Phenotypic Trends Research Articles

Genetic and phenotypic trends for carcass traits in Irish beef cattle

Animals subjected to intensive genetic selection require continuous monitoring to observe changes in economically important traits. The focus of this research was to estimate genetic and phenotypic trends for carcass traits for three genotypes: dairy dam and dairy sire (D×D), dairy dam and beef sire (D×B) and beef dam and beef sire (B×B). Linear regression models were used to generate genetic and phenotypic trends for carcass weight, conformation and fat score for both cows and prime animals (i.e. never parented an animal). Phenotypic trends for age at slaughter were also estimated in prime animals. Results indicated that carcass weight increased genetically by 1.1 kg per year for B×B animals, but decreased by 0.14 and 0.39 kg per year for D×B and D×D animals, respectively. Phenotypic trends reflected the genetic trends for carcass weight for D×B and B×B animals, but the decline in genetic trends for carcass weight for D×D animals was not replicated in their phenotypic trends. Carcass conformation declined genetically by 0.02 and 0.05 units per year for D×D and D×B animals, respectively, and increased by 0.05 units per year for B×B animals. Phenotypic trends for conformation were similar to genetic trends. Carcass fat showed a decrease genetically for D×D and B×B, but remained constant for D×B animals, although this was not reflected in the phenotypic trends. Age at slaughter decreased phenotypically for all genotypes. Current breeding programmes have a favourable impact on carcass traits for B×B animals, but an unfavourable trend was observed for D×D and D×B animals.

Phenotypic and genetic trends of body weights in corriedale sheep under temperate conditions

Phenotypic and genetic trends of body weights in corriedale sheep under temperate conditions

Genetic progress evaluation of growth traits in Moghani sheep

For evaluation of growth traits' genetic progress, pedigree information of 39408 Moghani sheep, between 1986 to 2016, at the breeding station of Moghani sheep was used. Studied traits included birth weight, weaning weight, six months weight, nine months weight, and one yearling weight. Variance components and genetic parameters of traits were estimated by restricted likelihood and six animal models using Wombat software. Direct heritability of birth weight, weaning weight, six months weight, nine months weight, and one yearling weight was (0.07, 0.09, 0.15, 0.13, and 0.20 respectively). Breeding values for the calculation of genetic trends for each trait were estimated by using the univariate best animal model. Phenotypic, genetic, and environmental trends of traits were estimated via regression of phenotypic average, breeding value average, and difference of breeding value from phenotypic value divided by birth year. The calculated genetic trends of birth weight, weaning weight, six months weight, nine months weight, and yearling weight were 0.008, 0.012, 0.054, 0.74, and 0.145 kg/year respectively, except for birth weight, the others were significant (p<0.01). The genetic gain of traits including birth weight, weaning weight, six months weight, nine months weight, and one yearling weight was estimated (0.213, 1.071, 1.171, 1.164, and 1.324 kg respectively). At evaluated years, many fluctuations were observed in the genetic trend of traits. In other words, it seems at the studied years, there wasn't a comprehensive plan for genetic breeding and improvement of body weight traits in Moghani sheep.

Changes in incidence and clinical features of inflammatory bowel disease in Cardiff, UK over 50 years: an update for 2005–2016

