Genetic diversity, population structure and subdivision of local Balkan pig breeds in Austria, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and its practical value in conservation programs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>At present the Croatian Turopolje pig population comprises about 157 breeding animals. In Austria, 324 Turopolje pigs originating from six Croatian founder animals are registered. Multiple bottlenecks have occurred in this population, one major one rather recently and several more older and moderate ones. In addition, it has been subdivided into three subpopulations, one in Austria and two in Croatia, with restricted gene flow. These specificities explain the delicate situation of this endangered Croatian lard-type pig breed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In order to identify candidate breeding animals or gene pools for future conservation breeding programs, we studied the genetic diversity and population structure of this breed using microsatellite data from 197 individuals belonging to five different breeds.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genetic diversity of the Turopolje pig is dramatically low with observed heterozygosities values ranging from 0.38 to 0.57. Split into three populations since 1994, two genetic clusters could be identified: one highly conserved Croatian gene pool in Turopoljski Lug and the"Posavina" gene pool mainly present in the Austrian population. The second Croatian subpopulation in Lonjsko Polje in the Posavina region shows a constant gene flow from the Turopoljski Lug animals.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>One practical conclusion is that it is necessary to develop a "Posavina" boar line to preserve the "Posavina" gene pool and constitute a corresponding population in Croatia. Animals of the highly inbred herd in Turopoljski Lug should not be crossed with animals of other populations since they represent a specific phenotype-genotype combination. However to increase the genetic diversity of this herd, a program to optimize its sex ratio should be carried out, as was done in the Austrian population where the level of heterozygosity has remained moderate despite its heavy bottleneck in 1994.</p

Local treatment with electrochemotherapy of superficial angiosarcomas: Efficacy and safety results from a multi-institutional retrospective study

Background: Angiosarcoma is an aggressive vascular neoplasm with a high propensity for local recurrence. Electrochemotherapy is an emerging skin-directed therapy, exerting prominent cytotoxic activity, and antivascular effects. Its efficacy in angiosarcoma has not been investigated. Methods: This multicenter retrospective analysis reviewed patients who underwent electrochemotherapy from 2007 to 2014 for superficial advanced angiosarcomas. Bleomycin was administered intravenously and delivered within tumors by means of percutaneously applied electric pulses, according to the European Standard Operating Procedures for Electrochemotherapy. Tumor assessment was performed using RECIST (version 1.1). Toxicity (CTCAE, v4.0) and local progression-free survival (LPFS) were also evaluated. Results: Nineteen patients (13 with locally advanced and 6 with metastatic angiosarcomas) were treated. Tumor sites were: scalp (n¼5), breast(n¼8), other skin sites (n¼3), and soft tissue (n¼3). Target lesions (n¼54) ranged in size from 1.5 to 2.5 cm (median, 2 cm). Treatment was well tolerated. After 2 months, an objective response was observed in 12/19 (63%) patients, complete in 8 (42%). One-year LPFS within treatment field was 68%. Local symptom improvement included palliation of bleeding (5/19 patients) and pain relief (6/19 patients). Conclusions: Electrochemotherapy may represent a new locoregional treatment for selected patients with superficial angiosarcomas

Known loci in the KIT and TYR genes do not explain the depigmented white coat colour of Austro-Hungarian Baroque donkey

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Electrochemotherapy in the treatment of cutaneous metastases from breast cancer: a multicenter cohort analysis.

The management of breast cancer (BC) skin metastases represents a therapeutic challenge. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) combines the administration of bleomycin with temporary permeabilization induced by locally administered electric pulses. Preliminary experience with ECT in BC patients is encouraging. METHODS: A total of 125 patients with BC skin metastases who underwent ECT between 2010 and 2013 were enrolled onto a multicenter retrospective cohort study. The treatment was administered following the European Standard Operative Procedures of Electrochemotherapy. Tumor response was clinically assessed adapting the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, and toxicity was evaluated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 4.0. Cox regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors. RESULTS: Response was evaluable in 113 patients for 214 tumors (median 1 per patient, range 1-3). The overall response rate after 2 months was 90.2 %, while the complete response (CR) rate was 58.4 %. In multivariate analysis, small tumor size (P < 0.001), absence of visceral metastases (P = 0.001), estrogen receptor positivity (P = 0.016), and low Ki-67 index (P = 0.024) were significantly associated with CR. In the first 48 h, 10.4 % of patients reported severe skin pain. Dermatologic toxicity included grade 3 skin ulceration (8.0 %) and grade 2 skin hyperpigmentation (8.8 %). Tumor 1-year local progression-free survival was 86.2 % (95 % confidence interval 79.3-93.8) and 96.4 % (95 % confidence interval 91.6-100) in the subgroup of those with CR. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, small tumor size, absence of visceral metastases, estrogen receptor positivity, and low Ki-67 index were predictors of CR after ECT. Patients who experienced CR had durable local control. ECT represents a valuable skin-directed therapy for selected patients with BC

