Molecular organization of 5S rDNA in fishes of the genus Brycon

There are few reports on the genomic organization of 5S rDNA in fish species. To characterize the 5S rDNA nucleotide sequence and chromosomal localization in the Neotropical fishes of the genus Brycon, 5S rDNA copies from seven species were generated by PCR. The nucleotide sequences of the coding region (5S rRNA gene) and the nontranscribed spacer (NTS) were determined, revealing that the 5S rRNA genes were highly conserved, while the NTSs were widely variable among the species analyzed. Moreover, two classes of NTS were detected in each species, characterized by base substitutions and insertions-deletions. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), two 5S rDNA chromosome loci that could be related to the two 5S rDNA NTS classes were observed in at least one of the species studied. 5S rDNA sequencing and chromosomal localization permitted the characterization of Brycon spp. and suggest a higher similarity among some of them. The data obtained indicate that the 5S rDNA can be an useful genetic marker for species identification and evolutionary studies.

Organization of 5S rDNA in species of the fish Leporinus: two different genomic locations are characterized by distinct nontranscribed spacers

To address understanding the organization of the 5S rRNA multigene family in the fish genome, the nucleotide sequence and organization array of 5S rDNA were investigated in the genus Leporinus, a representative freshwater fish group of South American fauna. PCR, subgenomic library screening, genomic blotting, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and DNA sequencing were employed in this study. Two arrays of 5S rDNA were identified for all species investigated, one consisting of monomeric repeat units of around 200 bp and another one with monomers of 900 bp. These 5S rDNA arrays were characterized by distinct NTS sequences (designated NTS-I and NTS-II for the 200- and 900-bp monomers, respectively); however, their coding sequences were nearly identical. The 5S rRNA genes were clustered in two chromosome loci, a major one corresponding to the NTS-I sites and a minor one corresponding to the NTS-II sites. The NTS-I sequence was variable among Leporinus spp., whereas the NTS-II was conserved among them and even in the related genus Schizodon. The distinct 5S rDNA arrays might characterize two 5S rRNA gene subfamilies that have been evolving independently in the genome.

EFFECTS OF MASSIVE TELENCEPHALIC LESIONS ON THE ORGANIZATION OF BEHAVIOR IN PIGEONS (COLUMBA-LIVIA)

The effects of massive lesions of the telencephalon on the behavioral repertoire of captive pigeons were investigated. The behavior of four birds with an intact telencephalon was compared to that of four birds submitted to ablation of telencephalic structures. Behavioral audio recording was done according to previously defined categories in three daily sessions for fifteen days. Experimental birds were followed up for one month. Immediately after the lesion, operated birds showed decreases in the occurrence of different behaviors such as coordinated movements, feeding, interaction, preening, maintenance, exploration and vocalization and increases in locomotion and discrete movements of the body when compared to the control birds (P < 0.05). Recovery of exploration (P < 0.05), feeding and localization was observed during the follow-up period. These data are interpreted as suggestive of a functional role of the telencephalon in the organization of behavior and a long-term recovery of behavior after detelencephalation.

A case study of convective organization into precipitating lines in the Southwest Amazon during the WETAMC and TRMM-LBA

A case study of convective development in the Southwest Amazon region during the Wet Season Atmospheric Mesoscale Campaign (WETAMC) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)/Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere (LBA) Experiment in Amazonia is presented. The convective development during 7 February 1999 is shown to occur during a period of very weak large-scale forcing in the presence of topography and deforestation. The available data include dual Doppler radar analysis, radiosonde launches, and surface and boundary layer observations. The observational analysis is complemented with a series of model simulations using the RAMS with 2-km resolution over a 300 km 300 km area forced by a morning radiosonde profile. A comparison of the observed and simulated thermodynamic transformation of the boundary layer and of the formation of convective lines, and of their kinematic and microphysical properties is presented. It is shown that only a few very deep and intense convective cells are necessary to explain the overall precipitating line formation and that discrete propagation and coupling with upper atmosphere circulations may explain the appearance of several lines. The numerical simulation indicates that topography may be the cause of initial convective development, although later on the convective line is parallel to the midlevel shear. There are indications that small-scale deforestation may have an effect on increasing rainfall in the wet season when the large-scale forcing is very weak.

