Molecular evolutionary characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the relatedness of epidemiological and socio-environmental factors.

After the first outbreak, SARS-CoV-2 infection continues to occur due to the emergence of new variants. There is limited information available on the comparative evaluation of evolutionary characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 among different countries over time, and its relatedness to epidemiological and socio-environmental factors within those countries. We assessed comparative Bayesian evolutionary characteristics for SARS-CoV-2 in eight countries from 2020 to 2022 using BEAST version 2.6.7. Additionally, the relatedness between virus evolution factors and both epidemiological and socio-environmental factors was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The estimated substitution rates in the gene encoding S protein of SARS-CoV-2 exhibited a continuous increase from 2020 to 2022 and were divided into two distinct groups in 2022 (p value < 0.05). Effective population size (Ne) generally showed decreased patterns by time. Notably, the change rates of the substitution rates were negatively correlated with the cumulative vaccination rates in 2021. A strict and rapid vaccination policy in the United Arab Emirates dramatically reduced the evolution of the virus, compared to other countries. Also, the average yearly temperature in countries were negatively correlated with the substitution rates. The changes of six epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 were related to various socio-environmental factors. We figured out comparative virus evolutionary traits and the association of epidemiological and socio-environmental factors especially cumulative vaccination rates and average temperature.

Clostridium ventriculi in a cynomolgus monkey with acute gastric dilatation and rupture: A case report.

Acute gastric dilatation (AGD) is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening diseases in nonhuman primates worldwide. However, the etiology of this syndrome has not been determined. Recently, sudden death occurred in a 7-year-old female cynomolgus monkey with a history of fecal microbiota transplantation using diarrheic stools. The monkey had undergone surgery previously. On necropsy, gastric dilatation and rupture demonstrated a tetrad arrangement on histopathologic examination. On 16S rRNA sequencing, a high population of Clostridium ventriculi was identified in the duodenum adjacent to stomach but not in the colon. This paper is the first report of Clostridium ventriculi infection in a cynomolgus macaque with acute gastric dilatation and rupture.

Histopathological pulmonary lesions in rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques experimentally infected with wild-type severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a viral pneumonia characterized by acute interstitial pneumonia and diffuse alveolar damage in humans. Non-human primates (NHPs) are widely used as preclinical animal models for vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2. However, the pathological changes in NHPs have been described only in selected facets and inconsistent nomenclature is used, making it difficult to interpret and compare the outcomes between studies. Here, we present a standardized methodology for histopathological evaluation of experimental infection outcomes in rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) macaques. Evaluation criteria for vascular and epithelial changes in the early (3 days post infection [dpi]) and late (21 dpi) phases of the infection were developed, and a four-grade classification encompassing all the histopathological lung lesions was established. The grades of histopathological lung lesions were higher at 3 dpi compared with 21 dpi in both species of macaques, and there were no statistically significant differences in the grades between the two species at 3 dpi and 21 dpi. This study contextualized the pathological SARS-CoV-2 presentation and standardized the terminology and grading scale for lesion severity to facilitate histopathological examination in the macaque model. By referring to the standardized histopathological criteria and grades proposed here, comparable results with high reproducibility can be obtained in future studies of pathogenicity.

Fe2O3/Ni Nanocomposite Electrocatalyst on Cellulose for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction and Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

A key challenge in the development of sustainable water-splitting (WS) systems is the formulation of electrodes by efficient combinations of electrocatalyst and binder materials. Cellulose, a biopolymer, can be considered an excellent dispersing agent and binder that can replace high-cost synthetic polymers to construct low-cost electrodes. Herein, a novel electrocatalyst was fabricated by combining Fe2O3 and Ni on microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) without the use of any additional binder. Structural characterization techniques confirmed the formation of the Fe2O3-Ni nanocomposite. Microstructural studies confirmed the homogeneity of the ~50 nm-sized Fe2O3-Ni on MCC. The WS performance, which involves the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), was evaluated using a 1 M KOH electrolyte solution. The Fe2O3-Ni nanocomposite on MCC displayed an efficient performance toward lowering the overpotential in both the HER (163 mV @ 10 mA cm-2) and OER (360 mV @ 10 mA cm-2). These results demonstrate that MCC facilitated the cohesive binding of electrocatalyst materials and attachment to the substrate surface. In the future, modified cellulose-based structures (such as functionalized gels and those dissolved in various media) can be used as efficient binder materials and alternative options for preparing electrodes for WS applications.

