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The African Animal Breeding Network as a pathway towards genetic improvement of livestock
Get PDFTransforming Africa's agricultural production and food systems is an imperative to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and deliver on the Africa Union's 2063 vision, 'the Africa we want'. Transforming livestock systems through genetic improvement will sustainably increase productivity and proffer an inclusive socioeconomic development of farming communities. The African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet) is a platform of highly knowledgeable geneticists, animal breeders and professionals willing to provide information, training, advice and support across the continent. It will leverage available human resources among its members, facilitate partnerships and investment and develop infrastructure for innovative livestock genetic improvement in Africa.</p
Institutional ownership and investment by private companies
Get PDFWe examine the impact of institutional shareholders on the investment activity and external financing of established private companies. Our sample includes both VC and non-VC institutions, and both controlling and minority ownership stakes. Institutions give rise to higher levels of investment in intangible assets—but not in tangible assets—and higher funding via external equity. These results apply even if the institution has a small non-controlling stake, suggesting that institutions promote investment by alleviating funding constraints. Over 40% of our sample firms display ownership by non-VC institutions only, acting independently of VC funds
Health conditions in adults with atrial fibrillation compared with the general population:a population-based cross-sectional analysis.
Get PDFBackground: Atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence is rising due to population ageing and comorbidity is an increasing problem. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and association of co-existing health conditions among adults with AF in the general population.Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) primary care electronic medical records in England linked to hospital admissions as of 30/11/15. CPRD is broadly representative of the UK general population in terms of age, sex and ethnicity. We estimated prevalence and used logistic regression examining risk factors of age, sex and socioeconomic status (SES) to compare prevalence of 252 physical and mental health conditions and 23 higher-level health condition groups in adults with AF compared to adults without. Results: 34,338 adults with AF (57% male; 83% ≥65 years) and 907,739 without AF (49% male; 23% ≥65 years) were identified. Adjusted for age and sex, adults with AF were significantly more likely to have 20/23 (87%) health condition groups than adults without AF. The most prevalent health condition groups in adults with AF were cardiovascular (prevalence 89% in adults with AF vs 26% in adults without, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.82, 95%CI 5.60-6.05), gastrointestinal (62%vs37%, aOR 1.34, 95%CI 1.31-1.38) and orthopaedic (58%vs24%, aOR 1.32, 95%CI 1.29-1.35). 151/252 individual conditions were significantly more common in adults with AF including cardiovascular conditions such as cardiomyopathy (4.5%vs0.3%, aOR 9.58, 95%CI 8.88-10.35) and heart failure (18%vs0.7%, aOR 9.07, 95%CI 8.70-9.46), and non-cardiovascular conditions such as pleural effusion (16%vs1.8%, aOR 3.55, 95%CI 3.42-3.67) and oesophageal malignancy (0.3%vs0.0%, aOR 2.14, 95%CI 1.69-2.70). Associations were similar after SES adjustment.Conclusions: Whilst cardiovascular conditions are highly prevalent and strongly associated with AF, a wide spectrum of non-cardiovascular conditions were also strongly associated requiring a greater understanding of managing comorbid conditions with management principles contradictory to AF.<br/
Modeling the extension of ovarian function after therapeutic targeting of the primordial follicle reserve
Get PDFBACKGROUNDWomen are increasingly choosing to delay childbirth, and those with low ovarian reserves indicative of primary ovarian insufficiency are at risk for sub- and infertility and also the early onset of menopause. Experimental strategies that promise to extend the duration of ovarian function in women are currently being developed. One strategy is to slow the rate of loss of existing primordial follicles (PFs), and a second is to increase, or ‘boost’, the number of autologous PFs in the human ovary. In both cases, the duration of ovarian function would be expected to be lengthened, and menopause would be delayed. This might be accompanied by an extended production of mature oocytes of sufficient quality to extend the fertile lifespan.OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALEIn this work, we consider how slowing physiological ovarian aging might improve the health and well-being of patients, and summarize the current state-of-the-art of approaches being developed. We then use mathematical modeling to determine how interventions are likely to influence the duration of ovarian function quantitatively. Finally, we consider efficacy benchmarks that should be achieved so that individuals will benefit, and propose criteria that could be used to monitor ongoing efficacy in different patients as these strategies are being validated.SEARCH METHODSCurrent methods to estimate the size of the ovarian reserve and its relationship to the timing of the menopausal transition and menopause were compiled, and publications