Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Audrey L. Earnhardt-San, Kent A. Gray, Mark T. Knauer
Summary: The use of genetic selection in livestock has improved the sustainability of animal farming. Geneticists have selected for sows with larger litters, reducing feed requirements per piglet produced. To enhance piglet survival, genetic selection for increased sow teat number is suggested. However, more data are needed to confirm associations between sow teat traits and piglet weaning traits.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ryan M. Knuth, Whitney C. Stewart, Joshua B. Taylor, Bledar Bisha, Carl J. Yeoman, Megan L. Van Emon, Thomas W. Murphy
Summary: This study aimed to screen clinically healthy ewes, identify cultivable microbial species in milk, evaluate somatic cell count (SCC) thresholds associated with intramammary infection, and estimate relationships between udder and teat morphometric traits, SCC, and ewe productivity. The findings suggest that subclinical mastitis is common in these flocks and can impact ewe productivity. Further research is needed to investigate microbial invasion pathways, genomic regions associated with susceptibility, and husbandry practices to mitigate the impact of subclinical mastitis in extensively managed ewes.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Kirsi-Marja Swan, Helena Telkanranta, Camilla Munsterhjelm, Olli Peltoniemi, Anna Valros
Summary: The study found that providing chewable materials to piglets increased their contact with sows during lactation, but sows in the control group exhibited more active behaviors. Additionally, the skin lesion score of sows tended to increase with the number of observation weeks. Further investigation is needed to understand the behavioral mechanisms underlying these findings.
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Qiming Li, Ifen Hung, Kaiwen Bai, Tian Wang
Summary: Maternal nucleotide (NT) supplementation has positive effects on intestinal morphology and immune function in newborn piglets, improving LPS-induced intestinal inflammatory responses through the TLR4/I kappa B alpha/NF kappa B pathway.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ana C. Marshall, Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos, Simon M. Loveday, Mike Weeks, Warren Mcnabb
Summary: The study aimed to estimate the correlations between udder and teat morphology traits, milk production traits, and somatic cell score in dairy sheep in New Zealand. Age and coat-color were found to significantly affect udder and teat traits. Udder position and separation between halves were associated with milk production traits, while udder attachment was related to fat yield and somatic cell score. Further studies are needed to investigate the heritability and genetic correlations between these traits.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
L. Rocco, A. Pisera-Fuster, M. P. Faillace, R. Bernabeu
Summary: This study used a modified conditioned place preference paradigm to assess zebrafish's preference for nicotine and its association with environmental cues. The results showed that zebrafish's seeking behavior was closely related to the shades of compartment colors, and they spent more time in the environment associated with nicotine.
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wei Zhang, Xuejun Wang, Dingnan Xie
Summary: This study examines the impact of employees' positive implicit followership traits on employee performance. The results show that employees' industry trait positively influences feedback-seeking behavior, while enthusiasm traits and good citizen traits do not have a direct impact on feedback-seeking behavior. Additionally, industry traits, enthusiasm traits, and good citizen traits significantly affect perceived supervisor support.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Nisha Sharma, D. Revanasiddu, Sushil Kumar, Beena Sinha, Ragini Kumari, I. D. Gupta, Archana Verma
Summary: In this study, the genetic polymorphism of WDR41 and ANKRD31 genes was found to be significantly associated with traits related to udder and teat type as well as mastitis in Karan Fries cows. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of WDR41 and ANKRD31 genes as candidate markers for desired udder and teat conformation and mastitis.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zhangwei Lu, Lihua Xu, Yaqi Wu, Yijun Shi, Jinyang Deng, Xiaoqiang Shen
Summary: The article explores the impact of decision-makers' risk preferences on urban expansion morphology, finding that cautious decision-makers lead to compact urban expansion while reckless decision-makers lead to urban sprawl. In cases of unreasonable planning, enhancing the planning executive ability of reckless decision-makers can help prevent urban sprawl. Overall, there are clear differences in planning constraints between decision-makers with different risk preferences.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marjan Nikbakhtzadeh, Ehsan Raeis-Abdollahi, Esmail Riahi, Reza Arezoomandan
Summary: Natural rewards and abused drugs affect brain reward systems, with sexual experience prolonging morphine-seeking behavior while sex deprivation blocking maintenance. Interaction between sex and drug rewards influences preference for morphine, indicating the impact of natural rewarding stimuli on drug-seeking behaviors.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Business
Khulood M. Allanjawi, Atefeh Yazdanparast, Yasser Alhenawi
Summary: This study examines the relationship between emotional vulnerability, economic vulnerability, and intentions to improve financial planning for American households in the post-Covid-19 era. The findings suggest that the effects of psychological fears and concerns experienced during the pandemic on financial planning intentions are mediated by perceived economic vulnerability. Additionally, the personality trait of conscientiousness acts as a boundary condition in this relationship, with more conscientious individuals being more willing to learn and adapt from harsh pandemic experiences.
JOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah, Abdul-Aziz Seidu, John Elvis Hagan, Eugene Budu, Aliu Mohammed, Collins Adu, Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Faustina Adoboi, Thomas Schack
Summary: This study investigated the barriers to healthcare access and health seeking for childhood illnesses in Burundi. The results showed that less than 50% of children in Burundi who were ill obtained healthcare, and factors such as financial concerns and going for medical care alone contributed to lower odds of seeking healthcare. Additionally, children of mothers with multiple births were more likely to get healthcare compared to those with single birth children.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew Crump, Kirsty Jenkins, Emily J. Bethell, Conrad P. Ferris, Helen Kabboush, Jennifer Weller, Gareth Arnott
Summary: This study found that dairy cattle with pasture access displayed less anticipatory behavior towards a known reward compared to cattle housed indoors, indicating that pasture may induce more positive emotional states.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Geography
Yue Shen, Yinhua Tao
Summary: Enhancing spatial accessibility to medical facilities is important in improving health-seeking behaviors, but the mechanism is complex and involves individual preferences and the demand for convenient transportation. There is also spatial heterogeneity in the relationship between spatial accessibility and health-seeking behaviors, influenced by socio-institutional factors.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah, Eugene Budu, Abdul-Aziz Seidu, Ebenezer Agbaglo, Collins Adu, Edward Kwabena Ameyaw, Irene Gyamfuah Ampomah, Anita Gracious Archer, Kwaku Kissah-Korsah, Sanni Yaya
Summary: The study found a close relationship between barriers to healthcare access and healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa. Other individual and community level factors also impact healthcare seeking for childhood illnesses in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting that interventions aimed at improving child healthcare in the region need to focus on addressing these factors.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Ferenc Emil Mozes, Jenny A. Lee, Emmanuel Anandraj Selvaraj, Arjun Narayan Ajmer Jayaswal, Michael Trauner, Jerome Boursier, Celine Fournier, Katharina Staufer, Rudolf E. Stauber, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Ramy Younes, Silvia Gaia, Monica Lupsor-Platon, Salvatore Petta, Toshihide Shima, Takeshi Okanoue, Sanjiv Mahadeva, Wah-Kheong Chan, Peter J. Eddowes, Gideon M. Hirschfield, Philip Noel Newsome, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Victor de Ledinghen, Jiangao Fan, Feng Shen, Jeremy F. Cobbold, Yoshio Sumida, Akira Okajima, Joern M. Schattenberg, Christian Labenz, Won Kim, Myoung Seok Lee, Johannes Wiegand, Thomas Karlas, Yusuf Yilmaz, Guruprasad Padur Aithal, Naaventhan Palaniyappan, Christophe Cassinotto, Sandeep Aggarwal, Harshit Garg, Geraldine J. Ooi, Atsushi Nakajima, Masato Yoneda, Marianne Ziol, Nathalie Barget, Andreas Geier, Theresa Tuthill, M. Julia Brosnan, Quentin Mark Anstee, Stefan Neubauer, Stephen A. Harrison, Patrick M. Bossuyt, Michael Pavlides
Summary: Liver biopsy is still necessary for fibrosis staging in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement, FIB-4 Index, and NAFLD Fibrosis Score, and showed that sequential combinations of markers can reduce the need for liver biopsies.
