Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on Malaysia, Myanmar, disease control, CCP, Taiwan, U.S.
News (1) to (7) / Source : The Irrawaddy
News (1)
Malaysia to talk to NUG if Junta fails to cooperate with ASEAN
Image : Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. Courtesy of NST
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah issued a warning to Myanmar’s ruling generals that his country is ready to hold talks with Myanmar’s shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), if the junta continues to fail to cooperate with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) special envoy to Myanmar to solve the crisis sparked by the Myanmar military’s February 1 coup.
According to Malaysia national news agency Bernama, Saifuddin Abdullah told the lower house of the Malaysian Parliament on Wednesday (6 October 2021) that Malaysia is considering holding dialogue with the NUG if the military regime does not cooperate with the five-point consensus agreed upon by ASEAN to resolve the crisis.
If Malaysia does meet with the NUG, it would be the first ASEAN country to hold official talks with Myanmar’s parallel government, which was formed by elected lawmakers from the ousted NLD.
That would be a huge blow to the junta, which has desperately been seeking official recognition from other countries, especially those in ASEAN, as Myanmar’s rightful government.
On Monday, the Malaysian Foreign Minister said that coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing could be excluded from a regional summit scheduled for later this month over the junta’s failure to cooperate with ASEAN’s efforts.
Abdullah voiced his frustrations after the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting on 4 October 2021 when he was informed that Naypyitaw was still not cooperating with the terms of the consensus.
News (2)
Myanmar Junta refuses to meet ASEAN special envoy
In particular, the regime is blocking the proposed visit to Myanmar by ASEAN special envoy Erywan Yusof, who is seeking to meet all stakeholders in the crisis, including detained State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government.
Erywan Yusof, Brunei’s Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, was appointed as the ASEAN envoy in August 2021.
Sources in Myanmar said that so far Yusof has only been offered a meeting with former Vice President Henry Van Thio and the former Lower House speaker T Khun Myat.
Following the tussle, the special envoy said on Wednesday that the bloc was “deep in discussions” about not inviting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the summit on 26 to 28 October 2021 after the issue was raised by the Malaysian Foreign Minister and others.
Abdullah said, “Up until today there has been no progress on the implementation of the five-point consensus, and this has raised a concern.”
News (3)
French Senate recognizes the NUG
On Tuesday (5 October 2021) in Europe, the French senate voted unanimously to recognize the NUG. If the French parliament’s lower house approves the vote, France will become the first country to officially recognize Myanmar’s shadow government.
News (4)
Burma Act introduced
On 5 October 2021, the United States introduced the Burma Act, which aims to put more pressure on the junta by imposing sanctions on individuals and entities who helped stage the coup and who are responsible for the subsequent repression.
The new authorization calls for Washington to pressure the United Nations to take more decisive action on Myanmar, as well as to make a genocide determination over the persecution of the Rohingya ethnic minority, while supporting civil society organizations and allowing for humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand and the surrounding region.
News (5)
ASEAN considering to exclude Myanmar from upcoming ASEAN summit due to the Junta's refusal to cooperate with the bloc
Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing agreed to a five-point consensus during an in-person meeting with Southeast Asian leaders in Jakarta on 24 April 2021. The consensus calls for an end to the violence, allowing humanitarian access, a commitment to dialogue with all parties, and the appointment of an ASEAN emissary to broker the dialogue.
Bruneian Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, the ASEAN envoy, told reporters this week that the bloc was seriously considering not inviting Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to the summit. “I can say that we are now deeply in discussion on this matter,” Erywan said during a press conference in Bandar Seri Begawan.
He did say that other ASEAN members had raised the same idea, but analysts noted earlier this week that a strong public statement, such as Malaysia’s, would put pressure on ASEAN as a bloc.
On Monday, Malaysia’s top diplomat, Saifuddin Abdullah, tweeted that without progress, “It would be difficult to have the chairman of the SAC at the ASEAN summit”. The SAC, or State Administration Council, is the Myanmar junta’s ruling organ.
Malaysia also said it would open talks with Myanmar’s shadow government if the junta failed to cooperate with ASEAN’s conflict-resolution efforts—the first such declaration by a member of the regional bloc.
At the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting held virtually on 4 October 2021, several ministers voiced disappointment at the lack of progress made by the junta.
News (6)
International rights experts urge UN to declare Myanmar Junta "Terrorist" organization
An independent group of prominent former UN human rights experts has urged the United Nations Security Council to declare the Myanmar military junta a “terrorist organization” for its atrocities against its own civilians including public torture, executions and taking hostages, including children as young as 2.
In its latest statement, the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), which includes Yanghee Lee, the former UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said on Monday that the regime’s forces had committed multiple massacres of civilians—including children—torched entire villages, and fired randomly into homes, killing residents, in Chin State and Magway, Sagaing and Mandalay regions throughout September, even as UN member states met in New York and Geneva over the past two weeks.
The SAC-M said the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military), seeking to return Myanmar to full military rule, had committed public torture and executions. It said the regime’s forces also took family members of democracy activists as hostages, including children as young as 2, and planted landmines under the bodies of civilians they had killed, detonating them when family and friends returned to claim the deceased.
Chris Sidoti of the SAC-M said these were the same terrorist tactics used by the nascent Islamic State group in the Iraqi desert in the mid-2000s.
“The UN Security Council should immediately commence the process of declaring the Tatmadaw as a terrorist organization,” he said.
