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The age of Yunnanosaurus youngi, a non-sauropod basal sauropodomorph, was reported as the Middle Jurassic. However, no basal sauropodomorphs have been reported worldwide in the Middle Jurassic prev...

One new ionone glycoside, named centrantheroside F (1), together with 9 known compounds (2-10), were isolated from the roots of Centranthera grandiflora. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analyses and comparing with the literature data. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed via 2 D NMR and electronic circular dichroism (ECD). All isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production.

Mimulicalyx is an oligo-genus including two species that are endemic to southwest China. Based on investigation of the rediscovered populations of M. rosulatus and M. paludigenus, examination of herbarium specimens (including types), as well as consultation of protologues and distributions, no obvious morphorlogical differences has been found and we concluded that they are conspecific. Therefore, M. paludigenus is reduced to a synonym of M. rosulatus. Field photographs and an updated morphological description of M. rosulatus are provided.

Shunosaurus is a small eusauropod from China. It is characterised by solid cervical and dorsal vertebral centra without complicated pneumatic structures, platycoelous or amphicoelous middle and pos...

Bacteria harbour several abundant small DNA‐binding proteins known as nucleoid‐associated proteins (NAPs) that contribute to the structure of the bacterial nucleoid as well as to gene regulation. Although the function of NAPs as global transcriptional regulators has been comprehensively studied in the model organism Escherichia coli, their regulatory functions in other bacteria remain relatively poorly understood. Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a gram‐negative bacterium that causes black rot disease in almost all members of the crucifer family. In previous work, we demonstrated that a Fis homologue protein, which we named Fis‐like protein (Flp), contributes to the regulation of virulence, type III secretion, and a series of other phenotypes in Xcc. Here we have examined the role of XC_1355, which is predicted to encode a DNA‐binding protein belonging to the HU family herein named HU‐like protein (Hlp). We show that mutation of XC_1355 in Xcc reduces the virulence, extracellular polysaccharide production, and cell motility, but has no effect on the production of extracellular enzymes and induction of the hypersensitive response. These data together with transcriptome analysis indicate that hlp is a previously uncharacterized gene involved in virulence that has partially overlapping and complementary functions with flp in Xcc, although the two regulators have opposite effects on the expression of genes involved in type III secretion. The findings add to our understanding of the complex regulatory pathways that act to regulate virulence in Xcc., A previously uncharacterized protein, Hlp, is involved in virulence and has opposite effects on the expression of type III secretion proteins compared with Flp.

Artabotrys pachypetalussp. nov.is described from Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan and Jiangxi in China. A detailed description, distribution data, along with a color plate and a line drawing are provided. In China, specimens representing this species were formerly misidentified asA. multiflorusorA. hongkongensis(=A. blumei).Artabotrys blumeitypically has a single flower per inflorescence, whereas bothArtabotrys pachypetalusandA. multiflorushave multiple flowers per inflorescence. In addition,A. pachypetalusis readily distinguished fromA. multiflorusin having thicker and shorter petals, and connivent and somewhat trigonal or terete inner petal blades.Artabotrys pachypetalusis most similar toA. punctulatusbecause both have multi-flowered inflorescences and similar petal length, butA. pachypetalusdiffers in having cream petalsin vivo, connivent inner petal blades, and a short, raised rim above the inner petal claw.Artabotrys multiflorusshould be excluded from the flora of China because none of the Chinese specimens ofArtabotryscollected so far fall within the variation ofA. multiflorus.

The incidence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasing worldwide. Activation of Kupffer cells (KCs) is central to the development of diet-induced NASH. We investigated whether a combination of two active chemical components, geniposide and chlorogenic acid (GC), at a specific ratio (67 : 1), ameliorates diet-induced NASH and the underlying mechanisms involved. C57BL/6J mice exposed to a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet containing cholesterol, choline, and high-sugar drinking water, as well as RAW264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were studied. The combination exerted a therapeutic effect on HFHC-induced NASH in mice. Simultaneously, GC was found to reduce the expression of cytokines secreted by hepatic macrophages, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), IL-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Moreover, GC reduced the number of KCs expressing F4/80. Furthermore, TNF-α, inducible nitric oxide synthase (INOS), IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA and TNF-α protein expression levels were suppressed upon GC treatment in RAW264.7 cells. Our findings suggest that GC has a strong anti-inflammatory effect in NASH, and this effect can be attributed to the suppression of KC activity in the liver.

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNAs 20-500 nucleotides in length, which have recently been discovered in prokaryotic organisms. sRNAs are key regulators in many biological processes, such as sensing various environmental changes and regulating intracellular gene expression through binding target mRNAs or proteins. Bacterial sRNAs have recently been rapidly mined, thus providing new insights into the regulatory network of biological functions in prokaryotes. Although most bacterial sRNAs have been discovered and studied in Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative bacteria, sRNAs have increasingly been predicted and verified in Gram-positive bacteria in the past decade. The genus Streptococcus includes many commensal and pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria. However, current understanding of sRNA-mediated regulation in Streptococcus is limited. Most known sRNAs in Streptococcus are associated with the regulation of virulence. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding of the functions and mechanisms of sRNAs in Streptococcus, and we discuss the RNA chaperone protein and synthetic sRNA-mediated gene regulation, with the aim of providing a reference for the study of microbial sRNAs.

Allium yingshanense, a new late-flowering diploid species (2n = 16), is described from the Dabie Mountains (east-central China). It grows on moist rock slopes along river banks in forests or rocky cliffs with an aggregated distribution. Morphologically, it is distinctly different from all known species of the Chinese Allium by its outer and inner filaments with 1-toothed on each side, which is fairly rare in the entire genus Allium, suggesting it is an independent species. The ITS phylogenetic analysis further reveals that the new species is most closely related to A. longistylum and A. flavovirens, which is also highly congruent with their overall morphological and chromosomal similarities, supporting placing the new species into A. subg. Cepa according to the current infrageneric classification of Allium. It is easily distinguished from A. longistylum and A. flavovirens particularly by filaments, inner and outer tepal characters at the specific level. Additionally, A. longistylum is proven to be endemic to China and morphologically quite different from the Korean ‘A. longistylum’ in bulb, leaf and floral characteristics, and not a member of A. sect. Sacculiferum or sect. Condensatum formerly suggested. The inclusion of the new species A. yingshanense along with A. longistylum into the newly proposed A. sect. Flavovirens typified by A. flavovirens, although possible from our data, as well as the formal description of the section seem premature especially given that there is substantial incongruence between taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of A. subg. Cepa.

