BOVITA: a first overview on genome-wide genetic diversity of Italian autochthonous cattle breeds

Analysis of genomic data is increasingly becoming part of the livestock industry and is an invaluable resource for effective management of breeding programs in small populations. The recent availability of genome-wide SNP panels allows providing background information concerning genome structure in domestic animals, opening new perspectives to livestock genetics. BOVITA was established to join local efforts and resources for the genomic characterization of Italian local cattle breeds. Despite the growing diffusion of some cosmopolite specialized breeds, several autochthonous breeds are still bred in Italy. The main aim of the BOVITA is to investigate the genomic structure of Italian local cattle breeds, to provide information on their genetic status that will be useful for the management of the genetic variability, as a contribution to biodiversity conservation and prioritization actions. A total of about 800 animals (20-32 per breed) belonging to thirty Italian cattle breeds (Agerolese, Bar\ue0-Pustertaler, Burlina, Cabannina, Calvana, Chianina, Cinisara, Garfagnina, Italian Brown, Italian Holstein, Italian Simmental, Marchigiana, Maremmana, Modenese, Modicana, Mucca Pisana, Pezzata Rossa d\u2019Oropa, Piedmontese, Pinzgau, Podolica, Pontremolese, Pustertaler, Reggiana, Rendena, Romagnola, Rossa Siciliana, Sarda, Sardo-Bruna, Sardo-Modicana and Ottonese-Varzese) and two cosmopolitan breeds (Charolaise and Limousine) genotyped with the Illumina BovineSNP50 v2 BeadChip array were collected for the analysis. The genotypes of several breeds were detected in the frame of the project, whereas for some breeds these data are derived by previous studies. The dataset will be analyzed to: study several aspects of population genetic diversity, multi-dimensional scaling plot, population structure, linkage disequilibrium, and runs of homozygosity. In addition, comparative analysis of conserved haplotypes will be conducted to identify genomic segments under selection pressure. Such information also provides important insights into the mechanisms of evolution and is useful for the annotation of significant functional genomics regions. Data analysis will also be useful to select SNPs suitable for parentage test and breed genetic traceability. The analysis of the data will pinpoint the genetic distinctiveness of Italian breeds. Moreover, the obtained results contribute to a better characterization of history and genetic structure of Italian cattle breeds

Structure determination, magnetic and optical properties of a new chromium(II) thioantimonate, [Cr((NH2CH2CH2)(3)N)]Sb4S7

The chromium(II) antimony(III) sulphicle, [Cr((NH2CH2CH2)(3)N)]Sb4S7, was synthesised under solvothermal conditions from the reaction of Sb2S3. Cr and S dissolved in tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) at 438 K. The products were characterised by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. elemental analysis, SQUID magnetometry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The compound crystallises in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 7.9756(7), b = 10.5191(9), c = 25.880(2) angstrom and beta = 90.864(5)degrees. Alternating SbS33- trigonal pyramids and Sb36 semi-cubes generate Sb4S72- chains which are directly bonded to Cr(tren pendant units. The effective magnetic moment of 4.94(6)mu(B) shows a negligible orbital contribution, in agreement with expectations for Cr(II):d(4) in a (5)A ground state. The measured band gap of 2.14(3) eV is consistent with a correlation between optical band gap and framework density that is established from analysis of a wide range of antimony sulphides. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Intensi e diffusi attacchi di alcuni Erio-fìdi su Pomacee in Italia

Gli AA. segnalano la presenza e la diffusione in molte zone frutticole italiane di due Acari Eriofidi: Aculus schlechtendali (Nal.) ed Epitrimerus pyri (Nal.). La prima di queste specie è infeudata al Melo, la seconda al Pero. Sulle piante ospiti i fitofagi producono seri danni agli apici vegetativi, in particolare nei giovani impianti, causando vistose alterazioni fogliari ed arresto di sviluppo, con dirette conseguenze sulla forma di allevamento e sulla precocità di fruttificazione. Viene data una breve descrizione morfologica delle due specie e fornito un elenco dei principi attivi usati per la lotta contro di essi. Per la difesa di A. schlechtendali ha dato ottimi risultati il Kelthane; contro E. pyri, oltre al Kelthane possono essere usati Zineb, Carbaryl, Protoato. &nbsp

