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The growth of Nelore cattle was analysed considering the following performance parameters; the effect of the calving order of cows on the phenotypic expression of birth weight (BW), average daily gain from birth to weaning (BWG), and weaning weight (WW), the estimated genetic parameters for the traits, including the covariance components between direct and maternal genetic effects. Genetic trends and correlated responses were also obtained for the studied traits. The calving order of cows, as well as other fixed effects used to obtain the adjusted phenotypic means, were statistically significant (p < 0.001) for studied traits. Direct heritability was estimated at 0.24 ± 0.01 (BW), 0.15 ± 0.01 (BWG), and 0.18 ± 0.01 (WW), while maternal heritability was 0.06 ± 0.01 (BW), 0.12 ± 0.01 (BWG), and 0.11 ± 0.01 (WW). The correlations between direct and maternal effects within the same trait were negligible. Moderate to higher direct genetic correlations (ranging from 0.54 ± 0.04 to 0.98 ± 0.01) and maternal genetic correlations (ranging from 0.34 ± 0.09 to 0.99 ± 0.002) were estimated between the studied traits. Unlike direct genetic effects, there was no significant change in maternal genetic effects over time (p > 0.05). These results indicated the need for revising selection indexes for enhancing maternal ability. Correlated responses were generally lower compared to direct responses, except for BWG. The selection for BWG, considering the maternal genetic effect, would be more efficient to improve maternal ability of the cows for pre-weaning growth in relation to selection for WW. Our results found that direct genetic merit improves pre-weaning weight and this trait can be incorporated into the breeding goal as reflected in the WW.

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Morphological studies applied to the taxonomy of the Triatominae cover various structures (head, wing, thorax, genitalia, and eggs). Exochorial structures of hybrid eggs were characterized and compared with the parents, demonstrating that hybrids presented characteristics identical to the exochorial pattern observed in the females of the crosses, which resulted in the hypothesis that the pattern of triatomine eggs is possibly a characteristic inherited from females. Thus, we characterized the exochorium of the eggs of several triatomine hybrids and compared them with the parents, to assess the pattern of segregation and test the hypothesis of maternal inheritance. Hybrids were obtained in at least one direction from all crosses. The analysis of the exochorium of the eggs of the hybrids showed different patterns of segregation: "exclusively paternal", "predominantly maternal", "predominantly paternal", "mutual", and "differential". Curiously, none of the hybrids evaluated presented characteristics that segregated exclusively from the female parental species. Thus, we demonstrate that the hypothesis of maternal inheritance of the exochorium pattern of eggs is not valid and we emphasize the importance of alternative/combined tools (such as integrative taxonomy) for the correct identification of these insect vectors (mainly in view of possible natural hybridization events due to climate and environmental changes).

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In birds, maternal hormones deposited into eggs in response to environmental stimuli can impact offspring phenotype. Although less studied, environmental conditions can also influence females' incubation behavior, which might play a role in regulating embryo exposure to maternal hormones through changes in incubation temperature that affect the activity of the enzymes responsible for converting testosterone (T) to 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or estradiol. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the initial T content of the yolk and incubation temperature determine exposure to T metabolites during early embryo development. In the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), we experimentally manipulated yolk T and incubation temperature (38° C versus 36° C) and analyzed DHT and estradiol titers on day four of incubation. We found that eggs with experimentally increased T and those incubated at 36° C showed higher DHT concentration in egg yolk (with no synergistic effect of the two treatments). Estradiol titers were not affected by T manipulation or incubation temperature. Our study suggests that incubation temperature influences DHT titers and may act as an understudied source of maternal influence on offspring phenotype.

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This study aimed to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters for body weight in tropical goats testing different models using Bayesian approach and investigate the effectiveness of fitting the effects of maternal genetic, permanent environmental, and covariance between direct and maternal effects. Records from 1980 to 2010 of 1453 Anglo-Nubian goats' herd were used. Six performance growth traits: birth weight (BW, kg), at 28 (W28, kg), 56 (W56, kg), 112 (W112, kg), 140 (W140, kg), and 196 (W196; kg) days of age, were evaluated. There was a negative covariance between direct genetic effects and maternal additive for all weights. The effect of maternal permanent environment is an important source of variation for performance characteristics in goats until the 196 days, and must be considered in genetic evaluation models in order to obtain accurate predictions of breeding values of individuals. The importance of inclusion of the additive maternal effect appears to be more dependent on the structure of the data set under evaluation. Given the structure of the data, the described management and criteria for choosing the best model (deviance information criterion and the Bayes factor) should make the estimation of parameters for weights at birth and at 28 and 56 days using model IV, since that will provide more consistent results than the type I (less complex), without the need of accurate representations of knowledge prior to data collection. Over time, the breeding program will have more data and thereby increase the possibility of building a prior distribution confident that would enable the inference of parameters for more complex models. However, these are preferable components for the estimation of the characteristics and weights to 112 at 140 and at 196 days, using model I (less complex).

