An Efficient Vector-Based CRISPR/Cas9 System in Zebrafish Cell Line.

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system has been widely applied in animals as an efficient genome editing tool. However, the technique is difficult to implement in fish cell lines partially due to the lack of efficient promoters to drive the expression of both sgRNA and the Cas9 protein within a single vector. In this study, it was indicated that the zebrafish U6 RNA polymerase III (ZFU6) promoter could efficiently induce tyrosinase (tyr) gene editing and lead to loss of retinal pigments when co-injection with Cas9 mRNA in zebrafish embryo. Furthermore, an optimized all-in-one vector for expression of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in the zebrafish fibroblast cell line (PAC2) was constructed by replacing the human U6 promoter with ZFU6 promoter, basing on the lentiCRISPRV2 system that widely applied in mammal cells. This new vector could successfully target the cellular communication network factor 2a (ctgfa) gene and demonstrated its function in the PAC2 cell. Notably, the vector could also be used to edit the endogenous EMX1 gene in the mammal 293 T cell line, implying its wide application potential. In conclusion, we established a new gene editing tool for zebrafish cell line, which could be a useful in vitro platform for high-throughput analyzing gene function in fish.

Effect of faba bean Vicia faba L. water/alcohol extract on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, textural properties, and collagen deposition in the swim bladder of juvenile Nibea coibor.

Faba bean has gained attention as a cost-effective protein source with the potential to enhance product quality (texture properties, collagen content, etc.) in fish. However, its anti-nutrition factor, high feed conversion ratio, poor growth performance, etc. limit the widely application as a dietary source, especially in carnivorous fish. The water or alcohol extract of faba bean might resolve the problem. In this study, the juvenile Nibea coibor, known for their high-protein, large-sized, and high-grade swim bladder, were fed with seven isoproteic and isolipid experimental diets with the additive of faba bean water extract (1.25%, 2.5%, and 5%) or faba bean alcohol extract (0.9%, 1.8%, and 3.6%), with a control group without faba bean extract. After the 10-week feeding trail, the growth, antioxidant capacity, textural properties, and collagen deposition of the swim bladder were analyzed. Results showed that the 1.25% faba bean water extract group could significantly promote growth, textural quality of the swim bladder, and have beneficial effects on antioxidant response of fish. Conversely, dietary supplementation of faba bean alcohol extract resulted in reduced growth performance in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, fish fed diet with 1.25% faba bean water extract exhibited increased collagen content and upregulated collagen-related gene expression in the swim bladder, which was consistent with the Masson stain analysis for collagen fiber. Our results suggested that the anti-nutrient factor and bioactive component of faba bean may mainly be enriched in alcohol extract and water extract of faba bean, respectively. Besides, the appropriate addition of water extract of faba bean may improve the texture quality of the swim bladder by promoting collagen deposition. This study would provide a theoretical basis for the formulated diets with faba bean extract to promote product quality of marine fish.

The regulatory effect of growth differentiation factor 11 on different cells.

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is one of the important factors in the pathophysiological process of animals. It is widely expressed in many tissues and organs of animals, showing its wide biological activity and potential application value. Previous research has demonstrated that GDF11 has a therapeutic effect on various diseases, such as anti-myocardial aging and anti-tumor. This has not only sparked intense interest and enthusiasm among academics but also spurred some for-profit businesses to attempt to develop GDF11 as a medication for regenerative medicine or anti-aging application. Currently, Sotatercept, a GDF11 antibody drug, is in the marketing application stage, and HS-235 and rGDF11 are in the preclinical research stage. Therefore, we believe that figuring out which cells GDF11 acts on and its current problems should be an important issue in the scientific and commercial communities. Only through extensive, comprehensive research and discussion can we better understand the role and potential of GDF11, while avoiding unnecessary risks and misinformation. In this review, we aimed to summarize the role of GDF11 in different cells and its current controversies and challenges, providing an important reference for us to deeply understand the function of GDF11 and formulate more effective treatment strategies in the future.

Effects of Dietary Protein Levels on Growth, Digestive Enzyme Activity, Antioxidant Capacity, and Gene Expression Related to Muscle Growth and Protein Synthesis of Juvenile Greasyback Shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis).

