Feet and legs malformation in Nellore cattle: genetic analysis and prioritization of GWAS results

[EN] Beef cattle affected by feet and legs malformations (FLM) cannot perform their productive and reproductive functions satisfactorily, resulting in significant economic losses. Accelerated weight gain in young animals due to increased fat deposition can lead to ligaments, tendon and joint strain and promote gene expression patterns that lead to changes in the normal architecture of the feet and legs. The possible correlated response in the FLM due to yearling weight (YW) selection suggest that this second trait could be used as an indirect selection criterion. Therefore, FLM breeding values and the genetic correlation between FLM and yearling weight (YW) were estimated for 295,031 Nellore animals by fitting a linear-threshold model in a Bayesian approach. A genome-wide association study was performed to identify genomic windows and positional candidate genes associated with FLM. The effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on FLM phenotypes (affected or unaffected) were estimated using the weighted single-step genomic BLUP method, based on genotypes of 12,537 animals for 461,057 SNPs. Twelve non-overlapping windows of 20 adjacent SNPs explaining more than 1% of the additive genetic variance were selected for candidate gene annotation. Functional and gene prioritization analysis of candidate genes identified six genes (ATG7, EXT1, ITGA1, PPARD, SCUBE3, and SHOX) that may play a role in FLM expression due to their known role in skeletal muscle development, aberrant bone growth, lipid metabolism, intramuscular fat deposition and skeletogenesis. Identifying genes linked to foot and leg malformations enables selective breeding for healthier herds by reducing the occurrence of these conditions. Genetic markers can be used to develop tests that identify carriers of these mutations, assisting breeders in making informed breeding decisions to minimize the incidence of malformations in future generations, resulting in greater productivity and animal welfareSIThis research was financially supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP—Grant Nos 2017/10630–2 and 2018/ 20026–8), National Council for Science and Technological Development (CNPq), and “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil” (CAPES)—Finance Code 00

A genome-wide analysis of the RNA-guided silencing pathway in coffee reveals insights into its regulatory mechanisms

microRNAs (miRNAs) are derived from self-complementary hairpin structures, while small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are derived from double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or hairpin precursors. The core mechanism of sRNA production involves DICER-like (DCL) in processing the smallRNAs (sRNAs) and ARGONAUTE (AGO) as effectors of silencing, and siRNA biogenesis also involves action of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (RDR), Pol IV and Pol V in biogenesis. Several other proteins interact with the core proteins to guide sRNA biogenesis, action, and turnover. We aimed to unravel the components and functions of the RNA-guided silencing pathway in a non-model plant species of worldwide economic relevance. The sRNA-guided silencing complex members have been identified in the Coffea canephora genome, and they have been characterized at the structural, functional, and evolutionary levels by computational analyses. Eleven AGO proteins, nine DCL proteins (which include a DCL1-like protein that was not previously annotated), and eight RDR proteins were identified. Another 48 proteins implicated in smallRNA (sRNA) pathways were also identified. Furthermore, we identified 235 miRNA precursors and 317 mature miRNAs from 113 MIR families, and we characterized ccp-MIR156, ccp-MIR172, and ccp-MIR390. Target prediction and gene ontology analyses of 2239 putative targets showed that significant pathways in coffee are targeted by miRNAs. We provide evidence of the expansion of the loci related to sRNA pathways, insights into the activities of these proteins by domain and catalytic site analyses, and gene expression analysis. The number of MIR loci and their targeted pathways highlight the importance of miRNAs in coffee. We identified several roles of sRNAs in C. canephora, which offers substantial insight into better understanding the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of this major crop

Pronação excessiva e varismos de pé e perna: relação com o desenvolvimento de patologias músculo-esqueléticas - Revisão de Literatura

