Development of a 19-plex short tandem repeat typing system for individual identification and parentage testing of horses (Equus caballus)

Individual identification of horses for pedigree verification and registration is important for the sustainable development of the horse industry. Horse individual identification and parentage tests commonly use the 17 short tandem repeats (STRs) recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) and the locus LEX33. While many multiplex STR typing systems have been established for the horse, a sex determining marker is usually absent, and none of them can simultaneously detect all 17 ISAG recommended loci and the locus LEX33. Here, we present a 19-plex STR typing system that contains the 17 ISAG recommend loci, the locus LEX33 and amelogenin as sex determining loci. The results of our sensitivity, species specificity, stutter analysis and population data analysis, indicate that this system is a specific, sensitive, and robust tool for the identification of individuals, parentage testing and genetic research in the horse.

GLIS1, a potential candidate gene affect fat deposition in sheep tail

Fat deposition in sheep tails is as a result of a complicated mechanism. Mongolian sheep (MG) and Small Tail Han sheep (STH) are two fat-tailed Chinese indigenous sheep breeds while DairyMeade and East Friesian (DS) are two thin-tailed dairy sheep breeds recently introduced to China. In this study, population genomics analysis was applied to identify candidate genes associated with sheep tails based on an in-depth whole-genome sequencing of MG, STH and DS. The selective signature analysis demonstrated that GLIS1, LOC101117953, PDGFD and T were in the significant divergent regions between DS and STH–MG. A nonsynonymous point mutation (g.27807636G>T) was found within GLIS1 in STH–MG and resulted in a Pro to Thr substitution. As a pro-adipogenic factor, GLIS1 may play critical roles in the mesodermal cell differentiation during fetal development affecting fat deposition in sheep tails. This study gives a new insight into the genetic basis of species-specific traits of sheep tails.

[Investigation on the status of monotherapy for newly diagnosed tic disorders and its comorbidity in children]

Objective: To investigate the status of monotherapy for newly diagnosed tic disorders and its comorbidity in children, so as to provide a reference for clinical medication. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the application experience of monotherapy for newly diagnosed tic disorders and comorbidities in 110 pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists from Chinese Tic Disorders Study Consortium from February to August in 2019. Doctors were asked to rate treatment options based on a rank 5-point scale with "1" least appropriate and "5" most appropriate. The drug evaluation index was based on the comparison of the median score of a single drug with the overall scores of all drugs in this disease (M (Q₁, Q₃)), single drug M ≥ overall Q₃ was recommended as preferred drugs; overall Q₁≤ single drug M < overall Q₃ was considered as secondary drugs; single drug M < overall Q₁ was considered as unsuitable drugs. Results: Among 110 electronic questionnaires, 94 (86%) were availably responded, responding doctors included 37 (39%) males and 57 (61%) females, the age of responding doctors was (48±10) years, and their working year was (17±10) years. In the investigation of the first and second monotherapy for newly diagnosed tic disorders in children without comorbidities, there were no preferred drugs for mild transient tic disorders. The scores of clonidine, aripiprazole and tiapride were 4 (3, 4), 4 (3, 4), 4 (4, 5) scores respectively, and were greater than overall scores (3 (2, 4) scores), so they could be recommended as the preferred drugs for moderate chronic tic disorders, the recommendation for initial mild Tourette syndrome (TS) treatment was the same as preferred drugs for moderate chronic tic disorders. Similarly, clonidine, aripiprazole, tiapride and haloperidol could be recommended as the preferred drugs for other kinds of tic disorders. As for the second monotherapy, the preferred drugs for moderate transient tic disorders, mild chronic tic disorders and severe TS were all aripiprazole, tiapride, haloperidol, sulpiride, clonidine and topiramate. While clonidine, aripiprazole, tiapride could be considered as preferred drugs for severe transient tic disorders, moderate to severe chronic tic disorders and mild to moderate tic disorders. In the investigation of monotherapy for newly diagnosed tic disorders in children with comorbidities, for moderate chronic tic disorders and TS comorbid with obsessive-compulsive disorder, aripiprazole (4 (3, 5) scores) and sertraline (4 (3, 4) scores) were preferred drugs,the median scores of which were all greater than overall scores (3 (3, 4) scores), they were also the preferred treatment for severe transient tic disorders and mild chronic tic disorders. For mild and moderate transient tic disorders, severe chronic tic disorders and TS comorbid with obsessive-compulsive disorder, aripiprazole, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, haloperidol and sertraline were preferred drugs. When comorbid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), severe transient tic disorders, moderate chronic tic disorders and TS, tomoxetine and clonidine were recommended as preferred drugs (both 4 (4, 5) scores), and tomoxetine and clonidine were also the preferred treatment for severe TS. For severe chronic tic disorders comorbid with ADHD, clonidine (5(4, 5) scores) was preferred drug, greater than overall scores (4 (3, 5) scores), while for mild and moderate transient tic disorders clonidine, tomoxetine, guanidine and methylphenidate were recommended as preferred drugs. For mild chronic tic disorders and TS comorbid with ADHD tomoxetine was preferred drug. When comorbid with sleep disorders, there were no preferred drugs for mild transient tic disorders; estazolam (3 (2, 3) scores) was the preferred drug for mild chronic tic disorders and TS comorbid with sleep disorders. For othe kind of tic disorders comorbid with sleep disorders, estazolam, melatonin and clonazepam were preferred drugs. When comorbid with anxiety and depressive disorders, for all kinds of tic disorders sertraline was recommended as preferred drugs, the median scores of sertraline were all (4 (3, 5) scores) in severe transient tic disorders, moderate to severe chronic tic disorders and moderate TS, and greater than overall scores (3 (3, 4) scores). While severe chronic tic disorders comorbid with anxiety and depressive disorders, fluvoxamine could also be chosen as preferred drugs. Conclusions: Drug therapy is not recommended for mild transient tic disorders, while tiapride, aripiprazole, clonidine, and haloperidol are mainly preferred drugs for the other kinds of tic disorders. Corresponding drugs should be selected when tic disorders are combined with obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, etc.