Cross-protection of a porcine circovirus types 2a/b (PCV-2a/b) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae trivalent vaccine against a dual PCV-2e and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae challenge.

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine the cross-protection of a new trivalent vaccine containing porcine circovirus types 2a/b (PCV-2a/b) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Pigs were vaccinated intramuscularly at 21 days of age, then challenged at 42 days of age with a dual PCV-2e and M. hyopneumoniae challenge. Growth performance was significantly improved during the experimental period (21 to 63 days of age) in vaccinated-challenged pigs compared to unvaccinated-challenged pigs. Pigs that were vaccinated and challenged elicited a significant amount of PCV-2e- and M. hyopneumoniae-specific interferon-γ secreting cells (IFN-γ-SC) and reduced the levels of PCV-2e viremia and laryngeal shedding. The results of the present study demonstrated that a trivalent vaccine provided cross-protection against a dual PCV-2e and M. hyopneumoniae challenge.

Le but de cette étude expérimentale était de déterminer la protection croisée d'un nouveau vaccin trivalent contenant le circovirus porcin de types 2a/b (PCV-2a/b) et Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Les porcs ont été vaccinés par voie intramusculaire à l'âge de 21 jours, puis provoqués à l'âge de 42 jours avec double provocation par PCV-2e et M. hyopneumoniae. Les performances de croissance ont été significativement améliorées au cours de la période expérimentale (21 à 63 jours) chez les porcs vaccinés-provoqués par rapport aux porcs non-vaccinés-provoqués. Les porcs qui ont été vaccinés et provoqués ont produit une quantité importante de cellules sécrétant de l'interféron-γ spécifiques au PCV-2e et à M. hyopneumoniae (IFN-γ-SC) et ont réduit les niveaux de virémie du PCV-2e et d'excrétion laryngée. Les résultats de la présente étude ont démontré qu'un vaccin trivalent offrait une protection croisée contre une double provocation par le PCV-2e et M. hyopneumoniae.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Field evaluation of novel plant-derived porcine circovirus type 2 vaccine related to subclinical infection.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this field trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a new plant-based porcine circovirus type 2a (PCV2a) vaccine. This vaccine was a recombinant capsid subunit PCV2a vaccine based on the Nicotiana benthamiana expression system. METHODS: Three farms were selected for the study based on their history of subclinical PCV2 infection. A total of 40 18-day-old pigs were randomly allocated to either vaccinated or unvaccinated groups (20 pigs per group; 10 = male and 10 = female). Pigs received a 2.0-mL dose of the plant-based PCV2a vaccine intramuscularly at 21 days of age in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, whereas unvaccinated pigs were administered a single dose of phosphate buffered-saline at the same age. RESULTS: Vaccination had a positive effect on pig growth performance compared to that of unvaccinated pigs on all three of the farms. Vaccination of pigs with a plant-based PCV2a vaccine induced high levels of neutralizing antibodies titres against PCV2d and PCV2d-specific interferon-γ secreting cells which resulted in the reduction of PCV2d viral load and reduced lymphoid lesions severity. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this field trial demonstrated cross-protection of PCV2d by a plant-based PCV2a vaccine and a positive effect of pig growth performance with vaccination.

Efficacy of a novel bivalent vaccine containing porcine circovirus type 2d and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae against a dual PCV2d and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae challenge.

