Study of volatile flavor derived from lipids degeneration in yak Milk based on Semiquantitative Lipidomics.

Milk lipids greatly affect the volatile flavor of milk, and the relationship between lipids and volatile flavor in yak milk was explored in this study. The volatile flavor compounds (VFCs), lipids profile, fatty acids in yak ordinary milk and colostrum were detected with HP/SPME-GC-MS, the semiquantitative lipidomics based on LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, respectively. The VFCs differences in yak milk were closely related to 1-((1 s,3ar,4r,7 s,7as)-4-hydroxy-7-isopropyl-4-methyloctahloctahydro-1h-inden-1-Yl)-ethanone,2,6,6-trimethyl-2,4-cycloheptadien-1-one, pentanal, 2-phenylethyl propionate, octanoic acid methyl ester, diphosphoric acid diisooctyl ester, (Z)-3,4,4-trimethyl-5-oxo-2-hexenoic acid and acetic acid. The volatile flavor in yak milk was well correlated with milk lipids, and TG(4:0_12:3_18:1), TG(6:0_8:0_18:1), TG(4:0_12:3_18:1), TG(12:0_18:2_18:3) and TG(16:0e_18:1_22:5) were the crucial lipid molecules affecting volatile flavor. The degeneration of above lipids by hydrolysis produced some fatty acids and alcohol, then these compounds were further derived into other VFCs especially above crucial 8 molecules. This study provided a theoretical basis for improving the volatile flavor by controlling lipids in yak milk.

Genetic structure analysis of yak breeds and their response to adaptive evolution.

Yaks are crucial genetic resources in the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding regions. Throughout the long process of domestication, natural and artificial selection pressures have enabled yaks to demonstrate adaptive characteristics to the environment in terms of physiological structure and genetic molecules, but no systematic cell analysis has been carried out on this phenomenon of yaks. Here, the population structure and genetic diversity of yak were studied by WGRS, and the genes related to yak adaptability were excavated. Combined with scRNA-seq method, the transcription map of yak lung tissue and skin tissue was constructed, which provided a new comprehensive insight into yak adaptability. The analysis of yak population structure showed that there was obvious genetic differentiation between TZ _ yak and other seven yak populations, while there was significant genetic exchange between PL _ yak and SB _ yak at high altitude. WGRS and scRNA-seq analysis revealed that the gene HIF1A related to high altitude adaptation was expressed in various cell types, while EPAS1 was predominantly expressed in epithelial and endothelial cells of yak lung tissue. Endothelial cells play a critical role in hypoxia-adapted VEGF signaling, which correlates closely with the high expression of KDR and VEGFA genes in endothelial cells and monocytes. Furthermore, in the selection signal of High _ yak vs Low _ yak, 19.8 % of the genes overlapped with the genes screened by skin scRNA-seq, including genes related to coat color such as RORA, BNC2, and KIT. Notably, BNC2 is a gene associated with melanin deposition and shows high expression levels in HS cells. Additionally, GRN in melanocytes and SORT1 in IRS play an important role in cell communication between melanocytes and IRS. These findings offer new insights into the natural polymorphism of yaks and provide a valuable reference for future research on high-altitude mammals, and potentially even human genetics.

Treatment Patterns and Persistence Among Patients Newly Diagnosed With Migraine in South Korea: A Retrospective Analysis of Health Claims Data.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Migraine is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases worldwide. Although diverse treatment regimens have been recommended, there is insufficient evidence for which treatment patterns to apply in routine clinical settings. METHODS: We used nationwide claims data from South Korea for 2015-2021 to identify incident migraine patients with at least one prescription for migraine. Patients were categorized according to their initial treatment classes and followed up from the date of treatment initiation. Treatment regimens included prophylactic treatments (antidepressants, anticonvulsants, beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system [RAAS] inhibitors) and acute treatments (acetaminophen, antiemetics, aspirin, ergotamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], opioids, and triptans). The treatment patterns of migraine were evaluated until the end of the study period, including the secular trends, prevalence, persistence, and changes in migraine treatment. RESULTS: Among the 761,350 included patients who received migraine treatment, the most frequently prescribed acute treatment was an NSAID (69.9%), followed by acetaminophen (50.0%). The most-prescribed prophylactic treatment was flunarizine (36.9%), followed by propranolol (24.4%). Among the patients, 54.8% received acute treatment, 13.5% received prophylactic treatment, and 31.6% received both treatment types. However, 65.7% of the patients discontinued their treatment within 3 months. The 3-month persistence rate was highest for triptans (25.2%) among the acute treatments and for RAAS inhibitors (62.0%) among the prophylactic treatments. CONCLUSIONS: While the prevalence rates of medication use were found to align with current migraine guidelines, frequent switching and rapid discontinuation of drugs were observed in routine clinical settings.

