Genetic Analyses of Days Open Using a Random Regression Model

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a linear random regression model for the analysis of female fertility as expressed by days open. The analysis provided insight about the kind and amount of variation over the trajectory for age at calving from 24 to 72 mo. Correlations between permanent environmental effects changed from positive to negative values with greater distance between days open in young cows and days open in older cows; r(24,36)=0.88, r(24,72)=-.65. The random regression animal model proved to be a better alternative to a repeatability animal model for prediction of breeding values for days open. Random regression enables breeders to pick the optimum age at calving to select female replacements with enhanced fertility or fewer days open per lactation. Further research is needed to evaluate the advantages of using random regression model on the genetic analysis of days open

Joint Genetic Analysis of Conception and Maintenance of Pregnancy in Dairy Cattle Using a Linear-Threshold Model

A joint analysis of days open and calving success was implemented to further enhance the identification of cows with greater genetic merit for reproductive performance. Calving success is a categorical trait with similar genetic variation as days open and is analyzed jointly with days open to make effective use of the positive genetic correlation between these two traits. The joint analysis can identify cows with greater genetic merit for conception at an earlier stage of lactation and greater success at maintenance of pregnancy. The joint analysis also enhances the reliability of detecting true genetic differences between cows for fertility because it makes more effective use of all data

Genomics and animal production

Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Escuela de Posgrado. Maestría en Producción AnimalLos países en vías de desarrollo tienen el reto de alcanzar seguridad alimentaria en un contexto mundial afectado por el cambio climático y crecimiento poblacional global. La genética molecular y la genómica son propuestas como tecnologías que ayudarán a alzanzar una seguridad alimentaria sostenible. Tecnologías que han sido desarrolladas en la última década como el desarrollo de marcadores moleculares, mapeo genético, selección genómica, secuenciamiento de próxima generación y sistemas de edición de ADN son discutidos. Se proveen ejemplos de algunos descubrimientos y logros.Developing countries have the challenge of achieving food security in a world context that is affected by climate change and global population growth. Molecular Genetics and genomics are proposed as technologies that will help to achieve sustainable food security. Technologies that have been developed in the last decade such as the development of genetic markers, genetic maps, genomic selection, next-generation sequencing, and DNA editing systems are discussed. Examples of some discoveries and achievements are provided

Subclinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging Markers of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Relation to Office and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurements

Background: Twenty-four-hour and nighttime blood pressure (BP) levels are more strongly associated with cardiovascular risk than office or daytime BP measurements. However, it remains undocumented which of the office and ambulatory BP measurements have the strongest association and predictive information in relation to the presence of type I, or arteriolosclerosis type, cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVD). Methods: A subset of 429 participants from the Maracaibo Aging Study [aged ≥40 years (women, 73.7%; mean age, 59.3 years)] underwent baseline brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to visualize CSVD, which included log-transformed white matter hyperintensities (log-WMH) volume and the presence (yes/no) of lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMB), or enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS). Linear and logistic regression models were applied to examine the association between CSVD and each +10-mmHg increment in the office and ambulatory systolic BP measurements. Improvement in the fit of nested logistic models was assessed by the log-likelihood ratio and the generalized R 2 statistic. Results: Office and ambulatory systolic BP measurements were related to log-WMH (β-correlation coefficients ≥0.08; P \u3c 0.001). Lacunes and CMB were only associated with ambulatory systolic BP measurements (odds ratios [OR] ranged from 1.31 [95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.55] to 1.46 [1.17-1.84], P ≤ 0.003). Accounted for daytime systolic BP, both the 24-h (β-correlation, 0.170) and nighttime (β-correlation, 0.038) systolic BP measurements remained related to log-WMH. When accounted for 24-h or daytime systolic BP levels, the nighttime systolic BP retained the significant association with lacunes (ORs, 1.05-1.06; 95% CIs, ≥1.01 to ≤ 1.13), whereas the 24-h and daytime systolic BP levels were not associated with lacunes after adjustments for nighttime systolic BP (ORs, ≤ 0.88; 95% CI, ≥0.77 to ≤ 1.14). On top of covariables and office systolic BP, ambulatory systolic BP measurements significantly improved model performance (1.05% ≥ R 2 ≤ 3.82%). Compared to 24-h and daytime systolic BP, nighttime systolic BP had the strongest improvement in the model performance; for WMH (1.46 vs. 1.05%) and lacunes (3.06 vs. ≤ 2.05%). Conclusions: Twenty-four-hour and nighttime systolic BP were the more robust BP measurements associated with CSVD, but the nighttime systolic BP level had the strongest association. Controlling ambulatory BP levels might provide additional improvement in the prevention of CSVD

Efecto de marcadores genéticos moleculares en genes inducibles por hipoxia de bovinos criollos y Brown Swiss criados en los Andes de Perú

