Search

Introduction: Following our recent finding that Ucp2 knockout promotes ferroptosis, we aimed to examine whether UCP2 alleviates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI) by inhibiting ferroptosis. Methods: The left anterior descending coronary arteries of wild-type and Ucp2−/− C57BL/6 mice were ligated for 30 min and reperfused for 2 h to establish an MI/RI model. The effects of UCP2 on ferroptosis and MI/RI were determined by echocardiography, 2,3,5-triphenylttrazolium chloride staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, Sirius red staining, and analysis of myocardial injury markers and ferroptosis indicators. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and erastin (Era) were used to investigate whether UCP2 alleviated MI/RI by inhibiting ferroptosis and the molecular mechanism. Results: UCP2 was upregulated in the MI/RI model in WT mice. Deletion of Ucp2 exacerbated ferroptosis, altered the expression levels of multiple ferroptosis-related genes, and significantly exacerbated MI/RI. Knockout of Ucp2 promoted ferroptosis induced by Era and inhibited the antiferroptotic effects of Fer-1. Knockout of Ucp2 activated the p53/TfR1 pathway to exacerbate ferroptosis. Conclusion: Our results showed that UCP2 inhibited ferroptosis in MI/RI, which might be related to regulation of the p53/TfR1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoirs characterized by shale–sandstone interbedded structures are extensively dispersed throughout China, and understanding the propagation mode of hydraulic fractures is a prerequisite for shale gas exploitation engineering. In this study, hydraulic fracturing tests were conducted using horizontal wells subjected to true triaxial compression conditions to elucidate the mechanism by which the initiated layer lithology and stress state influence the fracture morphology. Furthermore, the propagation mode of the fractures and the consequential effects on fracture network formation were investigated. The findings demonstrate four distinct interaction modes between the shale–sandstone interfaces and hydraulic fractures. The lithology of the initiated layer influences the fracture propagation trajectory, thereby affecting the propagation modes at the shale–sandstone interface and resulting in varying effects on layer penetration. The stress difference exerts a significant controlling influence on the fracturing behavior, enhancing the possibility of interconnecting multiple rock layers characterized by substantial stress differences. Highlights: Hydraulic fracturing tests of shale–sandstone interbedded structure were conducted.Four interaction modes between fracture and lithology interface are noted.Fracture propagation modes are explored using acoustic emission parameters.Formation effect of the fracture network was evaluated using fractal dimension method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A split grouting-reinforced body (SGRB) is the new surrounding rock that forms after split grouting reinforcement in tunnels and underground engineering, and its shear-seepage behavior is one of the critical factors affecting tunnel stability. The effects of seepage pressure, confining pressure, and the roughness of the soil–slurry interface on the shear-seepage characteristics of SGRB specimens were investigated using a modified triaxial shear-seepage coupling test system. The failure mechanism for the SGRB was analyzed taking into account its seepage behavior and mechanical characteristics. The results showed that the seepage process of the SGRB specimens could be divided into four stages according to the seepage velocity, including the waterless, rapid, decelerating, and steady seepage stages, and the corresponding water turbidity in the seepage stages was classified as turbid, mildly turbid, or clear, respectively. The peak shear stress of the soil–slurry interface of the SGRB specimens under seepage was lower than that in the waterless environment, and the peak shear stress decreased from 57.25 kPa (waterless) to 29.37 kPa (a seepage pressure of 0.08 MPa), marking a reduction of 50.74%. The seepage phenomenon of the specimens was related to the 'seepage-to-confining ratio', and its critical points in the waterless, seepage, and seepage surge stages were 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) have large and anatomically sophisticated brains. To expand our understanding of the cellular makeup of cetacean brains and the similarities and divergence between the brains of cetaceans and terrestrial mammals, we report a short‐finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) single‐nucleus transcriptome atlas. To achieve this goal, we assembled a chromosome‐scale reference genome spanning 2.25 Gb on 22 chromosomes and profiled the gene expression of five major anatomical cortical regions of the short‐finned pilot whale by single‐nucleus RNA‐sequencing (snRNA‐seq). We identified six major cell lineages in the cerebral cortex (excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons, oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, astrocytes, and endothelial cells), eight molecularly distinct subclusters of excitatory neurons, and four subclusters of inhibitory neurons. Finally, a comparison of snRNA‐seq data from the short‐finned pilot whale, human, and rhesus macaque revealed a broadly conserved cellular makeup of brain cell types. Our study provides genomic resources and molecular insights into cetacean brain evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), the single extant species of the genus Steno, inhabits tropical and subtropical oceans. It is an attractive species for studying