Tendências genéticas para peso aos 240 e 420 dias de idade de bovinos da raça Nelore.

Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar as tendências genéticas dos efeitos diretos para o peso aos 240 (P240) e 420 (P420) dias de idade de animais da raça Nelore criados na região de Goiás

Pecuária de corte no Pantanal brasileiro: realidade e perspectivas futuras de melhoramento.

Apesar da pecuária de corte estar presente no Pantanal à mais de duzentos anos, até o momento, não foi estabelecido um programa de melhoramento genético animal para a região que contemplasse as diferentes condições de manejo e de ambiente no processo seletivo dos bovinos de corte. Um programa desta natureza envolveria, melhorias no manejo geral do rebanho, maior cuidado com as práticas de sanidade animal e gestão mais eficiente da atividade como um todo.bitstream/CPAP/56028/1/DOC93.pdfFormato Eletrônic

A genome-wide association study identifies risk alleles in plasminogen and P4HA2 associated with giant cell arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common form of vasculitis in individuals older than 50 years in Western countries. To shed light onto the genetic background influencing susceptibility for GCA, we performed a genome-wide association screening in a well-powered study cohort. After imputation, 1,844,133 genetic variants were analysed in 2,134 cases and 9,125 unaffected controls from ten independent populations of European ancestry. Our data confirmed HLA class II as the strongest associated region (independent signals: rs9268905, P = 1.94E-54, per-allele OR = 1.79; and rs9275592, P = 1.14E-40, OR = 2.08). Additionally, PLG and P4HA2 were identified as GCA risk genes at the genome-wide level of significance (rs4252134, P = 1.23E-10, OR = 1.28; and rs128738, P = 4.60E-09, OR = 1.32, respectively). Interestingly, we observed that the association peaks overlapped with different regulatory elements related to cell types and tissues involved in the pathophysiology of GCA. PLG and P4HA2 are involved in vascular remodelling and angiogenesis, suggesting a high relevance of these processes for the pathogenic mechanisms underlying this type of vasculitis

Influência de fatores de meio sobre peso a desmama e pós-desmama de bovinos da raça Nelore mocha, em três regiões do Nordeste brasileiro.

RESUMO - O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar os efeitos de alguns fatores de meio sobre os pesos a desmama e aos 12 meses de idade de animais Nelores Mochos nascidos e criados nas regiões Leste e Agreste de Alagoas e Sertão Pernambucano, no nordeste brasileiro. As observações dos pesos foram analisadas pelo método dos quadrados mínimos, cujos modelos matemáticos incluíram os efeitos fixos de ano e mês de nascimento, sexo e região, como covariável a idade da vaca ao parto (efeitos linear e quadrático), além dos efeitos aleatórios de touro. Todos os efeitos incluídos nos modelos influenciaram significativamente (P<0,001) todos os pesos. Os animais nascidos em outubro foram os mais pesados a desmama, enquanto que os nascidos em abril foram os mais pesados aos 12 meses de idade. Os machos foram sempre mais pesados que as fêmeas e as vacas de 8,7 anos de idade, produziram filhos mais pesados a desmama e aos 12 meses. As médias estimadas foram iguais a 175,139 kg (P205) e 253,77 kg (P365) na região Agreste Alagoano; enquanto que na região Leste Alagoano foram 165,02kg (P205) e 244,66 kg (P365) e na região Sertão Pernambucano os valores encontrados foram 175,22 kg (P205) e 230,24 kg (P365). Os resultados obtidos sugerem que esses fatores devem ser considerados na seleção dos animais. ABSTRACT - The objective of this work was to study the effects of some environmental factors on weaning (WW), and yearling weights (YW) of Polled Nelore cattle born and raised in three different regions: Agreste and Leste of Alagoas and Sertão Pernambucano in Brazilian northeast. The observations of the weights were analyzed by the least-square method, with mathematical models that included the fixed effects of year and month from birth, sex and region, as covariate the age of the cow at calving (lineal and quadratic effects) besides the random effects of sire. All effects included in the models influenced significantly (P <0,01) affected all traits studied. The animals born in October were the heaviest ones at weaning, while those born from in April were the heaviest ones to the 12 months of age. The males were always heavier than the females, and the 8.7 year-old cows produced the heaviest calves from weaning and to the 12 months. The estimates least squares means were 175.13 kg (WW) and 253.77 kg (YW) in the area Agreste Alagoano, while in the area Leste Alagoano were 165.02 kg (WW) and 244.66 kg (YW) and in the area Sertão Pernambucano, 175.22 kg (WW) and 230.24 kg (YW). The obtained results suggest that these environmental factors should be considered in the selection of the animals.MELH 00

Análise da variação ambiental e genética dos pesos à desmama de bovinos da raça Nelore mocha, nas mega-regiões Campinas e Ribeirão Preto.