The genomes of 41 bovines of five breeds, existing in the SRA-NCBI database, were used to identify 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which generate non-synonymous mutations in 10 hypoxia-inducible genes. Of this, only three SNPs located in positions c.1081G>C, c.2089G>A and c.2101G>A of exons 7 and 12 of the EPAS1 gene had different allelic frequencies between beef and dairy cattle (p<0.05). Based on the results of the bioinformatic analysis of the genomes, exonic regions of the EPAS1, NOS2, EPO and VEGFA genes were chosen, which were studied in 60 DNA samples from Creole and Brown Swiss cattle raised in the high Andean region (3213-4309 m above sea level). The cattle were grouped by their haemoglobin concentration (Hb) in Brown Swiss with high Hb (BSHbA) (n=13), Brown Swiss with low Hb (BSHbB) (n=11), Creoles with high Hb (CRHbA) (n=13) and Creoles with low Hb (CRHbB) (n=12); in addition, there was a Brown Swiss group with brisket disease (BSMA) (n=11). The generated amplicons were sequenced with the Sanger methodology, identifying 10 SNPs; however, no associations were found between these SNPs and the groups considered. Only one SNP located at the intronic position Cr.19: 19403681T>C of the NOS2 gene had a different frequency between Creole and Brown Swiss cattle (p<0.05). In addition, that SNP was found linked to two others that are in exon 12 of the same gene.Los genomas de 41 bovinos de cinco razas existentes en la base de datos del SRA-NCBI, fueron usados para identificar 17 polimorfismos de nucleótido simple (PNSs), los cuales generan mutaciones no sinónimas en 10 genes inducibles por hipoxia. De ese total, solo tres PNSs ubicados en las posiciones c.1081G>C, c.2089G>A y c.2101G>A de los exones 7 y 12 del gen EPAS1 tuvieron frecuencias alélicas diferentes entre bovinos cárnicos y lecheros (p<0.05). Basados en los resultados del análisis bioinformático de los genomas, se eligieron regiones exónicas de los genes EPAS1, NOS2, EPO y VEGFA, que fueron estudiadas en 60 muestras de ADN de bovinos criollos y Brown Swiss criados en la región altoandina (3213-4309 msnm). Los bovinos fueron agrupados por su concentración de hemoglobina (Hb) en Brown Swiss con Hb alta (BSHbA) (n=13), Brown Swiss con Hb baja (BSHbB) (n=11), criollos con Hb alta (CRHbA) (n=13) y criollos con Hb baja (CRHbB) (n=12); además se tuvo un grupo de Brown Swiss con mal de altura (BSMA) (n=11). Los amplicones generados fueron secuenciados con la metodología Sanger, identificándose 10 PNSs. No se encontraron asociaciones entre estos PNSs y los grupos considerados. Únicamente un PNS ubicado en la posición intrόnica Cr.19: 19403681T>C del gen NOS2 tuvo frecuencia diferente entre bovinos criollos y Brown Swiss (p<0.05); además dicho PNS se encontró ligado a otros dos que están ubicados en el exón 12 del mismo gen

Socio-environmental impacts of non-native and transplanted aquatic mollusc species in South America: What do we really know?

The impacts of biological invasions remain poorly known for some habitats, regions and taxa. To date, there has been no comprehensive effort to review and synthesize the impacts of invasive mollusc species in South America. In this paper, we provide a synoptic view on what is known on documented socio-ecological impacts of aquatic no-native mollusc species (NNMS) and transplanted mollusc species (TMS) from South America. An expert group involving malacologists and taxonomists from different countries, the “South America Alien Molluscs Specialists” (eMIAS), shared and summarized the scientific literature, databases, and published and unpublished information on confirmed impacts of NNMS and TMS in South America. Three broad categories, non-mutually exclusive were used as a framework: “Environmental/Biodiversity impacts”, “Economic and social effects”, and “Human health impacts”. Some 21 NNMS and seven TMS have documented impacts on at least one of those three categories. We encourage targeting the less known areas of research, such as economic valuation of human health (and veterinary) impacts attributable to NNMS or TMS and expand our knowledge of environmental impacts for the species listed in this study.Fil: Carranza, Alvar. Universidad de la República; Uruguay. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Uruguay; UruguayFil: Agudo Padrón, Ignacio. Projeto “avulsos Malacológicos”; BrasilFil: Collado, Gonzalo A.. Universidad del Bio Bio; Chile. Sociedad Malacológica Chile; ChileFil: Damborenea, Maria Cristina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fabres, Alejandra. Sociedad Malacológica Chile; Chile. Universidad Católica de Maule; ChileFil: Gutierrez Gregoric, Diego Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Lodeiros, Cesar. Universidad Técnica de Manabí; Ecuador. Universidad de Oriente; VenezuelaFil: Ludwig, Sandra. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Pastorino, Roberto Santiago Guido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Penchaszadeh, Pablo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Salvador, Rodrigo B.. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa,; Nueva Zelanda. The Artic University of Norway; NoruegaFil: Spotorno, Paula. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande; BrasilFil: Thiengo, Silvana. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Vidigal, Teofania Heloisa Dutra Amorim. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Darrigran, Gustavo Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División de Zoología Invertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Improving Latin American soil information database for digital soil mapping enhances its usability and scalability

