This study aims to compare the differences of three cytomorphological structure (drumsticks, Barr bodies, and chromosome karyotypes) detection in sex identification, so as to offer references for cytomorpho-logy teaching, clinical application, and forensic research. With informed consent, 10 healthy males and 10 healthy females were randomly selected, respectively. Peripheral blood cells and buccal mucosal cells were collected. Three modified slide preparation methods for morphological features associated with X chromatin were adopted. Typical characteristic images were observed and obtained, and the differences among the three methods in sex determination were analyzed. Microscopic observation results showed that the typical charac-teristic images of drumsticks, Barr bodies, and chromosome karyotypes were clearly visible. Drumstick test showed that the drumstick detection rate was 1.3%~2.0% in healthy females (mean: 1.69%) and 0.1%~0.7% in healthy males (mean: 0.36%), with a significant intersexual difference (P<0.001). Barr body test showed that the Barr body detection rate was 16.5%~24.5% in healthy females (mean: 19.75%) and 0~0.5% in healthy males, with a significant intersexual difference (P<0.001). Chromosome karyotype analysis revealed a karyotype of 46,XX in healthy females and 46,XY in healthy males, with a sex determination accuracy of 100%. It is evident that the three cytomorphological detection methods are feasible for sex identification. However, the drumstick test requires extensive cell counting, strongly depends on examiners’ experience, and its accuracy needs to be improved. The Barr body test offers advantages such as convenient sampling, rapidity, and accu-racy in slide preparation and interpretation, facilitating rapid clinical sex determination. Chromosome karyo-type analysis can accurately determine an individual’s sex, but it is time-consuming in slide preparation, cell identification and analysis, technically demanding, and procedurally complex.
RimJ is a ribosome maturation factor and is involved in the maturation process of the 30S subunit of Escherichia coli. To explore whether RimJ affects the cell cycle of E. coli, changes in doubling time, DNA replication patterns, and cell size were observed in the mutant after rimJ gene deletion (ΔrimJ) and overex-pression. The mechanism of action of RimJ was investigated using temperature sensitive assays and protein quantification. The results showed that the B, C, D phases and the total cell cycle were all prolonged in ΔrimJ, and the effect gradually diminished as the nutrient conditions became poorer. The levels of total pro-tein and the DNA replication initiation protein DnaA in ΔrimJ cells decreased to 66% and 59%, respectively, compared with the wild-type. After the ΔrimJ reversion, except for the cell size, which did not return to the wild-type, the doubling time, DNA replication pattern, intracellular levels of total protein and DnaA all re-turned to the wild-type levels. These results indicate that rimJ affects the cell cycle of E. coli, including the B, C, D phases, and the degree of influence is positively correlated with the nutrient conditions of the culture medium. The impact of RimJ on the cell cycle is mainly due to RimJ affecting the function of ribosomes and reducing protein (including DnaA) synthesis within cells. These findings provide a basis for further elucida-ting the function of RimJ.
In forensic evidence analysis, trace degraded samples are frequently encountered. Due to their minuscule size and subtle nature, they are often overlooked by criminals. However, such materials may con-tain critical case-related information. Extracting DNA from these samples to meet downstream experimental requirements has become a pivotal task in forensic work. With continuous innovation of testing kits, DNA extraction methods have become increasingly diverse and efficient while the quality of extracted DNA has also improved significantly. Currently, mainstream DNA extraction methods for trace degraded samples include conventional techniques like the Chelex-100 method, magnetic bead method, silica bead method, and direct amplification, as well as emerging approaches such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extraction and single-cell PCR technology. This article reviews the fundamental principles, applicable scenarios, and pros/cons of these extraction methods. It also analyzes challenges in current DNA extraction processes, including difficulties in cell localization, incomplete removal of inhibitors, and DNA degradation, along with corresponding counter-measures. Furthermore, it proposes that the primary future direction lies in integrating automation, high-throughput technologies, and artificial intelligence to enhance forensic evidence analysis. The paper may of-fer insights and guidance for forensic evidence examination and related research.
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a leading life-threatening complication in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and more than 90% of DKD cases worldwide are driven by T2DM. Because insu-lin resistance coupled with β-cell failure constitutes the core pathophysiology of type 2 diabetic kidney di-sease (T2DKD), animal models must simultaneously recapitulate metabolic dysregulation and chronic renal in-jury. Rodents, whose genetics are well defined and husbandry costs low, are the primary workhorses of T2DKD research. Currently, commonly used rodent models for T2DKD include induction models created in normal physiological animals, spontaneous mutant lines derived from different rodent strains, and specific gene-edited models constructed using genetic engineering technologies. Herein, the most widely used induction and spon-taneous mutant models are systematically compared, with respect to their construction strategies, renal phe-notypes, modeling timelines, and suitable applications. Three key techniques employed in genetically engi-neered models are also summarized, including gene knockout, gene insertion, and humanized sequence re-placement, and their respective applications. Additionally, a decision algorithm that aligns model choice with specific experimental goals is provided, offering a practical guide for future mechanistic studies and transla-tional research.
