Genetic diversity and matrilineal genetic origin of fat-rumped sheep in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to a diverse gene pool of indigenous sheep populations. Therefore, a better understanding of genetic variation holds the key to future utilization through conservation. Three of these breeds, Afar, Blackhead Somali, and Hararghe Highland, are found in eastern Ethiopia where they contribute significantly to the livelihood of most pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and smallholder farmers. These indigenous sheep are recognized on the basis of morphotype and their genetic distinction remains unknown. Here, to assess genetic variation, and matrilineal genetic origin and relationship of fat-rumed sheep found in eastern Ethiopia, 300 individuals from the three breeds were genotyped for 22 microsatellite markers and sequenced for the mitochondrial DNA displacement loop (mtDNA d-loop) region. The overall H_O and H_E were 0.57 and 0.75, respectively. Differentiation statistics revealed that a high proportion (97%) of the total genetic variation was explained by differences between individuals within populations. Genotype assignment independent of the population of origin showed K?=?2 to be the optimum number of genetic backgrounds present in the dataset. This result was further confirmed by mtDNA D-loop sequences comparison in which the matrilineal genetic origin of eastern Ethiopia sheep is from two haplotype groups (types A and B) among the five haplotypes globally observed. Taken together, our findings suggest that the sheep populations from three breeds originated from two ancestral genetic backgrounds that may have diverged prior to their introduction to Ethiopia. However, to obtain a complete picture of the evolutionary dynamics of Ethiopian indigenous sheep, more samples and populations from within and outside of the country will need to be analyzed.

     

Ergonomic study of donkeys administered with Pycnogenol® and subjected to packing during the hot-dry season in Northern Nigeria

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of the study was to determine some ergonomic parameters of donkeys administered with Pycnogenol® (PYC) and subjected to packing during the...     

Probable reverse zoonosis of influenza A(H1N1)pdm 09 in a striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis)

Striped skunks (skunks) are susceptible to respiratory infection by influenza A viruses (IAV). As they are common synanthropes, maintenance of IAV in skunks could provide a source of infection for humans. We previously studied the nasal turbinates, lungs and faeces of 50 free‐ranging skunks for the presence of IAV and identified two individuals with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection during the 2009/2010 and 2013/2014 flu seasons. Subsequent to publication of that study, ferrets were shown to preferentially replicate and harbour A(H1N1)pdm09 in the soft palate, a site which had not been investigated in the skunks. From March 2015 to May 2016, we surveyed a convenience sample of 80 free‐ranging urban skunks for IAV in soft palate, nasal turbinates and lungs. The newly emergent influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 clade 6B.1 was detected at all three sites in one skunk with acute rhinitis in February 2016. Clade 6B.1 was the dominant clade in circulation during the 2015/2016 flu season. As the skunk was detected at the height of flu season, reverse zoonosis was considered the most probable source of infection.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF INTRACRANIAL INFLAMMATORY CONDITIONS IN DOGS: SENSITIVITY OF SUBTRACTION IMAGES VERSUS PRE‐ AND POST‐GADOLINIUM T1‐WEIGHTED IMAGE PAIRS

Ante mortem diagnosis of canine meningoencephalitis is usually based on the results of neurologic examination, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. It has been hypothesized that subtraction MR imaging may increase the sensitivity of MR for intracranial inflammatory lesions compared to conventional post‐gadolinium T1‐weighted imaging. Sensitivity of pre‐ and post‐gadolinium (C‐/C+) image pairs and dynamic subtraction (DS) images was compared in a retrospective diagnostic accuracy study of 52 dogs with inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid and 67 dogs with idiopathic epilepsy. Series of transverse C‐/C+ and DS images were reviewed independently for signs of abnormal enhancement affecting the pachymeninges, leptomeninges or intra‐axial structures. Sensitivity of C‐/C+ image pairs and DS images was 48% (95% CI: 35–61%) and 65% (95% CI: 52–77%), respectively (P = 0.01). Intra‐axial lesions were observed more frequently than meningeal lesions in both C‐/C+ (43% vs. 31%) and DS images (61% vs. 22%). The difference in sensitivities of C‐/C+ and DS series was entirely due to increased sensitivity of DS images for intra‐axial lesions. Eight (12%) dogs with epilepsy had evidence of intra‐axial gadolinium accumulation affecting the cerebral cortex in DS images. This finding may represent a false‐positive result or a true sign of pathology, possibly associated with a leaky blood–brain barrier in areas of the brain affected by neovascularization secondary to repeated seizures. Results suggest that DS imaging has higher sensitivity than comparison of pre‐ and post‐gadolinium image pairs for inflammatory intra‐axial lesions.     

