Cross-National Variations in Scientific Ethics: Exploring Ethical Perspectives Among Scientists in China, the US, and the UK.

This research explores the perspectives of academic physicists from three national contexts concerning their roles and responsibilities within the realm of science. Using a dataset comprised of 211 interviews with scientists working in China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the study seeks to explain whether and in what manner physicists conceptualize scientific ethics within a global or national framework. The empirical findings bring to light disparities across nations in the physicists' perceptions of what constitutes responsible mentorship and engagement in public service.

Growth performance, lipid metabolism, and systemic immunity of weaned piglets were altered by buckwheat protein through the modulation of gut microbiota.

Tartary buckwheat protein (BWP) is well known for the wide-spectrum antibacterial activity and the lipid metabolism- regulating property; therefore, BWP can be applied as feed additives to improve the animal's nutritional supply. With the aim to investigate the bioactive actions of the BWP, growth performance, lipid metabolism and systemic immunity of the weaned piglets were measured, and the alterations of pig gut microbiota were also analyzed. According to the results, the growth performances of the weaned piglets which were calculated as the average daily gain (ADG) and the average daily feed intake (ADFI) were significantly increased when compared to the control group.

Structurally diverse (9β-H)-pimarane derivatives with six frameworks from the leaves of Icacina oliviformis and their cytotoxic activities.

Thirteen previously undescribed (9β-H)-pimarane derivatives, icacinolides A-G (1-7) and oliviformislactones C-H (8-13), together with four known analogs (14-17), were isolated from the leaves of Icacina oliviformis. Their structures were constructed by extensive spectroscopic analysis, C NMR-DP4+ analysis, ECD calculation, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and chemical methods. These structurally diverse isolates were classified into six framework types: rearranged 3-epi-17-nor-(9β-H)-pimarane, rearranged 17-nor-(9β-H)-pimarane, 16-nor-(9β-H)-pimarane, 17-nor-(9β-H)-pimarane, 17,19-di-nor-(9β-H)-pimarane, and (9β-H)-pimarane.

Finding point method and re-optimized method for the brightness temperature simulation from Fengyun 4A AGRI in infrared channels.

The correlated -distribution (CKD) is a fast radiative transfer model and is often used in atmospheric absorption simulation. In the paper, we apply two automatic CKD methods to satellite brightness temperature simulations from the Fengyun 4A Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager (AGRI) in infrared channels, namely, the finding point method (FPM) and the re-optimized method (ROM). In the calculation, we used Radiative Transfer for the Television Observation Satellite Operational Vertical Sounder (RTTOV) as the comparison, and we use line-by-line (LBL) integration as the reference.

Comparative Analyses of the Gut Microbiota in Growing Ragdoll Cats and Felinae Cats.

Today, domestic cats are important human companion animals for their appearance and favorable personalities. During the history of their domestication, the morphological and genetic portraits of domestic cats changed significantly from their wild ancestors, and the gut microbial communities of different breeds of cats also apparently differ. In the current study, the gut microbiota of Ragdoll cats and Felinae cats were analyzed and compared.

A Novel Recombinant Virus-Like Particles Displaying B and T Cell Epitopes of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Offers Protective Immunity in Mice and Guinea Pigs.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-replicative vectors for the delivery of heterologous epitopes and are considered one of the most potent inducers of cellular and humoral immune responses in mice and guinea pigs. In the present study, VLP-JEVe was constructed by the insertion of six Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) envelope protein epitopes into different surface loop regions of PPV VP2 by the substitution of specific amino acid sequences without altering the assembly of the virus; subsequently, the protective efficacy of this VLP-JEVe was evaluated against JEV challenge in mice and guinea pigs. Mice immunized with the VLP-JEVe antigen developed high titers of neutralizing antibodies and 100% protection against lethal JEV challenge.

A Metagenomic Analysis of Mosquito Virome Collected From Different Animal Farms at Yunnan-Myanmar Border of China.

Metagenomic analysis of mosquito-borne and mosquito-specific viruses is useful to understand the viral diversity and for the surveillance of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Yunnan province is located at the southwest of China and has rich abundance of mosquitoes. Arbovirus surveillance is not conducted regularly in this province particularly at animal farms, which have public health as well as veterinary importance.

Rapid and accurate detection of African swine fever virus by DNA endonuclease-targeted CRISPR trans reporter assay.

The first case of African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in China was reported in a suburban pig farm in Shenyang in 2018. Since then, the rapid spread and extension of ASF has become the most serious threat for the swine industry. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV) is essential to provide effective strategies to control the disease.

Comparative analysis of the pulmonary microbiome in healthy and diseased pigs.

The lungs possess an effective antimicrobial system and a strong ability to eliminate microorganisms in healthy organisms, and were once considered sterile. With the development of culture-independent sequencing technology, the richness and diversity of porcine lung microbiota have been gaining attention. In order to study the relationship between lung microbiota and porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), the lung microbiota in healthy and diseased swine bronchoalveolar lavage fluids were analyzed and compared using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform.

NS5-V372A and NS5-H386Y variations are responsible for differences in interferon α/β induction and co-contribute to the replication advantage of Japanese encephalitis virus genotype I over genotype III in ducklings.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) genotype I (GI) replicates more efficiently than genotype III (GIII) in birds, and this difference is considered to be one of the reasons for the JEV genotype shift. In this study, we utilized duck embryo fibroblasts and domestic ducklings as in vitro and in vivo models of a JEV amplifying avian host to identify the viral determinants of the differing replication efficiency between the GI and GIII strains in birds. GI strains induced significantly lower levels of interferon (IFN)-α and β production than GIII strains, an effect orrelated with the enhanced replication efficiency of GI strains over GIII strains.

