A review chromosome analysis comparison of swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) with different phenotypic characters in East Java, Indonesia

Chromosomal data on swamp buffalo especially in East Java province, is still lacking. For breeders, chromosomal analysis needs to be done to detect the possibility of hereditary genetic defects. In Malang Area, farmers lack of care and breeding programs for swamp buffalo also caused a decline in the genetic quality and performance. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of the chromosome analysis of swamp buffalo in Malang and another area in East Java province, which were selected based on differences in phenotypic characters. Chromosome analysis is very important for breeders because the results of this study can be used as a consideration for strategies to improve the genetic quality of swamp buffalo. The method used is standard karyotyping using whole blood with G banding staining. Chromosomal preparation using Karyo MAX medium, Colcemic Solution, Giemsa Stain, and KCl solution. Cell culture was performed according to the standard karyotyping method in mammals. The minimum number of 5 spreading chromosomes is the best was chosen, microphotographed, and then chromosome analysis is performed using Cytovision Image Analysis software. The results of this study did not find swamp buffalo with an abnormal number of chromosomes in East Java Province, Indonesia.

A 150 kDa Protein Derived from Bull Seminal Plasma Extended the Survival Time of Kacang Goat Sperm Stored at 5°C

Artificial insemination has proven to be an effective method for increasing population size and genetic quality of Kacang goats. However, innovation is required to maintain the quality of Kacang goat semen in storage. This study aimed to examine the effects of supplementing the 150 kDa protein assumed as IGF-I complex derived from bull seminal plasma in skim milk-egg yolk extender on the quality of Kacang goat sperm stored at 5°C. Twelve ejaculates collected from three Kacang goats were divided into three groups. In the control group (T0), the ejaculates were extended with skim milk-egg yolk only. In the treatment groups (T1 and T2), the ejaculates were extended with skim milk-egg yolk supplemented with the IGF-I complex protein at 12 μg and 24 μg/100 mL, respectively. The extended semen was stored at 5°C, and the viability, motility, intactness of the plasma membrane, malondialdehyde concentration, and apoptotic sperm percentage were evaluated daily for five days. The results showed that the T1 was the most effective treatment for maintaining Kacang goat semen at a quality acceptable for artificial insemination over five days of storage at 5°C. However, the T0 and T2 groups retained acceptable qualities for only three days at 5°C. It could be concluded that supplementation of 12 μg of the 150 kDa protein derived from bull seminal plasma per 100 mL extender successfully extended the life span of Kacang goat sperm for five days.

PEMBENTUKAN POPULASI SINTETIS UNTUK PENINGKATAN KUALITAS GENETIK IKAN MAS

Benih ikan mas telah mengalami penurunan kualitas genetik yang menyebabkan penurunan performa fenotipik di lingkungan budidaya. Salah satu upaya perbaikan genetik adalah melalui pembentukan populasi sintetis yang merupakan penggabungan potensi genetik beberapa populasi plasma nutfah ikan mas. Penelitian ini bertujuan membentuk dan mengevaluasi performa genotipik dan fenotipik populasi sintetis ikan mas, yang merupakan penggabungan dari strain Rajadanu, Majalaya, Sutisna, Wildan, dan Sinyonya. Performa genotipik dievaluasi menggunakan metode mikrosatelit DNA, sedangkan performa fenotipik dievaluasi menggunakan analisis biometrik terkait kegiatan budidaya. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai keragaman genetik populasi sintetis lebih tinggi 55,0%-287,5% dengan tingkat inbreeding 40,0%-77,14% lebih rendah dibanding populasi-populasi pembentuknya. Hal ini berdampak terhadap performa fenotipik populasi sintetis yang lebih baik, diindikasikan dengan peningkatan panjang, bobot akhir, dan tingkat produktivitas, masing-masing sebesar 2,5%-20,6%; 9,4%-61,8%; dan 18,2%-66,0% lebih baik dibanding populasi-populasi pembentuknya. Peningkatan kualitas genetik dan performa fenotipik populasi sintetis ini memberikan peluang untuk memperbaiki kualitas benih ikan mas pada kegiatan budidaya.Common carp in Indonesia has experienced a decline in genetic quality. The progressive decline leads to a significant decrease in carp performance in the farming environment. One of the efforts to genetically improve carp growth performance is through developing synthetic carp populations, which is a blend of the genetic potentials from several germplasm populations. This study aimed to form and evaluate the performance of genotypic and phenotypic of synthetic populations of common carp, blended from five strains of common carp, i.e., Rajadanu, Majalaya, Sutisna, Wildan, and Sinyonya. The genotypic performance was evaluated using the DNA microsatellite method. The phenotypic performance was assessed using biometric analysis, especially in terms of culture performance. The results showed that the genotypic performance of the synthetic populations of common carp was better than that of the founder strains. This performance was indicated by higher genetic diversity values, about 55.0%-287.5% and lower levels of inbreeding, about 40.0%-77.1%, compared with their founder populations. Phenotypic performance of the synthetic populations is also better than their founder populations, indicated by higher body length, weight, and productivity, about 2.5%-20.6%, 9.4%-61.8%, and 18.2%-66.0%, respectively. The improvement on genetic quality and phenotypic performance of the synthetic population provide opportunities to improve the quality of common carp fry in aquaculture activity.