Y-Chromosomal Insights into Breeding History and Sire Line Genealogies of Arabian Horses

The Y chromosome is a valuable genetic marker for studying the origin and influence of paternal lineages in populations. In this study, we conducted Y-chromosomal lineage-tracing in Arabian horses. First, we resolved a Y haplotype phylogeny based on the next generation sequencing data of 157 males from several breeds. Y-chromosomal haplotypes specific for Arabian horses were inferred by genotyping a collection of 145 males representing most Arabian sire lines that are active around the globe. These lines formed three discrete haplogroups, and the same haplogroups were detected in Arabian populations native to the Middle East. The Arabian haplotypes were clearly distinct from the ones detected in Akhal Tekes, Turkoman horses, and the progeny of two Thoroughbred foundation sires. However, a haplotype introduced into the English Thoroughbred by the stallion Byerley Turk (1680), was shared among Arabians, Turkomans, and Akhal Tekes, which opens a discussion about the historic connections between Oriental horse types. Furthermore, we genetically traced Arabian sire line breeding in the Western World over the past 200 years. This confirmed a strong selection for relatively few male lineages and uncovered incongruences to written pedigree records. Overall, we demonstrate how fine-scaled Y-analysis contributes to a better understanding of the historical development of horse breeds.Peer Reviewe

Oncoplastic and reconstructive surgery in SENONETWORK Italian breast centers: lights and shadows

Highlights: • Despite the significance of oncoplastic procedure, an italian database is lacking. • Senonetwork established a multidisciplinary survey to assess their safety and efficacy. • Reconstructive outcomes were positive across low and high-volume centers. • After mastectomy, implant-based techniques are common. DTI reconstruction is advantageuos. • This contributes to the global understanding of effective strategies against breast cancer