The aim of the study was to understand the dynamic changes in daily step counts (DSC) during the development of chickens and to further explore the effects of exercise on the growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and tibial strength of cocks. A total of 600 (half male and half female) 1-day-old Wannan chickens with similar hatching weights were raised under the same rearing conditions. All birds were wing banded and housed in identical cages for from 1 to 8 wk in the experimental poultry house. The dimensions of the cages were 70 × 70 × 40 cm (length × width × height). At the age of 9 to 16 wk, these birds were reared in indoor pens (2 m × 2 m, 1,000 cm2 per bird). In addition, they also had a free-range grass paddock (20 m × 30 m, 1 m2 per bird). The DSC of male and female Wannan chicks were recorded from 70 to 112 d by using a pedometer. At 112 d of age, based on the average DSC, birds were divided into groups representing the highest (HS), medium, and lowest (LS) number of step groups. Fifteen cocks from each group were selected for subsequent experiments. Compared with the LS group, the HS group displayed higher tibial strength (P = 0.025) and lower BW, cooking loss (P = 0.014), shear force (P = 0.023), and drip loss (P = 0.008). The DSC had no effects on the female BW or male carcass parameters. There was no significant change in the DSC of all birds from 70 to 112 d. However, male chickens took more steps than females at 15 (P = 0.025) and 16 (P = 0.012) week of age. In conclusion, the effects of the DSC on the BW of Wannan chickens depend on sex, and enhanced exercise could improve the meat quality and tibial strength of cocks.

Six aromatic compounds including a new (Z)-ferulic acid ester (1) and a new syringic acid ester (2), as well as four known ferulic acid esters (3–6), were isolated from a well-known edible mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii. Structures of these aromatics were unambiguously characterized via spectroscopic methods especially MS and NMR techniques. All the isolates were assessed for their antiradical effect and NO production inhibitory activity in RAW264.7 macrophages, and compounds 1 and 3 displayed mild DPPH radical removing activity, with IC50 values of 25.0 and 21.6 mM, respectively.

Synotis jinshajiangensis (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), a new species from southwestern Sichuan and northwestern Yunnan, China, is illustrated and described. This species is most closely similar to S. cappa in habit and shape of leaves and inflorescences, but is distinct by its smaller involucres, absence of ray florets, and fewer phyllaries and disk florets. It is also related to S. glomerata in habit and number of phyllaries, but differs by its loose compound corymbs or thyrses. A distribution map and a key to S. jinshajiangensis and its related species are provided.

The treatment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome targets the narrow anatomic structure of the upper airway (UA) and lacks an effective therapy for UA dilator muscle dysfunction. Long-term hypoxia can cause damage to UA dilator muscles and trigger a vicious cycle. We previously confirmed that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) upregulation mediates muscle fatigue in hypoxia condition, but the underlying mechanism remains to be determined. The present study investigated the intrinsic mechanisms and related pathways of HIF-1α that affect myoblast differentiation, with an aim to search for compounds that have protective effects in hypoxic condition. Differentiation of myoblasts was induced under hypoxia, and we found that hypoxia significantly inhibits the differentiation of myoblasts, damages the ultrastructure of mitochondria, and reduces the expression of myogenin, PGC-1β and pAMPKα1. HIF-1α has a negative regulation effect on AMPK. Downregulation of HIF-1α increases the expression of the abovementioned proteins, promotes the differentiation of myoblasts, and protects mitochondrial integrity. In addition, mitochondrial biogenesis occurs during myogenic differentiation. Inhibition of the AMPK pathway inhibits mitochondrial biogenesis, decreases the level of PGC-1β, and increases apoptosis. Resveratrol dimer can reverse the mitochondrial damage induced by AMPK pathway inhibition and decrease myoblast apoptosis. Our results provided a regulatory mechanism for hypoxic injury in genioglossus which may contribute to the pathogenesis and treatment of OSAHS.

The biological valorization of lignin to aromatic compounds has attracted extensive attention as this route actively contributes to the bioeconomy. However, the diversity of lignin-derived monomers causes difficulties in the biological upgrading of lignin. Protocatechuic acid is an important potential precursor in polymer synthesis and the pharmaceutical industry. This study aims to effectively funnel lignin derived monomers to a compound platform, protocatechuic acid, by designing a cell factory of engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A biological funnel pathway was successfully constructed in S. cerevisiae to produce protocatechuic acid from p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. A S. cerevisiae chassis was optimized to reduce the further metabolism of intermediates and the generation of byproducts with the deletion of ADH6, ADH7, BDH2, and FDC1 genes. The key genes fcs, ech, and vdh in the CoA-dependent non-β-oxidation pathway were screened to produce the precursor of protocatechuic acid, including p-hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid from p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid, respectively. Following that, the regulatory module of tetrahydrofolic acid metabolism was introduced into the biological funnel pathway with the overexpression of MET6 and metf1 genes and knockout of MHT1 and SAM4 genes, by which 120 mg L−1 protocatechuic acid was produced from ferulic acid. Excitingly, by integrating the multi-copy heterologous pobA gene in the yPCA12 strain, the titer of protocatechuic acid was improved to 720 mg L−1 from p-coumaric acid. Interestingly, the yPCA12 strain also exhibited a good ligninolytic capacity of the actual lignin streams. Together with fermentation optimization, the highest titer of 810 mg L−1 protocatechuic acid was obtained from alkaline pretreatment liquor. Overall, a biological funnel pathway of lignin-derived monomers was constructed in S. cerevisiae to produce a compound platform, protocatechuic acid, for valuable product synthesis. The design of the S. cerevisiae cell factory could be a promising potential route to make lignin valorization sustainable.

