Explore the vast range of titles available.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the major causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome which leads to significant economic losses in the global swine industry. In China, there is a widespread dissemination of PCV2 infection in the pig population. Serologi­cal diagnosis of the disease is considered as an effective control measure. Here, we developed a capsid protein (Cap)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Cap-ELISA) for the detection of PCV2 antibodies in swine serum using a nuclear localization signal-truncated capsid protein produced in Escherichia coli. The Cap protein was expressed as water-soluble and purified using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) chromatography. After the optimization of the working conditions of the Cap-ELISA using chessboard titrations, a total of 649 serum samples were tested using the Cap-ELISA and a commercial ELISA kit. The diagnostic sensitivity (DSN), diagnostic specificity (DSP) and accuracy of the Cap-ELISA were determined to be 96.7%, 94.1% and 99.5%, respectively. Cross-reactivity analysis indicated that the Cap-ELISA was PCV2-specific and possessed no cross-reactions with antibodies against other common swine pathogens including porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine parvovirus (PPV), foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV). Repeatability of the experiment showed that Cap-ELISA was highly repeatable with the intra- and inter-plate coefficients of variation less than 10%. Hence, the Cap-ELISA has the potential for the swine industry to monitor PCV2 epidemiology and to evaluate PCV2 vaccine efficacy.

We investigate the electronic structure and magnetism of DO3-type Heusler alloys Rh3M (M = Al, Ga, In, Si) using the first-principle calculations. The Rh3Si have been predicted to be half-metallic ferromagent at their equilibrium lattice constants. The effect of lattice parameters on the electronic structure and magnetic properties is also discussed in detail.

The strength, under uniaxial load, of composite gels containing filler particles has been investigated by calculating the stress concentration in the gel matrix. The particles were assumed to be rigid spheres, and the interaction between the particles was taken into account based on a self‐consistent model. The bonding between the particles and matrix was treated for two typical cases, (1) perfectly bonded, (2) smoothly connected. For case 1, the analytical result shows that the stress concentration factors decrease with the increasing of the volume fraction of filler. For case 2, the stress concentration factors are independent of the volume fraction of filler. The structural failure caused by the stress concentration was analyzed.

Influenza virus infections are believed to spread mostly by close contact in the community. Social distancing measures are essential components of the public health response to influenza pandemics. The objective of these mitigation measures is to reduce transmission, thereby delaying the epidemic peak, reducing the size of the epidemic peak, and spreading cases over a longer time to relieve pressure on the healthcare system. We conducted systematic reviews of the evidence base for effectiveness of multiple mitigation measures: isolating ill persons, contact tracing, quarantining exposed persons, school closures, workplace measures/closures, and avoiding crowding. Evidence supporting the effectiveness of these measures was obtained largely from observational studies and simulation studies. Voluntary isolation at home might be a more feasible social distancing measure, and pandemic plans should consider how to facilitate this measure. More drastic social distancing measures might be reserved for severe pandemics.

International travel-related nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), which can include traveler screening, travel restrictions, and border closures, often are included in national influenza pandemic preparedness plans. We performed systematic reviews to identify evidence for their effectiveness. We found 15 studies in total. Some studies reported that NPIs could delay the introduction of influenza virus. However, no available evidence indicated that screening of inbound travelers would have a substantial effect on preventing spread of pandemic influenza, and no studies examining exit screening were found. Some studies reported that travel restrictions could delay the start of local transmission and slow international spread, and 1 study indicated that small Pacific islands were able to prevent importation of pandemic influenza during 1918-19 through complete border closure. This limited evidence base indicates that international travel-related NPIs would have limited effectiveness in controlling pandemic influenza and that these measures require considerable resources to implement.

There were 3 influenza pandemics in the 20th century, and there has been 1 so far in the 21st century. Local, national, and international health authorities regularly update their plans for mitigating the next influenza pandemic in light of the latest available evidence on the effectiveness of various control measures in reducing transmission. Here, we review the evidence base on the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical personal protective measures and environmental hygiene measures in nonhealthcare settings and discuss their potential inclusion in pandemic plans. Although mechanistic studies support the potential effect of hand hygiene or face masks, evidence from 14 randomized controlled trials of these measures did not support a substantial effect on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza. We similarly found limited evidence on the effectiveness of improved hygiene and environmental cleaning. We identified several major knowledge gaps requiring further research, most fundamentally an improved characterization of the modes of person-to-person transmission.

