The Effects of Resveratrol and Apigenin on Jejunal Oxidative Injury in Ducks and on Immortalized Duck Intestinal Epithelial Cells Exposed to H2O2.

Oxidative stress increases the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and impairs intestinal epithelial cell renewal, which further promotes intestinal barrier dysfunction and even death. Extensive evidence supports that resveratrol and apigenin have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. Here, we investigated the ability of these two compounds to alleviate diquat-induced jejunal oxidative stress and morphological injury, using the duck as a model, as well as the effects of apigenin on oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in immortalized duck intestinal epithelial cells (IDECs). Ducks were randomly assigned to the following four groups, with five replicates: a control (CON) group, a diquat-challenged (DIQ) group, a resveratrol (500 mg/kg) + diquat (RES) group, and an apigenin (500 mg/kg) + diquat (API) group. We found that serum catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) markedly reduced in the RES and API groups as compared to the DIQ group (p < 0.05); moreover, serum S superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels increased significantly in the API group as compared to the DIQ group (p < 0.05). In jejunal mucosa, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the RES and API groups decreased more than that in the DIQ group (p < 0.05). In addition, the jejunal expression levels of the NRF2 and GCLM genes in the RES and API groups increased notably compared with those in the DIQ group (p < 0.05); meanwhile, CAT activity in the RES and API groups was markedly elevated compared with that in the CON group (p < 0.05). In IDECs, apigenin significantly restrained the H2O2-mediated increase in MDA content and decrease in CAT levels (p < 0.05). Furthermore, apigenin increased the protein expression of p-NRF2, NRF2, p-AKT, and p-P38; downregulated that of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9; and reduced the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in H2O2-treated IDECs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, resveratrol and apigenin can be used as natural feed additives to protect against jejunal oxidative stress in ducks.

Effects of Klebsiella michiganensis LDS17 on Codonopsis pilosula growth, rhizosphere soil enzyme activities, and microflora, and genome-wide analysis of plant growth-promoting genes.

Codonopsis pilosula is a perennial herbaceous liana with medicinal value. It is critical to promote Codonopsis pilosula growth through effective and sustainable methods, and the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is a promising candidate. In this study, we isolated a PGPB, Klebsiella michiganensis LDS17, that produced a highly active 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase from the Codonopsis pilosula rhizosphere. The strain exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting properties. The antagonistic activity of strain LDS17 against eight phytopathogenic fungi was investigated, and the results showed that strain LDS17 had obvious antagonistic effects on Rhizoctonia solani, Colletotrichum camelliae, Cytospora chrysosperma, and Phomopsis macrospore with growth inhibition rates of 54.22%, 49.41%, 48.89%, and 41.11%, respectively. Inoculation of strain LDS17 not only significantly increased the growth of Codonopsis pilosula seedlings but also increased the invertase and urease activities, the number of culturable bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, as well as the functional diversity of microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of the seedlings. Heavy metal (HM) resistance tests showed that LDS17 is resistant to copper, zinc, and nickel. Whole-genome analysis of strain LDS17 revealed the genes involved in IAA production, siderophore synthesis, nitrogen fixation, P solubilization, and HM resistance. We further identified a gene (koyR) encoding a plant-responsive LuxR solo in the LDS17 genome. Klebsiella michiganensis LDS17 may therefore be useful in microbial fertilizers for Codonopsis pilosula. The identification of genes related to plant growth and HM resistance provides an important foundation for future analyses of the molecular mechanisms underlying the plant growth promotion and HM resistance of LDS17. IMPORTANCE: We comprehensively evaluated the plant growth-promoting characteristics and heavy metal (HM) resistance ability of the LDS17 strain, as well as the effects of strain LDS17 inoculation on the Codonopsis pilosula seedling growth and the soil qualities in the Codonopsis pilosula rhizosphere. We conducted whole-genome analysis and identified lots of genes and gene clusters contributing to plant-beneficial functions and HM resistance, which is critical for further elucidating the plant growth-promoting mechanism of strain LDS17 and expanding its application in the development of plant growth-promoting agents used in the environment under HM stress.