Although domestic ducks have been important poultry species throughout human history, their origin remains enigmatic, with mallards and/or Chinese spot-billed ducks being proposed as the direct wild ancestor(s) of domestic ducks. Here, we analyzed 118 whole genomes from mallard, Chinese spot-billed, and domestic ducks to reconstruct their evolutionary history. We found pervasive introgression patterns among these duck populations. Furthermore, we showed that domestic ducks separated from mallard and Chinese spot-billed ducks nearly 38 thousand years ago (kya) and 54 kya, respectively, which is considerably outside the time period of presumed duck domestication. Thus, our results suggest that domestic ducks may have originated from another wild duck population that is currently undefined or unsampled, rather than from present-day mallard and/or Chinese spot-billed ducks, as previously thought. Overall, this study provides new insight into the complex evolution of ducks.尽管家鸭是一个重要的家禽品种，但是它们的起源问题仍然存在争议。先前研究表明绿头野鸭与斑嘴鸭都可能是家鸭的祖先。为解析家鸭起源，我们对包含家鸭、绿头野鸭以及斑嘴鸭的118个基因组进行分析。结果表明家鸭与野鸭以及两个野鸭群体之间存在广泛的基因交流。进一步分析揭示家鸭与绿头野鸭以及斑嘴鸭分歧时间在3.8与5.4万年前，这一分歧时间远超家鸭假定的训化时间。此外，群体历史模拟结果表明家鸭可能起源于一个“幽灵”野鸭群体。因此，我们认为目前的家鸭可能并不是由绿头野鸭或斑嘴鸭驯化而来，而是起源于一种目前未被发现或者本研究中没有取样的野鸭群体。该研究结果为复杂的家鸭进化史提供了一个新见解。.

Four 2-phenylthiazole derivatives are synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as cholinesterase inhibitors. The structures of the 2-phenylthiazole derivatives are confirmed by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies, and Hirshfeld surfaces analysis. Hirshfeld surface analysis of the prepared compounds showed C–H···O intermolecular interactions. The cholinesterase inhibition activities of the synthesized compounds are tested by Ellman’s method. [2-(4-Benzyloxyphenyl)-thiazol-4-yl]-(3,5-dimethylpiperidin-1-yl)-methanone showed the best acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity with an IC50 value of 8.86 µM and the best butyrylcholinesterase inhibition activity with an IC50 value of 1.03 µM. A docking study demonstrates that the same compound interacts with the catalytic anionic site and peripheral anionic site of acetylcholinesterase and the catalytic anionic site of butyrylcholinesterase.

This study examined the effects of plastic antipecking devices (PAD) on the production performance, upper beak length, behavior, and plumage condition of a local Chinese chicken breed. Three hundred sixty 63-d-old Wannan chickens with intact beaks were randomly allocated into 3 groups. Birds were fitted with the PAD at 63 d (PAD63d) and at 77 d of age (PAD77d). Control birds were not fitted with PAD. The results showed that there were no significant effects of PAD on the BW, carcass traits, and meat quality (P > 0.05). The mortality in the PAD63d and PAD77d groups was lower than that in the control group. Compared with those in the PAD77d and control groups, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 63 to 112 d of age was lower in the PAD63d group. The ADFI of birds from 63 to 112 d of age was lowest in birds in the PAD63d group, intermediate in birds in the PAD77d group, and highest in control birds (P

Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with limited treatment. Our previous studies demonstrated that Huaier enhanced chemotherapy sensitivity and restrained HCC proliferation. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed proteins with Huaier treatment in HCC cells, providing molecular targets for future targeted therapy of HCC. Materials and Methods The effects of Huaier on the cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry and Western blot (WB). Xenograft models were used to verify the effects of Huaier on tumor growth. Then, proteomics was performed to identify the potential proteins regulated by Huaier. The enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG was performed for the differentially expressed proteins. Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect the levels of proteins after Huaier treatment. After that the correlation of differentially expressed proteins with pathological stages was analyzed via the GEPIA database. We also analyzed candidate expression after Huaier treatment in HCC cells by WB and qRT-PCR. Furthermore, siRNA was performed to verify the targeted regulation of Huaier on candidate proteins. Results First, the proteomics data showed that a total of 160 proteins were identified as differentially expressed proteins, among which six minichromosome maintenance (MCM) family members were enriched in the tumor-associated pathways after Huaier treatment. Moreover, MCM proteins were highly expressed in HCC and closely correlated with the survival of HCC patients. Finally, we confirmed that MCM proteins were targets of Huaier treatment in HCC cells. Conclusion Huaier treatment was closely associated with the activation and inhibition of cancer-related pathways, and the MCM family was identified as a potential target in the antitumor process of Huaier. This study is helpful in understanding the molecular alterations and clinical relevance of HCC after Huaier treatment, which is beneficial for finding new targets and designing effective chemotherapy regimens for the future treatment of HCC.

Purpose The molecular mechanism of perineural invasion (PNI) in stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) remains not to be defined clearly. This study aims to identify the genomic aberrations related to PNI in stage II CRC. Patients and Methods Using array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array-CGH), primary tumor tissues and paracancerous normal tissues of stage II CRC with PNI and without PNI were analyzed. We identified genomic aberrations by using Genomic Workbench and MD-SeeGH and validated the aberrations of selected genes by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis were performed to determine the most likely biological effects of these genes. Results The most frequent gains in stage II CRC were at 7q11.21-q11.22, 8p11.21, 8p12-p11.23, 8q11.1-q11.22, 13q12.13-q12.2, and 20q11.21-q11.23 and the most frequent losses were at 17p13.1-p12, 8p23.2, and 118q11.2-q23. Four high-level amplifications at 8p11.23-p11.22, 18q21.1, 19q11-q12, and 20q11.21-q13.32 and homozygous deletions at 20p12.1 were discovered in Stage II CRC. Gains at 7q11.21-q22.1, 16p11.2, 17q23.3-q25.3, 19p13.3-p12, and 20p13-p11.1, and losses at 11q11-q12.1, 11p15.5-p15.1, 18p11.21, and 18q21.1-q23 were more commonly found in patients with PNI by frequency plot comparison together with detailed genomic analysis. It is also observed that gains at 8q11.1-q24.3, 9q13-q34.3, and 13q12.3-q13.1, and losses at 8p23.3-p12, 17p13.3-p11.2, and 21q22.12 occurred more frequently in patients without PNI. Further validation showed that the expression of FLT1, FBXW7, FGFR1, SLC20A2 and SERPINI1 was significantly up-regulated in the NPNI group compared to the PNI group. GO and pathway analysis revealed some genes enriched in specific pathways. Conclusion These involved genomic changes in the PNI of stage II CRC may be useful to reveal the mechanisms underlying PNI and provide candidate biomarkers.

