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Objective The study was conducted to screen differentially expressed miRNAs in sows at early pregnancy by high-throughput sequencing and explore its mechanism of action on embryo implantation. Methods The blood serum of pregnant and non-pregnant Landrace×Yorkshire sows were collected 14 days after artificial insemination, and exosomal miRNAs were purified for high throughput miRNA sequencing. The expression patterns of 10 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR quantified the abundance of serum exosomal miR-192 in pregnant and control sows, and the diagnostic power was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The target genes of DE miRNAs were predicted with bioinformatics software, and the functional and pathway enrichment analysis was performed on gene ontology and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes terms. Furthermore, a luciferase reporter system was used to identify the target relation between miR-192 and integrin alpha 4 (ITGA4), a gene influencing embryo implantation in pigs. Finally, the expression levels of miRNAs and the target gene ITGA4 were analyzed by qRT-PCR, and western blot, with the proliferation of BeWo cells detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Results A total of 221 known miRNAs were detected in the libraries of the pregnant and non-pregnant sows, of which 55 were up-regulated and 67 were down-regulated in the pregnant individuals compared with the non-pregnant controls. From these, the expression patterns of 10 DE miRNAs were validated. The qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed a significantly higher expression of miR-192 in the serum exosomes extracted from pregnant sows, when compared to controls. The ROC analysis revealed that miR-192 provided excellent diagnostic accuracy for pregnancy (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.843; p>0.001). The dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-192 directly targeted ITGA4. The protein expression of ITGA4 was reduced in cells that overexpressed miR-192. Overexpression of miR-192 resulted in the decreased proliferation of BeWo cells and regulated the expression of cell cycle-related genes. Conclusion Serum exosomal miR-192 could serve as a potential biomarker for early pregnancy in pigs. miR-192 targeted ITGA4 gene directly, and miR-192 can regulate cellular proliferation.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the process of muscle cell differentiation and play an important role. Previous studies have shown that lncRNA-MEG3 promotes the differentiation of porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells (PSCs), but the regulatory mechanism of MEG3 interaction with target protein has not been well studied. We demonstrated that MEG3 can bind dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (DLST) by RNA pull down and RIP-qPCR. Subsequently, knockdown and overexpression experiments showed that DLST promotes PSCs differentiation. Rescue experiments showed that the expression of DLST protein was significantly increased with MEG3 overexpression and decreased with MEG3 knockdown, while its mRNA expression was not changed. Furthermore, we have successfully predicted and validated that the transcription factor myogenic differentiation (MYOD) binds to the MEG3 core promoter though utilizing chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) and luciferase reporter assays. The results indicated that MYOD acts as a transcription factor of MEG3 to promote MEG3 transcription. Knockdown of MEG3 in vivo indicated that MEG3 is involved in skeletal muscle regeneration. It is concluded that MYOD acts as a transcription factor to induce MEG3 expression. MEG3 acts as a molecular scaffold to bind and promote DLST protein expression. This paper provides a new molecular mechanism for MEG3 to promote the differentiation of PSCs.

Abstract Ovulation rate is an extremely important factor affecting litter size in sows. It differs greatly among pig breeds with different genetic backgrounds. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate follicle development, granulosa cell growth, and hormone secretion, which in turn can affect sow litter size. In this study, we identified 3554 lncRNAs and 25,491 mRNAs in M2 follicles of Meishan and Duroc sows. The lncRNA sequence and open reading frame lengths were shorter than mRNAs, and lncRNAs had fewer exons, were less abundant, and more conserved than protein-coding RNAs. Furthermore, 201 lncRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) between breeds, and quantitative trait loci analysis of DE lncRNAs were performed. A total of 127 DE lncRNAs were identified in 119 reproduction trait-related loci. In addition, the potential target genes of lncRNAs in cis or trans configurations were predicted. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that some potential target genes were involved in follicular development and hormone secretion-related biological processes or pathways, such as progesterone biosynthetic process, estrogen metabolic process, ovarian steroidogenesis, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, we also screened 19 differentially expressed lncRNAs in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway as candidates. This study provides new insights into the roles of lncRNAs in follicular growth and development in pigs.