Background: Information on efficacy of a novel bivalent vaccine containing porcine circovirus type 2d (PCV2d) and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Objective: To evaluate bivalent vaccine for efficacy under experimental conditions. Animals: Clinically healthy 35 weaned piglets at 18 days of age were used. Methods: A 2.0 mL dose of bivalent vaccine was administered intramuscularly to pigs at 21 days of age in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. The pigs were challenged at 42 days of age either intranasally with PCV2d, or intratracheally with M. hyopneumoniae, or with both. Results: Vaccinated-challenged pigs improved the growth performance compared to pigs that were unvaccinated and then, challenged. Vaccinated-challenged pigs elicited a significant amount of protective immunity for PCV2d-specific neutralizing antibodies and interferon-γ secreting cells (IFN-γ-SC) as well as for M. hyopneumoniae-specific IFN-γ-SC compared to unvaccinated/challenged pigs. Induction of systemic cellular and humoral immune responses from bivalent vaccination reduced the viral and mycoplasmal loads in the blood and larynx. Vaccination and challenge simultaneously reduced both lung and lymphoid lesion severity when compared to unvaccinated-challenged pigs. Discussion: The results of this study demonstrated that the evaluated bivalent PCV2d and M. hyopneumoniae vaccine was efficacious in protecting pigs from the most predominant PCV2d genotype in the field today, as evaluated with a dual PCV2d and M. hyopneumoniae challenge under experimental conditions.

Spatial transcriptome atlas reveals pulmonary microstructure-specific COVID-19 gene signatures in cynomolgus macaques.

Characterizing the host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the molecular level is necessary to understand viral pathogenesis and identify clinically relevant biomarkers. However, in humans, the pulmonary host response during disease onset remains poorly understood. Herein, we utilized a spatial transcriptome atlas to identify pulmonary microstructure-specific COVID-19 gene signatures during the acute phase of lung infection in cynomolgus macaques. The innate immune response to virus-induced cell death was primarily active in the alveolar regions involving activated macrophage infiltration. Inflamed vascular regions exhibited prominent upregulation of interferon and complement pathway genes that mediate antiviral activity and tissue damage response. Furthermore, known biomarker genes were significantly expressed in specific microstructures, and some of them were universally expressed across all microstructures. These findings underscore the importance of identifying key drivers of disease progression and clinically applicable biomarkers by focusing on pulmonary microstructures appearing during SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Comparative spatial transcriptomic profiling of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta and Omicron variants infections in the lungs of cynomolgus macaques.

Recently emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variants are generally less pathogenic than previous strains. However, elucidating the molecular basis for pulmonary immune response alterations is challenging owing to the virus's heterogeneous distribution within complex tissue structure. Here, we revealed the spatial transcriptomic profiles of pulmonary microstructures at the SARS-CoV-2 infection site in the nine cynomolgus macaques upon inoculation with the Delta and Omicron variants. Delta- and Omicron-infected lungs had upregulation of genes involved in inflammation, cytokine response, complement, cell damage, proliferation, and differentiation pathways. Depending on the tissue microstructures (alveoli, bronchioles, and blood vessels), there were differences in the types of significantly upregulated genes in each pathway. Notably, a limited number of genes involved in cytokine and cell damage response were differentially expressed between bronchioles of the Delta- and Omicron-infection groups. These results indicated that despite a significant antigenic shift in SARS-CoV-2, the host immune response mechanisms induced by the variants were relatively consistent, with limited transcriptional alterations observed only in large airways. This study may aid in understanding the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and developing a clinical strategy for addressing immune dysregulation by identifying potential transcriptional biomarkers within pulmonary microstructures during infection with emerging variants.

Virulence comparison of 4 porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) genotypes: 2a, 2b, 2d, and 2e with a single infection and co-infection with PCV-2 and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).