Introduction Population-based studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Cardiff have recorded data back to 1930 for Crohn’s disease (CD) and 1968 for ulcerative colitis (UC). This study compares incidence and phenotype for 2005–2016 with past data. Methods All new IBD cases resident in the Cardiff at diagnosis were collected retrospectively for the 12-year period 2005–2016, and compared with previous Cardiff data for trends in incidence and phenotype. Overall incidence was age/sex corrected to the UK population. Results There were 991 new patients: 34% had CD, 5.4% IBD unclassified (IBD-U) and 60.5% had UC. The corrected incidence of CD was 7.7 per 100,000 person years [95% CI 6.9–8.6]. CD incidence is significantly higher than previous Cardiff studies, but the annual percentage change (APC) for 1980–2016 of 0.06; [95%CI −0.02 to 0.14] is not significant, with a previous higher APC for 1953–1980 of 0.18, [95%CI 0.13 to 0.23]. Uncorrected IBD-U incidence was 1.3 per 100,000 person years [95% CI 1.0–1.7]. UC corrected incidence was 14.4 per 100,000 person years [95% CI 13.3–15.6]. Incidence of UC is greater than in previous studies but did not increase during the current 12-year period. CD distribution at diagnosis continues to change as in previous Cardiff studies, with further increase in colonic disease and ileocolonic, (42% L2, 28% L3) and reduction in isolated terminal ileal disease (29% L1). Conclusions Incidence of both CD and UC are no longer rising significantly, but the location of CD at diagnosis continues to change with an increase in colonic location. Key messages What is already known? It is unclear whether the incidence of IBD has now plateaued in urbanised nations. Changes in Crohn’s disease location are often not reported in incidence studies and terminal ileal disease has usually been reported as the commonest site of disease What is new here? The incidence of UC and Crohn’s is no longer rising in Cardiff UK, but the phenotype has changed progressively over time with a continuing increase in colonic disease location and decrease in isolated terminal ileal disease How can this study help patient care? Understanding that Crohn’s colitis is the predominant location has implications for diagnostic tests and implications for treatment options IMPACT STATEMENT This work shows that although IBD incidence is no longer rising, the pattern of Crohn's disease is changing with more colonic disease and less isolated terminal ileal disease. PRACTITIONER RELEVANCE STATEMENT The changing pattern of Crohn's disease location has implications for diagnostic assessment and treatment of this disease.

The contribution of a MOET nucleus scheme for the improvement of Guzerá (Bos indicus) cattle for milk traits in Brazil.

The Guzerá breed evolved from the introduction of breeds from India, mainly the Kankrej breed, into Brazilian livestock at the end of the 19th century. Guzerá adapted well to the climatic conditions of Brazil, where it is considered a dual-purpose breed and has been used for pasture-based beef, milk or dual-purpose production systems with the use of low-medium inputs. The importance of this genetic resource for milk production in tropical regions moved breeders to implement the National Breeding Program for the Improvement of Guzerá in 1994, based on both progeny testing and MOET nucleus schemes. We sought to evaluate the role of the MOET nucleus scheme in the phenotypic and genetic progress for milk traits in this breed. The initial database used in the present study consisted of 6,513 cows, daughters of 761 bulls. We performed genetic evaluations with different datasets using a linear mixed model in a single trait analysis, including the relationship matrix, in order to estimate breeding values. Inbreeding coefficients were also calculated using the relationship of descent between two parents. Annual phenotypic, genetic and inbreeding trends were obtained for each dataset, considering the genetic pathways of both the bull and the cow. The low genetic progress found for milk yield in the whole population (5.27 ± 0.30 kg/year) partially accounted for the dual-purpose selection goal, despite the higher genetic progress in the MOET nucleus (9.39 ± 0.79 kg/year). The inbreeding coefficient was minimized at the beginning of the breeding program based on the use of new lineages. Posteriorly, it started increasing again from 0.002 in 1991 to 0.008 in 2019. The results provided evidence of the significant contribution of the MOET nucleus scheme for the phenotypic and genetic progress of Guzerá breed for milk traits, as well as of the impact of the breeding program on the inbreeding coefficient rate in the early years. New strategies need to be designed for the Guzerá breed, to allow for greater improvement of milk traits and minimizing the rate of the inbreeding coefficient.

Estimation of genetic parameters and trends in performance traits of Rambouillet sheep

Genetic parameters and trends are very important to know about the genetic gain and effectiveness of the selection. The present study was conducted on 8,872 records of Rambouillet sheep maintained at Government Sheep Breeding and Research Farm, Reasi, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India over a period of 20 years from 1996 to 2015. The performance traits studied in the present investigation were birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), nine-month body weight (9BW), twelve month body weight or yearling weight (YW) and annual wool production (AWP). Heritability, genetic correlations and genetic trends were estimated. Estimates of heritability ranged from medium (0.192 for AWP) to very high (0.720 for 9BW). The highest genetic and phenotypic correlations were obtained between 9BW and YW indicating that early selection on the basis of 9BW will improve the YW simultaneously. AWP had negative genetic correlations with all other traits except for WW. The genetic trends over the years were positive for BW and WW; and negative for 9BW, YW and AWP. The phenotypic trends for all the performance traits in the present study were negative. The effect of genetic trend was non-significant for all the traits. The R2 value was very low to medium. The phenotypic trends over the years were negative for all the traits except for YW. The genetic and phenotypic trends of the present study indicate that environment plays an important role in controlling different performance traits of Rambouillet sheep.