The degradation of the natural pyrethrins in crop storage

Prolonged storage of harvested Tasmanian pyrethrum crop from Tanacetum cinerariaefolium has resulted in substantial losses of the pyrethrin esters due to the environmental conditions in the storage shed. The generation of heat, the presence of moisture and oxygen, and the microbial activity were identified as possible causes. A pyrethrum crop sample was divided up and stored in different conditions relating to these variables, and the pyrethrins content was monitored over time using a standard method. Temperature was determined to be a critical factor in the rate of the degradation of the natural pyrethrins. Moisture, oxygen, and microbial activity unexpectedly did not play a major role in the degradation. An initial rapid loss of the natural pyrethrins was observed before the pyrethrins content stabilized at a loss of around 65%. This suggests that the plant structure may provide chemical or physical protection to the pyrethrins. In all cases, the majority of the loss was attributed to the pyrethrin I and pyrethrin II esters.     

The implications of snow-based recreation for small mammals in the subnivean space in south-east Australia

The increasing popularity of snow-based recreation activities and the development of ski resorts and associated infrastructure have the potential to affect adversely small mammal fauna that over-winter in the subnivean space. We investigated the effects of human activities on the maintenance of the subnivean space, which is critical to the over-winter survival of small terrestrial mammals in Kosciuszko National Park, south-eastern Australia.The creation of ski pistes, surface ski lifts and over-snow routes involves compression of the snowpack and resulted in small or absent subnivean spaces (average 1.2 cm) and high snow cover densities (generally over 0.5 g cm⁻³ and 0.35 g cm⁻³ respectively). By contrast, the subnivean spaces associated with unmodified snow cover averaged 8-20 cm depending on vegetation type. The density of unmodified snowpack was less than 0.35 g cm⁻³ in June but increased throughout the season to levels comparable to those of compressed snow. When the snowpack was experimentally compressed at 22 sites, destroying the subnivean space, detections of two small mammal species (Rattus fuscipes and Antechinus swainsonii) significantly (p < 0.0001) declined by 75-80%. These species remain active below the snow throughout the winter and depend on the presence of an adequate subnivean space.The removal of vegetation by fire significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced the size of the subnivean space regardless of habitat type. Vegetation clearing occurs as part of ground preparation prior to establishing ski runs. Supergrooming, in which surface soil is also disturbed, is likely to have similar (if not more extreme) effects.Nival areas used for snow-based recreation should be managed to minimise negative effects on subnivean fauna, by maintaining natural features associated with subnivean space formation (dense shrubs, boulders and/or microtopography) and confining developments to areas where these features are not present.     

Genome-wide association analysis identifies loci for type 2 diabetes and triglyceride levels

New strategies for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) require improved insight into disease etiology. We analyzed 386,731 common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 1464 patients with T2D and 1467 matched controls, each characterized for measures of glucose metabolism, lipids, obesity, and blood pressure. With collaborators (FUSION and WTCCC/UKT2D), we identified and confirmed three loci associated with T2D-in a noncoding region near CDKN2A and CDKN2B, in an intron of IGF2BP2, and an intron of CDKAL1-and replicated associations near HHEX and in SLC30A8 found by a recent whole-genome association study. We identified and confirmed association of a SNP in an intron of glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) with serum triglycerides. The discovery of associated variants in unsuspected genes and outside coding regions illustrates the ability of genome-wide association studies to provide potentially important clues to the pathogenesis of common diseases.