BW is an important economic trait in sheep that influences growth and development. Currently, most studies have used a single approach to screen genes associated with BW traits in sheep. To address this limitation, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) covering four different BW periods: birth, weaning, 6 months, and 12 months. Five new candidate genes: MAP3K1, ANKRD55, ABCB1, MEF2C and TRNAW-CCA-87 were screened using a combination of GWAS and quantitative trait loci analysis in sheep. Additionally, five genes were subjected to Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. These genes were primarily enriched in pathways related to growth hormone and energy metabolism. The results demonstrated that the above genes potentially influenced the growth and development of sheep. The five new candidate genes are closely related to the BW trait in sheep, which will be valuable for understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying BW traits and for guiding sheep breeding.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the normative values of the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) score for typically developing children in Korea and assess its suitability for use in children.
METHODS: Rehabilitation physicians and occupational therapists with children were invited through an online platform to participate in a survey assessing their children\'s performance of activity of daily living (ADL) using the K-MBI. The questionnaire encompassed queries on sociodemographic information of children and the assessment criteria outlined in the K-MBI. The standardized K-MBI scores by age were estimated using the nonlinear least squares method.
RESULTS: The analysis incorporated responses from a total of 206 individuals. K-MBI total scores showed a rapid increase over the first 8 years of life, with 99% of children achieving a score of 90 or higher by age 8. Mobility scores exhibited a swift increase during early childhood, surpassing 90% of the maximum score at 3 years of age and nearing 100% at 7 years of age. In contrast, self-care scores demonstrated a more gradual advancement, achieving approximately 100% of the maximum score by the age of 10 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Age-specific normative values for K-MBI scores of typically developing children were established, which can be used as a reference in clinical care. While the K-MBI captured the overall trajectory of children\'s ADL development, it did not discern subtle differences across various developmental stages. There is a need for the development of more refined assessment tools tailored specifically to children.

Despite agreement that humans have evolved to be unusually fat primates, adipose patterning among hunter-gatherers has received little empirical consideration. Here we consider the development of adiposity among four contemporary groups of hunter-gatherers, the Aka, Savanna Pumé, Ju\'/Hoansi and Agta using multi-level generalized additive mixed modelling to characterize the growth of tricep skinfolds from early childhood through adolescence. In contrast to references, hunter-gatherers show several consistent patterns: (i) children are lean with little fat accumulation; (ii) no adiposity rebound at 5 years is evident; (iii) girls on average have built 90% of their body size, and reach menarche when adiposity is at its maximum velocity; and (iv) a metabolic trade-off is evident in young, but not older children, such that both boys and girls prioritize skeletal growth during middle childhood, a trade-off that diminishes during adolescence when height velocity increases in pace with fat accumulation. Consistent results across hunter-gatherers living in diverse environments suggest that these patterns reflect a general forager pattern of development. The findings provide a valuable baseline for adipose development not apparent from reference populations. We emphasize both generalized trends among hunter-gatherers, and that inter-populational differences point to the plasticity with which humans organize growth and development.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of anthropometric measurements between two trained anthropometrists working in a team and one trained anthropometrist working with a child\'s parent/caregiver in a primary health care setting. Study Design: An observational study to determine measurement reliability was conducted in a primary care child research network in Canada. In total, 120 children 0-5 years old had their anthropometric measurement taken twice by two trained anthropometrists working in a team and twice by one trained anthropometrist working with a child\'s parent/caregiver. Inter- and intra-observer reliability was calculated using the technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM (%TEM), and the coefficient of reliability (R). Results: The %TEM values for length/height and weight were <2%, and the R coefficient values were >0.99, indicating a high degree of inter- and intra-observer reliability. The TEM values demonstrated a high degree of reliability for inter- and intra-observer measurement of length/height in comparison with other anthropometric measurement parameters. However, there was greater variation seen in the length measurement for children 0 to <2 years of age and in arm circumference measurement across both age-groups. Conclusion(s): This study suggests that anthropometric measurement taken by one trained anthropometrist with the assistance of a parent/caregiver is reliable. These findings provide evidence to support inclusion of a child\'s parent/caregiver with anthropometric measurement collection in clinical setting(s) to enhance feasibility and efficiency and reduce the research costs of including a second trained anthropometrist.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of non-coding endogenous small-molecule, single-stranded RNAs, and it is involved in post-transcriptional gene expression regulation in plants and plays an important role in plant growth and development. Among them, miRNA156 regulates members of target SPL gene family and thus participates in plant growth and development, hormonal response and adversity stress. However, it has not been reported in ginseng. In this study, based on the previous analysis of the SPL gene family, the age-related and stably expressed SPL gene PgSPL24-09 was obtained in roots. The binding site of miRNA156 to this gene was analyzed using target gene prediction tools, and the interactions between miRNA156 and PgSPL24-09 gene were verified by dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RT-qPCR. At the same time, miRNA156 silencing vector and overexpression vector were constructed and transformed into ginseng adventitious roots and Arabidopsis thaliana to analyze the molecular mechanism of miRNA156-SPL module in regulating the growth of ginseng adventitious roots. This study provides a theoretical basis for the in-depth study of the molecular role of miRNAs in ginseng growth, and also lays the foundation for the study of the role of miRNA156-SPL module in regulating the growth and development of ginseng.

