Evaluation of ivermectin antiviral activity against avian infectious bronchitis virus using a chicken embryo model.

Ivermectin is widely used in both animals and humans as an FDA-approved parasiticide. Ivermectin has also been reported to have antiviral activity against several viruses including coronaviruses. There are reports that indicate ivermectin may have some role in diminishing the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, but the evidence is inconclusive.

Using diverse U.S. beef cattle genomes to identify missense mutations in a gene associated with pulmonary hypertension.

The availability of whole genome sequence (WGS) data has made it possible to discover protein variants . However, existing bovine WGS databases do not show data in a form conducive to protein variant analysis, and tend to under represent the breadth of genetic diversity in global beef cattle. Thus, our first aim was to use 96 beef sires, sharing minimal pedigree relationships, to create a searchable and publicly viewable set of mapped genomes relevant for 19 popular breeds of U.

Optimal Design of Low-Density SNP Arrays for Genomic Prediction: Algorithm and Applications.

Low-density (LD) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays provide a cost-effective solution for genomic prediction and selection, but algorithms and computational tools are needed for the optimal design of LD SNP chips. A multiple-objective, local optimization (MOLO) algorithm was developed for design of optimal LD SNP chips that can be imputed accurately to medium-density (MD) or high-density (HD) SNP genotypes for genomic prediction. The objective function facilitates maximization of non-gap map length and system information for the SNP chip, and the latter is computed either as locus-averaged (LASE) or haplotype-averaged Shannon entropy (HASE) and adjusted for uniformity of the SNP distribution.

SNPchiMp v.3: integrating and standardizing single nucleotide polymorphism data for livestock species.

Background: In recent years, the use of genomic information in livestock species for genetic improvement, association studies and many other fields has become routine. In order to accommodate different market requirements in terms of genotyping cost, manufacturers of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, private companies and international consortia have developed a large number of arrays with different content and different SNP density. The number of currently available SNP arrays differs among species: ranging from one for goats to more than ten for cattle, and the number of arrays available is increasing rapidly.

SNPs for parentage testing and traceability in globally diverse breeds of sheep.

DNA-based parentage determination accelerates genetic improvement in sheep by increasing pedigree accuracy. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers can be used for determining parentage and to provide unique molecular identifiers for tracing sheep products to their source. However, the utility of a particular "parentage SNP" varies by breed depending on its minor allele frequency (MAF) and its sequence context.

Imputation of microsatellite alleles from dense SNP genotypes for parentage verification across multiple Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds.

To assist cattle producers transition from microsatellite (MS) to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping for parental verification we previously devised an effective and inexpensive method to impute MS alleles from SNP haplotypes. While the reported method was verified with only a limited data set (N = 479) from Brown Swiss, Guernsey, Holstein, and Jersey cattle, some of the MS-SNP haplotype associations were concordant across these phylogenetically diverse breeds. This implied that some haplotypes predate modern breed formation and remain in strong linkage disequilibrium.

The sub-chronic toxicity in rats of isoparaffinic solvents.

Results from a 13-week inhalation study in rats on a C10-C12 isoparaffinic solvent are compared to the results of repeated inhalation and oral toxicity studies of four other isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvents. Statistically significant findings which were consistent across all studies included: nephropathy and small but significant changes in hematological parameters in male rats and liver enlargement in both male and female rats. The male rat kidney changes were due to an alpha 2u globulin process and not relevant for human health or risk assessment.

The relationship between repeat-dose toxicity and aromatic-ring class profile of high-boiling petroleum substances.

A study was undertaken within the context of the U.S. EPA HPV Chemical Challenge Program to (1) characterize relationships between PAC content and repeat-dose toxicities of high-boiling petroleum substances (HBPS) and (2) develop statistical models that could be used to predict the repeat-dose toxicity of similar untested substances.

The relationship between developmental toxicity and aromatic-ring class profile of high-boiling petroleum substances.

In response to the US EPA HPV Challenge Program, this study was conducted to: (1) evaluate the relationship between PAC content and the developmental toxicity of high-boiling petroleum substances (HBPS) and (2) develop mathematical models to predict the developmental toxicity of similar untested substances based on their aromatic ring class (ARC) profiles. For this investigation, 68 developmental toxicity studies were reviewed. The ARC models relied on data from 21 rat dermal developmental toxicity studies conducted with similar experimental designs to ensure a consistent data set for comparison.

Evaluating the male and female reproductive toxicity of high-boiling petroleum substances.

To meet the EPA HPV Chemical Challenge Program requirement for reproductive toxicity data on sponsored high-boiling petroleum substances (HBPS), an analysis was conducted using the results of 39 repeat-dose and 59 developmental rat dermal toxicity studies on HBPS samples spanning the boiling range of the sponsored substances, and the results of three one-generation reproductive toxicity studies on two samples spanning the concentration range of polycyclic aromatic compounds of sponsored substances. The analysis found little evidence of male or female reproductive tract toxicity based on histopathology, reproductive organ weight, and sperm parameters, and no evidence of effects on fertility, while significant developmental toxicity and/or systemic repeat-dose toxicity were frequently observed. Among 14 samples of HBPS tested in both repeat-dose toxicity and developmental toxicity studies, there were no studies in which an adverse reproductive tract finding occurred at a dose lower than that producing developmental toxicity or other adverse effects in repeat-dose toxicity studies.

Genetic testing for TMEM154 mutations associated with lentivirus susceptibility in sheep.

In sheep, small ruminant lentiviruses cause an incurable, progressive, lymphoproliferative disease that affects millions of animals worldwide. Known as ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV) in the U.S.

Assessing the mammalian toxicity of high-boiling petroleum substances under the rubric of the HPV program.

In 1998, the US EPA announced the HPV Challenge Program, a voluntary chemical data collection effort. The Petroleum HPV Testing Group (PHPVTG(1)) volunteered to provide data on approximately 110 high boiling petroleum substances (HBPS), i.e.

The development of statistical models to determine the relationship between aromatic-ring class profile and repeat-dose and developmental toxicities of high-boiling petroleum substances.

The repeat-dose and developmental toxicities of certain petroleum refinery streams are related to their polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) content (Feuston et al., 1994). Building on this foundation, and working within the context of the US EPA High Production Volume (HPV) Chemical Challenge Program, we: (1) characterized relationships between PAC content and repeat-dose and developmental toxicities of high boiling petroleum substances (HBPS), and (2) developed statistical models that can be used to predict critical effects of similar untested substances.

Relaxed primer specificity associated with reverse transcriptases encoded by the pFOXC retroplasmids of Fusarium oxysporum.

The pFOXC mitochondrial retroplasmids are small, autonomously replicating linear DNAs that have a telomere-like repeat of a 5-bp sequence at their termini. The plasmids are possible evolutionary precursors of the ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase, as they encode an active reverse transcriptase (RT) that is involved in plasmid replication. Using an in vitro system to study reverse transcription, we show that the pFOXC RT is capable of copying in vitro-synthesized RNAs by use of cDNA primers or extension of snapped-back RNA templates.

Characterization of QTL with major effects on fatness and growth on mouse chromosome 2.

Objective: To isolate and characterize a region on mouse chromosome 2 harboring quantitative trait loci with large influences on growth and fatness.

Research Methods And Procedures: A congenic line [M16i.B6-(D2Mit306-D2Mit52); MB2] was created using the polygenic obese M16i selection line as the recipient for an approximately 38-centimorgan region from C57BL/6J.