A literatura propõe mecanismos biomecânicos que relacionam a pronação subtalar excessiva ao desenvolvimento de diversas patologias músculo-esqueléticas. A presença dos desalinhamentos anatômicos antepé varo, retropé varo e tíbia vara pode levar à ocorrência da pronação subtalar excessiva. Entretanto, não existe um consenso sobre a contribuição do padrão de movimento e da presença desses desalinhamentos para o desenvolvimento de patologias. O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar uma revisão da literatura para investigar a influência de varismos aumentados de antepé, retropé e tíbia e da pronação subtalar excessiva no surgimento de patologias músculo-esqueléticas. Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica sistematizada nas bases Medline, ISI - Web of Science, Lilacs e Scielo, tendo sido selecionados 13 estudos analíticos. Do total de 13 estudos, 10 encontraram associação de patologias no membro inferior com um ou mais dos desalinhamentos anatômicos analisados ou com um ou mais parâmetros cinemáticos relacionadas à pronação subtalar excessiva. A análise dos estudos sugere que a pronação subtalar excessiva e/ou a presença de desalinhamentos que podem levar a esse padrão de movimento são possíveis fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de patologias músculo-esqueléticas no membro inferior.The literature proposes biomechanical mechanisms that link excessive subtalar joint pronation to the development of several musculoskeletal pathologies. The presence of forefoot varus, rearfoot varus and tibiofibular varum can lead to the occurrence of excessive subtalar pronation. However, there is no consensus about the contribution of the movement pattern and/or the presence of these anatomical misalignments to the development of pathologies. The aim of the present study was to conduct a literature review in order to investigate the influence of increased varus alignment of forefoot, rearfoot and shank and of excessive subtalar pronation on the development of musculoskeletal pathologies. A systematic literature search was performed in the databases Medline, ISI - Web of Science, Lilacs and Scielo, and 13 analytic studies were selected. Ten studies found significant associations of lower-limb musculoskeletal pathologies with one or more of the anatomical misalignments analyzed or with one or more kinematic parameters related to excessive subtalar pronation. The analysis of the studies suggests that excessive pronation and/or the presence of these anatomical misalagniments should be regarded as possible risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal pathologies in the lower limb

Testes para avaliação dos movimentos do ombro: confiabilidade e influência do número de repetições

This study aimed at investigating intrarater and interrater reliability of four clinical assessment tests of movements of the shoulder articular complex, also investigating the influence of the number of repetitions on tests reliability. Thirty-two healthy individuals (aged 21.06±4.01) were assessed twice, one week apart. Two evaluators applied four tests: anterior translation of the humeral head, scapular winging, scapular adduction andexcessive scapular elevation, recording responses after five repetitions(procedure A) and after consistency check (procedure B). Kappa coefficient, Fisher exact and Z tests were used for data analysis; significance level was set at 0.05. Kappa coefficients obtained for intrarater and interrater agreement varied from 0.41 to 0.80, considered moderate to substantial. No significant difference was found between Kappa coefficients for procedures A and B (p p≥0,083). Kappa coefficients for the agreement between the responses obtained in procedures A and B varied from 0.93 to 0.96, which are considered excellent. Results thus show that the tests may be used in clinical practice for the assessment of patients' evolution and to exchange information between raters. Increase in the number of repetitions did not alter tests reliability neither responses.O estudo visou investigar a confiabilidade intra e interexaminadores de quatro testes que avaliam os movimentos do complexo articular do ombroe a influência do número de repetições na confiabilidade dos testes. Trinta e dois indivíduos saudáveis (21,06±4,01 anos) foram avaliados duas vezes com um intervalo de uma semana. Dois examinadores aplicaram os testes de translação anterior da cabeça do úmero, alamento escapular, adução escapular e elevação excessiva da escápula, registrando respostas após cinco repetições (processo A) e após ser observada a consistência (processo B). Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pelos testes Fisher, Z, e aplicando-se o coeficiente Kappa, com nível de significância de 0,05. Os coeficientes Kappa obtidospara as confiabilidades intra e interexaminadores variaram de 0,41 a 0,80, consideradas entre moderada e substancial. Não houve diferença significativa entre as confiabilidades dos processos A e B (p≥0,083). Os coeficientes Kappa da investigação da concordância entre as respostas obtidas nos processos A e B variaram de 0,93 a 0,96, sendo consideradas excelentes. Os testes apresentaram pois confiabilidade que variou de moderada a substancial, podendo ser utilizados clinicamente para avaliação da evolução de pacientes e troca de informações entre examinadores. O aumento do número de repetições não alterou a confiabilidade nem as respostas dos testes

Feet and legs malformation in Nellore cattle: genetic analysis and prioritization of GWAS results