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joris Deelen, Daniel S. Evans, Dan E. Arking, Niccolo Tesi, Marianne Nygaard, Xiaomin Liu, Mary K. Wojczynski, Mary L. Biggs, Ashley van der Spek, Gil Atzmon, Erin B. Ware, Chloe Sarnowski, Albert V. Smith, Ilkka Seppaelae, Heather J. Cordell, Janina Dose, Najaf Amin, Alice M. Arnold, Kristin L. Ayers, Nir Barzilai, Elizabeth J. Becker, Marian Beekman, Helene Blanche, Kaare Christensen, Lene Christiansen, Joanna C. Collerton, Sarah Cubaynes, Steven R. Cummings, Karen Davies, Birgit Debrabant, Jean-Francois Deleuze, Rachel Duncan, Jessica D. Faul, Claudio Franceschi, Pilar Galan, Vilmundur Gudnason, Tamara B. Harris, Martijn Huisman, Mikko A. Hurme, Carol Jagger, Iris Jansen, Marja Jylhae, Mika Kaehoenen, David Karasik, Sharon L. R. Kardia, Andrew Kingston, Thomas B. L. Kirkwood, Lenore J. Launer, Terho Lehtimaeki, Wolfgang Lieb, Leo-Pekka Lyytikaeinen, Carmen Martin-Ruiz, Junxia Min, Almut Nebel, Anne B. Newman, Chao Nie, Ellen A. Nohr, Eric S. Orwoll, Thomas T. Perls, Michael A. Province, Bruce M. Psaty, Olli T. Raitakari, Marcel J. T. Reinders, Jean-Marie Robine, Jerome I. Rotter, Paola Sebastiani, Jennifer Smith, Thorkild I. A. Sorensen, Kent D. Taylor, Andre G. Uitterlinden, Wiesje van der Flier, Sven J. van der Lee, Cornelia M. van Duijn, Diana van Heemst, James W. Vaupel, David Weir, Kenny Ye, Yi Zeng, Wanlin Zheng, Henne Holstege, Douglas P. Kiel, Kathryn L. Lunetta, P. Eline Slagboom, Joanne M. Murabito
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Nardeen Eldafashi, Rebecca Darlay, Ruchi Shukla, Misti Vanette McCain, Robyn Watson, Yang Lin Liu, Nikki McStraw, Moustafa Fathy, Michael Atef Fawzy, Marco Y. W. Zaki, Ann K. Daly, Joao P. Mauricio, Alastair D. Burt, Beate Haugk, Heather J. Cordell, Cristiana Bianco, Jean-Francois Dufour, Luca Valenti, Quentin M. Anstee, Helen L. Reeves
Summary: The study explores how genetic variations in immunoregulatory genes may impact the development of liver cancer in patients with NAFLD, both with and without cirrhosis. Results suggest that certain variations in genes such as PDCD1 may increase the risk of NAFLD-HCC development, independent of the presence of cirrhosis.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Heather J. Cordell, James J. Fryett, Kazuko Ueno, Rebecca Darlay, Yoshihiro Aiba, Yuki Hitomi, Minae Kawashima, Nao Nishida, Seik-Soon Khor, Olivier Gervais, Yosuke Kawai, Masao Nagasaki, Katsushi Tokunaga, Ruqi Tang, Yongyong Shi, Zhiqiang Li, Brian D. Juran, Elizabeth J. Atkinson, Alessio Gerussi, Marco Carbone, Rosanna Asselta, Angela Cheung, Mariza de Andrade, Aris Baras, Julie Horowitz, Manuel A. R. Ferreira, Dylan Sun, David E. Jones, Steven Flack, Ann Spicer, Victoria L. Mulcahy, Jinyoung Byan, Younghun Han, Richard N. Sandford, Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, Christopher Amos, Gideon M. Hirschfield, Michael F. Seldin, Pietro Invernizzi, Katherine A. Siminovitch, Xiong Ma, Minoru Nakamura, George F. Mells