Anlotinib plus docetaxel vs. docetaxel alone for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients who failed first-line treatment: A multicenter, randomized phase II trial.

OBJECTIVES: Given the modest efficacy of docetaxel in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), this study assesses the therapeutic potential and safety profile of anlotinib in combination with docetaxel compared to docetaxel monotherapy as a second-line therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this phase II study, patients with advanced NSCLC experiencing failure with first-line platinum-based regimens were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either anlotinib plus docetaxel or docetaxel alone. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), with overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety as secondary endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients were randomized. The combination of anlotinib and docetaxel significantly extended median PFS to 4.4 months compared to 1.6 months for docetaxel alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.63, P = 0.0002), and also demonstrated superior ORR (32.5 % vs. 9.3 %, P = 0.0089) and DCR (87.5 % vs. 53.5 %, P = 0.0007). Median OS was observed at 12.0 months in the combination group vs. 10.9 months in the monotherapy group (HR = 0.82, 95 % CI: 0.47-1.43, P = 0.4803). For patients previously treated with immunotherapy, the median PFS was notably longer at 7.8 vs. 1.7 months (HR = 0.22, 95 % CI: 0.09-0.51, P = 0.0290). The incidence of grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events, predominantly leukopenia (15.0 % vs. 7.0 %) and neutropenia (10.0 % vs. 5.0 %), was manageable across both groups. CONCLUSION: Anlotinib plus docetaxel offers a viable therapeutic alternative for patients with advanced NSCLC who failed first-line platinum-based treatments.

Analysis of Transcriptomic Differences in the Ovaries of High- and Low-Laying Ducks.

The egg-laying performance of Shan Ma ducks (Anas Platyrhynchos) is a crucial economic trait. Nevertheless, limited research has been conducted on the egg-laying performance of this species. We examined routine blood indicators and observed higher levels of metabolic and immune-related factors in the high-egg-production group compared with the low-egg-production group. Furthermore, we explored the ovarian transcriptome of both high- and low-egg-production groups of Shan Ma ducks using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing. A total of 1357 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 686 down-regulated and 671 up-regulated in the high-egg-production (HEP) ducks and low-egg-production (LEP) ducks. Several genes involved in the regulation of ovarian development, including neuropeptide Y (NPY), cell cycle protein-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and transcription factor 1 (E2F1), exhibited significant differential expressions at varying stages of egg production. Pathway functional analysis revealed that the DEGs were primarily associated with the steroid biosynthesis pathway, and the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway exhibited higher activity in the HEP group compared to the LEP group. This study offers valuable information about and novel insights into high egg production.

Comparative analysis of liver transcriptome reveals adaptive responses to hypoxia environmental condition in Tibetan chicken.

OBJECTIVE: Tibetan chickens, which have unique adaptations to extreme high-altitude environments, exhibit phenotypic and physiological characteristics that are distinct from those of lowland chickens. However, the mechanisms underlying hypoxic adaptation in the liver of chickens remain unknown. METHODS: RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used to assess the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in hypoxia adaptation in highland chickens (native Tibetan chicken [HT]) and lowland chickens (Langshan chicken [LS], Beijing You chicken [BJ], Qingyuan Partridge chicken [QY], and Chahua chicken [CH]). RESULTS: A total of 352 co-DEGs were specifically screened between HT and four native lowland chicken breeds. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses indicated that these co-DEGs were widely involved in lipid metabolism processes, such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. To further determine the relationship from the 352 co-DEGs, protein-protein interaction network was carried out and identified eight genes (ACSL1, CPT1A, ACOX1, PPARC1A, SCD, ACSBG2, ACACA, and FASN) as the potential regulating genes that are responsible for the altitude difference between the HT and other four lowland chicken breeds. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating hypoxia adaptation via lipid metabolism in Tibetan chickens and other highland animals.