A conserved molecular template underlies color pattern diversity in estrildid finches.

The color patterns that adorn animals’ coats not only exhibit extensive diversity linked to various ecological functions but also display recurrences in geometry, orientation, or body location. How processes of pattern formation shape such phenotypic trends remains a mystery. Here, we surveyed plumage color patterns in passerine finches displaying extreme apparent variation and identified a conserved set of color domains. We linked these domains to putative embryonic skin regions instructed by early developmental tissues and outlined by the combinatory expression of few genetic markers. We found that this embryonic prepattern is largely conserved in birds displaying drastic color differences in the adult, interspecies variation resulting from the masking or display of each domain depending on their coloration. This work showed that a simple molecular landscape serves as common spatial template to extensive color pattern variation in finches, revealing that early conserved landmarks and molecular pathways are a major cause of phenotypic trends.

Population genetic features of calving interval of the Limousin beef cattle breed in Hungary.

Variance, covariance components, heritability, breeding values (BV) and genetic trends in calving interval (CI) of the Limousin population in Hungary were evaluated. A total of 3,008 CI data of 779 cows from three herds in 1996-2016 were processed. For influencing effects GLM method, for population genetic parameters and BV estimation BLUP animal model, for trend analyses linear regression was applied. The average CI obtained was 378.8 ± 3.1 days. The variance distribution components of the phenotype were as follow: age of cow at calving 34.30%, season of calving 26.09%, year of calving 23.00%, sire 7.45%, herd 3.23%, sex of calf 0.33% and type of calving 0.30%. The heritability of CI proved to be low (h2 d = 0.04 ± 0.02 and 0.03 ± 0.02; h2 m = 0.01 ± 0.02). The repeatability was low (R= 0.03 ± 0.02). Based on the phenotypic trend calculation, the CI of cows decreased by an average of 0.60 days per year (R 2 = 0.19; P < 0.05). In case of genetic trend calculation, the average BV of sires in CI increased 0.07 and 0.17 days per year (R 2 = 0.23 and 0.27; P < 0.05).

Jersey Irkı Sığırlarda Süt Verim Özellikleri, Fenotipik, Genetik ve Çevresel Yönelimlerin Belirlenmesi

This study was conducted to determine the effects of environmental factors on milk yield traits of Jersey breed cattle reared at the Karakoy State Farm located in Samsun Province of Turkey, as well as the phenotypic, genetic and environmental trends in relation to 305 day milk yield. The Wombat software was used to estimate heritability and breeding values for milk yield. The effects of parity, season and year factors on actual and 305 day milk yields were found to be statistically significant (P

Genetic analysis of some productive and reproductive traits in New Zealand White rabbits

A total of 625 progenies of New Zealand White rabbits, kept at Sakha Experimental Rabbits, Kafr-El-Sheikh, Government, belonging to Animal production Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt, during 2010-2017 were used to estimate the genetic parameters and phenotypic and genetic trends for some reproductive and productive traits. Traits studied were litter size at birth (LSB), litter weight at birth (LWB), kit body weight for four weeks (BW1), body weight for 6 weeks (BW2), body weight for 8 weeks (BW3), and marketing weight (BW4). Data were analyzed by using a multivariate animal model. Direct heritability estimates were 0.05, 0.20, 0.23, 0.24, 0.31 and 0.34 for LSB, LWB, BW1, BW2, BW3 and BW4, respectively. All phenotypic and genetic correlations among traits studied were positive and ranged from 0.21 to 0.90 for phenotypic correlations and from 0.04 to 0.78 for genetic correlations. Annual phenotypic changes for LSB, LWB, BW1, BW2, BW3, and BW4 were positive and equal to 0.06, 15.96 g, 18.70 g, 23.15 g, 27.72 g, and 50.69 g, respectively. Also, genetic changes for LSB, LWB, BW4, BW6, BW8, and MW were 0.20, 12.50 g, 14.20 g, 16.25 g, 20.09, and 40.10 g, respectively. The moderate estimates of heritability for body weights confirmed that improvement of these traits can be achieved by genetic selection. Also, positive and significant phenotypic and genetic trends for all traits studied indicated that selection for economic traits is very useful to increase the reproductive and productive performance of rabbits.

Challenging ecogeographical rules: Phenotypic variation in the Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana) along tropical elevational gradients.

Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules were defined to describe macroecological patterns across latitudinal gradients. Bergmann observed a positive association between body size and latitude for endothermic species while Allen described shorter appendages as latitude increases. Almost two centuries later, there is still ongoing discussion about these patterns. Temperature, the common variable in these two rules, varies predictably across both latitude and elevation. Although these rules have been assessed extensively in mammals across latitude, particularly in regions with strong seasonality, studies on tropical montane mammals are scarce. We here test for these patterns and assess the variation of several other locomotory, diet-associated, body condition, and thermoregulatory traits across elevation in the Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana) on tropical mountains in Borneo. Based on morphological measurements from both the field and scientific collections, we found a complex pattern: Bergmann’s rule was not supported in our tropical mountain system, since skull length, body size, and weight decreased from the lowest elevations (<1000 m) to middle elevations (2000–2500 m), and then increased from middle elevations to highest elevations. Allen’s rule was supported for relative tail length, which decreased with elevation, but not for ear and hindfoot length, with the former remaining constant and the latter increasing with elevation. This evidence together with changes in presumed diet-related traits (rostrum length, zygomatic breadth and upper tooth row length) along elevation suggest that selective pressures other than temperature, are playing a more important role shaping the morphological variation across the distribution of the Mountain Treeshrew. Diet, food acquisition, predation pressure, and/or intra- and inter-specific competition, are some of the potential factors driving the phenotypic variation of this study system. The lack of variation in body condition might suggest local adaptation of this species across its elevational range, perhaps due to generalist foraging strategies. Finally, a highly significant temporal effect was detected in several traits but not in others, representing the first phenotypic variation temporal trends described on treeshrews.

Trends in Metabolic Phenotypes According to Body Mass Index Among US Adults, 1999-2018

ObjectiveTo examine the prevalence, distribution, and temporal trends of metabolic phenotypes that are jointly determined by obesity and metabolic health status among US adults, overall and in key population subgroups. Participants and MethodsA nationally representative sample of civilian, noninstitutionalized US adults aged 20 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999-2000 and 2017-2018 were included. Metabolic phenotypes were characterized jointly by body mass index and metabolic health: metabolically healthy underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese (MH-OB); and metabolically unhealthy underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese (MU-OB). Metabolic health was defined using the 2009 joint scientific statement for metabolic syndrome from the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, American Heart Association, World Heart Federation, International Atherosclerosis Society, and International Association for the Study of Obesity as having 2 or less components (primary analysis) or no components (secondary analysis) of the following: waist circumference of 102 cm or greater in men and 88 cm or greater in women, fasting plasma glucose level of 100 mg/dL or greater, blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or greater, triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or greater, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of less than 40 mg/dL in men and less than 50 mg/dL in women. ResultsOf 19,941 adults, the mean age was 46.9 years; 10,005 (50.6%) were female. From 1999 to 2018, the prevalence in primary analysis declined from 33.2% (465465 of 1646) to 25.1% (454454 of 2058) (difference, −8.09%; 95% CI, −12.5% to −3.70%) for metabolically healthy normal weight, whereas it increased from 9.92% (178178 of 1646) to 14.1% (277277 of 2058) (difference, 4.17%; 95% CI, 1.13% to 7.21%) for MH-OB (both P<.001 for trend). The prevalence of metabolically healthy underweight and overweight remained stable at about 1.62% (298298 of 19,94119,941) (95% CI, 1.38% to 1.89%; P=.34 for trend) and 22.2% (4,275 of 19,941) (95% CI, 21.4% to 23.0%; P=.14 for trend), respectively. The prevalence declined from 3.77% (72 of 1646) to 2.10% (68 of 2058) (difference, −1.67%; 95% CI, −3.22% to −0.12%; P=.006 for trend) for metabolically unhealthy normal weight, whereas it increased from 19.0% (343 of 1646) to 26.4% (574 of 2058) (difference, 7.41%; 95% CI, 2.67% to 12.2%; P<.001 for trend) for MU-OB. The prevalence of metabolically unhealthy underweight and overweight remained stable at 0.06% (11 of 19,941) (95% CI, 0.03% to 0.15%; P=.84 for trend) and 11.2% (2528 of 19,941) (95% CI, 10.6% to 11.8%; P=.29 for trend), respectively. Persistent differences in the prevalence of metabolic phenotypes were identified across multiple sociodemographic subgroups. For example, the prevalence of MH-OB increased from 7.58% (53 of 754) to 12.0% (79 of 694) (P<.001 for trend) for non-Hispanic Whites and 12.2% (60 of 567) to 18.4% (76 of 493) for Hispanics (P=.01 for trend) and remained stable at 22.6% (756 of 3,825) for non-Hispanic Blacks (P=.62 for trend and P=.05 for interaction). Results in secondary analyses revealed similar patterns. ConclusionFrom 1999 to 2018, US adults experienced major increases in the prevalence of both MH-OB and MU-OB, largely due to decreases in MH-N. The prevalence of MU-OB increased across all subgroups, with higher values observed in older adults and those with lower education and income levels.

