Polymorphisms Related to Bovine Leptin Gene and Association with Productive and Reproductive Traits in Nellore Heifers

The identification of genes and polymorphisms in female zebu related to the leptin gene that may be involved in better productive and reproductive performances is relevant to the livestock and economic sector. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the SNP markers (T954M and C305T) and the BM1500 microsatellite and to analyze their associations with the traits of body weight, age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), and reproductive efficiency (RE) in Nellore heifers. DNA extraction was performed, followed by the amplification of all markers. Association analyses were carried out with each marker and each traits separately. The result showed that no significant association was found between the reproductive traits and all markers and between body weight and both SNP markers. For the BM1500 microsatellite, the effect of the allele 138 (p=0.0383) on body weight was observed, with the growth curve for this allele being related to the lower asymptotic weight. Therefore, the BM1500 microsatellite marker was the only one with a significant association with a productive trait providing information about the condition of body weight in Nellore heifers

SY-MIS Project: Biomedical Design of Endo-Robotic and Laparoscopic Training System for Surgery on the Earth and Space

Despite the location (Earth or Space), surgical simulation is a vital part of improving technical skills and ensuring patients' safety in the real procedure. The purpose of this study is to describe the Space System for Minimally Invasive Surgery (SY-MIS©) project, which started in 2016 under the supervision of the Center for Space Systems (C-SET). The process connects the best features of the following machines: Biomedik Surgeon, Space Biosurgeon, SP-LAP 1, and SP-LAP 2, which were defined using the VDI 2221 guidelines. This research uses methods based on 3 standards: i) Biomedical design: ISO 9001-13485 / FDA 21 CFR 820.30 / ASTM F1744-96(2016); ii) Aerospace human factors: HF-STD-001; iii) Mechatronics design: VDI 2206. The results depict the conceptual biomedical design of a novel training system named Surgical Engineering and Mechatronic System (SETY©), which integrates the use of 2 laparoscopic tools and 2 anthropomorphic mini-robotic arms (6 DOF). It has been validated by the Evaluation of Technical Criteria, getting a total score of 90% related to clinical assessment, machine adaptability, and robustness. The novelty of the research lies in the introduction of a new procedure that covers the simultaneous use of laparoscopic and robotic systems, named Hybrid Cyber-Physical Surgery (HYS©). In conclusion, the development of SY-MIS© promotes the use of advanced technologies to improve surgical procedures and human-machine medical cooperation for the next frontier of habitability on other planets. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-02-01 Full Text: PD

Una metafora dell'autonomia della classe operaia veneta: la storia di Bruno da Cittadella "dottore in malta"

Asian buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) have an important socio-economic role. The majority of the population is situated in developing countries. Due to the scarce resources in these countries, very few species-specific biotechnology tools exist and a lot of cattle-derived technologies are applied to buffaloes. However, the application of cattle genomic tools to buffaloes is not straightforward and, as results suggested, despite genome sequences similarity the genetic polymorphisms are different. The first SNP chip genotyping platform designed specifically for buffaloes has recently become available. Herein, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and gene network analysis carried out in buffaloes is presented. Target phenotypes were six milk production and four reproductive traits. GWAS identified SNP with significant associations and suggested candidate genes that were specific to each trait and also genes with pleiotropic effect, associated to multiple traits. Network predictions of interactions between these candidate genes may guide further molecular analyses in search of disruptive mutations, help select genes for functional experiments and evidence metabolism differences in comparison to cattle. The cattle SNP chip does not offer an optimal coverage of buffalo genome, thereafter the development of new buffalo-specific genetic technologies is warranted. An annotated reference genome would greatly facilitate genetic research, with potential impact to buffalo-based dairy production.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene and their associations with milk yield and quality in water buffaloes

