Chromosome-level genome assembly of Huai pig (Sus scrofa).

Although advances in long-read sequencing technology and genome assembly techniques have facilitated the study of genomes, little is known about the genomes of unique Chinese indigenous breeds, including the Huai pig. Huai pig is an ancient domestic pig breed and is well-documented for its redder meat color and high forage tolerance compared to European domestic pigs. In the present study, we sequenced and assembled the Huai pig genome using PacBio, Hi-C, and Illumina sequencing technologies. The final highly contiguous chromosome-level Huai pig genome spans 2.53 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 138.92 Mb. The Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) completeness score for the assembled genome was 95.33%. Remarkably, 23,389 protein-coding genes were annotated in the Huai-pig genome, along with 45.87% repetitive sequences. Overall, this study provided new foundational resources for future genetic research on Chinese domestic pigs.

Network pharmacology and experimental validation reveals the potential therapeutic effects of Polygonum cuspidatum against odontogenic keratocyst.

This study aimed to explore active ingredients in Polygonum cuspidatum with potential effects on odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) using network pharmacological approach and bioinformatic gene analysis. The active ingredients and targets of P. cuspidatum were selected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) database, and the ingredient-target network was constructed using Cytoscape software. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of OKC were selected and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis were performed through bioinformatic analysis using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE38494. The STRING database platform was used to draw protein-protein interaction network diagram, then the hub gene analysis was performed by Cytoscape software. AutoDock Vina software was used to perform molecular docking verification of the effects of the active ingredients on potential core targets. Finally, we use OKC nude animal model to testify the potential effects of P. cuspidatum. Ten active ingredients of P. cuspidatum were obtained. A total of 205 drug targets and 38 potential core targets of P. cuspidatum were confirmed in OKCs. The hub genes included PPARG, SPP1, COL3A1, MMP2, HMOX1, CCL2, CXCL10, VCAM1, RUNX2 and IRF1. Molecular docking showed that the key active ingredients including luteolin and quercetin which exhibited good docking activity with key target proteins (VCAM1, HMOX1 and MMP2). GO enrichment revealed that the pathways of P. cuspidatum acting on OKCs included the response to toxic substance, response to nutrient levels and response to xenobiotic stimulus. P. cuspidatum treatment in OKC could significantly down-regulate COL3A1 and MMP2 expressions in vivo and vitro. Our study indicated that P. cuspidatum is a potential therapeutic candidate for OKCs.

Cellular and molecular biology of posttranslational modifications in cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has now become the leading cause of death worldwide, and its high morbidity and mortality rates pose a great threat to society. Although numerous studies have reported the pathophysiology of CVD, the exact pathogenesis of all types of CVD is not fully understood. Therefore, much more research is still needed to explore the pathogenesis of CVD. With the development of proteomics, many studies have successfully identified the role of posttranslational modifications in the pathogenesis of CVD, including key processes such as apoptosis, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress. In this review, we summarize the progress in the understanding of posttranslational modifications in cardiovascular diseases, including novel protein posttranslational modifications such as succinylation and nitrosylation. Furthermore, we summarize the currently identified histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors used to treat CVD, providing new perspectives on CVD treatment modalities. We critically analyze the roles of posttranslational modifications in the pathogenesis of CVD-related diseases and explore future research directions related to posttranslational modifications in cardiovascular diseases.

Preliminary outcomes of endovascular treatment of moyamoya disease.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of endovascular revascularisation of intracranial artery occlusion and stenosis in moyamoya disease using stent angioplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 12 patients (8 women and 4 men) with occlusion and stenosis of intracranial arteries in the context of moyamoya disease who underwent endovascular stent angioplasty. Clinical data, baseline conditions, lesion location, treatment outcomes, periprocedural complications, and follow-up outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: The occlusion was located at the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery in 8 patients, at both the M1 and A2 segments in one patient, and at the C7 segment of the internal carotid artery in 3. Thirteen stents were deployed at the occlusion site, including the low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) device in 8 patients, an LVIS device and a Solitaire AB stent in one, and a Leo stent in 3, with a success rate of 100% and no intraprocedural complications. Plain CT imaging after stenting revealed leakage of contrast agent, which disappeared on the second day, resulting in no clinical symptoms or neurological sequelae. Follow-up angiography studies were performed in all patients for 6-12 months (mean, 8.8). Slight asymptomatic in-stent stenosis was observed in 2 patients (16.7%), and no neurological deficits were observed in the other patients. All preoperative ischaemic symptoms completely disappeared at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Stent angioplasty is a safe and effective treatment for occlusion and stenosis of intracranial arteries in moyamoya disease.