UNASSIGNED: A precise and accurate method for structural superimposition is essential for analyzing dentofacial growth and orthodontic or surgical treatment in longitudinal studies. The errors associated with different superimposition methods have not yet been assessed in high-quality studies.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to assess the precision and accuracy of digital image correlation (DIC) for structural superimposition.
UNASSIGNED: Two cephalometric images from 30 consecutive patients were superimposed using three DIC methods, each measured twice by two examiners. Areas including the contours of the sella, the whole cranial base (CB), and Walker\'s point and lamina cribrosa (WPLC) were compared using a random coefficient model. Inter-rater and intra-rater errors were assessed for each method.
UNASSIGNED: WPLC provided the best precision for image rotation and cephalometric landmarks. Systematic bias was observed between the WPLC and CB methods for image rotation and most landmarks. The intra-rater error in image rotation during DIC was strongly correlated with the intra-rater error in the landmarks of the anterior nasal spine, articulare, and pogonion.
UNASSIGNED: Structural superimposition using DIC with WPLC is a precise method for analyzing dentofacial growth and orthodontic or surgical treatment. Moreover, the best method is the measurement of longitudinal dental and craniofacial changes on structurally superimposed cephalometric radiographs with WPLC and a reference grid including the true vertical and horizontal lines from Walker\'s point.

UNASSIGNED: To determine the correlation between dentoskeletal parameters related to craniofacial morphology and the upper airway (UA) volume.
UNASSIGNED: Cone-beam computed tomography images of 106 randomly selected orthodontic patients were analyzed using NemoFab Ortho software. The dentoskeletal variables assessed were anterior facial height (AFH), posterior facial height (PFH), PFH/AFH ratio, hyoid position, maxillary width (MW), and palatal depth. The UA volume (evaluation in anatomical regions and as a whole) was also assessed using the same software. We also evaluated potential differences in UA variables between age and sex groups. The correlation between the dentoskeletal parameters and UA volume was calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient (R). Analysis of variance and Student\'s t test were performed to assess differences between age and sex for UA variables. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software (version 26 for Windows).
UNASSIGNED: This study found that PFH, AFH, and MW were the dentoskeletal parameters most strongly correlated with UA volume. However, the ANB angle did not show any significant correlation with UA volume. Additionally, differences in UA volumes were observed between age groups. Sex differences were found in both the \"8-12\" and \"≥ 16\" age groups for oropharyngeal and pharyngeal volumes.
UNASSIGNED: In conclusion, our findings indicate a significant correlation between UA volume and dentoskeletal parameters, particularly those related to facial height and MW.

Maconellicoccus hirsutus is a highly polyphagous insect pest, posing a substantial threat to various crop sp., especially in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. While extensive physiological and biological studies have been conducted on this pest, the lack of genetic information has hindered our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying its growth, development, and xenobiotic metabolism. The Cytochrome P450 gene, a member of the CYP gene superfamily ubiquitous in living organisms is associated with growth, development, and the metabolism of both endogenous and exogenous substances, contributing to the insect\'s adaptability in diverse environments. To elucidate the specific role of the CYP450 gene family in M. hirsutus which has remained largely unexplored, a de novo transcriptome assembly of the pink mealybug was constructed. A total of 120 proteins were annotated as CYP450 genes through homology search of the predicted protein sequences across different databases. Phylogenetic studies resulted in categorizing 120 CYP450 genes into four CYP clans. A total of 22 CYP450 families and 30 subfamilies were categorized, with CYP6 forming the dominant family. The study also revealed five genes (Halloween genes) associated with the insect hormone biosynthesis pathway. Further, the expression of ten selected CYP450 genes was studied using qRT-PCR across crawler, nymph, and adult stages, and identified genes that were expressed at specific stages of the insects. Thus, the findings of this study reveal the expression dynamics and possible function of the CYP450 gene family in the growth, development, and adaptive strategies of M. hirsutus which can be further functionally validated.

Reversible regulation of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation of eukaryotic RNA via methyltransferases is an important epigenetic event affecting RNA metabolism. As such, m6A methylation plays crucial roles in regulating animal growth, development, reproduction, and disease progression. Herein, we review the latest research advancements in m6A methylation modifications and discuss regulatory aspects in the context of growth, development, and reproductive traits of livestock. New insights are highlighted and perspectives for the study of m6A methylation modifications in shaping economically important traits are discussed.

This investigation was to study the effects of different formula components on the brain growth of rats. Fifty male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: a basic diet group; a 20% ordinary milk powder group; a 20% special milk powder group; a 30% ordinary milk powder group; and a 30% special milk powder group by weight. LC-MS was used to detect brain lipidomics. After 28 days of feeding, compared with the basic diet group, the brain/body weights of rats in the 30% ordinary milk powder group were increased. The serum levels of 5-HIAA in the 30% ordinary milk powder group were lower than in the 20% ordinary milk powder group. Compared with the basic diet group, the expressions of DLCL, MePC, PI, and GM1 were higher in the groups with added special milk powder, while the expressions of LPE, LdMePE, SM, and MGTG were higher in the groups with added ordinary milk powder. The expression of MBP was significantly higher in the 20% ordinary group. This study found that different formula components of infant milk powder could affect brain growth in SD rats. The addition of special formula infant milk powder may have beneficial effects on rat brains by regulating brain lipid expression.