RESUMO - O melhoramento genético da performance produtiva em ambientes tropicais requer o conhecimento das causas da variação de características de valores econômicos. Esse estudo tem o objetivo de identificar as fontes genéticas e não genéticas da variação dos pesos à desmama, em bovinos Nelores Mocho, criados nas megas regiões Campinas e Ribeirão Preto, no Brasil. Utilizando metodologias avançadas e eficientes métodos estatísticos, como o dos Quadrados Mínimos e o da Máxima Verossimilhança Restrita em modelos mistos, os quais possibilitam estimar com maior precisão os parâmetros e valores genéticos dos animais. Estudaram-se os efeitos de ano e mês de nascimento, sexo, região e idade da vaca e identificou-se neste estudo que os mesmos influenciaram (P<0,001) os pesos a desmama de 10.289 bezerros, nascidos de 1975- 2001 e quantificou-se as herdabilidades genéticas diretas (0,11 ± 0,03) e maternas (0,09 ± 0,04). ABSTRACT - The genetic improvement of the productive performance in tropical environmental requests the knowledge of the source of the variation of traits of economical values. That study has the objective of identifying the genetic sources and no genetics of the variation of the weight at weaning, in cattle Hornless Nelores, servants in the big regions Campinas and Ribeirão Preto, in Brazil, using advanced methodologies and efficient statistical methods, as the one of the Minimum Squares and the one of the Maxim Restricted Verisimilitude in mixed models, which make possible to estimates with larger precision the parameters and genetic values of the animals. The year effects and month of birth, sex, region and age of the dam were studied and identified in this research that the same ones influenced (P <0.01) the weights wean of 10289 born calves of 1975-2001 and it was quantified the direct genetic heritability (0.,11 ± 0.,03) and maternal (0.09 ± 0.04).MELH 196

Genomic evaluation for novel stayability traits in Nellore cattle.

Cow stayability plays a major role on the overall profitability of the beef cattle industry, as it is directly related to reproductive efficiency and cow's longevity. Stayability (STAY63) is usually defined as the ability of the cow to calve at least three times until 76 months of age. This is a late-measured and lowly heritable trait, which consequently constrains genetic progress per time unit. Thus, the use of genomic information associated with novel stayability traits measured earlier in life will likely result in higher prediction accuracy and faster genetic progress for cow longevity. In this study, we aimed to compare pedigree-based and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) methods as well as to estimate genetic correlations between the proposed stayability traits: STAY42, STAY53 and S TAY64, which are measured at 52, 64 and 76 months of cow's age, considering at least 2, 3 and 4 calving, respectively. ssGBLUP yielded the highest prediction accuracy for all traits. The heritability estimates for STAY42, STAY53, STAY63 and STAY64 were 0.090, 0.151, 0.152 and 0.143, respectively. The genetic correlations between traits ranged from 0.899 (STAY42 and STAY53) to 0.985 (STAY53 and STAY63). The high genetic correlation between STAY42 and STAY53 suggests that besides being related to cow longevity, STAY53 is also associated with the early-stage reproductive efficiency. Thus, STAY53 is recommended as a suitable selection criterion for reproductive efficiency due to its higher heritability, favourable genetic correlation with other traits, and measured earlier in life, compared with the conventional stayability trait, that is STAY63

Cognitive Performance in Centenarians and the Oldest Old: Norms from the Georgia Centenarian Study

We present normative data from a large population-based sample of centenarians for several brief, global neurocognitive tasks amenable for frail elders. Comparative data from octogenarians are included. A total of 244 centenarians and 80 octogenarians from Phase III of the Georgia Centenarian Study were administered the Mini-Mental Status Examination, Severe Impairment Battery, and Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale. Centenarians (age 98–107) were stratified into three age cohorts (98–99, 100–101, 102–107), octogenarians into two 5- year cohorts (80–84, 85–89). Highly significant differences were observed between groups on all measures, with greater variation and dispersion in performance among centenarians, as well as stronger associations between age and performance. Descriptive statistics and normative ranges (unweighted and population-weighted) are provided by age cohort. Additional statistics are provided by education level. While most previous centenarian studies have used convenience samples, ours is population-based and likely more valid for comparison in applied settings. Results suggest centenarians look different than do even the oldest age range of most normative aging datasets (e.g., 85–90). Results support using global measures of neurocognition to describe cognitive status in the oldest old, and we provide normative comparisons to do so