Abstract Skeletal muscle growth plays a critical role during porcine muscle development stages. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis reveals that long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) are implicated as crucial regulator involving in epigenetic regulation. However, comprehensive analysis of lincRNAs in embryonic muscle development stages remain still elusive. Here, we investigated the transcriptome profiles of Duroc embryonic muscle tissues from days 33, 65, and 90 of gestation using RNA-seq, and 228 putative lincRNAs were identified. Moreover, these lincRNAs exhibit the characteristics of shorter transcripts length, longer exons, less exon numbers and lower expression level compared with protein-coding transcripts. Expression profile analysis showed that a total of 120 lincRNAs and 2638 mRNAs were differentially expressed. In addition, we also performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping analysis for differentially expressed lincRNAs (DE lincRNAs), 113 of 120 DE lincRNAs were localized on 2200 QTLs, we observed many QTLs involved in growth and meat quality traits. Furthermore, we predicted potential target genes of DE lincRNAs in cis or trans regulation. Gene ontology and pathway analysis reveals that potential targets of DE lincRNAs mostly were enriched in the processes and pathways related to tissue development, MAPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway and insulin signaling pathway, which involved in skeletal muscle physiological functions. Based on cluster analysis, co-expression network analysis of DE lincRNAs and their potential target genes indicated that DE lincRNAs highly regulated protein-coding genes associated with skeletal muscle development. In this study, many of the DE lincRNAs may play essential roles in pig muscle growth and muscle mass. Our study provides crucial information for further exploring the molecular mechanisms of lincRNAs during skeletal muscle development.

Abstract Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a newly discovered class of endogenous non-coding RNAs that play an important role in growth and development by regulating gene expression and participating in a variety of biological processes. However, the role of circRNAs in porcine follicles remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined middle-sized ovarian follicles obtained from Meishan and Duroc sows at day 4 of the follicular phase. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was utilized to construct circRNAs, and differential expression was identified. The findings were validated using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and DNA sequencing, GO and KEGG analyses were performed, and potential miRNA targets were identified. The RNA-seq identified a total of 15,866 circRNAs, with 244 differentially expressed in the Meishan relative to the Duroc (111 up-regulated and 133 down-regulated). The RT-PCR finding confirmed the RNA-seq results, and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis examining a subset of the circRNAs showed that they are resistant to RNase R digestion. Bioinformatics analysis (GO and KEGG) showed that the host genes associated with the differentially expressed circRNAs are involved in reproduction and follicular development signaling pathways. Furthermore, many of the circRNAs were found to interact with miRNAs that are associated with follicular development. This study presents a new perspective for studying circRNAs and provides a valuable resource for further examination into the potential roles of circRNAs in porcine follicular development.

Abstract Background This study aims to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and to further explore gender differences in BMI-HRQOL association among adults. Methods We used data from the fifth Health Service Survey of Shandong Province, which was part of China’s National Health Service Survey (NHSS), a total of 27,257 adults aged 18 and over were interviewed. The HRQOL was measured using the EuroQOL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument. One-way ANOVA and Post hoc tests were used to compare EQ-5D utility values and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores between BMI categories. Tobit regression models were used to identify the association between BMI and HRQOL for male and female separately after controlling for influential confounders, and to assess gender differences on the relationship between BMI and HRQOL. Results The prevalence of underweight in men and women were 3.2 and 5.3%, respectively, while the prevalence of overweight/obesity in men and women were 35.7 and 34.6%, respectively. Men had higher EQ-5D utility values and VAS scores than women. The mean EQ-5D utility value and VAS score was highest in obese men and normal-weight women, respectively. After controlling potential confounders, being underweight was significantly and negatively associated with lower HRQOL among adults. The relationship between obesity and gender was that in women obesity was negatively and significantly associated with HRQOL, whereas in men this association was positive but not statistically significant. Results of gender by BMI interaction in regression model showed that this difference between men and women in this respect was significant. Conclusions The association between BMI and HRQOL differed by gender and the so-called “obesity-HRQOL paradox” phenomenon was verified in male adults. Gender difference should be considered when implementing targeted weight control programs and appropriate interventions to improve HRQOL.