Arterial Thromboembolism in Patients with Cancer

Hintergrund: Herz-Kreislauf- und maligne Erkrankungen sind die beiden häufigsten Todesursachen in Industrienationen. Während es viel Wissen über die einzelnen Krankheiten gibt, ist nur wenig über deren Zusammenhang bekannt. Ein wesentlicher Grund dafür ist der Ausschluss von Patienten mit Krebserkrankung aus klinischen Studien der kardiovaskulären Medizin. Ziele: Das Hauptziel dieser Arbeit war es, die Häufigkeit von arteriellen Thromboembolien (ATE) bei PatientInnen mit Krebs und ihre Auswirkungen auf die Gesamtmortalität zu untersuchen. Ein weiteres Ziel der Arbeit war es, klinische Risikofaktoren und blutbasierte Biomarker zu identifizieren, die mit dem Risiko von ATE bei KrebspatientInnen verbunden sind. Methoden: Diese Dissertation wurde im Rahmen der Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS), einer prospektiven Kohortenstudie an PatientInnen mit einer Vielzahl von verschiedenen Tumorarten durchgeführt. Eingeschlossen wurden PatientInnen bei denen die Tumorerkrankung entweder neu oder im Rahmen eines Rückfalls nach Remission auftrat. Es wurde Blut entnommen, um verschiedene Parameter bei der Aufnahme in die Studie zu messen, und die PatientInnen wurden 2 Jahre beobachtet. CATS wurde ursprünglich entwickelt, um Prädiktoren für venöse Thromboembolien (VTE) bei PatientInnen mit Krebs zu untersuchen. Daten über das Auftreten von ATE wurden als Komorbidität während des Studienzeitraums erhoben. Resultate: Das kumulative 6-, 12- und 24-monatige Risiko für ATE bei KrebspatientInnen betrug 1.1%, 1.7% bzw. 2.6%. Männliches Geschlecht (Subdistribution Hazard Ratio [SHR]: 2.9; 95% Konfidenzintervall [95% CI]: 1.5-5.6), höheres Alter (SHR pro 10 Jahre Anstieg: 1.5; 1.2-1.7), Rauchen (2.0; 1.1-3.7), Bluthochdruck (3.1; 1.7-5.5), Diabetes (2.2; 1.2-4.4), eine Vorgeschichte von arteriellen Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen (3.7; 1.9-7.2) und die Behandlung mit lipidsenkenden Mitteln (2.9; 1.5-5.3) oder Thrombozytenaggregationshemmern (5.0; 2.8-8.8) wurden als Risikofaktoren für krebsassoziierte ATE identifiziert. Darüber hinaus war das Risiko für die Entwicklung einer ATE bei PatientInnen mit Lungen- (SHR: 2.3; 1.2-4.2) und Nierenkrebs (3.8; 1.4-10.5) höher als bei PatientInnen mit anderen Tumorarten. Außerdem waren eine erhöhte Erythrozytenverteilungsbreite (SHR pro Verdoppelung: 4.4; 1.4-14.1), eine erhöhte absolute Leukozytenzahl (SHR pro Verdopplung: 1.2; 1.1-1.5), eine erhöhte absolute Neutrophilenzahl (SHR pro Verdopplung: 1.6; 1.1-2.3) und höhere lösliche P-Selektinspiegel (SHR pro Verdopplung: 1.9; 1.3-2.7) mit einem höheren Risiko für ATE verbunden. Die PatientInnen, die im Beobachtungszeitraum an ATE litten, hatten ein dreifach höheres Mortalitätsrisiko. Schlussfolgerung: Diese Arbeit zeigt, dass KrebspatientInnen einem ATE-Risiko ausgesetzt sind und untermauert den Zusammenhang von kardiovaskulären und malignen Erkrankungen. Im Vergleich zu VTE tritt die krebsassoziierte ATE weniger jedoch häufig auf. Allerdings ist das Risiko für ATE bei bestimmten Krebsarten hoch. Darüber hinaus konnten spezifische Risikofaktoren für ein höheres ATE-Risiko identifiziert werden. Da eine ATE mit einem erhöhten Mortalitätsrisiko einhergeht, sind Studien zum besseren Verständnis und zur Verhinderung der Folgen einer krebsassoziierten ATE erforderlich.Background: Cardiovascular- and malignant diseases are the two most common causes auf death in industrialized countries. While there is much knowledge about these individual diseases, little is known about their association with each other. One main reason for this is the exclusion of patients with cancer from clinical trials in cardiovascular medicine. Objectives: The primary aim of this thesis was to investigate the incidence of arterial thromboembolism (ATE) in patients with cancer and its impact on all-cause mortality. Another goal of the work was to identify clinical risk factors and blood-based biomarkers associated with the risk of ATE in patients with cancer. Methods: The PhD thesis was performed within the framework of the Vienna Cancer and Thrombosis Study (CATS), a prospective observational cohort study of patients with a variety of different tumor types, which were newly diagnosed or relapsed after remission. Blood was taken to measure various parameters at inclusion in the study and patients were followed for 2 years. CATS was originally designed to investigate predictors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with cancer. Data regarding ATE occurrence was collected as a comorbid condition during the study period. Results: The cumulative 6-, 12-, and 24-months risk of ATE in patients with cancer was 1.1%, 1.7%, and 2.6%, respectively. Male sex (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 2.9; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.5-5.6), higher age (SHR per 10 years increase: 1.5; 1.2-1.7), smoking (2.0; 1.1-3.7), hypertension (3.1; 1.7-5.5), diabetes (2.2; 1.2-4.4), a history of arterial cardiovascular disease (3.7; 1.9-7.2), and treatment with lipid-lowering agents (2.9; 1.5-5.3) or platelet aggregation inhibitors (5.0; 2.8-8.8) were identified as risk factors for cancer-associated ATE. In addition, the risk of developing ATE was higher in patients with lung (SHR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2-4.2), and kidney cancer (3.8; 1.4-10.5) than in patients with other tumor entities. Furthermore, a higher red cell distribution width (SHR per doubling: 4.4; 1.4-14.1), higher absolute leukocyte count (SHR per doubling: 1.2; 1.1-1.5), higher absolute neutrophil count (SHR per doubling: 1.6; 1.1-2.3), and higher soluble P-selectin levels (SHR per doubling: 1.9; 1.3-2.7) were associated with a higher risk of ATE. Those patients who suffered from ATE during the observation period had a 3-fold higher risk of mortality. Conclusion: This work/thesis demonstrates that patients with cancer are at risk of ATE and provides evidence for an association of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Compared to VTE, cancer-associated ATE is less frequent. However, the risk of ATE is high in certain types of cancer. In addition, specific risk factors for a higher ATE risk could be identified. As ATE was linked to an increased risk of mortality, further clinical research is needed to reduce the burden of cancer-associated ATE.Abweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersArbeit an der Bibliothek noch nicht eingelangt - Daten nicht geprüftMedizinische Universität Wien, Diss., 2019(VLID)447110