[Progress of ocular motor and structures in multiple sclerosis patients]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of central nervous system, which often affects ocular region and causes structural and functional changes of eyes. Therefore, there have been plenty of researches on the alteration of motor and structures of eyes by MS. This paper reviews and summarizes the progress of MS-related changes of ocular motor, cornea, structure and blood flow of retina, and optic nerve, and may provide a new insight for related clinical researches. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56: 711-715).

Chromosome-Level Reference Genome and Population Genomic Analysis Provide Insights into the Evolution and Improvement of Domesticated Mulberry (Morus alba)

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the sole plant consumed by the domesticated silkworm. However, the genome of domesticated mulberry has not yet been sequenced, and the ploidy level of this species remains unclear. Here, we report a high-quality, chromosome-level domesticated mulberry (Morus alba) genome. Analysis of genomic data and karyotype analyses confirmed that M. alba is a diploid with 28 chromosomes (2n = 2x = 28). Population genomic analysis based on resequencing of 134 mulberry accessions classified domesticated mulberry into three geographical groups, namely, Taihu Basin of southeastern China (Hu mulberry), northern and southwestern China, and Japan. Hu mulberry had the lowest nucleotide diversity among these accessions and demonstrated obvious signatures of selection associated with environmental adaptation. Further phylogenetic analysis supports a previous proposal that multiple domesticated mulberry accessions previously classified as different species actually belong to one species. This study expands our understanding of genome evolution of the genus Morus and population structure of domesticated mulberry, which would facilitate mulberry breeding and improvement.

[Application of "Internet +" technology in maternal and child health management and service of district at provincial level]

A survey was conducted on the application status of "Internet plus" technology in maternal and child health management in 31 provincial maternal and child health care institutions through the national comprehensive information platform for maternal and child health. 19 provincial institutions had realized one or more maternal and child health management and service functions under their jurisdiction through the regional health information platform, accounting for 61%. Among thirteen functions of management and service achieved in the regional health information platform, the top four were maternal system management (39%), high-risk maternal management (29%), high-risk newborn management (26%) and children system management (26%). Most functions were better in the eastern regions than those in the central and western regions. 15 provinces had established maternal and child health information platforms. 52% of provincial maternal and child health institutions provided telemedicine services, which were mainly for remote consultation. The main cooperative institutions of telemedicine services were subordinate health care institutions (39%).