Abstract Backgrounds Suicidal ideation is an important public health issue due to devastating mortality. In the meantime, interpersonal trust was found to be negatively associated with mental disorder and physical health. Although there is increasing evidence that interpersonal trust is a significant predictor of suicidal ideation, evidence of this association is still lacking in the developing world. The aim of this study was to test the association between interpersonal trust and suicidal ideation among older adults in China. Methods Using a multi-stage stratified sampling strategy, 7070 older adults aged 60 and above from Shandong Province, China were recruited in this study. Socio-demographic characteristics, health status, family relationship, psychological distress, interpersonal trust and suicidal ideation in the last 12 months were obtained through face to face interviews. The association between interpersonal trust and suicidal ideation was assessed using multiple logistic regression models adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, health status, family relationship and psychological distress. Results 7.1% of participants reported suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, which was related to gender, resident area, marital status, educational level, self-rated economic, chronic disease, self-rated health status and family relationship within 1 month, psychological distress and interpersonal trust. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health status, family relationship and psychological distress, interpersonal mistrust was associated with two times odds of suicidal ideation when compared to interpersonal trust Conclusions The interpersonal trust was associated with suicidal ideation among elderly in Shandong, China. Intervention approaches regarding inducing and promoting interpersonal trust should be developed to prevent suicide.

Abstract Background Blood pressure measurement is the first step in preventing and controlling hypertension. The objective of this study is to examine the rural–urban difference towards blood pressure measurement among elderly with hypertension. Methods A total of 2007 elderly (65+) were selected from the fifth Health Service Survey of Shandong Province in 2013. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate the demographic characters, socioeconomic status, self-rated health, and blood pressure related index. Three logistic regression models were used to examine the difference in blood pressure measurement between rural and urban elderly. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to explore the associated factors of blood pressure measurement in both rural areas and urban areas. Results The prevalence of weekly blood pressure measurement in urban elderly was higher than that in rural elderly (63.9% vs 34.3%). The rural elderly had an odds ratio (OR) for weekly blood pressure measurement of 0.467 (95%CI = 0.380–0.575) compared with urban elderly. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that medication frequency and accepting health care professionals’ guidance were common associated factors of blood pressure measurement among both rural and urban elderly; personal income was unique associated factor of blood pressure measurement among rural elderly; marital status, education level, self-rated health, and blood pressure level currently were unique associated factors of blood pressure measurement among urban elderly. Conclusions There is a big difference in blood pressure measurement between rural and urban elderly. Interventions targeting identified at-risk subgroups, especially for those rural elderly, should be made to reduce such a gap.

In this paper, the prediction of over-the-top service quality is discussed, which is a promising way for mobile network engineers to tackle service deterioration as early as possible. Currently, traditional mobile network operation often takes appropriate remedial measures, when receiving customers’ complaints about service problems. With the popularity of over-the-top services, this problem has become increasingly serious. Based on the service perception data crowd-sensed from massive smartphones in the mobile network, we first investigated the application of multi-label ReliefF, a well-known method of feature selection, in determining the feature weights of the perception data and propose a unified multi-label ReliefF (UML-ReliefF) algorithm. Then a feature-weighted multi-label k-nearest neighbor (ML-kNN) algorithm is proposed for the key quality indicators (KQI) prediction, by combining the UML-ReliefF and ML-kNN together in the learning. The experimental results for web browsing service show that UML-ReliefF can effectively identify the most influential features of the data and thus, lead to better performance for KQI prediction. The experiments also show that the feature-weighted KQI prediction is superior to its unweighted counterpart, since the former takes full advantage of all the features in the learning. Although there is still much room of improvement in the precision of the prediction, the proposed method is highly potential for network engineers to find the deterioration of service quality promptly and take measures before it is too late.

