Prevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia bovis infection in Crioula Lageana cattle.

Introduction: Bovine babesiosis caused by the protozoan Babesia bovis is a worldwide disease and causes great economic damage to livestock. There are no studies on the epidemiology of this disease in native breeds such as Crioula Lageana cattle raised in the South of Brazil.

Methodology: DNA samples from 311 animals were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the identification of the gene rap-1 (Rhoptry Associated Protein 1) from B.

Identification of , and resistance alleles in Crioulo Lageano cattle using PCR-SBT and BoLA-DRB3 gene sequencing.

Introduction: The BoLA-DRB3 gene in cattle is associated with tolerance to several infectious diseases, such as neosporosis, dermatophilosis, leukosis, and mastitis.

Methods: This study used PCR-SBT and BoLA-DRB3 gene sequencing to determine the association between the presence or absence of , , and infections in 208 Crioulo Lageano cattle and alleles present in the population. The chi-square test and odds ratio analysis were employed to establish the association.

Biochemical and histopathological responses in Nile tilapia exposed to a commercial insecticide mixture containing dinotefuran and lambda-cyhalothrin.

The indiscriminate use of pesticides has led to an increased risk of environmental contamination and pest resistance worldwide, favoring the development of less hazardous formulations. The commercial insecticide ZEUS® (Ihara, Brazil) combining dinotefuran and lambda-cyhalothrin was recently formulated in order to meet the environmental sustainability and food security. However, little is known about the potential toxic effects of ZEUS® to aquatic species.

Skim milk powder used as a non-permeable cryoprotectant reduces oxidative and DNA damage in cryopreserved zebrafish sperm.

Cryoprotectants play a vital role in the cryopreservation process, protecting biological samples from freezing damage. Here, we evaluate the effects of the combination and interaction of different extenders with permeable and non-permeable cryoprotectants, on the cryopreservation of Danio rerio sperm, analyzing the effects of cryopreservation through a broad approach to variables. Two extenders were used, Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and Ginsburg's solution.

High prevalence of Anaplasma marginale in the Crioula Lageana cattle.

Introduction: Bovine anaplasmosis is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma marginale; its transmission occurs through vectors such as ticks. Crioula Lageana is a native cattle breed from the South of Brazil used for beef production, with excellent meat quality. There are no studies of the epidemiology of this disease in Crioula Lageana even though tick damage is known to be frequent.

Prevalence of , , and in cattle in the Campos de Lages region, Santa Catarina state, Brazil, estimated by multiplex-PCR.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of three common hemoparasites (, and ) in cattle from 16 counties in the Campos de Lages region, Santa Catarina state, Brazil, and the factors affecting disease occurrence. The study population consisted of 257 clinically healthy animals from 21 rural farms. Bovine blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture.

Metal bioaccumulation, oxidative stress and antioxidant responses in oysters Crassostrea gasar transplanted to an estuary in southern Brazil.

The present study assessed the spatial and temporal variations on metal bioaccumulation and biochemical biomarker responses in oysters Crassostrea gasar transplanted to two different sites (S1 and S2) at the Laguna Estuarine System (LES), southern Brazil, over a 45-days period. A multi-biomarker approach was used, including the evaluation of lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels, and antioxidant defense enzymes (CAT, GPx, GR and G6PDH) and phase II biotransformation enzyme (GST) in the gills and digestive gland of oysters in combination with the quantification of Al, Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe, Ni and Zn in both tissues. The exposed oysters bioaccumulated metals, especially Al, Cd and Zn in gills and digestive gland, with most prominent biomarker responses in the gills.

Analysis of Genes Involved in Body Weight Regulation by Targeted Re-Sequencing.

Introduction: Genes involved in body weight regulation that were previously investigated in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and in animal models were target-enriched followed by massive parallel next generation sequencing.

Methods: We enriched and re-sequenced continuous genomic regions comprising FTO, MC4R, TMEM18, SDCCAG8, TKNS, MSRA and TBC1D1 in a screening sample of 196 extremely obese children and adolescents with age and sex specific body mass index (BMI) ≥ 99th percentile and 176 lean adults (BMI ≤ 15th percentile). 22 variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing.