This study aimed to explore the effects of combining two types of green manure, rapeseed and Chinese milk vetch, with rice straw incorporation on soil nutrients and microbial community structure in tobacco planting. The experimental design included five different green manure incorporation treatments in potted tobacco trials: T1 (rice straw + rapeseed return), T2 (rapeseed return), T3 (rice straw + milk vetch re-turn), T4 (milk vetch return), and CK (control without green manure return). Apart from the differences in the green manure treatments, all experimental groups maintained consistent field management practices. The ef-fects of different treatments on tobacco growth, soil nutrients, and microbial community structure were ana-lyzed. The results showed that returning green manure significantly increased the contents of soil available potassium, available phosphorus, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available sulfur. It also significantly en-hanced the relative abundance of the soil bacterial phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota, as well as the fungal phylum Ascomycota, while reducing the relative abundance of the bacterial phylum Chloroflexi and the fungal phylum Basidiomycota. Specifically, rapeseed return treatments (T1 and T2) significantly increased the relative abundance of the fungal phylum Mortierellomycota, whereas milk vetch return treatments (T3 and T4) further elevated the relative abundance of the bacterial phylum Acidobacteriota. The study indicated that the combination of rapeseed and milk vetch with rice straw incorporation significantly improved tobacco plant growth, enhanced soil nutrient content, optimized soil microbial community structure. Overall, milk vetch combined with rice straw returning (T3) demonstrated the best performance in promoting tobacco growth, balan-cing soil nutrients, and enhancing soil microbial diversity. The findings provide a theoretical basis and prac-tical guidance for the application of fallow rotation and green manure return techniques in tobacco-planting soils.
To explore the compositional characteristics of tourist plants in Dehang Scenic Area of Hunan Province and analyze their distribution characteristics across different distribution zones, landscape types, and time periods, cluster analysis was conducted using the Sorenson similarity coefficient and the Euclidean distance method to classify nine small scenic spots and 13 landscape types. The results showed that: 1) A total of 736 species of tourist plants, belonging to 140 families and 442 genera, were recorded in the Dehang Scenic Area. Among them, 21 families (containing 211 genera and 385 species) were dominant families with 10 or more species each, and 20 genera (containing 143 species) were dominant genera with five or more spe-cies each. Herbaceous plants are the main life-form in the region. 2) In terms of horizontal distribution, Hangxia Creek had the highest number of species (158 species), while Xinzhai River had the lowest (37 spe-cies). The species similarity coefficient among the nine small scenic spots ranged from 0.102 to 0.564, with the highest value (0.564) observed between the Hangxia Creek and Yuquan Creek, and the lowest (0.102) observed between the Xinzhai River and Cliff Walkway. 3) In terms of landscape distribution, Hangxia Slope had the highest number of species (147 species), while the Cliff Top Tableland had the lowest (26 species). The species similarity coefficient among the 13 landscape types ranged from 0.045 to 0.575, with the highest value (0.575) observed between the Hangxia Slope and the Flood Land, and the lowest (0.045) observed be-tween the Cliff Top Tableland and the Flood Land. 4) The suitable travel period (green leaf stage, flowering and fruiting stage, colored-leaf stage) in this area is mainly concentrated from March to October. Specifically, the flowering stage occurs from April to August, and the fruiting stage from August to October. Both flowering and fruiting periods predominantly last for two months, with a total of 242 species distributed throughout the year. The research findings can provide a reference for ecological protection, tourism development, and aca-demic research in Dehang Scenic Area, and also provide new perspectives and ideas for further exploring the factors and mechanisms that affect the species diversity and distribution patterns of tourist plants.
The upas tree (Antiaris toxicaria Lesch.) is well known for the highly toxic cardiac glycosides pre-sent in its latex; however, the chemical composition and safety of its fruits remain insufficiently characteri-zed. To characterize the metabolic differences across different fruit developmental stages and provide a basis for the safety assessment and medicinal development of A. toxicaria fruits, green-stage and red-stage fruits were collected, with three independent biological replicates per stage, and analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS)-based non-targeted metabolomics. During ripening, flavonoids were significantly upregulated, whereas most amino acids and their derivatives, as well as benzene and its substituted derivatives, were significantly downregulated. Organic acids showed bidirec-tional changes, while galactose metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism were enhanced. The overall aroma intensity of fruits gradually weakened. Unripe fruits contained higher levels of toxic substances than ripe fruits, though the decrease of toxic substances in ripe fruits was relatively slight. Furthermore, it cannot be excluded that unripe fruits contain unidentified toxic components that decrease substantially during ripening. These findings provide preliminary data for further investigation of the medicinal potential of A. toxicaria fruits and underscore the necessity of establishing strict safety thresholds prior to their food and medicinal utilization.
