Elucidating the Role of circTIAM1 in Guangling Large-Tailed Sheep Adipocyte Proliferation and Differentiation via the miR-485-3p/PLCB1 Pathway.

Fat tissue-a vital energy storage organ-is intricately regulated by various factors, including circular RNA, which plays a significant role in modulating fat development and lipid metabolism. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the regulatory mechanism of sheep adipocyte proliferation and differentiation by investigating the involvement of circTIAM1, miR-485-3p, and its target gene PLCB1. Through previous sequencing data, circTIAM1 was identified in sheep adipocytes, with its circularization mechanism elucidated, confirming its cytoplasmic localization. Experimental evidence from RNase R treatment and transcription inhibitors highlighted that circTIAM1 is more stable than linear RNA. Additionally, circTIAM1 promoted sheep adipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, bioinformatic analysis demonstrated a robust interaction between miR-485-3p and circTIAM1. Further experiments revealed that miR-485-3p inhibits fat cell proliferation and differentiation by inhibiting PLCB1, with circTIAM1 alleviating the inhibitory effect via competitive binding. In summary, our findings elucidate the mechanism through which circTIAM1 regulates Guangling Large-Tailed sheep adipocyte proliferation and differentiation via the miR-485-3p-PLCB1 pathway, offering a novel perspective for further exploring fat metabolism regulation.

circITGB1 Regulates Adipocyte Proliferation and Differentiation via the miR-23a/ARRB1 Pathway.

Adipose tissues represent an important energy storage organ in animals and are the largest endocrine organ. It plays an important regulatory role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Adipose development is a complex biological process involving multiple key genes, signaling pathways, and non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs and circular RNAs. In this study, we characterized circITGB1 and named its host gene ITGB1, which is differentially expressed in sheep of different months based on sequencing data. We collated and analyzed the sequencing data to select miRNA-23a with strong binding to ARRB1. We found that miRNA-23a regulates the development and differentiation of sheep adipocytes by targeting ARRB1. As a competing endogenous RNA, circITGB1 overexpression effectively alleviated the inhibitory effect of miR-23a on ARRB1. Conclusively, we provide evidence that circITGB1 regulates the proliferation and differentiation of sheep adipocytes via the miR-23a/ARRB1 pathway. This study provides a scientific basis for further studies on adipose tissue development at the circRNA level.

miR-136 Regulates the Proliferation and Adipogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fractions by Targeting HSD17B12.

Fat deposition involves the continuous differentiation of adipocytes and lipid accumulation. Studies have shown that microRNA miR-136 and 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 12 (HSD17B12) play important roles in lipid accumulation. However, the regulatory mechanism through which miR-136 targets HSD17B12 during ovine adipogenesis remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-136 and HSD17B12 in adipogenesis and their relationship in ovine adipose-derived stromal vascular fractions (SVFs). The target relationship between miR-136 and HSD17B12 was predicted and confirmed using bioinformatics and a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The results showed that miR-136 promoted proliferation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs. We also found that HSD17B12 inhibited proliferation and promoted adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs. Collectively, our results indicate that miR-136 facilitates proliferation and attenuates adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs by targeting HSD17B12. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms of lipid deposition in sheep.

circINSR Inhibits Adipogenic Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fractions through the miR-152/MEOX2 Axis in Sheep.

Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in energy metabolism. Several studies have shown that circular RNA (circRNA) is involved in the regulation of fat development and lipid metabolism. However, little is known about their involvement in the adipogenic differentiation of ovine stromal vascular fractions (SVFs). Here, based on previous sequencing data and bioinformatics analysis, a novel circINSR was identified in sheep, which acts as a sponge to promote miR-152 in inhibiting the adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs. The interactions between circINSR and miR-152 were examined using bioinformatics, luciferase assays, and RNA immunoprecipitation. Of note, we found that circINSR was involved in adipogenic differentiation via the miR-152/mesenchyme homeobox 2 (MEOX2) pathway. MEOX2 inhibited adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs and miR-152 inhibited the expression of MEOX2. In other words, circINSR directly isolates miR-152 in the cytoplasm and inhibits its ability to promote adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs. In summary, this study revealed the role of circINSR in the adipogenic differentiation of ovine SVFs and its regulatory mechanisms, providing a reference for further interpretation of the development of ovine fat and its regulatory mechanisms.

