Microsatellite based genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered Spanish Guadarrama goat breed

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Assessing genetic biodiversity and population structure of minor breeds through the information provided by neutral molecular markers, allows determination of their extinction risk and to design strategies for their management and conservation. Analysis of microsatellite loci is known to be highly informative in the reconstruction of the historical processes underlying the evolution and differentiation of animal populations. Guadarrama goat is a threatened Spanish breed which actual census (2008) consists of 3057 females and 203 males distributed in 22 populations more or less isolated. The aim of this work is to study the genetic status of this breed through the analysis of molecular data from 10 microsatellites typed in historic and actual live animals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean expected heterozygosity across loci within populations ranged from 0.62 to 0.77. Genetic differentiation measures were moderate, with a mean F_STof 0.074, G_STof 0.081 and R_STof 0.085. Percentages of variation among and within populations were 7.5 and 92.5, respectively. Bayesian clustering analyses pointed out a population subdivision in 16 clusters, however, no correlation between geographical distances and genetic differences was found. Management factors such as the limited exchange of animals between farmers (estimated gene flow Nm = 3.08) mostly due to sanitary and social constraints could be the major causes affecting Guadarrama goat population subdivision.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genetic diversity measures revealed a good status of biodiversity in the Guadarrama goat breed. Since diseases are the first cause affecting the census in this breed, population subdivision would be an advantage for its conservation. However, to maintain private alleles present at low frequencies in such small populations minimizing the inbreeding rate, it would necessitate some mating designs of animals carrying such alleles among populations. The systematic use of molecular markers will facilitate the comprehensive management of these populations, which in combination with the actual breeding program to increase milk yield, will constitute a good strategy to preserve the breed.</p

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

Truancy in the United States: Examining temporal trends and correlates by race, age, and gender

Background: Truancy has long been regarded a common problem in urgent need of effective intervention. Knowledge about factors associated with truancy can guide the development and implementation of interventions. Method: This paper examined trends in truancy rates between 2002–2014 and correlates of truancy across racial/ethnic groups. Variables of interest included sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, socio-economic background), behavioral factors (e.g., substance use, violence), and psychosocial factors (e.g., academic engagement, grades, parental control). Using data from a large sample of adolescents (n=209,393; 12–17 years) we estimated truancy prevalence rates and examined trends and correlates via regression analyses. Results: Truancy rates remained constant between 2002 (10.8%) and 2014 (11.1%). Rates were highest among older youth, females, and Hispanic youth. For all racial/ethnic groups, truancy was significantly correlated with alcohol and marijuana use, fighting, the propensity to take risks, and lower academic engagement and school grades. Other factors were differentially associated with racial/ethnic groups. This divergence in risk patterns for different racial/ethnic groups points to some heterogeneity amongst truant youth. Discussion: Despite truancy reduction efforts, truancy rates have remained stable. Efforts to prevent truancy and to intervene with truant youth may need to target risk factors more prevalent in specific racial/ethnic groups

The Analysis of Advertising Pricing Based on the Two-Sided Markets Theory in Social Network

Part 3: Digital BusinessInternational audience The mushroom development of social networks has brought opportunity to the analysis of social ad pricing. On the one hand, compare with traditional ad pricing, social networks advertising pricing (SNAP) enables greater consumer surplus and profits to social network companies; On the other hand, reasonable SNAP can provide guidance to network users and advertisers and coordinate the interests between bilateral participants to maximize their behavior. In this regard, using the methodology of bilateral market, this paper firstly analyzed the conduct of bilateral participants to maximize the benefits of social network companies. Secondly, the paper investigates the characteristics of bilateral markets and social networks comprehensively and proposes the Relation-Intensity Model (R-I model) to measure the strength of social relation to optimal ad asking price. Finally, the paper draws a conclusion that the SNAP increases along with the growth of the number of users at first and performs a downward trend after the number of users comes to a certain value (threshold). Thus, the paper explains that after exceeding certain amount of users (a higher network clustering coefficient), the price elasticity of demand of advertising is relatively large, lower price for the enterprise can realize higher profits, i.e. the scale effect of advertising exceeds its price effect