Spatial soil databases can help model complex phenomena in which soils are decisive, for example, evaluating agricultural potential or estimating carbon storage capacity. The Soil Information System for Latin America and the Caribbean, SISLAC, is a regional initiative promoted by the FAO's South American Soil Partnership to contribute to the sustainable management of soil. SISLAC includes data coming from 49,084 soil profiles distributed unevenly across the continent, making it the region's largest soil database. However, some problems hinder its usages, such as the quality of the data and its high dimensionality. The objective of this research is twofold. First, to evaluate the quality of SISLAC and its data values and generate a new, improved version that meets the minimum quality requirements to be used by different interests or practical applications. Second, to demonstrate the potential of improved soil profile databases to generate more accurate information on soil properties, by conducting a case study to estimate the spatial variability of the percentage of soil organic carbon using 192 profiles in a 1473 km2 region located in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The findings show that 15 percent of the existing soil profiles had an inaccurate description of the diagnostic horizons. Further correction of an 4.5 additional percent of existing inconsistencies improved overall data quality. The improved database consists of 41,691 profiles and is available for public use at ttps://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6540710 (Díaz-Guadarrama, S. & Guevara, M., 2022). The updated profiles were segmented using algorithms for quantitative pedology to estimate the spatial variability. We generated segments one centimeter thick along with each soil profile data, then the values of these segments were adjusted using a spline-type function to enhance vertical continuity and reliability. Vertical variability was estimated up to 150 cm in-depth, while ordinary kriging predicts horizontal variability at three depth intervals, 0 to 5, 5 to 15, and 15 to 30 cm, at 250 m-spatial resolution, following the standards of the GlobalSoilMap project. Finally, the leave-one-out cross validation provides information for evaluating the kriging model performance, obtaining values for the RMSE index between 1.77% and 1.79% and the R2 index greater than 0.5. The results show the usability of SISLAC database to generate spatial information on soil properties and suggest further efforts to collect a more significant amount of data to guide sustainable soil management.Fil: Diaz Guadamarra, Sergio. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Agronomía; ColombiaFil: Lizarazo, Iván. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Agronomía; ColombiaFil: Guevara, Mario. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Campus Juriquilla. Centro de Geociencias; MéxicoFil: Guevara, Mario. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.Campus Juriquilla. Centro de Geociencias; México. United States Department of Agriculture. Soil Salinity National Laboratory, Estados UnidosFil: Angelini, Marcos Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; Argentina. Wageningen University. Soil Geography and Landscape Group; Países Bajos. International Soil Reference and Information Centre. World Soil Information; Países BajosFil: Araujo Carrillo, Gustavo A. Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria AGROSAVIA; ColombiaFil: Argeñal, Jainer. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras. Facultad de Ciencias; Honduras.Fil: Armas, Daphne. Universidad de Almería. Departamento de Agronomía, Edif. CITEIIB, España.Fil: Balsa, Rafael A. Ministerio de Desarrollo Agrario y Riego. Dirección General de Asuntos Ambientales Agrarios, Perú.Fil: Bolivar, Adriana. Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi. Subdirección Agrología; ColombiaFil: Bustamante, Nelson. Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero; Chile.Fil: Dart, Ricardo O. Embrapa Solos; BrasilFil: Dell Acqua, Martín. Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca. Dirección General de Recursos Naturales; UruguayFil: Lencina, Arnulfo. Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ParaguayFil: Figueredo, Hernán. Sociedad Boliviana de la Ciencia del Suelo; Bolivia.Fil: Fontes, Fernando. Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca. Dirección General de Recursos Naturales; UruguayFil: Gutierrez Diaz, Joan S. Aarhus University. Faculty of Science and Technology,.Department of Agroecology; DinamarcaFil: Jiménez, Wilmer. Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería; Ecuador.Fil: Rodriguez, Dario Martin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; ArgentinaFil: Schulz, Guillermo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; ArgentinaFil: Tenti Vuegen, Leonardo Mauricio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; Argentin

The Anaphase-Promoting Complex or Cyclosome Supports Cell Survival in Response to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

The anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) is a multi-subunit ubiquitin ligase that regulates exit from mitosis and G1 phase of the cell cycle. Although the regulation and function of APC/CCdh1 in the unperturbed cell cycle is well studied, little is known of its role in non-genotoxic stress responses. Here, we demonstrate the role of APC/CCdh1 (APC/C activated by Cdh1 protein) in cellular protection from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Activation of APC/CCdh1 under ER stress conditions is evidenced by Cdh1-dependent degradation of its substrates. Importantly, the activity of APC/CCdh1 maintains the ER stress checkpoint, as depletion of Cdh1 by RNAi impairs cell cycle arrest and accelerates cell death following ER stress. Our findings identify APC/CCdh1 as a regulator of cell cycle checkpoint and cell survival in response to proteotoxic insults