Effects of 17α-Methyltestosterone on the Transcriptome and Sex Hormones in the Brain of Gobiocypris rarus.

17α-Methyltestosterone (MT), a synthetic environmental endocrine disruptor with androgenic effects, has been shown to disrupt the reproductive system and inhibit germ cell maturation in Gobiocypris rarus. To further investigate the regulation of gonadal development by MT through the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, G. rarus were exposed to 0, 25, 50, and 100 ng/L of MT for 7, 14, and 21 days. We analyzed its biological indicators, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), gonadotropins, reproduction-related gene expression, and brain tissue transcriptome profiles. We found a significant decrease in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) in G. rarus males exposed to MT for 21 days compared to the control group. GnRH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, as well as the expressions of the gnrh3, gnrhr1, gnrhr3, fshß, and cyp19a1b genes, were significantly reduced in the brains of both male and female fish when exposed to 100 ng/L MT for 14 days compared to the controls. Therefore, we further constructed four RNA-seq libraries from 100 ng/L MT-treated groups of male and female fish, obtaining 2412 and 2509 DEGs in male and female brain tissue, respectively. Three common pathways were observed to be affected in both sexes after exposure to MT, namely, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, focal adhesion, and cell adhesion molecules. Furthermore, we found that MT affected the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway through the upregulation of foxo3 and ccnd2, and the downregulation of pik3c3 and ccnd1. Therefore, we hypothesize that MT interferes with the levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, FSH, and LH) in G. rarus brains through the PI3K/Akt/FoxO3a signaling pathway, and affects the expression of key genes in the hormone production pathway (gnrh3, gnrhr1 and cyp19a1b) to interfere with the stability of the HPG axis, thus leading to abnormal gonadal development. This study provides a multidimensional perspective on the damaging effects of MT on fish and confirms that G. rarus is a suitable model animal for aquatic toxicology.

Prevalence and treatment of high cardiovascular disease risk in Inner Mongolia, China.

Early identification of individuals with high risk is crucial to preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to determine the prevalence of high CVD risk in Inner Mongolia and to analyze the treatment of major risk factors among individuals with high CVD risk. We selected 70,380 participants aged 35-75 years in Inner Mongolia between 2015 and 2017 using multistage stratified sampling. All participants completed a questionnaire and their blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels, height, weight and waist circumference were measured. Participants without a history of CVD were defined as high CVD risk if the predicted 10-year risk for CVD exceeded 10%. We assessed rates of high CVD risk and the prevalence and treatment of major risk factors among individuals with high CVD risk. After excluding participants with previous CVD, 68,083 participants remained. The overall prevalence of high CVD risk was 24.96%. The age- and sex-standardized rate of high CVD risk was 22.92%. Among high-risk participants, the prevalence of risk factors was hypertension (91.9%), dyslipidemia (54.1%), obesity (34.6%), diabetes (27.6%), and smoking (24.5%); clustering of these risk factors was common. The percentage of high-risk individuals taking antihypertensive drugs was 45.94% in those with hypertension; 27.99% of those with diabetes took hypoglycemic drugs and only 5.01% of those with dyslipidemia took lipid-lowering drugs. Control rates of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia were 1.20%, 4.43%, and 2.78%, respectively. Therefore, the prevalence of high CVD risk was elevated in Inner Mongolia, and treatment and control rates were low.

Efficient weighting methods for genomic best linear-unbiased prediction (BLUP) adapted to the genetic architectures of quantitative traits.