Cyclic dimeric adenosine 3'-5'-monophosphate (c-di-AMP) is a recently discovered nucleotide messenger in bacteria. It plays an important role in signaling, transcription, and cell physiology, such as in bacterial growth, potassium transport, fatty acid synthesis, the metabolic balance of cell wall components, and biofilm formation. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have distinct physico-chemical properties and diverse bioactivities including antibacterial, hypolipidemic, and antioxidative activities, and they are widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Although c-di-AMP has been demonstrated to regulate the biosynthesis of bacterial EPSs, only a single c-di-AMP receptor, CabpA, has been identified in EPS synthesis. With the aim of describing current understanding of the regulation of microbial EPSs, this review summarizes c-di-AMP biosynthesis and degradation as well as the mechanism through which c-di-AMP regulates bacterial EPSs.

The responses of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal performance and microbial community to 0–1.2 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) in sequencing batch reactors were investigated. Results showed that an appropriate dose of Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs (0.3 g/L) could promote the removal efficiency of TN and TP. High-throughput sequencing results indicated that microbial richness increased, whereas microbial diversity did not vary upon exposure to 0.1–1.2 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs. The relative abundances of Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria increased from 11.75%, 3.52%, and 6.77%, respectively, at 0 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 to 27.05%, 7.21%, and 14.77%, respectively, upon exposure to 0.3 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2. At the genus level, 0.3 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs enriched norank_f_Nitrosomonadaceae, norank_f_Xanthomonadaceae, Amaricoccus, and Shinella. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction results suggested that the gene copy number of ammonium-oxidizing, nitrite-oxidizing, and denitrifying bacteria population remarkably increased, whereas the number of phosphorus-accumulating organisms slightly increased under long-term exposure to 0.3 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 NPs. Energy-dispersive spectrum analysis showed that the phosphorus content was higher at 0.3 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2 than at 0 g/L Fe3O4@SiO2. Nitrogen removal primarily occurred through a biological mechanism, while most phosphorus in wastewater may be removed by the combination of physicochemical and biological methods.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., Schisandraceae, is a common Chinese traditional medicine for the treatment of nervous system disorders and cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about its efficacy in treating gastrointestinal diseases. In the present study, the protective effect of the ethanol extract of S. chinensis against ethanol-induced acute gastric lesions was investigated in mice. Furthermore, we developed a method based on high-performance liquid chromatography for the quantification of bioactive lignans with a dibenzocyclooctadiene skeleton. The ethanol extract of S. chinensis significantly decreased the ulcer index, sheltered mucosa from lesions, increased levels of superoxide dismutase, decreased malondialdehyde levels, and downregulated plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β. Our findings demonstrated the gastroprotective properties of the ethanol extract of S. chinensis.

The high efficiency, convenience and diversity of clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems are driving a technological revolution in the gene editing of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Cas-RNA cassettes have been adopted as tools to perform gene deletion, insertion and point mutation in several species of LAB. In this article, we describe the basic mechanisms of the CRISPR-Cas system, and the current gene editing methods available, focusing on the CRISPR-Cas models developed for LAB. We also compare the different types of CRISPR-Cas-based genomic manipulations classified according to the different Cas proteins and the type of recombineering, and discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of CRISPR-Cas application in LAB.

We used patch-clamp and Western blot analysis to test whether PGF2α stimulates the basolateral 10-pS Cl− channel and thiazide-sensitive Na+-Cl− cotransporter (NCC) in the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) via a prostaglandin F receptor (FP-R). Single channel and whole cell recordings demonstrated that PGF2α stimulated the 10-pS Cl− channel in the DCT. The stimulatory effect of PGF2α on the Cl− channel was mimicked by a FP-R agonist, latanoprost, but was abrogated by blocking FP-R with AL8810. Also, the effect of PGF2α on the Cl− channel in the DCT was recapitulated by stimulating PKC but was blocked by inhibiting PKC. Furthermore, inhibition of p38 MAPK but not ERK blocked the effect of PGF2α on the 10-pS Cl− channel. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase also abrogated the stimulatory effect of PGF2α on the 10-pS Cl− channel, while the addition of 10 μM H2O2 mimicked the stimulatory effect of PGF2α on the 10-pS Cl− channel. Moreover, superoxide-related species may mediate the stimulatory effect of PGF2α on the 10-pS Cl− channel because the stimulatory effect of PGF2α and H2O2 was not additive. Western blot analysis showed that infusion of PGF2α in vivo not only increased the expression of FP-R but also increased the expression of total NCC and phosphorylated NCC. We conclude that PGF2α stimulates the basolateral 10-pS Cl− channel in the DCT by activating FP-R through PKC/p38 MAPK and NADPH oxidase-dependent pathways. The stimulatory effects of PGF2α on the Cl− channel and NCC may contribute to PGF2α-induced increases in NaCl reabsorption in the DCT.