Evolution, Biology, and Attraction

Mating and reproduction are central to natural selection, and decisions associated with one’s choice of mate can have significant fitness consequences. From an evolutionary perspective, attraction functions to direct one’s attention and energy toward pursuing, mating with, and retaining individuals who display traits that contribute to greater survival and reproductive success. Humans are theorized to possess a suite of psychological mechanisms that facilitate the identification of such individuals. One trait that humans have potentially evolved to be attracted to is genetic dissimilarity or diversity in the major histocompatibility complex, which is argued to promote greater immunocompetence and pathogen resistance and, hence, health in one’s mate and putative offspring. Another trait is bilateral symmetry, which is theorized to function as a cue to a potential mate’s genetic quality and ability to withstand developmental stressors. Yet another trait is sexual dimorphism. Women are theorized to be attracted to masculinity in men, which is theorized to function as a reliable signal of underlying genetic quality. In contrast, men are theorized to be attracted to femininity in women, which is argued to signal their reproductive viability. Importantly, evolutionary perspectives propose that many attraction mechanisms evolved to adaptively adjust to local conditions. Thus, when faced with high pathogen prevalence, people have heightened preferences for symmetry, which indicates having good genes and thus, greater ability to withstand disease. As another example, when potential mates of the other sex are in relative abundance, people tend to be more selective in their mate choice and exaggerate their preferences for other-sex mates with sex-typical traits. Additionally, near peak fertility, women may have evolved to increase their preferences for masculinity in men, which signals underlying genetic quality. In addition to having psychological mechanisms that facilitate the identification of potential mates, humans may have also evolved psychological mechanisms that adaptively increase the motivation to allocate attention and energy toward pursuing viable mates that have been identified. Both sets of psychological mechanisms are necessary to successful mate selection, and likely operate in tandem. In this regard, dopamine may be centrally involved in driving behaviors associated with attraction and mate pursuit. Finally, recent studies have shown that the evidence for some of the hypothesized attraction preferences is not conclusive; future scholarship will profit from more careful research design and robust methodology.

EVALUATION OF TWO METHODS OF GERMPLASM COLLECTION IN MEXICO SOUTHEAST

The implementation of good farming practices in seed collecting is fundamental key to guarantee the physiological and genetic quality of forest seeds. The objective of this work was to evaluate the implementation of two methods to collect seedsfrom Cedrelaodorata L.toguarantee seeds of high physiologicalquality. Seeds from 40 superior phenotypically trees of Cedrelaodorata L. in Yucatan Mexico peninsula region were collected from March to May 2019.The collect methods applied in this research werethe traditionalcollectand the climb trees. The physiological quality of seeds wasevaluated by germination and tetrazolium test. The laboratory analysis confirmed 88% of seeds pure with 94% of germination in climbing trees method, in contrast in the traditional method showed 66% of seeds pure with 72% of germination. The results by conventional germination it was not showed significative statistical differences. These results are part of novel contributions in collectmethodology using tools to climb on trees which to be complement of superior phenotypically trees selection, contribute comprehensively to obtain physiological and genetic quality forest seeds.

Physical cues of partner quality

The dominant evolutionary theory of sexual attraction posits that attraction serves as a psychological mechanism for identifying healthy, fertile, and appropriate mates. According to this theory, humans and animals display cues that reflect their mate quality and are perceived as attractive by potential mates. There is evidence for such valid cues in human faces, bodies, and in non-bodily traits, which include adornments and items that signal provisioning ability, creativity, artistic skills, or conspicuous consumption. In this chapter, we discuss the evidence for the existence of these facial, bodily, and non-bodily cues, and for their role in communicating aspects of partner quality, including health, fertility, developmental stability, genetic quality, and potential for parental investment. We further discuss sex differences in the kinds of physical cues that men and women rely on in mate choice. We conclude by noting how central and evolutionarily important physical cues are even in contemporary sexual selection, and how the importance of physical cues of partner quality manifests in evolutionarily novel inventions such as physical self-enhancements, social media, and online dating.

Fluctuating Asymmetry and Sexual Dimorphism in Human Facial Morphology: A Multi-Variate Study

(1) Background: Fluctuating asymmetry is often used as an indicator of developmental instability, and is proposed as a signal of genetic quality. The display of prominent masculine phenotypic features, which are a direct result of high androgen levels, is also believed to be a sign of genetic quality, as these hormones may act as immunosuppressants. Fluctuating asymmetry and masculinity are therefore expected to covary. However, there is lack of strong evidence in the literature regarding this hypothesis. (2) Materials and methods: In this study, we examined a large dataset of high-density 3D facial scans of 1260 adults (630 males and 630 females). We mapped a high-density 3D facial mask onto the facial scans in order to obtain a high number of quasi-landmarks on the faces. Multi-dimensional measures of fluctuating asymmetry were extracted from the landmarks using Principal Component Analysis, and masculinity/femininity scores were obtained for each face using Partial Least Squares. The possible correlation between these two qualities was then examined using Pearson’s coefficient and Canonical Correlation Analysis. (3) Results: We found no correlation between fluctuating asymmetry and masculinity in men. However, a weak but significant correlation was found between average fluctuating asymmetry and masculinity in women, in which feminine faces had higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry on average. This correlation could possibly point to genetic quality as an underlying mechanism for both asymmetry and masculinity; however, it might also be driven by other fitness or life history traits, such as fertility. (4) Conclusions: Our results question the idea that fluctuating asymmetry and masculinity should be (more strongly) correlated in men, which is in line with the recent literature. Future studies should possibly focus more on the evolutionary relevance of the observed correlation in women.