Publications by authors named "Wei-Kang Yang"

Objective: This study aimed to explore the combination effects of prenatal exposure to environment tobacco smoke (ETS) and nutrients supplement during pregnancy on childhood obesity in preschoolers.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 58,814 child-mother dyads from 235 kindergartens in Longhua District of Shenzhen, China in 2021. A self-administered structured questionnaire was completed by mothers to collect socio-demographic characteristics, prenatal ETS exposure, and nutrients supplement in pregnancy, and preschoolers' heights and weights were measured at the same time.

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With the development of industry and modern manufacturing, nondegradable low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has been widely used, posing a rising environmental hazard to natural ecosystems and public health. In this study, we isolated a series of LDPE-degrading fungi from landfill sites and carried out LDPE degradation experiments by combining highly efficient degrading fungi in pairs. The results showed that the mixed microorganisms composed of Alternaria sp.

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Background: Sleep problems in preschoolers are becoming increasingly prominent, and the association between sleep status and anxiety symptoms has attracted growing attention. However, studies investigating the relationship between bedtime and nighttime sleep duration in preschoolers and their anxiety symptoms remain scant. We used the large sample data from the Longhua Cohort Study of Children in Shenzhen, China (LCCS) to analyze the association between bedtime and sleep in preschoolers and their anxiety symptoms.

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Objective: Despite amyloid deposition as a hallmark of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) with polyneuropathy, this pathology could not completely account for nerve degeneration. ATTRv patients frequently have vasomotor symptoms, but microangiopathy hypothesis in ATTRv was not systemically clarified.

Methods: This study examined the vascular pathology of sural nerves in ATTRv patients with transthyretin (TTR) mutation of p.

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  • Sighthounds are a unique group of dog breeds with ancient origins, and a study sequenced the genomes of 123 sighthounds from various regions to analyze their ancestry and genetic traits.
  • The research highlighted that sighthounds likely descended from distinct native dogs, showing extensive genetic mixing across breeds, supporting the theory of multiple origins for these dogs.
  • Key findings included the identification of several positively selected genes related to heart function and different mutations in the ESR1 and JAK2 genes that affect their expression, shedding light on the genetic factors linked to the sighthound phenotype and their domestication history.
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Electronic screens have become an integral part of modern life, accompanied with growing concerns for children's neuropsychological development. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between measures of early life screen exposure and hyperactive behaviors among preschool children. The study also aimed to investigate their cumulative effects and the critical window for these associations.

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  • In China, kids are spending a lot more time on screens, which worries parents and experts about how it affects their development.
  • A study looked at 42,841 kids under 3 years old to see if too much screen time relates to hyperactive behaviors.
  • The results showed that kids who watch more than 90 minutes of screen time daily are more likely to be hyperactive compared to those who watch less.
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The diversity of Central Asians has been shaped by multiple migrations and cultural diffusion. Although ancient DNA studies have revealed the demographic changes of the Central Asian since the Bronze Age, the contribution of the ancient populations to the modern Central Asian remains opaque. Herein, we performed high-coverage sequencing of 131 whole genomes of Indo-European-speaking Tajik and Turkic-speaking Kyrgyz populations to explore their genomic diversity and admixture history.

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Precipitation variability and nitrogen (N) deposition caused by anthropogenic activities could profoundly impact ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. In desert ecosystems, vegetation is sensitive to changes in precipitation and N deposition. However, the impacts of large changes in precipitation, especially with a concurrent increase in N content, on plant community remain unclear.

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Oncology studies employing digital dissection methodologies have provided some insight on the biological features of tumor microenvironment of Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but molecular diagnostics rarely have therapeutic impact. We aimed to identify a novel prognostic biomarker to investigate immune characteristics of TNBC using transcriptomic features. We extracted whole transcriptome from breast cancer tissue of 30 TNBC patients and then used bioinformatics approaches to characterize the different immune cell contents in tumor tissue and para-cancerous tissue.

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Hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis is a systemic disease with amyloid deposition in the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems caused by mutation of transthyretin (TTR) gene. The mutant TTR S77Y is the second prevalent mutation in many countries. In Taiwan, A97S mutant accounts for more than 90% of cases.

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Background And Purpose: The pathogenesis of diabetic gastroparesis due to visceral neuropathy involves multidimensional mechanisms with limited exploration of gastric mucosal innervation. This study aimed to examine quantitatively this topic and its relationship with gastroparesis symptoms and gastric emptying in diabetes.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 22 patients with type 2 diabetes and gastroparesis symptoms and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls for comparison.

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Breast cancer is one of the deadly tumors in women, and its incidence continues to increase. This study aimed to identify novel therapeutic molecules using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of breast cancer from our hospital. 30 pairs of human breast cancer tissue and matched normal tissue were collected and RNA sequenced in our hospital.