Genomic best linear-unbiased prediction (GBLUP) assumes equal variance for all marker effects, which is suitable for traits that conform to the infinitesimal model. For traits controlled by major genes, Bayesian methods with shrinkage priors or genome-wide association study (GWAS) methods can be used to identify causal variants effectively. The information from Bayesian/GWAS methods can be used to construct the weighted genomic relationship matrix (G). However, it remains unclear which methods perform best for traits varying in genetic architecture. Therefore, we developed several methods to optimize the performance of weighted GBLUP and compare them with other available methods using simulated and real data sets. First, two types of methods (marker effects with local shrinkage or normal prior) were used to obtain test statistics and estimates for each marker effect. Second, three weighted G matrices were constructed based on the marker information from the first step: (1) the genomic-feature-weighted G, (2) the estimated marker-variance-weighted G, and (3) the absolute value of the estimated marker-effect-weighted G. Following the above process, six different weighted GBLUP methods (local shrinkage/normal-prior GF/EV/AEWGBLUP) were proposed for genomic prediction. Analyses with both simulated and real data demonstrated that these options offer flexibility for optimizing the weighted GBLUP for traits with a broad spectrum of genetic architectures. The advantage of weighting methods over GBLUP in terms of accuracy was trait dependant, ranging from 14.8% to marginal for simulated traits and from 44% to marginal for real traits. Local-shrinkage prior EVWGBLUP is superior for traits mainly controlled by loci of a large effect. Normal-prior AEWGBLUP performs well for traits mainly controlled by loci of moderate effect. For traits controlled by some loci with large effects (explain 25-50% genetic variance) and a range of loci with small effects, GFWGBLUP has advantages. In conclusion, the optimal weighted GBLUP method for genomic selection should take both the genetic architecture and number of QTLs of traits into consideration carefully.

Evaluating the treatment and control of modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors among patients with diabetes in the Inner Mongolia, China: A cross-sectional study.

Reducing the risk of diabetes has been a great public health challenge in China. In this study, we aimed to estimate the treatment and control of FPG (fasting blood plasma glucose) as well as the other main modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in patients with diabetes and to identify those characteristics associated with the treatment and control of diabetes, hypertension, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Between 2015 and 2017, participants aged 35 to 75 years from Inner Mongolia in northern China were recruited. A total 13,644 participants with diabetes were enrolled in this study. We calculated rates and 95% confidence intervals for treatment and control of FPG, blood pressure, and LDL-C. We performed multivariate logistic regression to identify characteristics associated with the treatment and control of diabetes as well as hypertension and LDL-C. Overall, the treatment rates of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 30.76%, 50.75%, and 9.17%, respectively. Control rates of FPG, blood pressure, and LDL-C were 4.73%, 4.86%, and 57.83%, respectively. Patients who were younger, Mongol ethnicity and rural residents were less likely to be treated and controlled for diabetes and hypertension. Patients insured by NCMS (new rural cooperative medical scheme) were less likely to be treated and achieve the treatment target of blood pressure. Patients having prior CVD were more likely to be treated and have controlled FPG and blood pressure. Substantial efforts are urgently needed to improve the treatment and control of these modifiable CVD risk factors among patients with diabetes in Inner Mongolia.

Prevalence of dyslipidemia and associated risk factors among adults aged ≥35 years in northern China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence has increased continuously over the last 30 years in China. Dyslipidemia is an important modifiable risk factor in CVD. We aimed to collect current data on the prevalence of dyslipidemia in northern China and explore potential influencing factors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we selected a representative sample of 65,128 participants aged ≥35 years in Inner Mongolia during 2015-2017. All participants completed a questionnaire and were examined for risk factors. Dyslipidemia was defined according to 2016 Chinese guidelines for adults. The associated factors for dyslipidemia were estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The age-standardized prevalence of dyslipidemia was 31.2% overall, with 4.3, 2.4, 14.7, and 17.4% for high total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. The dyslipidemia prevalence was significantly higher in men than women (37.9% vs. 27.5%, P < 0.001), but postmenopausal women had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia components (except low HDL-C). Compared with Han participants, Mongol participants had a lower prevalence of dyslipidemia (29.1% vs. 31.4%, P < 0.001). Male sex, living in urban areas, Han ethnicity, smoking, obesity, central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes were all positively correlated with dyslipidemia; alcohol consumption was linked to lower risk of dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that dyslipidemia is a health problem in northern China. Greater efforts to prevent and manage dyslipidemia, especially in men under age 55 years, postmenopausal women, and people with unhealthy lifestyles or chronic diseases.