aquatic adaptation and evolution. The latest advances in high-throughput sequencing are transforming the study of marine mammals and contributing to understanding various phenomena at the species and population level by determining high-quality genomes. Here, to comprehensively understand the genetic features and explore the molecular basis of aquatic adaption, the chromosome-level genome assembly and comparative genomics analyses of S. bredanensis were performed. The 2.30 Gb final genome assembly of S. bredanensis (scaffold N50 length of 105.53 Mb) was obtained using single-tube long fragment read (stLFR) and Hi-C technologies. The genome assembly clearly revealed the preservation of large chromosomal fragments between S. bredanensis and the melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra). The S. bredanensis genome contained 19,451 predicted protein-coding genes, of which about 92.33% have functional annotations. The genome assembly and gene sets showed high completeness, with a BUSCO score of 90.6% and 97.3%, respectively. We also identified several positively selected genes specific to S. bredanensis, which may be related to fat cell differentiation, tooth morphogenesis, and immunoregulatory activity. Finally, the demographic dynamics of S. bredanensis were estimated by the pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent (PSMC) model and found that the population was affected by the climate at the time. We demonstrated that improved continuity and accuracy of the assembled sequence warranted the adoption of this chromosome-level genome as the reference genome and advanced the understanding of genetic features of the rough-toothed dolphin, which will be essential for future evolutionary studies and the protection of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For removing carbonyl sulfide (COS) from industrial waste gas at low temperatures, the critical approach is to prepare an efficient and cheap catalyst. In this paper, Fe/Cu modified coal‐based activated carbon (AC) was prepared by co‐precipitation method and tested for the catalytic hydrolysis of carbonyl sulfide (COS) at low temperatures in a fixed‐bed reactor. The results showed that the best mole ratio of Fe/Cu was 1 : 1 and the best content of metal oxides was 50 %. BET, XRD, XPS, FTIR, and SEM investigated the structure and surface properties. COS was hydrolyzed on Fe2O3 to produce H2S and CO2, and H2S reacted with CuO to have CuS. At the same time, H2S reacted with Fe2O3 to produce FeS and elementary sulfur. Oxidized elemental sulfur was to form sulfuric acid, which responded with Fe2O3 to form sulfates. The sulfates would be deposited on the catalysts' surface and block the pore structure. Deactivation of metal oxides and blockage of pore structures were the main reason for catalyst deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement-sodium silicate grout (CSG) is now widely adopted in water plugging engineering to prevent water inrush disasters, and the gelation and consolidation characteristics of CSG in water environment significantly affect the grouting effect. To obtain an in-depth understanding of the performance of CSG in water, the CSGs with different water-cement ratios and volume ratios were tested, and the gelation properties, the deposition characteristics and the diffusion process of CSG within water were examined. The compressive strength and microstructure of CSG consolidation formed in air and water were also analyzed comparatively. The test results indicate that the CSG consolidation exhibits obvious stratification and segregation phenomena in water, which can be divided into three layers with different substance compositions. The compressive strength of CSG consolidation formed in water is much lower than that of the grout consolidation formed in air, indicating that the water environment has a significant weakening effect on the consolidation properties of CSG. The hydration products and microstructure of CSG consolidation in water change clearly due to the dilution effect of water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) is a subtype of cerebral small vessel disease. Their underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between infectious burden (IB) and CMBs. Methods: Seven hundred and seventy‐three consecutive patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology in General Hospital of Western Theater Command without severe neurological symptoms were recruited and selected in this pilot cross‐sectional study. CMBs were assessed using the susceptibility‐weighted imaging sequence of magnetic resonance imaging. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against common pathogens, including herpes simplex virus (HSV)‐1, HSV‐2, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae), Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), Helicobacter pylori (HP), and Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi), were measured by commercial ELISA assays. IB was defined as a composite serologic measure of exposure to these common pathogens. Results: Patients with and without CMBs were defined as the CMBs group (n = 76) and the non‐CMBs group (n = 81), respectively. IB was significantly different between the CMBs and non‐CMBs groups. After adjusted for other risk factors, the increased IB was independently associated with the presence of CMBs (P = 0.031, OR = 3.00, 95% CI [1.11–8.15]). IB was significantly positively associated with the number of CMBs (Spearman ρ = 0.653, P < 0.001). The levels of serum inflammatory markers were significantly different between the CMBs and non‐CMBs groups and among the categories of IB. Interpretation: IB consisting of HSV‐1, HSV‐2, CMV, C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, EBV, HP, and B. burgdorferi was associated with CMBs. All the findings suggested that pathogen infection could be involved in the pathogenesis of CMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The scaly-foot snail (Chrysomallon squamiferum) is highly adapted to deep-sea hydrothermal vents and has drawn much interest since its discovery. However, the limited information on its genome has impeded further related research and understanding of its adaptation to deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Findings Here, we report the whole-genome sequencing and assembly of the scaly-foot snail and another snail (Gigantopelta aegis), which inhabits similar environments. Using Oxford Nanopore Technology, 10X Genomics, and Hi-C technologies, we obtained a chromosome-level genome of C. squamiferum with an N50 size of 20.71 Mb. By constructing a phylogenetic tree, we found that these 2 deep-sea snails evolved independently of other snails. Their divergence from each other occurred ∼66.3 million years ago. Comparative genomic analysis showed that different snails have diverse genome sizes and repeat contents. Deep-sea snails have more DNA transposons and long terminal repeats but fewer long interspersed nuclear elements than other snails. Gene family analysis revealed that deep-sea snails experienced stronger selective pressures than freshwater snails, and gene families related to the nervous system, immune system, metabolism, DNA stability, antioxidation, and biomineralization were significantly expanded in scaly-foot snails. We also found 251 H-2 Class II histocompatibility antigen, A-U α chain-like (H2-Aal) genes, which exist uniquely in the Gigantopelta aegis genome. This finding is important for investigating the evolution of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. Conclusion Our study provides new insights into deep-sea snail genomes and valuable resources for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the abundance of knowledge regarding high-altitude pulmonary edoema (HAPE) and high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH), their prevalence continues to be on the rise. Thus, there is an urgent need for newer safe, effective, and relatively economic drug candidates. China is particularly known for the use of medicinal plants. This review summarizes the medicinal plants used for HAPE and HAPH in the past 30 years, as well as some potential plants. Publications on HAPE and HAPH from 1990 to 2020 were identified using Web of Science, PubMed, SCOPUS, Springer Link, Google Scholar databases, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry and CNKI with the following keywords: 'medicinal plants,' 'hypoxia,' 'high altitude pulmonary edema,' 'high altitude pulmonary hypertension,' 'pathophysiology,' 'mechanisms,' 'prevention,' 'treatment,' 'human,' 'clinical,' 'safety,' and 'pharmacokinetics.' We found 26 species (from 20 families) out of 5000 plants which are used for HAPE and HAPH prevention or treatment. Rhodiola rosea Linn. (Crassulaceae) is the most widely utilized. The most involved family is Lamiaceae, which contains 5 species. We mainly reviewed the medicinal plants and mechanisms for the treatment of HAPE and HAPH, and we also assessed related toxicology experiments, pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. Potential medicinal plants were also identified. Further research is needed to determine the pharmacological effects and active ingredients of these potential medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anglerfishes are a highly diverse group of species with unique characteristics. Here, we report the first chromosome-level genome of a species in the order Lophiiformes, the yellow goosefish (Lophius litulon), obtained by whole genome shotgun sequencing and high-throughput chromatin conformation capture. Approximately 97.20% of the assembly spanning 709.23 Mb could be anchored to 23 chromosomes with a contig N50 of 164.91 kb. The BUSCO value was 95.4%, suggesting that the quality of the assembly was high. A comparative gene family analysis identified expanded and contracted gene families, and these may be associated with adaptation to the benthic environment and the lack of scales in the species. A majority of positively selected genes were related to metabolic processes, suggesting that digestive and metabolic system evolution expanded the diversity of yellow goosefish prey. Our study provides a valuable genetic resource for understanding the mechanisms underlying the unique features of the yellow goosefish and for investigating anglerfish evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe/activated carbon desulfurizer is prepared by precipitation method using activated carbon as carrier to remove H2S. The desulfurizer before and after desulfurization was characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM and N2 adsorption–desorption. The results show that the active component of desulfurizer is Fe2O3, which reacts with H2S to form FeS, elemental sulfur and Fe2(SO4)3. The sulfide block the pores, causing the specific surface area, pore volume and fractal dimension to decrease after desulfurization. The effects of gas flow rate, particle size and temperature on the removal of H2S were investigated by solid‐bed reactor. Based on the above experimental data, an improved unreacted shrinking core model is used to study the kinetics of Fe/activated carbon desulfurization at low temperature. The improved unreacted shrinking core model is used to analyzing experimental data, in which the activation