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The agricultural production decision making of peasant households can have a direct impact on agricultural development trends and national food security, and the impact of natural hazards on the agricultural production decision making of peasant households merits significant consideration. On the basis of the micro survey data of Hunan Province in 2022, this paper empirically discusses the impact of natural hazards on peasant households’ agricultural production decision making by using a Probit model. The study found that: (1) natural hazards did not significantly affect peasant households’ willingness to engage in agricultural production; (2) peasant households will reduce the impact of natural hazards on agricultural production by planting “drought-resistant crop” or “flood-tolerant crop”; and (3) natural hazards will also reduce the probability of peasant households adopting green production decision making. Subsequently, the Logit model is used to test the robustness and the PSM model is used to correct the possible selectivity bias. The above results are supported. The results of a heterogeneity analysis indicate the following: (1) natural hazards can substantially affect the disaster adaptation decision making of young and middle-aged householders, and yet fail to significantly affect the disaster adaptation decision making of elderly householders; (2) natural hazards can severely influence the disaster adaptation as well as green production decision making of peasant households that have not received agricultural technology training but those who have received such training are not significantly impacted; and (3) natural hazards significantly affect the production decision making of peasant households who have not purchased agricultural insurance, and yet fail to significantly affect the production decision making of peasant households who have purchased agricultural insurance. Our findings can provide the government with an empirical basis for formulating pertinent policies.

Guertu virus (GTV), a novel tick-borne virus with potential pathogenicity, was first isolated from Dermacentor nuttalli in Xinjiang, China, in 2014. GTV has been shown to infect animal and human cell lines and to be pathogenic in mice. The viral nucleoprotein (NP) is the most conserved immunogenic protein. Elucidating the B-cell epitopes (BCEs) in the immunodominant region of the NP is important for the development of virus detection methods and vaccines. In order to identify the minimal motifs of linear BCEs in the NP of the GTV DXM strain, we used an improved biosynthetic peptide (BSP) method to truncate GTV NP into 30 16mer-peptides with 8 overlapping amino acid residues spanning the full length of the protein. The peptides were analyzed by western blot using rabbit anti-GTV NP polyclonal antiserum, and four positive 16mer-peptides were obtained. The 16mer-peptides were then truncated into 31 8mer-peptides with 7 overlapping amino acid residues and 10mer-peptides with 9 overlapping amino acid residues to screen for BCEs that can react with the rabbit anti-GTV NP polyclonal antiserum. The results showed that there were 6 minimal BCE motifs, namely, Enp1, 88EKYGLVER95; Enp2, 88EKYGLVER95; Enp3, 162TTKILMEA169; Enp4, 187GASKAEVY194; Enp5, 191AEVYNSFR198; and Enp6, 236ETAAAAYRNL245. Positive sheep sera could recognize all six BCEs with anti-GTV antibodies. The BCEs were aligned with the sequences of eight representative severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome phlebovirus strains from different countries and regions that were evolutionarily closely related to GTV. The sequence identity of the BCEs ranged from 80–100%, thus showing high conservation. The fine epitope mapping of GTV NP can be used to explore the biological and immunological properties of GTV NP antigens and serve as basic data for the development of multi-epitope detection reagents and vaccine design for GTV.

