Genetic Traceability of Chicken Breeds

Aims of this study were to apply AFLP markers to assess the genetic diversity and to define a marker-assisted traceability system in local chicken breeds. Data were based on 107 cocks of three different local chicken breeds from Veneto region (Italy): Robusta (PRR: n=54), Pepoi (PPP: n=33) and Padovana (PPD: n=20). Chickens were individually identified at birth with wing tag and reared in four different herds using a free-range system. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood and AFLP analysis was performed according to the protocol described in Barcaccia et al. (1998). Values of expected heterozygosity (H) and polymorphism information content (PIC) at AFLP loci were calculated for each breed. Genetic similarities of all possible pairs of genotypes were estimates using a Jaccard index; the values obtained were subsequently used in a factorial analysis in order to define latent variables which explain the whole genetic similarity relation system between individuals. The average PIC index within breed was generally low: 24.1% for PRR, 23.6% for PPD and 17.2% for PPP. The average heterozygosities of the three breeds for all markers were 29.5% for PRR and PPD and 21.3% for PPP. In the majority of cases (from 90% to 100% of individuals within breed), marker-assisted traceability system used in this research correctly identified the breed of cocks. Hence, results are promising to identify biological tissue (meat, gamets, embryo, etc.) from these local chicken breeds. However, the method used in this study should be improved in terms of cost reduction for single sample, work effort, reproducibility and accuracy of results obtained

Road traffic pollution and childhood leukemia: a nationwide case-control study in Italy

Background The association of childhood leukemia with traffic pollution was considered in a number of studies from 1989 onwards, with results not entirely consistent and little information regarding subtypes. Aim of the study We used the data of the Italian SETIL case-control on childhood leukemia to explore the risk by leukemia subtypes associated to exposure to vehicular traffic. Methods We included in the analyses 648 cases of childhood leukemia (565 Acute lymphoblastic–ALL and 80 Acute non lymphoblastic-AnLL) and 980 controls. Information on traffic exposure was collected from questionnaire interviews and from the geocoding of house addresses, for all periods of life of the children. Results We observed an increase in risk for AnLL, and at a lower extent for ALL, with indicators of exposure to traffic pollutants. In particular, the risk was associated to the report of closeness of the house to traffic lights and to the passage of trucks (OR: 1.76; 95% CI 1.03–3.01 for ALL and 6.35; 95% CI 2.59–15.6 for AnLL). The association was shown also in the analyses limited to AML and in the stratified analyses and in respect to the house in different period of life. Conclusions Results from the SETIL study provide some support to the association of traffic related exposure and risk for AnLL, but at a lesser extent for ALL. Our conclusion highlights the need for leukemia type specific analyses in future studies. Results support the need of controlling exposure from traffic pollution, even if knowledge is not complete

Assessing genetic variability in two ancient chicken breeds of Padova area

Genetic diversity in two ancient indigenous chicken breeds of the Veneto region was assessed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A total of 63 individuals were analysed using three selected AFLP primer combinations that produced 66 clear polymorphisms. The breeds analyzed were the Padovana and the Polverara (two ancient breeds) and a reference broiler line. The expected heterozygosity (Het) did not differ significantly among breeds. The variability at AFLP loci was largely maintained across breeds, as indicated by the coefficient of genetic differentiation (Gst) value. The lowest genetic distance is found between the Padovana and Polverara breeds suggesting that they could be genetically close

Spatial structure of roe deer populations: towards defining management units at a landscape scale.

International audience1. A crucial question in wildlife management concerns the definition of ecologically meaningful management units. Management action needs to be co-ordinated at the appropriate spatial scale. There are few practical tools for delimiting pertinent management units for large mammals such as ungulates. 2. Previous work has favoured a molecular approach to determine genetically distinct units, but this may be too costly for routine management. In addition, recent studies have revealed fine-scale heterogeneity in population dynamics of free-ranging ungulates in relation to environmental variability. 3. We combined spatial analysis of environmental heterogeneity (vegetation cover, topography and climate), animal morphology (jaw length) and genetic structure (microsatellites) to define biologically meaningful population units for roe deer Capreolus capreolus in the Belluno province, north-eastern Italy. Jaw length is a sensitive measure of density-dependence and a good proxy for spatial and temporal variation in roe deer population growth. 4. Spatial analysis of environmental variables suggested that the study area should be divided into two, or possibly four, biogeographical regions in relation to variation in altitude and habitat type. There was significant spatial variability in jaw length across the province that clustered into two main regions (with shorter jaws in the north compared with the south), which matched the previously defined biogeographical regions. This spatial structuring was also supported by microsatellite analysis, which revealed two genetically distinct populations, one in the north and one in the south. 5. Synthesis and applications. A multiparameter approach, combining environmental information with data on indices of density-dependence such as jaw length, could be extremely useful for defining ecologically meaningful management units. Indeed, monitoring spatial and temporal variation in jaw length could provide deer managers with a simple way to index population structure and fluctuations in time and space

Software Mnemosine

Il software Mnemosine è stato realizzato nell’ambito del progetto PRIN School Memories between Social Perception and Collective Representation (Italy, 1861-2001), che si propone – tra le altre cose – d’indagare quale memoria della scuola e dell’insegnamento sia stata elaborata nell’ambito delle rappresentazioni ufficiali e delle commemorazioni pubbliche promosse dalle istituzioni locali e nazionali in base ad una precisa politica della memoria. Nell’ambito di tale progetto, è stata prevista la realizzazione di una serie di banche dati scientifiche relative alla rappresentazione della scuola del passato nelle video testimonianze di insegnanti, nelle fonti letterarie, nei diari e nelle autobiografie, nelle illustrazioni e nelle opere d’arte e negli audiovisivi, così come alla descrizione delle decorazioni e onorificenze scolastiche e delle varie forme di memoria pubblica della scuola. Il software consente la descrizione fisica e l’indicizzazione semantica di questo eterogeneo insieme di fonti. Il software, prodotto dalla Elicos s.r.l., è stato registrato presso il Registro pubblico per il software della SIAE con numero di registrazione D000015049 il 10 giugno 2021

MNEMOSINE

Il software Mnemosine è stato realizzato nell’ambito del progetto PRIN «School Memories between Social Perception and Collective Representation (Italy, 1861-2001)», che si propone – tra le altre cose – d’indagare quale memoria della scuola e dell’insegnamento sia stata elaborata nell’ambito delle rappresentazioni ufficiali e delle commemorazioni pubbliche promosse dalle istituzioni locali e nazionali in base ad una precisa politica della memoria. Nell’ambito di tale progetto, è stata prevista la realizzazione di una serie di banche dati scientifiche relative alla rappresentazione della scuola del passato nelle video testimonianze di insegnanti, nelle fonti letterarie, nei diari e nelle autobiografie, nelle illustrazioni e nelle opere d’arte e negli audiovisivi, così come alla descrizione delle decorazioni e onorificenze scolastiche e delle varie forme di memoria pubblica della scuola. Il software consente la descrizione fisica e l’indicizzazione semantica di questo eterogeneo insieme di fonti. Il software è stato registrato presso il Registro pubblico per il software della SIAE con numero di registrazione D000015049 il 10 giugno 2021