The junta has been trying to snuff out the deadly armed resistance for months but in vain so far. The regime’s troops have become notorious for committing all kinds of atrocities as reprisals whenever the military sustains casualties. Throughout September they have massacred civilians—including children—torched entire villages, fired randomly into homes and shelled residential areas in the country’s Kayah and Chin states and Magwe, Sagaing and Mandalay regions, claiming that the areas harbored civilian resistance forces known as People’s Defense Force (PDF) units. Both sides sustained casualties during the shootouts.
Lee said the regime’s forces are using the same tactics they used during the genocidal atrocities committed against the Rohingya, referring to the army’s killings in Rakhine State in the country’s west in 2017. More than 700,000 Rohingya had to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.
“If you juxtapose the pictures of recent massacres with those of 2017 in northern Rakhine, you cannot see any difference. No one has been held to account for those terrible crimes, and now people are being massacred and villages burned up and down the country,” she said.
News (7)
Myanmar to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from GAVI
Myanmar will receive more than 6 million covi vaccine doses from the global health partnership that is helping the world’s most vulnerable populations get vaccinated, after seeing a delay in shipping of the vaccines the country was initially promised through the initiative.
The country’s Health Ministry said on 6 October 2021 that it held a series of meetings with representatives from GAVI and its partners WHO and UNICEF from late July through late August on providing vaccines. GAVI is a private-public global health alliance that aims to increase access to immunization in poor countries.
The ministry said GAVI would provide more than 4 millions doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Comirnaty, while UNICEF will support the ultra cold chain system that is essential to keep the vaccine at the recommended storage temperature of as low as -70°C. It will also provide more than 2.2 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac.
News (8)
Taiwanese student vaccinated with Medigen successfully entered Israel
Image : Joami entered Tel Aviv with proof of Medigen vaccination. (Courtesy of Israel Mega Facebook)
The SARS-CoV-2 (covi) vaccines are being administered all over the world, and whether Medigen vaccine (MVC-COV1901) is recognized by other countries has also aroused great concern among the Taiwanese, worrying that domestic vaccines will not go smoothly abroad. Yoami, a student from Taiwan studying in Israel, reported on Facebook on 6 October 2021, saying that she was the first "MVC baby" to enter Israel in history!
Joami, a blogger, has been running the blog "The Beautiful Corner of Israel" since 2017, which covers nearly 1,000 articles about Israel's tourism strategy, culture, politics, religion, and history. In October this year, she went to Israel to study in a research institute for one year.
Joami said on Facebook that she originally planned to go to Israel to celebrate Sukkot in August, but because of the epidemic, she must be vaccinated before she can go to Israel, so she went to Israel on August 23 and September 20 respectively. She took 2 doses of Medigen vaccine (MVC-COV1901) and flew to Israel on 5 October 2021.
Joami described that entering Israel is like going through a barrier, going through layers of security checks, immigration procedures, another PCR, antibody testing, isolation arrangements, etc., because now in addition to student visas, entry into Israel really requires entry. The license also includes Covid-19 insurance and proof of two doses of vaccination, and Israel recognizes MVC-COV1901, making her the first "MVC baby" to enter Israel in history! She exclaimed, "So I didn't get two shots for nothing! My (antibody) test result has come out positive, which means I am not taking saline."
Joami said that she was frustrated because she could not go to Israel to spend Sukkot, but she was very grateful to God’s grace for allowing her to spend more time in Taiwan for the vaccination, plus the day she entered Israel (6 October), it happened to be the first day of Turkey’s "Relief Red". So, Turkish Airlines’ planes were docked at a terminal that can do antibody testing at a lower price of 300ILS (about NT$3,000) and she can get out of the barrier early.
Image : Arriving in Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (Courtesy of Israel Mega Facebook).
News (9)
Covid animal models, vaccine antibodies and drug research breakthroughs have been made
Completing units: Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Science and Technology
Source : Chinese Academy of Sciences, 9 July 2020 / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/8/463087.shtm
Since the outbreak of the covid epidemic, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has taken advantage of multidisciplinary innovation and quickly launched the "Novel Coronavirus Emergency Prevention and Control" special project. It has recently made important breakthroughs in animal model construction, vaccine and antibody research and development, and emergency drug screening.
Image : Model diagram of SARS-CoV-2 transgenic mouse model
In terms of animal model construction, the team of Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully developed a new type of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 transgenic mouse model, which provides a useful tool for testing potential vaccines and antiviral drugs. The successful establishment of this model provides a simple and efficient testing platform for vaccines and antiviral drugs, and provides strong scientific and technological support for the control of the covid epidemic. Related results were published on "Cell".
Image : General vaccine strategy against β-coronavirus and proof of concept in MERS, COVID-19 and SARS vaccines
In terms of vaccine and antibody development, the team of the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences constructed the MERS coronavirus RBD single-chain dimer (RBD-sc-dimer) antigen, which can induce the production of higher levels of neutralizing antibodies, and the titer has increased by about 10-100 times to protect mice against MERS coronavirus infection and relieve lung pathological damage. The team further designed vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 (covi) and SARS-CoV. Related results were published on "Cell". The covi recombinant protein vaccine developed based on this design strategy was approved to enter clinical trials on 19 June 2020. It is the first recombinant protein vaccine to obtain clinical approval among the five technical routes of covi vaccine in mainland China. In addition, the covi neutralizing antibody developed by the team of the Institute of Microbiology and the company was approved by the National Medical Products Administration for clinical trials on 5 June 2020, and was approved by the US FDA for clinical trials in the United States on 8 June 2020.