Calmodulin-like 5 promotes PEDV replication by regulating late-endosome synthesis and innate immune response.

The infection caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is associated with high mortality in piglets worldwide. Host factors involved in the efficient replication of PEDV, however, remain largely unknown. Our recent proteomic study in the virus-host interaction network revealed a significant increase in the accumulation of CALML5 (EF-hand protein calmodulin-like 5) following PEDV infection. A further study unveiled a biphasic increase of CALML5 in 2 and 12 â€‹h after viral infection. Similar trends were observed in the intestines of piglets in the early and late stages of the PEDV challenge. Moreover, CALML5 depletion reduced PEDV mRNA and protein levels, leading to a one-order-of-magnitude decrease in virus titer. At the early stage of PEDV infection, CALML5 affected the endosomal trafficking pathway by regulating the expression of endosomal sorting complex related cellular proteins. CALML5 depletion also suppressed IFN-ß and IL-6 production in the PEDV-infected cells, thereby indicating its involvement in negatively regulating the innate immune response. Our study reveals the biological function of CALML5 in the virology field and offers new insights into the PEDV-host cell interaction.

Genomic evidence for human-mediated introgressive hybridization and selection in the developed breed.

BACKGROUND: The pig (Sus Scrofa) is one of the oldest domesticated livestock species that has undergone extensive improvement through modern breeding. European breeds have advantages in lean meat development and highly-productive body type, whereas Asian breeds possess extraordinary fat deposition and reproductive performance. Consequently, Eurasian breeds have been extensively used to develop modern commercial breeds for fast-growing and high prolificacy. However, limited by the sequencing technology, the genome architecture of some nascent developed breeds and the human-mediated impact on their genomes are still unknown. RESULTS: Through whole-genome analysis of 178 individuals from an Asian locally developed pig breed, Beijing Black pig, and its two ancestors from two different continents, we found the pervasive inconsistent gene trees and species trees across the genome of Beijing Black pig, which suggests its introgressive hybrid origin. Interestingly, we discovered that this developed breed has more genetic relationships with European pigs and an unexpected introgression from Asian pigs to this breed, which indicated that human-mediated introgression could form the porcine genome architecture in a completely different type compared to native introgression. We identified 554 genomic regions occupied 63.30 Mb with signals of introgression from the Asian ancestry to Beijing Black pig, and the genes in these regions enriched in pathways associated with meat quality, fertility, and disease-resistant. Additionally, a proportion of 7.77% of genomic regions were recognized as regions that have been under selection. Moreover, combined with the results of a genome-wide association study for meat quality traits in the 1537 Beijing Black pig population, two important candidate genes related to meat quality traits were identified. DNAJC6 is related to intramuscular fat content and fat deposition, and RUFY4 is related to meat pH and tenderness. CONCLUSIONS: Our research provides insight for analyzing the origins of nascent developed breeds and genome-wide selection remaining in the developed breeds mediated by humans during modern breeding.

Relationship between leaf vein traits of three dominant Quercus species and ecological factors in the Qinling Mountains, China.

