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Background: Wool fibers are valuable materials for textile industry. Typical wool fibers are divided into medullated and non-medullated types, with the former generated from primary wool follicles and the latter by either primary or secondary wool follicles. The medullated wool is a common wool type in the ancestors of fine wool sheep before breeding. The fine wool sheep have a non-medullated coat. However, the critical period determining the type of wool follicles is the embryonic stage, which limits the phenotypic observation and variant contrast, making both selection and studies of wool type variation fairly difficult. Results: During the breeding of a modern fine (MF) wool sheep population with multiple-ovulation and embryo transfer technique, we serendipitously discovered lambs with ancestral-like coarse (ALC) wool. Whole-genome resequencing confirmed ALC wool lambs as a variant type from the MF wool population. We mapped the significantly associated methylation locus on chromosome 4 by using whole genome bisulfite sequencing signals, and in turn identified the SOSTDC1 gene as exons hypermethylated in ALC wool lambs compare to their half/full sibling MF wool lambs. Transcriptome sequencing found that SOSTDC1 was expressed dozens of times more in ALC wool lamb skin than that of MF and was at the top of all differentially expressed genes. An analogy with the transcriptome of coarse/fine wool breeds revealed that differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways at postnatal lamb stage in ALC/MF were highly similar to those at the embryonic stage in the former. Further experiments validated that the SOSTDC1 gene was specifically highly expressed in the nucleus of the dermal papilla of primary wool follicles. Conclusion: In this study, we conducted genome-wide differential methylation site association analysis on differential wool type trait, and located the only CpG locus that strongly associated with primary wool follicle development. Combined with transcriptome analysis, SOSTDC1 was identified as the only gene at this locus that was specifically overexpressed in the primary wool follicle stem cells of ALC wool lamb skin. The discovery of this key gene and its epigenetic regulation contributes to understanding the domestication and breeding of fine wool sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Few studies examined associations between depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among older Chinese adults. Considering that the prevalence of depressive symptoms is high in older Chinese adults, we aimed to examine associations of depressive symptoms with MetS and its components in older Chinese adults. Methods: Data from a community-based cross-sectional study of 4579 Chinese adults aged 60 years or older were analyzed. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire. The presence of MetS was defined based on the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, which include obesity, reduced blood high-density lipoprotein, high blood pressure (BP), elevated fasting plasma glucose and hypertriglyceridemia. A participant was considered as having MetS if he or she met at least three of the above-mentioned criteria. Results: In all participants, depressive symptoms were related to elevated fasting plasma glucose (≥ 7.0 mmol/L) (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.00–2.20]) and diabetes (adjusted OR = 1.50, 95% CI [1.01–2.20]). The associations of depressive symptoms with MetS and its components were not significant among women. However, there was a negative association between depressive symptoms and elevated systolic BP (≥ 130 mm Hg) (OR = 0.59, 95% CI [0.4–0.9]), and similar findings were observed after adjusting for lifestyle-related variables in men. Conclusions: In older Chinese adults, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with elevated systolic BP in men while these findings were not found in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erratum: Upon publication of the original article (1) it was highlighted by the authors that a grant awarded to support the research work of the study was missed in the acknowledgements. It should also be acknowledged that the grant titled "Genotyping and Molecular Epidemiological Characteristic of Bacillus anthracis in Guizhou Province" awarded by the Program of Natural Science Foundation of Guizhou Province (Grant No. Qian Ke He J Word [2015] 2084)also contributed to the resources for this research. This has since been formally noted in this correction article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacillus (B.) anthracis is the pathogen that causes fatal anthrax. Guizhou Province is an old foci of anthrax in the southwest of China. Human anthrax has also been frequently reported in Guizhou in recent year. However, there is limited information on the genetic background of local B. anthracis isolates in Guizhou Province. Strain-specific detection of this bacterium using molecular approaches has enhanced our knowledge of microbial genetics. In the present study, we employed Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) assay to analyze the genetic characteristics of B. anthracis strains isolated in Guizhou Province and their relationships to worldwide distributed isolates. Results: A total of 32 isolates of B. anthracis from soil, human, cattle, dog and water of different anthrax epidemics in Guizhou Province from 2006 to 2011 were confirmed with phage lysis test, penicillin inhibition test and PCR. MLVA-8 discriminated them into 28 unique MLVA types (MT G1 - G28), which were novel MTs compared with the previous reports. Cluster tree based on 32 isolates from Guizhou Province and 76 worldwide distributed isolates (30 MTs) showed they were divided into three clusters, designated A, B and C. All the 32 isolates were distributed in cluster A, which were further grouped into A1, A2, A3 and A4 sub-clusters. 