Translating molecular advances in fragile X syndrome into therapy: a review.

Fragile X syndrome is an inherited disease with cognitive, behavioral, and neurologic manifestations, resulting from a single genetic mutation. A variety of treatments that target individual symptoms of fragile X syndrome are currently utilized with limited efficacy. Research in animal models has resulted in the development of potential novel pharmacologic treatments that target the underlying molecular defect in fragile X syndrome, rather than the resultant symptoms. This review describes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of fragile X syndrome and summarizes the ongoing clinical research programs.

Linhagens de feijão do cruzamento 'Ouro Negro' x 'Pérola' com características agronômicas favoráveis

O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar e caracterizar, em casa de vegetação e campo, linhagens do cruzamento entre as cultivares Ouro Negro e Pérola, quanto à reação às principais raças de Colletotrichum lindemuthianum e Uromyces appendiculatus. Quatrocentas progênies F7:8, de 40 famílias F3:7 previamente selecionadas na população 'Ouro Negro' x 'Pérola', foram pulverizadas com uma suspensão contendo a raça 89 de C. lindemuthianum. Linhagens resistentes à raça 89 receberam inóculo com as raças 73 e 81 de C. lindemuthianum e com mistura de seis raças de U. appendiculatus. Nas avaliações em campo, realizadas em Viçosa e Coimbra, MG, um látice quadrado triplo 9x9 foi utilizado e foram avaliados produtividade de grãos, severidade de mancha-angular e aspecto do grão. Foram identificadas 42 linhagens resistentes às raças de C. lindemuthianum e U. appendiculatus. Foram selecionadas dez linhagens de grãos tipo 'Carioca', com produtividade igual à da cultivar Pérola e resistentes à antracnose, ferrugem e mancha-angular.

Mixoploidia em híbridos de capim-elefante x milheto tratados com agentes antimitóticos

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar métodos de duplicação cromossômica, com uso de agentes antimitóticos e diversos materiais botânicos como explantes dos híbridos entre capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) e milheto (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.). Utilizaram-se soluções de colchicina a 50 mg L-1 e 100 mg L-1, e de ciclohexamida 25 mg L-1:8-hidroxiquinoleína 300 mg L-1 (1:1), aplicadas in vitro em segmentos nodais, e in vivo em plântulas e perfilhos, com diferentes períodos de exposição. O efeito dos antimitóticos foi avaliado por meio da taxa de sobrevivência, do número cromossômico e da presença de anomalias no ciclo celular, em meristemas de raízes das plantas sobreviventes. A colchicina apresentou melhor efeito sobre as plântulas, enquanto a ciclohexamida:8-hidroxiquinoleína (1:1) atuou melhor sobre os perfilhos. Observou-se ocorrência de mixoploidia em células que apresentaram de 14 até 42 cromossomos, o que indica que houve duplicação seguida de eliminação cromossômica, confirmada pelas aberrações cromossômicas. Das células analisadas 86,4%, em média, apresentaram número cromossômico diferente de 21.

X Jornada Tècnica de l'Arròs

L’èxit de les jornades tècniques de l’arròs ens posiciona com una plataforma de transferència referent en el sector arrosser, amb l’objectiu d’exposar i debatre les darreres innovacions tecnològiques. Benvinguts a aquesta trobada d’experts i professionals del sector arrosser.

Mitochondrial DNA of Nellore and European x Nellore crossing cattle of high performance

The objective of this work was to evaluate, through a polymorphism in the ND5 gene of the bovine mitochondrial DNA, the frequency of Bos taurus indicus mtDNA individuals in a sample of Nellore purebred origin animals (n = 69) and crossbred animals originated from crosses of European sires and Nellore purebred origin females (n = 275). Only 2.26% (8/354) of the animals presented Bos taurus indicus mtDNA. The high frequency of Bos taurus taurus mtDNA in these animals can be a consequence of selection, once the animals studied are originated from selected lineages of high performance for meat production.

Allohexaploid pearl millet x elephantgrass population potential for a recurrent selection program

The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of allohexaploid pearl millet x elephantgrass (HGL) population for a recurrent selection program through open-pollinated progenies. Seventy-eight progenies, one representative sample of the population, and two commercial cultivars, Pioneiro and Paraíso, were evaluated in a 9x9 triple lattice design, in two sites. Plant height and dry matter yield were evaluated in three and four cuts, respectively. For plant height, the 17 best progenies were similar to both commercial controls, while for dry matter yield they were higher than 'Paraíso' and lower than 'Pioneiro'. The correlation between progenies and cuts indicated that the fourth cut represents the mean of all cuts, and the possibility of using early selection. Heritability estimates considering cuts and sites were 56.9% for plant height and 58.8% for dry matter yield, and the expected response to selection was 23.4% for dry matter yield and 18.1% for plant height. These results demonstrate the promising HGL population potential for a recurrent selection program.