Experimental Infection of Newly Hatched Domestic Ducklings via Japanese Encephalitis Virus-Infected Mosquitoes.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a zoonotic pathogen that is maintained by mosquito vectors and vertebrate hosts including birds in a natural transmission cycle. Domestic ducklings are sensitive to JEV infection, but the clinical responses of domestic ducklings to natural JEV infection are unknown. In this study, we simulated the natural JEV infection of domestic ducklings via JEV-infected mosquito bites to evaluate the pathogenicity of JEV in domestic ducklings.

Identifying a ten-microRNA signature as a superior prognosis biomarker in colon adenocarcinoma.

Background: Increasing studies have suggested that aberrant expression of microRNAs might play essential roles in the progression of cancers. In this study, we sought to construct a high-specific and superior microRNAs signature to improve the survival prediction of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) patients.

Methods: The genome-wide miRNAs, mRNA and lncRNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of COAD were collected from the TCGA database.

Duck karyopherin α4 (duKPNA4) is involved in type I interferon expression and the antiviral response against Japanese encephalitis virus.

Karyopherin α4 (KPNA4) is an adaptor molecule that mediates type I interferon (IFN) production by facilitating the nuclear translocation of IFN transcription factors. Here, we cloned the duck KPNA4 (duKPNA4) gene and analyzed its involvement in type I IFN expression as well as antiviral response against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). The full-length duKPNA4 gene encoded a 520-amino acid protein that shared 97.

The emerged genotype I of Japanese encephalitis virus shows an infectivity similar to genotype III in Culex pipiens mosquitoes from China.

Japanese Encephalitis virus (JEV) is a zoonotic flavivirus that represents the most significant etiology of childhood viral neurological infections throughout the Asia. During the last 20 years, JEV genotype dominance has shifted from genotype III (GIII) to genotype I (GI). To date, the exact mechanism of this displacement is still not known.

A viral metagenomic analysis reveals rich viral abundance and diversity in mosquitoes from pig farms.

Mosquitoes harbour a diversity of viruses and are responsible for several mosquito-borne viral diseases of humans and animals, thereby leading to major public health concerns, and significant economic losses across the globe. Viral metagenomics offers a great opportunity for bulk analysis of viral genomes retrieved directly from environmental samples. In this study, we performed a viral metagenomic analysis of five pools of mosquitoes belonging to Aedes, Anopheles and Culex species, collected from different pig farms in the vicinity of Shanghai, China, to explore the viral community carried by mosquitoes.

Assessment of the Geographical Detector Method for investigating heavy metal source apportionment in an urban watershed of Eastern China.

Assessing heavy metal pollution in river sediments and identifying the key factors contributing to metal pollution are critical components for devising river environmental protection and remediation strategies to protect human and ecological health. This is especially important in urban areas where metals from a wide range of sources contribute to sediment pollution. In this study, the metal enrichment factor (EF) was used to measure the watershed distribution of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd in sediments in the Wen-Rui Tang urban river system in Wenzhou, Eastern China.

Differential replication efficiencies between Japanese encephalitis virus genotype I and III in avian cultured cells and young domestic ducklings.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) genotype dominance has shifted to genotype I (GI) from genotype III (GIII) in China as demonstrated by molecular epidemiological surveillance. In this study, we performed a serological survey in JEV-non-vaccinated pigs to confirm JEV genotype shift at the sero-epidemiological level. The average ratio of GI/GIII infection was 1.

Preferential accumulation of small (<300 μm) microplastics in the sediments of a coastal plain river network in eastern China.

Microplastics are a global concern for their threat to marine ecosystems. Recent studies report a lack of smaller microplastics (<300 μm) in oceans attributed to a "loss in ocean". Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the absence of smaller microplastics, but their fate and transport remain an enigma.

Responding to Richard: Celebrity and (mis)representation of science.

Drawing on 48 in-depth interviews conducted with biologists and physicists at universities in the United Kingdom, this study examines scientists' perceptions of the role celebrity scientists play in socially contentious public debates. We examine Richard Dawkins' involvement in public debates related to the relationship between science and religion as a case to analyze scientists' perceptions of the role celebrity scientists play in the public sphere and the implications of celebrity science for the practice of science communication. Findings show that Dawkins' proponents view the celebrity scientist as a provocateur who asserts the cultural authority of science in the public sphere.

A Gendered Approach to Science Ethics for US and UK Physicists.

Some research indicates that women professionals-when compared to men-may be more ethical in the workplace. Existing literature that discusses gender and ethics is confined to the for-profit business sector and primarily to a US context. In particular, there is little attention paid to gender and ethics in science professions in a global context.

Diversification of nanostructure morphology by modifying angle-resolved heterogeneous shadow mask.

This article presents a facile and generally applicable methodology for the morphology diversification of two-dimensional (2D) nanostructure arrays by modifying angle-resolved heterogeneous shadow mask (AR-HSM). Colloid spheres are used to prepare scalable well-organized monolayer film by self-assembly method and then etched in oxygen plasma to reduce size. Subsequently, the heterogeneous layer is generated by tilted metal deposition technique, then utilized as shadow mask in the substrate etching process, and finally removed by wet etching technique.