The protective effect and bioactive compounds of Astragalus membranaceus against neurodegenerative disorders via alleviating oxidative stress in Drosophila.

Oxidative stress is proposed as a regulatory element in various neurological disorders, which is involved in the progress of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Antioxidant drugs are widely used to alleviate neurodegenerative disorders. Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi, AM) is a commonly used medicinal herb with a wide range of pharmacological effects. Here, the protective effect and mechanism of AM extract (AME) and its bioactive compounds against neurodegenerative disorders via alleviating oxidative stress were detected using adult Drosophila melanogaster. The drug safety was measured by development analysis; oxidative stress resistance ability was detected by survival rate under H2O2 environment; ROS level was detected by DHE staining and gstD1-GFP fluoresence assay; antioxidative abilitiy was represent by measuring antioxidant enzyme activity, antioxidative-related gene expression, and ATP and MFN2 levels. The neuroprotective effect was evaluated by lifespan and locomotion analysis in Aß42 transgenic and Pink1B9 mutants. AME dramatically increased the survival rates, improved the CAT activity, restored the decreased mRNA expressions of Sod1, Cat, and CncC under H2O2 stimulation, and ameliorated the neurobehavioral defects of the AD and PD. Thirteen small molecules in AM had antioxidant function, in which vanillic acid and daidzein had the most potent antioxidant effect. Vanillic acid and daidzein could increase the activities of SOD and CAT, GSH level, and the expressions of antioxidant genes. Vanillic acid could improve the levels of ATP and MFN2, and mRNA expressions of ND42 and SDHC to rescue mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, vanillic acid ameliorated neurobehavioral defects of PD. Daidzein ameliorated neurobehavioral defect of Aß-induced AD mode. Taken together, AM plays a protective role in oxidative damage, thereby as a potential natural drug to treat neurodegenerative disorders.

C-H Bond Sulfonylation from Thianthrenium Salts and DABCO·(SO2)2: Synthesis of 2-Sulfonylindoles.

A three-component reaction of 1-(1H-indol-1-yl)isoquinolines or 1-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-indoles, DABCO·(SO2)2, and thianthrenium salts under synergistic photoredox and palladium catalysis is accomplished. This direct C-H bond sulfonylation of indoles with the insertion of sulfur dioxide under mild conditions works efficiently, giving rise to a wide range of 2-sulfonated indoles in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. In this protocol, the generality of aryl/alkyl thianthrenium salts is demonstrated as well. A photoredox radical process combined with palladium catalysis is proposed.

Reducing Indoor Particulate Air Pollution Improves Student Test Scores: A Randomized Double-Blind Crossover Study.

Short-term exposure to air pollution is associated with a decline in cognitive function. Standardized test scores have been employed to evaluate the effects of air pollution exposure on cognitive performance. Few studies aimed to prove whether air pollution is responsible for reduced test scores; none have implemented a "gold-standard" method for assessing the association such as a randomized, double-blind intervention. This study used a "gold-standard" method─randomized, double-blind crossover─to assess whether reducing short-term indoor particle concentrations results in improved test scores in college students in Tianjin, China. Participants (n = 162) were randomly assigned to one of two similar classrooms and completed a standardized English test on two consecutive weekends. Air purifiers with active or sham (i.e., filter removed) particle filtration were placed in each classroom. The filtration mode was switched between the two test days. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention mode on the test scores. The results show that air purification (i.e., reducing PM) was significantly associated with increases in the z score for combined (0.11 [95%CI: 0.02, 0.21]) and reading (0.11 [95%CI: 0.00, 0.22]) components. In conclusion, a short-term reduction in indoor particle concentration led to improved test scores in students, suggesting an improvement in cognitive function.

Lost genome segments associate with trait diversity during rice domestication.

