Association between GNRHR, LHR and IGF1 polymorphisms and timing of puberty in male Angus cattle

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In bovines, there are significant differences within and among beef breeds in the time when bulls reach puberty. Although the timing of puberty is likely to be a multigenic trait, previous studies indicate that there may also be single genes that exert major effects on the timing of puberty within the general population. Despite its economic importance, there are not many SNPs or genetic markers associated with the age of puberty in male cattle. In the present work, we selected three candidate genes, <it>GNRHR</it>, <it>LHR </it>and <it>IGF1</it>, and associated their polymorphisms with the age of puberty in Angus male cattle.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After weaning, 276 Angus males were measured every month for weight (W), scrotal circumference (SC), sperm concentration (C) and percentage of motility (M). A total of 4 SNPs, two within <it>GNRHR</it>, one in <it>LHR </it>and one in <it>IGF1 </it>were genotyped using the pyrosequencing technique. <it>IGF1-SnaBI SNP </it>was significant associated (P < 0.01) with age at SC 28 cm, but it were not associated with age at M 10% and C 50 million. Genotype <it>CC </it>exhibited an average age at SC 28 cm of 7 and 11 days higher than <it>CT </it>(p = 0.037) and <it>TT </it>(p = 0.012), respectively. This SNP explained 1.5% of the genetic variance of age of puberty at SC28. <it>LHR-I499L</it>, <it>GNRHR-SNP5 </it>and <it>GNRHR-SNP6 </it>were not associated with any of the measurements. However, <it>GNRHR </it>haplotypes showed a suggestive association with age at SC 28 cm.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings presented here could support the hypothesis that <it>IGF1 </it>is a regulator of the arrival to puberty in male calves and is involved in the events that precede and initiate puberty in bull calves. Given that most studies in cattle, as well as in other mammals, were done in female, the present results are the first evidence of markers associated with age at puberty in male cattle.</p

PUESTA A PUNTO DE UN QUEMADOR EXPERIMENTAL DE ACPM DE ALTA PRESIÓN TIPO CAÑÓN

que se realizaron para poner a punto el quemador desarrollado en la primera etapa del proyecto de investigación: “Diseño, construcción, control y pruebas de un quemador experimental de ACPM de alta presión tipo cañón, para el Laboratorio de Térmicas”

Conic optical fiber probe for generation and characterization of microbubbles in liquids

A novel optical fiber probe has been developed to provide mechanical stability to microbubbles generated in fluids, the tip of the fiber is etched with hydrofluoric acid to pierce a truncated horn that fastens the microbubbles to the fiber tip and prevents misalignment or detachment caused by convection currents, vibrations or shocks in the liquid. Microbubbles are photo-thermally generated on the etched fiber and used as Fabry-Perot cavity sensor. Two methods were used to interrogate the probe: the first one, in the wavelength domain, is suitable for calibration in static or quasi static situations; the second one, in the time domain, can be used in dynamic environments. Experimental results in the wavelength domain show that the microbubble size rises linearly with temperature and decreases with the inverse of pressure; the average slopes are 27.1 μm/°C and 88.3 μm/bar respectively. Dynamic variations of temperature have been measured in the time domain, temperature changes down to 0.007 °C have been detected at a readout rate of 10 s-−1. Bubbles have been subjected to pressure shocks of 2.4 bar at a speed of 25 bar/s, pressure changes of 3.4 mbar have been resolved in the time domain at a readout rate of 20,000 s−1.CONACyT grant number A1-S-28440 (Mexico)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (Ref.: PID2019-104276RB-I00)Generalitat Valenciana of Spain (Ref.: PROMETEO-2019-048

Monitoring the growth of a microbubble generated photothermally onto an optical fiber by means Fabry–Perot interferometry

In the present paper, we show the experimental measurement of the growth of a microbubble created on the tip of a single mode optical fiber, in which zinc nanoparticles were photodeposited on its core by using a single laser source to carry out both the generation of the microbubble by photothermal effect and the monitoring of the microbubble diameter. The photodeposition technique, as well as the formation of the microbubble, was carried out by using a single-mode pigtailed laser diode with emission at a wavelength of 658 nm. The microbubble’s growth was analyzed in the time domain by the analysis of the Fabry–Perot cavity, whose diameter was calculated with the number of interference fringes visualized in an oscilloscope. The results obtained with this technique were compared with images obtained from a CCD camera, in order to verify the diameter of the microbubble. Therefore, by counting the interference fringes, it was possible to quantify the temporal evolution of the microbubble. As a practical demonstration, we proposed a vibrometer sensor using microbubbles with sizes of 83 and 175 m as a Fabry–Perot cavity; through the time period of a full oscillation cycle of an interferogram observed in the oscilloscope, it was possible to know the frequency vibration (500 and 1500 Hz) for a cuvette where the microbubble was created.CONACyT (FOINS) Grant No. 2319Fondo Sectorial de Investigación para la Educación Grant No. A1-S-28440

