Bayesian inference in genetic parameter estimation of visual scores in Nellore beef-cattle

The aim of this study was to estimate the components of variance and genetic parameters for the visual scores which constitute the Morphological Evaluation System (MES), such as body structure (S), precocity (P) and musculature (M) in Nellore beef-cattle at the weaning and yearling stages, by using threshold Bayesian models. The information used for this was gleaned from visual scores of 5,407 animals evaluated at the weaning and 2,649 at the yearling stages. The genetic parameters for visual score traits were estimated through two-trait analysis, using the threshold animal model, with Bayesian statistics methodology and MTGSAM (Multiple Trait Gibbs Sampler for Animal Models) threshold software. Heritability estimates for S, P and M were 0.68, 0.65 and 0.62 (at weaning) and 0.44, 0.38 and 0.32 (at the yearling stage), respectively. Heritability estimates for S, P and M were found to be high, and so it is expected that these traits should respond favorably to direct selection. The visual scores evaluated at the weaning and yearling stages might be used in the composition of new selection indexes, as they presented sufficient genetic variability to promote genetic progress in such morphological traits.

Avaliação genética de animais para características categóricas - Uma revisão / Evaluación genética de animales para características categóricas - Una revisión / Animal genetic evaluation for categorical characteristics - A review

Existem muitas características de interesse biológico ou importância econômica, cuja herança é multifatorial, mas cuja distribuição é descontínua. Características deste tipo parecem estar fora da conjuntura da genética quantitativa, porém, quando submetidas a análise genética, elas são encontradas como se estivessem sob a influência de muitos genes, à semelhança das características métricas. A maioria das avaliações genéticas de animais têm sido realizadas com base na pressuposição de distribuição contínua da característica estudada. No entanto, muitas das características de importância econômica têm uma distribuição descontínua do fenótipo e, neste caso, a metodologia aplicada às características que apresentam distribuição contínua não é a mais indicada. Por isso, objetivou-se, com este estudo, realizar uma breve revisão sobre metodologias de avaliação genética de animais, para características categóricas. Foi estudada a aplicação de métodos lineares, não-lienares e do modelo de limiar. Com base na revisão de literatura realizada concluiu-se que, para características categóricas, a utilização do modelo de limiar, que considera a natureza multinomial das características, é mais acurada para utilização em avaliações genéticas de animais.

There are a number of characteristics implying in biological interesting or economic importance whose legacy is multi factorial, but whose distribution is discontinuous. Such characteristics seem to be apart from the quantitative genetics conjuncture; however, when submitted to genetics analysis, they are as if they were under the influence of many genes influence, as the metric characteristics. Most of animal genetics evaluations have been conducted based on the presupposition of ongoing distribution of the characteristic studied. Nevertheless, most of the economically important characteristics present discontinuous distribution of phenotype, and, in that case, the methodology applied to the characteristics presenting continuous distribution is no longer recommended. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to carry out a brief review on animal genetics assessment methodologies for categorical characteristics. The application of linear and non-linear methods and the threshold model were studied. Based in this literature review it was conclude that, for categorical characteristics, the use of the threshold model, which considers the multinomial nature of the characteristics is the most accurate to be used for animal genetics evaluation.

Existen muchas características de interés biológico o importancia económica, cuya herencia es multifactorial, pero cuya distribución es discontinua. Características de este tipo parecen estar fuera de la coyuntura de la genética cuantitativa, sin embargo, cuando sometidas a análisis genética, ellas son encontradas como si estuviesen bajo la influencia de muchos genes, a semejanza de las características métricas. La mayoría de las evaluaciones genéticas de animales han sido realizadas con base en la presuposición de distribución continua de la característica estudiada. Sin embargo, muchas de las características de importancia económica tiene una distribución discontinua del fenotipo y, en este caso, la metodología aplicada a las características que presentan distribución continua no es la más indicada. Por eso, se buscó, con este estudio, realizar una breve revisión sobre metodologías de evaluación genética de animales, para características categóricas. Fue estudiada la aplicación de métodos lineares, no lineares y del modelo de limiar. Con base en la revisión de literatura realizada se concluyó que, para características categóricas, la utilización del modelo de limiar, que considera la naturaleza multinomialde las características, es más perfeccionada para utilización en evaluaciones genéticas de animales.