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects on growth, antioxidant capacity, digestive enzyme activity, and gene expression related to muscle growth and protein synthesis of juvenile greasyback shrimp (Metapenaeus ensis) using five experimental diets containing 29.37%, 34.30%, 39.11%, 44.05%, and 49.32% of protein. The results demonstrated that juvenile greasyback shrimp consuming 39.11%, 44.05%, and 49.32% dietary protein had a significantly higher final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and specific growth rate (SGR) than other groups (p < 0.05). The protein efficiency ratio (PER) showed a significantly quadratic pattern with increasing dietary protein levels (p < 0.05). The highest trypsin and pepsin activities were observed in the group with a protein level of 44.05% (p < 0.05). Relatively higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was found in groups with protein levels of 39.11% (p < 0.05). Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and catalase (CAT) activity showed a significantly linear increasing pattern with increasing protein intake up to 44.05%, and then decreased gradually (p < 0.05). Compared to the dietary 29.37% protein level, the expression levels of myogenic regulatory factors (mef2α, mlc, and myf5) and mTOR pathway (mtor, s6k, akt, and pi3k)-related genes were significantly up-regulated in muscle with 39.11%, 44.05%, and 49.32% dietary protein levels (p < 0.05). The AAR pathway (gcn2, eif2α, and atf4)-related gene expression levels were significantly lower in muscles with 39.11%, 44.05%, and 49.32% protein levels than in other groups (p < 0.05). Based on the broken-line regression analysis of SGR, the estimated appropriate dietary protein requirement for juvenile greasyback shrimp is 38.59%.

Application of FGD-BCEL loss function in segmenting temporal lobes on localized CT images for radiotherapy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to find a new loss function to automatically segment temporal lobes on localized CT images for radiotherapy with more accuracy and a solution to dealing with the classification of class-imbalanced samples in temporal lobe segmentation. Methods: Localized CT images for radiotherapy of 70 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were selected. Radiation oncologists sketched mask maps. The dataset was randomly divided into the training set (n = 49), the validation set (n = 7), and the test set (n = 14). The training set was expanded by rotation, flipping, zooming, and shearing, and the models were evaluated using Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity (SE), and Hausdorff distance (HD). This study presented an improved loss function, focal generalized Dice-binary cross-entropy loss (FGD-BCEL), and compared it with four other loss functions, Dice loss (DL), generalized Dice loss (GDL), Tversky loss (TL), and focal Tversky loss (FTL), using the U-Net model framework. Results: With the U-Net model based on FGD-BCEL, the DSC, JSC, PPV, SE, and HD were 0.87 ± 0.11, 0.78 ± 0.11, 0.90 ± 0.10, 0.87 ± 0.13, and 4.11 ± 0.75, respectively. Except for the SE, all the other evaluation metric values of the temporal lobes segmented by the FGD-BCEL-based U-Net model were improved compared to the DL, GDL, TL, and FTL loss function-based U-Net models. Moreover, the FGD-BCEL-based U-Net model was morphologically more similar to the mask maps. The over- and under-segmentation was lessened, and it effectively segmented the tiny structures in the upper and lower poles of the temporal lobe with a limited number of samples. Conclusions: For the segmentation of the temporal lobe on localized CT images for radiotherapy, the U-Net model based on the FGD-BCEL can meet the basic clinical requirements and effectively reduce the over- and under-segmentation compared with the U-Net models based on the other four loss functions. However, there still exists some over- and under-segmentation in the results, and further improvement is needed.

Adamantinoma-like ewing sarcoma arising in the pancreatic tail: a case report of a rare entity and review of the literature.

