The Genetic Selection of HSPD1 and HSPE1 Reduce Inflammation of Liver and Spleen While Restraining the Growth and Development of Skeletal Muscle in Wuzhishan Pigs.

Wuzhishan (WZS) pigs, which are minipigs native to Hainan Province in China, are characterized by strong resistance to extreme hot temperatures and humidity. The relationship between their immune response and growth still needs to be clarified. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing (WGS) to detect variations within 37 WZS pigs, 32 Large White (LW) pigs, and 22 Xiangxi black (XXB) pigs, and ~2.49 GB of SNPs were obtained. These data were combined with those of two other pig breeds, and it was found that most of the genes detected (354) were located within the distinct genetic regions between WZS pigs and LW pigs. The network that was constructed using these genes represented a center including 12 hub genes, five of which had structural variations (SVs) within their regulatory regions. Furthermore, RNA-seq and RT-qPCR data for 12 genes were primarily consistent in liver, spleen, and LDM tissues. Notably, the expression of HSPs (HSPD1 and HSPE1) was higher while that of most genes involved in the JAK3-STAT pathway were lower in liver tissue of WZS pigs, compared with LW pigs. This likely not only reduced inflammation-related immune response but also impaired their growth. Our findings demonstrated the role of HSPs in the connection between inflammation and growth rate, while also providing the fundamental genetic selection of the adaptability of WZS pigs.

Dielectric properties of urine in relation to bladder cancer.

Many studies have investigated the dielectric properties of human and animal tissues, particularly to differentiate between normal cells and tumors. However, these studies are invasive as tissue samples have to be excised to measure the properties. This study aims to investigate the dielectric properties of urine in relation to bladder cancer, which is safe and non-invasive to patients. 30 healthy subjects and 30 bladder cancer patients were recruited. Their urine samples were subjected to urinalysis and cytology assessment. A vector network analyzer was used to measure the dielectric constant (Ɛ') and loss factor (Ɛ″) at microwave frequencies of between 0.2 and 50 GHz at 25 °C, 30 °C and 37 °C. Significant differences in Ɛ' and Ɛ″ were observed between healthy subjects and patients, especially at frequencies of between 25 and 40 GHz at 25 °C. Bladder cancer patients had significant lower Ɛ' and higher Ɛ″ compared with healthy subjects. The Ɛ' was negatively correlated with urinary exfoliated urothelial cell number, and Ɛ″ was positively correlated. The study achieved a receiver operating characteristic area under curve (ROC-AUC) score of 0.69099 and an optimum accuracy of 75% with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 70%. The number of exfoliated urothelial cell had significant effect on the dielectric properties, especially in bladder cancer patients. Urinary dielectric properties could potentially be used as a tool to detect bladder cancer.

Diverse WGBS profiles of longissimus dorsi muscle in Hainan black goats and hybrid goats.

BACKGROUND: Goat products have played a crucial role in meeting the dietary demands of people since the Neolithic era, giving rise to a multitude of goat breeds globally with varying characteristics and meat qualities. The primary objective of this study is to pinpoint the pivotal genes and their functions responsible for regulating muscle fiber growth in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) through DNA methylation modifications in Hainan black goats and hybrid goats. METHODS: Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was employed to scrutinize the impact of methylation on LDM growth. This was accomplished by comparing methylation differences, gene expression, and their associations with growth-related traits. RESULTS: In this study, we identified a total of 3,269 genes from differentially methylated regions (DMR), and detected 189 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through RNA-seq analysis. Hypo DMR genes were primarily enriched in KEGG terms associated with muscle development, such as MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. We selected 11 hub genes from the network that intersected the gene sets within DMR and DEGs, and nine genes exhibited significant correlation with one or more of the three LDM growth traits, namely area, height, and weight of loin eye muscle. Particularly, PRKG1 demonstrated a negative correlation with all three traits. The top five most crucial genes played vital roles in muscle fiber growth: FOXO3 safeguarded the myofiber's immune environment, FOXO6 was involved in myotube development and differentiation, and PRKG1 facilitated vasodilatation to release more glucose. This, in turn, accelerated the transfer of glucose from blood vessels to myofibers, regulated by ADCY5 and AKT2, ultimately ensuring glycogen storage and energy provision in muscle fibers. CONCLUSION: This study delved into the diverse methylation modifications affecting critical genes, which collectively contribute to the maintenance of glycogen storage around myofibers, ultimately supporting muscle fiber growth.

