We have surveyed avian influenza virus (AIV) genomes from live poultry markets within China since 2014. Here we present a total of 16,091 samples that were collected from May 2016 to February 2019 in 23 provinces and municipalities in China. We identify 2048 AIV-positive samples and perform next generation sequencing. AIV-positive rates (12.73%) from samples had decreased substantially since 2016, compared to that during 2014–2016 (26.90%). Additionally, H9N2 has replaced H5N6 and H7N9 as the dominant AIV subtype in both chickens and ducks. Notably, novel reassortants and variants continually emerged and disseminated in avian populations, including H7N3, H9N9, H9N6 and H5N6 variants. Importantly, almost all of the H9 AIVs and many H7N9 and H6N2 strains prefer human-type receptors, posing an increased risk for human infections. In summary, our nation-wide surveillance highlights substantial changes in the circulation of AIVs since 2016, which greatly impacts the prevention and control of AIVs in China and worldwide.

Hydrogels are basically three-dimensional network structures which are formulated from specific natural and synthetic polymers. They have the ability to absorb and carry sufficient quantity of water in their porous structure. Hydrogels can be formulated from natural as well as synthetic polymers. The characteristics of an ideal hydrogel are good permeability, biocompatibility, flexibility and viscoelasticity. There are numerous technologies and method of preparation for hydrogels which are briefly discussed in this review. There are various routes of hydrogel drug delivery into the body including oral, rectal, ocular, subcutaneous, rectal, vaginal and transdermal routes. Hydrogels are suitable candidates for drug delivery as they are biocompatible and can also be degraded when made from bio degradable polymers. Now-a-days hydrogels are extensively used for drug delivery. Hydrogels have much biomedical and pharmaceutical application, among which transdermal drug delivery is remarkable. The formulation of hydrogel-based patch has recently gained much importance because of its unique properties. Hydrogels which are mostly synthesized from hydrophilic polymers have the capacity to hold substantial amount of water ranging from 10-20% and may goes up to 1000’s times of their dry weight. This substantial amount of water in hydrogels plays an important role in skin elasticity and moisturization making them suitable dosage form for topical use. In this review, we have briefly described the hydrogels, their types and classification, characteristics, method of preparation, different monomers and polymers used in their formulation, their applications in different fields particularly their role in topical drug delivery is elaborated.

Background: Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a common skeletal disorder in broiler chickens. It is characterized by the presence of a non-vascularized and unmineralized cartilage in the growth plate. Previous studies have investigated differential expression of genes related to cartilage development during latter stages of TD. The aim of our study was to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the growth plate of broiler chickens, which were associated with early stage TD. We induced TD using tetramethylthiuram disulfide (thiram) for 1, 2, and 6 days and determined DEGs with chicken Affymetrix GeneChip assays. The identified DEGs were verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays. Results: We identified 1630 DEGs, with 82, 1385, and 429 exhibiting at least 2.0-fold changes (P < 0.05) at days 1, 2, and 6, respectively. These DEGs participate in a variety of biological processes, including cytokine production, oxidation reduction, and cell surface receptor linked signal transduction on day 1; lipid biosynthesis, regulation of growth, cell cycle, positive and negative gene regulation, transcription and transcription regulation, and anti-apoptosis on day 2; and regulation of cell proliferation, transcription, dephosphorylation, catabolism, proteolysis, and immune responses on day 6. The identified DEGs were associated with the following pathways: neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction on day 1; synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, terpenoid backbone biosynthesis, ether lipid metabolism, JAK-STAT, GnRH signaling pathway, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, TGF-β signaling, focal adhesion, and Wnt signaling on day 2; and arachidonic acid metabolism, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, JAK-STAT, insulin signaling, and glycolysis on day 6. We validated seven DEGs by qPCR. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate previously unrecognized changes in gene transcription associated with early stage TD. The DEGs we identified by microarray analysis will be used in future studies to clarify the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of TD. From these findings, potential pathways involved in early stage TD warrant further investigation.