Pathogenicity and antigenic characterization of a novel highly virulent lineage 3 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus 2.

Background/purpose: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a pathogen with a negative economic impact on the global swine industry. In 2019, a suspected highly pathogenic strain, NPUST-108-929/2019 (108-929), was isolated from a pig farm in Pingtung with an outbreak of high mortality and analyzed. The characteristics of PRRSV 108-929 have barely been studied.

Preferential cleavage of the coronavirus defective viral genome by cellular endoribonuclease with characteristics of RNase L.

In testing whether coronavirus defective viral genome 12.7 (DVG12.7) with transcription regulating sequence (TRS) can synthesize subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) in coronavirus-infected cells, it was unexpectedly found by Northern blot assay that not only sgmRNA (designated sgmDVG 12.

Molecular detection of emerging in Taiwan.

type (PCV) 2 is an important pathogen that has been circulating worldwide and has cuased serious economic loss in pig industry. However, both PCV3 and PCV4 are newly emerging viruses. In Taiwan, PCV2 has been one of the critical pathogens in pig frams and PCV3 has been detected since 2016; however, the epidemiolog of PCV3 in Taiwan remains unclear and PCV4 has yet to be identified.

Combination of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an indirect fluorescence assay for a nationwide sero-survey of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pig herds in Taiwan.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic pathogen that can infect farm animals, companion animals, and humans, sometimes causing public health issues. In Taiwan, the pig industry is a vital agricultural industry, with a self-sufficiency rate of 91 %, and pigs are also food-producing animal reservoirs of Toxoplasma gondii. Infected pigs are usually asymptomatic, and abortions and death may occur in severe cases.

[Influencing factors of traumatic arthritis after ankle fracture surgery and construction of risk prediction model].

Objective: To explore risk factors of post-operative traumatic arthritis in patients with ankle fracture,and to establish risk prediction model.

Methods: Totally 550 patients with ankle fracture treated from May 2020 to May 2022 were selected as research objects and divided into modeling group (385 patients) and verification group (165 patients) according to 7:3. In modeling group,patients were classified as occurrence group (112 patients) and non-occurrence group (273 patients) according to whether traumatic arthritis occurred after opertaion.

Identification of the protein coding capability of coronavirus defective viral genomes by mass spectrometry.

During coronavirus infection, in addition to the well-known coronavirus genomes and subgenomic mRNAs, an abundance of defective viral genomes (DVGs) can also be synthesized. In this study, we aimed to examine whether DVGs can encode proteins in infected cells. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis were employed.

Development of Polycistronic Baculovirus Surface Display Vectors to Simultaneously Express Viral Proteins of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome and Analysis of Their Immunogenicity in Swine.

To simultaneously express and improve expression levels of multiple viral proteins of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), polycistronic baculovirus surface display vectors were constructed and characterized. We engineered polycistronic baculovirus surface display vectors, namely, pBacDual Display EGFP(BacDD)-2GP2-2GP4 and pBacDD-4GP5N34A/N51A (mtGP5), which simultaneously express and display the ectodomain of His-tagged GP2-gp64TM-CTD, His-tagged GP4-gp64TM-CTD, and His-tagged mtGP5-gp64TM-CTD fusion proteins of PRRSV on cell membrane of Sf-9 cells. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) pigs were administered intramuscularly in 2 doses at 21 and 35 days of age with genetic recombinant baculoviruses-infected cells.

Evolution of the coronavirus spike protein in the full-length genome and defective viral genome under diverse selection pressures.

How coronaviruses evolve by altering the structures of their full-length genome and defective viral genome (DVG) under dynamic selection pressures has not been studied. In this study, we aimed to experimentally identify the dynamic evolutionary patterns of the S protein sequence in the full-length genome and DVG under diverse selection pressures, including persistence, innate immunity and antiviral drugs. The evolutionary features of the S protein sequence in the full-length genome and in the DVG under diverse selection pressures are as follows: (i) the number of nucleotide (nt) mutations does not necessarily increase with the number of selection pressures; (ii) certain types of selection pressure(s) can lead to specific nt mutations; (iii) the mutated nt sequence can be reverted to the wild-type nt sequence under the certain type of selection pressure(s); (iv) the DVG can also undergo mutations and evolve independently of the full-length genome; and (v) DVG species are regulated during evolution under diverse selection pressures.