establishing methods designed to slow loss of the ovarian reserve or to deliver additional ovarian PFs to patients were identified.OUTCOMESWe review our current understanding of the consequences of reproductive aging in women, and compare different approaches that may extend ovarian function in women at risk for POI. We also provide modeling of primordial reserve decay in the presence of therapies that slow PF loss or boost PF numbers. An interactive online tool is provided that estimates how different interventions would impact the duration of ovarian function across the natural population. Modeling output shows that treatments that slow PF loss would need to be applied as early as possible and for many years to achieve significant delay of menopause. In contrast, treatments that add additional PFs should occur as late as possible relative to the onset of menopause. Combined approaches slowing ovarian reserve loss while also boosting numbers of (new) PFs would likely offer some additional benefits in delaying menopause.WIDER IMPLICATIONSExtending ovarian function, and perhaps the fertile lifespan, is on the horizon for at least some patients. Modeling ovarian aging with and without such interventions complements and helps guide the clinical approaches that will achieve this goal
Quantifying phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic patterns in the richness, frequency and identity of links in a herbivore-parasitoid interaction network
Get PDFUncovering the patterns and structure in species interactions is central to understanding community assembly and dynamics. Species interact via their phenotypes, but identifying and quantifying the traits that structure species-specific interactions (links) can be challenging. Where these traits show phylogenetic signal, link properties (such as which species interact, and how often) may be predictable using models that incorporate phylogenies in place of trait data. However, quantification of phylogenetic patterns in link properties is conceptually and methodologically challenging because it requires co-estimation of multiple phylogenetic and non-phylogenetic pattern types in interaction data for multiple sites, while controlling for confounding effects and making biologically plausible assumptions about which species can interact. Here we show how this can be done in a Bayesian mixed modelling framework, using data for trophic interactions between oak cynipid galls and parasitoid natural enemies. We find strong signatures of cophylogeny (i.e. related parasitoids attack related host galls) in both link incidence (presence/absence) and link frequency data, alongside patterns in link incidence/richness and identity across sites that are independent of either parasitoid or gall wasp phylogeny. Our results are robust to substantially reduced sample completeness, and are consistent with structuring of trophic interactions by a combination of phylogenetically conserved and phylogenetically labile traits in both trophic levels. We show that incorporation of phylogenetic relationships into analyses of species interactions has substantial explanatory power even in the absence of trait data, with potential applied use in prediction of natural enemies of invading pests and non-target hosts of biocontrol agents
Co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic waste into carbon materials with environmental applications: A critical review
Get PDFThe urgent need for global energy transformation and environmental protection, combined with widespread plastic contamination, has stimulated research into the co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic waste. This approach challenges traditional resource utilization methods and opens new pathways for sustainable energy generation and waste management. The reaction processes and mechanisms of both biomass pyrolysis and various plastic wastes are comprehensively examined. The influences of co-processing parameters on the composition, content, and product characteristics are analysed, providing a solid theoretical foundation for the large-scale production and application of co-pyrolysis. Besides the potential problems related to plastic co-pyrolysis, the enhancement of carbon materials’ properties by plastic waste in co-pyrolysis is also explored, which is significant for the functionalization of carbon materials. The reaction mechanism, reaction process, reaction conditions, and products generated from the co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic waste are discussed. In the co-pyrolysis of biomass (especially lignocellulosic biomass) and plastic waste, PET, PU, and PVC are more conducive to the production of carbon materials, while PP, PE, and PS are more favourable for the generation of bio-oils. The interaction between the hydroxyl radicals provided by biomass and the hydrogen radicals provided by plastic waste enhances the reaction. Slow co-pyrolysis at 500 °C, a feedstock ratio of 3 : 1 (biomass to plastic waste), and a suitable catalyst (such as zeolites) are more beneficial for carbon materials in terms of the yield, porosity, and production rate. Co-pyrolysis carbon materials possess superior hydrophobicity and adsorption properties compared to conventional carbon materials and can be enriched in elements often absent from the original carbon materials, such as nitrogen. These potential advantages of co-pyrolyzing plastics with biomass open new prospects beyond waste management, such as enhanced material development for a range of environmental and agricultural applications