Multi-omics analysis reveals substantial linkages between the oral-gut microbiomes and inflamm-aging molecules in elderly pigs.

Introduction: The accelerated aging of the global population has emerged as a critical public health concern, with increasing recognition of the influential role played by the microbiome in shaping host well-being. Nonetheless, there remains a dearth of understanding regarding the functional alterations occurring within the microbiota and their intricate interactions with metabolic pathways across various stages of aging. Methods: This study employed a comprehensive metagenomic analysis encompassing saliva and stool samples obtained from 45 pigs representing three distinct age groups, alongside serum metabolomics and lipidomics profiling. Results: Our findings unveiled discernible modifications in the gut and oral microbiomes, serum metabolome, and lipidome at each age stage. Specifically, we identified 87 microbial species in stool samples and 68 in saliva samples that demonstrated significant age-related changes. Notably, 13 species in stool, including Clostridiales bacterium, Lactobacillus johnsonii, and Oscillibacter spp., exhibited age-dependent alterations, while 15 salivary species, such as Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus sciuri, and Prevotella intermedia, displayed an increase with senescence, accompanied by a notable enrichment of pathogenic organisms. Concomitant with these gut-oral microbiota changes were functional modifications observed in pathways such as cell growth and death (necroptosis), bacterial infection disease, and aging (longevity regulating pathway) throughout the aging process. Moreover, our metabolomics and lipidomics analyses unveiled the accumulation of inflammatory metabolites or the depletion of beneficial metabolites and lipids as aging progressed. Furthermore, we unraveled a complex interplay linking the oral-gut microbiota with serum metabolites and lipids. Discussion: Collectively, our findings illuminate novel insights into the potential contributions of the oral-gut microbiome and systemic circulating metabolites and lipids to host lifespan and healthy aging.

Regulatory functional role of NLRP3 inflammasome during Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection in swine.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes enzootic pneumonia, a highly contagious respiratory disease in swine that causes significant economic losses worldwide. It is unknown whether the nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome regulates the immune response in swine during M. hyopneumoniae infection. The current study utilized an in vivo swine model of M. hyopneumoniae infection to investigate the regulatory functional role of the NLRP3 inflammasome during M. hyopneumoniae infection. Notable histopathological alterations were observed in M. hyopneumoniae-infected swine tissues, which were associated with an inflammatory response and disease progression. Swine M. hyopneumoniae infection was associated with an increase in the expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome, which stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 18, and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß). The impact of the NLRP3 inhibitor, MCC950 on NLRP3 and pro-inflammatory cytokines in M. hyopneumoniae-infected swine was examined to investigate the relationship between the NLRP3 inflammasome and M. hyopneumoniae infection. Taken together, our findings provide strong evidence that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical regulatory functional role in M. hyopneumoniae infection in swine.

Our study highlights the importance of controlling the innate immune defense against respiratory mycoplasma invasion to suppress mycoplasma growth and minimize lung tissue damage. Using an in vivo swine model, we investigated the regulatory functional role of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome during acute Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection. Furthermore, we also found that NLRP3 expression levels have the potential to serve as a novel diagnostic marker for detecting M. hyopneumoniae infection in the respiratory tract of pigs. The NLRP3 inhibitor, MCC950, was used to investigate how NLRP3 inhibition affects the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and it was found that the NLRP3 inhibitor significantly reduced the mRNA and protein expression of NLRP3, indicating its specific targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome during M. hyopneumoniae infection in swine. The findings suggest that MCC950 is a promising therapeutic option for treating NLRP3-related disorders, including porcine enzootic pneumonia.

Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome Expression Profiles Reveals miRNA-326-NKX3.2-Regulated Porcine Chondrocyte Differentiation.

The porcine body length trait is an essential factor affecting meat production and reproductive performance. It is evident that the development/lengthening of individual vertebrae is one of the main reasons for increases in body length; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, RNA-seq analysis was used to profile the transcriptome (lncRNA, mRNA, and miRNA) of the thoracic intervertebral cartilage (TIC) at two time points (1 and 4 months) during vertebral column development in Yorkshire (Y) and Wuzhishan pigs (W). There were four groups: 1- (Y1) and 4-month-old (Y4) Yorkshire pigs and 1- (W1) and 4-month-old (W4) Wuzhishan pigs. In total, 161, 275, 86, and 126 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, 1478, 2643, 404, and 750 DE genes (DEGs), and 74,51, 34, and 23 DE miRNAs (DE miRNAs) were identified in the Y4 vs. Y1, W4 vs. W1, Y4 vs. W4, and Y1 vs. W1 comparisons, respectively. Functional analysis of these DE transcripts (DETs) demonstrated that they had participated in various biological processes, such as cellular component organization or biogenesis, the developmental process, the metabolic process, bone development, and cartilage development. The crucial bone development-related candidate genes NK3 Homeobox 2 (NKX3.2), Wnt ligand secretion mediator (WLS), gremlin 1 (GREM1), fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), hematopoietically expressed homeobox (HHEX), (collagen type XI alpha 1 chain (COL11A1), and Wnt Family Member 16 (WNT16)) were further identified by functional analysis. Moreover, lncRNA, miRNA, and gene interaction networks were constructed; a total of 55 lncRNAs, 6 miRNAs, and 7 genes formed lncRNA-gene, miRNA-gene, and lncRNA-miRNA-gene pairs, respectively. The aim was to demonstrate that coding and non-coding genes may co-regulate porcine spine development through interaction networks. NKX3.2 was identified as being specifically expressed in cartilage tissues, and it delayed chondrocyte differentiation. miRNA-326 regulated chondrocyte differentiation by targeting NKX3.2. The present study provides the first non-coding RNA and gene expression profiles in the porcine TIC, constructs the lncRNA-miRNA-gene interaction networks, and confirms the function of NKX3.2 in vertebral column development. These findings contribute to the understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms regulating pig vertebral column development. They expand our knowledge about the differences in body length between different pig species and provide a foundation for future studies.

Novel Haplotype in the HHEX Gene Promoter Associated with Body Length in Pigs.

The screening of important candidate genes and the identification of genetic markers are important for molecular selection in the pig industry. The hematopoietically expressed homeobox (HHEX) gene plays an important role in embryonic development and organogenesis; however, the genetic variation and expression pattern of the porcine HHEX gene remains to be clarified. In this study, semiquantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry results showed the specific expression of the HHEX gene in porcine cartilage tissues. A novel haplotype consisting of two SNPs rs80901185 (T > C) and rs80934526 (A > G) was detected in the promoter region of the HHEX gene. The expression of the HHEX gene was significantly higher in Yorkshire pigs (TA haplotype) than in Wuzhishan pigs (CG haplotype), and a population analysis showed that this haplotype was significantly associated with body length. An analysis subsequently revealed that the -586 to -1 bp region of the HHEX gene promoter showed the highest activity. Furthermore, we found that the activity of the TA haplotype was significantly higher than that of the CG haplotype by changing the potential binding of transcription factors YY1 and HDAC2. In summary, we conclude that the porcine HHEX gene may contribute to the breeding of pigs for body length traits.