BACKGROUND: DNA mutations of diverse types provide the raw material required for phenotypic variation and evolution. In the case of crop species, previous research aimed to elucidate the changing patterns of repetitive sequences, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and small InDels during domestication to explain morphological evolution and adaptation to different environments. Additionally, structural variations (SVs) encompassing larger stretches of DNA are more likely to alter gene expression levels leading to phenotypic variation affecting plant phenotypes and stress resistance. Previous studies on SVs in rice were hampered by reliance on short-read sequencing limiting the quantity and quality of SV identification, while SV data are currently only available for cultivated rice, with wild rice largely uncharacterized. Here, we generated two genome assemblies for O. rufipogon using long-read sequencing and provide insights on the evolutionary pattern and effect of SVs on morphological traits during rice domestication. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 318,589 SVs in cultivated and wild rice populations through a comprehensive analysis of 13 high-quality rice genomes and found that wild rice genomes contain 49% of unique SVs and an average of 1.76% of genes were lost during rice domestication. These SVs were further genotyped for 649 rice accessions, their evolutionary pattern during rice domestication and potential association with the diversity of important agronomic traits were examined. Genome-wide association studies between these SVs and nine agronomic traits identified 413 candidate causal variants, which together affect 361 genes. An 824-bp deletion in japonica rice, which encodes a serine carboxypeptidase family protein, is shown to be associated with grain length. CONCLUSIONS: We provide relatively accurate and complete SV datasets for cultivated and wild rice accessions, especially in TE-rich regions, by comparing long-read sequencing data for 13 representative varieties. The integrated rice SV map and the identified candidate genes and variants represent valuable resources for future genomic research and breeding in rice.

China special issue on gastrointestinal tumors-Radiological features of pathological complete response in mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade: A post hoc analysis of the PICC phase II trial.

Neoadjuvant programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade exhibits promising efficacy in patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, discrepancies between radiological and histological findings have been reported in the PICC phase II trial (NCT03926338). Therefore, we strived to discern radiological features associated with pathological complete response (pCR) based on computed tomography (CT) images. Data were obtained from the PICC trial that included 36 tumors from 34 locally advanced dMMR CRC patients, who received neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade for 3 months. Among the 36 tumors, 28 (77.8%) tumors achieved pCR. There were no statistically significant differences in tumor longitudinal diameter, the percentage change in tumor longitudinal diameter from baseline, primary tumor sidedness, clinical stage, extramural venous invasion status, intratumoral calcification, peritumoral fat infiltration, intestinal fistula and tumor necrosis between the pCR and non-pCR tumors. Otherwise, tumors with pCR had smaller posttreatment tumor maximum thickness (median: 10 mm vs 13 mm, P = .004) and higher percentage decrease in tumor maximum thickness from baseline (52.9% vs 21.6%, P = .005) compared to non-pCR tumors. Additionally, a higher proportion of the absence of vascular sign (P = .003, odds ratio [OR] = 25.870 [95% CI, 1.357-493.110]), nodular sign (P < .001, OR = 189.000 [95% CI, 10.464-3413.803]) and extramural enhancement sign (P = .003, OR = 21.667 [2.848-164.830]) was observed in tumors with pCR. In conclusion, these CT-defined radiological features may have the potential to serve as valuable tools for clinicians in identifying patients who have achieved pCR after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade, particularly in individuals who are willing to adopt a watch-and-wait strategy.

Whole-Genome Resequencing of Worldwide Wild and Domestic Sheep Elucidates Genetic Diversity, Introgression, and Agronomically Important Loci.

Domestic sheep and their wild relatives harbor substantial genetic variants that can form the backbone of molecular breeding, but their genome landscapes remain understudied. Here, we present a comprehensive genome resource for wild ovine species, landraces and improved breeds of domestic sheep, comprising high-coverage (∼16.10×) whole genomes of 810 samples from 7 wild species and 158 diverse domestic populations. We detected, in total, ∼121.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms, ∼61 million of which are novel. Some display significant (P < 0.001) differences in frequency between wild and domestic species, or are private to continent-wide or individual sheep populations. Retained or introgressed wild gene variants in domestic populations have contributed to local adaptation, such as the variation in the HBB associated with plateau adaptation. We identified novel and previously reported targets of selection on morphological and agronomic traits such as stature, horn, tail configuration, and wool fineness. We explored the genetic basis of wool fineness and unveiled a novel mutation (chr25: T7,068,586C) in the 3'-UTR of IRF2BP2 as plausible causal variant for fleece fiber diameter. We reconstructed prehistorical migrations from the Near Eastern domestication center to South-and-Southeast Asia and found two main waves of migrations across the Eurasian Steppe and the Iranian Plateau in the Early and Late Bronze Ages. Our findings refine our understanding of genome variation as shaped by continental migrations, introgression, adaptation, and selection of sheep.

Identification and characterization of two novel ISCR1-associated genes dfrA42 and dfrA43 encoding trimethoprim resistant dihydrofolate reductases.