The objective of this study was to compare the virulence of 4 porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2) genotypes (2a, 2b, 2d, and 2e) in pigs singly infected with 1 of these 4 PCV-2 genotypes and pigs dually infected with a combination of 1 of the 4 PCV-2 genotypes and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Virulence was determined based on levels of PCV-2 loads in the blood and lymph nodes and the severity of lymphoid lesion. Within the singly infected groups, PCV-2a, PCV-2b, and PCV-2d resulted in a similar virulence to each other and all were more virulent than the PCV-2e groups. Within the dually infected groups, the combination of PCV-2d and PRRSV was more virulent than the other 3 PCV-2 genotypes (2a, 2b, and 2e), each in combination with PRRSV. Both PCV-2a+PRRSV and PCV-2b+PRRSV were more virulent than PCV-2e+PRRSV in dually infected pigs. This increased virulence of PCV-2d compared to the other 3 PCV-2 genotypes (2a, 2b, and 2e) may be attributed to an extra amino acid (lysine residue) found within open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of PCV-2d. In contrast, extra amino acids in ORF2 may decrease the virulence of PCV-2e when compared to the other 3 PCV-2 genotypes (2a, 2b, and 2d). The results of this study demonstrated that PCV-2d was the most virulent PCV-2 genotype in pigs co-infected with PRRSV. The results also suggest that genetic differences in the ORF2 of PCV-2 may affect the virulence of PCV-2 genotypes.

L'objectif de cette étude était de comparer la virulence de quatre génotypes de circovirus porcin de type 2 (PCV-2) (2a, 2b, 2d et 2e) chez des porcs infectés individuellement par un de ces quatre génotypes de PCV-2 et des porcs doublement infectés par une combinaison d'un des quatre génotypes PCV-2 et du virus du syndrome reproducteur et respiratoire porcin (PRRSV). La virulence a été déterminée en fonction des niveaux de charges de PCV-2 dans le sang et les ganglions lymphatiques et de la gravité des lésions lymphoïdes. Au sein des groupes infectés individuellement, PCV-2a, PCV-2b et PCV-2d ont entraîné une virulence similaire les uns aux autres et tous étaient plus virulents que les groupes PCV-2e. Au sein des groupes doublement infectés, la combinaison du PCV-2d et du PRRSV était plus virulente que les trois autres génotypes du PCV-2 (2a, 2b et 2e), chacun en combinaison avec le PRRSV. Le PCV-2a+PRRSV et le PCV-2b+PRRSV étaient plus virulents que le PCV-2e+PRRSV chez les porcs doublement infectés. Cette virulence accrue du PCV-2d par rapport aux trois autres génotypes du PCV-2 (2a, 2b et 2e) peut être attribuée à un acide aminé supplémentaire (résidu lysine) trouvé dans le cadre de lecture ouvert 2 (ORF2) de PCV-2d. En revanche, des acides aminés supplémentaires dans ORF2 peuvent diminuer la virulence du PCV-2e par rapport aux trois autres génotypes PCV-2 (2a, 2b et 2d). Les résultats de cette étude ont démontré que le PCV-2d était le génotype PCV-2 le plus virulent chez les porcs co-infectés par le PRRSV. Les résultats suggèrent également que des différences génétiques dans l'ORF2 du PCV-2 peuvent affecter la virulence des génotypes du PCV-2.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

One-Pot Hydrothermal Preparation of Hydroxyapatite/Zinc Oxide Nanorod Nanocomposites and Their Cytotoxicity Evaluation against MG-63 Osteoblast-like Cells.