Summary: This study identified 56 genome-wide significant loci for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), including 20 novel loci, through the largest GWAS to date. Candidate genes at these loci play key roles in immunity, and pathway analysis highlighted potential therapeutic drugs for PBC.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cristina E. Trevino, Aaron M. Holleman, Holly Corbitt, Cheryl L. Maslen, Tracie C. Rosser, David J. Cutler, H. Richard Johnston, Benjamin L. Rambo-Martin, Jai Oberoi, Kenneth J. Dooley, George T. Capone, Roger H. Reeves, Heather J. Cordell, Bernard D. Keavney, A. J. Agopian, Elizabeth Goldmuntz, Peter J. Gruber, James E. O'Brien, Douglas C. Bittel, Lalita Wadhwa, Clifford L. Cua, Ivan P. Moskowitz, Jennifer G. Mulle, Michael P. Epstein, Stephanie L. Sherman, Michael E. Zwick
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Tafadzwa Machipisa, Michael Chong, Babu Muhamed, Chishala Chishala, Gasnat Shaboodien, Shahiemah Pandie, Jantina de Vries, Nakita Laing, Alexia Joachim, Rezeen Daniels, Mpiko Ntsekhe, Christopher T. Hugo-Hamman, Bernard Gitura, Stephen Ogendo, Peter Lwabi, Emmy Okello, Albertino Damasceno, Celia Novela, Ana O. Mocumbi, Goeffrey Madeira, John Musuku, Agnes Mtaja, Ahmed ElSayed, Huda H. M. Elhassan, Fidelia Bode-Thomas, Basil N. Okeahialam, Liesl J. Zuhlke, Nicola Mulder, Raj Ramesar, Maia Lesosky, Tom Parks, Heather J. Cordell, Bernard Keavney, Mark E. Engel, Guillaume Pare
Summary: This study identified a novel candidate susceptibility locus exclusive to Black African individuals and revealed an important heritable component to RHD susceptibility in African individuals.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Doris Skoric-Milosavljevic, Rafik Tadros, Fernanda M. Bosada, Federico Tessadori, Jan Hendrik van Weerd, Odilia Woudstra, Fleur V. Y. Tjong, Najim Lahrouchi, Fanny Bajolle, Heather J. Cordell, A. J. Agopian, Gillian M. Blue, Daniela Q. C. M. Barge-Schaapveld, Marc Gewillig, Christoph Preuss, Elisabeth M. Lodder, Phil Barnett, Aho Ilgun, Leander Beekman, Karel van Duijvenboden, Regina Bokenkamp, Martina Muller-Nurasyid, Hubert W. Vliegen, Thelma C. Konings, Joost P. van Melle, Arie P. J. van Dijk, Roland R. J. van Kimmenade, Jolien W. Roos-Hesselink, Gertjan Sieswerda, Folkert Meijboom, Hashim Abdul-Khaliq, Felix Berger, Sven Dittrich, Marc-Phillip Hitz, Julia Moosmann, Frank-Thomas Riede, Stephan Schubert, Pilar Galan, Mark Lathrop, Hans Markus Munter, Ammar Al-Chalabi, Christopher E. Shaw, Pamela J. Shaw, Karen E. Morrison, Jan H. Veldink, Leonard H. van den Berg, Sylvia Evans, Marcelo A. Nobrega, Ivy Aneas, Milena Radivojkov-Blagojevic, Thomas Meitinger, Erwin Oechslin, Tapas Mondal, M. Lynn Bergin, John F. Smythe, Luis Altamirano-Diaz, Jane Lougheed, Berto J. Bouma, Marie A. Chaix, Jennie Kline, Anne S. Bassett, Gregor Andelfinger, Roel L. F. van der Palen, Patrice Bouvagnet, Sally-Ann B. Clur, Jeroen Breckpot, Wilhelmina S. Kerstjens-Frederikse, David S. Winlaw, Ulrike M. M. Bauer, Seema Mital, Elizabeth Goldmuntz, Bernard Keavney, Damien Bonnet, Barbara J. Mulder, Michael W. T. Tanck, Jeroen Bakkers, Vincent M. Christoffels, Cornelis J. Boogerd, Alex Postma, Connie R. Bezzina
