Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

BACKGROUND: Assessments of age-specific mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used population estimates from UNPOP, which were not derived in a way that was internally consistent with the estimates of the numbers of deaths in the GBD. The present iteration of the GBD, GBD 2017, improves on previous assessments and provides timely estimates of the mortality experience of populations globally. METHODS: The GBD uses all available data to produce estimates of mortality rates between 1950 and 2017 for 23 age groups, both sexes, and 918 locations, including 195 countries and territories and subnational locations for 16 countries. Data used include vital registration systems, sample registration systems, household surveys (complete birth histories, summary birth histories, sibling histories), censuses (summary birth histories, household deaths), and Demographic Surveillance Sites. In total, this analysis used 8259 data sources. Estimates of the probability of death between birth and the age of 5 years and between ages 15 and 60 years are generated and then input into a model life table system to produce complete life tables for all locations and years. Fatal discontinuities and mortality due to HIV/AIDS are analysed separately and then incorporated into the estimation. We analyse the relationship between age-specific mortality and development status using the Socio-demographic Index, a composite measure based on fertility under the age of 25 years, education, and income. There are four main methodological improvements in GBD 2017 compared with GBD 2016: 622 additional data sources have been incorporated; new estimates of population, generated by the GBD study, are used; statistical methods used in different components of the analysis have been further standardised and improved; and the analysis has been extended backwards in time by two decades to start in 1950. FINDINGS: Globally, 18·7% (95% uncertainty interval 18·4–19·0) of deaths were registered in 1950 and that proportion has been steadily increasing since, with 58·8% (58·2–59·3) of all deaths being registered in 2015. At the global level, between 1950 and 2017, life expectancy increased from 48·1 years (46·5–49·6) to 70·5 years (70·1–70·8) for men and from 52·9 years (51·7–54·0) to 75·6 years (75·3–75·9) for women. Despite this overall progress, there remains substantial variation in life expectancy at birth in 2017, which ranges from 49·1 years (46·5–51·7) for men in the Central African Republic to 87·6 years (86·9–88·1) among women in Singapore. The greatest progress across age groups was for children younger than 5 years; under-5 mortality dropped from 216·0 deaths (196·3–238·1) per 1000 livebirths in 1950 to 38·9 deaths (35·6–42·83) per 1000 livebirths in 2017, with huge reductions across countries. Nevertheless, there were still 5·4 million (5·2–5·6) deaths among children younger than 5 years in the world in 2017. Progress has been less pronounced and more variable for adults, especially for adult males, who had stagnant or increasing mortality rates in several countries. The gap between male and female life expectancy between 1950 and 2017, while relatively stable at the global level, shows distinctive patterns across super-regions and has consistently been the largest in central Europe, eastern Europe, and central Asia, and smallest in south Asia. Performance was also variable across countries and time in observed mortality rates compared with those expected on the basis of development. INTERPRETATION: This analysis of age-sex-specific mortality shows that there are remarkably complex patterns in population mortality across countries. The findings of this study highlight global successes, such as the large decline in under-5 mortality, which reflects significant local, national, and global commitment and investment over several decades. However, they also bring attention to mortality patterns that are a cause for concern, particularly among adult men and, to a lesser extent, women, whose mortality rates have stagnated in many countries over the time period of this study, and in some cases are increasing

Expression of 25 high egg production related transcripts that identified from hypothalamus and pituitary gland in red-feather Taiwan country chickens

Expression levels of 33 high egg production candidate transcripts in Red-feather Taiwan country chickens (TCCs) were examined by quantitative reverse-transcription (RT) polymerase chain reactions (PCR) in this study. Candidate transcripts were previously identified from a L2-B (L2-subtract-B) hypothalamus/pituitary gland subtractive cDNA library. In this subtractive cDNA library, two divergently selected strains of TCCs, B and L2 were used. These two strains were originated from one single population and were further subjected (since 1982) to the selections of body weight/comb size (B) and eggs to 40 wk of age (L2), respectively. Hypothalamuses and pituitary glands that sampled from Red-feather TCCs were previously grouped into high (Red-high; n = 20) and low (Red-low-, it = 20) egg productions based on the rate of lay after 1st egg (hen-day laying rate; %). Rates of lay after 1st egg (mean +/- S.E.) in the Red-high and the Red-low sub-populations were 72.2 +/- 0.6 and 23.0 +/- 3.5, respectively (P < 0.01). Quantitative RT-PCR validated that 25 candidate transcripts were significantly higher expressed in the Red-high than in the Red-low hens. These transcripts were ANP32A, BDH, CDC42, CNTN1, COMT, CPE, CTNNB1, DIO2, EIF4E, GARNL1, HSPCA, LAPTM4B, MBP, NAPIL4, NCAM1, PARK7, PCDHA@, PGDS, PLAG1, PRL, RAD21, SARIA, SCG2, STMN1 and UFM1. Among these transcripts, 15 (79.0%), 13 (68.4%), and 12 (63.2%) genes were annotated to involve in cellular physiological process (GO:0050875), metabolism (GO:0008152) and cell communication (GO:0007154). Identified transcripts that related to high egg production are most active in focal adhesion, adherens junction, MAPK signaling, tight junction and cell adhesion pathways. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Prostaglandin-D synthetase induces transcription of the LH beta subunit in the primary culture of chicken anterior pituitary cells via the PPAR signaling pathway