Two novel ISCR1-associated dfr genes, dfrA42 and dfrA43, were identified from trimethoprim (TMP)-resistant Proteus strains and were shown to confer high level TMP resistance (MIC ≥ 1024 mg/L) when cloned into Escherichia coli These genes were hosted by complex class 1 integrons suggesting their potentials for dissemination. Analysis of enzymatic parameters and TMP affinity were performed, suggesting that the mechanism of TMP resistance for these novel DHFRs is the reduction of binding with TMP.

Combined transcriptome and proteome analysis reveal the key physiological processes in seed germination stimulated by decreased salinity in the seagrass Zostera marina L.

BACKGROUND: Zostera marina L., or eelgrass, is the most widespread seagrass species throughout the temperate northern hemisphere. Unlike the dry seeds of terrestrial plants, eelgrass seeds must survive in water, and salinity is the key factor influencing eelgrass seed germination. In the present study, transcriptome and proteome analysis were combined to investigate the mechanisms via which eelgrass seed germination was stimulated by low salinity, in addition to the dynamics of key metabolic pathways under germination. RESULTS: According to the results, low salinity stimulated the activation of Ca2+ signaling and phosphatidylinositol signaling, and further initiated various germination-related physiological processes through the MAPK transduction cascade. Starch, lipids, and storage proteins were mobilized actively to provide the energy and material basis for germination; abscisic acid synthesis and signal transduction were inhibited whereas gibberellin synthesis and signal transduction were activated, weakening seed dormancy and preparing for germination; cell wall weakening and remodeling processes were activated to provide protection for cotyledon protrusion; in addition, multiple antioxidant systems were activated to alleviate oxidative stress generated during the germination process; ERF transcription factor has the highest number in both stages suggested an active role in eelgrass seed germination. CONCLUSION: In summary, for the first time, the present study investigated the mechanisms by which eelgrass seed germination was stimulated by low salinity and analyzed the transcriptomic and proteomic features during eelgrass seed germination comprehensively. The results of the present study enhanced our understanding of seagrass seed germination, especially the molecular ecology of seagrass seeds.

Prospective randomized comparison between upgraded '2C3L' vs. PVI approach for catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation: PROMPT-AF trial design.

BACKGROUND: In randomized studies, the strategy of pulmonary vein antral isolation (PVI) plus linear ablation has failed to increase success rates for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) ablation when compared with PVI alone. Peri-mitral reentry related atrial tachycardia due to incomplete linear block is an important cause of clinical failures of a first ablation procedure. Ethanol infusion (EI) into the vein of Marshall (EI-VOM) has been demonstrated to facilitate a durable mitral isthmus linear lesion. OBJECTIVE: This trial is designed to compare arrhythmia-free survival between PVI and an ablation strategy termed upgraded '2C3L' for the ablation of PeAF. STUDY DESIGN: The PROMPT-AF study (clinicaltrials.gov 04497376) is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial using a 1:1 parallel-control approach. Patients (n = 498) undergoing their first catheter ablation of PeAF will be randomized to either the upgraded '2C3L' arm or PVI arm in a 1:1 fashion. The upgraded '2C3L' technique is a fixed ablation approach consisting of EI-VOM, bilateral circumferential PVI, and 3 linear ablation lesion sets across the mitral isthmus, left atrial roof, and cavotricuspid isthmus. The follow-up duration is 12 months. The primary end point is freedom from atrial arrhythmias of >30 seconds, without antiarrhythmic drugs, in 12 months after the index ablation procedure (excluding a blanking period of 3 months). CONCLUSIONS: The PROMPT-AF study will evaluate the efficacy of the fixed '2C3L' approach in conjunction with EI-VOM, compared with PVI alone, in patients with PeAF undergoing de novo ablation.

NRF1 knockdown alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary inflammatory injury by upregulating DKK3 and inhibiting the GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway.

Excessive inflammatory injury is the main cause of the incidence of severe neonatal pneumonia (NP) and associated deaths. Although dickkopf-3 (DKK3) exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in numerous pathological processes, its role in NP is still unknown. In this study, human embryonic lung WI-38 and MRC-5 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce inflammatory injury of NP in vitro. The expression of DKK3 was downregulated in LPS-stimulated WI-38 and MRC-5 cells. DKK3 overexpression decreased LPS-induced inhibition of cell viability, and reduced LPS-induced apoptosis of WI-38 and MRC-5 cells. DKK3 overexpression also reduced LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory factors such as ROS, IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α. Nuclear respiratory factors 1 (NRF1) knockdown was found to upregulate DKK3 and inactivate the GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway in LPS-injured WI-38 and MRC-5 cells. NRF1 knockdown also suppressed LPS-induced inhibition on cell viability, repressed LPS-induced apoptosis, and inhibited the accumulation of ROS, IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α in LPS-injured WI-38 and MRC-5 cells. DKK3 knockdown or re-activation of the GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway reversed the inhibitory effects of NRF1 knockdown on LPS-induced inflammatory injury. In conclusion, NRF1 knockdown can alleviate LPS-triggered inflammatory injury by regulating DKK3 and the GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway.