energies of surface reaction and internal diffusion were determined to be 0.8801 and 3.301 kJ/mol, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current fatigue life calculation theory, the most commonly used method is the frequency domain method. However, most of the frequency domain fatigue life prediction models do not indicate the scope of the application of the spectral width parameter. Different frequency domain methods have strict applicability to the spectral width parameter, and improper model selection will lead significant error. Therefore, it is particularly important to determine the scope of application of the spectral width parameter for different frequency-domain methods. This paper firstly introduces the current frequency domain methods, then simulates the analogue spectrum and selects three materials for comparison in the different frequency-domain methods. By analyzing and comparing the results of random fatigue life and relative error results, the application of different frequency-domain methods is obtained, and random vibration simulation verification is carried out with the practical engineering example, which can provide a reference for the selection of life prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine whether lung tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogels have protective effects on radiation‐induced lung injury (RILI). The cytocompatibility and histocompatibility were tested for the obtained ECM‐derived hydrogel. Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 18): control group (control); rats receiving irradiation and intratracheal injection of normal saline (IR + NS); and rats receiving irradiation and intratracheal injection of lung ECM‐derived hydrogel (IR + ECM). The wet/dry weight ratio was used to evaluate the congestion and edema of the lungs. Histopathological analysis of lung tissues was performed using hemotoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's trichrome staining. Immunohistochemical staining and western blot analyses were carried out to determine the expression of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related proteins in lung tissues (E‐cadherin, α‐smooth muscle actin [α‐SMA], and vimentin). In addition, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), hydroxyproline, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were also evaluated. The ECM‐derived hydrogels had good cytocompatibility and histocompatibility. ECM‐derived hydrogel treatment improved lung histopathology injury and pulmonary edema. Higher expression of E‐cadherin and lower expression of vimentin and α‐SMA were found in the IR + ECM group compared with those in the IR + NS group. Hydroxyproline levels were reduced by ECM‐derived hydrogel treatment compared with those in the IR + NS group. Obvious increases of TNF‐α, IL‐6, and TGF‐β1 were identified following irradiation. Marked reductions in MDA content and increases in SOD were induced by ECM‐derived hydrogel treatment in rats after radiation. ECM‐derived hydrogels were shown to protect against RILI, potentially by reducing EMT, inflammation, and oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is a primate species, which belongs to the Old World monkey (Cercopithecidae) family. It is closely related to human, serving as a model for human health related research. However, the genetic studies on and genomic resources of mandrill are limited, especially in comparison to other primate species. Here we produced 284 Gb data, providing 96-fold coverage (considering the estimated genome size of 2.9 Gb), to construct a reference genome for the mandrill. The assembled draft genome was 2.79 Gb with contig N50 of 20.48 Kb and scaffold N50 of 3.56 Mb. We annotated the mandrill genome to find 43.83% repeat elements, as well as 21,906 protein-coding genes. The draft genome was of good quality with 98% gene annotation coverage by Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO). Based on comparative genomic analyses of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) of the immune system in mandrill and human, we found that 17 genes in the mandrill that have been associated with disease phenotypes in human such as Lung cancer, cranial volume and asthma, barbored amino acids changing mutations. Gene family analyses revealed expansion of several genes, and several genes associated with stress environmental adaptation and innate immunity responses exhibited signatures of positive selection. In summary, we established the first draft genome of the mandrill of value for studies on evolution and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composite carrier was prepared by ultrasonication of activated carbon and attapulgite in aqueous solution, and Fe−Cu/ activated carbon‐attapulgite adsorbent was prepared by co‐precipitation method. The effects of different activated carbon: attapulgite ratios and calcination temperatures on the removal of H2S were investigated by solid bed reactor. The adsorbents were characterized by XRD, XPS TG and N2 adsorption‐desorption. The results showed that the mechanical strength of the composite carrier adsorbent was increased and the scatter ratio was reduced with the addition of attapulgite. The adsorbent showed better desulfurization activity after calcination. When the calcination temperature was 500 °C, the adsorbent formed Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 crystal form to improve the desulfurization performance significantly, and the sulfur capacity reached 279.90 mg g−1. After the adsorbent removed H2S at low temperature, the formation of elemental sulfur, metal sulfide and sulfate in the pores of