Targeting the conserved coronavirus octamer motif GGAAGAGC is a strategy for the development of coronavirus vaccine.

Background: Coronaviruses are pathogens of humans and animals that cause widespread and costly diseases. The development of effective strategies to combat the threat of coronaviruses is therefore a top priority. The conserved coronavirus octamer motif 5'GGAAGAGC3' exists in the 3' untranslated region of all identified coronaviruses.

Identification of subgenomic mRNAs derived from the coronavirus 1a/1b protein gene: Implications for coronavirus transcription.

Synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) is guided by the transcription regulatory sequence (TRS). sgmRNA derived from the body TRS (TRS-B) located at the 1a/1b protein gene is designated 1ab/sgmRNA. In the current study, we comprehensively identified the 1ab/sgmRNAs synthesized from TRS-Bs located at the 1a/1b protein genes of different coronavirus genera both in vitro and in vivo by RT‒PCR and sequencing.

Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of 4-Anilinoquinolinylchalcone Derivatives.

A series of 4-anilinoquinolinylchalcone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for antiproliferative activities against the growth of human cancer cell lines (Huh-7 and MDA-MB-231) and normal lung cells (MRC-5). The results exhibited low cytotoxicity against human lung cells (MRC-5). Among them, ()-3-{4-{[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]amino}quinolin-2-yl}-1-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one () was found to have the highest cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells and low cytotoxicity in normal cells.

The Use of Distinctive Monoclonal Antibodies in FMD VLP- and P1-Based Blocking ELISA for the Seromonitoring of Vaccinated Swine.

The serum neutralization (SN) test has been regarded as the "gold standard" for seroconversion following foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccination, although a high-level biosafety laboratory is necessary. ELISA is one alternative, and its format is constantly being improved. For instance, standard polyclonal antisera have been replaced by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for catching and detecting antibodies, and inactive viruses have been replaced by virus-like particles (VLPs).

Associations of sleep characteristics with outcomes of IVF/ICSI treatment: a prospective cohort study.

Study Question: Are sleep characteristics associated with outcomes of IVF/ICSI treatment?

Summary Answer: Nocturnal sleep <7 h/night and disturbed sleep are related to impaired oocyte and embryo yield, while longer nocturnal sleep might reduce the chance of a successful pregnancy, and the associations between nocturnal sleep duration and IVF/ICSI outcomes are modified by maternal age and subjective sleep quality.

What Is Known Already: Disturbed sleep and circadian rhythm contribute to impaired fecundity in the general population, but the effects of sleep characteristics on IVF/ICSI outcomes are largely unknown.

Study Design, Size, Duration: This study was conducted among 1276 women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment between December 2018 and September 2019 based on the Tongji Reproductive and Environmental cohort.

Associations between drinking water disinfection byproducts and menstrual cycle characteristics: A cross-sectional study among women attending an infertility clinic.

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have been shown to alter ovarian steroidogenesis and cause estrous cyclicity disturbance and prolongation in experimental studies, however human studies are lacking. We aimed to evaluate the cross-sectional associations between drinking water DBPs and menstrual cycle characteristics. A total of 1078 women attending an infertility clinic in Wuhan, China were included between December 2018 and January 2020.

The Effects of Freshwater Clam () Extract on Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells.

Background: The extract of freshwater clams has been used to protect the body against liver diseases in traditional folk medicine. This study aims at investigating the effects of freshwater clam extract on activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs), which are critical contributors to liver fibrosis.

Methods: The aHSCs used in this study were derived from hepatic stellate cells that were isolated and purified from the livers of male Wistar rats and then transformed into the activated phenotype by culturing on uncoated plastic dishes.