We investigated the inter- and intra-species differences of leaf vein traits of three dominant Quercus species, Q. wutaishanica, Q. aliena var. acutiserrata, and Q. variabilis of Niubeiling (subtropical humid climate) and Taohuagou (warm temperate semi-humid climate), located in the eastern and western Qinling Mountains. The nine examined leaf vein traits included primary leaf vein width, secondary leaf vein width, mean fine vein width, primary vein density, fine vein density, vein areole diameter, areole density, 3D fine vein surface area, and fine vein volume. We further elucidated the influencing mechanisms and regulatory pathways of biotic and abiotic factors on leaf vein traits. The results showed that species identity had significant effects on eight out of nine leaf vein traits except 3D fine vein surface area, while habitat had significant effects on primary leaf vein width, secondary leaf vein width, vein areole diameter, fine vein density, and areole density. Altitude had significant effects on primary vein density, mean fine vein width, vein areole diameter, fine vein density and areole density. Habitat, tree species identity, and altitude had significantly interactive effects on primary leaf vein density, 3D fine vein surface area, and fine vein volume. There were significant differences in primary leaf vein width, mean fine vein width, areole density, 3D fine vein surface area, fine vein volume, primary vein density of Q. wutaishanica between the two studied habitats, but the differences were only found in secondary leaf vein width and areole density of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata and Q. variabilis. The examined leaf vein traits were influenced both by biotic and abiotic factors, with varying effect sizes. Among the biotic factors, petiole length, leaf length and width ratio had strong effect on leaf vein traits. Among the abiotic factors, climatic and soil factors had high effect size on vein traits, with the former being higher than the latter. Leaf vein traits were affected directly by biotic factors, but indirectly by abiotic factors (soil and climatic factors) via regulating biotic factors (leaf stoichiometry and leaf phenotypic traits).

Cabrol procedure and its modifications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Cabrol procedure has undergone various modifications and developments since its invention. However, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding meta-analyses assessing it. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and long-term outcomes of the Cabrol procedure and its modifications. Pooling was conducted using random effects model. Outcome events were reported as linearized occurrence rates (percentage per patient-year) with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies involving 833 patients (mean age: 50.8 years; 68.0% male) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled all-cause early mortality was 9.0% (66 patients), and the combined rate of reoperation due to bleeding was 4.9% (17 patients). During the average 4.4-year follow-up (3,727.3 patient-years), the annual occurrence rates (linearized) for complications were as follows: 3.63% (2.79-4.73) for late mortality, 0.64% (0.35-1.16) for aortic root reoperation, 0.57% (0.25-1.31) for hemorrhage events, 0.66% (0.16-2.74) for thromboembolism, 0.60% (0.29-1.26) for endocarditis, 2.32% (1.04-5.16) for major valve-related adverse events, and 0.58% (0.34-1.00) for Cabrol-related coronary graft complications. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides evidence that the outcomes of the Cabrol procedure and its modifications are acceptable in terms of mortality, reoperation, anticoagulation, and valve-related complications, especially in Cabrol-related coronary graft complications. Notably, the majority of Cabrol procedures were performed in reoperations and complex cases. Furthermore, the design and anastomosis of the Dacron interposition graft for coronary reimplantation, considering natural anatomy and physiological hemodynamics, may promise future advancements in this field.

Assembly of novel sequences for Chinese domestic pigs reveals new genes and regulatory variants providing new insights into their diversity.

There is an increasing understanding that a reference genome representing an individual cannot capture all the gene repertoire of a species. Here, we conduct a population-scale missing sequences detection of Chinese domestic pigs using whole-genome sequencing data from 534 individuals. We identify 132.41 Mb of sequences absent in the reference assembly, including eight novel genes. In particular, the breeds spread in Chinese high-altitude regions perform significantly different frequencies of new sequences in promoters than other breeds. Furthermore, we dissect the role of non-coding variants and identify a novel sequence inserted in the 3'UTR of the FMO3 gene, which may be associated with the intramuscular fat phenotype. This novel sequence could be a candidate marker for meat quality. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the missing sequences in Chinese domestic pigs and indicates that this dataset is a valuable resource for understanding the diversity and biology of pigs.

SIRT3 enhances the protective effect of Xyloketal B on seizure-induced brain injury by regulating AMPK/mTOR signaling-mediated autophagy.

