Revealing genes related teat number traits via genetic variation in Yorkshire pigs based on whole-genome sequencing.

Background: Teat number is one of the most important indicators to evaluate the lactation performance of sows, and increasing the teat number has become an important method to improve the economic efficiency of farms. Therefore, it is particularly important to deeply analyze the genetic mechanism of teat number traits in pigs. In this study, we detected Single Nucleotide Ploymorphism (SNP), Insertion-Deletion (InDel) and Structural variant (SV) by high-coverage whole-genome resequencing data, and selected teat number at birth and functional teat number as two types of teat number traits for genome-wide association study (GWAS) to reveal candidate genes associated with pig teat number traits.

Extracellular enzymes as reliable indicators of long-term antimony contamination.

Antimony (Sb) contamination in soil has become a growing concern due to its toxic effects on ecological soil functions. Soil enzymes, which are effective biological indicators, play a crucial role in assessing the ecological impact of heavy metals in soil. However, the effects of Sb on soil enzyme activity, particularly during the ageing process, remain poorly understood.

Partially replacing dietary starch with soybean oil improved production performance of weaned Rex rabbits.

The differences between the high-starch diet commonly used in rabbit farming and the natural feeding habits of rabbits may pose certain health risks. In our study, we replaced part of the starch in the feed with soybean oil and conducted a four-week feeding trial with weaned Rex rabbits. The results indicated that rabbits fed the oil-supplemented diet had a lower incidence of diarrhea, improved growth performance, and higher feed conversion efficiency, along with increased absorptive capacity of small intestine.

Manipulating Near-Infrared Absorption via Engineering Anisotropic Plasmonic Spiky Au Nanocubes for the Highly Efficient Dual-Response Immune Detection of T-2 Toxin.

Integrating specific immune recognition, a desirable extinction coefficient, and conspicuous photothermal conversion ability into a single-immune probe to enhance the analysis performance represents an appealing yet significantly challenging task. Herein, by delicately manipulating the geometry of plasmonic nanoparticles from spherical to spiky, precise engineering approach-based spiky Au nanocubes (S-AuNCs) are employed to address this challenge, which fully exploits the plasmon resonance absorption-induced photothermal effect. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) method was employed to computationally simulate the electromagnetic and thermal fields while assessing the feasibility of regulating plasmon resonance for enhanced photothermal absorption.

Characteristics of fluoride adsorption in different soil types: Potential factors and implications for environmental risk assessment.

The adsorption of fluoride by soils influences its mobility and bioavailability. Therefore, the fluoride adsorption process in soils has garnered widespread attention. Yet research on assessing environmental risk based on the characteristics of fluoride adsorption in soil is still limited.

Impact of diverse exogenous hormones on parthenocarpy, yield, and quality of pepino () in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau's natural conditions.

Unlabelled: Pepino (), native to the Andes Mountains, requires exogenous hormones in its brief frost-free plateau environment to induce parthenocarpy and ensure yield.The effects of different plant growth regulators and application methods on pepino's growth, yield, and fruit quality were analyzed. Results showed that exogenous plant growth regulators had significant effects on various plant traits For instance, plant height decreased by 43.

The impact of epidemic experiences on biosecurity behavior of pig farmers: an analysis based on protection motivation theory.

Farm biosecurity is considered an important component of "One Health". Biosecurity measures are crucial for preventing and controlling outbreaks and spread of diseases on farms. Protection motivation theory (PMT) links perception of risk and coping ability with taking preventive actions.

Potent Anti-Cancer Activity of 1-Dehydrodiosgenone from the Product of Microbial Transformation of Steroid Saponins.

Steroids are extensively used in the pharmaceutical industry as industrial raw materials for the production of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor drugs. Microbial transformation, an environmentally friendly method, displays the potential for preparing steroids on an industrial scale. In this study, four steroids, including Diosgenin, Smilagenone, Yamogenin, and 1-Dehydrodiosgenone, were isolated and identified from the solid-state fermentation (SSF) product of a novel strain, and their anti-tumor activities were investigated.

Identification of Functional Variants Between Tong Sheep and Hu Sheep by Whole-Genome Sequencing Pools of Individuals.

Tong sheep, known for their superior meat quality and disease resilience, face breeding challenges due to low prolificacy, unlike Hu sheep, which exhibit higher fertility and growth rates. This study identified over 700,000 genetic variants between these breeds through pooled whole-genome sequencing. Functional analysis reveals key differences in pathways related to fat metabolism, insulin signaling, and cell cycle regulation.

Curcumin Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis Induced by HO in Bovine Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (bADSCs).

In livestock production, oxidative stress (OS) is ubiquitous, reducing animal productivity and product quality. Hence, investigating the mechanisms of oxidative stress in livestock and inhibiting oxidative stress-induced damage is crucial. Curcumin, a plant-derived bioactive compound, exhibits antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties.

The addition of vermiculite reduced antibiotic resistance genes during composting: Novel insights based on reducing host bacteria abundance and inhibiting plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are prevalent in raw materials used for composting. The utilization of eco-friendly materials for the removal of ARGs is regarded as an economically effective method. Therefore, this study focused on the impact of incorporating different proportions of vermiculite (0% (CK), 5% (T1), and 10% (T2)) on the dynamics of ARGs during composting.