Rare rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor case: A case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare tumors of the gastrointestinal tract accounting for less than 1% of all gut tumors. GISTs occurring in the rectum are extremely rare, and these usually present at an advanced stage compared with other sites. CASE SUMMARY: A 60-year-old male who presented with features of sensations of rectal tenesmus was referred to our department with a mass in the lower rectum that was detected during a routine checkup. Colonoscopy, transrectal ultrasound, perianal magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonic contrast were used to diagnose the rectum GIST, and then the patient underwent complete transanal resection using the ultrasonic scalpel. The patient was discharged ten days after the operation and was defined as low risk. Therefore, he had no need to receive subsequent adjuvant therapies, and he had not suffered any anal dysfunction or had any evidence of recurrence at follow up. CONCLUSION: Surgical resection with histologically negative margins is the standard curative treatment for rectal GISTs. Appropriate surgical techniques based on the location, size, and resectability of the tumor should attract great attention from clinicians.

Transcriptomic Time-Course Sequencing: Insights into the Cell Wall Macromolecule-Mediated Fruit Dehiscence during Ripening in Camellia oleifera.

Camellia oleifera (C. oleifera), one of the world's four major edible woody oil crops, has been widely planted in southern China's subtropical region for the extremely high nutritional and health benefits of its seed oil. Timing and synchronization of fruit dehiscence are critical factors influencing the oil output and quality, as well as the efficiency and cost of harvesting C. oleifera, yet they extremely lack attention. To gain an understanding of the molecular basis underlying the dehiscence of C. oleifera fruit, we sampled pericarp-replum tissues containing dehiscence zones from fruits at different developmental stages and performed time-series transcriptomic sequencing and analysis for the first time. Statistical and GO enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that drastic transcriptional changes occurred over the last short sampling interval (4 days, 18th-22nd October), which directed functional classifications link to cell wall and cell wall macromolecule activity. WGCNA further showed that factors controlling cell wall modification, including endo-1,3;1,4-beta-D-glucanase, WAT1-like protein 37, LRR receptor-like serine/threonine-protein kinase, and cellulose synthase A catalytic subunit, were identified as core members of the co-expression network of the last stage highly related modules. Furthermore, in these modules, we also noted genes that were annotated as coding for polygalacturonase and pectinesterase, two pectinases that were expected to be major players in cell separation during dehiscence. qRT-PCR further confirmed the expression profiles of these cell wall modification relating factors, which possessed a special high transcriptional abundance at the final stage. These results suggested the cell wall associated cell separation, one of the essential processes downstream of fruit dehiscence, happened in dehiscing fruit of C. oleifera during ripening. Hydrolases acting on cell wall components are good candidates for signal mediating dehiscence of C. oleifera fruit. In conclusion, our analysis provided insights into the cell wall macromolecule-mediated fruit dehiscence during ripening in C. oleifera.

Interaction between Cr(VI) and Tubificidae in sludge reduction system: effect, reduction, and redistribution of Cr(VI).

The treatment of heavy metals in sewage treatment systems has gained more attention with the increase in heavy metal hazards. Tubificidae in sludge reduction have been widely studied; however, little is known about the effect of Tubificidae in the treatment of Cr-containing wastewater. In this study, the mechanism of Tubificidae in the sludge reduction system with Cr stress was studied. Predation experiments by Tubificidae in a Cr-containing sludge reduction system were conducted to investigate the changes in enzyme activities in the Tubificidae under different concentrations of Cr, and the distribution of Cr in the sludge reduction reactor was analyzed. The kinetic model of uptake and elimination of Cr in Tubificidae was established. The results showed that the maximum activation multiplier factor of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was 1.95 under the low concentration of Cr(VI), which indicated that Tubificidae had a certain detoxification. After the effect of Tubificidae on Cr(VI) experiments, the Cr concentrations in Tubificidae, sludge, and feces increased first and then decreased with exposure time, and the proportion of total Cr and Cr(VI) in the sludge decreased from 71.98% and 42.7% to 29.18% and 6.82%, respectively. The detoxification mechanism of the Tubificidae could be activated with Cr stress, and 63.22% of the Cr(VI) was converted to Cr(III). The bioconcentration factor (BCF) for theoretical equilibrium was 446, the maximum bioaccumulation factor (BAF) reached 0.97 on the 15th day. It can be seen that Tubificidae could be considered a good scavenger of environmental Cr(VI). The hyperbolic model fits the process of Cr uptake and elimination well and can be used as a predictive tool for Tubificidae accumulation.