CT-based deep learning model for the prediction of DNA mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer: a diagnostic study.

BACKGROUND: Stratification of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) status in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) enables individual clinical treatment decision making. The present study aimed to develop and validate a deep learning (DL) model based on the pre-treatment CT images for predicting MMR status in CRC. METHODS: 1812 eligible participants (training cohort: n = 1124; internal validation cohort: n = 482; external validation cohort: n = 206) with CRC were enrolled from two institutions. All pretherapeutic CT images from three dimensions were trained by the ResNet101, then integrated by Gaussian process regression (GPR) to develop a full-automatic DL model for MMR status prediction. The predictive performance of the DL model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and then tested in the internal and external validation cohorts. Additionally, the participants from institution 1 were sub-grouped by various clinical factors for subgroup analysis, then the predictive performance of the DL model for identifying MMR status between participants in different groups were compared. RESULTS: The full-automatic DL model was established in the training cohort to stratify the MMR status, which presented promising discriminative ability with the AUCs of 0.986 (95% CI 0.971-1.000) in the internal validation cohort and 0.915 (95% CI 0.870-0.960) in the external validation cohort. In addition, the subgroup analysis based on the thickness of CT images, clinical T and N stages, gender, the longest diameter, and the location of tumors revealed that the DL model showed similar satisfying prediction performance. CONCLUSIONS: The DL model may potentially serve as a noninvasive tool to facilitate the pre-treatment individualized prediction of MMR status in patients with CRC, which could promote the personalized clinical-making decision.

Clinical analysis of patients with primary and secondary extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma of central nervous system.

Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL) is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma that rarely arise exclusively in or metastasizes to the central nervous system (CNS). Globally, CNS involvement of NKTL heralds a serious prognosis and there is no standard treatment. 19 of 414 patients (4.59%) with ENKL followed were diagnosed with CNS involvement between 2006 and 2020. Two patients had primary CNS (PCNS) NKTL, and 17 patients had secondary CNS (SCNS) invasion. A total of 9 patients survived and 10 patients died. The median overall survival time was 55 months, and the median survival time after CNS invasion was 17 months. The 5-year cumulative survival probability was 45.7%. In conclusion, CNS risk evaluation and prophylaxis treatment can be carried out for patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma prognostic index risk group III/IV. In terms of treatment, systemic therapy based on methotrexate combined with radiotherapy and intrathecal chemotherapy can be selected.

Fused expression of Sm1-Chit42 proteins for synergistic mycoparasitic response of Trichoderma afroharzianum on Botrytis cinerea.

Sm1 and Chit42 of Trichoderma have been universally confirmed as crucial biocontrol factors against pathogen infection through induced resistance and mycoparasitism, respectively. However, not enough work has been conducted to understand the novel function of fused expression of these two proteins in Trichoderma. The results of this study demonstrated that Sm1-Chit42 protein (SCf) engineered T. afroharzianum strain OE:SCf exerted synergistic inhibition to Botrytis cinerea growth at multiple stages of mycoparasitic interaction of T. afroharzianum and B. cinerea including chemotropism sensing, hyphal coiling, hydrophobicity modulation, cell wall adhesion, virulence reduction and pathogen killing by ROS. These results highlight a novel mycoparasitic system in Trichoderma strains engineered with Sm1-Chit42 chimeric protein to combat B. cinerea growth and reproduction, which would lay a strong foundation for exploring a new engineered Trichoderma biofungicide created with chimeric proteins in the future.

Multi-centre, prospective randomized comparison of three different substrate ablation strategies for persistent atrial fibrillation.