Metabolic Regulation by the Hypothalamic Neuropeptide, Gonadotropin-Inhibitory Hormone at Both the Central and Peripheral Levels
Get PDFGonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is well-established as a negative regulator of reproductive physiology and behavior across vertebrates, acting on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis; however, recent data have also demonstrated its involvement in the control of metabolic processes. GnIH neurons and fibers have been identified in hypothalamic regions associated with feeding behavior and energy homeostasis, with GnIH receptors being expressed throughout the hypothalamus. GnIH does not act alone in the hypothalamus, but rather interacts with the melanocortin system, as well as with other neuropeptides. GnIH and its receptors are also expressed in peripheral tissues involved in important metabolic functions. Therefore, the local action of GnIH in peripheral organs, including the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, gonad, and adipose tissue, is also suggested. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the emerging role of GnIH in metabolic regulation at both the central and peripheral levels
Diet, DNA and the Mesolithic−Neolithic transition in western Scotland
Get PDFIn this paper, we revisit the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in western Scotland and the links between Early European farmers and middens in light of new aDNA, radiocarbon, and stable isotopic evidence. New carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic data for food sources (plant and animal remains) from a Mesolithic site are presented, and dietary FRUITS models are recalculated based on these data. We also respond to recent criticisms of the Bayesian approach to diet reconstruction. Results support the view that Neolithic people had at most a minimal contribution of marine foods in diet and also point to a dual population model of transition in western Scotland. A significant aspect of the transition in coastal western Scotland is the co-occurrence of Neolithic human remains with shell-midden deposits, which appears to contradict stable isotopic evidence indicating a minimal contribution of marine resources to the diet of early farming communities in the region. Finally, we highlight the need for further research to fully address these issues, including 1) targeted isotopic analyses of potential plant and animal resources, 2) single-entity radiocarbon and ZooMS analyses of animal bones and artefacts from shell-middens, and 3) further aDNA analyses of the remains of Late Mesolithic and Neolithic people
Do tissue-dwelling trypanosomes sustain transmission populations?
Get PDFTrypanosoma brucei infectious populations are marked by considerable diversity in the parasite’s major antigen, the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG). However, most parasites in the bloodstream are non-replicating, questioning how VSG diversity arises. Beaver et al. show that extravascular parasites in host tissues many explain this paradox and provide insight into trypanosome transmission
Genomic prediction of bone strength in laying hens using different sources of information
Get PDFBone damage in laying hens remains a significant welfare concern in the egg industry. Breeding companies rely on selective cross-breeding of purebred birds to produce commercial hybrids, which farmers raise for table-egg production. Genomic prediction is a potential tool to improve bone quality in laying hens. Because commercial layers are crossbred and kept in different environments than pure lines, the question arises whether to use within-line purebred selection or whether to use crossbred data. While selection based on pure line data is common, achieving optimal bone strength in hybrids may require incorporating hybrid data to account for heterosis and housing-specific effects. This study aims to evaluate how combining pure line and hybrid data could affect the accuracy of breeding values for bone strength. Genotypes and phenotypes were available from two types of white hybrids (Bovans White and Lohmann Selected Leghorn Classic) housed in two housing systems (furnished cages and floor housing). This resulted in four hybrid-housing combinations (n ∼ 220 for each). Tibia strength and genotypes for pure breeding lines of White Leghorn (WL, n = 947) and Rhode Island Red (RIR, n = 924) were also included. Each of the hybrid-housing combinations and pure lines was fitted separately into (1) single-trait Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP), then simultaneously via multitrait GBLUP, (2) within hybrids across housing, (3) across hybrids within housing, (4) across hybrids and housing, (5) the latter in combination with WL and/or RIR data. Including hybrid data slightly increased the accuracy of the genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) of other hybrids, but not that of pure lines. Pure line data increased the GEBV accuracy of hybrids over and above that of combining hybrid information. Combining data from two pure lines improved the GEBV accuracy of both. In comparison to the combination of data across lines and/or houses, combining tibia strength and BW within-lines increased tibia strength GEBV accuracy. The maximum GEBV accuracy obtained for tibia strength ranged from 0.42 to 0.65 for hybrids and from 0.63 to 0.78 for pure lines. Further study is required to test whether modelling the interactions of genotype by environment could help to breed hybrids for specific housing systems.</p
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