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BACKGROUND: To investigate the molecular mechanisms determining the coat color of native breed sheep in Xinjiang. METHODS: Bashibai sheep, Yemule white sheep and Tulufan black sheep were selected. Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing technology was used to detect the genes responsible for the white, light brown, black and cyan gray coat colors in sheep. Sequence analysis and functional gene annotation analysis were performed to analyze the results. The signal pathways and differentially expressed genes related to sheep hair color production regulation were screened and finally verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Functional annotation by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed significant differences in enrichment of immunity-related pathways as well as melanogenesis synthetic and tyrosine metabolism pathways. Our results showed that the DCT, TYR, TYRP1, PMEL, SLC45A2 and MLANA six genes may be associated with the regulation of coat color development and provide a theoretical basis for selecting natural coat colors of sheep.
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BACKGROUND: Despite great effort to control tuberculosis (TB), low treatment adherence threatens the success of drug therapy, increases the risk of TB transmission, and leads to the development of drug resistance. The present study assessed anti-TB treatment adherence in sputum smear-positive TB patients and examined the risk factors for poor patient adherence to identify targets for intervention. METHODS: We monitored and followed up TB patients who were diagnosed between July 2014 and June 2015 in Xinjiang, China. A total of 8289 sputum smear-positive TB patients were included in this study. All patients registered their information during the first hospital visit or with the Centers for Disease Control, had regular follow-up visits, and accepted the anti-TB treatment. Insufficient re-examination adherence was defined as undergoing fewer than the recommended three sputum smear examinations during the treatment course. RESULTS: Among 8289 patients, 3827 men (84.4% of male patients) and 3220 women (85.7% of female patients) had good adherence during treatment follow-up. 1242 patients (15.0%) did not complete regular follow-up. 332 (4.0%) patients lost contact. An adjusted logistic regression model showed that ethnicity, household address, treatment classification, patient source, and the actual management were significantly associated with non-adherence. CONCLUSION: The Xinjiang TB epidemic situation remains grim. Smear-positive patients had a higher proportion of non-adherence, which increased treatment difficulties and the risk of death from TB. Relevant medical departments should strengthen their supervision and interventions during the TB treatment process to improve patient adherence to anti-TB treatment.
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In this paper, a novel perturbation approach for implementing the independently reconfigurable dual-mode dual-band substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) filter is proposed. Dual-frequency manipulation is achieved by adding perturbation via-holes (the first variable) and changing the lengths of the interference slot (the second variable) in each cavity. The independent control of the upper passband only depends on the second variable while the lower passband is independently tuned by combining the two variables. Using such a design method, a two-cavity dual-band SIW filter is designed and experimentally assessed with four via-holes and an interference slot in each cavity. The dual-band filter not only has a frequency ratio (fR) ranging from 1.14 to 1.58 but also can be considered as a single passband one with a tunable range of 40.5% from 1.26 GHz to 2.12 GHz. The scattering parameters |S11| and |S21| are in the range of -10.72 dB to -37.17 dB and -3.67 dB to -7.22 dB in the operating dual bands, respectively. All the simulated and measured results show an acceptable agreement with the predicted data.
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Equipment Design , Wireless Technology , Computer Simulation , Electromagnetic Radiation , Models, TheoreticalABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM33) gene polymorphism of bronchial asthma and its severity in Xinjiang Uygur population. METHODS: From January to December 2009, a total of 126 consecutive Uighur asthmatics with a definite diagnosis at First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were assigned into intermittent mild (n = 62), moderate (n = 39) and severe (n = 25) groups according to the severity of illness. The control group was a 1: 1 paired population from healthy subjects matched similarly with regards to gender, race, residence and age (with a difference <5 years). The ADAM33 gene polymorphisms of F+1, S+1, T1, T2 and V4 locus allele in each group were tested by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: In ADAM33, the distribution of T1, T2 and V4 locus allele in asthmatics and controls had a significant difference (χ² = 8.064, P = 0.018; χ² = 8.013, P = 0.018 and χ² = 11.737, P = 0.003). The distribution of allelic frequency showed that all T1 (C), T2 (A) and V4 (G) locus allele increased the relative risk degree of asthmatics (OR = 2.080, 2.139 and 1.912). The distribution frequency of T1 (TC and TT), T2 (AG and GG), V4 (GG and CC) genotypes in mild, moderate and severe groups had significant differences (all P < 0.05).Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that in asthmatics, the presence of Hap2 (CATGC) was much lower than controls (20.4% vs 30.4%; χ² = 6.597, P = 0.010) while Hap4 (CACAC) and Hap5 (TACAG) were much higher than those in controls (9.6% vs 4.8% and 6.8% vs 2.8%; χ² = 4.545, P = 0.033 and χ² = 4.377, P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: The ADAM33 gene polymorphism of T1, T2 and V4 locus allele may be associated with asthma and its severity in Xinjiang. And Uighur population may have both susceptible and protective haplotypes of asthmatics.