Summary: This study reveals the genetic mechanism of dextro-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA), identifies a susceptibility locus near the WNT5A gene, and confirms the role of WNT5A in D-TGA. The findings provide important insights for the treatment of D-TGA.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2022)
Correction
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Heather J. Cordell, James J. Fryett, Kazuko Ueno, Rebecca Darlay, Yoshihiro Aiba, Yuki Hitomi, Minae Kawashima, Nao Nishida, Seik-Soon Khor, Olivier Gervais, Yosuke Kawai, Masao Nagasaki, Katsushi Tokunaga, Ruqi Tang, Yongyong Shi, Zhiqiang Li, Brian D. Juran, Elizabeth J. Atkinson, Alessio Gerussi, Marco Carbone, Rosanna Asselta, Angela Cheung, Mariza de Andrade, Aris Baras, Julie Horowitz, Manuel A. R. Ferreira, Dylan Sun, David E. Jones, Steven Flack, Ann Spicer, Victoria L. Mulcahy, Jinyoung Byun, Younghun Han, Richard N. Sandford, Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, Christopher I. Amos, Gideon M. Hirsch, Michael F. Seldin, Pietro Invernizzi, Katherine A. Siminovitch, Xiong Ma, Minoru Nakamura, George F. Mells
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
John B. Whitfield, Tae-Hwi Schwantes-An, Rebecca Darlay, Guruprasad P. Aithal, Stephen R. Atkinson, Ramon Bataller, Greg Botwin, Naga P. Chalasani, Heather J. Cordell, Ann K. Daly, Christopher P. Day, Florian Eyer, Tatiana Foroud, Dermot Gleeson, David Goldman, Paul S. Haber, Jean-Marc Jacquet, Tiebing Liang, Suthat Liangpunsakul, Steven Masson, Philippe Mathurin, Romain Moirand, Andrew McQuillin, Christophe Moreno, Marsha Y. Morgan, Sebastian Mueller, Beat Muellhaupt, Laura E. Nagy, Pierre Nahon, Bertrand Nalpas, Sylvie Naveau, Pascal Perney, Munir Pirmohamed, Helmut K. Seitz, Michael Soyka, Felix Stickel, Andrew Thompson, Mark R. Thursz, Eric Trepo, Timothy R. Morgan, Devanshi Seth
Summary: This study developed a genetic risk score that can identify individuals at high risk of developing cirrhosis. It was found that the risk of cirrhosis is increased over 10-fold in patients with diabetes and a high genetic risk score. This risk assessment could lead to early and personalized management of the disease in high-risk patients.
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nikolaos Tzoumas, David Kavanagh, Heather J. Cordell, Andrew J. Lotery, Praveen J. Patel, David H. Steel
Summary: The study investigated the association between CFI gene variants and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and found that CFI variants associated with low Factor I levels predicted thinner macular and retinal thicknesses and higher AMD risk, while CFI variants associated with normal Factor I levels did not have any impact. CFH gene variant was associated with thinner macular and retinal thicknesses, while ARMS2 gene variant did not influence thickness. These findings highlight the significance of CFI variants as reliable predictors of reduced macular thickness and AMD, and the importance of CFH gene variant in early pathogenesis.