Ecological Relations of Bromus inermis and Festuca altaica subsp. hallii

This study was designed to elucidate the ecological relations of Bromus inermis and Festuca altaica subsp. hallii. Germination ecology, water relations and growth following spring or fall burning, glyphosate application on B. inermis, F. hallii seedling survival, and seedbank composition were studied in a F. hallii grassland in central Saskatchewan where B. inermis is an agressive invader. Bromus inermis had greater and more rapid germination over a broader range of temperatures and water stress than F. hallii. Germination was lower for F. ballii under decreasing temperatures and similar for B. inermis under decreasing and increasing temperature regimes. Light did not influence germination in F. hallii; however, germination of B. inermis was higher under darkness. Osmotic potentials, relative water content and stomatal conductance were lower for B. inermis in Fall burns in 1987, but similar to Control and Spring burns in 1988. Fall burns reduced tiller densities of native graminoids and F. hallii. Tiller densities of native graminoids were not affected by spring burning, but F. hallii tillered 40% more after spring burns. There was a burn x glyphosate interaction for the reduction of B. inermis; spring burning and glyphosate combined reduced B. inermis most. species richness and diversity were similar between treatments in F. hallii and B. inermis stands. Tiller densities of B. inermis were higher on burned plots in 1987. In 1988, burning had no impact on tillering and growth of B. inermis. Leaf area indices and biomass following burning were generally higher in Spring than in Fall burns and Control. The seedbank composition was similar between B.· inermis and F. hallii stands averaging 1,900 seeds per m2• B. inermis seeds were found only in B. inermis stands, representing less than 1% of the total seedbank. Seedling survival of F. hallii was higher with early spring planting than late spring with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) improving survival. Burning alone did not control B. inermis in F. hallii grassland. However, spring burning combined with a wicking of glyphosate reduced B. inermis and increased tillering of F. hallii. Festuca hallii should be seeded in the spring when soil temperatures are increasing and soil moisture is favorable. Seedlings of this native perennial should be inoculated with VAM and planted early in the spring. Reduced germination of B. inermis under high water stress and in the presence of light suggests that prescribed burning may reduce the availability of "safe sites" for germination. Bromus inermis is well adapted to grassland dominated by F. hallii and it apparently can outcompete the dominant specie. Therefore, if grasslands dominated by F. hallii are to be preserved for future generations, proactive management strategies must be employed to limit invasions by B. inermis and enhance the vigor of F. hallii

Comparative Germination of Smooth Brome and Plains Rough Fescue

Smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.) is an aggressive invader of fescue prairie; however, little information is available on the germination ecology of this exotic perennial relative to native flora. This information is needed to understand the processes of invasion and to develop strategies to curb the spread of smooth brome. Germination of smooth brome and plains rough fescue (Festuca altaica subsp. hallii (Vasey) Harms) seeds was compared under various temperature regimes, levels of water stress, and light. Germination of both species was severely restricted by water stress, but not by temperatures between 5 and 25°C. Smooth brome had higher germination over a broader range of temperatures and water stress than plains rough fescue. When incubation temperatures were decreased from 25 to 5°C, total germination was reduced for plains rough fescue relative to temperatures that were increased from 5 to 25°C; germination of smooth brome was similar under increasing or decreasing temperatures. At a given level of water stress at 10 and 20°C, plains rough fescue germination was unaffected by light and darkness. Germination was higher for smooth brome in dark than in light at 10°C, but at 20°C it was generally similar in light and darkness. Germination of smooth brome over a wide range of temperatures, light, and moisture conditions increases the probability that requirements will be met in heterogeneous seedbed conditions. Smooth brome is well adapted to germinate and establish in prairie dominated by plains rough fescue