Brain damage in children due to seizures is irreversible and has been a major public health concern. The herbal monomer Xyloketal B (Xyl-B) can be used as a neuroprotective drug because of its antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects but with few adverse effects. In this article, we constructed a rat developmental convulsion model and a primary hippocampal neuronal cell convulsion model, through which we studied hippocampal neuronal morphology and neuronal apoptosis using H&E staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. Moreover, we measured TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß inflammatory factor levels using ELISA, MDA, and SOD kits. The expression of SIRT3 in hippocampal tissues was determined by qPCR and Western blotting. The expression of autophagy-related proteins such as LC3, p62, and Beclin-1 was evaluated by Western blotting or immunohistochemistry. The role of SIRT3 and autophagic activity with Xyl-B in convulsive seizure-induced brain injury was investigated by knocking down SIRT3 expression levels. Our results showed that Xyl-B plays a neuroprotective role in convulsive seizure-induced brain injury by increasing SIRT3 expression and activating the autophagy pathway. The regulatory role of SIRT3 in the autophagy pathway with Xyl-B treatment was explored by knocking down SIRT3 expression and inhibiting autophagy. Our results revealed that SIRT3 enhances the protective effect of Xyl-B against postconvulsive brain injury by regulating AMPK/mTOR signaling-mediated autophagy.

Effect of Optimizing Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation during Infant Cardiac Surgery on the Incidence of Postoperative Delirium: A Retrospective Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of optimizing regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) on the incidence of postoperative delirium and surgical outcome in infants with congenital heart disease. METHODS: Sixty-one infants experienced desaturation in rScO2 of 10% from baseline for more than 30 seconds during surgery between January 2020 and January 2022. Among them, 32 cases (Group A) received the corresponding treatment in the process of desaturation and 29 cases (Group B) were observed without receiving any treatment. General information, cerebral oxygen saturation, the incidence of postoperative delirium, and other relevant clinical data were collected. RESULTS: The duration and severity of intraoperative rScO2 desaturation in Group A were significantly lower than those in Group B. The incidence of postoperative delirium in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B. There was no significant difference in the positive screening score for delirium between the two groups. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the aortic cross-clamp time, mechanical ventilation duration, and severity of intraoperative rScO2 desaturation were significantly correlated with the occurrence of postoperative delirium. CONCLUSION: Aggressive rScO2 desaturation treatment is associated with a lower incidence of postoperative delirium and improved surgical outcomes.

Correlation between maximum heart distance and thoracic diameter changes and diaphragmatic descent in left-sided breast cancer patients during deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH).

BACKGROUND: Cardioprotection is valued in radiotherapy for patients with left-sided breast cancer. Deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) technique can achieve cardioprotection well. However, during DIBH, the extent to which the heart enters the radiation field is affected by the movement of the thorax and diaphragm. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between the maximum distance of the heart entering the field (maximum heart distance, MHD) and thoracic diameter changes and diaphragmatic descent in left-sided breast cancer patients during DIBH. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with left-sided breast cancer were included in this retrospective study. They performed simulation in Sentinel-guided DIBH, and two sets of CT images were collected under both free breathing (FB) and DIBH, and diaphragm positions, anteroposterior thoracic diameter (ATD), transverse thoracic diameter (TTD), gating window level (GWL), and MHD were measured, and the change (Δ) of each parameter in DIBH relative to that in FB were calculated. Pearson or Spearman test were used to analyze the correlation between ΔMHD and the changes in other parameters. RESULTS: For all patients with DIBH, the average of ΔMHD was -8.3 mm, and the average of ΔATD and ΔTTD were 11.0 and 8.6 mm, and the median of both left diaphragmatic descent (LDD) and right diaphragmatic descent (RDD) were 35.0 mm, and the median of GWL was 11.1 mm. The correlation coefficients between MHD decrease (ΔMHD) and LDD, RDD, and ΔTTD were -0.430 (p = 0.000), -0.592 (p = 0.000) and 0.208 (p = 0.040), respectively, but not significantly correlated with ΔATD or GWL. CONCLUSIONS: The MHD decrease showed a moderate correlation with diaphragmatic descent In Sentinel-guided DIBH for patients with left-sided breast cancer, while there was a weak or no correlation with thoracic diameter changes or GWL. Abdominal breathing can lower diaphragm more and may be more beneficial to the heart stay away from tangential field.

Endovascular treatment of multiple intracranial aneurysms.