Downstream effects of prostaglandin-D synthetase (PGDS) in a primary culture of chicken (Gallus gallus) anterior pituitary cells were investigated to study how PGDS regulated laying in hens. Either PGDS downstream metabolite, PGD(2) or PGJ(2), elevated LHB mRNA and LHB protein levels in dose- and time-dependent manners, and treatment with arachidonic acid (1 mu M) alone upregulated 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15-d-PGJ(2); derived from PGJ(2))/PGJ(2), LHB mRNA, and LHB protein levels (P < 0.05) in the primary culture of chicken pituitary anterior cells. Transfection of the plasmid Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein-PGDS plasmid into these cells in medium containing 1 mu M arachidonic acid additionally increased 15-d-PGJ(2)/PGJ(2), LHB mRNA, and LHB protein levels (P < 0.05). In the hypothalamus/pituitary gland of laying hens, there was a high correlation (r = 0.64; P < 0.05) between PGDS and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor A (PPARA) mRNA level in a high egg production strain, the L2 Taiwan country chickens. In commercial Single-Comb White Leghorn layers, there were high correlation coefficients between PGDS and PPARA (r = 0.65; P < 0.05) and between PGDS and PPARG (r = 0.67; P < 0.01) mRNA levels. A broad-range PPARs agonist, GW9578 (5 to 500 nM), enhanced LHB mRNA and LHB protein levels (P < 0.05). The PPARA-specific (GW6471) and PPARG-specific (T0070907) antagonists suppressed endogenous LHB mRNA and LHB protein levels (P < 0.05); in addition, both antagonists attenuated arachidonic acid induced LHB mRNA levels (P < 0.05) and PGDS-induced (in the presence of 1 p,M arachidonic acid) LHB mRNA and LHB protein (P < 0.05) levels in the primary culture of chicken anterior pituitary cells. Higher LHB mRNA/LHB protein ratios in PGD(2-), PGJ(2-), arachidonic acid-, PGDS-, and GW9578-induced as well as GW6471- and T0070907-suppressed anterior pituitary cells suggested that LHB transcription occurred before translation. In conclusion, PGDS induced LHB transcription and subsequent translation via the PPAR signaling pathway. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Laying traits and underlying transcripts, expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, that were associated with egg production variability in chickens

The objective was to characterize the potential laying traits and underlying transcripts expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that were associated with egg production variability in five genetic stocks of chickens: two commercial lines, Red(n = 12) and Black-feather (n = 14) Taiwan country chickens (TCCs); two selected lines of TCCs, B (high body weight/comb size; n = 17) and L2 (high-egg production; n = 14); and a commercial single comb White Leghorn (WL; n = 17). Six laying traits, age at first egg, clutch length, pause length, oviposition lag within clutch, follicle rapid growth period, and rate of yolk accumulation were measured. The significance of differential values among five chicken stocks and correlation coefficients between laying traits and number of eggs to 50 weeks of age or laying rate after first egg, and the expression level of 33 transcripts were determined. Longer clutch length and shorter oviposition lag within clutch contributed to a higher number of eggs to 50 weeks of age or laying rate after first egg in L2 (P < 0.05) and WL strains (P < 0.05). However, their rate of yolk accumulation (P < 0.05) and follicle rapid growth period (P < 0.05) were different, indicating the accumulation of different alleles after long-term, independent selection. Across all five strains, numbers of eggs to 50 weeks of age were positive correlated with average clutch length (P < 0.05) as well as the rate of yolk accumulation (P < 0.05). Expressions of PLAGI, STMN2, PGDS, PARK7, ANP32A, PCDHA@, SCG2, BDH and SARIA transcripts contributed to number of eggs to 50 weeks of age (P < 0.05) or laying rate after first egg (P < 0.05). Analysis of correlation coefficients indicated that PLAGI additionally played roles in decreasing average pause length. Two transcripts, PRL and GARNL1, specifically contributed to number of eggs to 50 weeks of age or laying rate after first egg by reducing oviposition lag within clutch (P < 0.05) and/or increasing average clutch length (P < 0.05), respectively. Expression level of NCAM1, contributed to laying rate after first egg by association with a shorter oviposition lag within clutch (P < 0.05). The current study attributed egg production phenotype in five strains into several laying traits; correlations between these traits and expression levels of underlying transcripts expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland were also established. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier Inc

