Early Colonization of the Intestinal Microbiome of Neonatal Piglets Is Influenced by the Maternal Microbiome.

The intestinal microbiome plays a crucial role in animal health and growth by interacting with the host, inhibiting pathogenic microbial colonization, and regulating immunity. This study investigated dynamic changes in the fecal microbial composition of piglets from birth through weaning and the relationship between the piglet fecal microbiome and sows. Feces, skin, neonatal oral cavity, and vaginal samples were collected from eight sows and sixty-three piglets, and 16S genome sequencing was performed. The results revealed that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria dominated the piglet microbiome in the early stages, and Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were crucial for maintaining a balance in the intestinal microbiome during nursing. The abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Succinivibrio, and Prevotella increased in weaned piglets fed solid feed. Analysis of the microbiome from sows to piglets indicated a shift in the microbiome colonizing piglet intestines, which became a significant constituent of the piglet intestinal microbiome. This study supports the theory that the neonatal intestinal microbiome is vertically transmitted from the mother. Further research is required to integrate factors related to sows, piglets, and their environments to gain a better understanding of the early establishment of the intestinal microbiome in piglets.

A genome-wide association study for the fatty acid composition of breast meat in an F2 crossbred chicken population.

The composition of fatty acids determines the flavor and quality of meat. Flavor compounds are generated during the cooking process by the decomposition of volatile fatty acids via lipid oxidation. A number of research on candidate genes related to fatty acid content in livestock species have been published. The majority of these studies focused on pigs and cattle; the association between fatty acid composition and meat quality in chickens has rarely been reported. Therefore, this study investigated candidate genes associated with fatty acid composition in chickens. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on 767 individuals from an F2 crossbred population of Yeonsan Ogye and White Leghorn chickens. The Illumina chicken 60K significant single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data and 30 fatty acids (%) in the breast meat of animals slaughtered at 10 weeks of age were analyzed. SNPs were shown to be significant in 15 traits: C10:0, C14:0, C18:0, C18:1n-7, C18:1n-9, C18:2n-6, C20:0, C20:2, C20:3n-6, C20:4n-6, C20:5n-3, C24:0, C24:1n-9, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These SNPs were mostly located on chromosome 10 and around the following genes: ACSS3, BTG1, MCEE, PPARGC1A, ACSL4, ELOVL4, CYB5R4, ME1, and TRPM1. Both oleic acid and arachidonic acid contained the candidate genes: MCEE and TRPM1. These two fatty acids are antagonistic to each other and have been identified as traits that contribute to the production of volatile fatty acids. The results of this study improve our understanding of the genetic mechanisms through which fatty acids in chicken affect the meat flavor.

Optimizing contrast protocol for bone-subtraction CT angiography of intracranial arteries in normal dogs using 160-slice CT.

BACKGROUND: Bone-subtraction computed tomography angiography (CTA) (BSCTA) is a new technique designed to overcome the limitation of three-dimensional CTA, where the vessels surrounded by bone and calcification can be obscured. An optimal contrast CT protocol for intracranial artery visualization with BSCTA has yet to be established in dogs. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal contrast protocol of CTA for visualizing intracranial artery using an automatic bone-subtraction technique in dogs. METHODS: Brain CTA was performed four times for each of nine healthy beagle dogs to cover all the contrast protocols: two different contrast iodine concentrations (300 and 370 mgI/mL) and two different contrast media injection rates (2 and 4 mL/s). Bone removal post-processing was performed automatically by subtracting the non-enhanced CT data from the contrast CT data using a dedicated workstation. The bone-subtracted intracranial vessels were analysed for quantitative and qualitative evaluation. RESULTS: Quantitative evaluation showed significantly higher CT attenuation values for the group with a 370 mgI/mL iodine content at a rate of 4 mL/s than the two groups with a 300 mgI/mL iodine content at the rates of 2 and 4 mL/s (p < 0.001). Qualitative assessment revealed significantly higher mean scores for the 370 mgI/mL groups than the 300 mgI/mL groups and significantly higher mean scores for the 4 mL/s groups than the 2 mL/s groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The optimal contrast protocol for BSCTA suggests that high iodine material concentration and high injection rate should be used for strong arterial attenuation and great visualization of the intracranial arterial structure in dogs.

Genome-wide association study revealed the genomic regions associated with skin pigmentation in an Ogye x White Leghorn F2 chicken population.