ALES is a rare subtype that demonstrates the EWSR1-FLI1 translocation characteristic of ES and demonstrates complex epithelial differentiation including diffuse cytokeratin and p40 expression. It has predominantly recognized in the head and neck and is common in middle-aged population. This case is the first case of ALES reported in the pancreatic tail, sharing some morphological characteristics with ALES in the head and neck, including monotonous cytology, infiltrative growth pattern, and complex epithelioid differentiation, but ALES in the head and neck often has high-grade histological features (e.g., necrosis, high mitotic rate, etc.), and sudden keratinization can also occur, but these features were not reflected in this primary pancreatic tail ALES. Although ALES arising in the pancreatic tail and in the head and neck sites share the immunohistochemical and molecular profile, our case can provide new ideas in differential diagnosis of ALES arising in pancreatic tail and promote increased recognition and understanding of ALES.

Prevalence of Senecavirus A in pigs from 2014 to 2020: a global systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Senecavirus A (SVA), a member of the family Picornaviridae, is newly discovered, which causes vesicular lesions, lameness in swine, and even death in neonatal piglets. SVA has rapidly spread worldwide in recent years, especially in Asia. OBJECTIVES: We conducted a global meta-analysis and systematic review to determine the status of SVA infection in pigs. METHODS: Through PubMed, VIP Chinese Journals Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data search data from 2014 to July 26, 2020, a total of 34 articles were included in this analysis based on our inclusion criteria. We estimated the pooled prevalence of SVA in pigs by the random effects model. A risk of bias assessment of the studies and subgroup analysis to explain heterogeneity was undertaken. RESULTS: We estimated the SVA prevalence to be 15.90% (1,564/9,839; 95% confidence interval [CI], 44.75-65.89) globally. The prevalence decreased to 11.06% (945/8,542; 95% CI, 28.25-50.64) after 2016. The highest SVA prevalence with the VP1-based RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assay was 58.52% (594/1,015; 95% CI, 59.90-83.96) and 85.54% (71/83; 95% CI, 76.68-100.00), respectively. Besides, the SVA prevalence in piglet herds was the highest at 71.69% (119/166; 95% CI, 68.61-98.43) (p < 0.05). Moreover, our analysis confirmed that the subgroups, including country, sampling year, sampling position, detected gene, detection method, season, age, and climate, could be the heterogeneous factors associated with SVA prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that SVA widely exists in various countries currently. Therefore, more prevention and control policies should be proposed to enhance the management of pig farms and improve breeding conditions and the environment to reduce the spread of SVA.

Identification of antioxidant peptides after digestion and absorption of isinglass by serum peptidomics and cellular antioxidant activity analysis.

Isinglass, a dried product of the swim bladder, has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. This study attempts to identify natural antioxidant peptides after digestion and absorption of isinglass in vivo. The antioxidant effects of dietary isinglass were demonstrated by evaluating the activities of SOD, CAT and MDA contents in the mouse liver. Four novel antioxidant-related peptides (RLLWENGNLL, GSKAENPTNPGP, SPVPDLVPGSF and VPDLVPGSF) were screened based on serum peptidomics and amino acid composition. Furthermore, pretreating with four peptides significantly increased the cell viability, and SOD and CAT activities of AML12 cells with H2O2-mediated oxidative damage, meanwhile, significantly reduced the ROS level, MDA content and apoptosis rate and attenuated DNA damage. Therefore, it was concluded that pretreatment of the identified peptides had a protective effect on oxidatively damaged cells. This result can aid in the recognition of active peptides from isinglass consumption for potential application in nutraceuticals or functional ingredients in food.

Characterization and role of connective tissue growth factor gene in collagen synthesis in swim bladder of chu's croaker (Nibea coibor).

Connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf) is a matricellular protein with diverse biological function. It is regarded as a central regulator of tissue fibrosis and collagen synthesis in mammals. However, its roles in fish remain elusive. Here, a ctgf gene was cloned (NcCtgf), characterized and functionally studied in the chu's croaker (Nibea coibor). NcCtgf encoded a protein containing 346 amino acids, 38 conserved cysteine residues, 4 functional domains and a signal peptide. NcCtgf shared highest identity (99.4 %) to the Larimichthys crocea Ctgf protein. Phylogenetic tree revealed that NcCtgf clustered with the teleost Ctgfa and Ctgf of higher vertebrates, instead of teleost Ctgfb. NcCtgf was expressed with higher level in gonad, spleen, gill and swimming bladder than other tissues, and was up-regulated in swim bladder synchronously with collagen I genes by hydroxyproline and TGF-ß1 treatment. NcCtgf knockdown/overexpression inhibited/promoted collagen synthesis in swim bladder cell, respectively. Notably, NcCtgf protein could be secreted to cell culture medium and up-regulated collagen I expression in swim bladder cell. These findings indicate NcCtgf plays vital roles in collagen synthesis in swim bladder of Nibea coibor, and provide basis for further understanding of ctgf evolution and exploring new approach for enhancing collagen deposition in fish products during aquaculture.