AIMS: The optimal strategy for persistent atrial fibrillation (PerAF) is poorly defined. We conducted a multicentre, randomized, prospective trial to compare the outcomes of different ablation strategies for PerAF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 450 patients and randomly assigned them in a 1:1:1 ratio to undergo pulmonary vein isolation and subsequently undergo the following three different ablation strategies: anatomical guided ablation (ANAT group, n = 150), electrogram guided ablation (EGM group, n = 150), and extensive electro-anatomical guided ablation (EXT group, n = 150). The primary endpoint was freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) lasting longer than 30 s at 12 months after a single ablation procedure. After 12 months of follow-up, 72% (108) of patients in the EXT group were free from AF recurrence, as compared with the 64% (96) in the EGM group (P = 0.116), and 54% (81) in the ANAT group (P = 0.002). The EXT group showed less AF/atrial tachycardia recurrence than the EGM group (60% vs. 50%, P = 0.064) and the ANAT group (60% vs. 37.3%, P < 0.001). The EXT group showed the highest rate of AF termination (66.7%), followed by 56.7% in the EGM group, and 20.7% in the ANAT group. The AF termination signified less AF recurrence at 12 months compared to patients without AF termination (30.1% vs. 42.7%, P = 0.008). Safety endpoints did not differ significantly between the three groups (P = 0.924). CONCLUSIONS: Electro-anatomical guided ablation achieved the most favourable outcomes among the three ablation strategies. The AF termination is a reliable ablation endpoint.

Reconstruction of Medial Orbital Wall Using Autologous Perpendicular Plate of Ethmoid.

The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of perpendicular plate of ethmoid as material for the reconstruction of medial orbital wall. The main outcome measurement was preoperative and postoperative orbital volume. The authors performed a study including 17 patients who have isolated medial orbital wall fracture (blow-out fracture). All the patients were fixed the defect using autologous perpendicular plate of ethmoid under endonasal approach. The authors compared the preoperative and postoperative orbital volume difference (unaffected orbit, affected orbit) of all the patients, and observed the improvement of diplopia or ocular motility disorders after operation. All 17 medial orbital wall reconstruction surgeries were successful with no severe postoperative ophthalmic complications. Statistically significant differences were found between the preoperative and postoperative orbital tissue volumes for the affected orbit. There was no statistically significant difference found between the tissue volume of the contralateral unaffected orbit and the affected orbit after reconstruction. And postoperative computed tomography showed the implant is in place and there is no medial rectus incarceration. Autologous perpendicular plate of ethmoid proved to be safe and effective in the reconstruction of medial orbital wall under endonasal approach with cost-effectivence, low complication rate, high biocompatibility, and minimally invasion.

RSI-YOLO: Object Detection Method for Remote Sensing Images Based on Improved YOLO.

With the continuous development of deep learning technology, object detection has received extensive attention across various computer fields as a fundamental task of computational vision. Effective detection of objects in remote sensing images is a key challenge, owing to their small size and low resolution. In this study, a remote sensing image detection (RSI-YOLO) approach based on the YOLOv5 target detection algorithm is proposed, which has been proven to be one of the most representative and effective algorithms for this task. The channel attention and spatial attention mechanisms are used to strengthen the features fused by the neural network. The multi-scale feature fusion structure of the original network based on a PANet structure is improved to a weighted bidirectional feature pyramid structure to achieve more efficient and richer feature fusion. In addition, a small object detection layer is added, and the loss function is modified to optimise the network model. The experimental results from four remote sensing image datasets, such as DOTA and NWPU-VHR 10, indicate that RSI-YOLO outperforms the original YOLO in terms of detection performance. The proposed RSI-YOLO algorithm demonstrated superior detection performance compared to other classical object detection algorithms, thus validating the effectiveness of the improvements introduced into the YOLOv5 algorithm.

Catheter Ablation of a Right Atrial Free Wall Diverticulum-Related Accessory Pathway Masquerading as a Septal One.

Epicardial right-sided accessory pathway (AP) ablation is challenging. In rare cases, the atrial insertion of the AP is related to unconventional sites and associated with repeated and complex ablation procedures. In this study, we report a case of right free wall diverticulum-related AP with a distinct surface electrocardiogram (ECG).A 45-year-old male patient with repetitive palpitation for 2 years was referred for an electrophysiological (EP) study. His resting surface ECG showed manifest ventricular preexcitation with a negative delta wave and a "QS" wave in precordial lead V1, which is most consistent with right mid-septal AP.In the EP study, orthodromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia could be easily induced with the earliest atrial activation at the right atrium (RA) free wall, but the AP failed to be blocked by ablating the earliest activation on the tricuspid annulus edge. An epicardial free wall AP was then suspected.Inadvertent catheter manipulation into a narrow and long chamber was noted on the RA geometry. Angiography via contrast injection from the ablation tip revealed a diverticulum extending from the RA to the right ventricle side. The epicardial AP was suspected to be related to this diverticulum. The earliest atrial activation, as shown through a detailed activation mapping, was located at the entrance of the diverticulum. Subsequent ablation at the atrial insertion site successfully abolished the antegrade and retrograde AP conduction without any complication. A postprocedural computed tomography scan proved the presence of a free wall diverticulum associated with the right atrial appendage.A diverticulum-related AP at RA free wall might exhibit surface ECGs mimicking that of an AP at the RA septum. The approach targeting the atrial insertion of the epicardial AP is effective and might be facilitated by clarification of structural malformations prior to the ablation procedure.