A Transdiagnostic Network Analysis of Childhood Trauma and Psychopathology.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Psychiatric comorbidities suggest that symptoms overlap across different diagnoses; the transdiagnostic network approach is valuable for studying psychopathology. Childhood trauma is a common transdiagnostic risk factor for psychiatric disorders, but the complex relationship between childhood trauma and psychopathology has seldom been investigated using a large cross-sectional transdiagnostic sample. STUDY DESIGN: This study recruited 869 patients with different diagnoses, including 418 schizophrenia, 215 bipolar disorder, and 236 major depressive disorder. Participants completed psychiatric interviews and self-report questionnaires. We constructed dimension- and item-level Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator-based (LASSO) networks to explore the relationship between childhood trauma, psychopathology, and duration of illness. Moreover, we constructed directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to tentatively clarify the potential directions of associations among these variables. Network Comparison Tests (NCTs) were conducted for different diagnostic groups and gender-stratified groups. STUDY RESULTS: The transdiagnostic LASSO networks showed that different types of childhood trauma exerted distinct impacts on various psychopathological dimensions. Emotional abuse was linked to depressive symptoms, physical abuse to excited symptoms, sexual abuse to positive and disorganized symptoms, emotional neglect to depressive symptoms and motivation and pleasure (MAP) deficits factor of negative symptoms, and physical neglect to MAP factor. The DAG findings generally concurred with the LASSO network. The NCT showed comparable networks. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that childhood trauma is significantly associated with the development of psychopathology across different diagnostic groups. The affective pathway model suggests that early identification and tailored interventions would be needed for people with a history of childhood trauma.

Trends in Triptan Usage in Korea: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Migraine presents a significant global health problem that emphasizes the need for efficient acute treatment options. Triptans, introduced in the early 1990s, have substantially advanced migraine management owing to their effectiveness compared to that of traditional medications. However, data on triptan use in migraine management from Asian countries, where migraines tend to have milder symptoms than those in European and North American countries, are limited. This study aimed to identify the trends in triptan usage in Korea. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort spanning from 2002 to 2019. Patients with migraine were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision codes, and triptan prescriptions were evaluated annually in terms of quantity, pills per patient, and associated costs. The distribution of triptan prescriptions across different medical specialties was also examined. Factors contributing to the odds of triptan use were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2019, the total number of triptan tablets, prescriptions, and patients using triptans increased by 24.0, 17.1, and 13.6 times, respectively, with sumatriptan being the most frequently prescribed type of triptan. Additionally, the number of prescriptions and related costs have consistently increased despite stable pricing because of government regulation. By 2019, only approximately one-tenth of all patients with migraines had been prescribed triptans, although there was a notable increase in prescriptions over the study period. These prescription patterns varied according to the physician's specialty. After adjusting for patient-specific factors including age and sex, the odds of prescribing triptans were higher for neurologists than for internal medicine physicians (odds ratio 2.875, P < 0.001), while they were lower for general practitioners (odds ratio 0.220, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings revealed an increasing trend in triptan use among individuals with migraines in Korea, aligning with global usage patterns. Despite these increases, the overall prescription rate of triptans remains low, indicating potential underutilization and highlighting the need for improved migraine management strategies across all medical fields. Further efforts are necessary to optimize the use of triptans in treating migraines effectively.

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Key Proteins Involved in Testicular Development of Yaks.

Male reproductive health is largely determined already in the early development of the testis. Although much work has been carried out to study the mechanisms of testicular development and spermatogenesis, there was previously no information on the differences in the protein composition of yak testicles during early development. In this study, the protein profiles in the testicles of 6- (M6), 18- (M18), and 30-month-old (M30) yaks were comparatively analyzed using TMT proteomics. A total of 5521 proteins were identified, with 13, 1295, and 1397 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in 30- vs. 18-, 18- vs. 6-, and 30- vs. 6-month-old testes, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that DEPs were mainly involved in signaling pathways related to testicular development and spermatogenesis, including the MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Wnt, mTOR, TGF-ß, and AMPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, we also identified eight potential proteins (TEX101, PDCL2, SYCP2, SYCP3, COL1A1, COL1A2, ADAM10, and ATF1) that may be related to the testicular development and spermatogenesis of yaks. This study may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of the testicular development and spermatogenesis of yaks.

