Identification of selection signatures can provide a direct insight into the mechanism of artificial selection and allow further disclosure of the candidate genes related to the animals’ phenotypic variation. Domestication and subsequent long-time selection have resulted in extensive phenotypic changes in domestic pigs, involving a number of traits, like behavior, body composition, disease resistance, reproduction and coat color. In this study, based on genotypes obtained from PorcineSNP60 Illumina assay we attempt to detect both diversifying and within-breed selection signatures in 530 pigs belonging to four breeds: Polish Landrace, Puławska, Złotnicka White and Złotnicka Spotted, of which the last three are a subject of conservative breeding and substantially represent the native populations. A two largely complementary statistical methods were used for signatures detection, including: pairwise FST and relative extended haplotype homozygosity (REHH) test. Breed-specific diversifying selection signals included several genes involved in processes connected with fertility, growth and metabolism which are potentially responsible for different phenotypes of the studied breeds. The diversifying selection signals also comprised PPARD gene that was previously found to have a large effect on the shape of the external ear in pigs or two genes encoding neuropeptide Y receptors (Y2 and Y5) involved in fat deposition and stress response which are important features differentiating the studied breeds. REHH statistics allowed detecting several within-breed selection signatures overlapping with genes connected with a range of functions including, among others: metabolic pathways, immune system response or implantation and development of the embryo. The study provides many potential candidate genes with implication for traits selected in the individual breeds and gives strong basis for further studies aiming at identification of sources of variation among the studied pig breeds.

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The aim of the study was to determine technological and consumption quality of some offal components obtained from Pulawska and Polish Landrace fattening pigs, and to analyse the eating quality of the offal products. The study material consisted of 100 fattening pigs: Pulawska (PUL) and 50 Polish Landrace (PL) pigs. The offal components were analysed for physical traits, chemical composition and energy value. Offal products were made from the offal and their physical, chemical and organoleptic parameters were evaluated. Our study showed that breed had a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on pH₄₅ of the tongue, heart (PUL > PL), lungs and kidneys (PUL < PL), and on the fat content of the tongue, heart (PUL > PL), liver and kidneys (PUL < PL). A highly significant effect of breed (p ≤ 0.01) was observed for protein content of the lungs, liver (PUL < PL) and kidneys (PUL > PL), for collagen content of the kidneys (PUL < PL) and liver (PUL < PL), and for energy value (p ≤ 0.01) of the heart (PUL > PL) and liver (PUL < PL). Moreover, our results indicate that the organoleptic quality of the evaluated offal products was higher for Pulawska than Polish Landrace pigs, in particular with regard to consistency (p < 0.05) and flavour (p < 0.01) of the liver sausage.

This study aims to explore the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment as a method very likely to result in reversible electroporation of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi underground organs, resulting in increased mass transfer and secondary metabolites leakage. PEF treatment with previously established empirically tailored parameters [E = 0.3 kV/cm (U = 3 kV, d = 10 cm), t = 50 µs, N = 33 f = 1 Hz] was applied 1–3 times to S. baicalensis roots submerged in four different Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) media (1—choline chloride/xylose (1:2) + 30% water, 2—choline chloride/glucose (1:2) + 30% water, 3—choline chloride/ethylene glycol (1:2), and 4—tap water (EC = 0.7 mS/cm). Confocal microscopy was utilized to visualize the impact of PEF treatment on the root cells in situ. As a result of plant cell membrane permeabilization, an extract containing major active metabolites was successfully acquired in most media, achieving the best results using medium 1 and repeating the PEF treatment twice (baicalein <LOQ, baicalin 12.85 µg/mL, wogonin 2.15 µg/mL, and wogonoside 3.01 µg/mL). Wogonin concentration in NADES media was on par with the control (plants harvested on the day of the experiment, ultrasound-mediated methanolic extraction, C_wogonin = 2.15 µg/mL). After successful extraction, PEF treatment allowed the plants to continue growing, with the lowest survival rate across treated groups being 60%. Additionally, an enhancement in plant growth parameters (length and fresh mass of the roots) and significant changes in the S. baicalensis root phytochemical profile were also observed.