In the present study, HAp-ZnO nanorod nanocomposites were successfully prepared using a customized hydrothermal reactor and studied for their compatibility against MG-63 osteoblast-like cells. The crystallinity, morphology, presence of chemical elements, and surface area properties were studied by XRD (X-ray diffraction), FE-SEM (field emission scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), EDS (energy dispersive spectrum) and N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm techniques, respectively. Further, the mechanical strength and thermal analysis were carried out using the nanoindentation method and thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimeter (TG/DSC) methods, respectively. Moreover, in vitro biocompatibility studies for the prepared samples were carried out against human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63). The crystalline nature of the samples without any impurity phases was notified from XRD results. The formation of composites with the morphology of nanorods and the presence of desired elements in the intended ratio were verified using FE-SEM and EDS spectra, respectively. The TG/DSC results revealed the improved thermal stability of the HAp matrix, promoted by the reinforcement of the ZnO nanorods. The nanoindentation study ensured a significant enhancement in the mechanical stability of the prepared composite material. Finally, it demonstrated that the HAp matrix's mechanical strength and thermal stability were improved by the reinforcement of ZnO, and the cytotoxicity evaluation affirmed the biocompatible nature of the biomimetic hydroxyapatite in the composite.

Comparison of pathogenicity of 4 porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) genotypes (2a, 2b, 2d, and 2e) in experimentally infected pigs.

The objective of the current study was to compare the virulence of four porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) genotypes (PCV2a, 2b, 2d, and 2e) in pigs. Pigs were inoculated at 42 days of age with one of four PCV2 genotypes, then necropsied at 63 days of age. PCV2 genotype groups were evaluated through a comparison of clinical outcomes, antibody titers, level of PCV2 loads in blood and lymph nodes, and lymphoid lesion severity. Statistical differences did not occur between the evaluated genotype groups. Pigs inoculated with PCV2a, PCV2b, or PCV2d had a significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of PCV2 loads in blood and lymph node compared to pigs inoculated with PCV2e. The results of this study indicated that the PCV2a, PCV2b, and PCV2d are more virulent than PCV2e based on blood and lymphoid viral load of PCV2.

Recent Developments on Bioinspired Cellulose Containing Polymer Nanocomposite Cation and Anion Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells (PEMFC and AFC).

Hydrogen fuel cell (FC) technologies are being worked on as a possible replacement for fossil fuels because they produce a lot of energy and do not pollute the air. In FC, ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) are the vital components for ion transport between two porous electrodes. However, the high production cost of commercialized membranes limits their benefits. Various research has focused on cellulose-based membranes such as IEM with high proton conductivity, and mechanical, chemical, and thermal stabilities to replace the high cost of synthetic polymer materials. In this review, we focus on and explain the recent progress (from 2018 to 2022) of cellulose-containing hybrid membranes as cation exchange membranes (CEM) and anion exchange membranes (AEM) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and alkaline fuel cells (AFC). In this account, we focused primarily on the effect of cellulose materials in various membranes on the functional properties of various polymer membranes. The development of hybrid membranes with cellulose for PEMFC and AFC has been classified based on the combination of other polymers and materials. For PEMFC, the sections are associated with cellulose with Nafion, polyaryletherketone, various polymeric materials, ionic liquid, inorganic fillers, and natural materials. Moreover, the cellulose-containing AEM for AFC has been summarized in detail. Furthermore, this review explains the significance of cellulose and cellulose derivative-modified membranes during fuel cell performance. Notably, this review shows the vital information needed to improve the ion exchange membrane in PEMFC and AFC technologies.

Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Larvicidal and Anticancer Activities of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Extracts from Fruits of Lagerstroemia speciose and Flowers of Couroupita guianensis.