Cardiac biomarkers are associated with increased risks of adverse clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Impaired cardiac function was suggested to be implicated in the functional recovery after ischemic stroke, but the prognostic value of cardiac biomarkers among ischemic stroke patients remains unclear. We aimed to prospectively explore the associations of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and plasma high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) with adverse clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke in a large-scale cohort study. METHODS: We measured serum LDH, plasma NT-proBNP, and plasma hs-cTnT levels at baseline among 5056 ischemic stroke patients from the Minhang Stroke Cohort study. All patients were followed up at 3 months after ischemic stroke onset. The primary outcome was composite outcome of death and major disability (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score ≥ 3) at 3 months after stroke onset, and secondary outcomes included death and ordered 7-level categorical score of the mRS. RESULTS: During 3 months of follow-up, 1584 patients developed the primary outcome. Baseline serum LDH, plasma NT-proBNP, and plasma hs-cTnT were positively associated with the risk of adverse outcomes after ischemic stroke. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios of primary outcome for the highest versus lowest quartile of LDH, NT-proBNP, and hs-cTnT were 1.37 (95% CI 1.13-1.66; Ptrend = 0.001), 2.51 (95% CI, 2.00-3.16; Ptrend < 0.001), and 2.24 (95% CI 1.77-2.83; Ptrend < 0.001), respectively. Each SD increase of log-transformed cardiac biomarker score was associated with a 49% (95% CI 37-62%; P < 0.001) increased risk of primary outcome. Multivariable-adjusted spline regression analyses showed linear relationships between cardiac biomarkers and the risk of primary outcome (all P for linearity < 0.001). Moreover, adding LDH, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, or cardiac biomarker score to conventional risk factors significantly improved the risk reclassification of primary outcome after ischemic stroke (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High LDH, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, and cardiac biomarker score were independently associated with increased risks of adverse clinical outcomes among ischemic stroke patients, suggesting that cardiac biomarkers might be potential prognostic biomarkers for ischemic stroke.

Effects of Dietary Energy Levels on Growth Performance, Serum Metabolites, and Meat Quality of Jersey Cattle-Yaks.

Energy feed can provide animals with balanced nutrition, thereby enhancing their growth performance. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary energy levels on the growth performance, serum metabolites, and meat quality of Jersey cattle-yaks. A total of 24 male Jersey cattle-yaks were randomly divided into three groups. Each group was fed diets with metabolizable energy levels of 8.21 MJ/kg (LE), 9.50 MJ/kg (ME), and 10.65 MJ/kg (HE), respectively. The HE and ME groups showed significantly higher final body weight, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency compared to the LE group (p < 0.05). The glucose (GLU) and total cholesterol (TC) concentrations were significantly increased in the serum of the ME and HE groups (p < 0.05). The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly higher in the serum of the HE group than in the ME group (p < 0.05). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels exhibited a significant decrease with increasing metabolizable energy levels in the diet (p < 0.05). Increasing dietary energy levels enhances the eye muscle area and intramuscular fat content of Jersey cattle-yaks (p < 0.05), with no effect on pH45 min, pH24 h, and shear force. In the HE group, the levels of heneicosanoic acid (C21:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), elaidic acid (C18:1n9t), and eicosadienoic acid (C20:2n6) were notably elevated (p < 0.05) when compared to the LE group. We concluded that a higher dietary energy level enhanced the growth performance and meat quality traits of male Jersey cattle-yaks.

International Headache Society global practice recommendations for the acute pharmacological treatment of migraine.

BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve migraine management around the world, the International Headache Society (IHS) has here developed a list of practical recommendations for the acute pharmacological treatment of migraine. The recommendations are categorized into optimal and essential, in order to provide treatment options for all possible settings, including those with limited access to migraine medications. METHODS: An IHS steering committee developed a list of clinical questions based on practical issues in the management of migraine. A selected group of international senior and junior headache experts developed the recommendations, following expert consensus and the review of available national and international headache guidelines and guidance documents. Following the initial search, a bibliography of twenty-one national and international guidelines was created and reviewed by the working group. RESULTS: A total of seventeen questions addressing different aspects of acute migraine treatment have been outlined. For each of them we provide an optimal recommendation, to be used whenever possible, and an essential recommendation to be used when the optimal level cannot be attained. CONCLUSION: Adoption of these international recommendations will improve the quality of acute migraine treatment around the world, even where pharmacological options remain limited.

Bunyavirus SFTSV nucleoprotein exploits tufm-mediated mitophagy to impair antiviral innate immunity.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome is an emerging viral hemorrhagic fever caused by a tick-borne bunyavirus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), with a high case fatality. We previously found that SFTSV nucleoprotein (NP) induces macroautophagy/autophagy to facilitate virus replication. However, the role of NP in antagonizing host innate immunity remains unclear. Mitophagy, a selected form of autophagy, eliminates damaged mitochondria to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that SFTSV NP triggers mitophagy to degrade MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein), thereby blocking MAVS-mediated antiviral signaling to escape the host immune response. Mechanistically, SFTSV NP translocates to mitochondria by interacting with TUFM (Tu translation elongation factor, mitochondrial), and mediates mitochondrial sequestration into phagophores through interacting with LC3, thus inducing mitophagy. Notably, the N-terminal LC3-interacting region (LIR) motif of NP is essential for mitophagy induction. Collectively, our results demonstrated that SFTSV NP serves as a novel virulence factor, inducing TUFM-mediated mitophagy to degrade MAVS and evade the host immune response.

Three-month treatment outcome of medication-overuse headache according to classes of overused medications, use of acute medications, and preventive treatments.

Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a chronic headache disorder that results from excessive use of acutely symptomatic headache medications, leading to more frequent and severe headaches. This study aims to assess the 3-month treatment outcomes in MOH patients, focusing on the types and usage of overused medications, as well as preventive treatments. This prospective cross-sectional study analyzed the treatment outcomes of 309 MOH patients from April 2020 to March 2022. Patients were advised to discontinue overused medications immediately and offered preventive treatments based on clinical judgment. Data on headache characteristics, medication use, and impact on daily life were collected at baseline and 3 months. Results showed overall significant improvements in headache-related variables in patients completing the 3-month treatment follow-up. The median number of headache days per month decreased from 15 days at baseline to 8 days after 3 months (p < 0.001). Patients who overused multiple drug classes demonstrated increased disability levels (mean Headache Impact Test-6 score: 62 at baseline vs. 56 at 3 months, p < 0.01). Those who continued overusing medications reported more days of severe headache (mean 18 days at baseline vs. 14 days at 3 months, p < 0.05) and greater impact (mean Migraine Disability Assessment score: 35 at baseline vs. 28 after 3 months, p < 0.05) compared to the baseline. Differences in headache outcomes were evident across different preventive treatment groups, with generalized estimating equation analyses highlighting significant associations between clinical characteristics, overused medication classes, and preventive treatments. Most MOH clinical features significantly improved after 3 months of treatment. However, notable interactions were observed with certain clinical presentations, suggesting possible influences of overused medication classes, usage patterns, and preventive treatment types on MOH treatment outcomes. This study underscores the importance of individualized treatment strategies and the potential benefits of discontinuing overused medications.

Propylparaben exposure impairs G2/M and metaphase-anaphase transition during mouse oocyte maturation.

Propylparaben (PrPB) is a known endocrine disrupting chemicals that is widely applied as preservative in pharmaceuticals, food and cosmetics. PrPB has been detected in human urine samples and human serum and has been proven to cause functional decline in reproduction. However, the direct effects of PrPB on mammalian oocyte are still unknown. Here, we demonstrationed that exposure to PrPB disturbed mouse oocyte maturation in vitro, causing meiotic resumption arrest and first polar body extrusion failure. Our results indicated that 600 µM PrPB reduced the rate of oocyte germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Further research revealed that PrPB caused mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which led to oocyte DNA damage. This damage further disturbed the activity of the maturation promoting factor (MPF) complex Cyclin B1/ Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and induced G2/M arrest. Subsequent experiments revealed that PrPB exposure can lead to spindle morphology disorder and chromosome misalignment due to unstable microtubules. In addition, PrPB adversely affected the attachment between microtubules and kinetochore, resulting in persistent activation of BUB3 amd BubR1, which are two spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC) protein. Taken together, our studies indicated that PrPB damaged mouse oocyte maturation via disrupting MPF related G2/M transition and SAC depended metaphase-anaphase transition.