[...]the different genetic backgrounds surrounding mcr-1 in Chinese and Portuguese isolates suggest that the gene is more likely to be independently acquired from a common ancestor. Because of limited genome data, especially the lack of genomes for colistin resistance isolates, we are concerned that the worldwide distribution of mcr-1 might be underestimated.

Traditional petrochemical-derived plastics are challenging to recycle and degrade, and the existing (re)process methods are organic solvent-based and/or energy-intensive, resulting in significant environmental contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. This study presents a sustainable bioplastic material characterized by multi-closed-loop recyclability and water (re)processability. The bioplastics are derived from abundant polysaccharide sources of dextran, alginic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, and DNA of plant and living organism waste. The process involves chemical oxidation of polysaccharides to produce aldehyde-functionalized derivatives, which subsequently form reversible imine covalent bonds with amine groups in DNA. This reaction yields water-processable polysaccharide/DNA crosslinked hydrogels, serving as raw materials for producing sustainable bioplastics. The bioplastic products exhibit (bio)degradability and recyclability, enabling aqueous recovery of the hydrogel constituents through plastic hydrolysis and the natural biodegradability of DNA and polysaccharides. These products demonstrate excellent resistance to organic solvents, self-healing, scalability, and effective processing down to nanometer scales, underscoring their potential for broad and versatile applications. The work provides potential pathways for advancing sustainable and environmentally friendly bioplastic materials. Bioplastics are desirable materials for the replacement of petrochemical-derived plastics, but achieving the desired properties can be challenging. Here, the authors report a bioplastic formed from a combination of polysaccharide sources and DNA from living organism waste, with biodegradability and recyclability.

Sarcomatoid and rhabdoid (S/R) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are highly aggressive tumors with limited molecular and clinical characterization. Emerging evidence suggests immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are particularly effective for these tumors, although the biological basis for this property is largely unknown. Here, we evaluate multiple clinical trial and real-world cohorts of S/R RCC to characterize their molecular features, clinical outcomes, and immunologic characteristics. We find that S/R RCC tumors harbor distinctive molecular features that may account for their aggressive behavior, including BAP1 mutations, CDKN2A deletions, and increased expression of MYC transcriptional programs. We show that these tumors are highly responsive to ICI and that they exhibit an immune-inflamed phenotype characterized by immune activation, increased cytotoxic immune infiltration, upregulation of antigen presentation machinery genes, and PD-L1 expression. Our findings build on prior work and shed light on the molecular drivers of aggressivity and responsiveness to ICI of S/R RCC. Sarcomatoid and rhabdoid tumours are highly aggressive forms of renal cell carcinoma that are also responsive to immunotherapy. In this study, the authors perform a comprehensive molecular characterization of these tumours discovering an enrichment of specific alterations and an inflamed phenotype.

Background In legumes, seed storage proteins are important for the developing seedling and are an important source of protein for humans and animals. Lupinus angustifolius (L.), also known as narrow-leaf lupin (NLL) is a grain legume crop that is gaining recognition as a potential human health food as the grain is high in protein and dietary fibre, gluten-free and low in fat and starch. Results Genes encoding the seed storage proteins of NLL were characterised by sequencing cDNA clones derived from developing seeds. Four families of seed storage proteins were identified and comprised three unique α, seven β, two γ and four δ conglutins. This study added eleven new expressed storage protein genes for the species. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of NLL conglutins with those available for the storage proteins of Lupinus albus (L.), Pisum sativum (L.), Medicago truncatula (L.), Arachis hypogaea (L.) and Glycine max (L.) permitted the analysis of a phylogenetic relationships between proteins and demonstrated, in general, that the strongest conservation occurred within species. In the case of 7S globulin (β conglutins) and 2S sulphur-rich albumin (δ conglutins), the analysis suggests that gene duplication occurred after legume speciation. This contrasted with 11S globulin (α conglutin) and basic 7S (γ conglutin) sequences where some of these sequences appear to have diverged prior to speciation. The most abundant NLL conglutin family was beta (56%), followed by α (24%), δ (15%) and γ (6%) and the transcript levels of these genes increased 10(3) to 10(6) fold during seed development. We used the 16 NLL conglutin sequences identified here to determine that for individuals specifically allergic to lupin, all seven members of the β conglutin family were potential allergens. Conclusion This study has characterised 16 seed storage protein genes in NLL including 11 newly-identified members. It has helped lay the foundation for efforts to use molecular breeding approaches to improve lupins, for example by reducing allergens or increasing the expression of specific seed storage protein(s) with desirable nutritional properties.