Reproduction and genetic diversity of the swamp buffalo

The water buffalo is one of the most important domestic animals in Southeast Asia. Together with the elephant it is a national symbol in Thailand. Until two decades ago, Thailand harbored the largest buffalo population after China. Its draft power has been of high significance for agriculture, and Thai farmers used bulls to prepare the land to plant rice. The buffalo has also been used as a transportation animal. Artificial insemination was applied in Thailand but is inefficient due to suboptimal heat detection. To improve postpartum buffalo reproduction efficiency, proper husbandry management such as quality of nutrition, optimal estrus detection and a fertile buffalo bull are crucial. In this study, the postpartum buffalo could be successfully mated within two months postpartum at the second spontaneous ovulation, even without hormonal treatment. Embryo transfer would allow a wider exploitation and dissemination of superior swamp buffalo genotypes. We demonstrated that oocytes for IVM and IVF can be collected successfully by OPU without hormonal pretreatment, and those twice weekly pick-up results in better quality oocytes than once-weekly pick-up. Insight in the genetic constitution of water buffalo may prove essential for the preservation and utilization of the genetic resources of Thailand

Poor symptom and performance validity in regularly referred Hospital outpatients: Link with standard clinical measures, and role of incentives

We investigated the frequency of symptom validity test (SVT) failure and its clinical correlates in a large, heterogeneous sample of hospital outpatients referred for psychological assessment for clinical purposes. We studied patients (N=469), who were regularly referred for assessment to the psychology departments of five hospitals. Background characteristics, including information about incentives, were obtained with a checklist completed by the clinician. As a measure of over-reporting, the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology (SIMS) was administered to all patients. The Amsterdam Short Term Memory test (ASTM), a cognitive underperformance measure, was only administered to patients who were referred for a neuropsychological assessment. Symptom over-reporting occurred in a minority of patients, ranging from 12% to 19% in the main diagnostic patient groups. Patients with morbid obesity had a low rate of over-reporting (1%). The SIMS was positively associated with levels of self-reported psychological symptoms. Cognitive underperformance occurred in 29.3% of the neuropsychological assessments. The ASTM was negatively associated with memory test performance. We found no association between SVT failure and financial incentives. Our results support the recommendation to routinely evaluate symptom validity in clinical assessments of hospital patients. The dynamics behind invalid symptom reporting need to be further elucidated

Y-chromosomal variation confirms independent domestications of swamp and river buffalo

Y-chromosomal variation in the water buffalo was analysed by sequencing of DBY, ZFY and SRY gene segments. A clear separation of the paternal lineages of the river and swamp types parallels the differences between their maternal lineages and nuclear DNA. Sequence divergence was found to be comparable to the divergence of taurine cattle and zebu, and this divergence predated domestication, confirming that river and swamp buffalo originated from different wild populations. Within a sample of 23 Thai swamp buffaloes, we identified four haplotypes with different geographical distributions, two of which were shared by Thai wild buffaloes. © 2010 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics

Correction: Kosoltanapiwat et al. A Novel Simian Adenovirus Associating with Human Adenovirus Species G Isolated from Long-Tailed Macaque Feces. <i>Viruses</i> 2023, <i>15</i>, 1371

After publication of the article, the authors received comments from a member of the Viruses editorial board who is an expert in the field of adenovirus concerning figures and references that should be included in the paper [...

