Evidence for genetic variance in resistance to tuberculosis in Great Britain and Irish Holstein-Friesian populations

peer-reviewedBackground: Here, we jointly summarise scientific evidence for genetic variation in resistance to infection with Mycobacterium bovis, the primary agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB), provided by two recent and separate studies of Holstein-Friesian dairy cow populations in Great Britain (GB) and Ireland. Methods: The studies quantified genetic variation within archived data from field and abattoir surveillance control programmes within each country. These data included results from the single intradermal comparative tuberculin test (SICTT), abattoir inspection for TB lesions and laboratory confirmation of disease status. Threshold animal models were used to estimate variance components for responsiveness to the SICTT and abattoir confirmed M. bovis infection. The link functions between the observed 0/1 scale and the liability scale were the complementary log-log in the GB, and logit link function in the Irish population. Results and discussion: The estimated heritability of susceptibility to TB, as judged by responsiveness to the SICTT, was 0.16 (0.012) and 0.14 (0.025) in the GB and Irish populations, respectively. For abattoir or laboratory confirmation of infection, estimates were 0.18 (0.044) and 0.18 (0.041) from the GB and the Irish populations, respectively. Conclusions: Estimates were all significantly different from zero and indicate that exploitable variation exists among GB and Irish Holstein Friesian dairy cows for resistance to TB. Epidemiological analysis suggests that factors such as variation in exposure or imperfect sensitivity and specificity would have resulted in underestimation of the true values

Herd-level risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in England and Wales after the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic

We present the results of a 2005 case–control study of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) breakdowns in English and Welsh herds. The herd management, farming practices, and environmental factors of 401matched pairs of case and control herds were investigated to provide a picture of herd-level risk factors in areas of varying bTB incidence. A global conditional logistic regression model, with region-specific variants, was used to compare case herds that had experienced a confirmed bTB breakdown to contemporaneous control herds matched on region, herd type, herd size, and parish testing interval. Contacts with cattle from contiguous herds and sourcing cattle from herds with a recent history of bTB were associated with an increased risk in both the global and regional analyses. Operating a farm over several premises, providing cattle feed inside the housing, and the presence of badgers were also identified as significantly associated with an increased bTB risk. Steps taken to minimize cattle contacts with neighboring herds and altering trading practices could have the potential to reduce the size of the bTB epidemic. In principle, limiting the interactions between cattle and wildlife may also be useful; however this study did not highlight any specific measures to implement

A preliminary study of genetic factors that influence susceptibility to bovine tuberculosis in the British cattle herd

Associations between specific host genes and susceptibility to Mycobacterial infections such as tuberculosis have been reported in several species. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) impacts greatly the UK cattle industry, yet genetic predispositions have yet to be identified. We therefore used a candidate gene approach to study 384 cattle of which 160 had reacted positively to an antigenic skin test (‘reactors’). Our approach was unusual in that it used microsatellite markers, embraced high breed diversity and focused particularly on detecting genes showing heterozygote advantage, a mode of action often overlooked in SNP-based studies. A panel of neutral markers was used to control for population substructure and using a general linear model-based approach we were also able to control for age. We found that substructure was surprisingly weak and identified two genomic regions that were strongly associated with reactor status, identified by markers INRA111 and BMS2753. In general the strength of association detected tended to vary depending on whether age was included in the model. At INRA111 a single genotype appears strongly protective with an overall odds ratio of 2.2, the effect being consistent across nine diverse breeds. Our results suggest that breeding strategies could be devised that would appreciably increase genetic resistance of cattle to bTB (strictly, reduce the frequency of incidence of reactors) with implications for the current debate concerning badger-culling

Palynological and chemical volatile components of tipically autumnal honeys of the western Mediterranean