the adsorbent led to desulfurization activity of the adsorbent decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Renal ischaemia reperfusion injury (IRI), characterized by excessive cell apoptosis and inflammation, remains a clinical challenge. Mitochondrial membrane potential is related to apoptosis and inflammation of IRI. Previous studies have indicated that uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and its receptors play an important role in inflammation, apoptosis and injuries, especially in oxidative stress injury. However, the underlying mechanisms of UCP2 in IRI are still not fully understood. Methods and results: In the present study, male C57 mice were randomly divided into three groups:sham, IR, and UCP2-/-+IR. The IRI model was established by removing the right kidney and clamping the left kidney for 45 min followed by reperfusion. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine were higher in UCP2-/-+IR mouse serum than in IR mouse serum. In addition, relative to the IR group, UCP2-/-+IR mouse renal cells had increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, aggravating tissue damage. We examined changes in the NFκB pathway and found that after UCP2 knockdown, IκB and IKK phosphorylation increased, and nuclear NFκB increased, which stimulated inflammation. Moreover, there was an increase in apoptosis in the UCP2-/-+IR group. Conclusion: UCP2 can prevent IRI in C57 mice. Mechanistically, UCP2 may decrease ROS expression, NFκB activation and caspase-3 cleavage, rendering UCP2 a potential therapeutic target against IRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine mammals are important models for studying convergent evolution and aquatic adaption, and thus reference genomes of marine mammals can provide evolutionary insights. Here, we present the first chromosome‐level marine mammal genome assembly based on the data generated by the BGISEQ‐500 platform, for a stranded female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). Using this reference genome, we performed chromosome evolution analysis of the sperm whale, including constructing ancestral chromosomes, identifying chromosome rearrangement events and comparing with cattle chromosomes, which provides a resource for exploring marine mammal adaptation and speciation. We detected a high proportion of long interspersed nuclear elements and expanded gene families, and contraction of major histocompatibility complex region genes which were specific to sperm whale. Using comparisons with sheep and cattle, we analysed positively selected genes to identify gene pathways that may be related to adaptation to the marine environment. Further, we identified possible convergent evolution in aquatic mammals by testing for positively selected genes across three orders of marine mammals. In addition, we used publicly available resequencing data to confirm a rapid decline in global population size in the Pliocene to Pleistocene transition. This study sheds light on the chromosome evolution and genetic mechanisms underpinning sperm whale adaptations, providing valuable resources for future comparative genomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1) degradation by water-assisted microwave irradiation (WMI) and the identification of the degradation products of AFB 1 are key issues in the feasibility study of WMI detoxification. In this study, WMI was applied to degrade pure AFB 1 in aqueous medium, and the kinetics, products, and pathways of the degradation of AFB 1 were studied. The results showed that AFB 1 could be effectively degraded by WMI, and the degradation process followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. In addition, six new main degradation products were identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry, and a possible degradation pathway was proposed. Furthermore, the variety and quantity of AFB 1 degradation products and the degradation pathway of AFB 1 were affected by microwave heating temperature, time, and power. After WMI treatment, the double bond in the terminal furan ring or the lactone bond of AFB 1 was destroyed, which implied that the toxicity of the degradation product was significantly reduced. Therefore, WMI is deemed to be an effective method to degrade AFB 1. • Water-assisted microwave irradiation is a new and effective AFB 1 degradation method. • The degradation process of AFB 1 followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. • Six new degradation products of AFB 1 were identified by UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS. • The degradation pathway was proposed. • Six degradation products have significantly lower toxicity compared with AFB 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most commonly found mycotoxin in corn, which is highly toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic for the health of humans and animals. In order to reduce the AFB1 in corn, corn kernels were processed with Water-assisted Microwaves Treatment (WMT) and the feasibility of WMT processing on AFB1 reduction and its effects on corn quality were analyzed. Increasing the treatment time and microwave power could increase the reduction of AFB1, and the maximum reduction rate could reach 58.6% and 56.8%, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the initial concentration of AFB1 and the reduction rate of AFB1. During WMT, the main toxigenic molds were sterilized completely, and the moisture content of corn climbed up and then declined to the initial level. WMT could obviously increase the fatty acid value and pasting temperature of corn and reduce the all paste viscosity of corn. However, it had