Genetic parameters and genome-wide association studies including the X chromosome for various reproduction and semen quality traits in Nellore cattle.

Background: The profitability of the beef industry is directly influenced by the fertility rate and reproductive performance of both males and females, which can be improved through selective breeding. When performing genomic analyses, genetic markers located on the X chromosome have been commonly ignored despite the X chromosome being one of the largest chromosomes in the cattle genome. Therefore, the primary objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate variance components and genetic parameters for eighteen male and five female fertility and reproductive traits in Nellore cattle including X chromosome markers in the analyses; and (2) perform genome-wide association studies and functional genomic analyses to better understand the genetic background of male and female fertility and reproductive performance traits in Nellore cattle.

Bayesian Recursive and Structural Equation Models to Infer Causal Links Among Gait Visual Scores on Campolina Horses.

Gait visual scores are widely applied to horse breeding because they are a fast and easy phenotyping strategy, allowing the numeric interpretation of a complex biological process such as gait quality. However, they may suffer from subjectivity or high environmental influence. We aimed to investigate potential causal relationships among six visual gait scores in Campolina horses.

Thermodynamics of the Primordial Universe.

This review delves into the pivotal primordial stage of the universe, a period that holds the key to understanding its current state. To fully grasp this epoch, it is essential to consider three fundamental domains of physics: gravity, particle physics, and thermodynamics. The thermal history of the universe recreates the extreme high-energy conditions that are critical for exploring the unification of the fundamental forces, making it a natural laboratory for high-energy physics.

Use of biomarkers in bullfrog tadpoles Aquarana catesbeiana (Shaw 1802) for ecotoxicological evaluation of Pirajibú River (São Paulo, Brazil).

This study focused on investigating the water quality in the Pirajibú River, a relevant water body that flows through the industrial zone of Sorocaba (São Paulo/Brazil). Due to the limitations of assessing water quality based solely on standard physicochemical tests, an ecotoxicological approach was used to assess biomarker changes in the liver of bullfrog tadpoles (Aquarana catesbeiana). The animals were divided into groups and exposed to water samples collected upstream and downstream of the industrial zone.