Ovarian-Steroid Modulation of Locus Coeruleus Activity in Female Rats: Involvement in Luteinising Hormone Regulation

The noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) has been reported to regulate luteinising hormone (LH) secretion in female rats. Both oestrogen and progestin receptors have been demonstrated in LC neurones, suggesting that these cells are possibly responsive to variations in circulating levels of ovarian steroids. We therefore evaluated changes in the activity of LC neurones during the oestrous cycle and after ovarian-steroid treatment in ovariectomised (OVX) rats, as determined by immunoreactivity to Fos-related antigens (FRA), which comprises all of the known members of the Fos family. Effects of ovarian steroids on the firing rate of LC neurones were also determined in a slice preparation. The number of FRA/tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive (ir) neurones in the LC increased from 14.00-16.00 h on pro-oestrus, coinciding with the onset of the LH surge and rise in plasma progesterone. FRA immunoreactivity was unaltered during dioestrus. Oestradiol-treated OVX rats (OVX+E) displayed marked reduction in FRA/TH-ir neurones in LC compared to oil-treated OVX rats. Accordingly, oestradiol superfusion significantly reduced the spontaneous firing rate of LC neurones in slices from OVX rats. Compared to OVX+E, oestradiol-treated rats injected with progesterone at 08.00 h (OVX+EP) exhibited higher number of FRA/TH-ir neurones in the LC at 10.00 h and 16.00 h, and great amplification of the LH surge. Bath application of progesterone significantly increased the spontaneous firing rate of OVX+E LC neurones. Our data suggest that ovarian steroids may physiologically modulate the activity of LC neurones in females, with possible implications for LH secretion. Moreover, oestradiol and progesterone appear to exert opposite and complementary effects (i.e. whereas oestradiol inhibits, progesterone, after oestradiol priming, stimulates LC activity).

Auriculo-condylar syndrome: mapping of a first locus and evidence for genetic heterogeneity

Auriculo-condylar syndrome (ACS), an autosomal dominant disorder of first and second pharyngeal arches, is characterized by malformed ears (`question mark ears`), prominent cheeks, microstomia, abnormal temporomandibular joint, and mandibular condyle hypoplasia. Penetrance seems to be complete, but there is high inter-and intra-familial phenotypic variation, with no evidence of genetic heterogeneity. We herein describe a new multigeneration family with 11 affected individuals (F1), in whom we confirm intra-familial clinical variability. Facial asymmetry, a clinical feature not highlighted in other ACS reports, was highly prevalent among the patients reported here. The gene responsible for ACS is still unknown and its identification will certainly contribute to the understanding of human craniofacial development. No chromosomal rearrangements have been associated with ACS, thus mapping and positional cloning is the best approach to identify this disease gene. To map the ACS gene, we conducted linkage analysis in two large ACS families, F1 and F2 (F2; reported elsewhere). Through segregation analysis, we first excluded three known loci associated with disorders of first and second pharyngeal arches (Treacher Collins syndrome, oculo-auriculo-vertebral spectrum, and Townes-Brocks syndrome). Next, we performed a wide genome search and we observed evidence of linkage to 1p21.1-q23.3 in F2 (LOD max 3.01 at theta = 0). Interestingly, this locus was not linked to the phenotype segregating in F1. Therefore, our results led to the mapping of a first locus of ACS (ACS1) and also showed evidence for genetic heterogeneity, suggesting that there are at least two loci responsible for this phenotype.