Whole mitogenomes reveal the history of Swamp Buffalo: initially shaped by glacial periods and eventually modelled by domestication

The newly sequenced mitochondrial genomes of 107 Asian swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis carabensis) allowed the reconstruction of the matrilineal divergence since ~900 Kya. Phylogenetic trees and Bayesian skyline plots suggest a role of the glacial periods in the demographic history of swamp buffalo. The ancestral swamp-buffalo mitogenome is dated ~232 ± 35 Kya. Two major macro-lineages diverged during the 2nd Pleistocene Glacial Period (~200–130 Kya), but most (~99%) of the current matrilines derive from only two ancestors (SA1′2 and SB) that lived around the Last Glacial Maximum (~26–19 Kya). During the late Holocene optimum (11–6 Kya) lineages differentiated further, and at least eight matrilines (SA1, SA2, SB1a, SB1b, SB2a, SB2b, SB3 and SB4) were domesticated around 7–3 Kya. Haplotype distributions support an initial domestication process in Southeast Asia, while subsequent captures of wild females probably introduced some additional rare lineages (SA3, SC, SD and SE). Dispersal of domestic buffaloes created local population bottlenecks and founder events that further differentiated haplogroup distributions. A lack of maternal gene flow between neighboring populations apparently maintained the strong phylogeography of the swamp buffalo matrilines, which is the more remarkable because of an almost complete absence of phenotypic differentiation

Whole Mitogenomes Reveal the History of Swamp Buffalo: Initially Shaped by Glacial Periods and Eventually Modelled by Domestication

The newly sequenced mitochondrial genomes of 107 Asian swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis carabensis) allowed the reconstruction of the matrilineal divergence since ~900 Kya. Phylogenetic trees and Bayesian skyline plots suggest a role of the glacial periods in the demographic history of swamp buffalo. The ancestral swamp-buffalo mitogenome is dated ~232 ± 35 Kya. Two major macro-lineages diverged during the 2nd Pleistocene Glacial Period (~200–130 Kya), but most (~99%) of the current matrilines derive from only two ancestors (SA1′2 and SB) that lived around the Last Glacial Maximum (~26–19 Kya). During the late Holocene optimum (11–6 Kya) lineages differentiated further, and at least eight matrilines (SA1, SA2, SB1a, SB1b, SB2a, SB2b, SB3 and SB4) were domesticated around 7–3 Kya. Haplotype distributions support an initial domestication process in Southeast Asia, while subsequent captures of wild females probably introduced some additional rare lineages (SA3, SC, SD and SE). Dispersal of domestic buffaloes created local population bottlenecks and founder events that further differentiated haplogroup distributions. A lack of maternal gene flow between neighboring populations apparently maintained the strong phylogeography of the swamp buffalo matrilines, which is the more remarkable because of an almost complete absence of phenotypic differentiation

A Novel Simian Adenovirus Associating with Human Adeno-virus Species G Isolated from Long-Tailed Macaque Feces

Metagenomics has demonstrated its capability in outbreak investigations and pathogen surveillance and discovery. With high-throughput and effective bioinformatics, many disease-causing agents, as well as novel viruses of humans and animals, have been identified using metagenomic analysis. In this study, a VIDISCA metagenomics workflow was used to identify potential unknown viruses in 33 fecal samples from asymptomatic long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. Putatively novel astroviruses, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses were detected and confirmed by PCR analysis of long-tailed macaque fecal samples collected from areas in four provinces, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Lopburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan, where humans and monkeys live in proximity (total n = 187). Astroviruses, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses were present in 3.2%, 7.5%, and 4.8% of macaque fecal samples, respectively. One adenovirus, named AdV-RBR-6-3, was successfully isolated in human cell culture. Whole-genome analysis suggested that it is a new member of the species Human adenovirus G, closely related to Rhesus adenovirus 53, with evidence of genetic recombination and variation in the hexon, fiber, and CR1 genes. Sero-surveillance showed neutralizing antibodies against AdV-RBR-6-3 in 2.9% and 11.2% of monkeys and humans, respectively, suggesting cross-species infection of monkeys and humans. Overall, we reported the use of metagenomics to screen for possible new viruses, as well as the isolation and molecular and serological characterization of the new adenovirus with cross-species transmission potential. The findings emphasize that zoonotic surveillance is important and should be continued, especially in areas where humans and animals interact, to predict and prevent the threat of emerging zoonotic pathogens