Phylogenetic Classification of Global Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) Reference Strains and Molecular Characterization of PDCoV in Taiwan.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), a highly transmissible intestinal pathogen, causes mild to severe clinical symptoms, such as anorexia, vomiting and watery diarrhea, in piglets and/or sows. Since the first report of PDCoV infection in Hong Kong in 2012, the virus has readily disseminated to North America and several countries in Asia. However, to date, no unified phylogenetic classification system has been developed.

Associations between medication use and phthalate metabolites in urine and follicular fluid among women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Background: Phthalates, which are used as excipients of drugs, have been related to adverse reproductive outcomes. However, the relationships between medication use and phthalate exposure among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) have not been studied.

Objective: To investigate the associations between the medication intake and phthalate metabolites in urine and follicular fluid (FF).

Maternal preconception phthalate metabolite concentrations in follicular fluid and neonatal birth weight conceived by women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Exposure to phthalates during gestation has been associated with decreased birth weight among offspring. However, the associations between preconception phthalate metabolites in follicular fluid (FF) and offspring birth weight among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) remain largely unknown. Here, we explored the associations between preconception phthalate metabolite concentrations in FF and the birth weights of singletons and twins among women undergoing IVF.

Effects of Coronavirus Persistence on the Genome Structure and Subsequent Gene Expression, Pathogenicity and Adaptation Capability.

Coronaviruses are able to establish persistence. However, how coronaviruses react to persistence and whether the selected viruses have altered their characteristics remain unclear. In this study, we found that the persistent infection of bovine coronavirus (BCoV), which is in the same genus as SARS-COV-2, led to alterations of genome structure, attenuation of gene expression, and the synthesis of subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) with a previously unidentified pattern.

The Impacts of Antivirals on the Coronavirus Genome Structure and Subsequent Pathogenicity, Virus Fitness and Antiviral Design.

With the global threat of SARS-CoV-2, much effort has been focused on treatment and disease control. However, how coronaviruses react to the treatments and whether the surviving viruses have altered their characteristics are also unanswered questions with medical importance. To this end, bovine coronavirus (BCoV), which is in the same genus as SARS-CoV-2, was used as a test model and the findings were as follows.

Phthalate metabolites and biomarkers of oxidative stress in the follicular fluid of women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Epidemiological studies have suggested that phthalate exposures were associated with adverse reproductive outcomes, such as low oocyte yield and reduced embryo quality, but the underlying mechanisms remained largely unknown. Oxidative stress may be a potential contributor to phthalate-induced adverse reproductive outcomes. To explore the associations between phthalate exposure and levels of oxidative stress among women seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF), we measured the concentrations of eight phthalate metabolites and biomarkers of oxidative stress, including 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), in follicular fluid (FF) samples collected from 332 women.

Outbreak of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus 1 in Taiwan.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes significant economic lossesin the swine industry worldwide. The PRRS virus (PRRSV) can be divided into two species, PRRSV1 (European) and PRRSV 2 (North American). In Taiwan, PRRSV 2 isolates are dominant and causerespiratory symptoms in nursing pigs.

Predictors of phthalate metabolites in urine and follicular fluid and correlations between urine and follicular fluid phthalate metabolite concentrations among women undergoing in vitro fertilization.

Background: Phthalate metabolites in follicular fluid (FF) may negatively affect normal folliculogenesis; however, the predictors of phthalate metabolite concentrations in urine and FF and relationships between urine and FF phthalate metabolite concentrations among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) are poorly understood.

Objective: To investigate predictors of phthalate metabolites in urine and FF and correlations between urine and FF phthalate metabolite concentrations among women undergoing IVF.

Method: We recruited 305 women seeking infertility treatment at a reproductive center in Wuhan, China, from October to November 2016.

Genotypic analyses and virulence characterization of isolates from Taiwan.

Background: () () causes severe economic losses in the swine industry. Multiple strains can exist in single animals. Typing techniques are required for identifying isolates.