Ghrelin is a gastrointestinal hormone that acts in releasing growth hormone and influences the body general metabolism. It has been proposed as a candidate gene for traits such as growth, carcass quality, and milk production of livestock because it influences feed intake. In this context, the aim of this study was to verify the existence of polymorphisms in the ghrelin gene and their associations with milk, fat and protein yield, and percentage in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). A group of 240 animals was studied. Five primer pairs were used and 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were found in the ghrelin gene by sequencing. The animals were genotyped for 8 SNP by PCR-RFLP. The SNP g.960G>A and g.778C>T were associated with fat yield and the SNP g.905T>C was associated with fat yield and percentage and protein percentage. These SNP are located in intronic regions of DNA and may be in noncoding RNA sites or affect transcriptional efciency. The ghrelin gene in buffaloes influences milk fat and protein synthesis. The polymorphisms observed can be used as molecular markers to assist selection. © 2013 American Dairy Science Association

Identification of polymorphisms in the osteopontin gene and their associations with certain semen production traits of water buffaloes in the Brazilian Amazon

Contents: The osteopontin gene may influence the fertility of water buffaloes because it is a protein present in sperm. The aim of this work was to identify polymorphisms in this gene and associate them with fertility parameters of animals kept under extensive grazing. A total of 306 male buffaloes older than 18 months, from two farms, one in the state of Amapá and the other in the state of Pará, Brazil were used in the study. Seven SNPs were identified in the regions studied. The polymorphisms were in gene positions 1478, 1513 and 1611 in the region 5′upstrem and positions 6690, 6737, 6925 and 6952 in the region amplified in intron 5. The SNPs were associated with the traits, namely scrotal circumference, scrotal volume, sperm motility, sperm concentration and sperm pathology. There were significant SNPs (p < 0.05) for all the traits. The SNP 6690 was significant for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration, sperm motility and sperm pathology and the SNP 6737 for scrotal volume. The genotype AA of SNP 6690 presented the highest averages for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration and motility and the lowest total number of sperm pathologies. For the scrotal volume trait, the animals with the largest volume were correlated with the presence of the genotype GG of SNP 6737. These results indicate a significance of the osteopontin gene as it seems to exert a substantial influence on the semen production traits of male buffaloes. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH

Genomic association for sexual precocity in beef heifers using pre-selection of genes and haplotype reconstruction

<div><p>Reproductive traits are of the utmost importance for any livestock farming, but are difficult to measure and to interpret since they are influenced by various factors. The objective of this study was to detect associations between known polymorphisms in candidate genes related to sexual precocity in Nellore heifers, which could be used in breeding programs. Records of 1,689 precocious and non-precocious heifers from farms participating in the Conexão Delta G breeding program were analyzed. A subset of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in the region of the candidate genes at a distance of up to 5 kb from the boundaries of each gene, were selected from the panel of 777,000 SNPs of the High-Density Bovine SNP BeadChip. Linear mixed models were used for statistical analysis of early heifer pregnancy, relating the trait with isolated SNPs or with haplotype groups. The model included the contemporary group (year and month of birth) as fixed effect and parent of the animal (sire effect) as random effect. The fastPHASE® and GenomeStudio® were used for reconstruction of the haplotypes and for analysis of linkage disequilibrium based on r² statistics. A total of 125 candidate genes and 2,024 SNPs forming haplotypes were analyzed. Statistical analysis after Bonferroni correction showed that nine haplotypes exerted a significant effect (p<0.05) on sexual precocity. Four of these haplotypes were located in the Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A2 gene (<i>PAPP-A2)</i>, two in the Estrogen-related receptor gamma gene <i>(ESRRG)</i>, and one each in the Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A gene <i>(PAPP-A)</i>, Kell blood group complex subunit-related family <i>(XKR4)</i> and <i>mannose-binding lectin genes (MBL-1)</i> genes. Although the present results indicate that the <i>PAPP-A2</i>, <i>PAPP-A</i>, <i>XKR4</i>, <i>MBL-1</i> and <i>ESRRG</i> genes influence sexual precocity in Nellore heifers, further studies are needed to evaluate their possible use in breeding programs.</p></div

Frequency, average effect, and respective standard error of the haplotype alleles located in the <i>MBL-1</i> gene.

<p>Frequency, average effect, and respective standard error of the haplotype alleles located in the <i>MBL-1</i> gene.</p