little effect on the color of corn. The results indicated that WMT could reduce AFB1 effectively and avoid the vast appearance of heat-damaged kernels simultaneously. Undoubtedly, water played an important role in WMT. This result provides a new idea for the reduction of AFB1 by microwave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), a recently domesticated poultry species, is important not only as an agricultural product, but also as a model bird species for genetic research. However, most of the biological questions concerning genomics, phylogenetics, and genetics of some important economic traits have not been answered. It is thus necessary to complete a high-quality genome sequence as well as a series of comparative genomics, evolution, and functional studies. Results Here, we present a quail genome assembly spanning 1.04 Gb with 86.63% of sequences anchored to 30 chromosomes (28 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes Z/W). Our genomic data have resolved the long-term debate of phylogeny among Perdicinae (Japanese quail), Meleagridinae (turkey), and Phasianinae (chicken). Comparative genomics and functional genomic data found that four candidate genes involved in early maturation had experienced positive selection, and one of them encodes follicle stimulating hormone beta (FSHβ), which is correlated with different FSHβ levels in quail and chicken. We re-sequenced 31 quails (10 wild, 11 egg-type, and 10 meat-type) and identified 18 and 26 candidate selective sweep regions in the egg-type and meat-type lines, respectively. That only one of them is shared between egg-type and meat-type lines suggests that they were subject to an independent selection. We also detected a haplotype on chromosome Z, which was closely linked with maroon/yellow plumage in quail using population resequencing and a genome-wide association study. This haplotype block will be useful for quail breeding programs. Conclusions This study provided a high-quality quail reference genome, identified quail-specific genes, and resolved quail phylogeny. We have identified genes related to quail early maturation and a marker for plumage color, which is significant for quail breeding. These results will facilitate biological discovery in quails and help us elucidate the evolutionary processes within the Phasianidae family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polyprenols and their derivatives are highlighted in this study. These lipid linear polymers of isoprenoid residues are widespread in nature from bacteria to human cells. This review primarily presents the synthesis and biological activities of polyprenyl derivatives. Attention is focused on the synthesis and biological activity of dolichols, polyprenyl ester derivatives and polyprenyl amines. Other polyprenyl derivatives, such as oxides of polyprenols, aromatic polyprenols, polyprenyl bromide and polyprenyl sulphates, are mentioned. It is noted that polyprenyl phosphates and polyprenyl-linked glycosylation have better antibacterial, gene therapy and immunomodulating performance, whereas polyprenyl amines have better for antibacterial and antithrombotic activity. Dolichols, polyprenyl acetic esters, polyprenyl phosphates and polyprenyl-linked glycosylation have pharmacological anti-tumour effects. Finally, the postulated prospect of polyprenols and their derivatives are discussed. Further in vivo studies on the above derivatives are needed. The compatibility of polyprenols and their derivatives with other drugs should be studied, and new preparations of polyprenyl derivatives, such as hydrogel glue and release-controlled drugs, are suggested for future research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancements in intelligent action recognition can be instrumental in developing autonomous robotic systems capable of analyzing complex human activities in real-time, contributing to the growing field of robotics that operates in dynamic environments. The precise recognition of basketball players' actions using artificial intelligence technology can provide valuable assistance and guidance to athletes, coaches, and analysts, and can help referees make fairer decisions during games. However, unlike action recognition in simpler scenarios, the background in basketball is similar and complex, the differences between various actions are subtle, and lighting conditions are inconsistent, making action recognition in basketball a challenging task. To address this problem, an Adaptive Context-Aware Network (ACA-Net) for basketball player action recognition is proposed in this paper. It contains a Long Short-term Adaptive (LSTA) module and a Triplet Spatial-Channel Interaction (TSCI) module to extract effective features at the temporal, spatial, and channel levels. The LSTA module adaptively learns global and local temporal features of the video. The TSCI module enhances the feature representation by learning the interaction features between space and channels. We conducted extensive experiments on the popular basketball action recognition datasets SpaceJam and Basketball-51. The results show that ACA-Net outperforms the current mainstream methods, achieving 89.26% and 92.05% in terms of classification accuracy on the two datasets, respectively. ACA-Net's adaptable architecture also holds potential for real-world applications in autonomous robotics, where accurate recognition of complex human actions in unstructured environments is crucial for tasks such as automated game analysis, player performance evaluation, and enhanced interactive broadcasting experiences., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhang, Zhang, Zhou and Xu.)