Guertu virus (GTV) is a tick-borne phleboviruses (TBPVs) which belongs to the genus Banyangvirus in the family of Phenuiviridae. In vitro and in vivo studies of GTV demonstrated that it was able to infect animal and human cell lines and could cause pathological lesions in mice. Glycoproteins (GP, including Gn and Gc) on the surface of Guertu virus (GTV) could bind to receptors on host cells and induce protective immunity in the host, but knowledge is now lacking on the information of B cell epitopes (BCEs) present on GTV-GP protein. The aim of this study was to identify all BCEs on Gn of the GTV DXM strain using rabbit pAbs against GTV-Gn. Seven fine BCEs and two antigenic peptides (APs) from nine reactive 16mer-peptides were identified, which are EGn1 (2PIICEGLTHS11), EGn2 (135CSQDSGT141), EGn3 (165IP EDVF170), EGn4 (169VFQEL K174), EGn5 (187IDGILFN193), EGn6 (223QTKWIQ228), EGn7 (237CHKDGIGPC245), AP-8 (299GVRVRPKCYGFSRMMA314) and AP-9 (355CASH FCSSAESGKKNT370), of which six of mapped BCEs were recognized by the IgG-positive sheep serum obtained from sheep GTV-infected naturally. Multiple sequence alignments (MSA) based on each mapped BCE motif identified that the most of identified BCEs and APs are highly conserved among 10 SFTSV strains from different countries and lineages that share relatively close evolutionary relationships with GTV. The fine epitope mapping of the GTV-Gn would provide basic data with which to explore the GTV-Gn antigen structure and pathogenic mechanisms, and it could lay the foundation for the design and development of a GTV multi-epitope peptide vaccine and detection antigen.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a tick-borne pathogen that causes severe disease in humans. CCHFV is widely distributed in more than 30 countries and distinct regions, which means that it poses a serious threat to human health. The nucleocapsid protein (NP) encoded by the CCHFV S gene is the primary detectable antigen in infected cells, which makes it an important viral antigen and a clinical diagnostic target. In this study, the modified biosynthetic peptide (BSP) method was used to identify the fine epitopes on the N- and C- terminals of NP from the CCHFV YL04057 strain using rabbit antiserum against CCHFV-NP. Nine epitopes were identified: E1a (178NLILNRGG185), E1b (184GGDENP189), E2 (352PLKWGKK358), E3 (363FADDS367), E4 (399NPDDAA404), E5a (447DIVASEHL454), E5b (452EHLLHQSL459), E6 (464SPFQNAY470) and E7 (475NATSANII482). Western blotting analysis showed that each epitope interacted with the positive serum of sheep that had been naturally infected with CCHFV. Amino acid sequence alignment between each epitope and their homologous proteins showed that they were almost 100% conserved among 12 CCHFV sequences from different lineages, except for epitopes E1a, E1b and E2. Three-dimensional structural modeling analysis showed that all identified epitopes were located on the surface of the NP "head" domain. This study identified fine epitopes on the N- and C- terminals of NP, which will increase the understanding of the structure and function of NP, and it could lay the foundation for the design and development of a CCHFV multi-epitope peptide vaccine and detection antigen.

There is a need to develop better methods for epitope mapping and/or identification of antibody-recognizing motifs. Here, we describe improved biosynthetic peptide (BSP) method using a newly developed plasmid pXXGST-3 as vector, which has a viral E7 gene in the cloning sites of pXXGST-1. It is crucial to employ pXXGST-3 instead of pXXGST-1, since it makes use of the BSP method simpler and easier to perform, and more cost-effective for epitope mapping. These merits are embodied in two aspects: i) convenient recovery of double enzyme-digested product due to the existence of 315 bp inserted between BamH I and Sal I sites, and thus greatly reducing the production of self-ligation clones, and ii) no longer requiring control protein when screening recombinant (r-) clones expressing 8/18mer peptides by running polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protocol involves the following core steps: (i) design of plus and minus strands of DNA fragments encoding overlapping 8/18mer peptides; (ii) chemical synthesis of the designed DNA fragments; (iii) development of r-clones using pXXGST-3 vector expressing each 8/18mer peptide fused with truncated GST188 protein; (iv) screening r-clones by running the cell pellets from each induced clone on SDS-PAGE gel followed by sequencing of inserted DNA fragments for each verified r-clone; and (v) Western blotting with either monoclonal antibodies or polyclonal antibodies. This improved GST188-BSP method provides a powerful alternative tool for epitope mapping.