Global Infection Rate of Rotavirus C during 1980-2022 and Analysis of Critical Factors in the Host Range Restriction of Virus VP4.

Information on rotavirus C (RVC) infection is lacking, partly because the prevalence of RVC among humans and animals worldwide is undefined. Data on the characteristics of the P genotype among RVC strains are also required. We performed systematic searches on the infection rates of RVC since 1980 based on the literature and gene sequences of the PubMed and GenBank databases. A phylogenetic tree of VP4 genes was constructed to evaluate the distribution of the P genotype of RVC from various hosts. The specific mutation motifs in VP8* with P [2]/P [4]/P [5] specificity were analyzed to elucidate their roles in host range restriction. The rate of RVC infection in humans has fallen from 3% before 2009 to 1%, whereas in animals it has risen from 10% to 25%. The P genotype of RVC showed strict host species specificity, and current human RVC infections are exclusively caused by genotype P [2]. In the VP8* hemagglutinin domain of the P [4]/P [5] genotype of swine RVC, specific insertion or deletion were found relative to the human P [2] genotype, and these motifs are a possible critical factor for host range restriction. Our findings highlight the need for further epidemiological surveillance, preventive strategies, and elucidation of the factors involved in the specific host range restriction of RVC-circulating strains.

Seroprevalence of pullorum disease in chicken across mainland China from 1982 to 2020: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pullorum disease (PD), caused by the bacterium Salmonella pullorum, severely threatens the health of chickens worldwide, especially in China, and generating concerns for public health safety. Greater awareness of the seroprevalence may facilitate the prevention and control of this disease. We conducted systematic review and meta-analysis on the seroprevalence of PD in chicken flocks across mainland China. The results show that the overall pooled estimates of PD seroprevalence in chicken flocks was 18.2%. Furthermore, during 38-year period the seroprevalence of PD was markedly high in all seven regions, being at least 14.9% in central China. Our results suggest PD was highly prevalent in autumn, followed by winter. Chickens older than 120 days (22.6%, CI95: 14.5%-31.9%) had a significantly higher positive rate of PD than those <120 days in age (9.4%, CI95: 3.7%-17.4%). Additionally, the rearing mode used is a risk factor associated with the seroprevalence of PD, it being considerably lower for caged chickens (13.7%, CI95: 7.1%-22.0%) than free-range chickens (30.4%, CI95: 17.3-45.4%). Our findings demonstrate that PD still poses a major threat to poultry industries in mainland China, and therefore comprehensive and stringent strategies are needed to prevent and control this disease.

The Association between Gut Microbiome Diversity and Composition and Heat Tolerance in Cattle.

Cattle are raised around the world and are frequently exposed to heat stress, whether in tropical countries or in regions with temperate climates. It is universally acknowledged that compared to those in temperate areas, the cattle breeds developed in tropical and subtropical areas have better heat tolerance. However, the underlying mechanism of heat tolerance has not been fully studied, especially from the perspective of intestinal microbiomics. The present study collected fecal samples of cattle from four representative climatic regions of China, namely, the mesotemperate (HLJ), warm temperate (SD), subtropical (HK), and tropical (SS) regions. Then, the feces were analyzed using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. The results showed that with increasing climatic temperature from HLJ to SS, the abundance of Firmicutes increased, accompanied by an increasing Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio. Proteobacteria showed a trend of reduction from HLJ to SS. Patescibacteria, Chloroflexi, and Actinobacteriota were particularly highest in SS for adapting to the tropical environment. The microbial phenotype in the tropics was characterized by an increase in Gram-positive bacteria and a decrease in Gram-negative bacteria, aerobic bacteria, and the forming of_biofilms. Consistently, the functional abundances of organismal systems and metabolism were decreased to reduce the material and energy demands in a hot environment. Genetic information processing and information storage and processing may be how gut flora deals with hot conditions. The present study revealed the differences in the structure and function of gut microbes of cattle from mesotemperate to tropical climates and provided an important reference for future research on the mechanism of heat tolerance regulated by the gut microbiota and a potential microbiota-based target to alleviate heat stress.