Image : Compound 11a and 11b and SARS-CoV-2 main protease crystal complex and binding model
In terms of emergency drug screening, the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shanghai University of Science and Technology and the Wuhan Institute of Virology have worked together to make important progress in the research of anti-coronavirus drugs. The team designed and synthesized two peptidomimetic compounds 11a (DC402234) and 11b, both of which have excellent main protease inhibitory activity and antiviral activity. Compound DC402234 also has good safety. Currently, clinical application registration (IND) applications in China and the United States have been submitted. The related results were published as a cover article in "Science".
News (10)
This antibody can treat covi mutant infections
Sources : Feng Lifei, China Science News, Yan Jinghua etal, Nature-Communication / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlpaper/2021/8/20218191422039965829.shtm
The Yan Jinghua team from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with the Wang Chenhui team of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the Xiao Junyu team of Peking University, the Wang Youchun team of China Food and Drug Control Institute, the Tan Wenjie team of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai Junshi Biomedical Technology Co., Ltd. and other institutions, reported for the first time A blocking antibody that targets a variety of coronavirus invasion receptors ACE2; this antibody can effectively prevent and treat covi and its mutants from infecting host cells and model animals, and has shown good results in non-human primates safety. Related research was published online in Nature-Communication on 17 August 2021.
The researchers first obtained a blocking monoclonal antibody h11B11 that targets the human ACE2 receptor through rapid screening and humanization of the antibody; after a variety of coronaviruses’ pseudovirus and true virus neutralization evaluations, the antibody h11B11 was confirmed it has good inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV, covi and its mutant viruses.
The study found that the combination of the antibody and the covi therapeutic antibody CB6 developed by the Institute of Microbiology in the early stage can synergistically improve the neutralizing activity. CB6 monoclonal antibody is an antibody that targets the S protein RBD of the covid virus. It was jointly developed by the team of Academician Gao Fu and the team of Yan Jinghua of the Institute of Microbiology. It has obtained emergency use authorization in the United States, the European Union, India and other countries.
The researchers conducted further in vivo activity evaluation of the antibody through the hACE2 transgenic mice infected with the covi model. The results showed that compared with the placebo group, the lungs of the mice in the preventive administration group were basically undetectable; the treatment group was small. Mouse lung virus titer was significantly reduced; lung pathological section results also showed that the lung pathological changes of mice in the prevention and treatment group were significantly improved.
The researchers used the cynomolgus monkey model to evaluate the preclinical safety of the h11B11 antibody, proving that it has good in vivo safety. In order to clarify the mechanism of action and binding epitope of the h11B11 antibody, the researchers further analyzed the crystal structure of h11B11 and ACE2; this structure showed that the antibody mainly binds to the α-helix domain at the N-terminus of the ACE2 receptor; the antibody competes through epitopes and space. Blocking effect, blocking the binding of SARS-CoV and the covi RBD region to the ACE2 receptor to inhibit the virus from invading host cells.
Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25331-x
News (11)
Breakthroughs in the development of covid vaccine antibodies and detection reagents
Completing units: Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Fujian Institute of the Structure of Matter
Source : Chinese Academy of Sciences, 13 October 2020 / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/8/463069.shtm
The Chinese Academy of Sciences has recently made further breakthroughs in the development of vaccine antibodies and detection reagents.
Image : The response speed of the new outbreak of infectious disease vaccine antibody integrated response system in this covid epidemic
In terms of vaccine antibodies, the "integrated response system" of vaccine antibodies of the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences has played a leading role. China's first covi recombinant protein vaccine approved for clinical trials, phase II clinical trials are undergoing immunogenicity evaluation; neutralizing antibody CB6 has been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration and the US FDA for clinical trials, and phase I clinical trials have been carried out simultaneously in China and the United States, and has launched a phase II clinical trial of the combination therapy in the United States; the chimpanzee adenovirus vector vaccine is expected to start preclinical trials in November. The team of the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed the high-resolution three-dimensional structure of the complex of H014 Fab and the covi S protein trimer through cryo-electron microscopy single particle reconstruction technology, and developed new vaccines based on structure targeting and antibody cocktail therapy. Guidance was provided, and the results were published in Science on 23 July 2020.
Image : High-resolution three-dimensional structure of H014 Fab and covi S protein trimer complex
In terms of detection reagents, the team of the Fujian Institute of Material Structure of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a highly sensitive and rapid detection kit for the covi IgM/IgG antibody, obtained the National Medical Device Registration Certificate on 29 September, and passed the World Health Organization EUL, EU CE, Brazil ANVISA and other certifications. In addition to supplying the domestic market, the products are also sold in more than 20 countries in Europe, South America, and Africa, with an output value of 100 million RMB.
Image : Rare earth nanoprobe new coronavirus IgM/IgG antibody rapid detection kit and national medical device registration number, EU CE certification number
News (12)
Crops become "zombies" and no production! Academia Sinica participates in transnational research and discovers solutions
Reporter : Yang Yuanting / https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/life/breakingnews/3695922
Image : Research team of Guo Zhihong (4 from left), associate researcher of the Institute of Plant and Microbiology, Academia Sinica. (Provided by Guo Zhihong)
Plant mycoplasma is one of the main bacteria that cause crop diseases in the world. It can be spread by insects to infect hundreds of different plants, including many important crops. In Taiwan, three-star green onions, loofah, peanuts and ornamental plants are harmed by plant mycoplasma. Guo Zhihong said that there is currently no cure for the infections that have occurred, and agricultural control methods are mainly through spraying drugs to kill insects that serve as vectors, but this also has a significant impact on the ecology. Therefore, the academic community has invested in related research for decades, hoping to develop new methods to prevent crops from being threatened by plant mycoplasma.