Incidence and mortality of corpus uteri cancer in China, 2008-2012.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and mortality rates of corpus uteri cancer in China using 2008-2012 data from the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR) of China. METHODS: We analyzed 2008-2012 data from 135 cancer registries using NCCR screening methods and criteria. The Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi's world population were applied to determine age-standardized incidence and mortality rates. The annual percentage change (APC) in rate was calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. RESULTS: The crude incidence of corpus uteri cancer was 9.58/100,000, making corpus uteri cancer the ninth most common malignancy in females. The crude mortality was 2.97/100,000, making corpus uteri cancer the 13th leading cause of death from malignant tumors in females. The incidence was higher in urban than in rural areas, but the mortality was higher in rural than in urban areas. The crude incidence was higher in eastern areas than in middle and western areas, while the crude mortality was higher in middle areas than in eastern and western areas. During 2003-2012, the age-standardized incidence rate based on the Chinese standard population in 2000 (ASIRC) with uterine cancer increased significantly by 3.0% annually, while the age-standardized mortality rate based on the Chinese standard population in 2000 (ASMRC) decreased by 0.4% annually, but the decrease was not statistically significant. The APC in incidence rate in the age groups of 30-44 years was 4.2%, which was statistically significant; increases/decreases in other age groups were not statistically significant. From 2003 to 2004, the age groups of 60-74 years showed high incidence, while from 2005 to 2012, the age groups of 45-59 years had high incidence. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and mortality rates of corpus uteri cancer in China from 2008 to 2012 were relatively low compared with other countries. However, the significant increase in incidence rates and marked decrease in patient age suggest the need to strengthen China's efforts toward prevention and control of corpus uteri cancer.

Transcriptome analysis of adipose tissues from two fat-tailed sheep breeds reveals key genes involved in fat deposition.

BACKGROUND: The level of fat deposition in carcass is a crucial factor influencing meat quality. Guangling Large-Tailed (GLT) and Small-Tailed Han (STH) sheep are important local Chinese fat-tailed breeds that show distinct patterns of fat depots. To gain a better understanding of fat deposition, transcriptome profiles were determined by RNA-sequencing of perirenal, subcutaneous, and tail fat tissues from both the sheep breeds. The common highly expressed genes (co-genes) in all the six tissues, and the genes that were differentially expressed (DE genes) between these two breeds in the corresponding tissues were analyzed. RESULTS: Approximately 47 million clean reads were obtained for each sample, and a total of 17,267 genes were annotated. Of the 47 highly expressed co-genes, FABP4, ADIPOQ, FABP5, and CD36 were the four most highly transcribed genes among all the known genes related to adipose deposition. FHC, FHC-pseudogene, and ZC3H10 were also highly expressed genes and could, thus, have roles in fat deposition. A total of 2091, 4233, and 4131 DE genes were identified in the perirenal, subcutaneous, and tail fat tissues between the GLT and STH breeds, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that some DE genes were associated with adipose metabolism. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that PPAR signaling pathway and ECM-receptor interaction were specifically enriched. Four genes, namely LOC101102230, PLTP, C1QTNF7, and OLR1 were up-regulated and two genes, SCD and UCP-1, were down-regulated in all the tested tissues of STH. Among the genes involved in ECM-receptor interaction, the genes encoding collagens, laminins, and integrins were quite different depending on the depots or the breeds. In STH, genes such as LAMB3, RELN, TNXB, and ITGA8, were identified to be up regulated and LAMB4 was observed to be down regulated. CONCLUSIONS: This study unravels the complex transcriptome profiles in sheep fat tissues, highlighting the candidate genes involved in fat deposition. Further studies are needed to investigate the roles of the candidate genes in fat deposition and in determining the meat quality of sheep.

miR-124-3p affects the formation of intramuscular fat through alterations in branched chain amino acid consumption in sheep.

Intramuscular fat is used to determine meat quality in animals; however, factors affecting branched chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism, which fuels adipogenesis and lipogenesis, remain unclear. To better understand the post-transcriptional influence on BCAA catabolism during adipogenesis, we investigated the role of miR-124-3p. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells were isolated from skeletal muscle of sheep, and induced to differentiate. We determined the roles of miR-124-3p and its predicted target, branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase E1, alpha polypeptide (BCKDHA), in adipogenic differentiation and lipogenesis of SVFs after overexpressing or inhibiting miR-124-3p or BCKDHA, respectively. miR-124-3p altered the luciferase activity of constructs containing 3'-UTR of BCKDHA and the formation of lipid droplets, along with the adipogenic markers and BCAA consumption. Besides, the adipogenic performance and BCAA consumption in BCKDHA-overexpressing or knocked-down SVFs and the expression of adipogenic marker genes were altered. We demonstrate that miR-124-3p is an important factor for adipogenesis and provide insights into the formation of intramuscular fat in animals.

mRNA Expression of Ovine Angiopoietin-like Protein 4 Gene in Adipose Tissues.

Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) is involved in a variety of functions, including lipoprotein metabolism and angiogenesis. To reveal the role of ANGPTL4 in fat metabolism of sheep, ovine ANGPTL4 mRNA expression was analyzed in seven adipose tissues from two breeds with distinct tail types. Forty-eight animals with the gender ratio of 1:1 for both Guangling Large Tailed (GLT) and Small Tailed Han (STH) sheep were slaughtered at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months of age, respectively. Adipose tissues were collected from greater and lesser omental, subcutaneous, retroperitoneal, perirenal, mesenteric, and tail fats. Ontogenetic mRNA expression of ANGPTL4 in these adipose tissues from GTL and STH was studied by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that ANGPTL4 mRNA expressed in all adipose tissues studied with the highest in subcutaneous and the lowest in mesenteric fat depots. Months of age, tissue and breed are the main factors that significantly influence the mRNA expression. These results provide new insights into ovine ANGPTL4 gene expression and clues for its function mechanism.

Ontogenetic Expression of Lpin2 and Lpin3 Genes and Their Associations with Traits in Two Breeds of Chinese Fat-tailed Sheep.

Lipins play dual function in lipid metabolism by serving as phosphatidate phosphatase and transcriptional co-regulators of gene expression. Mammalian lipin proteins consist of lipin1, lipin2, and lipin3 and are encoded by their respective genes Lpin1, Lpin2, and Lpin3. To date, most studies are concerned with Lpin1, only a few have addressed Lpin2 and Lpin3. Ontogenetic expression of Lpin2 and Lpin3 and their associations with traits would help to explore their molecular and physiological functions in sheep. In this study, 48 animals with an equal number of males and females each for both breeds of fat-tailed sheep such as Guangling Large Tailed (GLT) and Small Tailed Han (STH) were chosen to evaluate the ontogenetic expression of Lpin2 and Lpin3 from eight different tissues and months of age by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Associations between gene expression and slaughter and tail traits were also analyzed. The results showed that Lpin2 mRNA was highly expressed in perirenal and tail fats, and was also substantially expressed in liver, kidney, reproductive organs (testis and ovary), with the lowest levels in small intestine and femoral biceps. Lpin3 mRNA was prominently expressed in liver and small intestine, and was also expressed at high levels in kidney, perirenal and tail fats as well as reproductive organs (testis and ovary), with the lowest level in femoral biceps. Global expression of Lpin2 and Lpin3 in GLT both were significantly higher than those in STH. Spatiotemporal expression showed that the highest levels of Lpin2 expression occurred at 10 months of age in two breeds of sheep, with the lowest expression at 2 months of age in STH and at 8 months of age in GLT. The greatest levels of Lpin3 expression occurred at 4 months of age in STH and at 10 months of age in GLT, with the lowest expression at 12 months of age in STH and at 8 months of age in GLT. Breed and age significantly influenced the tissue expression patterns of Lpin2 and Lpin3, respectively, and sex significantly influenced the spatiotemporal expression patterns of Lpin3. Meanwhile, Lpin2 and Lpin3 mRNA expression both showed significant correlations with slaughter and tail traits, and the associations appear to be related with the ontogenetic expression as well as the potential functions of lipin2 and lipin3 in sheep.

Higher disease burden and lower utilization in mongolian with breast cancer: a 9-year retrospective cohort study of 18.19 million adults in China.

BACKGROUND: Whether health inequalities of disease burden and medical utilization exist by ethnicity in Asian breast cancer (BC) patients remains unclear. We aim to measure ethnic disparities in disease burden and utilization among Mongolian and Han female breast cancer patients in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on data extracted from Inner Mongolia Regional Health Information Platform, a retrospective cohort study was established during 2012-2021. Disease burden including incidence, 5-year prevalence, mortality, survival rate, and medical cost were analyzed and compared between Han and Mongolian patients. RESULTS: A total of 34,878 female patients (mean [SD] age, 52.34 [10.93] years) were included among 18.19 million Chinese, and 4,315 [12.03%] participants were Mongolian. Age-standardized rates of incidence are 32.68 (95% CI: 20.39-44.98) per 100,000. Higher age-specific incidence and 5-year prevalence were observed in Mongolian than in Han. The cost of breast cancer annually per capita was significantly lower for Mongolian than Han in FBC ($1,948.43 [590.11-4 776.42] vs. $2,227.35 [686.65-5,929.59], P<0.001). Mongolian females showed higher all-cause mortality (30.92, [95% CI: 28.15-33.89] vs. 27.78, [95% CI: 26.77-28.83] per 1,000, P=0.036) and breast cancer-specific mortality (18.78, [95% CI: 16.64-21.13] vs. 15.22, [95% CI: 14.47-16.00] per 1,000, P=0.002) than Han females. After adjusting covariates, Mongolian were associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR, 1.21, [95% CI, 1.09-1.34]; P<0.001) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HR, 1.31, [95% CI, 1.14-1.49]; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this cohort study highlight a higher level of disease burden with unmet medical demand in Mongolian patients, suggesting that more practical efforts should be made for the minority. Further research is needed to explore the concrete mechanisms of the disparities as well as eliminate health disproportion.