Serum proteomic analysis reveals possible mechanism underlying physiological hemostasis of swim bladder.

The hemostatic effect of isinglass (dried swim bladder) in traditional Chinese medicine is well known. But its mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, mice were gavaged with the dried swim bladder of the chu's croaker (Nibea coibor). The hemostatic effect of swim bladder was investigated, tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics analysis was performed to screen differentially abundant proteins associated with hemostasis in mouse serum. Results indicated that isinglass significantly shorten bleeding time and promoted coagulation after acute trauma (cut out mouse tail). In total, 57 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the sera between control and swim bladder group, of which 31 were up-regulated and 26 were down-regulated in swim bladder group. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis further demonstrated that the Neutrophil extracellular trap formation pathway was significantly affected. Combined with RT-qPCR verification, our findings further suggested that five candidate proteins in the pathway may be involved in the onset of hemostasis after swim bladder gavage, indicating their important role during the hemostasis process promoting by swim bladder. SIGNIFICANCE: Serum proteomics after swim bladder gavage described differentially enriched proteins related to hemostasis, and enriched pathways were validated. This study revealed the possible pathways involved in the hemostatic effect of swim bladder, which may provide a new effector target for the development of new hemostatic drugs.

Application of Multi-Scale Fusion Attention U-Net to Segment the Thyroid Gland on Localized Computed Tomography Images for Radiotherapy.

Objective: To explore the performance of Multi-scale Fusion Attention U-Net (MSFA-U-Net) in thyroid gland segmentation on localized computed tomography (CT) images for radiotherapy. Methods: We selected localized radiotherapeutic CT images from 80 patients with breast cancer or head and neck tumors; label images were manually delineated by experienced radiologists. The data set was randomly divided into the training set (n = 60), the validation set (n = 10), and the test set (n = 10). We expanded the data in the training set and evaluated the performance of the MSFA-U-Net model using the evaluation indices Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), positive predictive value (PPV), sensitivity (SE), and Hausdorff distance (HD). Results: For the MSFA-U-Net model, the DSC, JSC, PPV, SE, and HD values of the segmented thyroid gland in the test set were 0.90 ± 0.09, 0.82± 0.11, 0.91 ± 0.09, 0.90 ± 0.11, and 2.39 ± 0.54, respectively. Compared with U-Net, HRNet, and Attention U-Net, MSFA-U-Net increased DSC by 0.04, 0.06, and 0.04, respectively; increased JSC by 0.05, 0.08, and 0.04, respectively; increased SE by 0.04, 0.11, and 0.09, respectively; and reduced HD by 0.21, 0.20, and 0.06, respectively. The test set image results showed that the thyroid edges segmented by the MSFA-U-Net model were closer to the standard thyroid edges delineated by the experts than were those segmented by the other three models. Moreover, the edges were smoother, over-anti-noise interference was stronger, and oversegmentation and undersegmentation were reduced. Conclusion: The MSFA-U-Net model could meet basic clinical requirements and improve the efficiency of physicians' clinical work.

Senecavirus A Enhances Its Adaptive Evolution via Synonymous Codon Bias Evolution.