Craniometaphyseal Dysplasia With Severe Craniofacial Involvement Shows Homozygosity at 6q21-22.1 Locus

Craniotubular dysplasias (CTD) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders of skeletal development, whose clinical and etiological classification is still much debated. One of the most common form is the autosomal dominant craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD) which is associated with mutation in the ANKH gene. In the literature a few families are reported with CMD phenotype that suggest an autosomal recessive (AR) pattern of inheritance. A candidate locus at 6q21-22 has been mapped in a large inbred Brazilian family, but the gene of the recessive form is still unknown. Our data on a female patient with CMD phenotype, born from healthy first degree cousins and displaying homozygosity for polymorphic markers at the 6q21-22 locus, further support the existence of an AR CMD, expanding its clinical spectrum to a more severe phenotype. (C) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A novel locus for split-hand/foot malformation associated with tibial hemimelia (SHFLD syndrome) maps to chromosome region 17p13.1-17p13.3

Split-hand/foot malformation (SHFM) associated with aplasia of long bones, SHFLD syndrome or Tibial hemimelia-ectrodactyly syndrome is a rare condition with autosomal dominant inheritance, reduced penetrance and an incidence estimated to be about 1 in 1,000,000 liveborns. To date, three chromosomal regions have been reported as strong candidates for harboring SHFLD syndrome genes: 1q42.2-q43, 6q14.1 and 2q14.2. We characterized the phenotype of nine affected individuals from a large family with the aim of mapping the causative gene. Among the nine affected patients, four had only SHFM of the hands and no tibial defects, three had both defects and two had only unilateral tibial hemimelia. In keeping with previous publications of this and other families, there was clear evidence of both variable expression and incomplete penetrance, the latter bearing hallmarks of anticipation. Segregation analysis and multipoint Lod scores calculations (maximum Lod score of 5.03 using the LINKMAP software) using all potentially informative family members, both affected and unaffected, identified the chromosomal region 17p13.1-17p13.3 as the best and only candidate for harboring a novel mutated gene responsible for the syndrome in this family. The candidate gene CRK located within this region was sequenced but no pathogenic mutation was detected.

Fungi, mycotoxins and phytoalexin in peanut varieties, during plant growth in the field

The aim of the present study was to analyze the mycobiota, occurrence of mycotoxins (aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid), and production of phytoalexin (trans-resveratrol) in two peanut varieties (Runner IAC 886 and Caiapo) during plant growth in the field. Climatic factors (rainfall, relative humidity and temperature) and water activity were also evaluated. The results showed a predominance of Fusarium spp. in kernels and pods, followed by Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus flavus. Aflatoxins were detected in 20% and 10% of samples of the IAC 886 and Caiapo varieties, respectively. Analysis showed that 65% of kernel samples of the IAC 886 variety and 25% of the Caiapo variety were contaminated with cyclopiazonic acid. trans-Resveratrol was detected in 6.7% of kernel samples of the IAC 886 variety and in 20% of the Caiapo variety. However, trans-resveratrol was found in 73.3% of leaf samples in the two varieties studied. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Screening for endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Brazilian sugar cane varieties used in organic farming and description of Stenotrophomonas pavanii sp. nov.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming and nitrogen-fixing bacterium, designated ICB 89(T), was isolated from stems of a Brazilian sugar cane variety widely used in organic farming. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain ICB 89(T) belonged to the genus Stenotrophomonas and was most closely related to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia LMG 958(T), Stenotrophomonas rhizophila LMG 22075(T), Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens L2(T), [Pseudomonas] geniculata ATCC 19374(T), [Pseudomonas] hibiscicola ATCC 19867(T) and [Pseudomonas] beteli ATCC 19861(T). DNA-DNA hybridization together with chemotaxonomic data and biochemical characteristics allowed the differentiation of strain ICB 89(T) from its nearest phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, strain ICB 89(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Stenotrophomonas pavanii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ICB 89(T) (=CBMAI 564(T) =LMG 25348(T)).