Anomalous electrical performance of nanoscaled interfacial oxides for bonded n-GaAs wafers

Electrical performance was found to be closely related to the variation of nanosized interface morphology in previous studies. This work investigated in detail the microstructural development of in- and anti-phase bonded interfaces for n-type (100) GaAs wafers treated at 500, 600, 700 and 850 degrees C. The interfacial energy of anti-phase bonding is higher than that of in-phase bonding based on the first-principles calculations. The higher interface energy tends to stabilize the interfacial oxide layer. The continuous interfacial oxide layer observed below 700 degrees C can deteriorate the electrical property due to its insulating property. However, the existence of nanoscaled oxide at anti-phase bonded interfaces can improve the electrical conductivity at 700 degrees C. This is due to the suppression of the evaporation of As atom by the interfacial nanoscaled oxides based on the analysis of autocorrelation function and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics

Genetic variability of Pantaneiro horse using RAPD-PCR markers Variabilidade genética do cavalo Pantaneiro utilizando marcadores RAPD-PCR

Blood samples were collected from Pantaneiro Horses in five regions of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso States. Arabian, Mangalarga Marchador and Thoroughbred were also included to estimate genetic distances and the existing variability among and within these breeds by RAPD-PCR (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA - Polymerase Chain Reaction) molecular markers. From 146 primers, 13 were chosen for amplification and 44 polymorphic bands were generated. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the greatest portion of detected variability was due to differences between individuals within populations (75.47%). Analysis of the genetic variability between pairs of populations presented higher estimates for the five Pantaneiro populations with the Arabian breed, while lowest estimates were presented by pairs formed among the Pantaneiro populations with the Mangalarga Marchador. Highest genic diversity was shown by the Pantaneiro (0.3396), which also showed highest genetic distance with the Arabian and lowest with Mangalarga Marchador breed. UPGMA dendrogram showed distinct differences between naturalized (Pantaneiro and Mangalarga Marchador) and exotic (Arabian and Thoroughbred) breeds. In the dendrogram generated by UPGMA method, the similarity matrix generated by the Jaccard coefficient showed distinction between the naturalised breeds, Pantaneiro and Mangalarga Marchador, and the exotic breeds, Árab and English Thoroughbred. Results suggest that the Pantaneiro presents a higher genetic variability than the other studied breeds and has a close relationship with the Mangalarga Marchador.<br>Amostras de sangue foram coletadas de cavalos Pantaneiros de cinco regiões dos estados de Mato Grosso do Sul e Mato Grosso. As raças Mangalarga Marchador, Árabe e Puro-Sangue Inglês (PSI) usando marcadores moleculares RAPD-PCR (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA - Polymerase Chain Reaction) foram incluídas no intuito de se calcular as distâncias genéticas e comparar a variabilidade genética entre e dentro de cada uma das raças. Dos 146 primers escrutinados, 13 foram escolhidos para amplificação com cada um dos indivíduos das oito populações, gerando um total de 44 bandas polimórficas. Os resultados encontrados na Análise de Variância Molecular (AMOVA) indicam que grande parte da variabilidade genética detectada se deve a diferenças entre indivíduos dentro de populações (75,47%). Na análise da estimativa dos percentuais de variabilidade genética entre pares de populações, foram observados maiores valores para os pares formados entre as cinco populações de cavalo Pantaneiro e a raça Árabe, enquanto os menores percentuais ocorreram entre Pantaneiro e Mangalarga Marchador. Maior índice de diversidade gênica foi observado na raça Pantaneiro (0,3396). No dendrograma gerado pelo método UPGMA, a partir da matriz de similaridade obtida pelo coeficiente de Jaccard, houve distinção entre as raças naturalizadas (Pantaneiro e Mangalarga Marchador) e as exóticas (Árabe e PSI). Os resultados encontrados sugerem que o Pantaneiro apresenta maior variabilidade genética que os de outras raças e está estreitamente relacionado ao Mangalarga Marchador