BackgroundThe genetic basis of animal domestication remains poorly understood, and systems with substantial phenotypic differences between wild and domestic populations are useful for elucidating the genetic basis of adaptation to new environments as well as the genetic basis of rapid phenotypic change. Here, we sequenced the whole genome of 78 individual ducks, from two wild and seven domesticated populations, with an average sequencing depth of 6.42X per individual.ResultsOur population and demographic analyses indicate a complex history of domestication, with early selection for separate meat and egg lineages. Genomic comparison of wild to domesticated populations suggests that genes that affect brain and neuronal development have undergone strong positive selection during domestication. Our FST analysis also indicates that the duck white plumage is the result of selection at the melanogenesis-associated transcription factor locus.ConclusionsOur results advance the understanding of animal domestication and selection for complex phenotypic traits.

Albumen height, albumen weight (AW), eggshell color (ESC), eggshell index, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, eggshell weight (ESW), egg weight (EW), Haugh units, and yolk weight (YW) were measured in 2,272 eggs collected 3 d sequentially from 920 brown-egg dwarf layers caged individually. The restricted maximum likelihood procedure was applied to estimate heritabilities and genotypic and phenotypic correlations for these egg quality traits. Heritabilities of albumen height, AW, ESC, eggshell index, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, ESW, EW, Haugh units, and YW were 0.51, 0.59, 0.46, 0.40, 0.24, 0.34, 0.64, 0.63, 0.41, and 0.45, respectively. The genetic correlations between EW and AW, YW, and ESW were high ranging from 0.67 to 0.97, whereas those for ESC with external and internal egg quality traits were low ranging from -0.23 to 0.13. Thus although heritabilities for these traits were moderate to high, genetic correlations with ESC were low, suggesting a minor relationship between shell color and physical attributes of the shell as well as internal egg quality in brown-egg dwarf layers.

This study was aimed to detect the correlation among EGFR/KRAS status and PD-1/PD-L1 expression in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. PD-1 and PD-L1 expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry in 100 surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma tissues and were statistically correlated with clinicopathological characteristics including EGFR and KRAS statuses. Besides, the overall survival (OS) times were analyzed. There was a statistical significances between PD-1 expression in tumor and KRAS status (P D 0.043), with a higher mutation rate in with lower PD-1 expression patients. There was a statistical significance between PD-L1 expression in tumor and EGFR status (P D 0.012), with a higher mutation rate in patients with lower PD-L1 expression. The OS of patients with EGFR mutation was significantly longer than those without EGFR mutation. The OS of patients with lower PD-L1 in tumor was significantly longer than those with higher PD-L1 expression. We found negative associations between PD-L1 expression in tumor and mutated EGFR status, as well as between PD-1 expression in tumor and mutated KRAS status.

Blue-shelled eggs are gaining popularity as the consumption demand diversifies in some countries. This study was carried out to investigate the laying performance and egg quality of the blue-shelled egg layers as well as the effects of different housing systems on egg production and quality traits. One thousand pullets from Dongxiang blue-shelled layers were divided into 2 even groups and kept in different housing systems (outdoor vs. cage). Daily laying performance was recorded from 20 to 60 wk of age. External and internal egg quality traits were examined at 26, 34, 42, and 50 wk. Yolk cholesterol concentration and whole egg cholesterol content were measured at 40 wk of age. Average laying rate from 20 to 60 wk for the cage (54.7%) was significantly higher than that of outdoor layers (39.3%). Among all of the egg quality traits, only eggshell color was affected by housing system. Interaction between housing system and layer age was found in egg weight, eggshell color, eggshell ratio, yolk color, and yolk weight. Meanwhile, cholesterol concentration in yolk was 8.64 +/- 0.40 mg/g in the outdoor eggs, which was significantly lower than that of eggs from the cage birds (10.32 +/- 0.48 mg/g; P < 0.05). Whole egg cholesterol content in the outdoor eggs (125.23 +/- 6.32 mg/egg) was also significantly lower than that of eggs from the caged layers (158.01 +/- 8.62 mg/egg). The results demonstrated that blue-shelled layers have lower productivity in the outdoor system than in the cage system. Blue-shelled layers have lower egg weight, larger yolk proportion, and lower cholesterol content compared with commercial layers. In a proper marketing system, lower productivity could be balanced by a higher price for the better quality of blue-shelled eggs.

LNR can supplement the pN categorization system for more effective evaluation of prognosis. But the modified staging system based on LNR has a poor clinical practical value for patients with ESCC compared with the current TNM system and is not superior to AJCC pN staging for ESCC.