Using nanocellulose to improve heat-induced cull cow meat myofibrillar protein gels: effects of particle morphology and content.

BACKGROUND: Enhancing protein gel properties is essential to improve the texture of meat products. In this study, the improvement effects of three types of nanocellulose, i.e. rod-like cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), long-chain cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and spherical cellulose nanospheres (CNS) with different concentrations (1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 g kg-1 ), on cull cow meat myofibrillar protein (MP) gel were investigated. RESULTS: Compared with needle-shaped CNC and spherical CNS, the addition of 10 and 20 g kg-1 long-chain CNF had the most significant improvement effect on gel hardness and water-holding capacity, respectively (P < 0.05), increasing to 160.1 g and 97.8%, respectively. In addition, the incorporation of long-chain CNF shortened the T2 relaxation time and induced the formation of the densest network structure and promoted the phase transition of the gel. However, excessive filling of nanocellulose would destroy the structure of the gel, which was not conducive to the improvement of gel properties. Fourier transform infrared results showed that there was no chemical reaction between the three nanocellulose types and MP, but the addition of nanocellulose was conducive to gel formation. CONCLUSION: The improvement of MP gel properties by adding nanocellulose mainly depends on its morphology and concentration. Nanocellulose with higher aspect ratio is more beneficial to the improvement of gel properties. For each nanocellulose type, there is an optimal addition amount for MP gel improvement. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Historical Introgression from Wild Relatives Enhanced Climatic Adaptation and Resistance to Pneumonia in Sheep.

How animals, particularly livestock, adapt to various climates and environments over short evolutionary time is of fundamental biological interest. Further, understanding the genetic mechanisms of adaptation in indigenous livestock populations is important for designing appropriate breeding programs to cope with the impacts of changing climate. Here, we conducted a comprehensive genomic analysis of diversity, interspecies introgression, and climate-mediated selective signatures in a global sample of sheep and their wild relatives. By examining 600K and 50K genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data from 3,447 samples representing 111 domestic sheep populations and 403 samples from all their seven wild relatives (argali, Asiatic mouflon, European mouflon, urial, snow sheep, bighorn, and thinhorn sheep), coupled with 88 whole-genome sequences, we detected clear signals of common introgression from wild relatives into sympatric domestic populations, thereby increasing their genomic diversities. The introgressions provided beneficial genetic variants in native populations, which were significantly associated with local climatic adaptation. We observed common introgression signals of alleles in olfactory-related genes (e.g., ADCY3 and TRPV1) and the PADI gene family including in particular PADI2, which is associated with antibacterial innate immunity. Further analyses of whole-genome sequences showed that the introgressed alleles in a specific region of PADI2 (chr2: 248,302,667-248,306,614) correlate with resistance to pneumonia. We conclude that wild introgression enhanced climatic adaptation and resistance to pneumonia in sheep. This has enabled them to adapt to varying climatic and environmental conditions after domestication.

Review of selected animal models for respiratory coronavirus infection and its application in drug research.

Numerous viral pneumonia cases have been reported in Wuhan, Hubei in December 2019. The pathogen has been identified as a novel coronavirus, which was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The biological characteristics and pathogenesis mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 are unclear and under progress. At present, no specific preventive and therapeutic drugs are available. Animal models can reproduce the viral replication cycle and the significant functions of respiratory coronavirus infection and are urgently needed to evaluate the efficacy of drugs and vaccines, the transmission route of respiratory coronavirus, clinical features, and so on. We reviewed the current animal models of respiratory coronavirus (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2) infection and made a comparative analysis of the route of inoculation, virus replication, clinical signs, histopathology, application, advantages, and disadvantages. Animal models of respiratory coronavirus include susceptible animal models, genetically modified models, and various animal models of infected virus adaptation strains, such as nonhuman primates, mice, hamsters, ferrets, New Zealand rabbits, cats, and other animal models, all of which have distinct advantages and limitations. This review will provide relevant information and important insights for disease management and control.