Background: Emodin is a traditional medicine that has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. Previous research has indicated that emodin can alleviate myocardial remodeling and inhibit myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. However, the mechanism by which emodin affects myocardial fibrosis (MF) has not yet been elucidated., Methods: Fibroblasts were treated with ANGII, and a mouse model of MF was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Cell proliferation was examined by a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay. Dihydroethidium (DHE) was used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and Masson and Sirius red staining were used to examine changes in collagen fiber levels. PI3K was over-expressed by lentiviral transfection to verify the effect of emodin on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis. Changes in cardiac function in each group were examined by echocardiography., Results: Emodin significantly inhibited fibroblast proliferation, decreased intracellular ROS levels, significantly upregulated collagen II expression, downregulated α-SMA expression, and inhibited PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activation in vitro. Moreover, the in vivo results were consistent with the in vitro. Emodin significantly decreased ROS levels in heart tissue and reduced collagen fibrillogenesis. Emodin could regulate the activity of PI3K to increase the expression of collagen II and downregulate α-SMA expression in part through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and emodin significantly improved cardiac structure and function in mice., Conclusions: This study revealed that emodin targeted the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway to inhibit the development of myocardial fibrosis and may be an antifibrotic agent for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

Introduction: Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a global respiratory disease, which annually leads to 3-5 million cases of severe illness, resulting in 290,000-650,000 deaths. Additionally, during the past century, four global IAV pandemics have claimed millions of human lives. The epithelial lining of the trachea plays a vital role during IAV infection, both as point of viral entry and replication as well as in the antiviral immune response. Tracheal tissue is generally inaccessible from human patients, which makes animal models crucial for the study of the tracheal host immune response., Method: In this study, pigs were inoculated with swine- or human-adapted H1N1 IAV to gain insight into how host adaptation of IAV shapes the innate immune response during infection. In-depth multi-omics analysis (global proteomics and RNA sequencing) of the host response in upper and lower tracheal tissue was conducted, and results were validated by microfluidic qPCR. Additionally, a subset of samples was selected for histopathological examination., Results: A classical innate antiviral immune response was induced in both upper and lower trachea after infection with either swine- or human-adapted IAV with upregulation of genes and higher abundance of proteins associated with viral infection and recognition, accompanied by a significant induction of interferon stimulated genes with corresponding higher proteins concentrations. Infection with the swine-adapted virus induced a much stronger immune response compared to infection with a human-adapted IAV strain in the lower trachea, which could be a consequence of a higher viral load and a higher degree of inflammation., Discussion: Central components of the JAK-STAT pathway, apoptosis, pyrimidine metabolism, and the cytoskeleton were significantly altered depending on infection with swine- or human-adapted virus and might be relevant mechanisms in relation to antiviral immunity against putative zoonotic IAV. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that during host adaptation, IAV evolve to modulate important host cell elements to favor viral infectivity and replication., Competing Interests: Author YZ was employed by company BGI-Qingdao. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Laybourn, Hellemann Polhaus, Kristensen, Lyngfeldt Henriksen, Zhang, Brogaard, Larsen, Trebbien, Larsen, Kalogeropoulos, auf dem Keller and Skovgaard.)

Background: Hematologic diseases have seriously threatened human health. Although hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an effective curative option, the complications, especially graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), are a big problem., Methods: TNF-α pretreatment of hematopoietic stem cells. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, Transwell, and wound healing assays were used to assess cell migration and invasion, E-selectin expression was observed by fluorescence imaging, the levels of NO were measured by a kit, the expression of Ecadherin, MMP2, and MMP9 was detected in cells by qRT-PCR, and western blot was used to analyze the expression of E-cadherin, CXCL12, MCP-1, MCP-3, MMP2, and MMP9., Results: TNF-α induces a high apoptosis rate of CD3, CD19, and CD133 and a low apoptosis rate of CD34. The level of Fas and TNF-R1 was significantly high than that of TNF-R2. HSCs treated with TNF- α declined the invasion and migration of HUVECs. E-selectin, MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA levels of HUVECs and MMP2, CXCL12, MCP-1, and MCP-3 were decreased after HSCs-TNF-α treatment, while the E-cadherin mRNA and protein level of HUVECs was enhanced with HSCs-TNF-α treatment., Conclusion: TNF-α pretreated HSCs can lead to reduced levels of migration, adhesion, and chemokines of HUVECs, thereby declining the inflammatory response and GVHD., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is Earth's most abundant