m6A and miRNA jointly regulate the development of breast muscles in duck embryonic stages.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an abundant internal mRNA modification and plays a crucial regulatory role in animal growth and development. In recent years, m6A modification has been found to play a key role in skeletal muscles. However, whether m6A modification contributes to embryonic breast muscle development of Pekin ducks has not been explored. To explore the role of m6A in embryonic breast muscle development of ducks, we performed m6A sequencing and miRNA sequencing for the breast muscle of duck embryos on the 19th (E19) and 27th (E27) days. A total of 12,717 m6A peaks were identified at E19, representing a total of 7,438 gene transcripts. A total of 14,703 m6A peaks were identified, which overlapped with the transcripts of 7,753 genes at E27. Comparing E19 and E27, we identified 2,347 differential m6A peaks, which overlapped with 1,605 m6A-modified genes (MMGs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that MMGs were enriched in multiple muscle- or fat-related pathways, which was also revealed from our analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Conjoint analysis of m6A-seq and RNA-seq data showed that pathways related to ß-oxidation of fatty acids and skeletal muscle development were significantly enriched, suggesting that m6A modification is involved in the regulation of fat deposition and skeletal muscle development. There were 90 upregulated and 102 downregulated miRNAs identified between the E19 and E27 stages. Through overlapping analysis of genes shared by MMGs and DEGs and the targets of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), we identified six m6A-mRNA-regulated miRNAs. Finally, we found that m6A modification can regulate fat deposition and skeletal muscle development. In conclusion, our results suggest that m6A modification is a key regulator for embryonic breast muscle development and fat deposition of ducks by affecting expressions of mRNAs and miRNAs. This is the first study to comprehensively characterize the m6A patterns in the duck transcriptome. These data provide a solid basis for future work aimed at determining the potential functional roles of m6A modification in adipose deposition and muscle growth.

The Application of Sulfonyl Hydrazides in Electrosynthesis: A Review of Recent Studies.

Sulfonyl hydrazides are viewed as alternatives to sulfinic acids and their salts or sulfonyl halides, which are broadly used in organic synthesis or work as active pharmaceutical substances. Generally, sulfonyl hydrazides are considered good building blocks and show powerful value in a diverse range of reactions to construct C-S bonds or C-C bonds, and even C-N bonds as sulfur, carbon, or nitrogen sources, respectively. As a profound synthetic tool, the electrosynthesis method was recently used to achieve efficient and green applications of sulfonyl hydrazides. Interestingly, many unique and novel electrochemical syntheses using sulfonyl hydrazides as radical precursors have been developed, including cascade reactions, functionalization of heterocycles, as well as a continuous flow method combining with electrochemical synthesis since 2017. Accordingly, it is necessary to specifically summarize the recent developments of electrosynthesis with only sulfonyl hydrazides as radical precursors to more deeply understand and better design novel electrochemical synthesis reactions. Herein, electrosynthesis research using sulfonyl hydrazides as radical precursors since 2017 is reviewed in detail based on the chemical structures of products and reaction mechanisms.

A Combined Differential Proteome and Transcriptome Profiling of Fast- and Slow-Twitch Skeletal Muscle in Pigs.

Skeletal muscle fiber types can contribute in part to affecting pork quality parameters. Biceps femoris (Bf) (fast muscle or white muscle) and Soleus (Sol) (slow muscle or red muscle) are two typical skeletal muscles characterized by obvious muscle fiber type differences in pigs. However, the critical proteins and potential regulatory mechanisms regulating porcine skeletal muscle fibers have yet to be clearly defined. In this study, the isobaric Tag for Relative and Absolute Quantification (iTRAQ)-based proteome was used to identify the key proteins affecting the skeletal muscle fiber types with Bf and Sol, by integrating the previous transcriptome data, while function enrichment analysis and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were utilized to explore the potential regulatory mechanisms of skeletal muscle fibers. A total of 126 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between the Bf and Sol were identified, and 12 genes were found to be overlapping between differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DAPs, which are the critical proteins regulating the formation of skeletal muscle fibers. Functional enrichment and PPI analysis showed that the DAPs were mainly involved in the skeletal-muscle-associated structural proteins, mitochondria and energy metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, fatty acid metabolism, and kinase activity, suggesting that PPI networks including DAPs are the main regulatory network affecting muscle fiber formation. Overall, these data provide valuable information for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the formation and conversion of muscle fiber types, and provide potential markers for the evaluation of meat quality.