Microplastics in China's surface water systems: Distribution, driving forces and ecological risk.

Comprehensively understanding the distribution, driving forces and ecological risk of microplastics (MPs) in China's surface water systems is crucial for future prevention and control of MPs pollution, particularly in the context of regional differences. Nevertheless, traditionally localized investigation and the limited MPs data availability hinder more comprehensive estimation of MPs pollution in surface water systems of China. This study presents a robust dataset, which consists of 14285 samples from 32 provincial districts, describing the MPs pollution characteristics using a data mining method combined with a machine learning model.

Transcription factors BnaC09.FUL and BnaC06.WIP2 antagonistically regulate flowering time under long-day conditions in Brassica napus.

Appropriate flowering time in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is vital for preventing losses from weather, diseases, and pests. However, the molecular basis of its regulation remains largely unknown.

Multiple recognition-powered abiotic bimetallic oxide nanozyme-based colorimetric platform for the selective detection of allergen β-lactoglobulin.

β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) is the major allergen in dairy products, and poses a significant threat to special people including infants and young children. Therefore, a convenient, cost-efficient, and aptamer-free colorimetric sensing platform is developed for β-lg assay based on a germanium/zinc bimetallic oxide nanozyme (GeO/ZnO). The CTAB-assisted intercalation growth of ZnO nanoparticles between GeO layers endows GeO/ZnO with enhanced peroxidase-mimicking activity and β-lg affinity.

Deciphering the inhibition mechanisms of microplastics on the full-stage sludge anaerobic digestion via enrichment to anaerobic microbes and toxicity of released compounds.

Increasingly accumulated microplastics (MPs) in sludge could affect the sludge treatment process, while the contributions and mechanisms of MP particles and the released organic matters (MP-DOM) are not fully understood. To fill this gap, this study systematically investigates the effects and mechanisms of MPs on sludge anaerobic digestion. In the presence of MPs, the hydrolysis and acidogenesis of organic matters and methanogenesis all decreased due to the inhibition on the activity of anaerobic microorganisms and key enzymes.

Soybean isoflavone promotes milk yield and milk fat yield through the ERα-mediated Akt/mTOR pathway in dairy goats.

Soybean isoflavone (SIF) in soybeans are natural phytoestrogens, which is functioned as an estrogen agonistic or antagonistic. SIF regulates the capacity of animals to synthesize triacylglycerols by directly utilizing long-chain fatty acids. However, few studies have focused on its regulatory lipid metabolism in lactating dairy goats.

CsIREH1 phosphorylation regulates DELLA protein affecting plant height in cucumber (Cucumis sativus).

Plant height is a critical agronomic trait that affects crop yield, plant architecture, and environmental adaptability. Gibberellins (GAs) regulate plant height, with DELLA proteins acting as key repressors in the GA signaling pathway by inhibiting GA-induced growth. While DELLA phosphorylation is essential for regulating plant height, the precise mechanisms underlying this process remain incompletely understood.

Ice cap functioned as a sink for radioactive contaminant in the Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from plutonium isotopes.

Cryoconite is abundant in artificial radionuclides such as plutonium (Pu) and amounts of radioactive contaminants is stored in glaciers. Under global warming and glaciers rapid retreating, glaciers could be a second source for radioactive contaminants and the stored Pu isotopes could be released to the downstream areas through surface runoff. However, the knowledge and understanding on the migration behavior and cycling of Pu isotopes in the ice cap is quite limited.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of steroidal indole derivatives as membrane-targeting antibacterial candidates.

Rational modification of natural products plays a key role in drug discovery. Herein, a series of steroidal indole derivatives containing various substituents and steroidal skeletons were designed and synthesized with classical Fischer indole synthesis as a key step in an efficient synthetic route for the first time. The in vitro antibacterial activity of all the synthesized derivatives was evaluated against four Gram-positive strains including three Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Genome Assembly and Winged fruit Gene Regulation of Chinese Wingnut: Insights from Genomic and Transcriptomic Analyses.

The genomic basis and biology of winged fruit are interesting issues in ecological and evolutionary biology. Chinese wingnut (Pterocarya stenoptera) is an important garden and economic tree species in China. The genomic resources of this hardwood tree could provide advanced genomic studies of Juglandaceae and their evolutionary relationships.

A Graph-based Goat Pangenome Reveals Structural Variations Involved in Domestication and Adaptation.

Pangenomes can facilitate a deeper understanding of genome complexity. Using de novo phased long-read assemblies of eight representative goat breeds, we constructed a graph-based pangenome of goats (Capra hircus) and discovered 113-Mb autosomal novel sequences. Combining this multi-assembly pangenome with low-coverage PacBio HiFi sequences, we constructed a long-read structural variations (SVs) database containing 59,325 SV deletions, 84,910 SV insertions, and 24,954 other complex SV alleles.

Apple vacuolar sugar transporters regulated by MdDREB2A enhance drought resistance by promoting accumulation of soluble sugars and activating ABA signaling.

Soluble sugars are not only an important contributor to fruit quality, but also serve as the osmotic regulators in response to abiotic stresses. Early drought stress promotes sugar accumulation, while specific sugar transporters govern the cellular distribution of the sugars. Here, we show that apple plantlets accumulate soluble sugars in leaf tissues under drought stress.