As one of the core data assets of telecom operators, base station almanac (BSA) plays an important role in the operation and maintenance of mobile networks. It is also an important source of data for the location-based service (LBS) providers. However, it is always less timely updated, nor it is accurate enough. Besides, it is not open to third parties. Conventional methods detect only the location of the base station (BS) which cannot satisfy the needs of network optimization and maintenance. Because of these drawbacks, in this paper, a big-data driven method of BSA information detection and cellular coverage identification is proposed. With the help of network-related data crowd sensed from the massive number of smartphone users in the live network, the algorithm can estimate more parameters of BSA with higher accuracy than conventional methods. The coverage capability of each cell was also identified in a granularity of small geographical grids. Computational results validate the proposed algorithm with higher performance and detection ability over the existing ones. The new method can be expected to improve the scope, accuracy, and timeliness of BSA, serving for wireless network optimization and maintenance as well as LBS service.

We investigate the relationship between the transmission and the layer distance of double-layer gold slit arrays by using the finite-difference time-domain method. The results show that the transmission properties can be influenced strongly by layer distance. We attribute the two types of resonant modes to surface plasmon resonance and the localised waveguide resonance. We find that the localised waveguide transmission peak redshifts and becomes broader with increasing layer distance D. We also describe and explain the splitting, shift, and degeneration of the surface plasmon resonant transmission peak theoretically. In addition, to clarify the physical mechanism of the transmission behaviours, we analyse the distributions of electric field and total energy for the three transmission peaks with distance D = 45 nm for the double-layer system. Light transporting behaviours are mostly concentrated in the region of the slits as well as the interspaces of the two layers, and for different resonant wavelengths the electric field and energy distributions are different. It is expected that the results obtained here will be helpful for designing subwavelength metallic grating devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we update the knowledge on the species of Serica McLeay, 1819 (sensu lato) occurring in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Shaanxi provinces, China. Three new species are described: Sericaallonanhua Liu, Ahrens, Li & Su, sp. nov. , S.breviantennalis Liu, Ahrens, Li & Su, sp. nov. , and S.fengensis Liu, Ahrens, Li & Su, sp. nov. The key to the species groups and species is updated. The habitus and male genitalia of the new species are illustrated, and a map showing their distribution is provided. New distributional data are given for four species., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Xie Su, Wei Li, Wan-Gang Liu, Dirk Ahrens, Ying-Juan Zheng, Yang Liu.)

The mechanism of brain aging is not fully understood. Few studies have attempted to identify molecular changes using bioinformatics at the subregional level in the aging brain. This study aimed to identify the molecular signatures and key genes involved in aging, depending on the brain region. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with aging of the cerebral cortex (CX), hippocampus (HC), and cerebellum (CB) were identified based on five datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The molecular signatures of aging were explored using functional and pathway analyses. Hub genes of each brain region were determined by protein-protein interaction network analysis, and commonly expressed DEGs (co-DEGs) were also found. Gene-microRNAs (miRNAs) and gene-disease interactions were constructed using online databases. The expression levels and regional specificity of the hub genes and co-DEGs were validated using animal experiments. In total, 32, 293, and 141 DEGs were identified in aging CX, HC, and CB, respectively. Enrichment analysis indicated molecular changes related to leukocyte invasion, abnormal neurotransmission, and impaired neurogenesis due to inflammation as the major signatures of the CX, HC, and CB. Itgax is a hub gene of cortical aging. Zfp51 and Zfp62 were identified as hub genes involved in hippocampal aging. Itgax and Cxcl10 were identified as hub genes involved in cerebellar aging. S100a8 was the only co-DEG in all three regions. In addition, a series of molecular changes associated with inflammation was observed in all three brain regions. Several miRNAs interact with hub genes and S100a8. The change in gene levels was further validated in an animal experiment. Only the upregulation of Zfp51 and Zfp62 was restricted to the HC. The molecular signatures of aging exhibit regional differences in the brain and seem to be closely related to neuroinflammation. Itgax, Zfp51, Zfp62, Cxcl10, and S100a8 may be key genes and potential targets for the prevention of brain aging., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Su, Xie, Li, Tian, Lin and Chen.)