Guo Zhihong explained that although plant mycoplasma has been studied for decades, these bacteria still cannot be artificially purified and cultivated in the laboratory, so related research is extremely difficult. The multinational cooperation team uses a number of technologies such as molecular biology and genomics to eliminate the bacterial purification and culture steps necessary for traditional microbiological research, and directly discuss the interaction between bacterial pathogenic factors and plant proteins.
In addition to gaining new knowledge in basic science, Guo Zhihong said that confirming that the model plant Arabidopsis can obtain disease resistance with only minor changes is a big breakthrough. In the future, it may be possible to apply this knowledge to different crops through breeding or basic reforms. In addition to improving the disease resistance of crops, it can also reduce the use of pesticides to maintain the overall ecological environment.
The research results were published in the important international academic journal "Cell", and was selected as the cover.
Image : Guo Zhihong, an associate researcher at the Institute of Plant Microbiology, Academia Sinica, has discovered an important mechanism for plant diseases by a multinational research team, and this research has jumped onto the cover of the international heavyweight journal "Cell". (Provided by the Institute of Plant and Microbiology, Academia Sinica)
News (13)
USPTO requires patent applications to be filed in DOCX format or surcharge will be imposed from 1 January 2022
During the pandemic, electronic filing of new patent and trademark applications in PDF format has become the norm. However for many U.S. non-provisional patent applications filed on or after 1 January 2022, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) requires payment of a surcharge fee if the specification,
claims, and abstract are not filed in DOCX format.
The non-DOCX surcharge fee
is US$400. The non-DOCX surcharge fee
only applies to non-provisional applications filed under 35 U.S.C. §111,
including Paris Convention and non-convention applications. The fee will not
apply to PCT National Stage applications, Provisional Patent applications,
or Design Patent applications.
In a previous Federal
Register Notice dated 3 August 2020, the USPTO had proposed considering a PDF
converted by the USPTO from a DOCX document filed by the Applicant to be the
source version of the filed application. The patent community was concerned that
the USPTO’s conversion process might result in unintended changes to the PDF
document and submitted many comments requesting changes to this procedure. In
response to the comments, a more recent Federal Register Notice dated June 2,
2021, recited that the DOCX document itself
will be considered as the original source document: "In response to
public feedback, however, the USPTO now considers the DOCX document filed by
the applicant to be the authoritative document. Accordingly, an applicant who
files or has filed an application in DOCX may rely on that version as the
source or evidentiary copy of the application to make any corrections to the
documents in the application file."
News (14)
"The Lancet": Does not support the general population to get vaccinated with the covi vaccine booster
Sources : Philip R Krause, The Lancet, Zhang Siwei, China Science News / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlpaper/2021/9/202192317395554466717.shtm
Recently, "The Lancet" published a study online that pointed out that even for the delta variant, the existing covi vaccine has a high vaccine efficacy against severe covid, and it is not recommended for the general population to receive a booster shot of the covi vaccine.
It is reported that the study was completed by an international team of scientists (some members come from the WHO and the US Food and Drug Administration). The article summarizes the conclusions drawn from the existing evidence in randomized controlled trials and observational studies currently published in peer-reviewed journals and preprint servers.
The unanimous conclusion reached in observational studies is that the vaccine is still highly effective against severe cases of covid, including those caused by all major virus variants. On average, looking at the results of observational research reports, it is found that vaccination has a protective effect of 95% against the severe disease caused by the delta mutant and alpha mutant strains, and the protective effect of preventing infection with these two covi mutants exceeds 80%.. Among all types of covi vaccines and virus variants, the vaccine is more effective in preventing severe cases of covid than mild cases.
Researchers pointed out that although vaccines are not as effective in preventing asymptomatic infection and virus transmission as preventing severe new coronary disease, even in people with high vaccine coverage, the few people who have not been vaccinated are still the main factor in virus transmission, and they He also faces the highest risk of suffering from the severe covid.
The corresponding author of this article and Dr. Ana-Maria Henao-Restrepo of the World Health Organization said, “The main goal of vaccination is to strengthen the prevention of severe covid. On the whole, the existing research does not provide reliable evidence to prove that the effectiveness of existing vaccines in preventing severe covid has dropped significantly. If these limited supplies of vaccines are provided to those who are clearly at risk of developing severe covid but have not yet been vaccinated, the most lives will be saved. Of course, even if the vaccine can eventually promote the benefits of booster injections, it will not exceed the benefits of providing initial protection for those who have not been vaccinated. If the vaccines are deployed where they can play the greatest role, then the vaccines can inhibit the further evolution of the mutant strains, thereby accelerating the end of the pandemic."
The article also pointed out that over time, even if the vaccinator's antibody level declines, it will not necessarily weaken the vaccine's protective efficacy against covid. The reason is that the protection against severe covid is not only mediated by the antibody response—for some vaccines, the duration of the antibody response may be relatively short but memory immune response and cellular immunity also play an important role in protection. The duration of these reactions is usually longer. If you finally decide to use a vaccine booster, you need to determine under which specific circumstances the benefits outweigh the risks.