The present study aimed to analyze the in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, larvicidal and cytotoxicity properties of green synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) using aqueous extracts from fruits of Lagerstroemia speciosa and flowers of Couropita guinensis. Synthesized Ag NPs were characterized using UV-DRS, FTIR, XRD, DLS, and High-Resolution SEM and TEM analyses. Absorption wavelength was observed at 386 nm by UV-DRS analysis and energy band gap was calculated as 3.24 eV. FTIR analysis showed the existence of various functional groups in the aqueous extract and in the NPs. DLS analysis showed the stability and particle size of the synthesized Ag NPs. SEM analysis revealed that Ag NPs are in a face centered cubic symmetry and spherical shape with a size of 23.9 nm. TEM analysis showed particle size as 29.90 nm. Ag NPs showed antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. DPPH scavenging trait of Ag NPs was ranging from 20.0 ± 0.2% to 62.4 ± 0.3% and observed significant larvicidal activity (LC50 at 0.742 ppm and LC90 at 6.061 ppm) against Culex quinquefasciatus. In vitro cytotoxicity activity of Ag NPs was also tested against human breast cancer (MCF-7) and fibroblast cells (L-929) and found that cells viabilities are ranging (500 to 25 µg/mL) from 52.5 ± 0.4 to 94.0 ± 0.7% and 53.6 ± 0.5 to 90.1 ± 0.8%, respectively. The synthesized Ag NPs have the potential to be used in the various biomedical applications.

Structural Activity and HAD Inhibition Efficiency of Pelargonidin and Its Glucoside-A Theoretical Approach.

Anthocyanins are an important pharmaceutical ingredient possessing diet regulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Pelargonidin is an important anthocyanin-based orange-red flavonoid compound used in drugs for treating hypoglycemia, retinopathy, skeletal myopathy, etc. The main sources of pelargonidin are strawberries and food products with red pigmentation. There is a lack of evidence for supporting its use as an independent supplement. In the present study, pelargonidin and pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside are studied for their structural properties using quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory. The results confirmed that the parent compound and its glycosylated derivative acted as good electron donors. Electrostatic potential, frontier molecular orbitals, and molecular descriptor analyses also substantiated their electron donating properties. Furthermore, based on the probability, a target prediction was performed for pelargonidin and pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside. Hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase was chosen as an enzymatic target of interest, since the presence work focuses on glucuronidated compounds and their efficacy over diabetes. Possible interactions between these compounds and a target with nominable binding energies were also evaluated. Further, the structural stability of these two compounds were also analyzed using a molecular dynamics simulation.

An evaluation of intradermal all-in-one vaccine based on an inactivated recombinant Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae strain expressing porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) capsid protein against Korean stains of PCV2d and M. hyopneumoniae challenge.

This study evaluates the efficacy of intradermal all-in-one vaccine (MHYOSPHERE® PCV ID, Laboratorios Hipra S.A. Amer, Spain) based on the strain Nexhyon, an inactivated recombinant M. hyopneumoniae strain with an embedded/integrated PCV2a capsid protein thereof, as the single active substance. Pigs were administered the vaccine intradermally at 21 days of age with 0.2 mL, then challenged at 49 days of age with either M. hyopneumoniae (intratracheal route), PCV2d (intranasal route), or both. Upon dual challenge, growth performance was improved when the intradermal all in one vaccine was administered compared to the unvaccinated group. In pigs receiving single or dual challenge, vaccination increased neutralizing antibodies against PCV2d and specific interferon-γ secreting cells for each pathogen. In contrast, viral load of PCV2d in the blood, M. hyopneumoniae load in the larynx, and the severity of pulmonary and lymphoid lesions were decreased. Vaccination provided good protection against challenge with M. hyopneumoniae and PCV2d.

Virulence Comparison of Four Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) Genotypes (2a, 2b, 2d and 2e) in Pigs Single-Infected with PCV2 and Pigs Dual-Infected with PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.

The objective of this study was to compare the virulence of four porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) genotypes (2a, 2b, 2d and 2e). Pigs were infected with one of these four genotypes. Pigs were also dually infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and one of the four PCV2 genotypes. Virulence was determined based on the amount of PCV2 loads in the blood and lymph nodes and the severity of lymphoid lesions. Marked differences in virulence were found among the four genotypes. Within the single infection model, PCV2a, PCV2b and PCV2d were more virulent than PCV2e, while significant differences in virulence were not found among the PCV2a, PCV2b and PCV2d groups. Within the dual infection model, PCV2d was more virulent than the other three PCV2 genotypes. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae potentiated the severity of PCV2-associated lymphoid lesions and increased the amount of PCV2 loads in the blood and lymph nodes, regardless of the PCV2 genotype. By contrast, PCV2 was not able to potentiate the severity of mycoplasmal-induced lung lesions or the level of M. hyopneumoniae laryngeal load. The results of this study demonstrate that PCV2d is of major clinical importance, while PCV2e is of minor clinical importance.