To enable rational multi-epitope vaccine and diagnostic antigen design, it is imperative to delineate complete IgG-epitome of the protein. Here, we describe results of IgG-epitome decoding of three proteins from high-risk (HR-) oncogenic human papillomavirus type 58 (HPV58). To reveal their entire epitomes, employing peptide biosynthetic approach, 30 precise linear B-cell epitopes (BCEs) were mapped on E6, E7 and L1 proteins using rabbits antisera to the respective recombinant proteins. Using sequence alignment based on BCE minimal motif, the specificity and conservativeness of each mapped BCE were delineated mainly among known HR-HPVs, including finding 3 broadly antibody cross-reactive BCEs of L1 that each covers almost all HR-HPVs. Western blots revealed that 13 of the 18 BCEs within L1-epitome were recognized by murine antisera to HPV58 virus-like particles, suggesting that these are antibody accessible BCEs. Also, a highly conserved epitope (YGD/XTL) of E6 was found to exist only in known common HR-HPVs, which could be used as the first peptide reference marker for judging HR-HPVs. Altogether, this study provides systemic and exhaustive information on linear BCEs of HR-HPV58 that will facilitate development of novel multi-epitope diagnostic reagents/chips for testing viral antibodies and ‘universal’ preventive HPV peptide vaccine based on L1 conserved BCEs.

Nucleoprotein (NP) is the most abundant and highly immunogenic protein of morbillivirus, and is presently the basis of most diagnostic assays for peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). In this study, fine epitope mapping and conservation analysis of linear B-cell epitopes on the PPRV NP has been undertaken using biosynthetic peptides. Nineteen linear B-cell epitopes were identified and their corresponding minimal motifs were located on the NP of PPRV China/Tibet/Geg/07-30. Conservation analysis indicated that ten of the 19 minimal motifs were conserved among 46 PPRV strains. Peptides containing the minimal motifs were recognized using anti-PPRV serum from a goat immunized with PPRV vaccine strain Nigeria 75/1. Identified epitopes and their motifs improve our understanding of the antigenic characteristics of PPRV NP and provide a basis for the development of epitope-based diagnostic assays.

The effects of drinking boron exposure on the mass, organ indexes and structure of adrenal gland were studied in the paper. Methods 192 Sprague-Dawley rats (28 +/- 2 days) with no bacteria infecting were divided into six groups (n = 32, male = female) randomly. Treated rats drunk the distilled water which supplemented with boron of 0, 40, 80, 160, 320 and 640 mg/L, respectively, for 60 days. At the 30th and the 60th day of experiment, 16 rats (n = 8, male = female) of each group were selected and made into narcosis with 10% Chloral Hydrate. The adrenal glands were obtained, weighted and fixed after dissection, then the samples were made into paraffin sections, stained with HE stain and chromaffin, observed and photographed by Olympus CH-30 microphotograph system.Compared with control group, the average mass of adrenal gland of male rats in each experiment group decreased significantly or most significantly at the 30th day of experiment (P0.05 or P0.01), but the index of adrenal gland of male rats in the group of 640 mg/L boron at 60th day of experiment increased significantly (P0.05). Under the microscope, the microstructure of adrenal gland of rats in the group of 40 mg/L boron were better obviously than control group, and the numbers of chromaffin granules in chromaffin cell increased obviously. The histopathological changes of different degree could be observed in the group of 80 to 640 mg/L boron, and they became remarkable with the boron supplementation. By comparative observation, the damage of cells in adrenal medulla appeared ahead of them in adrenal cortex, and the pathological change of adrenal gland in male rats were obvious than female rats.Drinking supplemented with 40 mg/L boron could prompt the structure of adrenal gland in rats, but could cause different degree damage, or even obvious toxic effect when the concentration of boron supplementation in drinking from 80 to 640 mg/L.

Problem To decipher structural and functional aspects of human zona pellucida glycoprotein-4 (ZP4), the epitopes recognized by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) have been mapped. Method of study Recombinant human ZP4-mediated induction of acrosome reaction in human sperm was studied in the absence and presence of ZP4-specific MAbs. The epitopes of MAbs were mapped using recombinant peptides expressed in Escherichia coli. Results Monoclonal antibodies (MA-1662, MA-1671) against human ZP4 showed specific binding to ZP matrix of human eggs in an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Both the antibodies showed significant (P

