Expression patterns of housekeeping genes and tissue-specific genes in black goats across multiple tissues.

Black goats are a significant meat breed in southern China. To investigate the expression patterns and biological functions of genes in various tissues of black goats, we analyzed housekeeping genes (HKGs), tissue-specific genes (TSGs), and hub genes (HUBGs) across 23 tissues. Additionally, we analyzed HKGs in 13 tissues under different feeding conditions.

Deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in mice differentially affects bone properties under different genomic backgrounds.

When IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1rn) is knocked out, mice have shown strain background dependent and major QTL regulated susceptibility to spontaneously inflammatory arthritis disease (SAD). The impact on bone properties resulting from the interactions of IL-1rn, genomic background strains, and the QTL locus, is unknown. Bone properties in the four specifically bred mouse strains with mutation of IL-1rn and variations in genomic components were investigated with high-resolution MicroCT and genomic analytical tools.

microRNA-125b-1-3p mediates autophagy via the RRAGD/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway and mitigates atherosclerosis progression.

Atherosclerosis is characterised by lipid accumulation and formation of foam cells in arterial walls. Dysregulated autophagy is a crucial factor in atherosclerosis development. The significance of microRNA (miR)-125b-1-3p in cardiovascular disease is well-established; however, its precise role in regulating autophagy and impact on atherosclerosis in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) remain unclear.

General Capillary Endothelial Cells Undergo Reprogramming into Arterial Endothelial Cells in Pulmonary Hypertension through HIF-2α/Notch4 Pathway.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by a progressive increase of pulmonary vascular resistance and obliterative pulmonary vascular remodeling that result in right heart hypertrophy, failure, and premature death. The underlying mechanisms of loss of distal capillary endothelial cells (ECs) and obliterative vascular lesion formation remain unclear. Our recent single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics analysis, RNASCOPE, and immunostaining analysis showed that arterial ECs accumulation and loss of capillary ECs were evident in human PAH patients and pulmonary hypertension (PH) rodents.

Single-cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Identified Fatty Acid-binding Proteins Controlling Endothelial Glycolytic and Arterial Programming in Pulmonary Hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized by obliterative vascular remodeling and persistent increase of vascular resistance, leading to right heart failure and premature death. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms will help develop novel therapeutic approaches for PAH patients. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) analysis found that both FABP4 and FABP5 were highly induced in endothelial cells (ECs) of (CKO) mice, which was also observed in pulmonary arterial ECs (PAECs) from idiopathic PAH (IPAH) patients, and in whole lungs of pulmonary hypertension (PH) rats.

Disease and Economic Burden of Kashin-Beck Disease - China, 2021‎.

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic and degenerative osteoarthropathy characterized by cartilage degeneration. It is an endemic disease that is highly prevalent among the Chinese population and poses a significant health risk.

What Is Added By This Report?: This is the first national report on the economic burden of KBD in China.

Global genetic diversity, introgression, and evolutionary adaptation of indicine cattle revealed by whole genome sequencing.

Indicine cattle, also referred to as zebu (Bos taurus indicus), play a central role in pastoral communities across a wide range of agro-ecosystems, from extremely hot semiarid regions to hot humid tropical regions. However, their adaptive genetic changes following their dispersal into East Asia from the Indian subcontinent have remained poorly documented. Here, we characterize their global genetic diversity using high-quality whole-genome sequencing data from 354 indicine cattle of 57 breeds/populations, including major indicine phylogeographic groups worldwide.

Macrophage RAGE deficiency prevents myocardial fibrosis by repressing autophagy-mediated macrophage alternative activation.

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is the characteristic pathological feature of various cardiovascular diseases that lead to heart failure (HF) or even fatal outcomes. Alternatively, activated macrophages are involved in the development of fibrosis and tissue remodeling. Although the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is involved in MF, its potential role in regulating macrophage function in cardiac fibrosis has not been fully investigated.

The multi-kingdom microbiome of the goat gastrointestinal tract.

Background: Goat is an important livestock worldwide, which plays an indispensable role in human life by providing meat, milk, fiber, and pelts. Despite recent significant advances in microbiome studies, a comprehensive survey on the goat microbiomes covering gastrointestinal tract (GIT) sites, developmental stages, feeding styles, and geographical factors is still unavailable. Here, we surveyed its multi-kingdom microbial communities using 497 samples from ten sites along the goat GIT.

Xinmaikang-mediated mitophagy attenuates atherosclerosis via the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway.

Background: The Chinese herbal compound Xinmaikang (XMK) is effective in treating atherosclerosis (AS), although the associated mechanisms of action remain unclear. We hypothesize that XMK increases mitophagy via the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway and decreases reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus treating AS.

Purpose: To explore the above-mentioned mechanisms of action of XMK in AS.