Real-time forecasts of the COVID-19 epidemic in China from February 5th to February 24th, 2020

The initial cluster of severe pneumonia cases that triggered the COVID-19 epidemic was identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019. While early cases of the disease were linked to a wet market, human-to-human transmission has driven the rapid spread of the virus throughout China. The Chinese government has implemented containment strategies of city-wide lockdowns, screening at airports and train stations, and isolation of suspected patients; however, the cumulative case count keeps growing every day. The ongoing outbreak presents a challenge for modelers, as limited data are available on the early growth trajectory, and the epidemiological characteristics of the novel coronavirus are yet to be fully elucidated. We use phenomenological models that have been validated during previous outbreaks to generate and assess short-term forecasts of the cumulative number of confirmed reported cases in Hubei province, the epicenter of the epidemic, and for the overall trajectory in China, excluding the province of Hubei. We collect daily reported cumulative confirmed cases for the 2019-nCoV outbreak for each Chinese province from the National Health Commission of China. Here, we provide 5, 10, and 15 day forecasts for five consecutive days, February 5th through February 9th, with quantified uncertainty based on a generalized logistic growth model, the Richards growth model, and a sub-epidemic wave model. Our most recent forecasts reported here, based on data up until February 9, 2020, largely agree across the three models presented and suggest an average range of 7409-7496 additional confirmed cases in Hubei and 1128-1929 additional cases in other provinces within the next five days. Models also predict an average total cumulative case count between 37,415 and 38,028 in Hubei and 11,588-13,499 in other provinces by February 24, 2020. Mean estimates and uncertainty bounds for both Hubei and other provinces have remained relatively stable in the last three reporting dates (February 7th - 9th). We also observe that each of the models predicts that the epidemic has reached saturation in both Hubei and other provinces. Our findings suggest that the containment strategies implemented in China are successfully reducing transmission and that the epidemic growth has slowed in recent days.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insights into the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Synthesis Regulation of Fat-1 Transgenic Sheep

Transgenic technology has huge application potential in agriculture and medical fields, such as producing new livestock varieties with new valuable features and xenotransplantation. However, how an exogenous gene affects the host animal’s gene regulation networks and their health status is still poorly understood. In the current study, Fat-1 transgenic sheep were generated, and the tissues from 100-day abnormal (DAF_1) and normal (DAF_2) fetuses, postnatal lambs (DAF_4), transgenic-silencing (DAFG5), and -expressing (DAFG6) skin cells were collected and subjected to transcriptome sequencing, and their gene expression profiles were compared in multiple dimensions. The results were as follows. For DAF_1, its abnormal development was caused by pathogen invasion but not the introduction of the Fat-1 gene. Fat-1 expression down-regulated the genes related to the cell cycle; the NF-κB signaling pathway and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were down-regulated, and the PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) biosynthesis pathway was shifted toward the biosynthesis of high-level n-3 LC-PUFAs (long-chain PUFAs). Four key node genes, FADS2, PPARA, PRKACA, and ACACA, were found to be responsible for the gene expression profile shift from the Fat-1 transgenic 100-day fetus to postnatal lamb, and FADS2 may play a key role in the accumulation of n-3 LC-PUFAs in Fat-1 transgenic sheep muscle. Our study provides new insights into the FUFAs synthesis regulation in Fat-1 transgenic animals.

Real-time forecasting of epidemic trajectories using computational dynamic ensembles

Forecasting the trajectory of social dynamic processes, such as the spread of infectious diseases, poses significant challenges that call for methods that account for data and model uncertainty. Here we introduce an ensemble model for sequential forecasting that weights a set of plausible models and use a frequentist computational bootstrap approach to evaluate its uncertainty. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach using simple dynamic differential-equation models and the trajectory of outbreak scenarios of the Ebola Forecasting Challenge. Specifically, we generate sequential short-term forecasts of epidemic outbreaks by combining phenomenological models that incorporate flexible epidemic growth scaling, namely the Generalized-Growth Model (GGM) and the Generalized Logistic Model (GLM). We rely on the root-mean-square error (RMSE) to quantify the quality of the models' fits during the calibration periods for weighting their contribution to the ensemble model while forecasting performance was evaluated using the RMSE of the forecasts. For a given forecasting horizon (1-4 weeks), we report the performance for each model as the percentage of the number of times each model outperforms the other models. The overall mean RMSE performance of the GLM and the GGM-GLM ensemble models outcompeted that of participant models of the Ebola Forecasting Challenge. We also found that the ensemble model provided more accurate forecasts with higher frequency than the GGM and GLM models, but its performance varied across forecasting horizons. For instance, across all of the Ebola Challenge Scenarios, the ensemble model outperformed the other models at horizons of 2 and 3 weeks while the GLM outperformed other models at horizons of 1 and 4 weeks.