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Marijana Vujkovic, Shweta Ramdas, Kim M. Lorenz, Xiuqing Guo, Rebecca Darlay, Heather J. Cordell, Jing He, Yevgeniy Gindin, Chuhan Chung, Robert P. Myers, Carolin V. Schneider, Joseph Park, Kyung Min Lee, Marina Serper, Rotonya M. Carr, David E. Kaplan, Mary E. Haas, Matthew T. MacLean, Walter R. Witschey, Xiang Zhu, Catherine Tcheandjieu, Rachel L. Kember, Henry R. Kranzler, Anurag Verma, Ayush Giri, Derek M. Klarin, Yan V. Sun, Jie Huang, Jennifer E. Huffman, Kate Townsend Creasy, Nicholas J. Hand, Ching-Ti Liu, Michelle T. Long, Jie Yao, Matthew Budoff, Jingyi Tan, Xiaohui Li, Henry J. Lin, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Kent D. Taylor, Ruey-Kang Chang, Ronald M. Krauss, Silvia Vilarinho, Joseph Brancale, Jonas B. Nielsen, Adam E. Locke, Marcus B. Jones, Niek Verweij, Aris Baras, K. Rajender Reddy, Brent A. Neuschwander-Tetri, Jeffrey B. Schwimmer, Arun J. Sanyal, Naga Chalasani, Kathleen A. Ryan, Braxton D. Mitchell, Dipender Gill, Andrew D. Wells, Elisabetta Manduchi, Yedidya Saiman, Nadim Mahmud, Donald R. Miller, Peter D. Reaven, Lawrence S. Phillips, Sumitra Muralidhar, Scott L. DuVall, Jennifer S. Lee, Themistocles L. Assimes, Saiju Pyarajan, Kelly Cho, Todd L. Edwards, Scott M. Damrauer, Peter W. Wilson, J. Michael Gaziano, Christopher J. O'Donnell, Amit V. Khera, Struan F. A. Grant, Christopher D. Brown, Philip S. Tsao, Danish Saleheen, Luca A. Lotta, Lisa Bastarache, Quentin M. Anstee, Ann K. Daly, James B. Meigs, Jerome I. Rotter, Julie A. Lynch, Daniel J. Rader, Benjamin F. Voight, Kyong-Mi Chang
Summary: Through a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study, we identified multiple genetic loci associated with NAFLD in the Million Veteran Program, some of which are also related to metabolic and/or inflammatory traits. Integrating cALT, histology, and imaging provided new insights into genetic susceptibility to NAFLD.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Fanny Pandolfi, Claire Barber, Sandra Edwards
Summary: Farm animal welfare is a significant issue for farmers and the general public. The Real Welfare project developed a methodology to monitor animal welfare on UK finishing pig farms, based on regular measurement of key animal-based measures. This paper presents estimates of the prevalence of different welfare outcomes over time. The results show that the percentage of pigs showing mandatory welfare outcomes was very low and decreasing, indicating improved pig welfare in the UK.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
James J. Fryett, Andrew P. Morris, Heather J. Cordell
Summary: This study explores the relationship between methylation, gene expression, and complex traits by predicting CpG methylation levels, finding that methylation levels can be accurately predicted for some CpG sites. MWAS shows potential in enhancing understanding of biological mechanisms in complex traits.
GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Younghun Y. Han, Jinyoung J. Byun, Catherine Zhu, Ryan R. Sun, Julia Y. Roh, Heather Cordell, Hyun-Sung A. Lee, Vikram R. Shaw, Sung Wook Kang, Javad Razjouyan, Matthew A. Cooley, Manal M. Hassan, Katherine A. Siminovitch, Trine Folseraas, David Ellinghaus, Annika Bergquist, Simon M. Rushbrook, Andre Franke, Tom H. Karlsen, Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, Katherine A. McGlynn, Lewis R. Roberts, Christopher Amos, Christoph Schramm, David Shapiro, Elizabeth Goode
Summary: This study used multitrait joint analyses to explore the genetic contribution and correlations between various clinical and epidemiological traits associated with PSC. Several new risk loci and potential susceptibility genes such as MANBA and IRF5 were identified, and in silico drug screening provided candidate agents for further investigation of pharmacological effects in PSC.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kathryn A. McGurk, Simon G. Williams, Hui Guo, Hugh Watkins, Martin Farrall, Heather J. Cordell, Anna Nicolaou, Bernard D. Keavney
Summary: Signalling lipids of the N-acyl ethanolamine (NAE) and ceramide (CER) classes have emerged as potential biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in genetic studies, showing heritability and influence from common DNA variants. However, Mendelian randomization studies did not reveal a significant association between genetically determined differences in CER levels and CVD or diabetes. Novel genetic loci like SGPP1 and DEGS1 suggest a causal association between CERs and hematological phenotypes, based on 2-sample Mendelian randomization analyses in large cohorts like the UK Biobank and INTERVAL.
