Single step genomic evaluation for female fertility in Nordic Red dairy cattle

Joint Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Sweden) genetic evaluation of female fertility is currently based on the multiple trait multilactation animal model (BLUP). Here, single step genomic model (ssGBLUP) was applied for the Nordic Red dairy cattle fertility evaluation. The 11 traits comprised of nonreturn rate and days from first to last insemination in heifers and first three parities, and days from calving to first insemination in the first three parities. Traits had low heritabilities (0.015–0.04), but moderately high genetic correlations between the parities (0.60–0.88). Phenotypic data included 4,226,715 animals with records and pedigree 5,445,392 animals. Unknown parents were assigned into 332 phantom parent groups (PPG). In mixed model equations animals were associated with PPG effects through the pedigree or both the pedigree and genomic information. Genotype information of 46,914 SNPs was available for 33,969 animals in the pedigree. When PPG used pedigree information only, BLUP converged after 2,420 iterations whereas the ssGBLUP evaluation needed over ten thousand iterations. When the PPG effects were solved accounting both the pedigree and the genomic information, the ssGBLUP model converged after 2,406 iterations. Also, with the latter model breeding values by ssGBLUP and BLUP became more consistent and genetic trends followed each other well. Models were validated using forward prediction of the young bulls. Reliabilities and variance inflation of predicted genomic breeding values (values for parent averages in brackets) for the 11 traits ranged 0.22–0.31 (0.10–0.27) and 0.81–0.95 (0.83–1.06), respectively. The ssGBLUP model gave always higher validation reliabilities than BLUP, but largest increases were for the cow fertility traits.     

赤霉菌含毒素代谢物对小黑麦愈伤组织和胚芽生长的影响

选用对赤霉病抗性水平不同的品种（系）和6个赤霉病菌株，采用双层培养技术，研究了赤霉菌含毒素代谢物对小黑麦愈伤组织和幼苗胚芽长度的影响。结果表明，和无毒素处理的对照相比，赤霉菌含毒素代谢物对愈伤组织生长有极显著或显著的抑制作用，而对幼苗胚芽生长有极显著或显著的刺激作用，田间对赤霉病（FHB）抗性差的品种分别受抑制程度最重和对刺激反应最迟纯。品种间、菌株间存在着极显著或显著差异，在幼苗胚芽长度上，发现品种和菌株间存在极显著的互作效应。分析后认为，在多菌株接种下，品种平均相对生长量（和对照相比）是一个更加可靠的抗性鉴定指标。     

Free chondral fragment involving the lateral trochlear ridge of the talus in a dog

A saucer-shaped defect involving the lateral trochlear ridge of the talus and a radiopaque joint fragment were evident on radiographs of the left tarsus in a 6-month-old Rottweiler. Surgical treatment involved removal of the joint fragment and debridement of the defect. Histologic interpretation of the specimen was a chondral fragment. It is important to realize the possibility of a lesion in the location described, as this may be an additional site for osteochondrosis dissecans of the canine tarsus.     

MoHRD3基因参与调控稻瘟病菌的生长发育和致病力

 稻瘟病菌(Magnaporthe oryzae)作为主要的农业病原微生物,其引起的稻瘟病严重威胁着水稻等谷类作物的生产安全。内质网相关蛋白质降解途径(Endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation, ERAD)是生物体应答内质网压力的主要方式之一,其在机体生长发育过程中具有重要作用。而HRD(HMG-CoA reductase degradation)复合物作为ERAD的关键组分,主要由Hrd1、Hrd3、以及凝集素Yos9等蛋白组成,负责内质网中错误折叠蛋白的识别、转运以及泛素化过程,最终由蛋白酶体降解,从而有效缓解内质网压力,保证细胞的正常生理活动。有研究表明,Hrd3属于单次跨膜蛋白,在内质网腔中与Hrd1、Yos9相结合,负责底物的识别并起着稳定Hrd1的作用。目前Hrd3在稻瘟病菌中的生物学功能尚不清楚。本研究通过基因敲除及互补试验获得了稻瘟病菌的ΔMohrd3突变体和ΔMohrd3-C回补菌株,并以野生型为对照,对突变体的生物学表型进行了分析。结果显示,ΔMohrd3突变体的生长速率、产孢量明显下降;对大麦和水稻的致病力显著减弱。进一步胁迫试验表明,MoHRD3的缺失导致稻瘟病菌对外界盐胁迫、渗透压胁迫的耐受性增强,对内质网胁迫耐受性减弱,而对细胞壁胁迫无明显变化。同时,MoHRD3基因的缺失激活了未折叠蛋白响应途径(Unfolded protein response, UPR)。上述结果表明,MoHRD3参与调控稻瘟病菌的营养生长、无性繁殖、致病及对不同环境胁迫的响应过程。     