Population Structure and Selection Signatures of Domestication in Geese.

The goose is an economically important poultry species and was one of the first to be domesticated. However, studies on population genetic structures and domestication in goose are very limited. Here, we performed whole genome resequencing of geese from two wild ancestral populations, five Chinese domestic breeds, and four European domestic breeds. We found that Chinese domestic geese except Yili geese originated from a common ancestor and exhibited strong geographical distribution patterns and trait differentiation patterns, while the origin of European domestic geese was more complex, with two modern breeds having Chinese admixture. In both Chinese and European domestic geese, the identified selection signatures during domestication primarily involved the nervous system, immunity, and metabolism. Interestingly, genes related to vision, skeleton, and blood-O2 transport were also found to be under selection, indicating genetic adaptation to the captive environment. A forehead knob characterized by thickened skin and protruding bone is a unique trait of Chinese domestic geese. Interestingly, our population differentiation analysis followed by an extended genotype analysis in an additional population suggested that two intronic SNPs in EXT1, an osteochondroma-related gene, may plausibly be sites responsible for knob. Moreover, CSMD1 and LHCGR genes were found to be significantly associated with broodiness in Chinese domestic geese and European domestic geese, respectively. Our results have important implications for understanding the population structure and domestication of geese, and the selection signatures and variants identified in this study might be useful in genetic breeding for forehead knob and reproduction traits.

LncRNA LINC01207 Could Positively Regulate the Development of Colorectal Cancer.

Background: LINC01207 expression is associated with colorectal cancer progression. However, the exact role of LINC01207 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not clear, and further exploration is needed. Methods: Gene expression data of the GSE34053 database were used to explore the differential expressed genes (DEGs) between colon cancer cells and normal cells. The gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) was used to determine the differential expression of LINC01207 between CRC and normal tissues and the association between the expression of LINC01207 and survival in patients with CRC. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis were performed to obtain the biological processes and pathways associated with DEGs and LINC01207 coexpressed genes in CRC. The qRT-PCR was used to determine the LINC01207 level in CRC cell lines and tissue samples. CCK-8 assay was employed to measure cell viability and Transwell assay to assess cell invasion and migration. Results: In this study, a total of 954 DEGs were identified, including 282 upregulated and 672 downregulated genes. LINC01207 was significantly upregulated in CRC samples with a poor prognosis. LINC01207 was also associated with pathways such as ECM-receptor interaction, O-glycan processing, and TNF signaling pathway in CRC. Knockdown of LINC01207 inhibited the migration, invasion, and proliferation of CRC cells. Conclusion: LINC01207 might act as an oncogene and promote the progression of CRC. Our study suggested that LINC01207 had the potential to be a novel biomarker for CRC detection and a therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

Dietary supplementation of coated sodium butyrate improves growth performance of laying ducks by regulating intestinal health and immunological performance.

Introduction: This study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of coated sodium butyrate (CSB) on the growth performance, serum antioxidant, immune performance, and intestinal microbiota of laying ducks. Methods: A total of 120 48-week-old laying ducks were randomly divided into 2 treatment groups: the control group (group C fed a basal diet) and the CSB-treated group (group CSB fed the basal diet + 250 g/t of CSB). Each treatment consisted of 6 replicates, with 10 ducks per replicate, and the trial was conducted for 60 days. Results: Compared with the group C, the group CSB showed a significant increase in the laying rate (p<0.05) of the 53-56 week-old ducks. Additionally, the serum total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase activity and immunoglobulin G level were significantly higher (p<0.05), while the serum malondialdehyde content and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a level were significantly lower (p<0.05) in the serum of the group CSB compared to the group C. Moreover, the expression of IL-1b and TNF-a in the spleen of the group CSB was significantly lower (p<0.05) compared to that of the group C. In addition, compared with the group C, the expression of Occludin in the ileum and the villus height in the jejunum were significantly higher in the group CSB (p<0.05). Furthermore, Chao1, Shannon, and Pielou-e indices were higher in the group CSB compared to the group C (p<0.05). The abundance of Bacteroidetes in the group CSB was lower than that in the group C (p<0.05), while the abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were higher in the group CSB compared to the group C (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the dietary supplementation of CSB can alleviate egg-laying stress in laying ducks by enhancing immunity and maintaining the intestinal health of the ducks.