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Haolin Li, Xiaomeng Pei, Hao Yu, Wei Wang, Dagan Mao
Summary: This study investigated the effects of APN/AdipoRon on autophagy and apoptosis in goat luteal cells, and found that autophagy and apoptosis play important roles in the structural regression of goat corpus luteum.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Yan-Qiu Wang, He-Xuan Qu, Yan-Wei Dong, Jia-Jia Qi, Hua-Kai Wei, Hao Sun, Hao Jiang, Jia-Bao Zhang, Bo-Xing Sun, Shuang Liang
Summary: This research reveals the crucial role of Ferroptosis Suppressor Protein 1 (FSP1) in regulating the development and quality of porcine early embryos. Inhibition of FSP1 impairs blastocyst formation, induces glutathione-independent ferroptosis, and leads to oxidative stress due to mitochondrial dysfunction.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Xiong Lai, Ruizhuo Liu, Mengyu Li, Yaochun Fan, Hongxia Li, Guotao Han, Ruijie Guo, Hairui Ma, Huimin Su, Wanjin Xing
Summary: This study identifies WDR54 as a protein involved in sperm-oocyte fertilization and shows that it interacts with IZUMO1 and JUNO. The formation of the JWIJ complex on the oocyte surface suggests its importance in sperm-oocyte adhesion and fusion. This discovery provides new insights into the mechanisms of mammalian sperm-oocyte adhesion and fusion.
Article
Reproductive Biology
S. Nandi, B. Sampath Kumar, P. S. P. Gupta, S. Mondal, V. Girish Kumar
Summary: This study examined the effects of plant bioactive compounds on the survival and growth parameters of ovine preantral follicles granulosa cells (GCs) and the expression of key developmental genes. The results showed that KAE, MYR and QUE had dose-dependent responses on the morphological and functional parameters of the cells, with KAE being the most potent in augmenting ovarian functions.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Francisco E. Martin-Cano, Gemma Gaitskell-Phillips, Laura Becerro-Rey, Eva da Silva, Javier Masot, Eloy Redondo, Antonio Silva-Rodriguez, Cristina Ortega-Ferrusola, Maria Cruz Gil, Fernando J. Pena
Summary: The presence of a more efficient glycolysis mechanism depending on pyruvate in stallion spermatozoa can counteract the detrimental effects of higher glucose concentrations. Incubating spermatozoa with 10 mM pyruvate in a modified Tyrode's media with 67 mM glucose showed increased motility and maintained viability. This improvement is attributed to the conversion of lactate to pyruvate and increased NAD(+) enhancing glycolysis efficiency.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Thanida Sananmuang, Denis Puthier, Catherine Nguyen, Kaj Chokeshaiusaha
Summary: Ongoing progress in mRNA-Sequencing technologies has contributed to the refinement of assisted reproductive technologies. This study utilized mRNA-Seq datasets of various mammalian species to analyze differential transcript usage (DTU) and identified ten cross-species DTU genes. Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of these genes in RNA and cell-cycle control mechanisms, suggesting their importance during oocyte maturation. Further exploration of these genes' transcript isoforms may lead to the discovery of novel markers for reproductive technologies.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Chenglei Song, Zhe Zhang, Yilin Wei, Yaqing Dou, Kunlong Qi, Xiuling Li, Feng Yang, Xinjian Li, Kejun Wang, Ruimin Qiao, Xuelei Han
Summary: In this study, the changes in protein levels in boar sperm with different liquid preservation abilities were analyzed. Key proteins related to sperm liquid preservation ability were identified. The findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of boar sperm liquid preservation ability.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Genevieve M. VanWye, Emily G. Smith, Christine Spinka, Michael F. Smith, Matthew C. Lucy, Jordan M. Thomas