A-56 | Epidemiological Trends in Type 2 Compared with Type 1 Myocardial Infarction: A National Inpatient Sample Database Analysis (January 2018 to December 2019)

Type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) was designated as a unique pathophysiologic entity in 2007. Compared with type 1 MI (T1MI), the clinical phenotype, outcomes, and epidemiological trends of T2MI are poorly understood.

Genetic and genomic analysis of age at first insemination in Israeli dairy cattle

We performed a genetic analysis of age at first insemination, including estimation of the heritability and genetic correlations with other economic traits, and the consequences of including this trait in the Israeli selection index. The genetic factors affecting age at first insemination were determined via GWAS. Five data sets were analyzed. Data sets 1, 2, and 3 were used to compute variance components among age at first insemination, first calving age, days from first insemination to calving, and the 9 traits included in the Israel breeding index. Heritabilities for age at first insemination, calving age, and days from first insemination to calving in Israeli Holsteins as computed by REML individual animal model analyses of 273,239 Israeli Holstein cows were 0.072, 0.042, and 0.014. The estimated genetic correlation between the first 2 traits was 0.88. In addition to the fact that heritability of age at first insemination is 1.7 times the heritability for calving, the former trait has the advantage that the number of records is greater, and the records are generated earlier. Absolute values of the genetic and residual correlations between age at first insemination and the 9 traits included in the Israeli index were all less than 0.2. Data set 4 included first insemination dates of 1,181,600 calves born from 1985 through 2018. Genetic evaluations were computed by a single trait animal model. Annual phenotypic and genetic trends for age at first calving for calves born since 1985 were "positive," that is, economically negative, at 0.320 ± 0.003 and 0.169 ± 0.005 d, respectively. Applying the GCTA-GREML software, 54% of variance in the transmitting ability of 1,585 sires could be explained by considering all 40,498 markers included in the GWAS analysis. The significant markers were mainly associated with milk production genes. The SNP UA-IFASA-8854 on chromosome 11 had the lowest probability value, 1.2 × 10-24. This marker is located between the genes RETSAT and ELMOD3, both of which are overexpressed in human mammary glands. The gene RETSAT is reported to be essential for lipid accumulation and adipogenesis promotion. Gene enrichment analysis found that genes in the genomic region flanking significant markers are associated with vasopressin receptor activity, which was shown to mediate puberty in humans. If age at first insemination is included in the index with a weighting to account for 9% of the index, reductions of 2.8 and 2.6 d for age at first insemination and first calving age after 10 yr of selection are predicted, as compared with reductions of 1.4 and 1.1 d with the current index. Gains for the other index traits are only marginally affected. We suggest selection on age at first insemination as an alternative to selection for early calving.

Genetic evaluation of growth performance of Rambouillet sheep in Jammu and Kashmir, India