wild animal, and its enormous biomass is vital to the Southern Ocean ecosystem. Here, we report a 48.01-Gb chromosome-level Antarctic krill genome, whose large genome size appears to have resulted from inter-genic transposable element expansions. Our assembly reveals the molecular architecture of the Antarctic krill circadian clock and uncovers expanded gene families associated with molting and energy metabolism, providing insights into adaptations to the cold and highly seasonal Antarctic environment. Population-level genome re-sequencing from four geographical sites around the Antarctic continent reveals no clear population structure but highlights natural selection associated with environmental variables. An apparent drastic reduction in krill population size 10 mya and a subsequent rebound 100 thousand years ago coincides with climate change events. Our findings uncover the genomic basis of Antarctic krill adaptations to the Southern Ocean and provide valuable resources for future Antarctic research., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The 0.8-Mb Ig new Ag receptor (IgNAR) region of the whitespotted bamboo shark ( Chiloscyllium plagiosum ) is incompletely assembled in Chr&#95;44 of the reference genome. Here we used Cas9-assisted targeting of chromosome segments (CATCH) to enrich the 2 Mb region of the Chr&#95;44 IgNAR loci and sequenced it by PacBio and next-generation sequencing. A fragment >3.13 Mb was isolated intact from the RBCs of sharks. The target was enriched 245.531-fold, and sequences had up to 94% coverage with a 255× mean depth. Compared with the previously published sequences, 20 holes were filled, with a total length of 3508 bp. In addition, we report five potential germline V alleles of IgNAR1 from six sharks that may belong to two clusters of the IgNAR. Our results provide a new method to research the germline of large Ig gene segments, as well as provide the enhanced bamboo shark IgNAR gene loci with fewer gaps., (Copyright © 2021 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) occur when offspring inherit haplotypes that are identical by descent from each parent. Length distributions of ROH are informative about population history; specifically, the probability of inbreeding mediated by mating system and/or population demography. Here, we investigated whether variation in killer whale (Orcinus orca) demographic history is reflected in genome-wide heterozygosity and ROH length distributions, using a global data set of 26 genomes representative of geographic and ecotypic variation in this species, and two F1 admixed individuals with Pacific-Atlantic parentage. We first reconstructed demographic history for each population as changes in effective population size through time using the pairwise sequential Markovian coalescent (PSMC) method. We found a subset of populations declined in effective population size during the Late Pleistocene, while others had more stable demography. Genomes inferred to have undergone ancestral declines in effective population size, were autozygous at hundreds of short ROH (<1 Mb), reflecting high background relatedness due to coalescence of haplotypes deep within the pedigree. In contrast, longer and therefore younger ROH (>1.5 Mb) were found in low latitude populations, and populations of known conservation concern. These include a Scottish killer whale, for which 37.8% of the autosomes were comprised of ROH >1.5 Mb in length. The fate of this population, in which only two adult males have been sighted in the past five years, and zero fecundity over the last two decades, may be inextricably linked to its demographic history and consequential inbreeding depression., (© 2021 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The suite of adaptations associated with the extreme stature of the giraffe has long interested biologists and physiologists. By generating a high-quality chromosome-level giraffe genome and a comprehensive comparison with other ruminant genomes, we identified a robust catalog of giraffe-specific mutations. These are primarily related to cardiovascular, bone growth, vision, hearing, and circadian functions. Among them, the giraffe FGFRL1 gene is an outlier with seven unique amino acid substitutions not found in any other ruminant. Gene-edited mice with the giraffe-type FGFRL1 show exceptional hypertension resistance and higher bone mineral density, both of which are tightly connected with giraffe adaptations to high stature. Our results facilitate a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanism underpinning distinct giraffe traits, and may provide insights into the study of hypertension in humans., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

Lungfishes are the closest extant relatives of tetrapods and preserve ancestral traits linked with the water-to-land transition. However, their huge genome sizes have hindered understanding of this key transition in evolution. Here, we report a 40-Gb chromosome-level assembly of the African lungfish (Protopterus annectens) genome, which is the largest genome assembly ever reported and has a contig and chromosome N50 of 1.60 Mb and 2.81 Gb, respectively. The large size of the lungfish genome is due mainly to retrotransposons. Genes with ultra-long length show similar expression levels to other genes, indicating that lungfishes have evolved high transcription efficacy to keep gene expression balanced. Together with transcriptome and experimental data, we identified potential genes and regulatory elements related to such terrestrial adaptation traits as pulmonary surfactant, anxiolytic ability, pentadactyl limbs, and pharyngeal remodeling. Our results provide insights and key resources for understanding the evolutionary pathway leading from fishes to humans., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)