Synonymous codon bias in the viral genome affects protein translation and gene expression, suggesting that the synonymous codon mutant plays an essential role in influencing virulence and evolution. However, how the recessive mutant form contributes to virus evolvability remains elusive. In this paper, we characterize how the Senecavirus A (SVA), a picornavirus, utilizes synonymous codon mutations to influence its evolution, resulting in the adaptive evolution of the virus to adverse environments. The phylogenetic tree and Median-joining (MJ)-Network of these SVA lineages worldwide were constructed to reveal SVA three-stage genetic development clusters. Furthermore, we analyzed the codon bias of the SVA genome of selected strains and found that SVA could increase the GC content of the third base of some amino acid synonymous codons to enhance the viral RNA adaptive evolution. Our results highlight the impact of recessive mutation of virus codon bias on the evolution of the SVA and uncover a previously underappreciated evolutionary strategy for SVA. They also underline the importance of understanding the genetic evolution of SVA and how SVA adapts to the adverse effects of external stress.

Prevalence of subclinical mastitis among dairy cattle and associated risks factors in China during 2012-2021: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Bovine mastitis, especially subclinical mastitis (SCM), is one of the most prevalent and economically costly diseases in the dairy industry worldwide. Understanding the prevalence and spatial distribution of bovine SCM and its associated risk factors will facilitate the prevention and control of the disease. We reviewed published studies pertaining to epidemiological surveys of SCM among dairy cows during the past decade (2012-2021) in China from inception to March 20, 2020, with PubMed, Clinical Trial, VIP, CNKI and databases being used to identify English and Chinese articles. Therefore, we retrieved 41 studies related to epidemiological surveys of SCM among dairy cows, using our eligibility criteria. We demonstrated that the prevalence of SCM in dairy cows was 37.7% during the selected periods, indicating a slight increase in the incidence of SCM in a comparison between 2012 and 2016 and 2017-2021. The estimated prevalence of SCM was 36.4%-50.2% in the seven regions, which was no statistically significant difference. The highest prevalence of SCM was 72% in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the lowest prevalence was 19% in Hubei Province. The variation in diagnostic methods was not significant in the studies. Dairy cows' parity was a risk factor associated with the prevalence rate of SCM. Cow's age might affect the prevalence of SCM during the selected periods. This study may facilitate the control with specific strategies to reduce costs and antibiotics overuse, enhance food safety and public health.

Cloning, tissue distribution and mRNA expression of type I collagen alpha 1 gene from Chu's croaker (Nibea coibor).

The demand for collagen has been increasing over years due to its wide application in food, cosmetics and biomedicine industries. The synthesis of collagen protein in fish depends on instructions provided by collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1) gene. However, cloning, tissue distribution and mRNA expression of COL1A1 gene in a gel-producing Chu's croaker (Nibea coibor) is currently unknown. This study cloned the cDNA of COL1A1 gene (GenBank accession number: MK641512) from six N. coibor fish. The distribution and mRNA expression pattern of COL1A1 was analyzed in eight tissues of N. coibor. The COL1A1 cDNA had a full length of 6130 bp and contained a 4344 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 1448 amino acids. The homology of N. coibor COL1A1 amino acid had 98% similarity with Larimichthys crocea, indicating conservatism with other members in same family (Sciaenidae). The deduced polypeptide contained the same signal peptides, C-propeptide and N-propeptide domains, and triple helix domains, which are the characteristics of type I collagen in vertebrates. The mRNA of COL1A1 gene was expressed significantly higher in the spine of N. coibor than in all other tissues (P < 0.05), followed by swim bladder, skin and scales. The swim bladder had higher collagen and hydroxyproline contents than other tissues, followed by spine >, scales > and > skin (P < 0.05). Our study successfully cloned the COL1A1 gene from N. coibor for the first time. The COL1A1 gene contained all the features of collagen pro-α1(I) chain proteins, and shared high homology with other marine teleost. COL1A1 gene in N. coibor is highly expressed in spine and swim bladder, consistent with collagen distribution. Our study contributes to better understanding on collagen biosynthesis in N. coibor tissues for various industrial uses.

Dietary fucoidan extracted from macroalgae Saccharina japonica alleviate the hepatic lipid accumulation of black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii).

