No abstract

Insulin-like growth factor-1 gene (IGF-1) is considered as a major candidate gene for the economic traits of animal production. Polymorphism of 5′ flanking region of IGF-1 gene in Barki sheep (n = 91) and its association with wool traits were studied using the polymerase chain reaction coupled with single-strand conformation polymorphism technique (PCR-SSCP), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), sequence analysis and different measurements of wool traits (clean fleece weight and fiber diameter). PCR-SSCP analysis revealed three different banding patterns corresponding with three genotypes frequencies GG (0.25), GA (0.58), AA (0.17). PCR-RFLP and corresponding sequence analysis revealed nucleotide transversion from Guanine (G) to Cytosine (C) at nucleotide position 85 and transition from (G) to Adenine (A) at position 87. This is the first study that recorded two SNPs within the 5′ flanking region of IGF-1 gene in Egyptian Barki sheep, which were submitted to DNA Data Bank OF Japan (DDBJ) with Accession No. LC151463.1. The genotype GG showed positive significant association (P < 0.001) with clean fleece weight (CFW) trait (Odd Ratio = 2.83). By contrast, genotype AA had negative significant association (P < 0.05) with such trait (Odd Ratio = 0.15). On the other hand, fiber diameter (FD) measurements showed no significant association (P > 0.05) with different IGF-1 genotypes. This study adds evidence of the association between IGF-1 gene polymorphism and CFW of wool in Egyptian Barki sheep. Therefore; it is important to consider IGF-1 gene as a candidate gene marker for wool weight traits and it should be identified before using successful breeding program.

Background Genetic variants of the GDF9 gene were considered to be the potent gene markers for improving fecundity traits in Egyptian sheep and goats. Also, these favorable gene variants could be applied in the breeding program by gene-assisted selection (GAS), aiming towards the potential amelioration of reproduction and production in such small ruminants. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the genetic variants of the GDF9 gene on fecundity traits including the mean number of lambing “MNL” and mean number of twin production “MNTP” of Egyptian sheep and goats. Results This experiment involved 113 mothers, 83 of sheep and 30 of goats, at first, second, third, and fourth parity, and also 26 young females, 12 of sheep and 14 of goats at age of sexual maturation. T-ARMS-PCR analysis was performed on five mutation points (G1, G4, G6, G7, and G8). In sheep, the heterozygous mothers of G4 had significant elevation (P ≤ 0.05) of MNL and MNTP than wild-type homozygous ewes. However, the heterozygous mothers of G1 and G6 gave a reduction of MNL and MNTP as compared to mothers with wild-type genotypes. The ewes of G7 had heterozygous genotype (AG), and the ewes of G8 had wild type (CC). In goat, G4 and G7 were polymorphic, and G1, G6, and G8 were monomorphic type. Based on these findings, it must be selected the young sheep females of heterozygous in G4, and the young goat females of heterozygous in G4 and G7 for participating in a successful breeding program, because they will have potential high fecundity traits. Conclusion The present results confirmed that the genetic variants of the GDF9 gene were considered to be the major gene markers for enhancement of the prolificacy in Egyptian sheep and goats and could be applied in a successful breeding program by gene-assisted selection (GAS) in small ruminants.

No abstract

No abstract

Background Thiamine deficiency is commonly reported in patients with diabetes especially during diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) that could attribute to myocardial dysfunction in those patients. However, there is limited data regarding its relation to myocardial function among those patients. This study aimed to explore the association between myocardial function and serum thiamine levels in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods This cross-sectional comparative study included 25 patients with DKA. Clinical data assessment, echocardiographic examination and measurement of serum high-sensitive troponin T (hs-cTnT) and thiamine levels were done. We also assessed the association between troponin levels, echocardiographic ventricular systolic and diastolic function and serum thiamine. Results Twenty-four percent of children with DKA had thiamine deficiency. DKA children with thiamine deficiency had significant acidosis and higher serum troponin levels and significant impairment of diastolic function than those without thiamine deficiency. The serum thiamine level had a significant positive correlation with the echocardiographic indices of diastolic function but negative correlation with troponin levels. Conclusions Thiamine deficiency is a common finding during the treatment of children with DKA, and this deficiency may be associated with myocardial dysfunction.

No abstract

Objectives To analyze the acute and short-term deformation changes of both right (RV) and left (LV) ventricular wall before and after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) secundum in children. Outcome measures To determine the feasibility of tissue Doppler and myocardial deformation imaging for evaluating RV and LV functions in children undergoing transcatheter ASD closure. Patients and methods A prospective study was performed for 32 children with hemodynamic significant ASD secundum before and 6 months after percutaneous ASD closure in the Pediatric Cardiology Division of Specialized Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) of LV and RV global analysis (longitudinal and circumferential strain) before and after ASD transcatheter closure was performed. Results The mean age of the patients was 6.01 ± 3.19 (range: 3–9) years with a female to male ratio of 1.3:1. There was an improvement in the RV and LV myocardial performance index (MPI) 6 months post-ASD closure (RVMPI = 0.46 ± 0.069 vs. 0.38 ± 0.05, p < 0.0001; LVMPI = 0.49 ± 0.12 vs. 0.38 ± 0.08, p < 0.0001, respectively). By 2D STE, there was a significant improvement in the RV global longitudinal strain (GLS) 6 months post-ASD closure (−20.17 ± 3.14% vs. −25.86 ± 5.02%, p < 0.0001). There was a significant increase in the LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) and LV end-systolic volume (ESV) using 4D STE after device closure (LVEDV = 32.96 ± 10.99 mL vs. 44.024 ± 14.9017 mL, p < 0.0001; LVESV = 15.16 ± 6.08 mL vs. 21.76 ± 8.34 mL, p < 0.0001, respectively). Additionally, there was a significant improvement in the LV GLS after device occlusion (−19.17 ± 3.67% vs. −22.36 ± 4.72%, p = 0.009) using 4D TomTec software. There was a significant decrease in the RVEDV (54.65 ± 10.05 mL vs. 15.73 ± 8.67 mL) and RV stroke volume (25.15 ± 6.36 vs. 20.06 ± 7.2) after device occlusion using 4D TomTec software. Conclusion By using 4D STE, the LV GLS was significantly improved; in contrast, by 2D STE, the RV volume overload decreased and the RV GLS was improved on short term after transcatheter ASD secundum closure in children.