The present study was conducted to genetically evaluate the growth performance in Rambouillet sheep. For this, data of 7,158 lambs born to 181 sires over a 16 year period from 2000 to 2015 were collected from Government Sheep Breeding Farm, Reasi, India. Random effect of sire as well as fixed effects of sex, genetic group, year, parity and birth type on the performance of this breed were evaluated. Ten traits were taken into consideration, viz. birth weight (BW), weaning-weight (WW), 6 months body weight (SMW), 12 month weight (YBW), average daily gain (birth to weaning) (ADG-1), metabolic mass at weaning age (WW0.75), Kleiber ratio (birth to weaning) (KR-1), average daily gain (weaning to yearling age) (ADG-2), and metabolic mass at 12 months (YBW0.75) and Kleiber ratio (weaning to 12 months) (KR-2). The overall least-squares means for BW, WW, SMW, YBW, ADG-1, WW0.75, KR-1, KR-2, ADG-2, and YBW0.75 were 3.16±0.05 kg, 13.79±0.16 kg, 18.81±0.22 kg, 28.00±0.26 kg, 116.93±1.72 g/day, 7.13±0.06 kg, 16.22±0.11, 4.38±0.10, 53.95±1.36 g/day, and 12.14±0.08 kg respectively. The sire and year effects of birth were significant. The genetic group was a non-significant source of variation for all traits under study. Sex effect was significant on most traits under study. Heritability ranged from low to moderate. Genetic and phenotypic correlations also ranged from low to very high. Genetic, phenotypic and environmental trends for BW, WW and WW0.75, genetic trends for BW, WW, SMW and WW0.75 and environmental trends for YBW, YBW0.75 and KR-2 were negative. Our results indicate that most of the variation may be attributed to nonadditive genetic effects and may also be influenced by the environment.

A new generation of long-lasting insecticidal nets

The scale-up of malaria interventions over the past two decades has resulted in substantial reductions in malaria burden, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 95% of the global malaria burden. 1 Bhatt S Weiss DJ Cameron E et al. The effect of malaria control on Plasmodium falciparum in Africa between 2000 and 2015. Nature. 2015; 526: 207-211 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1439) Google Scholar , 2 WHOWorld malaria report 2020: 20 years of global progress and challenges. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015791Date: Nov 30, 2020 Date accessed: December 5, 2021 Google Scholar Between 2000 and 2019, an estimated 1·5 billion malaria cases and 7·6 million malaria deaths were averted, with many of the early gains attributed to widescale deployment of insecticide-treated nets and availability of effective drugs. 1 Bhatt S Weiss DJ Cameron E et al. The effect of malaria control on Plasmodium falciparum in Africa between 2000 and 2015. Nature. 2015; 526: 207-211 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1439) Google Scholar However, progress in global malaria control and elimination efforts have stagnated in recent years, the reasons for which are multifactorial and include the development and spread of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. The massive scale-up of insecticide-treated nets and, later, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), which have an insecticide incorporated into the net fibre and can last longer under typical use, was accompanied by the emergence of vector resistance to pyrethroids. 3 Hancock PA Hendriks CJM Tangena JA et al. Mapping trends in insecticide resistance phenotypes in African malaria vectors. PLoS Biol. 2020; 18e3000633 Crossref PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar This resistance is now present in all primary vectors throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. 3 Hancock PA Hendriks CJM Tangena JA et al. Mapping trends in insecticide resistance phenotypes in African malaria vectors. PLoS Biol. 2020; 18e3000633 Crossref PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar , 4 Knox TB Juma EO Ochomo EO et al. An online tool for mapping insecticide resistance in major Anopheles vectors of human malaria parasites and review of resistance status for the Afrotropical region. Parasit Vectors. 2014; 7: 76 Crossref PubMed Scopus (86) Google Scholar , 5 Moyes CL Athinya DK Seethaler T et al. Evaluating insecticide resistance across African districts to aid malaria control decisions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020; 117: 22042-22050 Crossref PubMed Scopus (17) Google Scholar Studies have shown that a new generation of LLINs that include the synergist piperonyl butoxide have improved efficacy compared with pyrethroid-only nets. 6 WHOGlobal plan for insecticide resistance management in malaria vectors. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/44846Date: 2012 Date accessed: December 5, 2021 Google Scholar , 7 Mosha JF Kulkarni MA Lukole E et al. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness against malaria of three types of dual-active-ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets compared with pyrethroid-only long-lasting insecticidal nets in an area with pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes in Tanzania: a four-arm, cluster-randomised trial. Lancet. 2022; 399: 1227-1241 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar However, although piperonyl butoxide can restore susceptibility in pyrethroid-resistant mosquito populations wherein the primary resistance mechanism is metabolic detoxification by oxidase enzymes, it has minimal impact on other mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance. Insecticide-treated nets with novel active ingredients and different modes of action are needed. The WHO Global Plan for Insecticide Resistance Management recommends the use of two or more compounds of different insecticide classes to make a single product or formulation as an approach to combating resistance. 6 WHOGlobal plan for insecticide resistance management in malaria vectors. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/44846Date: 2012 Date accessed: December 5, 2021 Google Scholar The challenge is developing products that are not only effective against pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes but are also safe to humans and are amenable to incorporation into the net fibres. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness against malaria of three types of dual-active-ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) compared with pyrethroid-only LLINs in Tanzania: a four-arm, cluster-randomised trialAfter 2 years, chlorfenapyr LLINs provided significantly better protection than pyrethroid-only LLINs against malaria in an area with pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes, and the additional cost of these nets would be considerably below plausible cost-effectiveness thresholds ($292–393 per DALY averted). Before scale-up of chlorfenapyr LLINs, resistance management strategies are needed to preserve their effectiveness. Poor textile and active ingredient durability in the piperonyl butoxide and pyriproxyfen LLINs might have contributed to their relative lack of effectiveness compared with standard LLINs. Full-Text PDF Open Access

