Research note: Genetic basis of the naked-neck trait in ake chickens revealed by whole-genome sequencing.

Naked-neck chickens are distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and exhibit notable resistance to heat stress. The naked-neck trait in chickens is an incompletely dominant characteristic determined by the Na gene, and significant differences in feather quantity and distribution have been observed between homozygous and heterozygous individuals. The Ake chicken, a native Chinese breed originating from southwestern Yunnan Province, is the only breed in China that possesses the naked-neck trait.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of the Mediator Complex Subunit Gene Family in Cassava.

The Mediator complex (MED) functions as a co-activator in plants, transmitting transcriptional signals to regulate gene expression, including responses to environmental stresses. While the MED gene family has been identified in several species, it has not yet been reported in cassava. In this study, we identified 32 members of the gene family in cassava ( Crantz) distributed across 13 chromosomes.

utilizes L-arabinose to silence virulence gene expression for accelerated pathogen growth within the host.

Carbon source is an important nutrient for bacteria to sustain growth and often acts as a signal that modulates virulence expression. L-arabinose is produced by plants and plays an important role in regulating the global gene expression of bacteria. Previously, we have shown that L-arabinose induces a more severe systemic infection in -infected mice with normal microbiota, but does not affect the disease progression in mice with microbiota depleted by antibiotic treatment.

Comparative Analysis of Myofiber Characteristics, Shear Force, and Amino Acid Contents in Slow- and Fast-Growing Broilers.

Skeletal muscle fiber characteristics are pivotal in assessing meat quality. However, there is currently a lack of research precisely quantifying the total number of myofibers (TNM) of skeletal muscles. This study used Arbor Acres (AA) broilers and Wenchang (WC) chickens to determine the TNM of several skeletal muscles and the meat quality of the pectoralis major muscle (PM).

Short-term outcomes of robotic- television-assisted thoracoscopic segmental lung resection for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer in the day surgery models.

Background: At present, few articles compare the differences between robot-assisted thoracic surgeries (RATSs) and video-assisted thoracic surgeries (VATSs) in the day surgery model and there is also little literature on what factors influence delayed discharge from day surgery. This study aims to compare short-term outcomes between RATS and VATS for segmental lung resection in a day surgery setting, and to identify risk factors for delayed discharge.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 204 patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent segmental lung resection via RATS or VATS at the First People's Hospital of Changzhou City from January 2021 to December 2023.

Collective properties of Petitella georgiae in tube environments.

The movement of biological swarms is widespread in nature, and collective behavior enhances a swarm's adaptability to its environment. However, most research focuses on free swarm movement, overlooking the impact of environmental constraints such as tubes. This study examines the swimming behavior of Petitella georgiae through a tube.

Diagnostic value of CT liver-to-spleen attenuation ratio in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and atherosclerotic plaque.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of computed tomography (CT) liver-to-spleen (L/S) attenuation ratio in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) accompanied by atherosclerotic plaque (AP).

Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study of patients who were diagnosed with NAFLD undergoing CT scans at Beijing Changping Hospital of Chinese Medicine from April 2020 to April 2022. Patients were grouped according to whether they had a diagnosis of AP or not.

Effect of Various Fruit Extracts on Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) and Kallikrein (KLK) Activities.

Hypertension is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease and causes widespread morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of this work was to screen the fruit with high angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity and kallikrein (KLK) promotion activity by three different extraction methods from 22 kinds of fruits. Results showed that the aqueous extracts of fresh kiwifruit significantly inhibited ACE activity (47.

DNA Hydrogels for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy.

Nucleic acids, because of their precise pairing and simple composition, have emerged as excellent materials for the formation of gels. The application of DNA hydrogels in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer has expanded significantly through research on the properties and functions of nucleic acids. Functional nucleic acids (FNAs) such as aptamers, Small interfering RNA (siRNA), and DNAzymes have been incorporated into DNA hydrogels to enhance their diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.

Transcriptomic and epigenomic landscapes of muscle growth during the postnatal period of broilers.

Background: Broilers stand out as one of the fastest-growing livestock globally, making a substantial contribution to animal meat production. However, the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the rapid growth and development of broiler chickens are still unclear. This study aims to explore muscle development patterns and regulatory networks during the postnatal rapid growth phase of fast-growing broilers.

Synergy of gut microbiota and host genome in driving heterosis expression of chickens.

Heterosis has been widely utilized in agricultural production. Despite over a century of extensive research, the underlying mechanisms of heterosis remain elusive. Most hypotheses and research have focused on the genetic basis of heterosis.

Effect of ethylene production by four pathogenic fungi on the postharvest diseases of green pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Ethylene produced by plants generally induces ripening and promotes decay, whereas the effect of ethylene produced by pathogens on plant diseases remains unclear. In this study, four ethylene-producing fungi including Alternaria alternata (A. alternata, Aa), Fusarium verticilliodes (F.

High-Performance Ammonia Electrosynthesis from Nitrate in a NaOH-KOH-HO Ternary Electrolyte.

A glut of dinitrogen-derived ammonia (NH) over the past century has resulted in a heavily imbalanced nitrogen cycle and consequently, the large-scale accumulation of reactive nitrogen such as nitrates in our ecosystems has led to detrimental environmental issues. Electrocatalytic upcycling of waste nitrogen back into NH holds promise in mitigating these environmental impacts and reducing reliance on the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. Herein, we report a high-performance electrolyzer using an ultrahigh alkalinity electrolyte, NaOH-KOH-HO, for low-cost NH electrosynthesis.

Emerging perspectives in the gut-muscle axis: The gut microbiota and its metabolites as important modulators of meat quality.

Animal breeding has made great genetic progress in increasing carcass weight and meat yield in recent decades. However, these improvements have come at the expense of meat quality. As the demand for meat quantity continues to rise, the meat industry faces the great challenge of maintaining and even increasing product quality.

Circular RNA-AnnexinA7 accelerates cisplatin resistance in non-small cell lung cancer via modulating microRNA-545-3p to mediate Cyclin D1.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of circular RNA (circRNA)-AnnexinA7 (ANXA7) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cisplatin (DDP) resistance through microRNA (miR)-545-3p to target Cyclin D1 (CCND1).

Methods: DDP-resistant and non-resistant NSCLC tissues and normal tissues were collected. DDP-resistant cells (A549/DDP and H460/DDP) were constructed.

Temperature-induced embryonic diapause in chickens is mediated by PKC-NF-κB-IRF1 signaling.

Background: Embryonic diapause (dormancy) is a state of temporary arrest of embryonic development that is triggered by unfavorable conditions and serves as an evolutionary strategy to ensure reproductive survival. Unlike maternally-controlled embryonic diapause in mammals, chicken embryonic diapause is critically dependent on the environmental temperature. However, the molecular control of diapause in avian species remains largely uncharacterized.