Overexpression of the QKI Gene Promotes Differentiation of Goat Myoblasts into Myotubes.

The QKI genes encode RNA-binding proteins regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The Goat QKI has six isoforms, but their roles in myogenesis are unclear. In this study, the six isoforms of the QKI gene were overexpressed in goat myoblast. Immunofluorescence, qPCR and Western blot were used to evaluate the effect of QKI on the differentiation of goat myoblast. An RNA-Seq was performed on the cells with the gain of the function from the major isoforms to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The results show that six isoforms had different degrees of deletion in exons 6 and 7, and caused the appearance of different types of encoded amino acids. The expression levels of the QKI-1 and QKI-5 groups were upregulated in the biceps femoris and latissimus dorsi muscle tissues compared with those of the QKI-4, QKI-7, QKI-3 and QKI-6 groups. After 6 d of myoblast differentiation, QKI-5 and the myogenic differentiators MyoG, MyoD, and MyHC were upregulated. Compared to the negative control group, QKI promoted myotube differentiation and the myoblasts overexpressing QKI-5 formed large, abundant myotubes. In summary, we identified that the overexpression of the QKI gene promotes goat-myoblast differentiation and that QKI-5 is the major isoform, with a key role. The RNA-Seq screened 76 upregulated and 123 downregulated DEGs between the negative control and the QKI-5-overexpressing goat myoblasts after d 6 of differentiation. The GO and KEGG analyses associated the downregulated DEGs with muscle-related biological functions. Only the pathways related to muscle growth and development were enriched. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the regulatory mechanism of QKI in skeletal-muscle development in goats.

Primary malignant bone tumors incidence, mortality, and trends in China from 2000 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant bone tumors are uncommon, and their epidemiological features are rarely reported. We aimed to study the incidence and death characteristics of bone tumors from 2000 to 2015. METHODS: Population-based cancer registries submitted registry data to National Central Cancer Registry of China (NCCRC). The data collected from 501 local cancer registries in China were assessed using NCCRC screening methods and criteria. Incidence and mortality rates of primary bone tumor were stratified by age group, gender, and area. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were adjusted using the Chinese standard population in 2000 and Segi's world population. The annual percentage change (APC) in rate was calculated using the Joinpoint Regression Program. RESULTS: Data from 368 registries met quality control criteria, of which 134 and 234 were from urban and rural areas, respectively. The data covered 309,553,499 persons. The crude incidence, age-standardized incidence, and crude mortality rates were 1.77, 1.35, and 1.31 per 100,000, respectively. Incidence and mortality rates were higher in males than those in females; they showed downward trends, with declines of 2.2% and 4.8% per year, respectively, and the rates in urban areas were lower than those in rural areas. Significant declining trends were observed in urban areas. Stable trends were seen in rural areas during 2000 to 2007, followed by downward trends. Age-specific incidence and mortality rates showed stable trends in the age group of 0 to 19 years, and downward trends in the age group elder than 19 years. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and mortality rates of primary malignant bone tumors in rural areas were higher compared to those in urban areas. Targeted prevention measures are required to monitor and control bone tumor incidence and improve the quality of life of affected patients. This research can provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of bone tumors, as well as basic information for follow-up research.