Beef cattle affected by feet and legs malformations (FLM) cannot perform their productive and reproductive functions satisfactorily, resulting in significant economic losses. Accelerated weight gain in young animals due to increased fat deposition can lead to ligaments, tendon and joint strain and promote gene expression patterns that lead to changes in the normal architecture of the feet and legs. The possible correlated response in the FLM due to yearling weight (YW) selection suggest that this second trait could be used as an indirect selection criterion. Therefore, FLM breeding values and the genetic correlation between FLM and yearling weight (YW) were estimated for 295,031 Nellore animals by fitting a linear-threshold model in a Bayesian approach. A genome-wide association study was performed to identify genomic windows and positional candidate genes associated with FLM. The effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on FLM phenotypes (affected or unaffected) were estimated using the weighted single-step genomic BLUP method, based on genotypes of 12,537 animals for 461,057 SNPs. Twelve non-overlapping windows of 20 adjacent SNPs explaining more than 1% of the additive genetic variance were selected for candidate gene annotation. Functional and gene prioritization analysis of candidate genes identified six genes (ATG7, EXT1, ITGA1, PPARD, SCUBE3, and SHOX) that may play a role in FLM expression due to their known role in skeletal muscle development, aberrant bone growth, lipid metabolism, intramuscular fat deposition and skeletogenesis. Identifying genes linked to foot and leg malformations enables selective breeding for healthier herds by reducing the occurrence of these conditions. Genetic markers can be used to develop tests that identify carriers of these mutations, assisting breeders in making informed breeding decisions to minimize the incidence of malformations in future generations, resulting in greater productivity and animal welfare

Telessaúde Covid: caracterização sociodemográfica, clínico-epidemiológica e indicadores do telemonitoramento em Viçosa-MG

Em 2020, a Universidade Federal de Viçosa e a Gestão Municipal implementaram o projeto de extensão Telessaúde Covid para o enfrentamento da pandemia. O objetivo é fazer uma análise descritiva dos quatorze meses de atuação do projeto. Realizou-se análise descritiva da caracterização sociodemográfica, clínico-epidemiológica e indicadores do serviço. Foram atendidos 6.898 pacientes, predominando o gênero feminino e adultos jovens. Os sinais e sintomas mais frequentes foram cefaleia, tosse, coriza, dor de garganta, dor muscular e febre. O RT-PCR foi o teste realizado pela maioria e 31,6% dos pacientes foram positivos. O serviço concluiu o encerramento de 91,5% dos atendimentos. O Telessaúde Covid foi relevante para o contingenciamento da Covid-19, com número expressivo de atendimentos, e contemplou a missão social da universidade pública, transformando o modelo assistencial e reorientando o processo de formação e ação profissional de estudantes e profissionais de saúde

Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil: setting the baseline knowledge on the animal diversity in Brazil

The limited temporal completeness and taxonomic accuracy of species lists, made available in a traditional manner in scientific publications, has always represented a problem. These lists are invariably limited to a few taxonomic groups and do not represent up-to-date knowledge of all species and classifications. In this context, the Brazilian megadiverse fauna is no exception, and the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) (http://fauna.jbrj.gov.br/), made public in 2015, represents a database on biodiversity anchored on a list of valid and expertly recognized scientific names of animals in Brazil. The CTFB is updated in near real time by a team of more than 800 specialists. By January 1, 2024, the CTFB compiled 133,691 nominal species, with 125,138 that were considered valid. Most of the valid species were arthropods (82.3%, with more than 102,000 species) and chordates (7.69%, with over 11,000 species). These taxa were followed by a cluster composed of Mollusca (3,567 species), Platyhelminthes (2,292 species), Annelida (1,833 species), and Nematoda (1,447 species). All remaining groups had less than 1,000 species reported in Brazil, with Cnidaria (831 species), Porifera (628 species), Rotifera (606 species), and Bryozoa (520 species) representing those with more than 500 species. Analysis of the CTFB database can facilitate and direct efforts towards the discovery of new species in Brazil, but it is also fundamental in providing the best available list of valid nominal species to users, including those in science, health, conservation efforts, and any initiative involving animals. The importance of the CTFB is evidenced by the elevated number of citations in the scientific literature in diverse areas of biology, law, anthropology, education, forensic science, and veterinary science, among others

Efeito dos exercícios de fortalecimento e alongamento sobre a rigidez tecidual passiva