32 isolates from Guizhou Province were closely grouped in each of the sub-clusters, respectively. Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) based on the MLVA data showed that the 28 MLVA profiles of isolates from Guizhou Province and 30 MLVA profiles of worldwide distributed isolates formed three clonal complexes (CCs) and ten singletons. Conclusions: 28 novel MTs of B. anthracis from Guizhou were revealed and their relationships to worldwide isolates were showed. The results will provide important information for prevention of anthrax and also enhances our understanding of genetic characteristics of B. anthracis in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease that disproportionately effects women and children of minorities. Renal involvement (lupus nephritis, or LN) occurs in up to 80% of children with SLE and is a major determinant of poor prognosis. We have developed a non-invasive pediatric Renal Activity Index for Lupus (p-RAIL) that consists of laboratory measures that reflect histologic LN activity. These markers are neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1), adiponectin (APN), ceruloplasmin (CP) and hemopexin (HPX). A major gap in the knowledge base and a barrier to clinical utility is how these markers behave in healthy children. We set out to establish a reference range for the p-RAIL markers in a population of healthy children, and to determine if levels of these markers fluctuate with age or gender., Methods: Urine was collected from 368 healthy children presenting to Cincinnati Children's primary care clinic for well child visits and assayed for NGAL, KIM-1, MCP-1, APN, CP and HPX using commercially available kits or assay materials., Results: Specimens were grouped by age (0-5 years (n = 94); 5-10 (n = 89); 10-15 (n = 93); 15-20 (n = 91)) and gender (M = 184, F = 184). For age and gender comparisons, values were log transformed prior to analysis. The medians (minimums, maximums) of each marker in the combined population were as follows: NGAL 6.65 (0.004, 391.52) ng/ml, KIM-1416.84 (6.22, 2512.43) pg/ml, MCP-1209.36 (9.49, 2237.06) pg/ml, APN 8.05 (0.07, 124.50) ng/ml, CP 465.15 (8.02, 7827.00) ng/ml, HPX 588.70 (6.85, 17,658.40)ng/ml. All p-RAIL biomarkers but adiponectin had weak but significant positive correlations with age, with NGAL being the strongest (r = 0.33, p < 0.001). For gender comparisons, NGAL, CP and HPX were elevated in females vs males (86%, p < 0.0001; 3%, p = 0.007, and 5%, p = 0.0005 elevation of the log transformed mean, respectively)., Conclusions: We have established a reference range for the p-RAIL biomarkers and have highlighted age and gender differences. This information is essential for rational interpretation of studies and clinical trials utilizing the p-RAIL algorithm.

Objective: Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation is commonly used for upper lumber burst fractures. The direct decompression remains challenging with this minimally invasive surgery. The objective was to evaluate a novel paraspinal erector approach for effective and direct decompression in patients with canal compromise and neurologic deficit., Method: Patients (n = 21) with neurological deficiency and Denis B type upper lumbar burst fracture were enrolled in the study, including 14 cases in the L1 and 7 cases in the L2. The patients underwent removal of bone fragments from the spinal canal through intervertebral foramen followed by short-segment fixation. Evaluations included surgery-related, such as duration of surgery and blood loss, and 12-month follow-up, such as the kyphotic angle, the height ratio of the anterior edge of the vertebra, the ratio of sagittal canal compromise, visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Frankel scores., Results: All patients achieved direct spinal canal decompression using the paraspinal erector approach followed by percutaneous pedicle screw fixation. The mean operation time (SD) was 173 (23) min, and the mean (SD) blood loss was 301 (104) ml. Significant improvement was noted in the kyphotic angle, 26.2 ± 8.7 prior to operation versus 9.1 ± 4.7 at 12 months after operation (p < 0.05); the height ratio of the anterior edge of the injured vertebra, 60 ± 16% versus 84 ± 9% (p < 0.05); and the ratio of sagittal canal compromise, 46.5 ± 11.4% versus 4.3 ± 3.6% (p < 0.05). Significant improvements in VAS (7.3 ± 1.2 vs. 1.9 ± 0.7, p < 0.05), ODI (86.7 ± 5.8 vs. 16.7 ± 5.1, p < 0.05), and Frankel scores were also noted., Conclusions: The paraspinal erector approach was effective for direct spinal canal decompression with minimal injury in the paraspinal muscles or spine. Significant improvements in spinal function and prognostics were achieved after the percutaneous pedicle screw fixation.