Preselection of cases through expert clinical and radiological review significantly increases mutation detection rate in multiple epiphyseal dysplasia

Skeletal dysplasias are difficult to diagnose for the nonexpert. In a previous study of patients with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED), we identified cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) mutations in only 36% of cases and suspected that the low-mutation detection rate was partially due to misdiagnosis. We therefore instituted a clinical–radiographic review system, whereby all cases were evaluated by a panel of skeletal dysplasia experts (European Skeletal Dysplasia Network). Only those patients in whom the diagnosis of MED was confirmed by the panel were screened for mutations. Under this regimen the mutation detection rate increased to 81%. When clinical–radiological diagnostic criteria were relaxed the mutation rate dropped to 67%. We conclude that expert clinical–radiological review can significantly enhance mutation detection rates and should be part of any diagnostic mutation screening protocol for skeletal dysplasias

Search for singly and pair-produced leptoquarks coupling to third-generation fermions in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A search for leptoquarks produced singly and in pairs in proton-proton collisions is presented. We consider the leptoquark (LQ) to be a scalar particle of charge -1/3e coupling to a top quark plus a tau lepton (t tau) or a bottom quark plus a neutrino (b nu), or a vector particle of charge +2/3e, coupling to t nu or b tau. These choices are motivated by models that can explain a series of anomalies observed in the measurement of B meson decays. In this analysis the signatures t tau nu b and t tau nu are probed, using data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC at root s = 13 TeV and that correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb(-1). These signatures have not been previously explored in a dedicated search. The data are found to be in agreement with the standard model prediction. Lower limits at 95% confidence level are set on the LQ mass in the range 0.98-1.73 TeV, depending on the LQ spin and its coupling lambda to a lepton and a quark, and assuming equal couplings for the two LQ decay modes considered. These are the most stringent constraints to date on the existence of leptoquarks in this scenario. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Aging affects AO rat splenic conventional dendritic cell subset composition, cytokine synthesis and T-helper polarizing capacity

It is well-established that almost all cellular components of innate and adaptive immunity undergo age-related remodelling. The findings on age-related changes in both human and mouse dendritic cells (DCs) are conflicting, whereas there are no data on the influence of aging on rat DCs. In an attempt to fill this gap, freshly isolated splenic DCs expressing CD103 (alpha(OX-62) integrin), a DC specific marker recognized by MRC OX62 monoclonal antibody, from 3- (young) and 26-month-old (aged) Albino Oxford rats were examined for subset composition, expression of activation/differentiation markers (CD80, CD86 and CD40 and MHC II molecules) and endocytic capacity using flow cytometric analysis (FCA). In addition, splenic OX62+ DCs cultured in the presence or absence of LPS were analysed for the activation marker and TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-12, IL-23, TGF-beta 1, IL-10 expression using FCA, RT-PCR and ELISA, respectively. Moreover, the allostimulatory capacity of OX62+ DCs and IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-17 production by CD4+ T cells in mixed leukocyte reaction was quantified using FCA and ELISA, respectively. It was found that aging: i) shifts the CD4+:CD4- subset ratio in the OX62+ DCs population towards the CD4- subset and ii) influences DCs maturation (judging by activation marker expression and efficiency of endocytosis) by affecting the expression of intrinsic (TNF-alpha and IL-10) and extrinsic maturation regulators. Furthermore, in LPS-matured OX62+ DCs from aged rats expression of TNF-alpha, IL-12, IL-23 and IL-6 was increased, whereas that of IL-10 was diminished compared with the corresponding cells from young rats. Moreover, in MLR, OX62+ DCs from aged rats exhibited enhanced Th1/Th17 driving force and diminished allostimulatory capacity compared with those from young rats