embryonic lethality in mouse models. Evolutionary analyses revealed that the S139N change likely arose sometime around 2013, which coincided with initial reports of microcephaly. It was then stably maintained during subsequent spread to the America. The discovery should provide guidance for the study of pathogenetic mechanisms of the Zika virus and for the development of vaccines and treatments, Qin said. cheap wristbandssilicone braceletscustom fidget spinnersrubber bracelet makersilicone rubber bands
A group of overseas students are enjoying a two-day tour of some of Beijing's most innovative companies to get a taste of the latest technology and the job opportunities on offer. A group of overseas students enjoy a two-day tour of some of Beijing's most innovative companies to get a taste of the latest technology and the job opportunities on offer. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn] The tour on Monday and Tuesday has been organized by the Beijing Overseas Talents Center and Beijing Association for Science and Technology as part of activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. The 18 students come from Hong Kong, Britain, Singapore, the Philippines and Pakistan, and all are participants in Hong Kong's PolyU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Student Challenge. In addition to experiencing the capital's competitiveness in science and innovation, they also learned about Chinese culture by visiting historical relics. Hong Kong and Beijing have unique advantages for attracting talent, and more cooperation and communication between the two should be encouraged to build a bigger platform for the younger generation, said Liu Minhua, director of talent recruitment for the Beijing city government. As China develops the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the mainland will become a more popular destination for fresh graduates. A group of overseas students enjoy a two-day tour of some of Beijing's most innovative companies to get a taste of the latest technology and the job opportunities on offer. [Photo by Zou Hong/chinadaily.com.cn] I've been to Shenzhen and Guangzhou (in Guangdong province) many times and seen the rapid economic development, said Cheung Tsz Kit, 23, a graduate of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He said many of his classmates want to find jobs in these southern cities, but the lack of careers counseling is an obstacle. Most universities don't have job fairs specifically for positions at mainland companies. We lack information, including on the recruitment process and employee services for Hong Kong residents, Cheung said. With the Belt and Road Initiative primed to boost regional development, students from countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road are optimistic about a career in China. China is a superpower with great opportunities, not only compared with my country, but also other countries in the world, said Muhammad Salman, 28, of Pakistan, who is studying for a PhD in bioengineering at Beijing University of Technology. I'd like to find a job here after graduation. China is place of hope, he said.