Three newly recorded species of spermatophyte in Anhui Province were reported, namely So-lanum viarum Dunal, Fimbristylis ovata (Burm.f.) J.Kern and Plantago lanceolata L.. Morphological charac-teristics and habitat conditions of the species were described, and corresponding photographs were provided. The discovery of these newly recorded species enriches the plant resources in Anhui Province, and provides new data for research of plant species diversity and flora in this region. The voucher specimens are pre-served in the herbarium of the School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Anqing Normal University.
Art an 7, the primary allergen derived from Artemisia annua pollen, is one of the major allergens causing pollinosis in Northern China, with a very high sensitization rate (approximately 90%) among patients allergic to Artemisia pollen. Studies have shown that T-cell epitope vaccines (TEVs) exhibit remarkable effi-cacy in alleviating allergic diseases. However, there are currently no reports on a TEV targeting A. annua pollen allergens. To develop a TEV against Art an 7, the major allergen of A. annua pollen, immunoinfor-matics tools were used to predict the physicochemical properties, as well as B-cell and T-cell epitopes of Art an 7. Two T-cell epitopes (RAITFEPATGKTVKE and GKTVKEFPVLPGGSR) with high affinity for major histocompatibility complex class Ⅱ (MHC-Ⅱ) molecules were selected for TEV construction. These two T-cell epitopes were connected using a GPGPG linker, and the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) agonist RS04 adjuvant was conjugated to the N- and C-termini of the TEV protein via an EAAAK linker to form the complete vaccine structure. Subsequently, immunoinformatics tools were used to analyze the designed TEV, including its antigenicity, allergenicity, toxicity, physicochemical properties, secondary and tertiary struc-tures, as well as its docking with immune receptors. The results showed that the TEV exhibited strong binding capacity and stable interactions with both human leukocyte antigen DR beta 1 (HLA-DRB1) and TLR4, and could induce an immune response in the human body. In summary, the TEV designed in this study may be used as a candidate vaccine for allergen-specific immunotherapy against A. annua. However, the efficacy of this vaccine requires further experimental validation.
With the deepening advancement of the new agricultural sciences initiative and the ongoing transformation and upgrading of China’s modern animal husbandry industry, animal reproduction — a core course in animal science program — faces several urgent structural challenges, including curriculum content lagging behind technological advances, practical training disconnected from authentic industry contexts, re-search-oriented education floating on the surface, and competition training separated from the curriculum system. Taking the animal science program of Zhejiang A&F University as a pilot reform unit, an “industry-education-research-competition” four-chain integrated talent development model was constructed by re-structuring modular curriculum system, co-building immersive university-enterprise training platforms, adopting integrated training of undergraduate research and academic competitions, and implementing a dy-namic and multi-dimensional assessment system. The model aligns teaching reform with industry needs, up-dates course content through faculty research projects, and enhances students’ competencies with competi-tion standards, forming a closed-loop education mechanism of “demand traction, resource transformation, ca-pability generation, feedback optimization”. Following the implementation of the model, students’ practical operation skills, research and innovation capabilities, and industrial adaptability improved by 40.3%, 43.1%, and 54.5%, respectively. In addition, the competition award rate increased by 275.0%. Empirical evidence demonstrates that this approach effectively enhances students’ industrial adaptability, technological innova-tion capacity, and ability to solve complex real-world problems, realizes the paradigm shift from “knowledge transmission” to “capability cultivation”. The model offers a replicable and scalable framework for collabora-tive talent development in animal science and related disciplines under the new agricultural sciences para-digm.
Cultivating virtue and fostering talent is the fundamental task of higher education, and curricu-lum ideological and political construction is a critical measure to achieve this task. Human and animal physio-logy experiment course is one of the required basic courses for students majoring in biological sciences and related disciplines, and serves as an important vehicle for integrating ideological and political education. Based on the current state of ideological and political education in this course and the principles of student cognitive development, the core philosophy of “Flow Design and Teacher-Student Partnership” was innova-tively introduced. Through deeply exploring and integrating ideological and political elements from academic frontiers and innovation and entrepreneurship fields, a specialized ideological and political education material repository was established. Meanwhile, systematic explorations were conducted in such aspects as teaching teams, teaching modes, and evaluation systems. A new education mode characterized by “Flow-Driven Tea-ching, Teacher-Student Collaboration, and Progressive Competence Cultivation” was developed, yielding fa-vorable teaching reform effects. All of these measures can provide a reference for improving the teaching quality of relevant courses and cultivating high-quality, innovative talents with solid professional knowledge and outstanding practical abilities.
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