Spastic Paraplegia, Optic Atrophy, and Neuropathy: New Observations, Locus Refinement, and Exclusion of Candidate Genes

SPOAN is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder which was recently characterized by our group in a large inbred Brazilian family with 25 affected individuals. This condition is clinically defined by: 1. congenital optic atrophy; 2. progressive spastic paraplegia with onset in infancy; and 3. progressive motor and sensory axonal neuropathy. Overall, we are now aware of 68 SPOAN patients (45 females and 23 males, with age ranging from 5 to 72 years), 44 of which are presented here for the first time. They were all born in the same geographic micro region. Those 68 patients belong to 43 sibships, 40 of which exhibit parental consanguinity. Sixty-one patients were fully clinically evaluated and 64 were included in the genetic investigation. All molecularly studied patients are homozygotes for D11S1889 at 11q13. This enabled us to reduce the critical region for the SPOAN gene from 4.8 to 2.3 Mb, with a maximum two point lod score of 33.2 (with marker D11S987) and of 27.0 (with marker D11S1889). Three genes located in this newly defined critical region were sequenced, but no pathogenic mutation was detected. The gene responsible for SPOAN remains elusive.

Syskonplaceringens betydelse f��r locus of control

Skillnader mellan f��rstf��dda och senaref��dda ��r ett vanligt unders��kningsobjekt, d��r v��lk��nda stereotyper finns. F��rstf��dda anses vara mer m��linriktade, konservativa, ansvarstagande och kravfyllda, medan senaref��dda ofta p��st��s vara tvungna att bryta m��nster och ��r d��rf��r mer rebelliska och ��ppna f��r nya erfarenheter. Syftet med f��religgande studie var att unders��ka syskonplaceringens p��verkan p�� s��ttet att attribuera orsakerna till h��ndelser och prestationer. Rotters locus of control-skala anv��ndes i en Internetbaserad enk��t, till vilken en ��ppen annonsering nyttjades. Studien anv��nde en inomfamiljsdesign och begr��nsandes till att omfatta en traditionell k��rnfamilj med biologiska f��r��ldrar och enbart helsyskon. Hypotesen att f��rstf��dda oftare ��n senaref��dda styrs av inre locus of control kunde godtas. Resultatet visades i f��rsta hand g��lla f��rstf��dda m��n. Resultaten tros till st��rsta delen bero p�� f��r��ldrarnas uppfostringsstil och olika ansvarsf��rdelning mellan syskon.

The Czech Republic from the Perspective of the Varieties of Capitalism Approach

Modern capitalism is not singular. There are varieties of capitalism in the contemporary world. This thesis aims to apply the Varieties of Capitalism approach developed by Hall and Soskice (2001) to the case of the Czech Republic and ascertain whether the Czech market economy is approaching a liberal or a coordinated ideal type defined by these authors. At the same time, such findings might provide an answer to whether the Varieties of Capitalism approach designed for advanced industrialized economies is fully applicable for analysis of a post-socialist country that underwent a complicated process of economic and institutional transformation.

Locus of Controls inverkan p�� strategier f��r konflikthantering i k��rleksrelationer

Syftet var att unders��ka om personers Locus of Control p��verkar deras konflikthanteringsstrategier i k��rleksrelationer. Hypoteserna var: H1: Det finns skillnader mellan personer med extern och intern Locus of Control n��r det g��ller vilka typer av strategier de anv��nder f��r att hantera k��rleksrelationsproblem. H2: Personer med intern Locus of Control har st��rre ben��genhet att anv��nda sig av relationskonflikthanteringsstrategin Kompromiss i sina k��rleksrelationer. H3: Kvinnor p��verkas mer ��n m��n av Locus of Control n��r det g��ller vilka typer av strategier de anv��nder f��r att hantera k��rleksrelationsproblem. Deltagarna var 172 studenter. Data insamlades med en webbenk��t inneh��llande svenska versioner av Rotters I-E skala och RPCS. Resultatet visade en signifikant skillnad mellan personer med intern och extern Locus of Control i tre konflikthanteringsstrategier: Kompromiss, Underkastelse och Undvikande. Vidare anv��nde personer med intern Locus of Control Kompromiss mer. Personer med extern Locus of Control anv��nde Underkastelse och Undvikande mer. Skillnaderna fanns bara bland kvinnorna. Samtliga hypoteser kunde d��rmed godtas. Unders��kningen visade att Locus of Control ��r en m��jlig anledning till varf��r personer anv��nder sig av vissa typer av konflikthanteringsstrategier i k��rleksrelationer.

