Cognitive impairment at older ages among 8000 men and women living in Mexico City: a cross-sectional analyses of a prospective study.

Background: There is limited population-based evidence on the prevalence of cognitive impairment in Mexico, a country with a rapidly aging population and where key risk factors, such as diabetes and obesity, are common. This study describes the distribution of cognitive impairment in adults from Mexico City.

Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study included participants from the Mexico City Prospective Study which recruited 150,000 adults aged ≥ 35 years in 1998-2004.

A Graph-based Goat Pangenome Reveals Structural Variations Involved in Domestication and Adaptation.

Pangenomes can facilitate a deeper understanding of genome complexity. Using de novo phased long-read assemblies of eight representative goat breeds, we constructed a graph-based pangenome of goats (Capra hircus) and discovered 113-Mb autosomal novel sequences. Combining this multi-assembly pangenome with low-coverage PacBio HiFi sequences, we constructed a long-read structural variations (SVs) database containing 59,325 SV deletions, 84,910 SV insertions, and 24,954 other complex SV alleles.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella) using PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing.

The mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella) is an important economic farmed fish, mainly distributed in South China and Southeast Asia due to its strong adaptability and high yield. Despite its economic importance, the paucity of genomic information has constrained detailed genetic research and breeding efforts. In this study, we utilized PacBio HiFi long-read sequencing and Hi-C technologies to generate a meticulously assembled chromosome-level genome of the mud carp.

Membrane Separations in Biomass Processing.

The development of integrated biorefineries and the greater utilization of biomass resources to reduce dependence on fossil fuel-derived products require research emphasis not just on conversion strategies but also on improving separations associated with biorefining. A significant roadblock towards developing biorefineries is the lack of effective separation techniques evidenced by the relative deficiency of literature in this area. Additionally, high conversion yields may only be realized if effective separations generate feedstock of sufficient purity - this makes research into biomass conversion strategies all the more critical.

Concentrations and carbonyl index of microplastic in surface seawater in southeastern coastal region off Japan, Northwestern Pacific.

In this study, microplastic concentrations in the southeastern coastal regions of Japan were measured along the northward ocean current at seven stations from Okinawa to Tokai region. Concentrations ranged from 0.014 to 0.

Open dumping site as a point source of microplastics and plastic additives: A case study in Thailand.

Microplastics (MPs) and plastic additive chemicals are emerging pollutants of great concerns around the world. Open dumping sites can be important sources of those pollutants in emerging countries, but little is known about their occurrence, distribution, transport pathway, and remediation approach. This study aimed to obtain the comprehensive dataset on plastic pollution in an open dumping site in Thailand, including (1) the polymer types and organic/inorganic plastic additives in plastic garbage, (2) horizontal distribution of MPs and plastic additives in the surface soil, (3) the effects of soil-capping treatment, and (4) the vertical transport.

The effect of anxiety on all-cause dementia: A longitudinal analysis from the Hunter Community Study.

Background: Anxiety is common, however, the effect of chronicity of anxiety on dementia has not been explored. This study aims to assess the longitudinal relationship between chronic versus resolved versus new onset anxiety, and all-cause dementia risk.

Methods: A total of 2132 participants with mean age 76 years from the Hunter Community Study were recruited.

Incidence and mortality rates of 14 site-specific infectious diseases in 10 diverse areas of China: findings from China Kadoorie Biobank, 2006-2018.

Background: Infectious diseases remain a major global health concern, including in China, with an estimated >10 million cases of infectious disease in 2019. We describe the burden of site-specific infectious diseases among Chinese adults.

Methods: From 2004 to 2008, the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank enrolled 512,726 adults aged 30-79 years from 10 diverse areas (5 rural, 5 urban) of China.

A practical approach to supported liquid extraction and measurement of 18 steroids in plasma and serum by targeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Chromatography combined with mass spectrometry is a gold standard technique for steroid measurement, however the type of sample preparation, the dynamic range and reliability of the calibration curve, the chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry settings ultimately determine the success of the method. The steroid biosynthetic pathway is conserved in higher mammals and literature demonstrates that the concentration ranges of different steroid groups are relatively comparable across species. We sought to develop a robust and reliable multi steroid targeted analysis method for blood that would have wide application across higher mammals.

Anthropogenic events and responses to environmental stress are shaping the genomes of Ethiopian indigenous goats.