A parallel-group study of near-infrared spectroscopy-neurofeedback in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) real-time neurofeedback (NF) vs. atomoxetine (AT) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A parallel-group study was conducted to enroll children with ADHD between 8 and 12 years of age. Participants were assigned into the NIRS group and AT group as their wish. Subjects in the NIRS group received 12 sessions of NF training within 6 weeks, and subjects in the AT group were given oral medication. Changes in Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-V rating scales (SNAP-IV), and performance of Go/No-Go and N-back working memory tasks at week 3, 6 and 8 were evaluated. Forty-nine patients completed the study, including 18 ADHD in the NIRS group and 31 in the AT group. Total scores of SNAP-IV significantly decreased from baseline to week 3, week 6, and week 8 in both groups. Patients in the NIRS group showed significant lower scores on the inattention subscale of SNAP-IV at week 3 and week 6, compared to the AT group. NIRS group had a shorter reaction time during the Go/No-Go task at week 6 and fewer errors during 2-back than the AT group at week 3. The findings revealed that NIRS real-time NF is more efficacious relative to AT in improving behavioral performance, highlighting its potential role and advantages in treating patients with ADHD.

Assessment of CircRNA Expression Profiles and Potential Functions in Brown Adipogenesis.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is specialized for energy expenditure, thus a better understanding of the regulators influencing BAT development could provide novel strategies to defense obesity. Many protein-coding genes, miRNAs, and lncRNAs have been investigated in BAT development, however, the expression patterns and functions of circRNA in brown adipogenesis have not been reported yet. This study determined the circRNA expression profiles across brown adipogenesis (proliferation, early differentiated, and fully differentiated stages) by RNA-seq. We identified 3,869 circRNAs and 36.9% of them were novel. We found the biogenesis of circRNA was significantly related to linear mRNA transcription, meanwhile, almost 70% of circRNAs were generated by alternative back-splicing. Next, we examined the cell-specific and differentiation stage-specific expression of circRNAs. Compared to white adipocytes, nearly 30% of them were specifically expressed in brown adipocytes. Further, time-series expression analysis showed circRNAs were dynamically expressed, and 117 differential expression circRNAs (DECs) in brown adipogenesis were identified, with 77 upregulated and 40 downregulated. Experimental validation showed the identified circRNAs could be successfully amplified and the expression levels detected by RNA-seq were reliable. For the potential functions of the circRNAs, GO analysis suggested that the decreased circRNAs were enriched in cell proliferation terms, while the increased circRNAs were enriched in development and thermogenic terms. Bioinformatics predictions showed that DECs contained numerous binding sites of functional miRNAs. More interestingly, most of the circRNAs contained multiple binding sites for the same miRNA, indicating that they may facilitate functions by acting as microRNA sponges. Collectively, we characterized the circRNA expression profiles during brown adipogenesis and provide numerous novel circRNAs candidates for future brown adipogenesis regulating studies.

NIRS-ICA: A MATLAB Toolbox for Independent Component Analysis Applied in fNIRS Studies.

