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Evidence of involvement of novel biomarkers in disease pathogenesis from research cohorts often precedes an understanding of their distributions in broader populations. This study aimed to estimate the distribution of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23), an endocrine hormone that helps to regulate serum phosphate levels, in the overall US population and in important subgroups. We used a predictive model generated using data from the Framingham Health Study to estimate FGF-23 values for adults in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the size of patient subgroups with levels of FGF-23 above selected thresholds. To assess the face validity of our FGF-23 estimates, we examined the relationship between estimated FGF-23 and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality within NHANES using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional-hazards regression models and compared it to that observed in Framingham. Estimated FGF-23 values from NHANES were lower (median [interquartile range] 47.4 [35.8, 64.0] vs. 67.0 [54.0, 85.0] RU/mL) than the observed FGF-23 values from the Framingham cohort. Age- and sex-adjusted 10-year all-cause mortality was significantly higher (hazard ratio 2.43 [95% confidence interval: 1.42, 4.16]) for subjects with estimated FGF-23 levels in the highest versus lowest quartile. Estimating the distribution of biomarker values in the general population by applying predictive equations from smaller research cohorts is feasible and can inform drug research decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euceratherium is a genus generally considered to represent an Ovibovine member of the Caprini, and up to date considered to occur only in North America. Here, we describe two species of Euceratherium discovered from the Early Pleistocene deposits in northern China, E. collinum and Euceratherium sp., the first confirmed record of Euceratherium in Eurasia and outside North America. The earlier age of Chinese Euceratherium than that of its North American counterpart indicates that Euceratherium might originate from East Asia and spread into North America later. The phylogenetic analysis based on the North American and our Euceratherium collinum materials indicates its closer relationship to Ovibos moschatus than the other bovids. Ecomorphological analysis based on the teeth and metapodials of Euceratherium sp. from Xinyaozi suggests that the Chinese species has the same paleodiet and paleohabitat preferences as those of its North American counterpart. By broadening our study from Euceratherium to its upper taxonomic group, the Quaternary Ovibovine, we found that the latter probably originated from a Kabulicornis -like form and could be divided into two groups in the Late Pliocene, "alticornis" and "depressicornis". These two groups evolved in Eurasia in the Early Pleistocene. They might disperse from Eurasia to North America twice, in the late Early Pleistocene and the late Middle Pleistocene, respectively. • The first confirmation of Euceratherium in Old World, outside of North America. • First assessment of taxonomic position of Euceratherium collinum within Bovidae based on the morphological characters. • Use the ecomorphological analysis to discuss the paleodiet and paleohabitat of Euceratherium sp. in Xinyaozi. • Review on the Quaternary Ovibovine and discussion on its evolutionary and dispersal history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]