[EN] Twenty-five samples of autumnal honeys from the western Mediterranean (Mallorca and Eivissa, Balearic Islands) were examined for pollen content (qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analysis), moisture, electrical conductivity, colour, sensorial qualities and volatile components. Quantitative analysis showed that the honey contained Maurizio's Class II: 64%, Class III: 28%, Class IV: 4% and Class V: 4%. Fifty-four pollen types, with an average number of 16.68 per sample, were identified, belonging to 29 botanical families. Only two taxa (Ceratonia siliqua and Erica multiflora) were found in all samples. Seventeen samples were unifloral (68%) - ten (40%) of C. siliqua, six (24%) of E. multiflora and one (4%) of Hedera helix. All honeys have a low honeydew index (<?0.09%), while the values for electrical conductivity and water content were high. The major honey volatile components are: cis- and trans-linalool oxides (64.2%) and hotrienol (10.4%) for the carob (C. siliqua) and trans-linalool oxide (13.4%), p-menthane-1,8-diol (11.1%), safranal (9.7%), limonene (5,4%), -pinene (3.7%) and oxoisophorone (3.4%) for the winter heather (E. multiflora).The authors would like to extend their gratitude to the Mallorca Rural 'Leader plus' programme and the beekeepers of Mallorca and Eivissa for their support and friendly collaboration. The authors also thank an anonymous reviewer for useful comments and suggestions on an earlier version of the manuscript.Boi, M.; Llorens Molina, JA.; Cortés, L.; Lladó, G.; Llorens, L. (2013). Palynological and chemical volatile components of tipically autumnal honeys of the western Mediterranean. Grana. 52(2):93-105. doi:10.1080/00173134.2012.744774S93105522Andrade, P. B., Amaral, M. T., Isabel, P., Carvalho, J. C. M. F., Seabra, R. M., & Proença da Cunha, A. (1999). Physicochemical attributes and pollen spectrum of Portuguese heather honeys. Food Chemistry, 66(4), 503-510. doi:10.1016/s0308-8146(99)00100-4Anklam, E. (1998). A review of the analytical methods to determine the geographical and botanical origin of honey. Food Chemistry, 63(4), 549-562. doi:10.1016/s0308-8146(98)00057-0Bosch, J., Del Pino, F. G., Ramoneda, J., & Retana, J. (1996). FRUITING PHENOLOGY AND FRUIT SET OF CAROB, CERATONIA SILIQUA L. (CESALPINACEAE). Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 44(4), 359-368. doi:10.1080/07929978.1996.10676657Bouseta, A., Collin, S., & Dufour, J.-P. (1992). Characteristic aroma profiles of unifloral honeys obtained with a dynamic headspace GC-MS system. Journal of Apicultural Research, 31(2), 96-109. doi:10.1080/00218839.1992.11101268Cajka, T., Hajslova, J., Pudil, F., & Riddellova, K. (2009). Traceability of honey origin based on volatiles pattern processing by artificial neural networks. Journal of Chromatography A, 1216(9), 1458-1462. doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2008.12.066Castro-Vázquez, L., Díaz-Maroto, M. C., González-Viñas, M. A., & Pérez-Coello, M. S. (2009). Differentiation of monofloral citrus, rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, thyme and heather honeys based on volatile composition and sensory descriptive analysis. Food Chemistry, 112(4), 1022-1030. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2008.06.036Conti, M. E., Stripeikis, J., Campanella, L., Cucina, D., & Tudino, M. B. (2007). Characterization of Italian honeys (Marche Region) on the basis of their mineral content and some typical quality parameters. Chemistry Central Journal, 1(1). doi:10.1186/1752-153x-1-14Custódio, L., Serra, H., Nogueira, J. M. F., Gonçalves, S., & Romano, A. (2006). Analysis of the Volatiles Emitted by Whole Flowers and Isolated Flower Organs of the Carob Tree Using HS-SPME-GC/MS. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 32(5), 929-942. doi:10.1007/s10886-006-9044-9Cuevas-Glory, L., Ortiz-Vázquez, E., Pino, J. A., & Sauri-Duch, E. (2012). Floral classification of Yucatan Peninsula honeys by PCA & HS-SPME/GC-MS of volatile compounds. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 47(7), 1378-1383. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2012.02983.xDe Bolòs, O., & Molinier, R. (1984). Vegetation of the Pityusic Islands. Biogeography and Ecology of the Pityusic Islands, 185-221. doi:10.1007/978-94-009-6539-3_9De Maria, C. A. B., & Moreira, R. F. A. (2003). Compostos voláteis em méis florais. Química Nova, 26(1), 90-96. doi:10.1590/s0100-40422003000100016Guyot, C., Scheirman, V., & Collin, S. (1999). Floral origin markers of heather honeys: Calluna vulgaris and Erica arborea. Food Chemistry, 64(1), 3-11. doi:10.1016/s0308-8146(98)00122-8Herrera, J. (1988). Pollination Relationships in Southern Spanish Mediterranean Shrublands. The Journal of Ecology, 76(1), 274. doi:10.2307/2260469Jerković, I., & Marijanović, Z. (2010). 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Bee World, 59(4), 139-157. doi:10.1080/0005772x.1978.11097714Martins, R. C., Lopes, V. V., Valentão, P., Carvalho, J. C. M. F., Isabel, P., Amaral, M. T., … Silva, B. M. (2008). Relevant principal component analysis applied to the characterisation of Portuguese heather honey. Natural Product Research, 22(17), 1560-1582. doi:10.1080/14786410701825004Melliou, E., & Chinou, I. (2011). Chemical constituents of selected unifloral Greek bee-honeys with antimicrobial activity. Food Chemistry, 129(2), 284-290. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.04.047Pendleton, M. (2006). Descriptions of melissopalynological methods involving centrifugation should include data for calculating Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF) or should express data in units of RCF or gravities (g). Grana, 45(1), 71-72. doi:10.1080/00173130500520479Pérez, R. A., Sánchez-Brunete, C., Calvo, R. M., & Tadeo, J. L. (2002). Analysis of Volatiles from Spanish Honeys by Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography−Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 50(9), 2633-2637. doi:10.1021/jf011551rPersano Oddo, L., Piana, L., Bogdanov, S., Bentabol, A., Gotsiou, P., Kerkvliet, J., … von der Ohe, K. (2004). Botanical species giving unifloral honey in Europe. Apidologie, 35(Suppl. 1), S82-S93. doi:10.1051/apido:2004045Persano Oddo, L., & Piro, R. (2004). Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets. Apidologie, 35(Suppl. 1), S38-S81. doi:10.1051/apido:2004049Piana, M. L., Persano Oddo, L., Bentabol, A., Bruneau, E., Bogdanov, S., & Guyot Declerck, C. (2004). Sensory analysis applied to honey: state of the art. Apidologie, 35(Suppl. 1), S26-S37. doi:10.1051/apido:2004048Piasenzotto, L., Gracco, L., & Conte, L. (2003). Solid phase microextraction (SPME) applied to honey quality control. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 83(10), 1037-1044. doi:10.1002/jsfa.1502Radovic, B. S., Careri, M., Mangia, A., Musci, M., Gerboles, M., & Anklam, E. (2001). Contribution of dynamic headspace GC–MS analysis of aroma compounds to authenticity testing of honey. Food Chemistry, 72(4), 511-520. doi:10.1016/s0308-8146(00)00263-6RAMÓN-LACA, L., & MABBERLEY, D. J. (2004). The ecological status of the carob-tree (Ceratonia siliqua, Leguminosae) in the Mediterranean. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 144(4), 431-436. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2003.00254.xRetana, J., Ramoneda, J., Garcia Del Pino, F., & Bosch, J. (1994). Flowering phenology of carob,Ceratonia siliquaL. (Cesalpinaceae). Journal of Horticultural Science, 69(1), 97-103. doi:10.1080/14620316.1994.11515254Ricciardelli d’Albore, G. & Vorwohl, G. (1979). Mieles monoflorales en el Mediterráneo documentado con ayuda del análisis microscópico de mieles. Actas de XXVII Congreso Internacional de Apicultura, Athens, Greece, 14–20 September 1979, 201–208.Pilar de Sá‐Otero, M., Armesto‐Baztan, S., & DÍaz‐Losada, E. (2006). A study of variation in the pollen spectra of honeys sampled from the Baixa Limia‐Serra do Xurés Nature Reserve in north‐west Spain. Grana, 45(2), 137-145. doi:10.1080/00173130600708537Seijo, M. C., Jato, M. V., Aira, M. J., & Iglesias, I. (1997). Unifloral honeys of Galicia (north-west Spain). Journal of Apicultural Research, 36(3-4), 133-140. doi:10.1080/00218839.1997.11100939Terrab, A., Diez, M. J., & Heredia, F. J. (2003). Palynological, physico-chemical and colour characterization of Moroccan honeys: III. Other unifloral honey types. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 38(4), 395-402. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2621.2003.00713.xTERRAB, A., PONTES, A., HEREDIA, F. J., & DÍEZ, M. J. (2004). A preliminary palynological characterization of Spanish thyme honeys. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 146(3), 323-330. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2004.00335.xTerrab, A., Valdés, B., & Josefa Díez, M. (2003). Pollen analysis of honeys from the Mamora forest region (NW Morocco). 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Hydroxychloroquine is associated with a lower risk of polyautoimmunity: data from the RELESSER Registry