Complete nucleotide sequence, genomic organization and phylogenetic analysis of Citrus leprosis virus cytoplasmic type

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genomic RNA 1 (8745 nt) and RNA 2 (4986 nt) of Citrus leprosis virus cytoplasmic type (CiLV-C) was determined using cloned cDNA. RNA 1 contains two open reading frames (ORFs), which correspond to 286 and 29 kDa proteins. The 286 kDa protein is a polyprotein putatively involved in virus replication, which contains four conserved domains: methyltransferase, protease, helicase and polymerase. RNA 2 contains four ORFs corresponding to 15, 61, 32 and 24 kDa proteins, respectively. The 32 kDa protein is apparently involved in cell-to-cell movement of the virus, but none of the other putative proteins exhibit any conserved domain. The 5' regions of the two genomic RNAs contain a 'cap' structure and poly(A) tails were identified in the 3'-terminals. Sequence analyses and searches for structural and non-structural protein similarities revealed conserved domains with members of the genera Furovirus, Bromovirus, Tobravirus and Tobamovirus, although phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that CiLV-C is a member of a distinct, novel virus genus and family, and definitely demonstrate that it does not belong to the family Rhabdoviridae, as previously proposed. Based on these results it was proposed that Citrus leprosis virus be considered as the type member of a new genus of viruses, Cilevirus.

Proxy-reported health-related quality of life of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Pediatric rheumatology international trials organization multinational quality of life cohort study

Objective. To investigate the proxy-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its determinants in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).Methods. In this multinational, multicenter, cross-sectional study, HRQOL of patients with JIA was assessed through the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and was compared with that of healthy children of similar age from the same geographic area. of joint inflammation, Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.Results. A total of 6,639 participants (3,324 with JIA and 3,315 healthy) were enrolled from 32 countries. The mean SD physical and psychosocial summary scores of the CHQ were significantly lower in patients with JIA than in healthy children (physical: 44.5 +/- 10.6 versus 54.6 +/- 4.0, P < 0.0001; psychosocial: 47.6 +/- 8.7 versus 51.9 +/- 7.59 P < 0.0001), with the physical well-being domain being most impaired. Patients with persistent oligoarthritis had better HRQOL compared with other subtypes, whereas HRQOL was similar across patients with systemic arthritis, polyarthritis, and extended oligoarthritis. A CHAQ score > 1 and a pain intensity rating > 3.4 cm on a 10-cm visual analog scale were the strongest determinants of poorer HRQOL in the physical and psychosocial domains, respectively.Conclusion. We found that patients with JIA have a significant impairment of their HRQOL compared with healthy peers, particularly in the physical domain. Physical well-being was mostly affected by the level of functional impairment, whereas the intensity of pain had the greatest influence on psychosocial health.

A stochastic shift model for economically designed charts constrained by the process stage configuration

An economic model including the labor resource and the process stage configuration is proposed to design g charts allowing for all the design parameters to be varied in an adaptive way. A random shift size is considered during the economic design selection. The results obtained for a benchmark of 64 process stage scenarios show that the activities configuration and some process operating parameters influence the selection of the best control chart strategy: to model the random shift size, its exact distribution can be approximately fitted by a discrete distribution obtained from a relatively small sample of historical data. However, an accurate estimation of the inspection costs associated to the SPC activities is far from being achieved. An illustrative example shows the implementation of the proposed economic model in a real industrial case. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Joint control charts for monitoring location and dispersion

The T-2 and the generalized variance vertical bar S vertical bar charts are used for monitoring the mean vector and the covariance matrix of multivariate processes. In this article, we propose for bivariate processes the use of the T-2 and the VMAX charts. The points plotted on the VMAX chart correspond to the maximum of the sample variances of the two quality characteristics. The reason to consider the VMAX statistic instead of the generalized variance vertical bar S vertical bar is the user's familiarity with the computation of simple sample variances; we can't say the same with regard to the computation of the generalized variance vertical bar S vertical bar.