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a multivariate approach that has been widely used in analyzing brain imaging data. In the field of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), its promising effectiveness has been shown in both removing noise and extracting neuronal activity-related sources. The application of ICA remains challenging due to its complexity in usage, and an easy-to-use toolbox dedicated to ICA processing is still lacking in the fNIRS community. In this study, we propose NIRS-ICA, an open-source MATLAB toolbox to ease the difficulty of ICA application for fNIRS studies. NIRS-ICA incorporates commonly used ICA algorithms for source separation, user-friendly GUI, and quantitative evaluation metrics assisting source selection, which facilitate both removing noise and extracting neuronal activity-related sources. The options used in the processing can also be reported easily, which promotes using ICA in a more reproducible way. The proposed toolbox is validated and demonstrated based on both simulative and real fNIRS datasets. We expect the release of the toolbox will extent the application for ICA in the fNIRS community.

Transcriptome-wide study revealed m6A regulation of embryonic muscle development in Dingan goose (Anser cygnoides orientalis).

BACKGROUND: The number of myofiber is determined during the embryonic stage and does not increase during the postnatal period for birds, including goose. Thus, muscle production of adult goose is pre-determined during embryogenesis. Previous studies show N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an important regulator for skeletal muscle development of birds and miRNAs play as a co-regulator for the skeletal muscle development in birds. Herein, we sequenced m6A and miRNA transcriptomes to investigate the profiles of m6A and their potential mechanism of regulating breast muscle development in Dingan Goose. RESULTS: We selected embryonic 21th day (E21) and embryonic 30th day (E30) to investigate the roles of transcriptome-wide m6A modification combining with mRNAs and miRNAs in goose breast muscle development. In this study, m6A peaks were mainly enriched in coding sequence (CDS) and start codon and397 genes were identified as differentially methylated genes (DMGs). GO and KEGG analysis showed that DMGs were highly related to cellular and metabolic process and that most DMGs were enriched in muscle-related pathways including Wnt signaling pathway, mTOR signaling and FoxO signaling pathway. Interestingly, a negative correlation between m6A methylation level and mRNA abundance was found through the analysis of m6A-RNA and RNA-seq data. Besides, we found 26 muscle-related genes in 397 DMGs. We also detected 228 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), and further found 329 genes shared by the target genes of DEMs and DMGs (m6A-miRNA-genes), suggesting a tightly relationship between DEMs and DMGs. Among the m6A-miRNA-genes, we found 10 genes are related to breast muscle development. We further picked out an m6A-miRNA-gene, PDK3, from the 10 genes to visualize it and the result showed differentially methylated peaks on the mRNA transcript consistent with our m6A-seq results. CONCLUSION: GO and KEGG of DMGs between E21 and E30 showed most DMGs were muscle-related. In total, 228 DEMs were found, and the majority of DMGs were overlapped with the targets of DEGs. The differentially methylated peaks along with an m6A-miRNA-gene, PDK3, showed the similar results with m6A-seq results. Taken together, the results presented here provide a reference for further investigation of embryonic skeletal muscle development mechanism in goose.

Transcranial brain atlas-based optimization for functional near-infrared spectroscopy optode arrangement: Theory, algorithm, and application.

The quality of optode arrangement is crucial for group imaging studies when using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Previous studies have demonstrated the promising effectiveness of using transcranial brain atlases (TBAs), in a manual and intuition-based way, to guide optode arrangement when individual structural MRI data are unavailable. However, the theoretical basis of using TBA to optimize optode arrangement remains unclear, which leads to manual and subjective application. In this study, we first describe the theoretical basis of TBA-based optimization of optode arrangement using a mathematical framework. Second, based on the theoretical basis, an algorithm is proposed for automatically arranging optodes on a virtual scalp. The resultant montage is placed onto the head of each participant guided by a low-cost and portable navigation system. We compared our method with the widely used 10/20-system-assisted optode arrangement procedure, using finger-tapping and working memory tasks as examples of both low- and high-level cognitive systems. Performance, including optode montage designs, locations on each participant's scalp, brain activation, as well as ground truth indices derived from individual MRI data were evaluated. The results give convergent support for our method's ability to provide more accurate, consistent and efficient optode arrangements for fNIRS group imaging than the 10/20 method.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the genetic basis of skeletal muscle glycolytic potential based on a pig model.

