Co-culture with adipose mesenchymal stem cells promotes Blastocyst formation and gene expression in embryos from aged mice.

Recent studies have highlighted the positive effects of co-culturing embryos with stem cells on embryo development in various mammalian systems. Stem cells secrete numerous factors, including cytokines, growth factors, and microRNAs, which promote embryo development. However, the impact of stem cells on the development of embryos derived from aged mice's oocytes remains poorly understood.

Comparison of antimicrobial susceptibility of Glaesserella parasuis from different pig production systems in Taiwan between 2015 and 2020.

Background: Glässer's disease, caused by Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis), is a widespread bacterial infection in swine that leads to significant economic losses. G.

Pathotyping and molecular serotyping of clinical isolates of Glaesserella parasuis in Taiwan.

Glaesserella parasuis is a bacterial pathogen that causes severe economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. In this study, 262 G. parasuis isolates from pigs with Glässer's disease obtained between 2015 and 2022 in Taiwan were serotyped, pathotyped, and analyzed for virulence genes.

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.

Molecular Characteristics and Pathogenicity of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) 1 in Taiwan during 2019-2020.

Two variants of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), PRRSV 1 and PRRSV 2, have caused abortion in pregnant sows and respiratory distress in nursery pigs worldwide. PRRSV 2 has been thoroughly researched in Taiwan since 1993; however, the first case of PRRSV 1 was not reported until late 2018. To decipher the genetic characteristics of PRRSV 1 in Taiwan, open reading frame 5 (ORF5) genes of PRRSV 1 strains collected from 11 individual pig farms in 2019-2020 were successfully sequenced.

The First Nationwide Surveillance of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Ruminants and Wildlife in Taiwan.

Since the first discovery of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) in China in 2009, SFTSV has rapidly spread through other Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Pakistan, in chronological order. Taiwan reported its first discovery of SFTSV in sheep and humans in 2020. However, the prevalence of SFTSV in domestic and wildlife animals and the geographic distribution of the virus within the island remain unknown.

sp. nov., Isolated from Feces of Black Pig ().

An aerobic bacterium, designated as strain KD337-16T, was isolated from the fecal samples of a black pig. It exhibited spherical, non-motile and non−spore-forming, Gram-positive cells. KD337-16T was identified as a member of the genus Micrococcus through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and its closest relatives were found to be Micrococcus endophyticus YIM 56238T (99.

Effects of Para-Toluenesulfonamide on Canine Melanoma Xenotransplants in a BALB/c Nude Mouse Model.

The pharmacological pathway of para-toluenesulfonamide (PTS) restricts the kinase activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin, potentially leading to reductions in cell division, cell growth, cell proliferation, and inflammation. These pathways have a critical effect on tumorigenesis. We aimed to examine the antitumor effect of PTS or PTS combined with cisplatin on canine melanoma implanted in BALB/c nude mice by estimating tumor growth, apoptosis expression, inflammation, and metastasis.

Evaluation of the Potential Entomopathogenic Fungi and for Biological Control of (Shiraki).

(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) is a nuisance blood-sucking pest to humans in Taiwan. An bite causes itching and redness and usually causes serious harassment to human outdoor activity. In terms of control, chemical pesticides are ineffective.

The anticancer effects of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside combined with 5-fluorouracil on lung large-cell carcinoma in nude mice.

The haskap (Lonicera caerulea L., Caprifoliaceae) berry has been widely used in traditional medicine in Kuril Islands, Russia, Japan, and China. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is the most abundant anthocyanin in haskap berries, and C3G induces antiproliferative pharmacological activity in various cancer cells.

A potential probiotic Leuconostoc mesenteroides TBE-8 for honey bee.

An isolated bacterium TBE-8, was identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides according to the sequences of 16S rDNA and the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer region. The probiotic properties of the L. mesenteroides TBE-8 strain were characterized and revealed that TBE-8 could utilize various carbohydrates, exhibited high tolerance to sucrose's osmotic pressure and acidic conditions, and could mitigate the impact of the bee pathogen Paenibacillus larvae.

Analysis of persistent organochlorine pesticides in shellfish and their risk assessment from aquafarms in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea) and hard clams (Meretrix lusoria) are the most frequently raised shellfish in land-based pond aquaculture, but research on the accumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in these shellfish is limited. We detected the levels of 14 OCPs in 62 shellfish from Taiwanese aquafarms by performing gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. OCP residues were detected in 4.

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.

Clozapine Worsens Glucose Intolerance, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Kidney Damage, and Retinal Injury and Increases Renal Reactive Oxygen Species Production and Chromium Loss in Obese Mice.

Clozapine is widely employed in the treatment of schizophrenia. Compared with that of atypical first-generation antipsychotics, atypical second-generation antipsychotics such as clozapine have less severe side effects and may positively affect obesity and blood glucose level. However, no systematic study of clozapine's adverse metabolic effects-such as changes in kidney and liver function, body weight, glucose and triglyceride levels, and retinopathy-was conducted.

The Anti-Cancer Effects of a Zotarolimus and 5-Fluorouracil Combination Treatment on A549 Cell-Derived Tumors in BALB/c Nude Mice.

Zotarolimus is a semi-synthetic derivative of rapamycin and a novel immunosuppressive agent used to prevent graft rejection. The pharmacological pathway of zotarolimus restricts the kinase activity of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which potentially leads to reductions in cell division, cell growth, cell proliferation, and inflammation. These pathways have a critical influence on tumorigenesis.

Correlation of Neutralizing Antibodies (NAbs) between Sows and Piglets and Evaluation of Protectability Associated with Maternally Derived NAbs in Pigs against Circulating Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) under Field Conditions.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which is caused by a highly transmissible pathogen called porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), has caused severe problems, including reproductive disorders in sows and respiratory symptoms in nursery pigs worldwide, since the early 1990s. However, currently available PRRSV vaccines do not supply complete immunity to confront the viral infection. Elicitation of PRRSV-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) during the preinfectious period has been deemed to be a feasible strategy to modulate this virus, especially in farms where nursery pigs are seized with PRRSVs.

The Ameliorative Effects of Fucoidan in Thioacetaide-Induced Liver Injury in Mice.

Liver disorders have been recognized as one major health concern. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from the brown seaweed Fucus serratus, has previously been reported as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. However, the discovery and validation of its hepatoprotective properties and elucidation of its mechanisms of action are still unknown.

A Single Plasmid of Nisin-Controlled Bovine and Human Lactoferrin Expressing Elevated Antibacterial Activity of Lactoferrin-Resistant Probiotic Strains.

Lactoferrin (LF) is a multifunctional protein found in mammals, and it shows broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. To improve the functional properties of specific probiotics in order to provide both the beneficial characteristics of lactic acid bacteria and the biological activity of LF, cDNAs of bovine LF (BLF), human LF (HLF), or porcine LF (PLF) were cloned into a nisin-inducible plasmid. These were then transformed into the selected eight probiotics, which are LF-resistant hosts.

Genetic characterization of feline panleukopenia virus from dogs in Vietnam reveals a unique Thr101 mutation in VP2.

Background: Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) and feline parvovirus (FPV) are known as the main causes of several serious diseases and have a severe impact on puppies and kittens, respectively. FPV and new CPV-2 variants are all able to infect cats, causing diseases indistinguishable from feline panleukopenia. However, FPV only replicates efficiently in feline cells in vitro and replicates in dogs in the thymus and bone marrow without being shed in feces.

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.