OBJECTIVES: This article estimates the frequency of polyautoimmunity and associated factors in a large retrospective cohort of patients with SLE. METHODS: RELESSER (Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry) is a nationwide multicentre, hospital-based registry of SLE patients. This is a cross-sectional study. The main variable was polyautoimmunity, which was defined as the co-occurrence of SLE and another autoimmune disease, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, RA, scleroderma, inflammatory myopathy and MCTD. We also recorded the presence of multiple autoimmune syndrome, secondary SS, secondary APS and a family history of autoimmune disease. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate possible risk factors for polyautoimmunity. RESULTS: Of the 3679 patients who fulfilled the criteria for SLE, 502 (13.6%) had polyautoimmunity. The most frequent types were autoimmune thyroiditis (7.9%), other systemic autoimmune diseases (6.2%), secondary SS (14.1%) and secondary APS (13.7%). Multiple autoimmune syndrome accounted for 10.2% of all cases of polyautoimmunity. A family history was recorded in 11.8%. According to the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with polyautoimmunity were female sex [odds ratio (95% CI), 1.72 (1.07, 2.72)], RP [1.63 (1.29, 2.05)], interstitial lung disease [3.35 (1.84, 6.01)], Jaccoud arthropathy [1.92 (1.40, 2.63)], anti-Ro/SSA and/or anti-La/SSB autoantibodies [2.03 (1.55, 2.67)], anti-RNP antibodies [1.48 (1.16, 1.90)], MTX [1.67 (1.26, 2.18)] and antimalarial drugs [0.50 (0.38, 0.67)]. CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE frequently present polyautoimmunity. We observed clinical and analytical characteristics associated with polyautoimmunity. Our finding that antimalarial drugs protected against polyautoimmunity should be verified in future studies