Epistemologia versus pedagogia : o locus do professor de engenharia

Partindo do pressuposto de que as concep����es epistemol��gicas do professor norteiam a sua a����o docente, a pesquisa apresentada nessa Disserta����o foi realizada objetivando explicitar essas concep����es e identificar e descrever as suas conseq����ncias na pedagogia empregada pelo professor de engenharia. O corpus dessa pesquisa constituiu-se de um grupo de professores, na quase totalidade engenheiros de forma����o, e de alunos da etapa profissionalizante do Curso de Engenharia El��trica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul ��� UFRGS, o que representa um recorte do universo de professores e alunos dos cursos de engenharia no Brasil. Em fun����o da longa tradi����o da Institui����o focalizada na forma����o de engenheiros, entende-se que este recorte reflete parte da realidade de cursos cong��neres em institui����es p��blicas. A pesquisa realizada �� de car��ter etnogr��fico, caracterizada pela imers��o da pesquisadora no ambiente pesquisado. Os dados foram coletados a partir de falas de professores e de falas de alunos desses professores, cujos depoimentos foram registrados em fitas magn��ticas de ��udio. A complementa����o desses dados deu-se atrav��s da observa����o e do acompanhamento das aulas desses mesmos docentes. Na seq����ncia desse trabalho, foram analisadas essas manifesta����es e observa����es, feitas in loco, �� luz de um referencial te��rico fortemente embasado no construtivismo. Na Disserta����o essas an��lises aparecem, em um primeiro momento, focadas nas falas individuais dos Professores. Em uma segunda etapa, �� apresentada uma an��lise comparativa entre as diferentes falas individuais a partir do que foram identificados pontos em comum nas opini��es emitidas. O mesmo procedimento �� adotado em rela����o ��s falas dos alunos. Como resultado dessas an��lises, ao final, �� apresentado um diagn��stico da situa����o atual em termos de concep����es epistemol��gicas e das estrat��gias pedag��gicas utilizadas pelos professores-engenheiros. Ao final tamb��m, s��o feitas sugest��es que visam a subsidiar a implanta����o de uma proposta pedag��gica de cunho construtivista, em cursos de engenharia.

Locus de controle e rea����o a frustra����o

Este estudo visa analisar a interrela����o te��rica e epistemol��gica entre a teoria da aprendizagem social, mais precisamente em termos de seu constructo "locus de controle" de Rotter e a teoria da frustra����o, tal como desenvolvida por S. Rosenzweig. Atrav��s de um reestudo das ��teorias da frustra����o e proposto um modelo, capaz de avaliar a influ��ncia da percep����o social determinada pela dire����o do "locus de controle" na rea����o �� frustra����o. S��o examinadas tr��s poss��veis explica����es te��ricas para determina����o das diferen��as na percep����o do controle a primeira em fun����o da teoria da aprendizagem, a segunda em termos psicodin��micos e a terceira em fun����o de disposi����es inatas. E apresentada uma revis��o das tentativas e comprova����es experimentais quanto ao constructo "locus de controle " e �� rea����o �� frustra����o. A verifica����o emp��rica do modelo aqui proposto ' consistiu numa pesquisa piloto apta a comprovar, sob alguns aspectos, a rela����o entre a vari��vel "locus de controle" e a toler��ncia �� frustra����o. Paralelamente foi poss��vel examinar o papel da vari��vel "forma����o universit��ria". Utilizou-se um grupo de estudante e universit��rios e os resultados ' indicaram que, sujeitos com "locus interno" apresentam um n��vel mais amadurecido de toler��ncia �� frustra����o por revelarem maior persist��ncia .em seus objetivos e capacidade de iniciativa em situa����o frustrante. Quanto ao tipo de forma����o universit��ria. estudantes de pedagogia mostraram-se mais intrapunitivos que estudantes de outras ��reas independentemente da dire����o do "locus de controle���. Um exame da influ��ncia do tipo de situa����o frustradora permitiu concluir que "circunst��ncias que envolvem "amea��a do eu" levam a uma descarga emocional do tipo culpa em detrimento da iniciativa e aquelas situa����es em que o sujeito e bloqueado em um objetivo ressaltam as rea����es extra punitivas.