Objectives Two labdane diterpenoids, leojapone B and heteronone B, were isolated from Leonurus japonicus Houtt., and their biological activity were evaluated in this study. Methods Human and mouse cancer cells, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and mouse macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) were used to evaluate the activity of leojapone B and heteronone B, while the in vivo effects of leojapone B were further examined in Lewis Lung Cancer tumour-bearing mice. Key findings In vitro studies showed that leojapone B selectively inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells, and both leojapone B and heteronone B inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in activated PBMCs. In tumour-bearing mice model, lung tumours were reduced in size in mice treated with intraperitoneal injections of leojapone B at 20 and 30 mg/kg for 14 days. The population ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells in mouse spleens was found to be increased, while regulatory T cells were decreased after leojapone B treatment. Conclusions The inhibitory effects of leojapone B in mouse lung tumours were demonstrated for the first time in this study. The immunomodulatory activity of heteronone B were also demonstrated. Our findings indicated that both leojapone B and heteronone B may act as active components in L. japonicus.

BACKGROUND Conventional Crohn’s disease (CD) treatments are supportive rather than curative and have serious side effects. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) have been gradually applied to treat various diseases. The therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of ADSCs on CD are still not clear. AIM To investigate the effect of ADSC administration on CD and explore the potential mechanisms. METHODS Wistar rats were administered with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) to establish a rat model of CD, followed by tail injections of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-modified ADSCs. Flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and Western blot were used to detect changes in the Wnt signaling pathway, T cell subtypes, and their related cytokines. RESULTS The isolated cells showed the characteristics of ADSCs, including spindle-shaped morphology, high expression of CD29, CD44, and CD90, low expression of CD34 and CD45, and osteogenic/adipogenic ability. ADSC therapy markedly reduced disease activity index and ameliorated colitis severity in the TNBS-induced rat model of CD. Furthermore, serum anti-sacchromyces cerevisiae antibody and p-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody levels were significantly reduced in ADSC-treated rats. Mechanistically, the GFP-ADSCs were colocalized with intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in the CD rat model. GFP-ADSC delivery significantly antagonized TNBS-induced increased canonical Wnt pathway expression, decreased noncanonical Wnt signaling pathway expression, and increased apoptosis rates and protein level of cleaved caspase-3 in rats. In addition, ADSCs attenuated TNBS-induced abnormal inflammatory cytokine production, disturbed T cell subtypes, and their related markers in rats. CONCLUSION Successfully isolated ADSCs show therapeutic effects in CD by regulating IEC proliferation, the Wnt signaling pathway, and T cell immunity.

Oxidative stress-mediated neuron damage is considered an important contributor to the pathogenesis and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Although β-asarone is widely known for its neuroprotective pharmacological properties, the exact mechanism of β-asarone against oxidative stress has not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate underlying mechanisms of β-asarone against oxidative damage in PC12 cells. Our results demonstrated that the treatment of β-asarone significantly alleviated the reduction in cell viability and the excessive accumulation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, β-asarone pretreatment also activated nuclear factor 2 erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream target heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which was involved in quenching reactive oxygen to inhibit oxidative stress. Furthermore, when silenced by Nrf2 siRNA, the protective effect of β-asarone was reduced and the oxidative stress induced by H2O2 was enhanced. In conclusion, our findings revealed that β-asarone could reduce oxidative stress via activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in PC12 cells, highlighting the potential therapeutic role of β-asarone in neurodegenerative diseases.

Exosome-associated liquid biopsies are hampered by challenges in the exosomal quantification and phenotyping. Here, we present a bioinspired exosome-activated DNA molecular machine (ExoADM) with multivalent cyclic amplification that enables highly sensitive detection and phenotyping of circulating exosomes. ExoADM harbors two (an exposed and a hidden) DNA toehold domains that actuate sequential branch migration and multivalent recycling in response to exosomal surface markers. Importantly, this self-powered ExoADM achieves a high sensitivity (33 particles/μL) and is compatible with another DNA nanomachine targeting different exosomal surface markers for dual-color phenotyping. Using this strategy, we can simultaneously track the dynamic changes of ExoPD-L1 and ExoCD63 expression induced by signaling molecules. Further, we found that their expression levels on circulating exosomes could well differentiate cancer patients from the normal individuals. More importantly, ExoPD-L1 levels could reflect the efficacy of different treatments and guide anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, suggesting the potential of ExoPD-L1 in clinical diagnosis and targeted therapy monitoring.

Mayaca fluviatilis, an aquatic plant belonging to the monogeneric family Mayacaceae, native to tropical America, is reported here for the first time to be naturalized in Guangdong province, China. A morphological description, with detailed photographs, is provided for further taxonomic identification. Its invasive risk is evaluated according to its present propagation tendency.

Vesicular stomatitis (VS), characterized by vesicular lesions, produces significant economic losses in livestock industry. Infection by its causative agent, VS virus (VSV), has been previously shown to be mediated by the glycoprotein (G) during attachment, endocytosis and membrane fusion. In the current study, we revealed a novel role of VSV G protein in negative regulation of host cell pro-inflammatory responses. We determined that VSV G protein inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory responses as naïve VSV virions in murine peritoneal macrophage-like cell line RAW 264.7. Furthermore, we identified that VSV G protein suppressed nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated pro-inflammatory pathways in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, we demonstrated that α2-3-linked sialic acids on VSV G protein were involved in antagonizing NF-κB- and MAPK-mediated pro-inflammatory responses. All these results expand the knowledge of VSV pathogenesis and strengthen the importance of VSV G protein in host innate immunity, which support implications for the development of VSV-based vaccination and oncolysis.

Marine tetrapods quickly diversified and were established as marine top predators after the end-Permian Mass extinction (EPME). Ichthyosaurs were the forerunner of this rapid radiation but the main drivers of the diversification are poorly understood. Cartorhynchus lenticarpus is a basal ichthyosauriform with the least degree of aquatic adaptation, holding a key to identifying such a driver. The unique specimen appeared edentulous based on what was exposed but a CT scanning revealed that the species indeed had rounded teeth that are nearly perpendicular to the jaw rami, and thus completely concealed in lateral view. There are three dental rows per jaw ramus, and the root lacks infoldings of the dentine typical of ichthyopterygians. The well-developed and worn molariform dentition with three tooth rows supports the previous inference that the specimen is not of a juvenile. The premaxilla and the corresponding part of the dentary are edentulous. Molariform dentition evolved three to five times independently within Ichthyosauriformes in the Early and Middle Triassic. Convergent exploitation of hard-shelled invertebrates by different subclades of ichthyosauriforms likely fueled the rapid taxonomic diversification of the group after EPME.