Contes fantastiques traduits par X. Marmier, précédés d'une notice par le traducteur. Nouvelle édition, augmentée d'une étude sur les Contes fantastiques d'Hoffmann, par Théophile Gautier

Comprend : Étude sur les "Contes fantastiques" d'Hoffmann

The 2010 May Flaring Episode of Cygnus X-3 in Radio, X-rays, and γ-rays

In 2009, Cygnus X-3 (Cyg X-3) became the first microquasar to be detected in the GeV γ-ray regime, via the satellites Fermi and AGILE. The addition of this new band to the observational toolbox holds promise for building a more detailed understanding of the relativistic jets of this and other systems. We present a rich data set of radio, hard and soft X-ray, and γ-ray observations of Cyg X-3 made during a flaring episode in 2010 May. We detect a ~3 day softening and recovery of the X-ray emission, followed almost immediately by a ~1 Jy radio flare at 15 GHz, followed by a 4.3σ γ-ray flare (E > 100 MeV) ~1.5 days later. The radio sampling is sparse, but we use archival data to argue that it is unlikely the γ-ray flare was followed by any significant unobserved radio flares. In this case, the sequencing of the observed events is difficult to explain in a model in which the γ-ray emission is due to inverse Compton scattering of the companion star's radiation field. Our observations suggest that other mechanisms may also be responsible for γ-ray emission from Cyg X-3.

Multivariate analyses of genotype x environment interaction of popcorn

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the genotype x environment (GxE) interaction for popcorn and to compare two multivariate analyses methods. Nine popcorn cultivars were sown on four dates one month apart during each of the agricultural years 1998/1999 and 1999/2000. The experiments were carried out using randomized block designs, with four replicates. The cv. Zélia contributed the least to the GxE interaction. The cv. Viçosa performed similarly to cv. Rosa-claro. Optimization of GxE was obtained for cv. CMS 42 for a favorable mega-environment, and for cv. CMS 43 for an unfavorable environment. Multivariate analysis supported the results from the method of Eberhart & Russell. The graphic analysis of the Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model was simple, allowing conclusions to be made about stability, genotypic performance, genetic divergence between cultivars, and the environments that optimize cultivar performance. The graphic analysis of the Genotype main effects and Genotype x Environment interaction (GGE) method added to AMMI information on environmental stratification, defining mega-environments and the cultivars that optimized performance in those mega-environments. Both methods are adequate to explain the genotype x environment interactions.

Road Safety Audit for County Road X-37, from the Intersection of G-62 to the East Corporate Limits of Columbus City in Louisa County, Iowa, 2009

A road safety audit was conducted for a 7.75 mile section of County Road X-37 in Louisa County, Iowa. In 2006, the average annual daily traffic on this roadway was found to be 680 vehicles per day. Using crash data from 2001 to 2007, the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) has identified this roadway as being in the highest 5% of local rural roads in Iowa for single-vehicle runoff- road crashes. Considering these safety data, the Louisa County Engineer requested that a road safety audit be conducted to identify areas of safety concerns and recommend low-cost mitigation to address those concerns. Staff and officials from the Iowa DOT, Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, Federal Highway Administration, Institute for Transportation, and local law enforcement and transportation agencies met to review crash data and discuss potential safety improvements to this segment of X-37. This report outlines the findings and recommendations of the road safety audit team to address the safety concerns on this X-37 corridor and explain several selected mitigation strategies.

Study of OSEM with different subsets in grating-based X-ray differential phase-contrast imaging.

Impressive developments in X-ray imaging are associated with X-ray phase contrast computed tomography based on grating interferometry, a technique that provides increased contrast compared with conventional absorption-based imaging. A new "single-step" method capable of separating phase information from other contributions has been recently proposed. This approach not only simplifies data-acquisition procedures, but, compared with the existing phase step approach, significantly reduces the dose delivered to a sample. However, the image reconstruction procedure is more demanding than for traditional methods and new algorithms have to be developed to take advantage of the "single-step" method. In the work discussed in this paper, a fast iterative image reconstruction method named OSEM (ordered subsets expectation maximization) was applied to experimental data to evaluate its performance and range of applicability. The OSEM algorithm with different subsets was also characterized by comparison of reconstruction image quality and convergence speed. Computer simulations and experimental results confirm the reliability of this new algorithm for phase-contrast computed tomography applications. Compared with the traditional filtered back projection algorithm, in particular in the presence of a noisy acquisition, it furnishes better images at a higher spatial resolution and with lower noise. We emphasize that the method is highly compatible with future X-ray phase contrast imaging clinical applications.