Four Markers Useful for the Distinction of Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Sheep.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a common perinatal complication in animal reproduction, with long-lasting negative effects on neonates and postnatal animals, which seriously negatively affects livestock production. In this study, we aimed to identify potential genes associated with the diagnosis of IUGR through bioinformatics analysis. Based on the 73 differentially expressed related genes obtained by differential analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we used three machine learning algorithms to identify 4 IUGR-related hub genes (IUGR-HGs), namely, ADAM9, CRYL1, NDP52, and SERPINA7, whose ROC curves showed that they are a good diagnostic target for IUGR. Next, we identified two molecular subtypes of IUGR through consensus clustering analysis and constructed a gene scoring system based on the IUGR-HGs. The results showed that the IUGR score was positively correlated with the risk of IUGR. The AUC value of IUGR scoring accuracy was 0.970. Finally, we constructed a new artificial neural network model based on the four IUGR-HGs to diagnose sheep IUGR, and its accuracy reached 0.956. In conclusion, the IUGR-HGs we identified provide new potential molecular markers and models for the diagnosis of IUGR in sheep; they can better diagnose whether sheep have IUGR. The present findings provide new perspectives on the diagnosis of IUGR.

Integrated database-based Screening Cohort for Asian Nomadic descendants in China (Scan-China): Insights on prospective ethnicity-focused cancer screening.

Established in 2017, the Screening Cohort for Asian Nomadic descendants in China (Scan-China) has benefited over 180,000 members of a multi-ethnic population, particularly individuals of Mongolian descent compared with the general population (Han ethnicity), in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. This cohort study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of cancer screening and serve as a real-world data platform for cancer studies. The 6 most prevalent cancers in China are considered-namely, breast, lung, colorectal, gastric, liver and esophageal cancer. After baseline cancer risk assessments and screening tests, both active and passive follow-up (based on the healthcare insurance database, cancer registry, the front page of hospital medical records, and death certificates) will be conducted to trace participants' onset and progression of cancers and other prevalent chronic diseases. Scan-China has preliminarily found a disproportionately lower screening participation rate and higher incidence/mortality rates of esophageal and breast cancer among the Mongolian population than among their Han counterparts. Further research will explore the cancer burden, natural history, treatment patterns, and risk factors of the target cancers.

Full-Length Transcriptome and Gene Expression Analysis of Different Ovis aries Adipose Tissues Reveals Transcript Variants Involved in Lipid Biosynthesis.

Sheep have historically been bred globally as a vital food source. To explore the transcriptome of adipose tissue and investigate key genes regulating adipose metabolism in sheep, adipose tissue samples were obtained from F1 Dorper × Hu sheep. High-throughput sequencing libraries for second- and third-generation sequencing were constructed using extracted total RNA. Functional annotation of differentially expressed genes and isoforms facilitated the identification of key regulatory genes and isoforms associated with sheep fat metabolism. SMRT-seq generated 919,259 high-accuracy cDNA sequences after filtering. Full-length sequences were corrected using RNA-seq sequences, and 699,680 high-quality full-length non-chimeric (FLNC) reads were obtained. Upon evaluating the ratio of total lengths based on FLNC sequencing, it was determined that 36,909 out of 56,316 multiple-exon isoforms met the criteria for full-length status. This indicates the identification of 330,375 full-length FLNC transcripts among the 370,114 multiple-exon FLNC transcripts. By comparing the reference genomes, 60,276 loci and 111,302 isoforms were identified. In addition, 43,423 new genes and 44,563 new isoforms were identified. The results identified 185 (3198), 394 (3592), and 83 (3286) differentially expressed genes (transcripts) between tail and subcutaneous, tail and visceral, and subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues, respectively. Functional annotation and pathway analysis revealed the following observations. (1) Among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of TF and SF tissues, the downregulation of ACADL, ACSL6, and NC_056060.1.2536 was observed in SF, while FFAR4 exhibited upregulation. (2) Among the DEGs of TF and VF tissues, expressions of ACADL, ACSL6, COL1A1, COL1A2, and SCD were downregulated in VF, with upregulation of FFAR4. (3) Among SF and VF expressions of COL1A1, COL1A2, and NC_056060.1.2536 were downregulated in VF. Specific differentially expressed genes (ACADL, ACSL6, COL1A1, COL1A2, FFAR4, NC_056060.1.2536, and SCD) and transcripts (NC_056066.1.1866.16 and NC_056066.1.1866.22) were identified as relevant to fat metabolism. These results provide a dataset for further verification of the regulatory pathway associated with fat metabolism in sheep.