Characteristics of population genetic and breeding parameters of the traits of milk productivity of black-and-white and Holstein cows of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Purpose: determination of the selection and genetic parameters of the daily milk productivity of black-and-white and Holstein cows to characterize the population.Materials and methods. The studies were carried out using a database formed on the basis of the information and analytical management system of animal husbandry in the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK) for daily control milking of Holstein and black-and-white cows. The sample included indicators of milk productivity for three lactations of animals bred in 43 herds: I lactation - 14 482 records (3130 cows and 391 bull fathers), II lactation - 13 656 records (2734 cows and 537 bull fathers), III lactation - 4,911 records (886 cows and 260 bull fathers).Results. Phenotypic variability indices (CvP) by lactation varied: daily milk yield - 34.1 ... 38.8%, MJ - 9.8 ... 11.6%, BMD - 6.7 ... 8.6%, SCS - 32.5 ... 37.8%. The additive genetic variability (CvA) was lower and ranged for: daily milk yield - 22.9 ... 27.0%, MJ - 3.8 ... 4.7%, BMD - 2.6 ... 3.1%, SCS - 13 , 8 ... 14.7%. The heritability of indicators of milk productivity on average for three lactations was: in terms of milk yield - h2 = 0.440, percentage of fat - h2 = 0.155, percentage of protein - h2 = 0.121, SCS - h2 = 0.161. Evaluation of the dynamics of changes in daily milk yield and SCS showed the standard nature of the shape of lactation curves with the values ​​of the determination coefficient of the phenotypic trend equation, respectively, R2 = 69.9 ... 86.4% and R2 = 11.8 ... 20.5%. An increase in the number of recorded days of control milking from 1 to 10 increased the accuracy of the forecast of the breeding value (EBV) of animals for signs of milk production by 1.7-2.4 times. Evaluation of cows by their own productivity for milk yield with optimal values ​​of forecast reliability over 70% can be carried out on the basis of 4 control milking units. At the same time, for the percentage of fat and protein, SCS, the number of observations to achieve reliable EBV results ranged from 8 to 10. Based on the average values ​​of the breeding value of cows, the population genetic characteristics of the farmed cattle in the Republic of Kazakhstan were determined in the context of breeds, country and region (population) origin. Holstein animals (+54.3 kg of milk) were characterized by the highest EBV values. Among imported cows, the best breeding value forecast was obtained for cows imported from Germany (+63.3 kg of milk). For the Kazakh population of cattle, leading positions in terms of genetic prognosis were achieved in East Kazakhstan region (KZF, +334.4 kg of milk). A principal component analysis based on an assessment of the breeding value of cows showed clear differentiation by breed level, country and region of origin of the livestock. The most significant differences were found for animals originated in the Kostanay region (KZP).Conclusion. Analysis of the results of population-genetic and breeding parameters of the characteristics of milk productivity of black-and-white and Holstein cattle showed that there are necessary prerequisites for the development of their own breeding base, increasing the efficiency of selection of animals for breeding groups.

Dyslipidaemia in Sri Lanka

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality in South Asia. Although well-recognized as a major risk factor, dyslipidemia in such populations is not well-reviewed. To review the trends in dyslipidemia, phenotypes, underlying causes, treatment modalities, and management gaps in Sri Lanka. A narrative review was undertaken on published literature on dyslipidemia in Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2020, extracted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and locally published literature. Out of the 33 documents reviewed, only a limited number was available on large-scale population-based studies. High prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with moderately high low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high ApoB and Lp(a) concentrations was seen. Familial hypercholesterolemia was an understudied area with a need for a national screening program. With dyslipidemia guidelines limited to the management of special disease groups, there is a chasm between guidelines and practice at present in Sri Lanka. Unlike in primary prevention, prescribing high-dose statins in secondary prevention of CVD has been satisfactory. Treatment gaps are identified, with room for improvements in lipid screening and achieving lipid goals. Considering the substantial burden identified, education of physicians, optimizing lipid testing, and aggressive treatment of lipids are key initiatives toward optimizing management of dyslipidemia.