Multiple intracranial aneurysms are difficult to treat. In order to investigate the effect and safety of endovascular treatment for multiple intracranial aneurysms, 54 consecutive patients with 116 multiple intracranial aneurysms treated with endovascular embolization were retrospectively enrolled. Angiography was performed immediately after embolization and at each follow-up. All clinical data were analyzed. Of the 116 aneurysms, 56 (48.3%) were embolized with coiling alone, 19 (16.4%) with stent-assisted coiling, 31 (26.7%) with stenting alone, and 10 (8.6%) with flow diverters plus coiling. After embolization, 31 (27.6%) aneurysms with stenting alone had no apparent change in size, and in the remaining 84 aneurysms, complete occlusion was achieved in 50 aneurysms (59.5%), near-complete occlusion in 26 (31.0%), and incomplete occlusion in 8 (9.5%). Thrombus formation at the aneurysm neck occurred in 3 patients (5.6%), coil protrusion in 2 (3.7%), and intraprocedural rupture in 1 (1.9%), resulting in a total complication rate of 11.1%. Follow-up angiography was performed in 44 (81.5%) patients 6 to 90 months (mean 49) later. Among 50 completely occluded aneurysms, 38 (76%) aneurysms remained completely occluded, and 4 (8%) aneurysms recurred. Among 26 aneurysms with initial near-complete occlusion, 12 (46.2%) aneurysms with neck remnant had progressive thrombosis to complete occlusion, 2 (7.7%) had no change compared with immediate occlusion, and 5 (19.2%) regrew. In conclusion, endovascular embolization with intracranial stenting and coiling is safe and effective and may play an increasingly important role in the management of multiple intracranial aneurysms.

Transcriptome analysis reveals gene expression changes of pigs infected with non-lethal African swine fever virus.

African swine fever (ASF) is an important viral disease of swine caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), which threatens swine production profoundly. To better understand the gene expression changes when pig infected with ASFV, RNA sequencing was performed to characterize differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of six tissues from Kenya domestic pigs and Landrace × Yorkshire (L/Y) pigs infected with ASFV Kenya1033 in vivo. As results, a total of 209, 522, 34, 505, 634 and 138 DEGs (q-value < 0.05 and |Log2foldchange| values >2) were detected in the kidney, liver, mesenteric lymph node, peripheral blood mononuclear cell, submandibular lymph node and spleen, respectively. The expression profiles of DEGs shared in the multiple tissues illustrated variation in regulation function in the different tissues. Functional annotation analysis and interaction of proteins encoded by DEGs revealed that genes including IFIT1, IFITM1, MX1, OASL, ISG15, SAMHD1, IFINA1, S100A12 and S100A8 enriched in the immune and antivirus pathways were significantly changed when the hosts were infected with ASFV. The genes mentioned could play crucial roles in the process of the reaction to non-lethal ASF infection, which may will help to improve the ASF tolerance in the pig population through molecular breeding strategies.

Comparison of stereotactic aspiration surgery and conventional treatment for primary brainstem haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of stereotactic aspiration surgery and conventional treatment for primary brainstem haemorrhage. METHODS: The clinical data of 137 patients with primary brain stem haemorrhage (haematoma volume > 3 ml) from August 2014 to August 2022 at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University were reviewed. Sixty-five patients were treated with stereotactic haematoma aspiration, and 72 patients were treated with conventional therapy. We followed up on patient survival after 30 days and the recovery of neurological function after 90 days. The recovery of neurological function was evaluated by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 90 days after treatment. The mortality and neurological recovery rates of the two treatments were compared and analysed. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the 30-day mortality rate between the two treatment groups (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in neurological function improvement after 90 days between the two treatment groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between stereotactic aspiration and routine treatment in the prognosis of primary brainstem haemorrhage patients at 90 days after treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Stereotactic aspiration surgery for primary brain stem haemorrhage can significantly reduce mortality and improve the neurological function of some patients.

Greater hemodynamic stresses initiate aneurysms on major cerebral arterial bifurcations.