Background: Seasonal estrus is a critical limiting factor of animal fecundity, and it involves changes in both ovarian biology and hormone secretion in different seasons. Previous studies indicate that two classes of small RNAs (miRNAs and piRNAs) play important regulatory roles in ovarian biology. To understand the roles of small RNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation in ovine seasonal estrus, the variation in expression patterns of ovarian small RNAs during anestrus and the breeding season were analyzed using Solexa sequencing technology. In addition, reproductive hormone levels were determined during ovine anestrus and the breeding season., Results: A total of 483 miRNAs (including 97 known, 369 conserved and 17 predicated novel miRNAs), which belong to 183 different miRNA families, were identified in ovaries of Tan sheep and Small Tail Han (STH) sheep. Compared with the three stages of the breeding season, 25 shared significantly differentially expressed (including 19 up- and six down-regulated) miRNAs were identified in ovine anestrus. KEGG Pathway analysis revealed that the target genes for some of the differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in reproductive hormone related pathways (e.g. steroid biosynthesis, androgen and estrogen metabolism and GnRH signaling pathway) as well as follicular/luteal development related pathways. Moreover, the expression of the differentially expressed miRNAs and most of their target genes were negatively correlated in the above pathways. Furthermore, the levels of estrogen, progesterone and LH in ovine anestrus were significantly lower than those in the breeding season. Combining the results of pathway enrichment analysis, expression of target genes and hormone measurement, we suggest that these differentially expressed miRNAs in anestrus might participate in attenuation of ovarian activity by regulating the above pathways. Besides miRNAs, a large and unexpectedly diverse set of piRNAs were also identified., Conclusions: The miRNA profiles of ovine ovaries in anestrus were presented for the first time. The identification and characterization of miRNAs that are differentially expressed between ovine anestrus and the breeding season will help understanding of the role of miRNAs in the regulation of seasonal estrus, and provides candidates for determining miRNAs which could be potentially used to regulate ovine seasonal estrus.

Necrolytic migratory erythma (NME) is an obligatory paraneoplastic syndrome. Here we describe a woman admitted to the dermatology ward with NME which was later found to be associated with glucagonoma, a slow-growing, rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. Even more rarely, the tumor was located in the pancreas head, while most of such lesions are located in the distal pancreas. The diagnosis of this rare tumor requires an elevated serum glucagon level and imaging confirming a pancreatic tumor. After surgical removal of the tumor, the patient's cutaneous and systemic features resolved. It is therefore imperative that clinicians recognize NME early in order to make an accurate diagnosis and to provide treatment for this rare tumor.