Moreover, the existing vaccines can induce antibody responses against the current variant strains, indicating that the existing variant strains have not evolved to the extent that they may escape the memory immune response induced by the vaccine.
The researchers said that although new virus variants that can escape existing vaccines are evolving, they are most likely to come from strains that are already widespread. Therefore, compared with booster needles using existing vaccines, booster vaccines developed for new virus variants may be more effective and last longer.
For example, influenza vaccines use a similar strategy. The annual influenza vaccines are based on the latest data of the currently circulating strains, which increases the possibility that “even if the strains evolve further, the vaccine will still be effective”.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the co-author of the article and the chief scientist of the World Health Organization, added, “The existing vaccines are safe, effective and life-saving. The idea of further reducing the number of covid cases by improving the immunity of vaccinators is attractive but before making any decision, it should be based on evidence and weigh the interests and risks of individuals and society. Such high-risk decisions should be based on strong evidence and international scientific discussions.”
Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02046-8
News (15)
Experts' judgment: The epidemic in Heilongjiang has basically been effectively controlled, and the risk of epidemic spillover has been basically eliminated
On 7 October 2021, the press conference of Heilongjiang Provincial Health Commission on the prevention and control of the covid epidemic revealed that Heilongjiang Province had reported a total of 96 local positive infections, of which 89 were confirmed cases and 7 were asymptomatic infections. Ge Hong, deputy director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Health Commission, said that since 1 October, there have been no community-reported cases for 6 consecutive days, that is, the newly discovered cases are all positive reports of nucleic acid tests in the isolation point. In this round of the epidemic, there was no spillover from outside the province, no cross-infection at quarantine points, and no nosocomial infections.
Comprehensive research and judgment: The epidemic has basically been effectively controlled, the risk of epidemic spillover has been basically eliminated, the risk of local spread has been basically blocked, and the risk of causing a large-scale epidemic again is low, and the epidemic will enter the tailing and zeroing phase.
News (16)
Experts judged that community transmission of the epidemic prevention and control in Xiamen has basically been blocked
Reporter : Yang Fushan / Publisher : China News Network / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2021/10/466466.shtm
Wang Tingliang, deputy secretary-general of the Xiamen Municipal Government, said on the 4th that the national working group and provincial and municipal experts agreed that the community transmission of the epidemic prevention and control in Xiamen has basically been blocked. The risk of social transmission has been basically eliminated, the staged effects of epidemic prevention and control have been further stabilized, and the prevention and control strategies can be adjusted in stages and by regions in a scientific, precise and orderly manner.
On the same day, Xiamen held the 19th press conference to report the latest situation of epidemic prevention and control.
Wang Tingliang reported at the meeting that the sixth round of nucleic acid testing for all employees in the city has been successfully completed. Like the fifth round of nucleic acid testing for all employees on 25 September, all test results were negative.
According to expert opinions and research by the Xiamen City Headquarters, it has been decided that starting from the 5th, most parks, scenic spots, mountain and sea health trails and other outdoor places in Siming, Huli, Jimei, Haicang, and Xiang'an will be opened in an orderly manner.
If there is no major change in the epidemic situation, starting from the 6th, the eligible indoor public places (including dining establishments) in the above five districts can be opened in an orderly manner, provided that they are well ventilated, qualified for disinfection, make an appointment for code verification, and limit current in place.
Wang Tingliang said that Tong'an District will also gradually adjust prevention and control measures according to the epidemic situation.
On the same day, 7 cases in Xiamen were cured and discharged. There are now 101 discharged cases, all of whom are in rehabilitation treatment at the Xiang'an Hospital affiliated to Xiamen University. There are 135 cases still receiving treatment in designated hospitals in the city, all of which are in stable condition.
According to reports, as of 12 am on 4 October, a total of 236 confirmed cases have been reported in Xiamen.
News (17)
The inhalable covi nano-capturing agent was successfully developed
Sources : Liu Zhuang, "Proceedings of the National Academy of Science", Wen Caifei and Yao Zhen, China Science News / http://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlpaper/2021/8/20218261004168065991.shtm
Image : Schematic diagram of the preparation of nano-capture agents (NCs) (A); morphological characterization of NCs (B); pseudovirus neutralization effect of NCs in vitro (C). Photo courtesy of Suzhou University
Recently, the team of professors Liu Zhuang and Chen Qian of the Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Matter Research of Suzhou University and Yang Yang, a professor of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, teamed up to develop an inhalable hACE2-containing nano-capturing agent. The drug can compete with the host cells in the human body to bind to SARS-CoV-2 (covi), thereby protecting the human host cells from infection. The results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States.
It is reported that the current vaccines on the market mainly protect the host from infection by producing neutralizing antibodies on the surface of the S protein. However, the S protein will continue to mutate, and its affinity with the hACE2 receptor will increase, and the infectivity and spread of the virus will also increase. Viral mutations can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. Studies have shown that the sera of volunteers vaccinated with Moderna (mRNA-1273) or Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine have a significantly reduced neutralizing activity against the mutant strain (B.1.351).
The nano-capturing agent containing hACE2 designed by the research team of Suzhou University can effectively avoid the problem of vaccine failure caused by virus mutation. The hACE2 receptor competes in the body and binds to the virus first, so the neutralization effect is not affected by the mutation of the S protein, and it is effective for different virus mutant strains.