Objective: To retrospectively investigate the hemodynamic stresses in initiating aneurysm formation on major cerebral arterial bifurcations with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. Methods: The cerebral 3D angiographic data of major cerebral arterial bifurcations of the internal carotid, middle cerebral, anterior cerebral, and basilar arteries in 80 patients harboring bifurcation aneurysms and 80 control subjects with no aneurysms were retrospectively collected for the CFD analysis of hemodynamic stresses associated with aneurysm formation. Results: Bifurcation angles at major bifurcations in all patients were significantly positively (P < 0.001) correlated with the age. At the center of direct flow impingement (CDFI) on the bifurcation wall, total pressure was the highest but dropped rapidly toward the branches. Wall shear stress, dynamic pressure, strain rate, and vorticity were lowest at the CDFI but they increased quickly toward the branches. The bifurcation angle was significantly (P < 0.001) enlarged in patients with bifurcation aneurysms than those without them, for all major arterial bifurcations. Most aneurysms leaned toward the smaller arterial branch or the arterial branch that formed a smaller angle with the parent artery, where the hemodynamic stresses increased significantly (P < 0.05), compared with those on the contralateral arterial branch forming a larger angle with the parent artery. Following the aneurysm development, all the hemodynamic stresses on the aneurysm dome decreased significantly (P < 0.001) compared with those at the initiation site on the bifurcation wall after virtual aneurysm removal. With the decrease of bifurcation angles, all the hemodynamic stresses decreased. Conclusion: The formation of intracranial aneurysms on major intracranial arterial bifurcations is significantly associated with locally abnormally augmented hemodynamic stresses, which must be reduced.

Comparison of species composition and community characteristics of Quercus forests on south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain, China.

We examined species composition, community characteristics, diversity, and community similarity of five Quercus communities composed of three Quercus species (Q. variabilis, Q. aliena var. acutiserrata, Q. wutaishanica) on the altitudinal gradient on the south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain. The results showed that there was an altitudinal transition pattern from Q. variabilis pure forest to Q. variabilis-Q. aliena var. acutiserrata mixed forest, Q. aliena var. acutiserrata pure forest, Q. aliena var. acutiserrata-Q. wutaishanica mixed forest and Q. wutaishanica pure forest on the south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain. The main companion species of Quercus community on the north slope were Pinus armandii, Castanea seguinii, and Sorbus alnifolia, and were Pinus tabuliformis, C. seguinii, Carpinus cordata, and Q. spinosa on the south slope. Species richness, woody plant density, and Quercus species dominance on the north slope of Taibai Mountain were higher than those on the south slope. α diversity of tree layer in Quercus community on the south and north slopes of Taibai Mountain increased first, then decreased and then increased with altitude. α diversity of tree layer was higher in mixed forests than pure forests. α diversity of shrub layer was higher than that of tree layer and herb layer in Quercus community on south and north slopes. ß diversity fluctuated greatly along the altitudinal gradient on the south and north slopes, indicating that species composition changed greatly with altitude. Results of redundancy analysis showed that mean warmest month temperature, altitude and tree height accounted for 79.0% of the community diversity on the north slope, and that soil water content, tree height, canopy density and mean annual temperature accounted for 79.6% of the community diversity on the south slope. Overall, Quercus dominance was higher on the north slope of Taibai Mountain, and the substitution distribution pattern of Quercus species was clearer than that on the south slope. Environmental factors related to temperature and precipitation jointly affected α diversity of Quercus communities.

Pest management of postharvest potatoes: lethal, sublethal and transgenerational effects of the ectoparasitic mite Pyemotes zhonghuajia on the potato worm Phthorimaea operculella.