Common variants near MC4R: exploring gender effects in overweight and obese children and adolescents participating in a lifestyle intervention.

Objective: Association with obesity and increased insulin levels have been reported for two variants (rs17782313 and rs12970134) located downstream of the melanocortin-4 receptor gene (MC4R).

Methods: We investigated whether these variants have sex-specific effects on overweight, obesity and 14 related phenotypes in 889 overweight and obese children and adolescents. We also explored the impact of the variants on weight change in 367 of the 889 cases who participated in an intervention program.

Novel common copy number variation for early onset extreme obesity on chromosome 11q11 identified by a genome-wide analysis.

Heritability of obesity is substantial and recent meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been successful in detecting several robustly associated genomic regions for obesity using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, taken together, the SNPs explain only a small proportion of the overall heritability. Copy number variations (CNVs) might contribute to the 'missing heritability'.

Investigation of a genome wide association signal for obesity: synthetic association and haplotype analyses at the melanocortin 4 receptor gene locus.

Background: Independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) showed an obesogenic effect of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP; rs12970134 and rs17782313) more than 150 kb downstream of the melanocortin 4 receptor gene (MC4R). It is unclear if the SNPs directly influence MC4R function or expression, or if the SNPs are on a haplotype that predisposes to obesity or includes functionally relevant genetic variation (synthetic association). As both exist, functionally relevant mutations and polymorphisms in the MC4R coding region and a robust association downstream of the gene, MC4R is an ideal model to explore synthetic association.

Association analyses of 249,796 individuals reveal 18 new loci associated with body mass index.

Obesity is globally prevalent and highly heritable, but its underlying genetic factors remain largely elusive. To identify genetic loci for obesity susceptibility, we examined associations between body mass index and ∼ 2.8 million SNPs in up to 123,865 individuals with targeted follow up of 42 SNPs in up to 125,931 additional individuals.

Two new Loci for body-weight regulation identified in a joint analysis of genome-wide association studies for early-onset extreme obesity in French and german study groups.

Meta-analyses of population-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in adults have recently led to the detection of new genetic loci for obesity. Here we aimed to discover additional obesity loci in extremely obese children and adolescents. We also investigated if these results generalize by estimating the effects of these obesity loci in adults and in population-based samples including both children and adults.

From monogenic to polygenic obesity: recent advances.

The heritability of obesity and body weight in general is high. A small number of confirmed monogenic forms of obesity-the respective mutations are sufficient by themselves to cause the condition in food abundant societies-have been identified by molecular genetic studies. The elucidation of these genes, mostly based on animal and family studies, has led to the identification of important pathways to the disorder and thus to a deeper understanding of the regulation of body weight.

Large effects on body mass index and insulin resistance of fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) variants in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Background: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common endocrine disorder in women of child-bearing age, mainly characterised by chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism, is often associated with insulin resistance (IR) and obesity. Its etiology and the role of IR and obesity in PCOS are not fully understood. We examined the influence of validated genetic variants conferring susceptibility to obesity and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on metabolic and PCOS-specific traits in patients with PCOS.

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor: association analyses for obesity of several polymorphisms in large study groups.

Background: Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is postulated to be involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. It exerts its function through its receptor, GIPR. We genotyped three GIPR SNPs (rs8111428, rs2302382 and rs1800437) in German families with at least one obese index patient, two case-control studies and two cross-sectional population-based studies.

Non-replication of an association of CTNNBL1 polymorphisms and obesity in a population of Central European ancestry.

Background: A recent genome-wide association (GWA) study of U.S. Caucasians suggested that eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CTNNBL1 are associated with obesity and increased fat mass.

Common variants near MC4R are associated with fat mass, weight and risk of obesity.

To identify common variants influencing body mass index (BMI), we analyzed genome-wide association data from 16,876 individuals of European descent. After previously reported variants in FTO, the strongest association signal (rs17782313, P = 2.9 x 10(-6)) mapped 188 kb downstream of MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor), mutations of which are the leading cause of monogenic severe childhood-onset obesity.