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The Blanco Orejinegro (BON) is a Colombian creole cattle breed that is not genetically well characterized for growth traits. The aim of this work was to estimate genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (YW), daily weight gain between birth and weaning (DWG), time to reach 120 kg of live weight (T120), and time to reach 60% of adult weight (T60%), and establish the selection criteria for growth traits in the BON population of Colombia. Genealogical and phenotypic information for BW, WW, YW, DWG, T120, and T60% traits of BON animals from 14 Colombian herds were used. These traits were analyzed with the AIREML method in a uni- and bi-trait animal model including the maternal effect for BW, WW, DWG, and T120. The direct heritability estimates values were 0.22 ± 0.059 (BW), 0.20 ± 0.057 (WW), 0.20 ± 0.153 (YW), 0.17 ± 0.07 (DWG), 0.26 (T120), and 0.44 ± 0.03 (T60%). The maternal heritability estimates values were 0.14 ± 0.040 (BW), 0.15 ± 0.039 (WW), 0.25 ± 0.06 (DWG), and 0.16 (T120). The direct genetic correlations were high ( >|0.60|) among all the traits, except between T60% with BW, WW, YW, and DWG (ranged from - 0.02 to - 0.51), all in a favorable direction. The results showed that there is genetic variation in the growth traits associated with the additive genetic effect, and they might respond to selection processes. Furthermore, genetic gains would improve through selection, especially for YW and T60% when WW is used as criterion.

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RESUMEN El herpes zóster es una afección infrecuente en lactantes, con una incidencia de 0,74/1 000 habitantes. Se produce por la reactivación del virus de la varicela zóster, tras una primoinfección por varicela. Puede ocurrir intraútero, por lo que resulta relevante conocer los antecedentes maternos. El diagnóstico es clínico y si se realiza de forma adecuada reduce el riesgo de complicaciones. El tratamiento en los niños es sintomático, porque su evolución es más favorable que en los adultos. Debido a la rareza de esta entidad, se presentan tres casos de herpes zóster en lactantes de 4, 6 y 11 meses de edad, que acudieron con lesiones y evolución típica de esta enfermedad al Hospital Pediátrico Provincial Docente Eliseo Noel Caamaño, de Matanzas, entre septiembre y octubre de 2017 (AU).

ABSTRACT Herpes zoster is an uncommon affection in infants, with an incidence of 0.74/1 000 inhabitants. It is produced by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, after a primary infection by varicella. This can occur inside the uterus, making it relevant to know maternal antecedents. The diagnosis is clinical, and if it is made in an appropriate way, reduces complication risk. The treatment in children is symptomatic because its evolution is more favorable than in adults. Due to the rareness of this entity, we present three cases of herpes zoster in nurslings aged 4, 6 and 11 moths who assisted the Teaching Pediatric Hospital Eliseo Noel Caamaño, of Matanzas, with lesions and typical evolution of this disease in the period September-October 2017 (AU).

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Covariance components were estimated for growth traits (BW, birth weight; WW, weaning weight; YW, yearling weight), visual scores (BQ, breed quality; CS, conformation; MS, muscling; NS, navel; PS, finishing precocity), hip height (HH), and carcass traits (BF, backfat thickness; LMA, longissimus muscle area) measured at yearling. Genetic gains were obtained and validation models on direct and maternal effects for BW and WW were fitted. Genetic correlations of growth traits with CS, PS, MS, and HH ranged from 0.20 ± 0.01 to 0.94 ± 0.01 and were positive and low with NS (0.11 ± 0.01 to 0.20 ± 0.01) and favorable with BQ (0.14 ± 0.02 to 0.37 ± 0.02). Null to moderate genetic correlations were obtained between growth and carcass traits. Genetic gains were positive and significant, except for BW. An increase of 0.76 and 0.72 kg is expected for BW and WW, respectively, per unit increase in estimated breeding value (EBV) for direct effect and an additional 0.74 and 1.43, respectively, kg per unit increase in EBV for the maternal effect. Monitoring genetic gains for HH and NS is relevant to maintain an adequate body size and a navel morphological correction, if necessary. Simultaneous selection for growth, morphological, and carcass traits in line with improve maternal performance is a feasible strategy to increase herd productivity.