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  • * Researchers used proteomics to identify CARMIL3 as a key protein that is significantly increased in the T2(+) and mismatch areas of the brain, mainly found in neurons, and linked to various cellular stress markers such as edema and oxidative stress.
  • * The findings suggest that the presence of CARMIL3 can serve as a molecular indicator of brain ischemia, highlighting its role in the pathological processes occurring shortly after a stroke.
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  • - Climate change poses a serious threat to biodiversity, potentially causing species extinction, with a focus on understanding how it affects endangered species like Marco Polo sheep in Xinjiang.
  • - A study using the MaxEnt model forecasted a significant decline in suitable habitat for Marco Polo sheep due to climate change, estimating a habitat loss of up to 40.5% by the 2070s, especially in low-altitude areas.
  • - As greenhouse gas emissions rise, suitable habitats are shifting towards higher elevations and moving west, particularly towards Tajikistan, highlighting the need for targeted conservation strategies.
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The khulan () is a representative species in desert, semi-desert and desert steppe in Asia. The estimation of suitable habitat and population density of khulan can provide scientific decision-making basis for the conservation management. We investigated the distribution and population density of khulan in the Mt.

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  • The Tibetan Empire's expansion from the 7th to 9th centuries significantly influenced East Eurasian history, yet its genetic effects on nearby populations were not well understood.* -
  • Researchers sequenced genomes from populations in Pakistan and Tajikistan, finding that the Balti people have 22.6-26% Tibetan ancestry, linked to a single admixture event around 39-21 generations ago.* -
  • The study concludes that while the Balti adopted Tibetan language and culture, the genetic influence from Tibet was mainly cultural rather than significant population movement, highlighting both male and female contributions in this change.*
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  • - The study identifies two distinct maternal lineages of domestic donkeys using mitochondrial sequence analysis, revealing their separation based on whole mitochondrial genomes and partial D-loop sequences.
  • - Clade I lineage shows a significant population increase over 8,000 years ago with a complex haplotype network, while Clade II lineage has stable population numbers and a simpler network.
  • - Geographic distribution indicates Clade I lineage dominates in sub-Saharan Africa, while Clade II is more common along the East and North African coasts, suggesting different domestication events influenced by environmental and human factors.
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  • PRKDC, a crucial protein in DNA damage repair, is found to be overexpressed in various breast cancer types, indicating its role in chemotherapy resistance and tumor growth.
  • Analysis of breast cancer patients and cell lines showed that knocking down PRKDC led to reduced cell growth and arrested the cell cycle through the activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.
  • High levels of PRKDC expression were consistently linked to poor survival rates among breast cancer patients, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker.
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A hallmark of gastric cancer is the high rate of genomic instability associated with deregulation of DNA damage repair pathways. DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalytic Subunit (PRKDC) is a key component of the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway. By reanalyzing transcriptome data of 80 pairs of gastric cancer tumors and the adjacent normal tissues from non-treated patients, we identified PRKDC as the top upregulated DNA damage repair genes in gastric cancer.

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Building sensory dendritic arbors requires branching, growth, spacing, and substrate support. The conserved L1CAM family of cell-adhesion molecules generates neuronal isoforms to regulate neurite development in various aspects. However, whether non-neuronal isoforms participate in any of these aspects is unclear.

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  • Sensing environmental cues relies on complex neuronal circuits connected to the body's surface, with sensory neurons forming dendrites that make skin the largest sensory organ.
  • Past research indicates that the type and function of these neurons, along with how their dendrites branch, are influenced by internal factors.
  • New studies, particularly in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, reveal how epidermal cells can impact the growth and health of sensory dendrites on their surfaces.
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  • The Pamirs are a high-altitude region in Central Asia with a complex settlement history among different ethnic groups, which remains poorly understood.
  • Researchers sequenced mitochondrial DNA from 382 individuals across eight populations to analyze maternal ancestry and developed a high-resolution mtDNA haplogroup tree for Central Asia.
  • Findings indicate that Central Asian genetic diversity is shaped by East-West Eurasian admixture, with the majority of mtDNA lineages emerging post-last glacial maximum, reflecting multiple migration waves over time.
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  • Animals benefit from social behavior by reducing their vigilance when part of larger groups, a phenomenon known as "the many-eyes effect."
  • A study on Khulans in western China found that larger group sizes led to less time spent being vigilant, but this effect was less pronounced in areas with higher human disturbance.
  • To enhance Khulan's foraging and predator detection benefits, it's important to maintain large, undisturbed habitats that allow these animals to form bigger groups.
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The Aim Of This Study: The aim of this study was to verify whether prohibitin is a novel autoantigen in rheumatoid arthritis.

Material And Methods: First, recombinant human prohibitin (rhPHB) protein was cloned, expressed, and purified. Then the anti-prohibitin autoantibodies were detected by western blotting by using rhPHB protein to incubate sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

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