The use of an artificial diet often leads to the increase of risk factors for the development of liver diseases, such as hepatic lipid accumulation (HLA) in commercially cultured fish species. Our previous study showed that dietary Saccharina japonica could effectively alleviate HLA in black seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii), which may be linked predominantly to S. japonica fucoidan. Thus, a 56d nutritional trial was designed to investigate the effects of dietary fucoidan (CTRL, 0 g kg-1; ASJ1, 0.75 g kg-1; ASJ2, 3.00 g kg-1) on growth performance, fillets nutritional values, and HLA of black seabream. Results showed that dietary fucoidan significantly improved the growth and the contents of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) in fillets of black seabream. Moreover, dietary fucoidan improved HLA-related parameters, including reducing serum and liver lipid contents and the activity of aminotransferase. Meanwhile, histological analysis showed that dietary fucoidan reduced the area of hepatic lipid droplets in black seabream (P < 0.05). In addition, the transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed gene (DEG) showed that all DEG in fatty acid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis were down-regulated, and all DEG in the regulation of autophagy were up-regulated in the ASJ1 group compared with CTRL group. Moreover, the metabolomic analysis of differentially expressed metabolite (DEM) found that lipid metabolism was the main type of KEGG pathway altered by fucoidan supplementation. Furthermore, the combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis found that dietary fucoidan mainly modified the lipid metabolic pathway of primary bile acid biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism in the liver. In general, dietary fucoidan effectively alleviated HLA of black seabream, and the underlying mechanism may be ascribed to promoting the autophagy and inhibiting the synthesis of lipids and bile acids.

Elevated expression of the RNA-binding motif protein 43 predicts poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play crucial roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA during numerous physiological and pathological processes, including tumor genesis and development. However, the role of RNA-binding motif protein 43 (RBM43) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been reported so far. The current study was the first to evaluate RBM43 protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in an independent cohort of 207 patients with ESCC, to explore its potential prognostic value and clinical relevance in ESCC. The results indicated that RBM43 protein levels were significantly elevated in ESCC tissues and increased RBM43 expression was associated with age and N categories. In addition, ESCC patients with high expression of RBM43 had shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those with low RBM43 expression. Furthermore, when survival analyses were conducted at different clinical stages, overexpression of RBM43 was significantly correlated with shortened survival in patients with ESCC at early stages (TNM stage I-II and N0 stage). Cox regression analysis further proved that high RBM43 expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in ESCC patients. In conclusion, increased expression of RBM43 is correlated with malignant attributes to ESCC and predicts unfavorable prognosis, suggesting an effective prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

Prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in dairy cattle in China during 2010-2019: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria, mainly Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), is a major threat to public health and economic development. There has been no systematic epidemiological assessment concerning bTB in dairy cattle in China. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Literature related to bTB in China was retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, ScienceDirect, VIP Chinese Journals Database, and Wan Fang Database to build the first meta-analysis for estimating the prevalence and infection moderators of bTB in dairy cattle in China. A total of 100 relevant studies published from 2010 to 2019 were included. We estimated the overall prevalence of bTB was 2.4% (95% CI: 2.1-2.8) during this decade. In the sampling year subgroup, the prevalence was lowest in 2017 or later at 0.8% (95% CI: 0.3-1.5). The lowest prevalence was 0.7% (95% CI: 0.5-1.0) in Northwestern China. The lowest prevalence was 2.1% (95% CI: 1.8-2.5) using SIT test. Heifer cows had the highest prevalence, which was 27.1% (95% CI: 9.7-49.2). The prevalence in scale farming was 3.7% (95% CI: 3.1-4.3), significantly higher than that in free-range farming (1.7%, 95% CI: 1.1-2.4). The prevalence of bTB was highest in summer at 4.0% (95% CI: 1.7-7.0). In addition, the influence of different geographical factors (altitude, longitude, latitude, precipitation, temperature, humidity) on the prevalence was analyzed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results showed that bTB was widespread in China but has been gradually reduced through concerted national intervention. It is suggested that different countries should formulate corresponding prevention and control measures according to the epidemic situation in its cattle industry. Enhanced monitoring of warm and humid areas may play an important role in reducing the incidence of bTB. In addition, when large-scale breeding is promoted, attention should be paid to standardizing breeding management and improving animal welfare to reduce the prevalence of bTB in cattle.