Genetic and clinical landscape of Chinese frontotemporal dementia: dominance of TBK1 and OPTN mutations.

BACKGROUND: Our study aims to evaluate the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) gene variant carriers in Chinese populations, investigate mutation frequencies, and assess the functional properties of TBK1 and OPTN variants. METHODS: Clinically diagnosed FTD patients underwent genetic analysis through exome sequencing, repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction, and Sanger sequencing. TBK1 and OPTN variants were biologically characterized in vitro using immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and immunoblotting analysis. The frequencies of genes implicated in FTD in China were analyzed through a literature review and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Of the 261 Chinese FTD patients, 61 (23.4%) carried potential causative variants in FTD-related genes, including MAPT (n = 17), TBK1 (n = 7), OPTN (n = 6), GRN (n = 6), ANXA11 (n = 4), CHMP2B (n = 3), C9orf72 GGGGCC repeats (n = 2), CYLD (n = 2), PRNP (n = 2), SQSTM1 (n = 2), TARDBP (n = 2), VCP (n = 1), CCNF (n = 1), CHCHD10 (n = 1), SIGMAR1 (n = 1), CHCHD2 (n = 1), FUS (n = 1), TMEM106B (n = 1), and UBQLN2 (n = 1). 29 variants can be considered novel, including the MAPT p.D54N, p.E342K, p.R221P, p.T263I, TBK1 p.E696G, p.I37T, p.E232Q, p.S398F, p.T78A, p.Q150P, p.W259fs, OPTN p.R144G, p.F475V, GRN p.V473fs, p.C307fs, p.R101fs, CHMP2B p.K6N, p.R186Q, ANXA11 p.Q155*, CYLD p.T157I, SQSTM1 p.S403A, UBQLN2 p.P509H, CCNF p.S160N, CHCHD10 p.A8T, SIGMAR1 p.S117L, CHCHD2 p.P53fs, FUS p.S235G & p.S236G, and TMEM106B p.L144V variants. Patients with TBK1 and OPTN variants presented with heterogeneous clinical phenotypes. Functional analysis demonstrated that TBK1 I37T and E232Q mutants showed decreased autophosphorylation, and the OPTN phosphorylation was reduced by the TBK1 I37T mutant. The OPTN-TBK1 complex formation was enhanced by the TBK1 E696G mutant, while OPTN R144G and F475V mutants exhibited reduced recruitment to autophagosomes compared to the wild-type. The overall frequency of TBK1 and OPTN in Chinese FTD patients was 2.0% and 0.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the extensive genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of Chinese FTD patients. TBK1 mutations are the second most frequent cause of clinical FTD after MAPT in the Chinese.

Comprehensive analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs, circRNAs, and miRNAs and their ceRNA network in the testis of cattle-yak, yak, and cattle.

Cattle-yak is a hybrid offspring resulting from the crossbreeding of yak and cattle, and it exhibits substantial heterosis in production performance. However, male sterility in cattle-yak remains a concern. Reports suggest that noncoding RNAs are involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis. Therefore, in this study, we comprehensively compared testicular transcription profiles among cattle, yak, and cattle-yak. Numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs), and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified in the intersection of two comparison groups, namely cattle versus cattle-yak and yak versus cattle-yak, with the number of DEGs, DECs, and DEMs being 4968, 360, and 59, respectively. The DEGs in cattle-yaks, cattle, and yaks were mainly associated with spermatogenesis, male gamete generation, and sexual reproduction. Concurrently, GO and KEGG analyses indicated that DEC host genes and DEM source genes were involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis. The construction of a potential competing endogenous RNA network revealed that some differentially expressed noncoding RNAs may be involved in regulating the expression of genes related to testicular spermatogenesis, including miR-423-5p, miR-449b, miR-34b/c, and miR-15b, as well as previously unreported miR-6123 and miR-1306, along with various miRNA-circRNA interaction pairs. This study serves as a valuable reference for further investigations into the mechanisms underlying male sterility in cattle-yaks.