A meta-analysis of pharmacological neuroprotection in noncardiac surgery: focus on statins, lidocaine, ketamine, and magnesium sulfate

OBJECTIVE

Non-cardiac surgery is associated with perioperative cerebral complications (delirium, postoperative cognition dysfunction, stroke). While rare, these complications can lead to disabilities and deaths. Information is ambiguous as to whether pharmacological preoperative treatment exerts neuroprotection. We wished to systematically assess potential modulation by statins, lidocaine, ketamine or magnesium sulfate of the relative risk of cerebral complications in noncardiac surgery. Selection of these pharmacological agents was based on their known neuroprotective abilities.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

By searching Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases, we identified 4 suitable publications that collectively enrolled 1358 patients (intent-to-treat population), of which 679 patients were treated preoperatively with statins (404 patients on atorvastatin and 275 on rosuvastatin) and 679 patients with preoperative placebo. The reported cerebral outcome was stroke, assessed either within 30 days (4 publications) or 6 months (2 publications) after surgery.

RESULTS

Episodes of stroke within 30 days and 6 months postoperatively were observed in several publications, enabling aggregate analyses. No modulation by statins of the relative risk of stroke at 30 days was observed (risk ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 0.08-30.97; p = 0.76). At 6 months, statins showed an insignificant trend toward neuroprotection (risk ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.05-2.10; p = 0.24).

CONCLUSIONS

The available clinical data are still scarce. Our analyses indicate no protective effects by statins against perioperative stroke but some favorable trends toward delayed stroke. Further randomized trials are needed to unequivocally assess the neuroprotective potential of current pharmacological agents in non-cardiac surgery.

Screening of reference genes using real-time quantitative PCR for gene expression studies in Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

A stable reference gene is a key prerequisite for accurate assessment of gene expression. At present, the real-time reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction has been widely used in the analysis of gene expression in a variety of organisms. Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a major predator of mites on many important economically crops. Until now, however, there are no reports evaluating the stability of reference genes in this species. In view of this, we used GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder software tools to evaluate the expression stability of 11 candidate reference genes in developmental stages and under various abiotic stresses. According to our results, β-ACT and Hsp40 were the top two stable reference genes in developmental stages. The Hsp60 and Hsp90 were the most stable reference genes in various acaricides stress. For alterations in temperature, Hsp40 and α-TUB were the most suitable reference genes. About UV stress, EF1α and α-TUB were the best choice, and for the different prey stress, β-ACT and α-TUB were best suited. In normal conditions, the β-ACT and α-TUB were the two of the highest stable reference genes to respond to all kinds of stresses. The current study provided a valuable foundation for the further analysis of gene expression in N. barkeri.

Polygraph Accuracy of Control Question Test in Criminal Cases

Objective To explore polygraph accuracy of Control Question Test （CQT）and whether it could be influenced by examinee's education level and type of violation of law. Methods Real cases of CQT （n=104） and the data from MAO （n=296） were collected. The polygraph accuracy of CQT was calculated. Variance analysis on three groups of different education levels was used to compare their age, and then the chi-square test was employed to compare polygraph accuracy among the groups. Independent sample t test was used to compare the age of subjects in the two groups of different types of violation of law, and then chi-square test was used to compare the true positive rate and true negative rate of lie detection after integration. Results In CQT lie detection of criminal cases, the true positive rate was 87.00%, the false negative rate was 13.00%, the true negative rate was 82.20%, and the false positive rate was 17.80%. There was no statistical significance in the differences between the true positive rate and the true negative rate （P>0.05）. In CQT lie detection of the groups of different education levels, there was no statistical significance in the differences between the true positive rates （P>0.05） while the differences between the true negative rates had statistical significance （P<0.05）. There was no statistical significance in the differences of both the true positive rates and the true negative rates between the violent violation of law and non-violent violation of law （P>0.05）. Conclusion There is no significant difference between the efficiency of CQT lie detection of identifying criminals and excluding innocents. However, a comparatively high false positive rate and false negative rate still exist. The efficiency of CQT lie detection identifying criminals may not influenced by the examinee's education level and type of violation of law, but its efficiency of excluding innocents may be influenced by the examinee's education level.

