Exclusive generation of rat spermatozoa in sterile mice utilizing blastocyst complementation with pluripotent stem cells

Blastocyst complementation denotes a technique that aims to generate organs, tissues, or cell types in animal chimeras via injection of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into genetically compromised blastocyst-stage embryos. Here, we report on successful complementation of the male germline in adult chimeras following injection of mouse or rat PSCs into mouse blastocysts carrying a mutation in Tsc22d3, an essential gene for spermatozoa production. Injection of mouse PSCs into Tsc22d3-Knockout (KO) blastocysts gave rise to intraspecies chimeras exclusively embodying PSC-derived functional spermatozoa. In addition, injection of rat embryonic stem cells (rESCs) into Tsc22d3-KO embryos produced interspecies mouse-rat chimeras solely harboring rat spermatids and spermatozoa capable of fertilizing oocytes. Furthermore, using single-cell RNA sequencing, we deconstructed rat spermatogenesis occurring in a mouse-rat chimera testis. Collectively, this study details a method for exclusive xenogeneic germ cell production in vivo, with implications that may extend to rat transgenesis, or endangered animal species conservation efforts. Keywords: Blastocyst complementation; artificial reproductive technology; germ cell production; interspecies chimerism; pluripotency; sterility

Archival influenza virus genomes from Europe reveal genomic variability during the 1918 pandemic

The 1918 influenza pandemic was the deadliest respiratory pandemic of the 20th century and determined the genomic make-up of subsequent human influenza A viruses (IAV). Here, we analyze both the first 1918 IAV genomes from Europe and the first from samples prior to the autumn peak. 1918 IAV genomic diversity is consistent with a combination of local transmission and long-distance dispersal events. Comparison of genomes before and during the pandemic peak shows variation at two sites in the nucleoprotein gene associated with resistance to host antiviral response, pointing at a possible adaptation of 1918 IAV to humans. Finally, local molecular clock modeling suggests a pure pandemic descent of seasonal H1N1 IAV as an alternative to the hypothesis of origination through an intrasubtype reassortment.Peer Reviewe

Social support and Quality of Life: a cross-sectional study on survivors eight months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake resulted in extensive loss of life and physical and psychological injuries for survivors. This research examines the relationship between social support and health-related quality of life for the earthquake survivors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A multistage cluster sampling strategy was employed to select participants from 11 shelters in nine counties exposed to different degrees of earthquake damage, for a questionnaire survey. The participants were asked to complete the Short Form 36 and the Social Support Rating Scale eight months after the earthquake struck. A total of 1617 participants returned the questionnaires. The quality of life of the survivors (in the four weeks preceding the survey) was compared with that of the general population in the region. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and canonical correlation analysis were performed to determine the association between social support and quality of life.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The earthquake survivors reported poorer quality of life than the general population, with an average of 4.8% to 19.62% reduction in scores of the SF-36 (p < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that those with stronger social support were more likely to have better quality of life. The canonical correlation analysis found that there was a discrepancy between actual social support received and perceived social support available, and the magnitude of this discrepancy was inversely related to perceived general health (rs = 0.467), and positively related to mental health (rs = 0.395).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Social support is associated with quality of life in the survivors of the earthquake. More attention needs to be paid to increasing social support for those with poorer mental health.</p

Different tool training induces specific effects on body metric representation

Morphology and functional aspects of the tool have been proposed to be critical factors modulating tool use-induced plasticity. However, how these aspects contribute to changing body representation has been underinvestigated. In the arm bisection task, participants have to estimate the length of their own arm by indicating its midpoint, a paradigm used to investigate the representation of the metric properties of the body. We employed this paradigm to investigate the impact of different actions onto tool embodiment. Our findings suggest that a training requiring actions mostly with proximal (shoulder) or distal (wrist) parts induces a different shift in the perceived arm midpoint. This effect is independent of, but enhanced by, the use of the tool during the training and in part influenced by specific demands of the task. These results suggest that specific motor patterns required by the training can induce different changes of body representation, calling for rethinking the concept of tool embodiment, which would be characterized not simply by the morphology of the tools, but also by the actions required for their specific use

4-[N,N-bis(2-hydroxyimino-2-phenylethyl)amino]-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-2, 3-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-one monohydrate

The title compound, C27H27N5O 3·H2O, is built up from pyrazolinone, phenyl and acetophenone oxime moieties. The 2-phenyl substituent is nearly perpendicular to the pyrazolinone ring, with a dihedral angle of 87.66 (1)°. The acetophenone oxime moieties are twisted out of the pyrazolinonering plane by 47.04 (1)°. The molecules in the crystal pack in an antiparallel fashion and are held together by hydrogen-bonded water molecules and intermolecular O-H?O and O-H?N hydrogen bonds

N,N'-Bis[1-(pyrazin-2-yl)ethylidene]hydrazine

Molecules of the title compound, C12H12N6, contain both a diimine linkage and an N-N bond, and assume a planar structure. The compound lies about an inversion centre and there are three intramolecular C-H?N hydrogen bonds

Equilibria in complexes of N-heterocycles. Part 50.1 the formation and properties in solution of the 1:1 adducts of bis(2,2'-bipyridine)platinum(II) and related ions with hydroxide

Equilibrium constants are given for addition (mol ratio 1:1) of hydroxide to several palladium(II) and platinum(II) cations. [Pt(bpy)2]2+ (bpy: 2,2'-bipyridine) and hydroxide ion form the well-known 1:1 adduct rapidly in water; the rate is given at 25°C by k = 1.6 × 102 mol-1 dm3 s-1. The equilibrium constants for adding hydroxide to [Pt(bpy)2]2+ and to [Pt(3,3'-[2H]2-bpy)2]2+ are the same, but differ considerably from those for [Pt([2H]8-bpy)2]2+ and for [Pt(6,6'-[2H]2-bpy)2]2+ with hydroxide. In this reaction, the infrared spectrum (1700-900 cm-1) of the cation initially [Pt(bpy)2]2+ in the aqueous solution shows distinct changes between pH = 7.0 and pH = 11.0, notably in the aromatic region, where the intensity of the band due to C=N at ca. 1600 cm-1 is much reduced. At pH = 7.0, the methyl groups in [Pt(5,5'-dmbpy)2]2+ (dmbpy: dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) or the 4,4'-isomer are equivalent in 1H magnetic resonance but become inequivalent in the 1:1 adducts with hydroxide. In the presence of (-)-methylbenzylamine, both [Pt(terpy)Cl]Cl (terpy: 2,2',2¨-terpyridine) and [Pt(bpy)2]2+ manifest a strong Pfeiffer effect, but not the 'exciton' coupling characteristic of cis-octahedral ions. These observations are interpreted in terms of addition of hydroxide to the bipyridine ligands