Role of Paper-Based Sensors in Fight against Cancer for the Developing World.

Cancer is one of the major killers across the globe. According to the WHO, more than 10 million people succumbed to cancer in the year 2020 alone. The early detection of cancer is key to reducing the mortality rate. In low- and medium-income countries, the screening facilities are limited due to a scarcity of resources and equipment. Paper-based microfluidics provide a platform for a low-cost, biodegradable micro-total analysis system (µTAS) that can be used for the detection of critical biomarkers for cancer screening. This work aims to review and provide a perspective on various available paper-based methods for cancer screening. The work includes an overview of paper-based sensors, the analytes that can be detected and the detection, and readout methods used.

The study of antigen carrying and lesions observed in pigs that survived post African swine fever virus infection.

African swine fever (ASF) is a dangerous infectious disease of domestic pigs and wild boar caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). In Vietnam, the ASF epidemic is gradually turning into an endemic status with several recovered pigs post infection, but there were not many studies evaluating the role of these pigs in the epidemiological context in Vietnam. The aim of this study was to evaluate the viral antigen distribution and lesions in recovered pigs post ASFV infection. Ten pigs recovered from ASF at 6 weeks of age were monitored and assessed for anti-ASFV antibodies and viremia until slaughter. The five major organs (lung, liver, spleen, kidney, and lymph nodes) of these pigs were evaluated for microscopic lesions and viral antigen distribution. Anti-ASFV antibody was consistently observed to be high (S/P% ≥ 80) until slaughter, while viremia levels were very high (7 log10 copies/mL) at 6 weeks of age and gradually decreased to undetectable levels at 12 weeks of age (6th week post-infection). At slaughter, the ASFV-associated lesions in the organs of these pigs were mild and nonspecific. Seven out of ten pigs recovering from ASF still carried the virus in surveyed organ tissues, although not in the serum. These findings suggest that ASF-recovered pigs may be potential carriers of the virus, contributing to the increased complexity in the current endemic status in Vietnam.

Pathogenicity of Porcine Circovirus Type 2e in Experimentally Infected Pigs.

A new porcine circovirus type 2e (PCV2e) genotype was recently isolated from diseased pigs. To investigate the pathogenicity of PCV2e, groups of conventional pigs were inoculated in one of three ways: with PCV2e only, with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and PCV2e, or with PCV2e and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Pigs were examined post mortem at 21 days post inoculation. Pigs in the M. hyopeumoniae/PCV2e group were inoculated intratracheally with M. hyopneumoniae at 4 weeks of age followed by an intranasal inoculation with PCV2e at 6 weeks of age. Pigs in the PCV2e/PRRSV group were inoculated intranasally with PCV2e and PRRSV at 6 weeks of age. Significant differences in PCV2e loads in blood or lymph nodes, or in the severity of lymphoid lesions, were not detected between the M. hyopneumoniae/PCV2e and PCV2e/PRRSV groups. All pigs co-infected with either M. hyopneumoniae/PCV2e or PCV2e/PRRSV developed mild porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD), whereas none of the pigs infected with PCV2e alone developed PCVAD. Production of PCVAD in pigs therefore appears to require PCV2e infection simultaneously with an additional infectious agent such as M. hyopneumoniae or PRRSV for full disease expression in pigs. These results demonstrate that PCV2e is not associated with significant clinical disease as assessed by levels of PCV2e viraemia and severity of lymphoid lesions.