[Progress on salt reduction and prevention of chronic non-communicable disease]

Salt reduction is one of the effective strategy for chronic non-communicable disease control and prevention recommended by World Health Organization. Research evidences on salt reduction emerge recently and some issues remain controversial. With the aim of providing reference for the future salt reduction action, this article reviewed the current evidence and strategies on the source of salt intake, the relationship between salt and health, the cost-effectiveness of salt reduction, as well as the targets and strategies of salt reduction. It also elaborated the main controversial issues in salt reduction, including salt reduction in population, evaluation method of salt intake, substitute salt, iodine intake, and the effectiveness of salt reduction strategy. The international and internal salt reduction activities were introduced as well.

Imaging features of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma compared with those of hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma in a Chinese population

AIM

To determine the enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) in Chinese patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with histopathologically proven cHCC-CC (n=54) were compared with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; n=41) and cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC; n=41) patients. Clinical information was measured in all patients. Tumour size, tumour margins, signs of cirrhosis, pseudocapsule, capsular retraction, rim enhancement, intrahepatic biliary dilatation, portal vein thrombosis, upper abdominal lymphadenopathy, were assessed on CT and/or MRI. The dynamic pattern of enhancement was also assessed.

RESULTS

The majority (81.5%) of cHCC-CC patients had positive hepatitis B serology. The presence of cirrhosis and tumour blood vessels was comparable in cHCC-CC and HCC, but significantly lower in CCC (p>0.05). The presence of ill-defined margin and regional lymphadenopathy was comparable in cHCC-CC and CCC, but significantly lower in HCC (p>0.05). The pseudocapsule, capsular retraction, biliary dilatation, rim enhancement, and abnormal perfusion were significantly different between the three types of lesions, with cHCC-CC being intermediate between HCC and CCC. Nearly half of the cHCC-CC tumours (25; 46.3%) showed the wash-in and wash-out enhancement pattern; the gradual, persistent, and mixed patterns were seen in 12 (22.2%), 5 (9.3%), and 12 (22.2%) tumours, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The majority of cHCC-CC tumours occur against a background of positive hepatitis B serology and cirrhosis. Imaging findings vary widely between cHCC-CC tumours. In the present series, the enhancement pattern of cHCC-CC tumours was HCC-like in most cases.

Rapid diagnostic tests for determining dengue serostatus: a systematic review and key informant interviews

Objectives

Vaccination for dengue with the live attenuated tetravalent CYD-TDV vaccine (Dengvaxia®) is only recommended in individuals who have had prior dengue virus (DENV) infection. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for past DENV infection would offer a convenient method for pre-vaccination screening at point-of-care. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the performance of current dengue RDTs for determining dengue serostatus, using IgG antibodies against DENV as a marker of past infection.

Methods

PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from 2000 to 2018 to identify studies evaluating dengue RDTs in individuals with known or possible previous DENV infection. Study quality was evaluated using GRADE and QUADAS-2 criteria. Semi-structured interviews were also performed with available dengue RDT manufacturers.

Results

The performance of four dengue IgG RDTs was determined in 3137 individuals across ten studies conducted in 13 countries, with serum used in most of the studies. No studies reported data for determining dengue serostatus, and limited data were available regarding cross-reactivity with other viruses. The majority of studies demonstrated sensitivities and specificities between 80% and 100% for dengue IgG detection in samples from secondary infection or convalescent time-points after recent infection.

Conclusions

Although current dengue IgG RDTs have shown reasonable performance compared with laboratory-based tests in secondary infection, additional research is needed to determine how RDTs would perform in relevant populations targeted for vaccination. New RDTs or modifications to current RDTs are feasible and may optimize the performance of these tests for use in a pre-vaccination screening approach.