Neuroendocrine-immune interactions in fish: a role for interleukin-1

Bi-directional communication between the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis and the sympathetic nervous system with the immune system is crucial to ensure homeostasis. Shared use of ligands and especially receptors forms a key component of this bi-directional interaction. Glucocorticoids (GC), the major end products of the HPA-axis differentially modulate immune function. Cytokines, especially interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), ensure immune signalling to the neuroendocrine system. In addition, hormones from leukocyte origin such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and beta-endorphin, as well as centrally synthesised and secreted cytokines, contribute to the communication network.In teleost fish cortisol is the major product of the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal (HPI)-axis which is the teleost equivalent of the HPA-axis. Moderate and substantial increases in cortisol during stressful circumstances negatively affect B-lymphocytes, whereas rescue of neutrophilic granulocytes may support innate immunity. Recent elucidation of lower vertebrate cytokine sequences has facilitated research into neuroendocrine-immune interactions in teleosts and the first evidence for a significant function of interleukin-1 in the bi-directional communication is discussed.     

Compositional investigation of phenolic polymers isolated from Vitis vinifera L. Cv. Pinot Noir during fermentation

Phenolic polymer material extracted during commercial red wine fermentations (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Pinot noir) was isolated and analyzed to characterize its chemical composition. Phenolic polymer isolates were prepared from samples taken throughout fermentation and isolated by adsorption chromatography. Isolates were subjected to phloroglucinolysis to analyze the proanthocyanidin amount as well as the subunit composition. Results of phloroglucinolysis revealed that the proanthocyanidin content of individual phenolic polymer isolates varied from 27 to 54%. Subsequent analyses were done in an attempt to quantify materials other than known proanthocyanidin subunits. Results of all experiments indicate that up to 82% of the phenolic polymer isolates could be accounted for by mass. While this figure accounts for a significant portion of the polymeric phenolic material, further investigation will be needed to qualify the remaining 18%.     

Detection of ruminant meat and bone meals in animal feed by real-time polymerase chain reaction: result of an interlaboratory study

The commercialization of animal feeds infected by prions proved to be the main cause of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Therefore, feed bans were enforced, initially for ruminant feeds, and later for all feeds for farmed animals. The development and validation of analytical methods for the species-specific detection of animal proteins in animal feed has been indicated in the TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies) Roadmap (European Commission. The TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy) roadmap. URL: http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biosafety/bse/roadmap_en.pdf, 2005) as the main condition for lifting the extended feed ban. Methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) seem to be a promising solution for this aim. The main objective of this study was to determine the applicability of four different real-time PCR methods, developed by three National expert laboratories from the European Union (EU), for the detection and identification of cattle or ruminant species in typical compound feeds, fortified with meat and bone meals (MBM) from different animal species at different concentration levels. The MBM samples utilized in this study have been treated using the sterilization condition mandatory within the European Union (steam pressure sterilization at 133 degrees C, 3 bar, and 20 min), which is an additional challenge to the PCR methods evaluated in this study. The results indicate that the three labs applying their PCR methods were able to detect 0.1% of cattle MBM, either alone or in mixtures with different materials such as fishmeal, which demonstrates the improvement made by this technique, especially when compared with results from former interlaboratory studies.