Transgenic maize expressing the Cry1Ab and Cry2Ab protein simultaneously from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt-maize) has been grown for farm-scale study to investigate its potential impact to non-target arthropod (NTA). The trials were conducted between Bt maize 2A-7 and its parental line (B73-329) in Beijing, China, over 3 years. Richness (C), Shannon index (H), Pielou index (J), Simpson index (D), and Bray-Curtis index were used to evaluate the population dynamics and biodiversity of the dominant arthropods from per 50 plants in crop field. The mainly abundant groups were Aphidoidea, Araneae, Coccinellidae, Anthocoridae, and Thripidae which represented about 90% of the total number of NTA. Although the abundance of NTA varied from year to year, there is no significant difference between Bt maize and non-Bt maize field. Fluctuations were found at individual sample dates, but the trend of these descriptors remained consistent. Further analysis showed the biodiversity indexes of the dominant arthropods C, H, J, D, and Bray-Curtis dissimilarity between Bt maize producing Cry1Ab and Cry2Ab toxin simultaneously and its parental line had no significant difference except for some sampling dates. These results suggested that Bt maize is compatible with the NTAs and provides further evidence of the ecological impact of genetically modified maize.

We present a revision of the referred specimen (LFGT LCD 9701–1) of Chuanjiesaurus anaensis from the Middle Jurassic Chuanjie Formation of Yunnan Province, southwest China, and demonstrate that LCD...

Ralstonia solanacearum is an extremely destructive and rebellious phytopathogen that can cause bacterial wilt diseases in more than 200 plant species. To explore and discover the potential targets in R. solanacearum for the purpose of developing new agrochemicals targeting this infection, here, we exploited a typical activity-based protein profiling technique for target discovery in R. solanacearum based on an activity-based probe 1 derived from bioactive oxadiazole sulfones. A total of 65 specific targets were identified with high confidence through a quantitative chemical proteomic approach. Three representative proteins (glycine cleavage system H protein, thiol peroxidase, and dihydrolipoamide S-succinyltransferase) were validated as the targets by using the immunoblotting analysis with their respective antibodies. Additionally, the in vitro interaction between the recombinant thiol peroxidase and probe 1 further confirmed that this protein was a target of oxadiazole sulfones. We anticipated that these discovered protein targets in R. solanacearum can stimulate the discovery and development of novel agrochemicals targeting bacterial infections caused by R. solanacearum.

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) controls virulence and plant infection mechanisms via the activity of the sensor kinase and response regulator pair HpaS/hypersensitive response and pathogenicity G (HrpG). Detailed analysis of the regulatory role of HpaS has suggested the occurrence of further regulators besides HrpG. Here we used in vitro and in vivo approaches to identify the orphan response regulator VemR as another partner of HpaS and to characterize relevant interactions between components of this signalling system. Bacterial two‐hybrid and protein pull‐down assays revealed that HpaS physically interacts with VemR. Phos‐tag SDS‐PAGE analysis showed that mutation in hpaS reduced markedly the phosphorylation of VemR in vivo. Mutation analysis reveals that HpaS and VemR contribute to the regulation of motility and this relationship appears to be epistatic. Additionally, we show that VemR control of Xcc motility is due in part to its ability to interact and bind to the flagellum rotor protein FliM. Taken together, the findings describe the unrecognized regulatory role of sensor kinase HpaS and orphan response regulator VemR in the control of motility in Xcc and contribute to the understanding of the complex regulatory mechanisms used by Xcc during plant infection., Sensor kinase HpaS regulates T3SS and swimming motility by controlling the phosphorylation of response regulators HrpG and VemR, respectively.

The recent worldwide spreading of pneumonia-causing virus, such as Coronavirus, COVID-19, and H1N1, has been endangering the life of human beings all around the world. In order to really understand the biological process within a cell level and provide useful clues to develop antiviral drugs, information of Gram negative bacterial protein subcellular localization is vitally important. In view of this, a CNN based protein subcellular localization predictor called “pLoc_Deep-mGnet” was developed. The predictor is particularly useful in dealing with the multi-sites systems in which some proteins may simultaneously occur in two or more different organelles that are the current focus of pharmaceutical industry. The global absolute true rate achieved by the new predictor is over 98% and its local accuracy is around 94% - 100%. Both are transcending other existing state-of-the-art predictors significantly. To maximize the convenience for most experimental scientists, a user-friendly web-server for the new predictor has been established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/pLoc_Deep-mGneg/, which will become a very useful tool for fighting pandemic coronavirus and save the mankind of this planet.