Heterogeneous Infectivity and Pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Beta, Delta and Omicron in Transgenic K18-hACE2 and Wildtype Mice

The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) may display enhanced transmissibility, more severity and/or immune evasion; however, the pathogenesis of these new VOCs in experimental SARS-CoV-2 models or the potential infection of other animal species is not completely understood. Here we infected K18-hACE2 transgenic mice with B.1, B.1.351/Beta, B.1.617.2/Delta and BA.1.1/Omicron isolates and demonstrated heterogeneous infectivity and pathogenesis. B.1.351/Beta variant was the most pathogenic, while BA.1.1/Omicron led to lower viral RNA in the absence of major visible clinical signs. In parallel, we infected wildtype (WT) mice and confirmed that, contrary to B.1 and B.1.617.2/Delta, B.1.351/Beta and BA.1.1/Omicron can infect them. Infection in WT mice coursed without major clinical signs and viral RNA was transient and undetectable in the lungs by day 7 post-infection. In silico modeling supported these findings by predicting B.1.351/Beta receptor binding domain (RBD) mutations result in an increased affinity for both human and murine ACE2 receptors, while BA.1/Omicron RBD mutations only show increased affinity for murine ACE2

Aspecto socio-cultural de la transferencia de tecnología de energías renovables en la comunidad terapéutica de Tekové-Rogá

La experiencia realizada en la Comunidad Terapéutica de Tekové-Rogá se encuadra en el Proyecto de Ejecución Práctica y Educación en Energías Renovables y Agua Potable, su implementación depende del Ministerio de Desarrollo Social de la Nación, la Secretaría Nacional de Niñez, Adolescencia y Familia (SENNAF) y la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN). El objetivo del trabajo es analizar el impacto social que este tipo de experiencias genera, para lograrlo el abordaje metodológico utilizado fue cuanti-cualitativo, en tanto se recolectaron datos estadísticos de la institución que permitieron relevar información sobre su plantel profesional, y cualitativa en tanto indagamos las percepciones que los actores de la institución tienen en relación al proyecto de ejecución en energías renovables. Las conclusiones principales dan cuenta del impacto social en tres ejes diferentes: el impacto a nivel institucional de la comunidad terapéutica, el impacto a nivel socio-cultural y el impacto a nivel académico.The experience realized in Tekové-Rogá's Therapeutic Community is fitted in the Project of Practical Execution and Education in Renewable Energies and Water, his implementation depends on the Department of Social Development of the Nation, the National Secretariat of Childhood, Adolescence and Family (SENNAF) and the Technological National University (UTN). The work analyze the social impact that this type of experiences. The principal conclusions are in three different axes: the first one is related to the impact to institutional level of the therapeutic community, the second one links itself with the impact to socio-cultural level, which can be indirect ó directly. Finally the third axis in which the social impact is identified is to academic level, in which they receive relevancy the innovation in the development of new devices, the role of the university and the impact in the professional identities involved in the project.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Pre-exposure prophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 : a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising strategy to break COVID-19 transmission. Although hydroxychloroquine was evaluated for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis, it is not evaluated for COVID-19 PrEP yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PrEP with hydroxychloroquine against placebo in healthcare workers at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during an epidemic period. Methods: We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial in three hospitals in Barcelona, Spain. From 350 adult healthcare workers screened, we included 269 participants with no active or past SARS-CoV-2 infection (determined by a negative nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR and a negative serology against SARS-CoV-2). Participants allocated in the intervention arm (PrEP) received 400 mg of hydroxychloroquine daily for the first four consecutive days and subsequently, 400 mg weekly during the study period. Participants in the control group followed the same treatment schedule with placebo tablets. Results: 52.8% (142/269) of participants were in the hydroxychloroquine arm and 47.2% (127/269) in the placebo arm. Given the national epidemic incidence decay, only one participant in each group was diagnosed with COVID-19. The trial was stopped due to futility and our study design was deemed underpowered to evaluate any benefit regarding PrEP efficacy. Both groups showed a similar proportion of participants experiencing at least one adverse event (AE) (p=0.548). No serious AEs were reported. Almost all AEs (96.4%, 106/110) were mild. Only mild gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly higher in the hydroxychloroquine arm compared to the placebo arm (27.4% (39/142) vs 15.7% (20/127), p=0.041). Conclusions: Although the efficacy of PrEP with hydroxychloroquine for preventing COVID-19 could not be evaluated, our study showed that PrEP with hydroxychloroquine at low doses is safe. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.govNCT04331834. Registered on April 2, 2020