Health, not weight loss, focused programmes versus conventional weight loss programmes for cardiovascular risk factors:A systematic review and meta-analysis

© 2019 The Authors. Published by BMC. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website:Background: Obesity is a cardiovascular disease risk factor. Conventional weight loss (CWL) programmes focus on weight loss, however 'health, not weight loss, focused' (HNWL) programmes concentrate on improved health and well-being, irrespective of weight loss. What are the differences in CVD risk outcomes between these programmes? Aim: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effects of HNWL with CWL programmes on cardiovascular disease risk factors. Methods: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ASSIA, clinical trial registers, commercial websites and reference lists for randomised controlled trials comparing the two programmes (initially searched up to August 2015 and searched updated to 5 April 2019). We used the Mantel-Haneszel fixed-effect model to pool results. Sub-group and sensitivity analyses that accounted for variations in length of follow-up, enhanced programmes and risk of bias dealt with heterogeneity. Results: Eight randomised controlled trials of 20,242 potential studies were included. Improvements in total cholesterol-HDL ratio (mean difference-0.21 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [-3.91, 3.50]) and weight loss (-0.28 kg [-2.00, 1.44]) favoured HNWL compared to CWL programmes in the long term (53-104 week follow-up), whereas improvements in systolic (-1.14 mmHg, [-5.84, 3.56]) and diastolic (-0.15 mmHg, [-3.64, 3.34]) blood pressure favoured CWL programmes. These differences did not reach statistical significance. Statistically significant improvements in body satisfaction (-4.30 [-8.32,-0.28]) and restrained eating behaviour (-4.30 [-6.77,-1.83]) favoured HNWL over CWL programmes. Conclusions: We found no long-term significant differences in improved CVD risk factors; however, body satisfaction and restrained eating behaviour improved more with HNWL compared to CWL programmes. Yet firm conclusions cannot be drawn from small studies with high losses to follow-up and data sometimes arising from a single small study.Published versio

Morphological characterization of the Amiata donkey breed through the data reported in the Anagraphic Register

The Anagraphic Register of the Amiata donkey breed has been established in 1993, and is maintained by the association of breeders of the Grosseto province (APA-GR). Being an endangered breed, subjects with unknown pedigree have been allowed to be recorded, provided that females scored at least 60 and males at least 75 points on morphological evaluation. Recording is still open for females, whereas it has been closed in 1997 for stallions. In the present work, we have investigated the morphological structure of the Amiata donkey through the data reported in the Anagraphic Register. This last was started recently and was maintained on paper only, meaning that it inevitably includes a certain degree of incompleteness. The morphological records of 74 unrelated Amiata donkeys (62 females and 12 males) were collected at the APA-GR in 2005. For each animal the following biometrical data was available: 10 individual scores (from 1 to 10) for coat colour, head shape, neck, withers, shoulders, back, back-lumbar line, limbs and plumbs, walking and foot, evaluated by certificated experts of the breed; in addition, measurements of withers height, chest and cannon circumference were individually reported. As an index of body compactness, the ratio chest/cannon circumference was calculated from data. One-way analysis of variance was used to test the differences between male and females for total scores and morphological measurements. Data were analysed by JMP software version 5.0 of SAS Inst. (2002). No significant differences were observed among females and males: Mean (± s.d.) withers height (WH) were 129.0 ± 3.2 cm in females and 131.8 ± 3.1 cm in males. Chest circumference (CH) were 148.4 ± 5.1 cm and of 150.8 ± 5.5 cm, for males and females respectively, and cannon circumference (CC) were 16.6 ± 1.2 cm and 17.1 ± 0.4 cm, for males and females respectively. The ten evaluation scores were added up for each animal; means were 72.4 ± 6.2 in females (range 61- 88) and 77.2 ± 3.0 (range 71-80) in males. The ratio CH/CC, an index of body compactness, was 0.11 ± 0.01 in males (range 0.11-0.12) and 0.11 ± 0.01 in females (range 0.09-0.13). All these measurements indicate low variability among individuals as well as limited sexual dimorphism