Umbrales para las clases específicas de carcinógenos genotóxicos. nueva estrategia para la categorización de la carcinogenicidad de las sustancias químicas / Thresholds for specific classes of genotoxic carcinogens: a new strategy for carcinogenicity categorisation of chemicals

Cada vez está más claro el principio general de la secuencia de acontecimientos que finalmente conducen al cáncer después de la exposición a carcinógenos genotóxicos. Esto ayuda a conocer los parámetros que influyen en la forma de la curva dosis-efecto para la carcinogénesis, que incluyen activación e inactivación metabólica de carcinógenos, reparación del ADN, control del ciclo celular, proliferación regenerativa, apoptosis, senescencia inducida por oncogenes y control por el sistema inmunitario. Una relación lineal dosis-respuesta sin umbral observable parece ser una descripción conservadora pero adecuada para la actividad carcinógena de muchos carcinógenos genotóxicos, por ejemplo, la aflatoxina B1. Sin embargo, algunos modelos de extrapolación lineal que conectan el riesgo de alto nivel a la intersección en el cero han conducido a predicciones erróneas. En esta revisión se demuestra que el acetato de vinilo es un ejemplo de carcinógeno que actúa a través de un mecanismo de umbral. En los tejidos de contacto, el acetato de vinilo es convertido en ácido acético y acetaldehído. Sólo cuando se alcanzan las concentraciones umbral se activa el mecanismo que finalmente conduce al cáncer, es decir una reducción del pH mayor de 0.15 unidad que conduce a citotoxicidad, daño del ADN y proliferación regenerativa. En esta revisión se presenta un nuevo sistema de categorización de los carcinógenos que tiene en cuenta que pueden actuar por mecanismos de umbral.

The general principle of the sequence of events that finallylead to cancer after exposure to genotoxic carcinogenshas become increasingly clear. This helps to understandthe parameters that influence the shape of the dose effectcurve for carcinogenesis, including metabolic activationand inactivation of carcinogens, DNA repair, cell cyclecontrol, regenerative proliferation, apoptosis, oncogeneinducedsenescence and control by the immune system.A linear dose response relationship with no observablethreshold seems to be a conservative but adequatedescription for the carcinogenic activity of many genotoxiccarcinogens, such as for instance aflatoxin B1. However,some linear extrapolation models connecting the highlevelrisk to the zero intercept have resulted in wrongpredictions. In this review we demonstrate that vinylacetate is an example of a carcinogen acting by athreshold mechanism. In tissues of contact vinyl acetateis converted to acetic acid and acetaldehyde. Only whenthreshold levels are achieved critical steps in themechanism that ultimately leads to cancer become active,namely pH reduction of more than 0.15 units leadingto cytotoxicity, damage to DNA and regenerativeproliferation. In this review we present a new system ofcarcinogen categorisation taking into account thatcarcinogens may act by threshold mechanisms.

Study on Genetic Model of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder / 实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To analyze the genetic model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).Methods The segregation analysis and polygenic multiple threshold model were used to prove the polygenic model and to estimate the heritability and recurrence risk of ADHD in each degree relatives.Results 1. The average heritability of ADHD was (102.47?9.78)%;2.The first-degree relatives of probands were in high risk for ADHD(23.0%)compared with colony prevalence rate(2.6%). The ADHD prevalence of each degree relatives rapidly decreased with the increased magnitude of consanguineous relationship of each degree relatives and ADHD probands. Conclusions The genetic model of ADHD is the most likely polygenic inheritance with major genes, which suggested that the genetic factor might play an important role in the liability variance of ADHD.Apart from the involvement of multiple genes,each gene contributes a small additive effect,and the major genes may be involved as well.