Establishment of a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease using dextran sulfate sodium.

BACKGROUND: Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis is the most commonly used model for the analysis of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and for the assessment of the efficacy of putative therapeutics. It has been suggested that mice should be given 2.5-10% DSS for 3-7 days to establish the model. OBJECTIVES: To compare the IBD model in C57BL/6J mice given free access to water containing DSS at concentrations of 2.0%, 2.5% or 3.0% for 5, 7 or 10 days. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Female mice (9 weeks old) were given access to drinking water containing DSS (2.0%, 2.5% or 3.0%) for 5-10 days. Body weight and colon length were then measured. Signs of edema, epithelial layer disruption, inflammatory cell infiltration, and cytokine induction, and severe colitis-related clinical signs were observed and analyzed. RESULTS: Weight of the mice decreased and disease activity index (DAI) score immediately increased in all 3 groups. The colon of mice in the 3.0% DSS group was shortened after 5 days, and the colon of mice in the 2.0% and 2.5% DSS groups was shortened after 7 days. A significantly increased intestinal injury score was observed on day 5 in the 3.0% DSS group, on day 7 in the 2.5% DSS group and on day 10 in the 2.0% DSS group. Cytokines were found to be elevated in all 3 groups after 5 days of DSS exposure, with higher DSS concentrations and longer administration times found to be associated with more serious inflammation of the intestinal tract. After 10 days of DSS administration, all mice in the 3.0% DSS group died. CONCLUSIONS: It took 10 days for the 2.0% DSS group, 5 days for the 3.0% DSS group and 7 days for the 2.5% DSS group to develop obvious observable changes related to the induction of the IBD model. The individual differences within groups (within 10 days) could be reduced by prolonging the administration time. Excessive DSS concentration and longer DSS administration time (exceeding 7 days) may increase mortality of the mice.

Cincumol prevents malignant phenotype of colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 via inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling in vitro.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common human cancer along with higher incidence and mortality, and this study aimed to identify the effect of cincumol on CRC and its potential mechanisms. METHODS: CRC cell line HCT116 was used as the material. Cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, and cell migration was detected by scratch test and Transwell assay. TUNEL staining assay was used to evaluate cell apoptosis. The expression of target genes was detected by qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays. RESULTS: Cincumol significantly reduced the proliferative and migratory rate and enhanced apoptotic rate of HCT116 cells. Meanwhile, the elevated levels of RBUsuh, Nicd and Tace was also observed in cincumol-treated HCT116 cells. Moreover, our findings revealed that additional cincumol inhibited the expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT, suggesting the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling might be involved in the protective role of cincumol on the malignant phenotypes of CRC cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Cincumol inhibited the malignant phenotypes of CRC cells in vitro through inactivating PI3K/AKT signaling, suggesting that cincumol might be a potential anti-CRC agent.

Overexpression of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (CoDFR) boosts flavonoid production involved in the anthracnose resistance.