In addition, the researchers also added a mucosal adhesion adjuvant, hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronic acid, to the nanocapturing agent to extend the residence time of the drug in the lungs, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing the virus, and Reduce the frequency of administration. Non-invasive inhaled nanovesicles are considered to be promising in the treatment of lung diseases due to their weak adverse effects on the human body and convenient administration. However, airway mucus cleans up substances including nano-medicine in the process of removing foreign bodies, which causes the effect of the medicine to be greatly reduced. Adding mucoadhesive materials is now a more popular method to reduce mucociliary clearance. This time the researchers tried three mucosal adhesion excipients: polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and hyaluronic acid (HA, also known as hyaluronic acid). In the end, it was found that hyaluronic acid had the best effect on prolonging the retention time of the drug and enhancing the effectiveness of suppressing the virus.
In order to significantly improve the stability of the drug during storage and the convenience of transportation, the research team of Suzhou University also introduced the freeze-dried protective agent sucrose to make the nano-trapping agent into a freeze-dried powder texture, so that it can be transported at room temperature , thereby greatly increasing the feasibility of its clinical application. The experiment found that the nanoparticles added with hyaluronic acid and freeze-dried protective agent showed good effects in protecting mouse lung tissue from pseudovirus infection. The next step of the research team will be to test the effect of the nano-trapping agent against true viruses.
Related paper information: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102957118
News (18) to (22) / Reporters : Luo Ya, Cheng Jing / Editor : Li Qiong / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/21/10/6/n13285840.htm
News (18)
The CCP's fighter planes suddenly reduced after a large-scale disturbance of Taiwan. Expert analysis
Image : The picture shows the CCP military plane once again carried out long-sea voyages, and the Taiwan military plane took off to alert. (Provided by the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan)
From 1 to 4 October 2021, the CCP sent nearly 150 military aircraft to the Taiwan Aviation Identification Zone, which caused a high degree of tension in the Taiwan Strait. On the 5th, it was suddenly reduced to one sortie. According to expert analysis, the international community has strongly rebounded or suppressed Xi Jinping, the CCP's arrogance and arrogance have receded, and Taiwan has long been prepared for war, and the CCP's challenge will not succeed.
According to military dynamic data from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense Network, since 1 October, CCP military aircraft have harassed Taiwan for 4 consecutive days, and a total of 149 sorties have invaded Taiwan’s Southwest Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). In a single day on the 4th, 56 military aircraft broke into Taiwan's southwestern airspace.
However, on 5 October, there was a significant decrease. In the air situation situation in the southwest airspace released by the Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan, the CCP's military activity dynamics column showed that only one Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft (One Y-8 ASW) disturbed Taiwan.
"The emergency situation is right here." Taiwan’s Defense Minister Qiu Guozheng said in the Legislative Yuan on Wednesday (6th) that the current tension in the Taiwan Strait is the most severe time in his more than 40 years of military service, and warned that there is a conflict in the Taiwan Strait. Risk of misfire.
On 6 October 2021, the Japanese news agency quoted a source as saying that Xi Jinping has ordered the army to put pressure on the southwestern region of Taiwan. Kyodo News reported the day before that the order was issued by Xi at the most recent meeting of the Central Military Commission.
The United States, Japan, Australia and other countries have publicly condemned the CCP’s frequent intrusions on Taiwan and expressed their support for Taiwan.
To this end, The Epoch Times interviewed several experts on China issues, including Su Ziyun, CEO of Tamkang University's Integrated Strategy Technology Center, Taiwanese financial expert Wu Jialong, Taiwan Northeast Asian Society Deputy Secretary-General Dong Siqi, and University of Technology Sydney China expert Feng Chongyi.
News (19)
Visit Xi to discuss the "Taiwan Agreement"? The CCP's military aircraft has decreased significantly
Today, US Secretary of State Blinken said in an interview with the media in Paris, “We see that the actions taken by China (the CCP) are provocative and may destabilize. We 'hope' the leaders of Beijing will stop this behaviour so as not to cause misjudgments. "
Reuters reported on the 5th that US President Joe Biden said, "I have discussed the Taiwan issue with Xi Jinping. We agree...We will abide by the Taiwan Agreement." "We are very clear, I think in addition to complying with the (Taiwan) Agreement. Besides, he (Xi Jinping) should not do anything."
However, the United States and Taiwan do not have an agreement under the name "Taiwan Agreement." Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ou Jiang’an and President’s Office spokesperson Zhang Dunhan both stated to the media on the 6th that they had confirmed to the United States in the first time that the United States’ policy towards Taiwan would remain unchanged.
Regarding the "Taiwan Agreement" mentioned by Biden, Dong Siqi, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Northeast Asian Society, believes that the fact is the abbreviation of related communiqués, laws, administrative orders, and guarantees. "From this context, the United States is actually very clear. Biden and Xi Jinping made it clear that the continuing warming of the Taiwan Strait will in fact violate these agreements and principles related to Taiwan by the United States."
"Of course, after Biden communicated with Xi Jinping, he hopes that Beijing can comply. At the same time, he does not want to continue to heat up."
Why did it disclose at this time? Dong Siqi believes that President Biden also hopes to remind Xi Jinping that it is not advisable to do any more warm-up actions at this node. “We can also see yesterday (5th) the flight of this plane around the Taiwan Strait. It decreases quickly."
As for the CCP official, there was no response before the reporter's deadline. However, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese Communist Party media "Global Times", wrote an article, "The PLA has done a great job!"