Skin color in chickens is an economically important trait that determines the first impression of a consumer toward a broiler and can ultimately affect consumer choice in the market. Therefore, identification of genomic regions associated with skin color is crucial for increasing the sales value of chickens. Although previous studies have attempted to reveal the genetic markers associated with the skin coloration in chickens, most were limited to investigations of candidate genes, such as melanin-related genes, and focused on case/control studies based on a single or small population. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 770 F2 intercrosses produced by an experimental population of 2 chicken breeds, namely Ogye and White Leghorns, with different skin colors. The GWAS demonstrated that the L* value among the 3 skin color traits is highly heritable, and the genomic regions located on 2 chromosomes (20 and Z) were detected to harbor SNPs significantly associated with the skin color trait, accounting for most of the total genetic variance. Particular genomic regions spanning a ∼2.94 Mb region on GGA Z and a ∼3.58 Mb region on GGA 20 were significantly associated with skin color traits, and in these regions, certain candidate genes, including MTAP, FEM1C, GNAS, and EDN3, were found. Our findings could help elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying chicken skin pigmentation. Furthermore, the candidate genes can be used to provide a valuable breeding strategy for the selection of specific chicken breeds with ideal skin coloration.

Comparison of initial and sequential salvage brain-directed treatment in patients with 1-4 vs. 5-10 brain metastases from breast cancer (KROG 16-12).

PURPOSE: We aimed to compare the initial and salvage brain-directed treatment and overall survival (OS) between patients with 1-4 brain metastases (BMs) and those with 5-10 from breast cancer (BC). We also organized a decision tree to select the initial whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for these patients. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2014, 471 patients were diagnosed with 1-10 BMs. They were divided into two groups based on the number of BM: 1-4 BMs (n = 337) and 5-10 BMs (n = 134). Median follow-up duration was 14.0 months. RESULTS: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)/fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) was the most common treatment modality (n = 120, 36%) in the 1-4 BMs group. In contrast, 80% (n = 107) of patients with 5-10 BMs were treated with WBRT. The median OS of the entire cohort, 1-4 BMs, and 5-10 BMs was 18.0, 20.9, and 13.9 months, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, the number of BM and WBRT were not associated with OS, whereas triple-negative BC and extracranial metastasis decreased OS. Physicians determined the initial WBRT based on four variables in the following order: number and location of BM, primary tumor control, and performance status. Salvage brain-directed treatment (n = 184), mainly SRS/FSRT (n = 109, 59%), prolonged OS by a median of 14.3 months. CONCLUSION: The initial brain-directed treatment differed notably according to the number of BM, which was chosen based on four clinical factors. In patients with ≤ 10 BMs, the number of BM and WBRT did not affect OS. The major salvage brain-directed treatment modality was SRS/FSRT and increased OS.

Genome-wide association study for the free amino acid and nucleotide components of breast meat in an F2 crossbred chicken population.

Flavor is an important sensory trait of chicken meat. The free amino acid (FAA) and nucleotide (NT) components of meat are major factors affecting meat flavor during the cooking process. As a genetic approach to improve meat flavor, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify the potential candidate genes related to the FAA and NT components of chicken breast meat. Measurements of FAA and NT components were recorded at the age of 10 weeks from 764 and 767 birds, respectively, using a White leghorn and Yeonsan ogye crossbred F2 chicken population. For genotyping, we used 60K Illumina single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips. We found a total of nine significant SNPs for five FAA traits (arginine, glycine, lysine, threonine content, and the essential FAAs and one NT trait (inosine content), and six significant genomic regions were identified, including three regions shared among the essential FAAs, arginine, and inosine content traits. A list of potential candidate genes in significant genomic regions was detected, including the KCNRG, KCNIP4, HOXA3, THSD7B, and MMUT genes. The essential FAAs had significant gene regions the same as arginine. The genes related to arginine content were involved in nitric oxide metabolism, while the inosine content was possibly affected by insulin activity. Moreover, the threonine content could be related to methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. The genes and SNPs identified in this study might be useful markers in chicken selection and breeding for chicken meat flavor.

A genome-wide association study for eumelanin pigmentation in chicken plumage using a computer vision approach.