Anthropological and biophysical processes have shaped livestock genomes over Millenia and can explain their current geographic distribution and genetic divergence. We analyzed 57 Ethiopian indigenous domestic goat genomes alongside 67 equivalents of east, west, and north-west African, European, South Asian, Middle East, and wild Bezoar goats. Cluster, ADMIXTURE (K = 4) and phylogenetic analysis revealed four genetic groups comprising African, European, South Asian, and wild Bezoar goats.

Whole-genome resequencing reveals genomic variation and dynamics in Ethiopian indigenous goats.

Ethiopia has about 52 million indigenous goats with marked phenotypic variability, which is the outcome of natural and artificial selection. Here, we obtained whole-genome sequence data of three Ethiopian indigenous goat populations (Arab, Fellata, and Oromo) from northwestern Ethiopia and analyzed their genome-wide genetic diversity, population structure, and signatures of selection. We included genotype data from four other Ethiopian goat populations (Abergelle, Keffa, Gumuz, and Woyto-Guji) and goats from Asia; Europe; and eastern, southern, western, and northern Africa to investigate the genetic predisposition of the three Ethiopian populations and performed comparative genomic analysis.

Mapping and functional characterization of structural variation in 1060 pig genomes.

Background: Structural variations (SVs) have significant impacts on complex phenotypes by rearranging large amounts of DNA sequence.

Results: We present a comprehensive SV catalog based on the whole-genome sequence of 1060 pigs (Sus scrofa) representing 101 breeds, covering 9.6% of the pig genome.

Prevalence rates of neurodegenerative diseases versus human exposures to heavy metals across the United States.

Novel means are needed to identify individuals and subpopulations susceptible to and afflicted by neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). This study aimed to utilize geographic distribution of heavy metal sources and sinks to investigate a potential human health risk of developing NDDs. Known or hypothesized environmental factors driving disease prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are heavy metals, including arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn) and mercury (Hg).

Evolutionary analysis of gene ages across TADs associates chromatin topology with whole-genome duplications.

Topologically associated domains (TADs) are interaction subnetworks of chromosomal regions in 3D genomes. TAD boundaries frequently coincide with genome breaks while boundary deletion is under negative selection, suggesting that TADs may facilitate genome rearrangements and evolution. We show that genes co-localize by evolutionary age in humans and mice, resulting in TADs having different proportions of younger and older genes.

Association between a genetic index for digital dermatitis resistance and the presence of digital dermatitis, heel horn erosion, and interdigital hyperplasia in Holstein cows.

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a polybacterial disease endemic to most UK dairy farms. It poses a major financial and welfare threat and is characterized by high incidence and recurrence rates. We aimed to investigate the association between the UK EBV for resistance to digital dermatitis, the digital dermatitis index (DDI), and the frequency of DD, heel horn erosion (HHE), and interdigital hyperplasia (IH) in a population of Holstein dairy cows.

Genome-wide association studies of parasite resistance, productivity and immunology traits in Scottish Blackface sheep.

Gastrointestinal parasitism represents a global problem for grazing ruminants, which can be addressed sustainably by breeding animals to be more resistant against infection by parasites. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic architecture underlying traits associated with gastrointestinal parasite resistance, immunological profile and production in meat sheep, and identify and characterise candidate genes affecting these traits. Data on gastrointestinal parasite infection (faecal egg counts for Strongyles (FEC) and Nematodirus (FEC) and faecal oocyst counts for Coccidia, along with faecal soiling scores (DAG), characterised by the accumulation of faeces around the perineum) and production (live weight (LWT)) were gathered from a flock Scottish Blackface lambs at three and four months of age.

Whole-genome resource sequences of 57 indigenous Ethiopian goats.

Domestic goats are distributed worldwide, with approximately 35% of the one billion world goat population occurring in Africa. Ethiopia has 52.5 million goats, ~99.

A retrospective analysis of concussion and post-concussional syndrome diagnoses in Western Australian emergency departments.

Objective(s): To determine the rate of concussion diagnoses per capita recorded in hospital emergency departments in Western Australia (WA) from 2002-2018 for ICD-10-AM concussion diagnoses S06.00-S06.05, and post-concussional syndrome (PCS) (F07.

Genetic profile of adaptive immune traits and relationships with parasite resistance and productivity in Scottish Blackface sheep.

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites cause significant production losses in grazing ruminants which can be mitigated by breeding animals resistant to disease. Lymphocyte cytokine production and parasite-specific Immunoglobulin A (IgA) are adaptive immune traits associated with immunity to GI parasites. To explore the utility of these traits for selective breeding purposes, this study estimated the genetic parameters of the immune traits in sheep and assessed their relationship with disease and productivity traits.