Prior to this, US State Department spokesman Ned Price and White House spokesman Jen Psaki publicly criticized the CCP’s actions on the 4th for undermining regional peace and stability, and strongly urged Beijing to stop military, diplomatic, economic pressure and coercing Taiwan.
On the 6th, Republican Representatives Tom Tiffany, Scott Perry, Scott Des Jarlais and Greg Steube jointly sent a letter to Biden, stating that if they want to deter the CCP from aggravating the regional situation it is not enough to rely on hard-line words alone, and it is necessary to use the tools that empower the president.
They called, "It is time for the United States to rethink its relationship with China, consider reversing the decision to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan under the insistence of Beijing during the Carter administration, and encourage regional allies to follow suit."
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Su Ziyun: The CCP’s strategy is to confront the West politically and prepare for military deployment
Regarding the CCP’s large-scale disturbance of Taiwan in the past few days, Su Ziyun believes that its strategy is still seven points of politics and three points of military. The first is politically. On the surface, it is aimed at Taiwan, but it is actually a joint military exercise aimed at the United States, Britain, Japan and other countries.
This week, the US military announced that the USS Reagan, the USS Carl Vinson and the USS Queen, together with Japanese, Dutch, Canadian, and New Zealand ships, conducted joint military exercises in the waters southeast of Okinawa, Japan. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Ise helicopter carrier is in the same frame as the three aircraft carriers of the United States and Britain, showing the alliance of the United States, Britain and Japan.
Prior to this, in mid-September, the United States, Britain and Australia formed the first new military alliance after the Cold War, AUKUS. The first step in its operation was to help Australia obtain nuclear-powered submarines. This is the US-UK-Australia Nuclear Submarine Alliance.
On the 6th, Alain Richard, the chairman of the Taiwan Friendship Group of the French Senate, led a delegation to Taiwan. They will have talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, Executive Yuan Su Zhenchang and others. At the same time, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is also visiting Taiwan.
Regarding this, Su Ziyun said, “The CCP’s response is to deal with this international anti-communist sentiment. It uses military power to express its dissatisfaction. But the CCP’s approach will backfire.”
Second, Su Ziyun analyzed from the military point of view, "It can be seen that it is a standard combat formation, that is, the forward is the J-16 and Su-30, the center is the H-6 bomber, and the back is served by the Air Police 500. This is A relatively complete combat sequence."
He also stated that, geographically, "first drills in the southwest airspace of Taiwan are for strategic defense, and then to the southeast airspace of Taiwan, which is an offensive operation; it is intended to clarify the threat to the warships of the United States, Japan and other countries. It is clear."
A few days ago, the new Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida came to power, and Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang rarely congratulated him. Su Ziyun believes that "the CCP adopts this kind of soft and hard hand, the traditional strategy of fighting, fighting and talking."
He said that Beijing feels that the situation is unfavorable. On the one hand, it has displayed a tough military hand, and on the other hand, it has shown diplomacy with a smiling face. "But I don't think democracies will be deceived by them this time."
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Feng Chongyi: The CCP's Nationalism inward and the U.S. externally tested
Regarding the CCP’s arrogance, Feng Chongyi, an expert on China issues at the University of Technology Sydney, believes that there are two reasons: “From a strategic point of view, the CCP regime now relies on nationalism as its most important ideological pillar. Therefore, it must be in front of all Chinese people. Demonstrate confidence in toughness and unity with the outside world."
"It (the Chinese Communist Party) does this to the people of the country to show that it is a powerful and tough regime that cooperates with patriotic propaganda." He believes that no matter how many countries it offends, it will not hesitate, "because this is about consolidating the regime. It is directly related, so it depends on this to maintain the legitimacy of the precarious situation."
In addition, in terms of tactics, Feng Chongyi said, “It has hastened its actions against Taiwan recently and must consider current American politics. In fact, in the Trump era, it did not dare to play this card at all.” Now worship The signal from the Deng government is “to develop relations with China, not want to fight, want peace, not war.”
"Then it will carry out war blackmail and take some tough measures. It will use this rogue method to use war blackmail to obtain some concessions from the United States and the Biden administration. For example, this trade negotiation." Feng Chongyi said.
U.S.-China interaction, Taiwan's concerns
On Monday (4 October) U.S. Trade Representative Dai Qi announced the U.S. trade policy, saying that he would continue trade negotiations with Vice Premier Liu He; on the 6th, U.S. National Security Adviser Sullivan met with senior CCP diplomat Yang Jiechi in Switzerland to finalize Biden and Xi Jinping. Video conference before the end of the year.
Outsiders questioned whether the US and China have been interacting frequently in recent days. Has Biden's China policy lowered its requirements?
Su Ziyun believes that this possibility exists because the United States has to take care of its own national interests. "But at present, China (the CCP) needs the American market more, so the bargaining chips are still in Biden's hands. An exit from Beijing."
"If Beijing is really willing to comply with the so-called principles of the first round of trade negotiations, the second very important thing is that the Biden administration is very clear that such non-core security issues can be cooperated with Beijing, including climate, security, and economics. ."
However, Su Ziyun said that the basic military security of the United States, "I think it will still establish a very solid anti-blocking front. This is a possible strategy of the Biden administration", including its commitment to Taiwan.
On the 5th, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen warned in a bimonthly issue of "Foreign Affairs" that "Taiwan’s fall will not only be a catastrophe for the people of Taiwan, but will also disrupt the security structure that has been able to maintain peace and excellent economic development for more than 70 years. "
"If Taiwan falls, regional peace and the democratic alliance system will suffer catastrophic consequences. That also means that in today's global value competition, authoritarianism prevails over democracy." Tsai Ing-wen wrote.