Glycolytic potential (GP) calculated based on glucose, glycogen, glucose-6-phosphate, and lactate contents is a critical factor for multiple meat quality characteristics. However, the genetic basis of glycolytic metabolism is still unclear. In this study, we constructed six RNA-Seq libraries using longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles from pigs divergent for GP phenotypic values and generated the whole genome-wide gene expression profiles. Furthermore, we identified 25,880 known and 220 novel genes from these skeletal muscle libraries, and 222 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the higher and lower GP groups. Notably, we found that the Lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) and Fructose-2, 6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) expression levels were higher in the higher GP group than the lower GP group, and positively correlated with GP and lactic acid (LA), and reversely correlated with pH value at 45 min postmortem (pH45min). Besides, LDHB and PFKFB3 expression were positively correlated with drip loss measured at 48 h postmortem (DL48h) and drip loss measured at 24 h postmortem (DL24h). Collectively, we identified a serial of DEGs as the potential key candidate genes affecting GP and found that LDHB and PFKFB3 are closely related to GP and GP-related traits. Our results lay a solid basis for in-depth studies of the regulatory mechanisms on GP and GP-related traits in pigs.

Dyad sex composition effect on inter-brain synchronization in face-to-face cooperation.

Human cooperation behavior based on reciprocal altruism has been a hallmark of ancient and modern societies. Prior studies have indicated that inter-brain synchronization (IBS) between partners could exist during cooperation. However, how the sex composition of dyads influences the neural synchronization is still poorly understood. Here, we adopted functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) based hyperscanning and a task of building blocks to investigate the sex composition effect on IBS in face-to-face cooperation in a natural situation, by evaluating brain-to-brain interactions of forty-five same-sex and mixed-sex dyads. Results showed significantly stronger inter-brain synchronization in Brodmann area 10 (BA10) in cooperation. In addition, variance analysis indicated that only male-male dyads showed increased inter-brain synchronization in left inferior frontal region (i.e., BA10) specific to cooperation. More importantly, the inter-brain synchronization in male-male dyads was significantly greater than that in male-female and female-female dyads. These findings provide support for the impact of sex composition on social cooperation in a naturalistic interactive setting and extend our knowledge on the neural basis of face-to-face cooperation.

Genotyping and zoonotic potential of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cattle farmed in Hainan Province, the southernmost region of China.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an intestinal pathogen that infects a wide range of species, including humans. Cattle constitute an important host for E. bieneusi; however, there is a scarcity of information on the prevalence and genotyping of E. bieneusi in cattle in the Hainan Province of China. In this study, PCR analysis of 314 fecal samples from cattle in six cities of Hainan was performed for genotype identification. The average prevalence of E. bieneusi in these animals was 9.9% (31/314), and ranged from 0.0% (0/12) to 20.5% (8/39). Five known genotypes - EbpC (n = 14), BEB4 (n = 12), J (n = 2), I (n = 1), and CHG5 (n = 1) - and a novel genotype: HNC-I (n = 1) - were identified. Genotypes EbpC and HNC-I were placed in zoonotic Group 1, and the remaining four genotypes (BEB4, J, I, and CHG5) were placed in Group 2. Since 93.5% of the genotypes found in the cattle (29/31) (EbpC, BEB4, J, and I) have previously been found in humans, these genotypes are probably involved in the transmission of microsporidiosis to humans.

