Whole genome sequences of 70 indigenous Ethiopian cattle.

Indigenous animal genetic resources play a crucial role in preserving global genetic diversity and supporting the livelihoods of millions of people. In Ethiopia, the majority of the cattle population consists of indigenous breeds. Understanding the genetic architecture of these cattle breeds is essential for effective management and conservation efforts. In this study, we sequenced DNA samples from 70 animals from seven indigenous cattle breeds, generating about two terabytes of pair-end reads with an average coverage of 14X. The sequencing data were pre-processed and mapped to the cattle reference genome (ARS-UCD1.2) with an alignment rate of 99.2%. Finally, the variant calling process produced approximately 35 million high-quality SNPs. These data provide a deeper understanding of the genetic landscape, facilitate the identification of causal mutations, and enable the exploration of evolutionary patterns to assist cattle improvement and sustainable utilization, particularly in the face of unpredictable climate changes.

2'-O-Methylperlatolic Acid Enhances Insulin-Regulated Blood Glucose-Lowering Effect through Insulin Receptor Signaling Pathway.

Purpose: Insulin receptor (InsR) sensitizers represent a new type of therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetes, with 2'-O-methylperlatolic acid (2-O-M) being a potential InsR targeting drug. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 2-O-M functions as an activator of the insulin signaling pathway, regulating glucose hemostasis through the InsR and exerting a glucose-lowering effect in an animal model of diabetes. Methods: SPR-based analyses were used to detect the binding of different concentrations of 2-O-M to the InsR. The protein levels of IR-ß, p-IR, AKT, and p-AKT in Hepa and C2C12 cell lines and liver and muscle tissues were determined by western blotting. Glucose uptake capacity was determined in C2C12 cells. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice were randomly divided into four groups: the control, insulin treated, 2-O-M treated, and combined insulin and 2-O-M treated. Mice were injected with 2-O-M or normal saline and the average blood glucose concentration after 120 min, and the serum levels of insulin, glucagon, and C-peptide were measured. Next, qRT-PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism in the liver and muscle tissues. Results: 2-O-M binds to the extracellular domain of the InsR. Moreover, combination treatment with 2-O-M and insulin resulted in significant activation of the insulin signaling pathway in vitro and significant stimulation of the glucose uptake capacity of C2C12 myotubes. In mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, 2-O-M significantly prolonged the blood glucose-lowering effect of insulin, significantly reduced the secretion of exogenous insulin, and reduced the blood glucose concentration in vivo. In addition, treatment with 2-O-M alone significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of AKT in muscle tissue, which enhanced glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes. Further, 2-O-M significantly increased glucagon secretion and enhanced liver gluconeogenesis to prevent hypoglycemia. Conclusion: 2-O-M enhances the hypoglycemic effect of insulin through the insulin signaling pathway and can be used as a complement to insulin. This synergetic effect may lower the required dose of insulin and protect ß cells.

Genomic copy number variation of the CHKB gene alters gene expression and affects growth traits of Chinese domestic yak (Bos grunniens) breeds.

Copy number variation (CNV) influences the mRNA transcription levels and phenotypic traits through gene dosage, position effects, alteration of downstream pathways, and modulation of the structure and position of chromosomes. A previous study using the read depth approach to genome resequencing analysis revealed CNVs of the choline kinase beta (CHKB) gene in the copy number variable regions (CNVRs) of yak breeds may influence muscle development and therefore the phenotypic traits of yak breeds. Further work is required to attain a more complete understanding and validate the importance of the detected CNVR of the CHKB gene found in yak breeds, because there is no association studies of the CHKB gene with yak growth traits that have been reported. The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of CHKB copy numbers in five Chinese domestic yak breeds and evaluate their impact on gene expression and growth traits. The data were analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR. In this study, the normal CNV of the CHKB gene was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with greater chest girth and body weight for three age groups of Datong yaks. Our results indicated that the copy number of the CHKB gene is negatively correlated with the mRNA expression level. From this result, we conclude that CNVs of the CHKB gene could be novel markers for growth traits of Chinese domestic yak breeds and might therefore provide a novel opportunity to utilize data on CNVs in designing molecular markers for the selection of animal breeding programs for larger populations of various yaks.

Visual improvement and pain resolution in traumatic optic nerve sheath meningocele treated by optic nerve sheath fenestration.

PURPOSE: There is no consensus as to the optimum treatment for traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). The decision to intervene medically or surgically, or simply observe was recommended to be on an individual basis. The purpose of this study is to test whether optic nerve sheath fenestration (ONSF) could improve vision in patients with traumatic optic nerve sheath meningocele, although it was reported to be effective in patients with traumatic optic nerve sheath hematoma. METHODS: ONSF was performed on two traumatic patients with dilated optic nerve sheath from MRI. RESULTS: Both patients initially suspected as traumatic optic nerve sheath hematoma were diagnosed as traumatic optic nerve sheath meningocele by intraoperative findings of the enlarged optic nerve sheath and clear fluid drained without evidence of blood in the subdural space. Moreover, significant orbit/head pain resolution and visual improvement within a week after ONSF was found. CONCLUSIONS: When TON presents with an enlarged optic nerve/sheath on CT or MRI with visual loss, an optic nerve sheath meningocele should be considered with the consideration that ONSF may benefit both visual acuity and post-traumatic pain, if present.

The association between telomere length and sensitivity to apoptosis of HUVEC.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association between the mean telomere length (MTL) of human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC) and their sensitivity to apoptosis. METHODS: Apoptosis of HUVEC was induced by using free hydroxyl radicals. The rate of apoptosis was determined and mean telomere length of HUVEC that were cultured for 1 or 3 months were measured by Southern Blot. RESULTS: At 0.2 mmol/l FeSO(4)/0.0001 mmol/l H(2)O(2) free radical concentration, the apoptosis rate was 8.0 and 17.5% and MTL was 4.66 +/- 0.05 and 3.40 +/- 0.46 kb for HUVEC cultured for 1 and 3 months, respectively. At 0.2 mmol/l FeSO(4)/0.005 mmol/l H(2)O(2), apoptosis rates were 17.4 and 36.0% and MTL were 3.67 +/- 0.06 and 2.90 +/- 0.20 kb for HUVEC cultured for 1 and for 3 months, respectively. Control HUVEC had apoptosis rates of 0.5 and 1.0% and MTL of 5.43 +/- 0.45 and 4.57 +/- 0.21 kb for 1 and 3 months, respectively. The MTL and the apoptosis rates in the treatment groups differed significantly from the controls (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HUVEC with less culture time or short telomere were sensitive to oxidation stress. Oxidation stress also can enhance the shortening of telomere length.