Chicken plumage colouration is an important trait related to productivity in poultry industry. Therefore, the genetic basis for pigmentation in chicken plumage is an area of great interest. However, the colour trait is generally regarded as a qualitative trait and representing colour variations is difficult. In this study, we developed a method to quantify and classify colour using an F2 population crossed from two pure lines: White Leghorn and the Korean indigenous breed Yeonsan Ogye. Using red, green, and blue values in the cropped body region, we identified significant genomic regions on chromosomes 33:3 160 480-7 447 197 and Z:78 748 287-79 173 793. Furthermore, we identified two potential candidate genes (PMEL and MTAP) that might have significant effects on melanin-based plumage pigmentation. Our study presents a new phenotyping method using a computer vision approach and provides new insights into the genetic basis of melanin-based feather colouration in chickens.

Microplastics contamination and characteristics of agricultural groundwater in Haean Basin of Korea.

The quality of groundwater is critical to human health. MPs have access to groundwater from the soil, polluted by various agricultural activities. However, to date, there have been no studies on the occurrence of MP in groundwater from an agriculture field without any adjacent sources of contamination, such as nearby landfills. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of MPs in groundwater of an agricultural area in the Haean Basin, Korea, without any definite source of pollution, was examined. MP and groundwater samplings were conducted in the dry season in 2020, the wet and dry seasons in 2021, respectively. In this study, the reliability of MP analysis was improved through good practices from laboratory to field campaigns, collecting large groundwater samples (300-500 L) volumes. Any involvement of plastic materials was avoided during the full procedures as possible and. Detailed investigation was conducted for the distribution of potential plastics sources like mulching, plastic covers, dripping pipes and shading nets, and hydrogeological properties affecting MPs occurrence. Groundwater MP concentrations of 0.02-0.15 particles/L (median = 0.06 particles/L), 0.02-2.56 particles/L (median = 0.43 particles/L) and 0.20-3.48 particles/L (median = 0.83 particles/L) were found in three rounds of sampling that comprised of the exploratory investigation in 2020, the wet season, and the dry season in 2021, respectively. The identified polymer types were polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS) and polyamide (PA). The MPs concentrations showed no statistically significant seasonal variation but revealed an apparent strong positive correlation (r = 0.71) of MPs with the amount of groundwater use. Findings of this study need more clarification from repeated samplings for multiple years. This study reveals the occurrence of MPs in groundwater in Korea for the first time to the best of our knowledge.

Single nucleotide polymorphism marker combinations for classifying Yeonsan Ogye chicken using a machine learning approach.

Genetic analysis has great potential as a tool to differentiate between different species and breeds of livestock. In this study, the optimal combinations of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for discriminating the Yeonsan Ogye chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) breed were identified using high-density 600K SNP array data. In 3,904 individuals from 198 chicken breeds, SNP markers specific to the target population were discovered through a case-control genome-wide association study (GWAS) and filtered out based on the linkage disequilibrium blocks. Significant SNP markers were selected by feature selection applying two machine learning algorithms: Random Forest (RF) and AdaBoost (AB). Using a machine learning approach, the 38 (RF) and 43 (AB) optimal SNP marker combinations for the Yeonsan Ogye chicken population demonstrated 100% accuracy. Hence, the GWAS and machine learning models used in this study can be efficiently utilized to identify the optimal combination of markers for discriminating target populations using multiple SNP markers.

Insight into the Fecal Microbiota Signature Associated with Growth Specificity in Korean Jindo Dogs Using 16S rRNA Sequencing.

Gut microbiomes are well recognized to serve a variety of roles in health and disease, even though their functions are not yet completely understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that the microbiomes of juvenile and adult dogs have significantly different compositions and characteristics. However, there is still a scarcity of basic microbiome research in dogs. In this study, we aimed to advance our understanding by confirming the difference in fecal microbiome between young and adult dogs by analyzing the feces of 4-month and 16-month-old Jindo dogs, a domestic Korean breed. Microbiome data were generated and examined for the two age groups using 16S rRNA analysis. Comparison results revealed that the 16-month-old group presented a relatively high distribution of Bacteroides, whereas the 4-month-old group presented a comparatively high distribution of the Lactobacillus genus. Microbial function prediction analyses confirmed the relative abundance of lipid metabolism in 4-month-old dogs. In 16-month-old dogs, glucose metabolism was determined using microbial function prediction analyses. This implies that the functional microbiome changes similarly to the latter in adults compared with childhood. Overall, we discovered compositional and functional variations between genes of the gut microbial population in juveniles and adults. These microbial community profiles can be used as references for future research on the microbiome associated with health and development in the canine population.