BACKGROUND: Potato, Solanum tuberosum, is one of the most important food crops in the world, playing a significant role in global food security. However, many potato industries and farms may suffer losses of tuber yield and quality in storage due to lepidopteran pests. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of an ectoparasitic idiobiont mite Pyemotes zhonghuajia in the biological control of the potato tuber moth (PTM) Phthorimaea operculella by determining the lethal, sublethal (nonconsumptive) and transgenerational effects of P. zhonghuajia of various population densities and exposure durations on PTM survival, development and reproduction. RESULTS: Pyemotes zhonghuajia females were capable of killing all instar stages of PTM, while resistance to mite parasitism increased with the development of PTM life stage. The mortality of mature larvae (i.e., fourth instar) and pupae increased with increasing mite density and exposure duration. P. zhonghuajia imposed significant negative sublethal impacts on PTM pupation rate, female fecundity and adult longevity but not on immature development. The sublethal stress was transgenerational, resulting in lower reproduction in the offspring generation. CONCLUSION: P. zhonghuajia induces lethal, sublethal and transgenerational effects and significantly decreases PTM survival and reproductive out, demonstrating its high efficiency in the biological control of PTM. Our study provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the nonconsumptive effects of parasitism in an ectoparasite-host system and delivers critical information for the design and implementation of augmentative releases of P. zhonghuajia in the biological control of PTM in potato storage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Warthog and Sus Scrofa Identifies Adaptive Genes Associated with African Swine Fever.

BACKGROUND: As warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) have innate immunity against African swine fever (ASF), it is critical to understand the evolutionary novelty of warthogs to explain their specific ASF resistance. METHODS: Here, we present two completed new genomes of one warthog and one Kenyan domestic pig as fundamental genomic references to elucidate the genetic mechanisms of ASF tolerance. RESULTS: Multiple genomic variations, including gene losses, independent contraction, and the expansion of specific gene families, likely molded the warthog genome to adapt to the environment. Importantly, the analysis of the presence and absence of genomic sequences revealed that the DNA sequence of the warthog genome had an absence of the gene lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) on chromosome 2 compared with the reference genome. The overexpression and siRNA of LDHB inhibited the replication of the African swine fever virus. Combined with large-scale sequencing data from 42 pigs worldwide, the contraction and expansion of tripartite motif-containing (TRIM) gene families revealed that TRIM family genes in the warthog genome are potentially responsible for its tolerance to ASF. CONCLUSION: Our results will help improve the understanding of genetic resistance to ASF in pigs.

Identification of a Favorable Prognostic Subgroup in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Characterization of ITGB4/PD-L1high with CD8/PD-1high.

Integrin ß4 (ITGB4) is a member of the integrin family, which plays a crucial role in mediating cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix. Recent studies have demonstrated that ITGB4 is involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis during the development of cancer. However, the role of ITGB4 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. A Multiplex immunohistochemistry (OPAL™, mIHC) assay was employed to stain ITGB4, ALDH1, PD-L1, cytokeratin (CK), CD8 and PD-1 in a human OSCC tissue microarray, containing 26 normal oral epithelium samples, 21 oral epithelium dysplasia samples and 76 OSCC samples. The expression pattern and clinicopathological characteristics of ITGB4 were analyzed and compared with those of PD-1, PD-L1, ALDH1 and CD8. The correlation between subgroups of tumor cells, including ITGB4+PD-L1+ and ITGB4+ALDH1+, and subgroups of T cells, including CD8+ and CD8+PD-1+, was evaluated using two-tailed Pearson's statistics. A Kaplan-Meier curve was built, and a log-rank test was performed to analyze the survival rate of different subgroups. The mIHC staining results show that ITGB4 was mostly expressed in the tumor cells, with a significant increase in the OSCC specimens compared with normal oral epithelium and oral epithelium dysplasia. The paired analysis, conducted between the OSCC tumor tissue and normal paracancer mucosa, confirmed the results. The study further revealed that ITGB4+PD-L1+ cancer cells, but not ITGB4+ALDH1+ cancer cells, were significantly associated with the infiltration of CD8+ T cells (positivity p = 0.005, positive number p = 0.03). Additionally, ITGB4+PD-L1+ tumor cells were positively correlated with CD8+PD-1+ T cells (positivity p = 0.02, positive number p = 0.03). Most intriguingly, the subgroup of ITGB4/PD-L1high with CD8/PD-1high displayed the best prognosis compared with the other considered subgroups. The results show that the expression of ITGB4 was increased in OSCC compared with normal oral mucosa. Furthermore, a specific subgroup with high levels of expression of ITGB4/PD-L1 and CD8/PD-1 was found to have a relatively better prognosis compared with the other subgroups. Ultimately, this study sheds light on the potential role of ITGB4 in OSCC and provides a basis for further investigation.