A comparison between sire and animal model for lifetime Production traits in Egyptian buffaloes

A total of 1621 lactation records of Egyptian buffaloes, kept at Mehalet Mousa farm, belonging to the Animal production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, were used. Data were analyzed by using sire model (SM) and animal model (AM). For SM, the model includes the fixed effects of year and month of birth and age at first calving as covariate and sire as a random effect. For AM, the model includes the fixed effects of month and year of birth and random effects of animals and errors on lifetime milk yield (LTMY), total lactation period (TLP), age at disposal (AGDS) and number of lactation completed (NLC). Means were 10552 kg, 1173 d, 125 mo., and 5.97 for LTMY, TLP, AGDS and NLC, respectively. Estimates of heritability from sire model were 0.45, 0.18, 0.90 and 0.36 for LTMY, TLP, AGDS and NLC, respectively and from AM were 0.27, 0.17, 0.12 and 0.06 for above traits studied, respectively. Estimates of phenotypic correlations among traits studied ranged from 0.55 to 0.73 for SM and for AM 0.40 to 0.80 and genetic correlations among traits studied ranged from 0.19 to 0.96 for SM and from AM ranged from 0.10 to 0.98. Rank correlations among lifetime and longevity traits as estimated from SM were positive and highly significant (P<0.01) and ranged from 0.08 to 0.98 as estimated from SM. Rank correlations of sire transmitting ability among lifetime and longevity traits as estimated from AM were positive and significant (P <0.01) and ranged from 0.33 to 0.88

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Inbreeding and it is effects on some productive and reproductive traits in a herd of Egyptian buffaloes

A total of 1551 normal lactation records of Egyptian buffaloes, Kept at Mehallet Mousa Farm, belonging to Ministry of Agriculture, during the period from 1960 to 2001 were used. Milk yield, lactation period and age at first calving were studied in order to determine the presence of inbreeding in the herd and to evaluate it is effects as well as the effects of some environmental factors on these traits. In addition, genetic parameters of these traits are also studied. Milk yield, lactation period and age at first calving averaged 1193 ± 522 kg, 282±125 and 39 ± 3 mo, respectively. Among all three traits, only age at first calving was affected by inbreeding. Month of calving and year of calving had a significant effect on all traits studied, while age at first calving had no significant effect on milk yield and lactation period

Genetic parameter of birth and weaning weights for Friesian calves by using an animal model

Birth and weaning weights of 556 Friesian calves by 41 sires out of 318 different dams over a 11 years period were obtained from a herd of Friesian in Sakha Experimental Farm, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt were used. The records were analyzed by Multiple Trait Likelihood Method (MTDFREML) by using a repeatability animal model (BOLDMAN et al., 1995). Convergence was attained after 699 iterations. The fixed effects included in the model were season and year of calving, parity and sex and the random effects were direct and maternal genetic, permanent maternal environmental and error. Direct heritability estimates for birth weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW) are 0.28 and 0.13, respectively, while, maternal heritability estimates for the same traits are 0.14 and 0.06, respectively. Repeatability estimates are 0.75 and 0.15 for BW and WW, respectively. Phenotypic and genetic correlations are 0.89 and 0.80, respectively. Estimates of calve breeding values ranged from -3.12 to 4.11 kg for BW and ranged from -4.10 to 5.11 kg for WW. Sire breeding values ranged from -3.40 to 2.99 kg for BW and ranged from -2.50 to 4.47 kg for WW. Dam breeding values ranged from -6.80 to 5.54 kg for BW and ranged from -6.10 to 6.39 kg for WW. © 2005 E-flow Copernicus GmbH. All rights reserved

Variances of direct and maternal genetic effects for milk yield and age at first calving in a herd of Friesian cattle in Egypt

A total of 2095 lactation records of Holstein Friesian cattle kept at Dalla Farm in Egypt during the period from 1988 to 1992 were used in this study. Those data were used to estimate variances from direct and maternal genetic effects. The data was analyzed by using Multiple Traits Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood (MTDFREML) according to BOLDMAN et al. (1995) using repeatability Animal Model. Two models were used: Model 1 includes month of calving, year of calving, parity as fixed effects, days open and days dry as covariates and direct genetic, maternal genetic, covariance between direct and maternal genetic, permanent environmental and residual as random effects; Model 2 is similar to Model 1, but excluding additive maternal and covariance between additive direct and maternal effects. Estimates of heritability for 305 day milk yield (305 dMY) were 0.22 and 0.23, for Model 1 and Model 2, respectively. Heritability estimates for age at first calving (AFC) were 0.77 and 0.82 for Model 1 and model 2, respectively. The removal of additive maternal genetic effects and covariance between direct and maternal genetic effects from the model increased estimates for heritability of additive genetic effects by 0.01 and 0.05 for 305 dMY and AFC, respectively. Then, the additive maternal genetic effect and covariance between direct and maternal genetic effects do not seem to make important contributions to the phenotypic variance for milk yield and age at first calving, and these effects are probably not important for genetic evaluations. © 2005 E-flow Copernicus GmbH. All rights reserved

Testing the mediation effect of person–organization fit on the relationship between high performance HR practices and employee outcomes in the Egyptian public sector

Previous studies suggest that high performance HR practices (HPHRP) are positively related to employee outcomes. However, the mechanisms through which this relationship occurs require further research. This paper examines the effect of one such mechanism, person–organization (P-O) fit, on the relationship between HPHRP, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs). Using a sample of 671 professionals in the Egyptian health and higher education sectors, a partial mediation model is outlined and tested using structural equation modelling. The study results show that HPHRP had a positive relationship with P-O fit, job satisfaction and OCBs. Further, P-O fit had a positive relationship with job satisfaction and OCBs, and partially mediated the relationship between HPHRP, job satisfaction and OCBs. Thus, the adoption of HPHRP not only leads to desirable employee outcomes, but it is also associated with better fit between employees and organizations. As such, managers should endeavour to use HPHRP to facilitate greater congruence between employees and organizations in order to achieve improved employee attitudes and behaviours