The human zona pellucida glycoprotein-3 (hZP3) by virtue of its critical role during fertilization has been proposed as a promising candidate antigen to develop a contraceptive vaccine. In this direction, it is imperative to map minimal motifs of the B cell epitopes (BCEs) so as to avoid ZP-specific oophoritogenic T cell epitopes (TCEs) in the ZP3-based immunogens. In this study, based on known results of mapping marmoset and bonnet monkey ZP3 (mstZP3 and bmZP3), two predictableepitopes23–30 and 301–320on hZP3 were first confirmed and five minimal motifs within four epitopes on hZP3 were defined using serum to recombinanthZP3a22–176orhZP3b177–348as well as a biosynthetic peptide strategy. These defined minimal motifs wereQPLWLL23–28forhZP323–30,MQVTDD103–108forhZP393–110,EENW178–181forhZP3172–190, as well asSNSWF306–310andEGP313–315forhZP3301–320, respectively. Furthermore, the antigenicity of two peptides forhZP3172–187andhZP3301–315and specificity of the antibody response to these peptides were also evaluated, which produced high-titer antibodies in immunized animals that were capable of reacting to ZP on human oocytes,r-hZP3b177–348protein, as well asr-hZP3172–190,r-hZP3303–310, andr-hZP3313–320epitope peptides fused with truncated GST188 protein.

To develop a superior chimeric peptide (CP) vaccine of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), two CP antigens (named CP12 and CP22) encoding one or two copies of three linear B cell epitopes from the β-hCG subunit and six foreign T cell epitopes, including two promiscuous TCEs from hepatitis B surface antigen and tetanus toxoid, were constructed and biosynthesized. The hCG CP12 and CP22 of 21 or 23 kDa, respectively, were expressed in Escherichia coli at the level of ~1% of total cell proteins when inserted into thermo-inducible pBV221 expression vector. The purified CP12 and CP22 proteins with >95% relative homogeneity are immunogenic, and elicited antibodies against the β5, β9 and β8 BCEs of β-hCG in both rabbits and three different inbred strains of mice. A mouse uterine weight study in Balb/c mice demonstrated that the CP12 and CP22 antigens with an additional β5 neutralizing epitope enhanced the in vivo bio-neutralization capacity of the induced antibodies compared to the C-terminal immunogen of β-hCG. We propose that the biosynthesized CP22, possessing with two copies of three BCEs, represents a novel candidate antigen for an hCG contraceptive or tumor therapeutic vaccine.

An important step in the development of a human zona pellucida (huZP) peptide vaccine is to define the minimal amino acid motif for a mapped B cell epitope peptide within huZP4. Identification of this minimal motif is necessary to remove an overlapping T cell epitope that induces a pathogenic T cell response. Here we describe motif (PLTLEL 314–319 ) mapping of an 18mer B cell epitope peptide 308–325 on huZP4 protein (previously known as huZP1/ZPB protein), achieved using a set of 22 biosynthetic 8mer peptides fused with truncated glutathione S-transferase (GST) or truncated streptavidin protein, and detected using rabbit anti-porcine zona pellucida (pZP) IgG. The immunogenicity of the B cell epitope peptide was evaluated in rabbits using expressed B cell epitope peptide fused with truncated streptavidin as the antigen. This construct elicited high titer antibody to the 18mer B cell epitope peptide, with reactivity to native human ZP, the biosynthetic 18mer peptide and the 18mer peptide GST fusion protein.

To explore the biological characteristics of the recombinant zona pellucida 3 (ZP3) peptides of rhuZP3a22 approximately 176 and rhuZP3b177 approximately 348, we examined whether rhuZP3a22 approximately 176 or rhuZP3b177 approximately 348 trigger the acrosome reaction (AR) of human spermatozoa and we investigated the underlying mechanism. The assessment of AR was performed using chlortetracycline staining. The intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in Fura-2/AM-loaded human sperm was monitored with a spectrofluorophotometer. We found that rhuZP3a22 approximately 176 and rhuZP3b177 approximately 348 were capable of eliciting AR at different concentrations. With the addition of either peptide, the [Ca2+]i level was raised to a peak with or without a plateau. The AR could be inhibited by pertussis toxin (PTX), EGTA, and pimozide (a T-type calcium channel blocker), whereas verapamil was less effective in this regard. The results of the present study suggest that peptides rhuZP3a22 approximately 176 and rhuZP3b177 approximately 348 have a role similar to human ZP3, and that the mechanism of the response to the peptides involves influx of calcium, the G protein pathway, and a T-type calcium channel.