Aims: The benefits of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on yield and phosphorus (P) uptake of crops have commonly been studied by inoculating a single mycorrhizal fungal species in pot experiments. Yet, how the native AMF community affects the performance of different maize varieties under field conditions remains obscure. Methods: In-growth cores with and without rotation were used in three soils that differed in P application to assess shoot biomass, P uptake, and mycorrhizal colonization of three maize varietal groups, encompassing four inbred lines, 12 hybrids, and four landraces. Results: Rotating cores drastically reduced mycorrhizal colonization, biomass and P uptake for each varietal group at every P level. Performance of plants at natural mycorrhizal colonization at 30 kg P ha−1 was equal to that of reduced-mycorrhizal plants at 60 kg P ha−1, suggesting the potential for adequate mycorrhizal management to save P fertilizer. Conclusion: There were no significant differences between varietal groups for mycorrhizal responsiveness, confirming that the ability to associate with and benefit from AMF has been maintained in modern breeding. Mycorrhizal plants both exhibited higher P acquisition efficiency and higher P use efficiency than reduced-mycorrhizal plants. Disadvantages of in-growth cores should be duly considered.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is characterized by deregulated hepatic lipid metabolism; however, the association between MAFLD development and mitochondrial dysfunction has yet to be confirmed. Herein, we employed high-resolution respirometry, blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-based in-gel activity measurement and immunoblot analysis to assess mitochondrial function in obesity-induced mouse models with varying degrees of MAFLD. Results showed a slight but significant decrease in hepatic mitochondrial respiration in some MAFLD mice compared to mice fed a standard diet. However, the activities and levels of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation complexes remained unchanged during obesity-induced MAFLD progression. These results suggest that mitochondrial function, particularly oxidative phosphorylation, was mildly affected during obesity-induced MAFLD development. Moreover, transcriptome profiling of mouse and human liver tissues with varying degrees of MAFLD revealed that the decreased activation of mitochondria-related pathways was only associated with MAFLD of a high histological grade, whereas the major regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis were not altered in mice or humans during MAFLD development. Collectively, our results suggest that impaired hepatic mitochondrial function is not closely associated with obesity-induced MAFLD. Therefore, therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria for the treatment of MAFLD should be reconsidered.

Recently, the life of human beings around the entire world has been endangering by the spreading of pneumonia-causing virus, such as Coronavirus, COVID-19, and H1N1. To develop effective drugs against Coronavirus, knowledge of protein subcellular localization is indispensable. In 2019, a predictor called “pLoc_bal-mHum” was developed for identifying the subcellular localization of human proteins. Its predicted results are significantly better than its counterparts, particularly for those proteins that may simultaneously occur or move between two or more subcellular location sites. However, more efforts are definitely needed to further improve its power since pLoc_bal-mHum was still not trained by a “deep learning”, a very powerful technique developed recently. The present study was devoted to incorporate the “deep-learning” technique and develop a new predictor called “pLoc_Deep-mHum”. The global absolute true rate achieved by the new predictor is over 81% and its local accuracy is over 90%. Both are overwhelmingly superior to its counterparts. Moreover, a user-friendly web-server for the new predictor has been well established at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/pLoc_Deep-mHum/, which will become a very useful tool for fighting pandemic coronavirus and save the mankind of this planet.

Spiroalanpyrroids A (1) and B (2), two sesquiterpene alkaloids with an unprecedented eudesmanolide–pyrrolizidine spiro[5.5] framework, were isolated together with two new sesquiterpene-amino acid adducts, helenalanprolines A (3) and B (4), from the roots of Inula helenium. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis, ECD calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. A plausible biosynthetic pathway was proposed for 1 and 2. Bioassays showed that compounds 3 and 4 significantly inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 15.8 and 13.5 μM, respectively.

Ecological intensification seeks to achieve crop yield increases by intensifying complementary or facilitative interactions between plant species or varieties. Different species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) exhibit niche differentiation and show selectivity towards certain plants, which can further enhance complementarity. It is not clear whether in the presence of one AMF species, where mycelial networks connect crop species, opportunities for complementarity effects may be reduced. We grew monocultures and mixtures of maize varieties in a greenhouse with one species of AMF, Funneliformis mosseae, during two consecutive years to investigate whether under such conditions the mycorrhizal symbiosis would affect complementarity and overyielding compared to non-mycorrhizal plants. Variety mixtures showed increased phosphatase activity and mycorrhizal colonization, enhanced phosphorus uptake and overyielding when plants were mycorrhizal. There was no overyielding when plants were non-mycorrhizal. The increase in relative yield total was due to complementarity effects. Synthesis and applications. Our study implies that appropriate agricultural management that enhances mycorrhizal fungal contribution to ecosystem services may result in overyielding in terms of yield or phosphorus uptake through mixing varieties within one crop species.

Alveolar bone defects can arise as a consequence of trauma, infection, periodontal disease, or congenital alveolar fenestration. Many approaches have been employed in an effort to treat or overcome such defects, but the ability to effectively achieve alveolar regeneration remains elusive. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) has been shown to serve as a key factor capable of orchestrating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and chemoattraction in the context of osteogenic processes. Exactly how PDGF-BB affects human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs), however, requires further exploration. In this report, we utilized a lentiviral construct to achieve PDGF-BB overexpression in hPDLSCs, allowing us to establish that this gene was able to enhance the proliferation of these cells and to mediate osteogenic gene upregulation therein. In addition, we established a rat model of alveolar defects that were implanted using different complexes, and then monitored through histological and micro-CT analyses 4 and 8 weeks postsurgery to assess bone repair outcomes. These analyses revealed that a thermosensitive hydrogel was an effective 3D cell culture scaffold, while PDLSCs overexpressing PDGF-BB enhanced bone growth in the context of alveolar bone defects. Together, these results thus indicate that PDGF-BB represents a potent means of promoting stem cell-based alveolar bone tissue regeneration.

Background Hemophilia A, a bleeding disorder resulting from F8 mutations, can only be cured by gene therapy. A promising strategy is CRISPR-Cas9-mediated precise insertion of F8 in hepatocytes at highly expressed gene loci, such as albumin (Alb). Unfortunately, the precise in vivo integration efficiency of a long insert is very low (~ 0.1%). Results We report that the use of a double-cut donor leads to a 10- to 20-fold increase in liver editing efficiency, thereby completely reconstituting serum F8 activity in a mouse model of hemophilia A after hydrodynamic injection of Cas9-sgAlb and B domain-deleted (BDD) F8 donor plasmids. We find that the integration of a double-cut donor at the Alb locus in mouse liver is mainly through non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated knock-in. We then target BDDF8 to multiple sites on introns 11 and 13 and find that NHEJ-mediated insertion of BDDF8 restores hemostasis. Finally, using 3 AAV8 vectors to deliver genome editing components, including Cas9, sgRNA, and BDDF8 donor, we observe the same therapeutic effects. A follow-up of 100 mice over 1 year shows no adverse effects. Conclusions These findings lay the foundation for curing hemophilia A by NHEJ knock-in of BDDF8 at Alb introns after AAV-mediated delivery of editing components.