The outbreak of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. represents a devastating epidemic that severely affects oil tea (Camellia oleifera) production in China. However, the unknown resistance mechanism to anthracnose in C. oleifera has impeded the progress of breeding disease-resistant varieties. In this study, we investigated the physiological responses of resistant and susceptible lines during C. gloeosporioides infection. Our results showed that the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) in both disease-resistant and susceptible lines increased by C. gloeosporioides infection. Also, disease-resistant lines exhibited lower MDA, but higher POD, SOD, and CAT activities compared to susceptible lines. The accumulation of flavonoids in both resistant and susceptible C. oleifera leaves increased following C. gloeosporioides infection, and the increase was greater in resistant lines. Further, we identified and functionally characterized the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (CoDFR) from the resistant C. oleifera line. We showed that the full-length coding sequence (CDS) of CoDFR is 1044 bp encoding 347 amino acids. The overexpression of CoDFR in tobacco altered the expression of flavonoid biosynthetic genes, resulting in an increased flavonoid content in leaves. CoDFR transgenic tobacco plants exhibited increased anthracnose resistance. Furthermore, the transgenic plants had higher salicylic acid content. These findings offer potential insights into the pivotal role of CoDFR involved in flavonoid-mediated defense mechanisms during anthracnose invasion in resistant C. oleifera.

Nanopore-based metagenomic sequencing for the rapid and precise detection of pathogens among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections.

Cancer patients are at high risk of infections and infection-related mortality; thereby, prompt diagnosis and precise anti-infectives treatment are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of nanopore amplicon sequencing in identifying microbial agents among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. This prospective study enlisted 56 immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. Their body fluid samples such as sputum and blood were collected, and potential microbial agents were detected in parallel by nanopore amplicon sequencing and the conventional culture method. Among the 56 body fluid samples, 47 (83.9%) samples were identified to have at least one pathogen by nanopore amplicon sequencing, but only 25 (44.6%) samples exhibited a positive finding by culture. Among 31 culture-negative samples, nanopore amplicon sequencing successfully detected pathogens in 22 samples (71.0%). Nanopore amplicon sequencing showed a higher sensitivity in pathogen detection than that of the conventional culture method (83.9% vs. 44.6%, P<0.001), and this advantage both existed in blood samples (38.5% vs. 0%, P=0.039) and non-blood samples (97.7% vs. 58.1%, P<0.001). Compared with the culture method, nanopore amplicon sequencing illustrated more samples with bacterial infections (P<0.001), infections from fastidious pathogens (P=0.006), and co-infections (P<0.001). The mean turnaround time for nanopore amplicon sequencing was about 17.5 hours, which was shorter than that of the conventional culture assay. This study suggested nanopore amplicon sequencing as a rapid and precise method for detecting pathogens among immunocompromised cancer patients with suspected infections. The novel and high-sensitive method will improve the outcomes of immunocompromised cancer patients by facilitating the prompt diagnosis of infections and precise anti-infectives treatment.

Analysis of genome and methylation changes in Chinese indigenous chickens over time provides insight into species conservation.

Conservation of natural resources is a vital and challenging task. Numerous animal genetic resources have been effectively conserved worldwide. However, the effectiveness of conservation programmes and the variation information of species have rarely been evaluated. Here, we performed whole-genome and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of 90 Chinese indigenous chickens, which belonged to the Tibetan, Wenchang and Bian chicken breeds, and have been conserved under different conservation programmes. We observed that low genetic diversity and high DNA methylation variation occurs during ex situ in vivo conservation, while higher genetic diversity and differentiation occurs during in situ conservation. Further analyses revealed that most DNA methylation signatures are unique within ex situ in vivo conservation. Moreover, a high proportion of differentially methylated regions is found in genomic selection regions, suggesting a link between the effects of genomic variation and DNA methylation. Altogether our findings provide valuable information about genetic and DNA methylation variations during different conservation programmes, and hold practical relevance for species conservation.

Integration of small RNA, degradome, and transcriptome sequencing data illustrates the mechanism of low phosphorus adaptation in Camellia oleifera.