DNA methylation subpatterns at distinct regulatory regions in human early embryos

DNA methylation has been investigated for many years, but recent technologies have allowed for single-cell- and single-base-resolution DNA methylation datasets and more accurate assessment of DNA methylation dynamics at the key genomic regions that regulate gene expression in human early embryonic development. In this study, the region from upstream 20 kb to downstream 20 kb of RefSeq gene was selected and divided into 12 distinct regions (up20, up10, up5, up2, 5'UTR, exon, intron, 3'UTR, down2, down5, down10 and down20). The candidate promoter region (TSS ± 2 kb) was further divided into 20 consecutive subregions, which were termed 'bins'. The DNA methylation dynamics of these regions were systematically analysed along with their effects on gene expression in human early embryos. The dynamic DNA methylation subpatterns at the distinct genomic regions with a focus on promoter regions were mapped. For the 12 distinct genomic regions, up2 and 5'UTR had the lowest DNA methylation levels, and their methylation dynamics were different with other regions. The region 3'UTR had the highest DNA methylation levels, and the correlation analysis with gene expression proved that it was a feature of transcribed genes. For the 20 bins in promoter region, the CpG densities showed a normal distribution pattern, and the trend of the methylated CpG counts was inverse with the DNA methylation levels, especially for the bin 1 (downstream 200 bp of the TSS). Through the correlation analysis between DNA methylation and gene expression, the current study finally revealed that the region bin -4 to 6 (800 bp upstream to 1200 bp downstream of the TSS) was the best candidate for the promoter region in human early embryos, and bin 1 was the putative key regulator of gene activity. This study provided a global and high-resolution view of DNA methylation subpatterns at the distinct genomic regions in human early embryos.

Whole-genome resequencing of Ujumqin sheep to investigate the determinants of the multi-vertebral trait

The Ujumqin sheep is one of the most profitable breeds in China, with unique multi-vertebral characteristics. We performed high-throughput genome resequencing of five multi-vertebral and three non-multi-vertebral sheep in an Ujumqin population. We identified the genomic regions that correlated with the germplasm characteristics to establish the cause of the "multi-vertebral" phenotype in this breed. Sequencing generated a total of 314 952 000 000 bp of raw data. The alignment rate of all the samples was between 98.53% and 99.11%, and the mean depth of coverage relative to the reference genome was between 11.58× and 14.92×. After comparing the differences between the two groups, we identified 21 homozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mutant exons of 14 genes. Nineteen loci of 10 genes contained nonsynonymous mutations, while two loci contained synonymous mutations. Resequencing revealed homozygous mutations comprised of 44 indels located within exons of 19 genes. These indels included 37 frameshift mutations, 6 non-frameshift mutations, and 1 stopgain single nucleotide variation (SNV). Finally, comparisons of genotypic variations revealed 17 genes with homozygous mutations in their coding regions, 5 of which have previously been associated with vertebral development and the remaining 12 genes were newly identified in this study.

Gene cloning and difference analysis of vitellogenin in Neoseiulus barkeri (Hughes)

Neoseiulus barkeri (HUGHES) is the natural enemy of spider mites, whiteflies and thrips. Screening for chemically-resistant predatory mites is a practical way to balance the contradiction between the pesticide using and biological control. In this study, the number of eggs laid by fenpropathrin-susceptible and resistant strains of N. barkeri was compared. Additionally, we cloned three N. barkeri vitellogenin (Vg) genes and used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to quantify Vg expression in susceptible and resistant strains. The total number of eggs significantly increased in the fenpropathrin-resistant strain. The full-length cDNA cloning of three N. barkeri Vg genes (NbVg1, NbVg2 and NbVg3) revealed that the open reading frames of NbVg1, NbVg2 and NbVg3 were 5571, 5532 and 4728 bp, encoding 1856, 1843 and 1575 amino acids, respectively. The three N. barkeri Vg possessed the Vitellogenin-N domain (or lipoprotein N-terminal domain (LPD_N)), von Willebrand factor type D domain (VWD) and the domain with unknown function 1943 (DUF1943). The NbVg1 and NbVg2 expression levels were significantly higher in the resistant strain than in the susceptible strain, while the NbVg3 expression level was lower in the resistant strain. Thus, we speculate that the increased number of eggs laid by the fenpropathrin-resistant strain of N. barkeri may be a consequence of changes in Vg gene expression.