TITLE: Génotypage et potentiel zoonotique d'Enterocytozoon bieneusi chez les bovins élevés dans la province de Hainan, la région la plus au sud de la Chine. ABSTRACT: Enterocytozoon bieneusi est un pathogène intestinal qui infecte un large éventail d'espèces, y compris les humains. Le bétail constitue un hôte important pour E. bieneusi, mais les informations sur la prévalence et le génotypage d'E. bieneusi chez les bovins de la province de Hainan en Chine sont rares. Dans cette étude, une analyse PCR de 314 échantillons fécaux provenant de bovins dans six villes de Hainan a été réalisée pour l'identification du génotype. La prévalence moyenne d'E. bieneusi chez ces animaux était de 9,9 % (31/314), et variait de 0,0 % (0/12) à 20,5 % (8/39). Cinq génotypes connus, EbpC (n = 14), BEB4 (n = 12), J (n = 2), I (n = 1) et CHG5 (n = 1), et un nouveau génotype, HNC-I (n = 1), ont été identifiés. Les génotypes EbpC et HNC-I sont placés dans le groupe zoonotique 1, et les quatre génotypes restants (BEB4, J, I et CHG5) sont placés dans le groupe 2. Puisque 93,5 % (29/31) (EbpC, BEB4, J et I) des génotypes trouvés chez les bovins ont déjà été trouvés chez l'homme, ces génotypes sont probablement impliqués dans la transmission de la microsporidiose à l'homme.

Genome-Wide Characterization and Comparative Analyses of Simple Sequence Repeats among Four Miniature Pig Breeds.

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are commonly used as molecular markers in research on genetic diversity and discrimination among taxa or breeds because polymorphisms in these regions contribute to gene function and phenotypically important traits. In this study, we investigated genome-wide characteristics, repeat units, and polymorphisms of SSRs using sequencing data from SSR-enriched libraries created from Wuzhishan (WZS), Bama (BM), inbred Luchuan (LC) and Zangxiang (ZX) miniature pig breeds. The numbers and types of SSRs, distributions of repeat units and polymorphic SSRs varied among the four breeds. Compared to the Duroc pig reference genome, 2518 polymorphic SSRs were unique and common to all four breeds and functional annotation revealed that they may affect the coding and regulatory regions of genes. Several examples, such as FGF23, MYF6, IGF1R, and LEPROT, are associated with growth and development in pigs. Three of the polymorphic SSRs were selected to confirm the polymorphism and the corresponding alleles through fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and capillary electrophoresis. Together, this study provides useful insights into the discovery, characteristics and distribution of SSRs in four pig breeds. The polymorphic SSRs, especially those common and unique to all four pig breeds, might affect associated genes and play important roles in growth and development.

Genetic characteristics of Jiaji Duck by whole genome re-sequencing.

Jiaji Duck (JJ) is a Muscovy duck species that possesses many superior characteristics, and it has become an important genetic resource in China. However, to date, its genetic characteristics and genetic relationship with other duck breeds have not been explored yet, which greatly limits the utilization of JJ. In the present study, we investigated the genome sequences of 15 individual ducks representing five different duck populations, including JJ, French Muscovy duck (FF), mallard (YD), hong duck (HD) and Beijing duck (BD). Moreover, we investigated the characteristics of JJ-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and compared the genome sequences of JJ vs. YD and JJ vs. BD using integrated strategies, including mutation detection, selective screening, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. More than 40 Gb of clean data were obtained for each population (mean coverage of 13.46 Gb per individual). A total number of 22,481,367 SNPs and 4,156,829 small insertion-deletions (Indels) were identified for the five duck populations, which could be used as molecular markers in breeding and utilization of JJ. Moreover, we identified 1,447,932 JJ-specific SNPs, and found that genes covering at least one JJ-specific SNP mainly involved in protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, as well as DNA modification. Phylogenetic tree and principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that the genetic relationship of JJ was closest to FF, while it was farthest to BD. A total of 120 and 111 genes were identified as positive selection genes for JJ vs. BD and JJ vs. YD, respectively. GO and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that the positive selection genes for JJ vs. BD ducks mainly involved in pigmentation, muscle contraction and stretch, gland secretion, and immunology, while the positive selection genes obtained from JJ vs. YD ducks mainly involved in embryo development, muscle contraction and stretch, and gland secretion. Taken together, our findings enabled us to better understand the characteristics of JJ and provided a molecular basis for the breeding and hybrid utilization of JJ in the future.