Phosphorus (P) is an indispensable macronutrient for plant growth and development, and it is involved in various cellular biological activities in plants. Camellia oleifera is a unique high-quality woody oil plant that grows in the hills and mountains of southern China. However, the available P content is deficient in southern woodland soil. Until now, few studies focused on the regulatory functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes under low inorganic phosphate (Pi) stress. In this study, we integrated small RNA, degradome, and transcriptome sequencing data to investigate the mechanism of low Pi adaptation in C. oleifera. We identified 40,689 unigenes and 386 miRNAs by the deep sequencing technology and divided the miRNAs into four different groups. We found 32 miRNAs which were differentially expressed under low Pi treatment. A total of 414 target genes of 108 miRNAs were verified by degradome sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) functional analysis of target genes found that they were related to the signal response to the stimulus and transporter activity, indicating that they may respond to low Pi stress. The integrated analysis revealed that 31 miRNA-target pairs had negatively correlated expression patterns. A co-expression regulatory network was established based on the profiles of differentially expressed genes. In total, three hub genes (ARF22, WRKY53, and SCL6), which were the targets of differentially expressed miRNAs, were discovered. Our results showed that integrated analyses of the small RNA, degradome, and transcriptome sequencing data provided a valuable basis for investigating low Pi in C. oleifera and offer new perspectives on the mechanism of low Pi tolerance in woody oil plants.

Wearable Running Training Data Acquisition System Based on Intelligent Computer Technology.

Because the instantaneous motion of running training changes rapidly, the acquisition accuracy is low. Therefore, a wearable running training data acquisition system based on intelligent computer technology is designed. In the hardware design of the system, by setting the registers of the main control chip, inertial sensor, and magnetic sensor, the acceleration and angular velocity information of motion exist in the data format of binary complement. Bluetooth realizes the transparent transmission of data between hardware and software. The system software uses LDA recognition algorithm to decompose the dynamic data transmitted by Bluetooth into multiple static data and collect the final motion data through training. The experimental results show that the designed system has good quality and high accuracy in motion detection and counting.

Protective Effect of Resveratrol on Immortalized Duck Intestinal Epithelial Cells Exposed to H2O2.

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound with anti-oxidation effects. The mechanisms underlying the antioxidant effects of resveratrol in duck intestinal epithelial cells remain unclear. The protective effects of resveratrol against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 on immortalized duck intestinal epithelial cells (IDECs) were investigated. IDECs were established by transferring the lentivirus-mediated simian virus 40 large T (SV40T) gene into small intestinal epithelial cells derived from duck embryos. IDECs were morphologically indistinguishable from the primary intestinal epithelial cells. The marker protein cytokeratin 18 (CK18) was also detected in the cultured cells. We found that resveratrol significantly increased the cell viability and activity of catalase and decreased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, as well as the apoptosis rate induced by H2O2 (p < 0.05). Resveratrol up-regulated the expression of NRF2, p-NRF2, p-AKT, and p-P38 proteins and decreased the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 in H2O2-induced IDECs (p < 0.05). Our findings revealed that resveratrol might alleviate oxidative stress by the PI3K/AKT and P38 MAPK signal pathways and inhibit apoptosis by altering the levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2 in IDECs exposed to H2O2.

MiR-129-5p/TRIP13 affects malignant phenotypes of colorectal cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE: Aberrant miR-129-5p expression is a key modulator of cancer development. But how the miRNA affects colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. This study was designed to illustrate the underlying mechanism of miR-129-5p in CRC. METHODS: MiR-129-5p expression at cellular level was assayed by qRT-PCR. Its role in CRC cell phenotypes was studied by cell function experiments. The binding relationship between miR-129-5p and TRIP13 was analyzed and verified by target changed to bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase detection. Furthermore, the functional mechanism based on miR-129-5p and TRIP13 in CRC was studied through rescue experiments. RESULTS: CRC cell lines presented prominently lower miR-129-5p levels than the normal colon epithelial cell line. The forced miR-129-5p level suppressed CRC cell growth. TRIP13 was proved to be a target of miR-129-5p in CRC cells, and miR-129-5p overexpression reduced TRIP13 expression. TRIP13 knockdown resulted in cell cycle arrest. Additionally, TRIP13 overexpression restored the impacts of miR-129-5p overexpression on cell malignant phenotypes and cell cycle. CONCLUSION: MiR-129-5p down-regulated TRIP13 expression, thereby restraining the malignant progression of CRC cells. The findings may offer a new target for molecular therapy of CRC.