Trend, population structure, and trait mapping from 15 years of national varietal trials of UK winter wheat.

There are now a rich variety of genomic and genotypic resources available to wheat researchers and breeders. However, the generation of high-quality and field-relevant phenotyping data which is required to capture the complexities of gene × environment interactions remains a major bottleneck. Historical datasets from national variety performance trials (NVPT) provide sufficient dimensions, in terms of numbers of years and locations, to examine phenotypic trends and study gene × environment interactions. Using NVPT for winter wheat varieties grown in the United Kingdom between 2002 and 2017, we examined temporal trends for eight traits related to yield, adaptation, and grain quality performance. We show a non-stationary linear trend for yield, grain protein content, Hagberg Falling Number (HFN), and days to ripening. Our data also show high environmental stability for yield, grain protein content, and specific weight in UK winter wheat varieties and high environmental sensitivity for HFN. We also show that UK varieties released within this period cluster into four main population groups. Using the historical NVPT data in a genome-wide association analysis, we uncovered a significant marker-trait association peak on wheat chromosome 6A spanning the NAM-A1 gene that have been previously associated with early senescence. Together, our results show the value of utilizing the data routinely collected during national variety evaluation process for examining breeding progress and the genetic architecture of important traits.

Phenotypic presentation trends of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy: are we getting better?

Abstract Introduction Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is being increasingly recognized due to recent advances in non-invasive imaging notably bone scintigraphy and newer effective therapies - particularly tafamidis, which was shown to improve survival and decrease heart failure hospitalizations in the ATTR-ACT trial. Earlier tafamidis use appeared to be more beneficial, as reflected by NYHA class I and II patients being associated with lower mortality and hospitalizations compared to NYHA class III. Increased awareness will likely lead to an increasing number of ATTR-CM patients being diagnosed with concerns regarding applicability of ATTR-ACT criteria on these patients. Purpose To investigate ATTR-CM phenotypic presentation trends based on initial clinical, biomarkers and transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) data. Methods From 2005–2020, 116 ATTR-CM patients were seen at our amyloidosis center, who were stratified into 3 time periods based on the date of diagnosis: Early (21 patients, pre-2016), Mid (46 patients, 2016–2018), and Recent (49 patients, 2018–2020). ATTR-CM diagnosis was established based on the standard criteria of confirmed ATTR variant + typical TTE features; histological confirmation endomyocardial biopsy; or typical diffuse cardiac tracer uptake on bone scintigraphy while ruling out light chain amyloidosis. With less typical imaging, cardiac MRI typically served as a confirmatory test prior to pursuing histological confirmation. Demographics, cardiac biomarkers, diagnostic method used, and TTE variables that raise the suspicion of ATTR-CM were compared across time periods using one-way ANOVA test and Fischer's exact test. Results There was a significant change in the predominant method of diagnosis with the majority of patients in the Early time period diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy, whereas in the Recent time period the majority of patients were diagnosed via pyrophosphate scintigraphy (Figure). Despite increasing number of patients being diagnosed, the clinical phenotype at diagnosis did not change significantly with similar proportion of patients NYHA class I/II, median daily diuretic dose, biomarkers, having at least one heart failure hospitalization prior to diagnosis, and similar TTE phenotype (Table). Only the age at diagnosis significantly increased across time periods. Women represented the minority of patients across all time periods. Conclusion Despite the increased awareness of ATTR-CM, there have been no major changes in the clinical, cardiac biomarker, or TTE phenotype on presentation in patients referred to our center for suspicion or a diagnosis of ATTR-CM. Our findings challenge the assumption that patients with ATTR-CM are being identified earlier with milder phenotypes. Women with ATTR-CM likely remain largely undiagnosed in our community. Continued education and knowledge dissemination are essential to identify ATTR-CM patients earlier to achieve better outcomes in this population. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): Pranav Chandrashekar is supported by an educational grant from Pfizer, Inc paid to Oregon Health and Science University. Table 1