Summary: A series of experiments evaluated treatment schedules for controlling the estrous cycle in beef heifers. The results showed that the duration of progestin treatment and the timing of prostaglandin administration had an impact on estrus expression and pregnancy rates.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Hongwei Duan, Shuai Yang, Longfei Xiao, Shanshan Yang, Zhenxing Yan, Fang Wang, Xiaofei Ma, Lihong Zhang, Yong Zhang, Junjie Hu, Xingxu Zhao
Summary: This study first elucidated the mechanism by which melatonin regulates progesterone secretion in the corpus luteum of sheep, namely by promoting progesterone secretion through the regulation of autophagy. This has important implications for further exploring the role of melatonin in regulating sheep ovarian function.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Zhijie Zheng, Yingfang Guo, Yonghui Zheng, Haichong Wu
Summary: This study demonstrates that miR-92b plays a protective role in LTA-induced endometritis by targeting FZD10 and reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus alleviating uterine injury.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Areeg Almubarak, Sanghoon Lee, Il-Jeoung Yu, Yubyeol Jeon
Summary: This study found that Nobiletin (NOB) can promote the cryosurvival and embryo development of porcine sperm after in vitro fertilization (IVF). The addition of NOB improves sperm motility, acrosome integrity, viability, and mitochondrial membrane potential, reduces lipid peroxidation, and increases cleavage and blastocyst formation rates. Furthermore, NOB treatment upregulates the expression of genes related to pluripotency and cell differentiation in the resulting embryos.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Yuan Li, Lishu Li, Wenjie Xiong, Xing Duan, Huaming Xi
Summary: This study investigated the cytotoxicity and toxicological mechanisms of fluorochloridone (FLC) on cultured goat Sertoli cells. The results showed that FLC exposure induced oxidative stress, promoted apoptosis and autophagy, inhibited lysosomal biogenesis, and blocked autophagic flux in goat Sertoli cells. FLC also caused mitochondrial dysfunction and disturbed mitophagy, leading to cell apoptosis. The antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) reduced FLC-induced ROS accumulation and reversed the disorder of autophagy levels.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Gabriela Ramos Leal, Thais de Almeida Oliveira, Mariana Pedrosa de Paula Guimaraes, Lucas Francisco Leodido Correia, Erlandia Marcia Vasconcelos, Joanna Maria Goncalves Souza-Fabjan
Summary: This study investigated the time course of lipid accumulation during IVM and the effects of lipid modulators on cat oocytes. The results showed that adding lipid modulators can reduce lipid content and improve viability after cryopreservation.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Isabella Rio Feltrin, Amanda Guimaraes da Silva, Cecilia Constantino Rocha, Priscila Assis Ferraz, Paola Maria da Silva Rosa, Thiago Martins, Juliano Coelho da Silveira, Milena Lopes Oliveira, Mario Binelli, Guilherme Pugliesi, Claudia Maria Bertan Membrive
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of E2 treatment on Nelore heifers on day 15 of the estrous cycle, finding that E2 promoted an increase in PGFM concentrations and accelerated functional and structural luteolysis by upregulating the expression of PGR and OXTR. This suggests that within 3 hours after E2 stimulus, the expression of these receptors is associated with triggering luteolysis in cattle.
Article
Reproductive Biology
Aline Matos Arrais, Angelo Jose Burla Dias, Claudio Luiz Melo de Souza, Alinne Gloria Curcio, Marco Roberto Bourg de Mello
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of phospholipase C (PLC) on the capacitation of cryopreserved ovine semen. The results showed that the inhibitor U73122 can prevent premature capacitation and acrosome reaction induced by the freezing procedure, without affecting the kinetics and integrity of the sperm membranes.