Clinical profile and treatment outcomes of idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a multicenter study from Korea.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is a relative lack of detailed reports regarding clinical presentation and outcome of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in Asians. This study aims to describe the clinical features and treatment outcomes of Korean patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. METHODS: We prospectively recruited patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension from one hospital and retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 11 hospitals in Korea. We collected data regarding preceding medical conditions or suspected medication exposure, headache phenotypes, other associated symptoms, detailed neuroimaging findings, treatments, and outcomes after 1-2 and 3-6 months of treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-nine (83.1% women) patients were included. The mean body mass index was 29.11 (standard deviation, 5.87) kg/m2; only 27 patients (45.8%) had a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m2. Fifty-one (86.4%) patients experienced headaches, patterns of which included chronic migraine (15/51 [29.4%]), episodic migraine (8/51 [15.7%]), probable migraine (4/51 [7.8%]), chronic tension-type headache (3/51 [5.9%]), episodic tension-type headache (2/51 [3.9%]), probable tension-type headache (2/51 [3.9%]), and unclassified (17/51 [33.3%]). Medication overuse headache was diagnosed in 4/51 (7.8%) patients. After 3-6 months of treatment, the intracranial pressure normalized in 8/32 (25.0%), improved in 17/32 (53.1%), no changed in 7/32 (21.9%), and worsened in none. Over the same period, headaches remitted or significantly improved by more than 50% in 24/39 patients (61.5%), improved less than 50% in 9/39 (23.1%), and persisted or worsened in 6/39 (15.4%) patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the features of Asian patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension may be atypical (i.e., less likely obese, less female predominance). A wide spectrum of headache phenotypes was observed. Medical treatment resulted in overall favorable short-term outcomes; however, the headaches did not improve in a small proportion of patients.

Reply-Letter to the editor.

In our previously published article, we focused on an increasing global health issue, the double burden of malnutrition, and conducted a single-center prospective study with 3160 patients to examine the combined effects of obesity and malnutrition on clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. Ana Patrícia da Silva Sou et al. and Jiqin Wu et al. recently commented on our finding, and we hope this Reply helps to clarify some of the important points we aimed to make in the original article.

Polymorphisms of ITGA9 Gene and Their Correlation with Milk Quality Traits in Yak (Bos grunniens).

A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a genome-level trait that arises from a variation in a single nucleotide, leading to diversity in DNA sequences. SNP screening is commonly used to provide candidate genes for yak breeding efforts. Integrin Subunit Alpha 9 (ITGA9) is an integrin protein. It plays an important role in cell adhesion, signalling, and other processes. The aim of this study was to discuss the association between genetic polymorphisms in the ITGA9 gene and milk quality traits and to identify potential molecular marker loci for yak breeding quality. We genotyped 162 yaks using an Illumina Yak cGPS 7K liquid chip and identified the presence of polymorphisms at nine SNP loci in the ITGA9 gene of yaks. The results showed that the mutant genotypes in the loci g.285,808T>A, g.306,600T>C, and g.315,413C>T were positively correlated with the contents of casein, protein, total solids (TS), and solid nonfat (SNF) in yak milk. In other loci, heterozygous genotypes had a positive correlation with nutrient content in yak milk. Then, two ITGA9 haplotype blocks were constructed based on linkage disequilibrium, which facilitated a more accurate screening of ITGA9 as a candidate gene for yak milk quality improvement. In conclusion, we identified SNPs and haplotype blocks related to yak milk quality traits and provided genetic resources for marker-assisted selection in yak breeding.

Whole Genome Scan Uncovers Candidate Genes Related to Milk Production Traits in Barka Cattle.

In this study, our primary aim was to explore the genomic landscape of Barka cattle, a breed recognized for high milk production in a semi-arid environment, by focusing on genes with known roles in milk production traits. We employed genome-wide analysis and three selective sweep detection methods (ZFST, θπ ratio, and ZHp) to identify candidate genes associated with milk production and composition traits. Notably, ACAA1, P4HTM, and SLC4A4 were consistently identified by all methods. Functional annotation highlighted their roles in crucial biological processes such as fatty acid metabolism, mammary gland development, and milk protein synthesis. These findings contribute to understanding the genetic basis of milk production in Barka cattle, presenting opportunities for enhancing dairy cattle production in tropical climates. Further validation through genome-wide association studies and transcriptomic analyses is essential to fully exploit these candidate genes for selective breeding and genetic improvement in tropical dairy cattle.