Background: Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae, is the most severe disease in cotton (Gossypium spp.), causing great lint losses worldwide. Disease management could be achieved in the field if genetically improved, resistant plants were used. However, the interaction between V. dahliae and cotton is a complicated process, and its molecular mechanism remains obscure. To understand better the defense response to this pathogen as a means for obtaining more tolerant cultivars, we monitored the transcriptome profiles of roots from resistant plants of G. barbadense cv. Pima90-53 that were challenged with V. dahliae., Results: In all, 46,192 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated from a full-length cDNA library of G. barbadense. They were clustered and assembled into 23126 unigenes that comprised 2661 contigs and 20465 singletons. Those unigenes were assigned Gene Ontology terms and mapped to 289 KEGG pathways. A total of 3027 unigenes were found to be homologous to known defense-related genes in other plants. They were assigned to the functional classification of plant-pathogen interactions, including disease defenses and signal transduction. The branch of "SA→NPR1→TGA→PR-1→Disease resistance" was first discovered in the interaction of cotton-V. dahliae, indicating that this wilt process includes both biotrophic and necrotrophic stages. In all, 4936 genes coding for putative transcription factors (TF) were identified in our library. The most abundant TF family was the NAC group (527), followed by G2-like (440), MYB (372), BHLH (331), bZIP (271) ERF, C3H, and WRKY. We also analyzed the expression of genes involved in pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) recognition, the activation of effector-triggered immunity, TFs, and hormone biosynthesis, as well as genes that are pathogenesis-related, or have roles in signaling/regulatory functions and cell wall modification. Their differential expression patterns were compared among mock-/inoculated- and resistant/susceptible cotton. Our results suggest that the cotton defense response has significant transcriptional complexity and that large accumulations of defense-related transcripts may contribute to V. dahliae resistance in cotton. Therefore, these data provide a resource for cotton improvement through molecular breeding approaches., Conclusions: This study generated a substantial amount of cotton transcript sequences that are related to defense responses against V. dahliae. These genomics resources and knowledge of important related genes contribute to our understanding of host-pathogen interactions and the defense mechanisms utilized by G. barbadense, a non-model plant system. These tools can be applied in establishing a modern breeding program that uses marker-assisted selections and oligonucleotide arrays to identify candidate genes that can be linked to valuable agronomic traits in cotton, including disease resistance.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between serum antibodies against ox-LDL levels and adult acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML)., Methods: Forty three patients with AML and 52 normal controls were enrolled in this study in the Department of Hematology, Tumor Center of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from Feb. 2008 to Mar.2009. Serum lgG and lgM antibodies versus the oxLDL levels were evaluated by ELISA method. Data was analyzed by covariance and binary Logistic regression., Results: Serum mean levels of oxLDL-lgG in patients (38.92 +/- 21.1259 ug/ml) were significantly lower than in control subjects (78.88 +/- 9.3705 ug/ml); Meanwhile, Serum mean levels of oxLDL-lgM in patients (20.53 +/- 10.2990 IU/L) were significantly higher than in control subjects (10.29 +/- 10.5771 IU/L). Binary logistic regression showed the odds ratios of association of oxLD-lgG and oxLD-lgM with adult AML were 0.72(95%CI: 0.55-0.94) and 1.11(95%CI: 1.01-1.21) respectively after adjusted for potential confounders., Conclusion: In the preliminary investigation we found a descensive oxLDL- lgG and an elevated oxLDL-lgM serum levels for the adult AML. Future studies need to confirm the hypothesis whether they related to the development and progression of adult AML.

Objective: To establish a relationship between esophageal squamous cell diseases and the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and Eyes absent 4 (EYA4) mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells., Methods: Subjects were 50 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), 50 with dysplasia (ESCD), 50 with basal cell hyperplasia (BCH) and 50 controls. All subjects were residents of Feicheng County, Shandong Province, China , diagnosed by histopathology. Expression of hTERT and EYA4 mRNA in peripheral blood was determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)., Results: The hTERT and EYA4 mRNA positive expression increased according to disease severity. At the cut-off value of > or = 0.2, the positive expression rates of EYA4 were 14% for controls, 20.0% for BCH, 26% for ESCD and 52% for ESCC, respectively. At the cut-off value of > or = 0.8, the positive expression rates of hTERT in the four groups were 24%, 30.0%, 52% and 80%, respectively. Using a positive value of 0.47 for EYA4, the testing sensitivities in the ESCD and ESCC groups were 4% and 16%, respectively, and the testing specificity increased to 100%. Using a positive value of 1.0 for hTERT, the testing sensitivities in the ESCD and ESCC groups were 48% and 60%, respectively, and the testing specificity increased to 72%. The testing sensitivities in the predicting ESCD and ESCC in the discriminant model including EYA4 and hTERT and the five traditional risk factors (sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, and family history of esophageal cancer) were 70% and 80%, and testing specificities were 76% and 88% respectively. However, the testing sensitivities and specificities in the predicting ESCD and ESCC in the model only including the above five traditional risk factors were lower than that in the former case., Conclusion: EYA4 and hTERT mRNA expression increased with the severity of esophageal pathological changes and may be useful for identifying high-risk endoscopy candidates or for monitoring changes in premalignant esophageal lesions.