Environment and chronic disease in rural areas of Heilongjiang, China (ECDRAHC).

Purpose: Environmental factors such as long-term exposure to cold can increase the risk of chronic diseases. However, few studies have focused on the impact of environmental factors and lifestyle changes on chronic diseases. To fully explore the association between exposure to environmental factors and the prevalent risk of various chronic diseases, we conducted a large cohort study (Environment and Chronic Disease in Rural Areas of Heilongjiang, China (ECDRAHC)).

Mortality in Four Waves of COVID-19 Is Differently Associated with Healthcare Capacities Affected by Economic Disparities.

Background: The greatest challenges are imposed on the overall capacity of disease management when the cases reach the maximum in each wave of the pandemic.

Methods: The cases and deaths for the four waves of COVID-19 in 119 countries and regions (CRs) were collected. We compared the mortality across CRs where populations experience different economic and healthcare disparities.

Variations of COVID-19 mortality are affected by economic disparities across countries.

Background: When the COVID-19 case number reaches a maximum in a country, its capacity and management of health system face greatest challenge.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on data of turning points for cases and deaths for the first three waves of COVID-19 in countries with more than 5000 cumulative cases, as reported by Worldometers and WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. We compared the case fatality rates (CFRs) and time lags (in unit of day) between the turning points of cases and deaths among countries in different development stages and potential influence factors.

Effects of Sugarcane and Soybean Intercropping on the Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterial Community in the Rhizosphere.

Intercropping between sugarcane and soybean is widely used to increase crop yield and promote the sustainable development of the sugarcane industry. However, our understanding of the soil microenvironment in intercropping systems, especially the effect of crop varieties on rhizosphere soil bacterial communities, remains poor. We selected two excellent sugarcane cultivars, Zhongzhe1 (ZZ1) and Zhongzhe9 (ZZ9), from Guangxi and the local soybean variety GUIZAO2 from Guangxi for field interplanting experiments.

Malus rootstocks affect copper accumulation and tolerance in trees by regulating copper mobility, physiological responses, and gene expression patterns.

We investigated the roles of rootstocks in Cu accumulation and tolerance in Malus plants by grafting 'Hanfu' (HF) scions onto M. baccata (Mb) and M. prunifolia (Mp) rootstocks, which have different Cu tolerances.

Bacteriocins: Potential for Human Health.

Due to the challenges of antibiotic resistance to global health, bacteriocins as antimicrobial compounds have received more and more attention. Bacteriocins are biosynthesized by various microbes and are predominantly used as food preservatives to control foodborne pathogens. Now, increasing researches have focused on bacteriocins as potential clinical antimicrobials or immune-modulating agents to fight against the global threat to human health.

COVID-19 vaccine: Call for employees in international transportation industries and international travelers as the first priority in global distribution.

While countries are in a hurry to obtain SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, we are concerned with the availability of vaccine and whether a vaccine will be available to all in need. We predicted three possible scenarios for vaccine distributions and urge an international united action on the worldwide equitable access. In case the international community does not reach a consensus on how to distribute the vaccine to achieve worldwide equitable access, we call for a distribution plan that includes the employees in international transportation industries and international travelers to halt the disease transmission and promote the recovery of the global economy.

LncRNA EPIC1 promotes tumor angiogenesis via activating the Ang2/Tie2 axis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Aims: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is considered a highly fatal tumor. Importantly, angiogenesis is critical for tumor progression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are untranslatable, control cell functions through different pathways.

A novel SNP of gene associated with heat-tolerance in Chinese cattle.

With the advent of global climate change, heat-tolerance is becoming more and more important to the sustainability of animal husbandry production systems. Previous studies have shown that gene associated with pigmentation may be closely related to heat-tolerance in cattle. In this study, a novel missense mutation (NC_037332.

Selection signatures of Fuzhong Buffalo based on whole-genome sequences.

Background: Fuzhong buffalo, a native breed of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is traditionally used as a draft animal to provide farm power in the rice cultivation. In addition, the Fuzhong buffalo also prepared for the bullfighting festival organized by the locals. The detection of the selective signatures in its genome can help in elucidating the selection mechanisms in its stamina and muscle development of a draft animal.

Effects of Lactobacillus hilgardii 60TS-2, with or without homofermentative Lactobacillus plantarum B90, on the aerobic stability, fermentation quality and microbial community dynamics in sugarcane top silage.

This study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus hilgardii (LH), alone or in combination with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP), on the aerobic stability, fermentation quality and dynamics of the bacterial and fungal communities of sugarcane top silage. Results demonstrated that LH and LHLP (LH combined with LP) improved the aerobic stability of sugarcane top silages. As the exposure time increased, the pH values and the contents of lactic acid, acetic acid, as well as propionic acid remained stable in silage treated with LH and LHLP.