Microplastics in soil and freshwater: Understanding sources, distribution, potential impacts, and regulations for management.

Plastic debris is a complex and persistent environmental contaminant that has received a high amount of attention in the last few years. Understanding the sources, transport, fate, occurrence, and health risks of microplastics (MPs) in the environment is essential as millions of tons of plastic are manufactured and released into the environment. There is a high possibility that MPs will accumulate and retain within continental environments and have effects on the environment and human health. This review elucidates the outcomes of studies related to the prevalence, transport, fate, and health risks of MPs in soil and freshwater environments. The review shows that the sources of MPs are diverse and extensive and their occurrence, transport, fate, and health risks in the environment are affected by their physico-chemical characteristics and by natural factors. Implemented legislation or regulatory plans to reduce MPs contamination of the environment have been reviewed in this study. Moreover, management options are presented.

Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data for the taxonomic characterization of the vaginal and the fecal microbial communities in Hanwoo.

OBJECTIVE: The study of Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) has mainly been focused on meat quality and productivity. Recently the field of microbiome research has increased dramatically. However, the information on the microbiome in Hanwoo is still insufficient, especially relationship between vagina and feces. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the microbial community characteristics by analyzing the 16S rRNA sequencing data of Hanwoo vagina and feces, as well as to confirm the difference and correlation between vaginal and fecal microorganisms. As a result, the goal is to investigate if fecal microbiome can be used to predict vaginal microbiome. METHODS: A total of 31 clinically healthy Hanwoo that delivered healthy calves more than once in Cheongju, South Korea were enrolled in this study. During the breeding season, we collected vaginal and fecal samples and sequenced the microbial 16S rRNA genes V3-V4 hypervariable regions from microbial DNA of samples. RESULTS: The results revealed that the phylum-level microorganisms with the largest relative distribution were Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria in the vagina, and Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes in the feces, respectively. In the analysis of alpha, beta diversity, and effect size measurements (LefSe), the results showed significant differences between the vaginal and fecal samples. We also identified the function of these differentially abundant microorganisms by functional annotation analyses. But there is no significant correlation between vaginal and fecal microbiome. CONCLUSION: There is a significant difference between vaginal and fecal microbiome, but no significant correlation. Therefore, it is difficult to interrelate vaginal microbiome as fecal microbiome in Hanwoo. In a further study, it will be necessary to identify the genetic relationship of the entire microorganism between vagina and feces through the whole metagenome sequencing analysis and meta-transcriptome analysis to figure out their relationship.

Comment on the paper 'Soil microplastic pollution under different land uses in tropics, southwestern China'.

Research on soil microplastics is currently at an early stage, and there is no widely approved sampling protocol. Even so, any basic research should minimize errors to ensure that they are not amplified in future research. This paper examines some weaknesses of the original research paper 'Soil microplastic pollution under different land uses in tropics, southwestern China' recently published in this journal. The authors neglected to report the equipment used for soil sampling and did not use field blank samples. There is also a soil layer that was incorrectly named. The type and pore size of filter paper used for filtration during pre-analytical soil sample preparation is very important. In this paper the nature of the filter paper used, and its larger pore sizes are questionable by today's scientists. In addition, the authors in the original paper also overlooked reporting the statistical package used for statical analysis and ensuring if all data sets obey normality, homogeneity, and equality before running the one-way ANOVA test. This statistical step is widely considered mandatory, especially in the soil science community. So, this makes it difficult to trust the results documented. Furthermore, in the original paper, the needle and stereo microscope instruments used to sort microplastic-like materials prior to proper analysis are not reliable.

Comment on the paper "Microplastic contamination of an unconfined groundwater aquifer in Victoria, Australia".

This paper was written to comment on a few important problems of an original paper published in this journal. In the original paper, polyamide (PA) ropes, a kind of plastic, were used for groundwater sampling. Also, polycarbonate, another plastic, was also used as a filter paper although their potential contamination was later evaluated. Although the original authors reported that high levels of PA were not found in any of the 21 groundwater samples, it is still necessary to only use equipment(s) made of non-plastic at every step of the method for an accurate and reliable analysis of the presence of microplastic in groundwater. The original authors collected a total of 3 l for each borehole (1 l for each sample), but for an unbiased and reliable analysis of microplastics, bigger volumes of groundwater samples should be collected. Furthermore, the original authors computed the Pearson correlation coefficients between the analyzed plastic types, but omitted the normality test of the data distribution. If the collected data are not normally distributed, then Spearman rank correlation coefficients are a better option. In addition, we found some important misstatements regarding the results of the analysis.