A hierarchy of adaptive (X)over-bar control charts

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

X̄ charts with variable sample size

The usual practice in using a control chart to monitor a process is to take samples of size n from the process every h hours. This article considers the properties of the X̄ chart when the size of each sample depends on what is observed in the preceding sample. The idea is that the sample should be large if the sample point of the preceding sample is close to but not actually outside the control limits and small if the sample point is close to the target. The properties of the variable sample size (VSS) X̄ chart are obtained using Markov chains. The VSS X̄ chart is substantially quicker than the traditional X̄ chart in detecting moderate shifts in the process.

VSSI X̄ charts with sampling at fixed times

A standard X̄ chart for controlling the process mean takes samples of size n0 at specified, equally-spaced, fixed-time points. This article proposes a modification of the standard X chart that allows one to take additional samples, bigger than n0, between these fixed times. The additional samples are taken from the process when there is evidence that the process mean moved from target. Following the notation proposed by Reynolds (1996a) and Costa (1997) we shortly call the proposed X chart as VSSIFT X chart where VSSIFT means variable sample size and sampling intervals with fixed times. The X chart with the VSSIFT feature is easier to be administered than a standard VSSI X chart that is not constrained to sample at the specified fixed times. The performances of the charts in detecting process mean shifts are comparable. Copyright © 1998 by Marcel Dekker, Inc.

Joint X̄ and R Charts with Variable Sample Sizes and Sampling Intervals

Recent studies have shown that the X̄ chart with variable sampling intervals (VSI) and/or with variable sample sizes (VSS) detects process shifts faster than the traditional X̄ chart. This article extends these studies for processes that are monitored by both the X̄ and R charts. A Markov chain model is used to determine the properties of the joint X and R charts with variable sample sizes and sampling intervals (VSSI). The VSSI scheme improves the joint X̄ and R control chart performance in terms of the speed with which shifts in the process mean and/or variance are detected.

X̄ Charts with Variable Parameters

Varying the parameters of the X̄ chart has been explored extensively in recent years. In this paper, we extend the study of the X̄ chart with variable parameters to include variable action limits. The action limits establish whether the control should be relaxed or not. When the X̄ falls near the target, the control is relaxed so that there will be more time before the next sample and/or the next sample will be smaller than usual. When the X̄ falls far from the target but not in the action region, the control is tightened so that there is less time before the next sample and/or the next sample will be larger than usual. The goal is to draw the action limits wider than usual when the control is relaxed and narrower than usual when the control is tightened. This new feature then makes the X̄ chart more powerful than the CUSUM scheme in detecting shifts in the process mean.

Social organization of the eusocial wasp Mischocyttarus cerberus styx (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

The present study was carried out under field conditions in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil. The following average life-spans of adults of Mischocyttarus cerberus styx were observed: queens 191.1 days, workers 14.0 days, and males 10.7 days. The short longevity of workers is attributed to the early foraging activity which was performed since the first week of adult age. The life table of the workers revealed high mortality rates during the first three weeks of life. Twenty-four behavioral categories were reported for these wasps and a comparative behavioral catalogue showed that the solitary foundresses (pre-emergence stage) are significantly more active than the queens (post-emergence stage) because they have to perform all the tasks for the nest maintenance. On the other hand, the queens were highly active even in the presence of the workers. The small number of individuals on the nest was the probable cause of the high activity of the queens in the post-emergence colonies. There was no clear division of tasks among workers according to their age (in weeks), so that most of the behavior categories were potentially performed by any worker of any age. Dead queens were replaced by their daughters.