In this regard, Feng Chongyi said that this has always been a concern for Taiwan. Because the United States actually went from vague strategy to clear strategy, which was a concept put forward during Trump's period. However, the strategic clarity is still very low. The United States has not said in terms of this policy or legally, "If the CCP uses force against Taiwan, the United States will definitely intervene."
Feng Chongyi said that Taiwan has to rely on its own military strength to fight against the CCP, and the losses will be great. Given this comparison of strength, Taiwan is at a disadvantage. Therefore, if Taiwan has the confidence to be all-round tough, "that is, whether the United States or Japan will stand on the side of Taiwan without hesitation, then she will have the confidence."
"If it was the Trump era, Taiwan's military might have knocked down the CCP plane. It is when you get old, he will take action instead of just talking. He is not worried about going to war with the CCP." Feng Chongyi said.
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Wu Jialong: Taiwan has full force against the CCP army
Tsai Ing-wen specifically pointed out in the article, “If our democracy and way of life are threatened, Taiwan will do its best to defend itself.” However, Taiwan does not seek military confrontation, and hopes to be peaceful, stable, predictable and mutually beneficial with neighboring countries. It is the principle of coexistence."
Wu Jialong said that the overtone of President Tsai Ing-wen’s speech was, “You see it (the CCP) is so arrogant, and I have done my best. If Taiwan takes down the CCP’s military aircraft, please forgive me, the United States, Europe and other international communities.”
"Taiwan now has the densest missile defense system on the surface of the earth. No pilot would be interested in challenging this zone. Taiwan has long wanted to press the button and launch a missile to knock it down," said Wu Jialong.
Currently, Taiwan is considering an additional military expenditure plan worth NT$240 billion (US$8.6 billion) to purchase domestic weapons including missiles and warships in the next five years. Prior to this, Taiwan’s defense budget for 2022 was NT$372.6 billion (approximately US$13.3 billion), a record high.
Wu Jialong said, “This is Taiwan’s determination and will to demonstrate self-defense. Regardless of whether the international situation is more favorable to Taiwan. After all, defense is Taiwan’s first responsibility. At the same time, Taiwan’s self-defense can also assist in the constructive development of regional security. This point is very important."
He believes that "Taiwan has the full force to deal with the Communist army. Now Taiwan is lowering its stance. If the CCP shoots the gun or fires the first shot, then Taiwan is not polite and will endure it for ten years."
Wu Jialong said that the CCP is very rampant. In fact, the CCP’s military strength is simply exaggerated.
The Kuomintang has been to Taiwan for 70 years. Wu Jialong disclosed that Taiwan had engaged in nuclear weapons twice before and the reactor was forcibly dismantled by the United States."
All parties are fighting for escalation. Will the CCP fight?
At present, will multi-nation military wrestling in the Indo-Pacific region cause more conflicts? Su Ziyun believes, “Tension is certain, but this kind of tension can be called surface tension. Although it is tension, all parties have restraint and it is not so easy to fight.”
"At present, if there is a war, it is actually not good for the CCP. Because I think the CCP is very clear that it will not fight a war that is uncertain." He said that if there is a war, what price will be paid. "I don't think the CCP will pay any further. "
"If you talk about risks, I think the Chinese Communist Party will not do it lightly, that is, the Communist Party is not sure of victory."
Su Ziyun believes, "The security of this area can be maintained. This proves that only weakness is the risk of war. This is the philosophy of ancient times and is very important."
Regarding the call for the peaceful settlement of disputes across the Taiwan Strait, Su Ziyun believes, "Sit down and talk, we are all welcome. But there is only one problem, reciprocity and fairness. This is very important, and there is no prerequisite." Taiwan can interact with all countries in this way." So the problem is not in Taiwan, but in the CCP."
News (23)
What is the "Taiwan Agreement"? U.S. State Department: the "One China Policy" of the United States
Image : US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price held a regular press conference on the 7th to explain the "Taiwan Agreement" mentioned by US President Biden. (Associated Press, LTN synthesised)
U.S. President Biden mentioned on the 5th that he had talked about Taiwan with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the two sides agreed to abide by the "Taiwan Agreement" but they did not elaborate on this, triggering discussion from outsiders. The U.S. State Department stated on the 7th that the U.S. policy has been consistent and clear over the years, that is, the U.S. "One-China Policy" is based on the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S.-China Three Communiqués, and six guarantees.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price held a regular press conference on the 7th. The media asked Biden about the recent mention of the "Taiwan Agreement," which caused confusion and anxiety in Taiwan, and asked the State Department to explain the meaning of the "Taiwan Agreement."
Price said that the US policy has been consistent and clear over the years, that is, the US "One China Policy" is based on the US-China Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act and the six guarantees. These documents form the basis for the US's treatment of Taiwan and cross-strait relations.
In addition, in response to China’s frequent deployment of military aircraft to disrupt Taiwan in recent days, Price also reiterated the US’s position, stating that the United States is “very concerned” about China’s military provocations, similar to destabilizing, and may weaken regional peace and stability. He strongly urges Beijing to cease military, diplomatic and Economically pressure and coerce Taiwan.
Price said that the United States’ commitment to Taiwan is rock solid and has helped maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the region over the past years, and deepen relations with Taiwan.”
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