The Pattern of Care for Brain Metastasis from Breast Cancer over the Past 10 Years in Korea: A Multicenter Retrospective Study (KROG 16-12).

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate manifestations and patterns of care for patients with brain metastasis (BM) from breast cancer (BC) and compared their overall survival (OS) from 2005 through 2014 in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 600 BC patients with BM diagnosed between 2005 and 2014. The median follow-up duration was 12.5 months. We categorized the patients into three groups according to the year when BM was initially diagnosed (group I [2005-2008], 98 patients; group II [2009-2011], 200 patients; and group III [2012-2014], 302 patients). RESULTS: Over time, the median age at BM diagnosis increased by 2.2 years (group I, 49.0 years; group II, 48.3 years; and group III, 51.2 years; p=0.008). The percentage of patients with extracranial metastasis was 73.5%, 83.5%, and 86.4% for group I, II, and III, respectively (p=0.011). The time interval between BC and BM was prolonged in patients with stage III primary BC (median, 2.4 to 3 years; p=0.029). As an initial brain-directed treatment, whole-brain radiotherapy alone decreased from 80.0% in 2005 to 41.1% in 2014. Meanwhile, stereotactic radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy alone increased from 13.3% to 34.7% during the same period (p=0.005). The median OS for group I, II, and III was 15.6, 17.9, and 15.0 months, respectively, with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The manifestations of BM from BC and the pattern of care have changed from 2005 to 2014 in Korea. However, the OS has remained relatively unchanged over the 10 years.

Blood transcriptome comparison between sexes and their function in 4-week Rhode Island red chickens.

Sex is a major biological factor in the development and physiology of a sexual reproductive organism, and its role in the growing process is needed to be investigated in various species. We compare blood transcriptome between 5 males and 5 females in 4-week-old Rhode Island Red chickens and perform functional annotation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The results are as follows. 141 and 109 DEGs were located in autosomes and sex chromosomes, respectively. The gene ontology (GO) terms are significantly (p < 0.05) enriched, which were limb development, inner ear development, positive regulation of dendrite development, the KEGG pathway the TGF-beta signaling pathway, and melanogenesis (p < 0.05). These pathways are related to morphological maintenance and growth of the tissues. In addition, the SMAD2W and the BMP5 were involved in the TGF-beta signaling pathway, and both play an important role in maintaining tissue development. The major DEGs related to the development of neurons and synapses include the up-regulated NRN1, GDF10, SLC1A1, BMP5, NBEA, and NRXN1. Also, 7 DEGs were validated using RT-qPCR with high correlation (r 2 = 0.74). In conclusion, the differential expression of blood tissue in the early growing chicken was enriched in TGF-beta signaling and related to the development of neurons and synapses including SMAD2W and BMP5. These results suggest that blood in the early growing stage is differentially affected in tissue development, nervous system, and pigmentation by sex. For future research, experimental characterization of DEGs and a holistic investigation of various tissues and growth stages will be required.

Optimal population size to detect quantitative trait loci in Korean native chicken: a simulation study.

OBJECTIVE: A genomic region associated with a particular phenotype is called quantitative trait loci (QTL). To detect the optimal F2 population size associated with QTLs in native chicken, we performed a simulation study on F2 population derived from crosses between two different breeds. METHODS: A total of 15 males and 150 females were randomly selected from the last generation of each F1 population which was composed of different breed to create two different F2 populations. The progenies produced from these selected individuals were simulated for six more generations. Their marker genotypes were simulated with a density of 50K at three different heritability levels for the traits such as 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5. Our study compared 100, 500, 1,000 reference population (RP) groups to each other with three different heritability levels. And a total of 35 QTLs were used, and their locations were randomly created. RESULTS: With a RP size of 100, no QTL was detected to satisfy Bonferroni value at three different heritability levels. In a RP size of 500, two QTLs were detected when the heritability was 0.5. With a RP size of 1,000, 0.1 heritability was detected only one QTL, and 0.5 heritability detected five QTLs. To sum up, RP size and heritability play a key role in detecting QTLs in a QTL study. The larger RP size and greater heritability value, the higher the probability of detection of QTLs. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the use of a large RP and heritability can improve QTL detection in an F2 chicken population.

Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy for Node-Negative Breast Cancer of 5 cm or Larger Tumors: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis (KROG 20-03).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) in patients with node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors undergoing mastectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 274 patients from 18 institutions treated with mastectomy between January 2000 and December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Among these, 202 patients underwent PMRT, while 72 did not. Two hundred and forty-one patients (88.0%) received systemic chemotherapy, and 172 (62.8%) received hormonal therapy. Patients receiving PMRT were younger, more likely to have progesterone receptor-positive tumors, and received adjuvant chemotherapy more frequently compared with those without PMRT (p <0.001, 0.018, and <0.001, respectively). Other characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 95 months (range, 1-249), there were 9 locoregional recurrences, and 20 distant metastases. The 8-year locoregional recurrence-free survival rates were 98.0% with PMRT and 91.3% without PMRT (p=0.133), and the 8-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 91.8% with PMRT and 73.9% without PMRT (p=0.008). On multivariate analysis incorporating age, histologic grade, lymphovascular invasion, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and PMRT, the absence of lymphovascular invasion and the receipt of PMRT were associated with improved DFS (p=0.025 and 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: Locoregional recurrence rate was very low in node-negative breast cancer of 5cm or larger tumors treated with mastectomy regardless of the receipt of PMRT. However, PMRT was significantly associated with improved DFS. Further investigation is needed to confirm these findings.

Cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions in the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus-infected lungs of genetically disparate Ri chicken lines.

OBJECTIVE: The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) is a threat to the poultry industry as well as the economy and remains a potential source of pandemic infection in humans. Antiviral genes are considered a potential factor for HPAIV resistance. Therefore, in this study, we investigated gene expression related to cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions by comparing resistant and susceptible Ri chicken lines for avian influenza virus infection. METHODS: Ri chickens of resistant (Mx/A; BF2/B21) and susceptible (Mx/G; BF2/B13) lines were selected by genotyping the Mx dynamin like GTPase (Mx) and major histocompatibility complex class I antigen BF2 genes. These chickens were then infected with influenza A virus subtype H5N1, and their lung tissues were collected for RNA sequencing. RESULTS: In total, 972 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed between resistant and susceptible Ri chickens, according to the gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathways. In particular, DEGs associated with cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions were most abundant. The expression levels of cytokines (interleukin-1ß [IL-1ß], IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18), chemokines (C-C Motif chemokine ligand 4 [CCL4] and CCL17), interferons (IFN-γ), and IFN-stimulated genes (Mx1, CCL19, 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthaselike, and protein kinase R) were higher in H5N1-resistant chickens than in H5N1-susceptible chickens. CONCLUSION: Resistant chickens show stronger immune responses and antiviral activity (cytokines, chemokines, and IFN-stimulated genes) than those of susceptible chickens against HPAIV infection.

Effect of Postoperative Radiotherapy after Primary Tumor Resection in De Novo Stage IV Breast Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study (KROG 19-02).

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) patients undergoing planned primary tumor resection (PTR) and to identify the subgroup of patients who would most benefit from PORT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 426 patients with dnMBC administered PTR alone or with PORT. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall and progression-free survival (OS and PFS), respectively. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 53.7 months (range, 3.1 to 194.4). The 5-year OS and PFS rates were 73.2% and 32.0%, respectively. For OS, clinical T3/4 category, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), postoperative chemotherapy alone were significantly poor prognostic factors, and administration of PORT failed to show its significance. Regarding PFS, PORT was a favorable prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 0.82; p < 0.001), in addition to T1/2 category, ≤ 5 metastases, and non-TNBC. According to the multivariate analyses of OS in the PORT group, we divided the patients into three groups (group 1, T1/2 and non-TNBC [n=193]; group 2, T3/4 and non-TNBC [n=171]; and group 3, TNBC [n=49]), and evaluated the effect of PORT. Although PORT had no significance for OS in all subgroups, it was a significant factor for good prognosis regarding PFS in groups 1 and 2, not in group 3. CONCLUSION: PORT was associated with a significantly better PFS in patients with dnMBC who underwent PTR. Patients with clinical T1/2 category and non-TNBC benefited most from PORT, while those with TNBC showed little benefit.