Locus de controle e compara����o social na atribui����o de causalidade por crian��as

o presente estudo constituiu-se na primeira tentativa de aproxima����o das teorias de compara����o social de Festinger (1954) e de aprendizagem social de Rotter (1966), tamb��m, o primeiro estudo conhecido no Brasil investigando locus de controle e compara����o social com crian��as. O objetivo do trabalho foi testar as hip��teses de que: (a) o locus de controle dos sujeitos, a oportunidade de compara��ao social e o resultado de desempenho (sucesso e fracasso) afetam a atribui����o de causalidade ao desempenho de uma tarefa; e (b) sujeitos de locus de controle interno, quer tenham sido bem ou mal sucedidos na tarefa experimental, t��m expectativas futuras mais semelhantes a seu pr��prio desempenho do que ao desempenho do grupo, enquanto que sujeitos de locus de controle externo, quer tenham sido bem ou mal sucedidos na tarefa experimental, t��m expectativas mais semelhantes ao desempenho do grupo de pares do que ao seu pr��prio desempenho. As conclus��es deste estudo foram: (a) a atribui����o de causalidade, de acordo com a formula����o de Rotter (1966), aplica-se tamb��m a brasileiros, especialmente a crian��as brasileiras; (b) no desempenho bem-sucedido internos e externos n��o se diferenciam na assun����o do cr��dito pessoal pelo sucesso; (c) a compara����o social funciona para internos como ratificadora na situa����o de sucesso e modificadora na situa����o de fracasso do locus de controle do sujeito, e o inverso se , d�� com os externos; (d) �� v��lida a aproxima����o entre os construtos de locus de controle e compara����o social; e (e) na previs��o de resultados futuros, o papel da compara����o social �� de ratificac��o do locus de controle.

Locus de controle e caracter��sticas de personalidade em indiv��duos portadores de ��lcera e hipertens��o: um estudo explorat��rio

O presente estudo pressup��e que os conceitos de ���tens��o���, ���stress��� e ���situa����es geradoras de ansiedade ti, n��o s��o suficientes e apropriados, no est��gio atual da pesquisa, para explicar em termos de vari��vel antecedente, o aparecimento de dist��rbios denominados psicossom��ticos. O conceito de Locus de controle, conforme formulado por Rotter �� aqui utilizado e investigado, atrav��s da Escala Interno-Externo, na medida em que interpretamos situa����es experimentais, numa s��rie de pesquisas relatadas, como tendo um denomina dor comum: a dificuldade em perceber o controle dos eventos que ocorrem ao sujeito, como dependendo de sua a����o. Investigamos tamb��m o grau de incid��ncia de dist��rbios org��nicos, poss��veis diferen��as de fatores de personalidade e a associa����o com a ordem de nascimento. Os dados coletados indicam que portadores de, ulcera e/ou hipertens��o tendem a responder mais externamente na Escala I-E, o que refor��a nossas interpreta����es sobre as pesquisas relatadas. Verificou-se ainda que a ordem de nascimento (primog��nitos e n��o primog��nitos) est�� associada com a presen��a desses dist��rbios. Ocorre tamb��m, de acordo com nosso instrumento (IDO), uma maior incid��ncia de dist��rbios org��nicos nesses' sujeitos. Finalmente, observou-se que, entre os fatores de personalidade investigados somente um distingue sujeitos que s��o portadores de ��lcera e/ou hipertens��o dos que n��o tem: a tend��ncia ao neuroticismo, que �� predominante no grupo experimental.