The Rise and Fall of "Respectable" Spanish Liberalism, 1808-1923: An Explanatory Framework

The article focuses on the reasons behind both the consolidation of what I have termed “respectable” liberalism between the 1830s and the 1840s and its subsequent decline and fall between 1900 and 1923. In understanding both processes I study the links established between “respectable” liberals and propertied elites, the monarchy, and the Church. In the first phase these links served to consolidate the liberal polity. However, they also meant that many tenets of liberal ideology were compromised. Free elections were undermined by the operation of caciquismo, monarchs established a powerful position, and despite the Church hierarchy working with liberalism, the doctrine espoused by much of the Church was still shaped by the Counter-Reformation. Hence, “respectable” liberalism failed to achieve a popular social base. And the liberal order was increasingly denigrated as part of the corrupt “oligarchy” that ruled Spain. Worse still, between 1916 and 1923 the Church, monarch, and the propertied elite increasingly abandoned the liberal Monarchist Restoration. Hence when General Primo de Rivera launched his coup the rug was pulled from under the liberals’ feet and there was no one to cushion the fall

Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Spain

With the aim of determining rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (RVVE) in Spain, from Oct-2008/Jun-2009, 467 consecutive children below 2 years old with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were recruited using a pediatric research network (ReGALIP-www.regalip.org) that includes primary, emergency and hospital care settings. Of 467 enrolled children, 32.3% were rotavirus positive and 35.0% had received at least one dose of any rotavirus vaccine. RRVE to prevent any episode of rotavirus AGE was 91.5% (95% CI: 83.7%-95.6%). RVVE to prevent hospitalization by rotavirus AGE was 95.6% (85.6-98.6%). No differences in RVVE were found regarding the vaccine used. Rotavirus vaccines have showed an outstanding effectiveness in Spain

Spatial and Temporal Trends of Global Pollination Benefit

Pollination is a well-studied and at the same time a threatened ecosystem service. A significant part of global crop production depends on or profits from pollination by animals. Using detailed information on global crop yields of 60 pollination dependent or profiting crops, we provide a map of global pollination benefits on a 5′ by 5′ latitude-longitude grid. The current spatial pattern of pollination benefits is only partly correlated with climate variables and the distribution of cropland. The resulting map of pollination benefits identifies hot spots of pollination benefits at sufficient detail to guide political decisions on where to protect pollination services by investing in structural diversity of land use. Additionally, we investigated the vulnerability of the national economies with respect to potential decline of pollination services as the portion of the (agricultural) economy depending on pollination benefits. While the general dependency of the agricultural economy on pollination seems to be stable from 1993 until 2009, we see increases in producer prices for pollination dependent crops, which we interpret as an early warning signal for a conflict between pollination service and other land uses at the global scale. Our spatially explicit analysis of global pollination benefit points to hot spots for the generation of pollination benefits and can serve as a base for further planning of land use, protection sites and agricultural policies for maintaining pollination services

A Genome Wide Association Scan of Bovine Tuberculosis Susceptibility in Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cattle

peer-reviewedBackground: Bovine tuberculosis is a significant veterinary and financial problem in many parts of the world. Although many factors influence infection and progression of the disease, there is a host genetic component and dissection of this may enlighten on the wider biology of host response to tuberculosis. However, a binary phenotype of presence/absence of infection presents a noisy signal for genomewide association study. Methodology/Principal Findings: We calculated a composite phenotype of genetic merit for TB susceptibility based on disease incidence in daughters of elite sires used for artificial insemination in the Irish dairy herd. This robust measure was compared with 44,426 SNP genotypes in the most informative 307 subjects in a genome wide association analysis. Three SNPs in a 65 kb genomic region on BTA 22 were associated (i.e. p,1025, peaking at position 59588069, p = 4.0261026) with tuberculosis susceptibility. Conclusions/Significance: A genomic region on BTA 22 was suggestively associated with tuberculosis susceptibility; it contains the taurine transporter gene SLC6A6, or TauT, which is known to function in the immune system but has not previously been investigated for its role in tuberculosis infection