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2016)

This contribution forms part of a series of collective articles published regularly in Mediterranean Marine Science that report on new biodiversity records from the Mediterranean basin. The current article presents 51 geographically distinct records for 21 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla, extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine. The new records, per country, are as follows: Spain: the cryptogenic calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is reported from a new location in the Alicante region. Algeria: the rare Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve Cardium indicum is reported from Annaba. Tunisia: new distribution records for the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois miles from Zembra Island and Cape Bon. Italy: the ark clam Anadara transversa is reported from mussel cultures in the Gulf of Naples, while the amphipod Caprella scaura and the isopods Paracerceis sculpta and Paranthura japonica are reported as associated to the –also allochthonous–bryozoan Amathia verticillata in the Adriatic Sea; in the latter region, the cosmopolitan Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensisis also reported, a rare finding for the Mediterranean. Slovenia: a new record of the non-indigenous nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi in the Adriatic. Greece: several new reports of the introduced scleractinian Oculina patagonica, the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina, the blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster (all Atlantic), and the lionfish Pterois miles (Indo-Pacific) suggest their ongoing establishment in the Aegean Sea; the deepest bathymetric record of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea is also registered in the Kyklades, at depths exceeding 70 m. Turkey: new distribution records for two non indigenous crustaceans, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic origin) and the moon crab Matuta victor (Indo-Pacific origin) from the Bay of Izmir and Antalya, respectively; in the latter region, the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali, is also reported. Lebanon: an array of records of 5 alien and one native Mediterranean species is reported by citizen-scientists; the Pacific jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata and the Indo-Pacific teleosteans Tylerius spinosissimus, Ostracion cubicus, and Lutjanus argentimaculatus are reported from the Lebanese coast, the latter notably being the second record for the species in the Mediterranean Sea since 1977; the native sand snake-eel Ophisurus serpens, rare in the eastern Mediterranean, is reported for the first time from Lebanon, this being its easternmost distribution range; finally, a substantial number of sightings of the lionfish Pterois miles further confirm the current establishment of this lessepsian species in the Levantine

Segmentation and kinematics of the North America-Caribbean plate boundary offshore Hispaniola

We explored the submarine portions of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden Fault zone (EPGFZ) and the Septentrional–Oriente Fault zone (SOFZ) along the Northern Caribbean plate boundary using high-resolution multibeam echo-sounding and shallow seismic reflection. The bathymetric data shed light on poorly documented or previously unknown submarine fault zones running over 200 km between Haiti and Jamaica (EPGFZ) and 300 km between the Dominican Republic and Cuba (SOFZ). The primary plate-boundary structures are a series of strike-slip fault segments associated with pressure ridges, restraining bends, step overs and dogleg offsets indicating very active tectonics. Several distinct segments 50–100 km long cut across pre-existing structures inherited from former tectonic regimes or bypass recent morphologies formed under the current strike-slip regime. Along the most recent trace of the SOFZ, we measured a strike-slip offset of 16.5 km, which indicates steady activity for the past ~1.8 Ma if its current GPS-derived motion of 9.8 ± 2 mm a−1 has remained stable during the entire Quaternary.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu

The European Vitis Database (www.eu-vitis.de) – a technical innovation through an online uploading and interactive modification system

The objective of the European Vitis Database is to safeguard and enhance germplasm by monitoring its preservation. Two issues are strongly related to that purpose: (1) participation of collections covering almost all grape biodiversity and (2) assessment of accessions trueness to type. In the scope of the European project GrapeGen06 efforts have been made towards both objectives. The 35 participating grape germplasm repositories are found between the Iberian Peninsula and Transcaucasia, thus covering a broad range of grape diversity. Altogether they maintain 32,410 accessions. However with respect to biodiversity, gaps are still evident and further collections need to be included and trueness to type assessment absolutely needs to be pursued to organize duplication of endangered genotypes. Within the GrapeGen06 project focus was laid on the establishment of a database conferring the collection holders a high degree of responsibility and independence. Hence for the first time in a European Central Crop Database an on-line uploading application and an interactive modification system for data administration was implemented. These innovations disburden the database manager and offer the curators of collections more flexibility. Prerequisites for data import, descriptors applied, access levels, database contents, uploading, export and search functions are described