A genome-wide association study of mare fertility in the Pura Raza Español horse

Despite the economic importance of fertility for the horse industry, few efforts have been made to achieve a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying its control. This is probably due to the difficulty of obtaining reliable phenotypes and the complexity of modelling the environmental and management factors. This work is novel in that we propose to use reproductive efficiency (RE) as an indicator of mare fertility. To achieve this, we performed a genome-wide association study in the Pura Raza Español horse aimed at identifying genomic variants, regions, and candidate genes associated with fertility in mares. The dataset included 819 animals genotyped with the Affymetrix Axiom™ Equine 670 K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) Genotyping Array and the deregressed breeding values for RE trait, obtained using a ssBLUP model, employed as pseudo-phenotypic data. Our results showed 28 SNPs potentially associated with RE, which explained 87.19% of the genetic variance and 6.61% of the phenotypic variance. Those results were further validated in BayesB, showing a correlation between observed and predicted RE of 0.57. In addition, 15 candidate genes (HTRA3, SPIRE1, APOE, ERCC1, FOXA3, NECTIN-2, KLC3, RSPH6A, PDPK1, MEIOB, PAQR4, NM3, PKD1, PRSS21, IFT140) previously related to fertility in mammals were associated with the markers and genomic regions significantly associated with RE. To our knowledge, this is the first genome-wide association study performed on mare fertility.

[Carotid revascularisation using angioplasty and stent in 134 consecutive cases in a reference hospital: a risky technique?]

INTRODUCTION

Carotid revascularisation (CR) using angioplasty and stent (ASC) is an effective procedure in the prevention of ischaemic stroke, but with a controversial morbidity and mortality in the different studies conducted in this field.

METHODS

The results of the ASCs performed in the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital (Murcia) between January 2006 and April 2009 were analysed (epidemiology, indication, grade of residual stenosis and procedure complications). All patients subjected to ASC were pre-selected and followed up by neurologists, and they followed a strict medical protocol for performing the procedure. All ASCs were performed by a team consisting of two surgeons, an anaesthetist and a nurse.

RESULTS

A total of 134 ASC were performed. The mean age of our patients was 72.7 years, with the large majority (75%) being male. The most prevalent diseases were, high blood pressure (81%), smoking (66.4%), and diabetes (38.1%). The most common indications for CR were symptomatic carotid stenosis with a level of stenosis of 75-99%, either in the left (33.6%) or right (32.1%), followed by asymptomatic stenosis combined with risk factors (11.2% in the left side and 10.4% in the right side). A level of stenosis less than 30% was achieved in 132 of the 134 ASC (98.5%). performed. Five patients (3.7%) had complications associated with the procedure, of which four were different clinical presentations of a re-perfusion syndrome and one an asymptomatic thrombosis of the stent.

CONCLUSIONS

ASC is a complex technique that must be performed by appropriately trained specialists. The performing a minimum number of procedures per year and an admission protocol controlled by Neurology are essential conditions for a low rate of complications. Under these conditions, the morbidity and mortality of the technique is no higher than that of endarterectomy.

15 FERTILITY LEVELS IN EWES TREATED WITH MEDROXIPROGESTERONE ACETATE OR FLUOROGESTONE ACETATE SPONGES PLUS EQUINE CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE OESTRUS CYCLE

Commercial programs of estrus synchronization in ewes are performed with intravaginal sponges impregnated with synthetic progestagens such as medroxiprogesterone acetate (MAP) or fluorogestone acetate (FGA). Normally, sponges are placed deep into the vagina in cyclic females at different points in the estrus cycle. The aim of the present study was to compare fertility levels in ewes with estrus synchronized by using commercial sponges impregnated with either 60 mg of MAP (eMAP) or 30 mg of FGA (eFGA), placed during the follicular or luteal phase of the estrus cycle, plus eCG. A total of 273 sexually mature Merino ewes belonging to the same herd, aged between 2.5 and 5.5 years and clinically healthy, were scanned by transrectal ultrasonography with an 8-MHz probe (Aquila, Esaote-Pie Medical, Maastricht, The Netherlands) to visualize the ovarian status in the reproductive season. Ovaries without CL and follicles ≥4 mm were considered in the follicular phase, whereas ovaries with CL and follicles ≤4 mm were considered in the luteal phase. Thus, estrus synchronization was performed in 134 ewes treated with eMAP (Sincrogest, Ovejero Lab, Spain), of which 40 were in the follicular phase and 94 were in the luteal phase. In contrast, 139 ewes were treated with eFGA (Sincropart, CEVA Lab, Barcelona, Spain), of which 42 were in the follicular phase and 97 were in the luteal phase. Sponges were removed in all females after 12 days and 500 IU of eCG (Serigan, Ovejero Lab, Leon, Spain) was given. Ewes were then placed jointly with rams, at a ratio of 5 to 1, until no signs of mount were detected. Twenty-five days after the withdrawal of males, pregnancy rates were determined by transrectal ultrasonography with an 8-MHz probe. Fertility levels of synchronized estrus with the eMAP or eFGA sponges during the follicular or luteal phase are expressed as a proportion of ewes and were analyzed by a chi-square Pearson analysis. Significance was set at a level of P < 0.05. After ultrasound scanning of the initial 273 ewes, 30.04% were considered to be in the follicular phase, whereas 69.96% were in the luteal phase of the estrus cycle. Pregnancy rate for eMAP-treated ewes during the follicular phase was 67.50% and was 69.14% for treatments during the luteal phase. In addition, for ewes treated with eFGA, pregnancy rate was 73.80% during the follicular phase and 73.19% during the luteal phase. No significant differences were found in pregnancy rates for either eMAP- or eFGA-treated ewes during the follicular or luteal phase of the estrus cycle. In conclusion, these results suggest that during the breeding season, fertility levels were not affected in ewes whose estrus was synchronized with intravaginal sponges impregnated with MAP or FGA. In addition, pregnancy rates were not affected when the synchronization treatments began during the follicular or luteal phase of the estrus cycle.

Differential electrocardiographic study on Iberica and Duroc breeds of pig during physical maturation

Sequential electrocardiograms were taken of 50 pigs (25 Iberica and 25 Duroc), from the ages of 5 days to 205 days. The records were analysed to establish the normal values of the different electrocardiographic intervals (RR, QRS, QT, TQ and ST intervals), the diastole/systole quotient and heart score in the first 7 months of life, as well as age-related electrocardiographic variations. In addition, it was intended to determine which of these two breeds showed the greater heart recovery capacity. Finally, positive or negative correlations between the RR interval and the electrocardiographic incidents studied were analysed. The mean values obtained for the electrocardiographic parameters were similar in the two breeds and increased with their physical maturity. Analysis of the correlation between the duration of the heart cycle and the different electrocardiographic incidents showed a positive and significant correlation, the r-values being higher for the RR interval-TQ interval correlation. There was very little correlation between RR interval and heart score in Duroc pigs and practically no correlation between the RR interval and the QRS interval in either breed.