The present study investigated the associations of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels with clinicopathological variables and survival outcomes in Libyan patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The clinicopathological variables of 123 patients with PDAC registered at the National Cancer Institute in Misurata, Libya, between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Blood samples from these patients were analyzed for serum CEA and CA19-9 levels before treatment by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (double antibody sandwich ELISA) on a Roche cobas e 602 modules. The relationships between CA19-9 and CEA serum levels with clinicopathologic variables and survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test and Cox regression analyzes. Cut-off values for serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were 5 ng/ml and 400 U/ml, respectively. The median serum levels of all patients with PDAC for CEA and CA19-9 were 8 ng/ml (1.1-377 ng/ml) and 389 U/ml (1-10,050 U/ml), respectively. Tumors with higher serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were found in 63 and 48% of patients, respectively. Higher CEA and CA19-9 serum levels were significantly associated with more indicators of a malignant phenotype, including a surgically unresectable tumor, unevaluable lymph nodes, advanced stages and distant metastases. Regarding survival, patients with higher serum levels of the biomarkers CEA and CA19-9 had shorter overall survival rates (P<0.016 and (P<0.014, log-rank, respectively) and lower disease-free survival rates (P<0.002 and P<0.0001, log-rank, respectively) . The present study demonstrated significant clinical and prognostic value of serum levels of biomarkers CEA and CA19-9 for Libyan patients with PDAC. Moreover, patients with PDAC with higher serum CEA and CA19-9 levels had more aggressive tumors, higher rates of disease recurrence and shorter overall survival rates and thus required more vigilant follow-up. Further multinational studies with larger PDAC cohorts are warranted to confirm these findings in terms of improved clinical decision making, more effective management and improved survival.

The objective of this study was to explore single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), gene expression and economic evaluation of parameters associated with mastitis susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Two hundred and forty Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows (120 cows of each breed) were used in this study. The investigated dairy cows in each breed were allocated into two equal-sized groups (60 cows each); mastitis tolerant and affected groups. PCR-DNA sequencing of SELL, ABCG2, SLC11A1, FEZL, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA revealed nucleotide sequence variations in the form of SNPs associated with mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in investigated Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Levels of SELL, SLC11A1 and FEZL gene expression were significantly up-regulated in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows than in tolerant ones. Meanwhile, ABCG2, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA genes were significantly downregulated. Regarding the economic parameters, significant differences were recorded for net returns and a reduction in the percentage of net profit, as the higher values of net returns were recorded for tolerant dairy cows than mastitic ones in both breeds; moreover, the net profit was reduced by 39% and 27% in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows, respectively, when compared to tolerant ones. The results herein confirmed the potential significance of investigated genes as candidates for mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Mastitis also has detrimental impacts on economic efficiency in dairy farms.

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A major factor in the propagation of an infectious disease is host genetics. In this study, 180 dairy cows (90 of each breed: Holstein and Montbéliarde) were used. Each breed’s tested dairy cows were divided into two groups of comparable size (45 cows each), mastitis-free and mastitis-affected groups. Each cow’s jugular vein was punctured to obtain blood samples for DNA and RNA extraction. In the examined Holstein and Montbéliarde dairy cows, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related with mastitis resistance/susceptibility were found in the RASGRP1, NFkB, CHL1, MARCH3, PDGFD, MAST3, EPS15L1, C1QTNF3, CD46, COX18, NEURL1, PPIE, and PTX3 genes. Chi-square analysis of identified SNPs revealed a significant difference in gene frequency between mastitic and healthy cows. Except for CHL1, mastitic dairy cows of two breeds had considerably higher mRNA levels of the examined genes than did healthy ones. Marker-assisted selection and monitoring of dairy cows’ susceptibility to mastitis may be accomplished through the use of discovered SNPs and changes in the gene expression profile of the studied genes. These findings also point to a possible method for reducing mastitis in dairy cows through selective breeding of animals using genetic markers linked to an animal’s ability to resist infection.

This study explored the potential genes and economic factors that might be associated with growth and heat tolerance in two sheep breeds. Data on growth performance from the third month to six months of age were obtained based on records. In comparison to Aboudeleik lambs, Barki lambs developed considerably greater starting body weight, final body weight, final body weight gain, daily weight gain, and percentage increase in BW/month. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found between lambs of the two breeds using PCR-DNA sequencing of CAST, LEP, MYLK4, MEF2B, STAT5A, TRPV1, HSP90AB1, HSPB6, HSF1, ST1P1, and ATP1A1 genes. Lambs from each breed were divided into groups based on detected SNPs in genes related to growth. The least squares means of the differentiated groups revealed a significant correlation of detected SNPs with growth and heat tolerance attributes (p ≤ 0.05). Barki lambs elicited greater total variable costs, total costs, total return, and net return values. The Barki sheep provided the best economic efficiency value when comparing the percentage difference between net profit and economic efficiency. Together with economic considerations, SNPs found may be used as proxies for marker-assisted selection of the best breed of sheep for traits related to growth and heat tolerance.

The objectives of this study were to investigate polymorphisms and changes in expression patterns of the genes FGF5,PGAM2, TLR2 and IL10 in V-line, Baladi Black and Baladi Red rabbits. Blood samples were collected from 180 healthy rabbits(n = 60 for each breed) for DNA extraction and DNA sequencing. At 3 mo of age, 20 randomly selected females from each breedwere euthanized for gene expression quantification in muscle and spleen samples. PCR-DNA sequencing revealed singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among the 3 breeds that provided a monomorphic pattern for 3 of the 4 genes analyzed.Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to classify the SNPs of these genes in the 3 breeds. The overall percentage ofcorrectly classified cases for the model was 75%, with percentages of 100% for FGF5, 63% for IL10, and 100% for TLR2. Breed was a significant predictor for gene classification with estimation (1.00). Expression profiles of the genes were higher in Vline as compared with Baladi Black or Baladi Red. The LDA discriminated the 3 breeds using results of the gene expressionprofile as predictors for classification. Overall, 73% of the cases were correctly classified by gene expression. The identified SNPs, along with changes in mRNA levels of FGF5, PGAM2, TLR2, and IL10, could provide a biomarker for efficient characterization of rabbit breeds and could thus help develop marker assisted selection for growth and immune traits in rabbits.

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