Duck plague virus (DPV) can cause high morbidity and mortality in many waterfowl species within the order Anseriformes. The DPV genome contains 78 open reading frames (ORFs), among which the LORF2, LORF3, LORF4, LORF5, and SORF3 genes are unique genes of avian herpesvirus. In this study, to investigate the role of this unique LORF5 gene in DPV proliferation, we generated a recombinant virus that lacks the LORF5 gene by a two-step red recombination system, which cloned the DPV Chinese virulent strain (DPV CHv) genome into a bacterial artificial chromosome (DPV CHv-BAC); the proliferation law of LORF5-deleted mutant virus on DEF cells and the effect of LORF5 gene on the life cycle stages of DPV compared with the parent strain were tested. Our data revealed that the LORF5 gene contributes to the cell-to-cell transmission of DPV but is not relevant to virus invasion, replication, assembly, and release formation. Taken together, this study sheds light on the role of the avian herpesvirus-specific gene LORF5 in the DPV proliferation life cycle. These findings lay the foundation for in-depth functional studies of the LORF5 gene in DPV or other avian herpesviruses.

Lactic acid, a metabolic by-product of host and intestinal microbiota, has been recovered as an active signal molecule in the immune system. In this study, a lactic acid biosynthesis pathway that directly produces lactic acid from glucose rather than ethanol with high production was reconstructed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The engineered S. cerevisiae showed anti-inflammatory activity in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mice with improved histological damage, increased mucosal barrier, and decreased intestinal immune response. Lactic acid regulated the macrophage polarization state and inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in vivo and in vitro. Increasing the macrophage monocarboxylic acid transporter-mediated active lactic acid uptake suppressed the excessive activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the downstream caspase-1 pathway in macrophages. Moreover, lactic acid promoted histone H3K9 acetylation and histone H3K18 lactylation. Meanwhile, the engineered S. cerevisiae altered the diversity and composition of the intestinal microbiota and changed the abundance of metabolic products in mice with colitis. In conclusion, this study shows that the application of engineered S. cerevisiae attenuated DSS-induced colitis in mice via suppressing macrophage pyroptosis and modulating the intestinal microbiota, which is an effective and safe treatment strategy for ulcerative colitis.

YgfY(SdhE/CptB) is highly conserved while has controversial functions in bacteria. It works as an antitoxin and composes a type IV toxin–antitoxin system with YgfX(CptA) typically in Escherichia coli, while functions as an flavinylation factor of succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase typically in Serratia sp. In this study, we report the contribution of YgfY in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 to tolerance of low temperature and nitrite. YgfY deficiency causes several growth defects of S. oneidensis MR-1 at low temperature, while YgfX do not cause a growth defect or morphological change of S. oneidensis MR1-1 and E. coli. YgfY do not interact with FtsZ and MreB nor with YgfX examined by bacterial two-hybrid assay. YgfY effect on growth under low temperature is not attributed to succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) because a mutant without SDH grows comparably with the wild-type strain in the presence of succinate. The ygfY mutant shows impaired tolerance to nitrite. Transcription of nitrite reductase and most ribosome proteins is significantly decreased in the ygfY mutant, which is consistent with the phenotypes detected above. Effects of YgfY on growth and nitrite tolerance are closely related to the RGXXE motif in YgfY. In summary, this study demonstrates pleiotropic impacts of YgfY in S. oneidensis MR-1, and sheds a light on the physiological versatility of YgfY in bacteria.

Duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV), which mainly infects 1- to 4-week-old ducklings, has a fatality rate of 95% and poses a huge economic threat to the duck industry. However, the mechanism by which DHAV-1 regulates the immune response of host cells is rarely reported. This study examined whether DHAV-1 contains a viral protein that can regulate the innate immunity of host cells and its specific regulatory mechanism, further exploring the mechanism by which DHAV-1 resists the host immune response. In the study, the dual-luciferase reporter gene system was used to screen the viral protein that regulates the host innate immunity and the target of this viral protein. The results indicate that the DHAV-1 3C protein inhibits the pathway upstream of interferon (IFN)-β by targeting the interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) protein. In addition, we found that the 3C protein inhibits the nuclear translocation of the IRF7 protein. Further experiments showed that the 3C protein interacts with the IRF7 protein through its N-terminus and that the 3C protein degrades the IRF7 protein in a caspase 3-dependent manner, thereby inhibiting the IFN-β-mediated antiviral response to promote the replication of DHAV-1. The results of this study are expected to serve as a reference for elucidating the mechanisms of DHAV-1 infection and pathogenicity.

The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) in sperm preparation for male subjects with a sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) ≥30%. A total of 86 patients who had undergone their first long-term long protocol were selected. The protocol involved in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles, and the patients were divided into the MACS or control groups. The MACS group included sperm samples analyzed with MACS that were combined with density gradient centrifugation (DGC) and the swim-up (SU) technique (n = 39), and the control group included sperm samples prepared using standard techniques (DGC and SU; n = 41). No differences were noted with regard to basic clinical characteristics, number of oocytes retrieved, normal fertilization rate, cleavage rate, or transplantable embryo rate between the two groups in IVF/ICSI. In addition, the clinical pregnancy and implantation rates of the first embryo transfer cycles indicated no significant differences between the two groups. However, there was a tendency to improve the live birth rate (LBR) of the first embryo transfer cycle (63.2% vs 53.9%) and the cumulative LBR (79.5% vs 70.7%) in the MACS group compared with the control group. Moreover, the number of transferred embryos (mean ± standard deviation [s.d.]: 1.7 ± 0.7 vs 2.3 ± 1.6) and the transfer number of each retrieved cycle (mean ± s.d.: 1.2 ± 0.5 vs 1.6 ± 0.8) were significantly lower in the MACS group than those in the control group. Thus, the selection of nonapoptotic spermatozoa by MACS for higher sperm DFI could improve assisted reproductive clinical outcomes.