The cytotaxonomy ofEmilia spp. (Asteraceae: Senecioneae) occurring in Brazil

Analysis of several populations in a large part of the distribution area of the genusEmilia in Brazil has revealed only two species: the diploidE. sonchifolia and the tetraploidE. fosbergii. The more widely reportedE. coccinea was not found. They show a karyotype constancy in morphology and chromosome number (2n = 10 and 2n = 20, respectively), C-banding pattern and number of secondary constrictions. Some indications were found thatE. fosbergii may be an allopolyploid and that its ancestors had different genome sizes.     

Rotavirus and adenovirus in Rondônia

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in humans worldwide. Viral gastroenteritis is a global problem in infants and young children. In this study the incidence of diarrhea was assessed in 877 hospitalized children under five years old, over a period of 24 months and distributed in 470 cases of diarrhea and 407 age-matched group with other pathologies, as control group. Two antigen detection techniques based on enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and latex particles were used for detection of rotavirus and adenovirus. Rotavirus A was a major cause of gastroenteritis with 23.6% of cases, being 90% of these cases in young children. Adenovirus infections was detected by EIA with frequency of 6.4%. Rotavirus and adenovirus were detected in 10.1 and 1.7% of stools from control group, respectively. Interestingly, the frequency of the youngest children in the control group excreting Rotavirus A was comparable to that detected in stools from diarrheic children. We cannot rule out the existence of other enteric viruses because the etiology of 171 cases of diarrhea was not determined and active search for astrovirus and calicivirus was not done. This is the first study that shows the presence of enteric viruses in the infantile population from Western Brazilian Amazonia and it was important to help physicians in the treatment of viral gastroenteritis.     

Involvement of potassium channels in the antidepressant-like effect of venlafaxine in mice

AimsStudies have shown that the acute administration of venlafaxine elicits an antidepressant-like effect in the mouse forced swim test (FST) by a mechanism dependent on the l-arginine–nitric oxide (NO)–cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway. Because it has been reported that NO activates different types of potassium (K⁺) channels in the brain, this study investigated the involvement of K⁺ channels in the antidepressant-like effect of venlafaxine in the mouse FST.Main methodsMale adult Swiss mice were pretreated with different K⁺ channel inhibitors or openers 15 min before venlafaxine administration. After 30 min, the open-field test (OFT) and FST were carried out.Key findingsIntracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) pretreatment of mice with subeffective doses of tetraethylammonium (TEA, a non-specific inhibitor of K⁺ channels, 25 pg/site), glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel inhibitor, 0.5 pg/site), charybdotoxin (a large- and intermediate-conductance calcium-activated K⁺ channel inhibitor, 25 pg/site) or apamin (a small-conductance calcium-activated K⁺ channel inhibitor, 10 pg/site) was able to potentiate the action of a subeffective dose of venlafaxine (2 mg/kg, i.p.). Moreover, the reduction in the immobility time elicited by an effective dose of venlafaxine (8 mg/kg, i.p.) in the FST was prevented by the pretreatment of mice with the K⁺ channel openers cromakalim (10 µg/site, i.c.v.) and minoxidil (10 µg/site, i.c.v.). The drugs used in this study did not produce any change in locomotor activity.SignificanceThe results demonstrate that the neuromodulatory effects of venlafaxine, via the inhibition of K⁺ channels, are possibly involved in its anti-immobility activity in the mouse FST.     

利用分子量阵列平台进行特定序列甲基化分析的方法探讨

目的：探讨利用分子量阵列平台进行特定序列甲基化分析的方法。方法：通过对不同扩增条件和扩增效率及不同条件处理的质谱分析比较了MassArray平台进行甲基化分析的特点。结果：本研究通过与重亚硫酸盐测序结果比较证实,MassArray分子量阵列技术平台能够反映甲基化修饰的真实水平;通过不同条件下PCR扩增效率与甲基化分析的结果,发现扩增效率是制约MassArray分子量阵列技术平台甲基化分析的关键因素,而产物的放置时间和不同的处理没有明显影响甲基化分析。结论：Mas-sArray甲基化分析平台是高效快速检测甲基化修饰的平台,在使用过程中应该根据实际的实验条件,进行合理的质控。     

红籽瓜数量性状分析软件的设计与实现

主要介绍了如何使用面向对象技术对红籽瓜数量性状分析软件的设计,阐述了软件的设计过程,代码的编写。实现了对红籽瓜数量性状的分析。