Introdução: Níveis excessivos ou reduzidos de rigidez passiva dos músculos, tendões, ligamentos e fáscias podem estar relacionados à ocorrência de disfunções de movimento e ao desenvolvimento de lesões musculoesqueléticas. O tratamento dessas condições comumente envolve a aplicação de técnicas voltadas para alterar a rigidez, tais como fortalecimento ou alongamento. Objetivo: Realizar uma revisão crítica da literatura para investigar os efeitos de exercícios de fortalecimento e alongamento sobre a rigidez tecidual passiva. Materiais e métodos: Foi realizada consulta aos bancos de dados Medline, Scielo , Lilacs e PEDro. Foram incluídos estudos experimentais realizados em animais ou humanos, sem limite de data. Resultados: Foram selecionados 20 estudos que investigaram o efeito do fortalecimento sobre a rigidez passiva e 13 que pesquisaram o efeito de programas de alongamento sobre a rigidez passiva. Conclusão: Os estudos sugerem que exercícios de fortalecimento de alta intensidade são capazes de aumentar os níveis de rigidez tecidual tanto em animais quanto em humanos. O aumento da área de secção transversa e modificações na composição dos tecidos são alguns dos mecanismos responsáveis por esse aumento. Em relação ao fortalecimento muscular em posição alongada e ao fortalecimento excêntrico em toda amplitude com carga moderada, os resultados são insuficientes para afirmar sobre o real efeito dessas técnicas em reduzir os níveisde rigidez. Por fim, programas de alongamento estático ou do tipo contrai-relaxa parecem reduzir a rigidez tecidual quando realizados por meio de protocolos de longa duração e/ou alta frequênci

Efeito dos exercícios de fortalecimento e alongamento sobre a rigidez tecidual passiva

INTRODUÇÃO: Níveis excessivos ou reduzidos de rigidez passiva dos músculos, tendões, ligamentos e fáscias podem estar relacionados à ocorrência de disfunções de movimento e ao desenvolvimento de lesões musculoesqueléticas. O tratamento dessas condições comumente envolve a aplicação de técnicas voltadas para alterar a rigidez, tais como fortalecimento ou alongamento. OBJETIVO: Realizar uma revisão crítica da literatura para investigar os efeitos de exercícios de fortalecimento e alongamento sobre a rigidez tecidual passiva. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi realizada consulta aos bancos de dados Medline, Scielo, Lilacs e PEDro. Foram incluídos estudos experimentais realizados em animais ou humanos, sem limite de data. RESULTADOS: Foram selecionados 20 estudos que investigaram o efeito do fortalecimento sobre a rigidez passiva e 13 que pesquisaram o efeito de programas de alongamento sobre a rigidez passiva. CONCLUSÃO: Os estudos sugerem que exercícios de fortalecimento de alta intensidade são capazes de aumentar os níveis de rigidez tecidual tanto em animais quanto em humanos. O aumento da área de secção transversa e modificações na composição dos tecidos são alguns dos mecanismos responsáveis por esse aumento. Em relação ao fortalecimento muscular em posição alongada e ao fortalecimento excêntrico em toda amplitude com carga moderada, os resultados são insuficientes para afirmar sobre o real efeito dessas técnicas em reduzir os níveis de rigidez. Por fim, programas de alongamento estático ou do tipo contrai-relaxa parecem reduzir a rigidez tecidual quando realizados por meio de protocolos de longa duração e/ou alta frequência

Pelvic Drop Changes due to Proximal Muscle Strengthening Depend on Foot-Ankle Varus Alignment

Background. Strengthening of hip and trunk muscles can modify pelvis and hip movements. However, the varus alignment of the foot-ankle complex (FAC) may influence the effects of muscle strengthening, due to the relationship of FAC alignment with pelvic and hip kinematics. This study evaluated the effects of hip and trunk muscle strengthening on pelvis and hip kinematics during walking, in subgroups with larger and smaller values of FAC varus alignment. In addition, this study evaluated the effects of hip and trunk muscle strengthening on hip passive and active properties, in the same subgroups. Methods. Fifty-three women, who were divided into intervention and control groups, participated in this nonrandomized controlled trial. Each group was split into two subgroups with larger and smaller values of FAC varus alignment. Hip and trunk muscle strengthening was performed three times a week for two months, with a load of 70% to 80% of one repetition maximum. Before and after strengthening, we evaluated (1) pelvis and hip excursions in the frontal and transverse planes during walking, (2) isokinetic hip passive external rotator torque, and (3) isokinetic concentric and eccentric peak torques of the hip external rotator muscles. Mixed analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were carried out for each dependent variable related to walking kinematics and isokinetic measurements (α=0.05). Results. The subgroup with smaller varus alignment, of the intervention group, presented a reduction in pelvic drop after strengthening (P=0.03). The subgroup with larger varus alignment increased pelvic drop after strengthening, with a marginal significance (P=0.06). The other kinematic excursions did not change (pelvic anterior rotation P=0.30, hip internal rotation P=0.54, and hip adduction P=0.43). The intervention group showed increases in passive torque (P=0.002), peak concentric torque (P<0.001), and peak eccentric torque (P<0.001), independently of FAC alignment. These results suggest that FAC varus alignment influences the effects of strengthening and should be considered when hip and trunk muscle strengthening is used to reduce pelvic drop during walking