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Congenital heart disease (CHD) and palatal anomalies (PA), are among the most common characteristics of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS), but they show incomplete penetrance, suggesting the presence of additional factors. The 22q11.2 deleted region contains nuclear encoded mitochondrial genes, and since mitochondrial function is critical during development, we hypothesized that changes in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could be involved in the intrafamilial variability of CHD and PA in cases of maternally inherited 22q11.2DS. To investigate this, we studied the transmission of heteroplasmic mtDNA alleles in seventeen phenotypically concordant and discordant mother-offspring 22q11.2DS pairs. We sequenced their mtDNA and identified 26 heteroplasmic variants at >1% frequency, representing 18 transmissions. The median allele frequency change between a mother and her child was twice as much, with a wider distribution range, in PA discordant pairs, p-value = 0.039 (permutation test, 11 concordant vs. 7 discordant variants), but not in CHD discordant pairs, p-value = 0.441 (9 vs. 9). Only the variant m.9507T>C was considered to be pathogenic, but it was unrelated to the structural phenotypes. Our study is novel, yet our results are not consistent with mtDNA variation contributing to PA or CHD in 22q11.2DS. Larger cohorts and additional factors should be considered moving forward.

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The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters for the morphometric measurements of withers height (WH), thoracic circumference (TC) and cannon bone circumference (CBC) of Criollo horses, stratified for maternal and paternal effects. Statistical genetic design of factor crossings was used to evaluate the offspring of full siblings and half-siblings. Fifty stallions were selected (n = 50) who had been crossed with six mares each (n = 6), to provide 300 parental pairings in which two offspring were born per mare (n = 600). WH in females and TC in males were highly influenced by additive genetic effects, while the other morphometric measures were found to be closely related to the general effects of the environment. WH had the greatest additive genetic influence on female offspring (47.06%), while TC presented the greatest additive genetic influence on male offspring (58.73%). When comparing the parental influence on the morphometric characteristics evaluated, TC and CBC had greater additive genetic influence from maternal effects, regardless of offspring sex. However, the WH in female offspring showed greater maternal additive genetic contribution, while in males this characteristic presented greater paternal additive genetic influence. For WH in male offspring, narrow sense heritability ( h r 2 : 0.26) was more influenced by paternal effects, while for WH in females ( h r 2 : 0.47), TC in females ( h r 2 : 0.08) and males ( h r 2 : 0.59), and CBC in females ( h r 2 : 0.07) and males ( h r 2 : 0.05) the maternal effects were the most important. Therefore, the phenotypic expression of WH in males and females and TC in males is influenced by the additive genetic effect of the genes. On the other hand, the TC in female progenies and CBC in progenies of both sexes are closely related to the effects of the environment. The results obtained in this study could be useful in the selection process of Criollo horses.

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In the teleost egg, the embryo is immersed in an extraembryonic fluid that fills the space between the embryo and the chorion and partially isolates it from the external environment, called the perivitelline fluid (PVF). The exact composition of the PVF remains unknown in vertebrate animals. The PVF allows the embryo to avoid dehydration, to maintain a safe osmotic balance and provides mechanical protection; however, its potential defensive properties against bacterial pathogens has not been reported. In this work, we determined the global proteomic profile of PVF in zebrafish eggs and embryos, and the maternal or zygotic origin of the identified proteins was studied. In silico analysis of PVF protein composition revealed an enrichment of protein classes associated with non-specific humoral innate immunity. We found lectins, protease inhibitors, transferrin, and glucosidases present from early embryogenesis until hatching. Finally, in vitro and in vivo experiments done with this fluid demonstrated that the PVF possessed a strong agglutinating capacity on bacterial cells and protected the embryos when challenged with the pathogenic bacteria Edwardsiella tarda. Our results suggest that the PVF is a primitive inherited immune extraembryonic system that protects the embryos from external biological threats prior to hatching.

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