Association Studies and Legume Synteny Reveal Haplotypes Determining Seed Size in Vigna unguiculata.

Highly specific seed market classes for cowpea and other grain legumes exist because grain is most commonly cooked and consumed whole. Size, shape, color, and texture are critical features of these market classes and breeders target development of cultivars for market acceptance. Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses that are absent from elite breeding material are often introgressed through crosses to landraces or wild relatives. When crosses are made between parents with different grain quality characteristics, recovery of progeny with acceptable or enhanced grain quality is problematic. Thus genetic markers for grain quality traits can help in pyramiding genes needed for specific market classes. Allelic variation dictating the inheritance of seed size can be tagged and used to assist the selection of large seeded lines. In this work we applied 1,536-plex SNP genotyping and knowledge of legume synteny to characterize regions of the cowpea genome associated with seed size. These marker-trait associations will enable breeders to use marker-based selection approaches to increase the frequency of progeny with large seed. For 804 individuals derived from eight bi-parental populations, QTL analysis was used to identify markers linked to 10 trait determinants. In addition, the population structure of 171 samples from the USDA core collection was identified and incorporated into a genome-wide association study which supported more than half of the trait-associated regions important in the bi-parental populations. Seven of the total 10 QTLs were supported based on synteny to seed size associated regions identified in the related legume soybean. In addition to delivering markers linked to major trait determinants in the context of modern breeding, we provide an analysis of the diversity of the USDA core collection of cowpea to identify genepools, migrants, admixture, and duplicates

Os registros da escravização negra no acervo da imigração do AHRS: políticas de memória, descrição arquivística e preservação da informação

Atualmente no Brasil há em curso um grande debate sobre os povos que sofreram violações de direitos humanos no processo de colonização. Este debate encontra como obstáculo o apagamento histórico promovido por parte da histografia. A presença de pessoas negras escravizadas em algumas colônias de imigrantes do estado é comprovada por documentos do acervo de imigração do Arquivo Histórico do Rio Grande do Sul. O objetivo central deste trabalho é resgatar estes dados e apontar o papel fundamental dos arquivos no exercício de reconstrução de memórias e história, passando pela necessidade do tratamento arquivístico que permita e facilite o acesso às informações existentes nos arquivos. Também o trabalho de arranjo, de descrição arquivística e a construção de instrumentos de pesquisa são apontados como objetivos para planejar a socialização do conteúdo deste acervo. Junto a isto é trazida uma reflexão sobre como o arquivista deveria facilitar o acesso às informações destes documentos no sentido de contribuir para a compreensão do regime escravocrata brasileiro, construindo políticas de memória e preservação da informação.Currently in Brazil there is an ongoing debate about the peoples who suffered human rights violations in the colonization process. This debate encounters the historical erasure promoted by histography as an obstacle. The presence of enslaved black people in some colonies of immigrants in the state is proven by documents from the immigration collection of the Historical Archive of Rio Grande do Sul. The central objective of this work is to rescue these data and point out the fundamental role of archives in the exercise of memory and history reconstruction, passing through the need for archival treatment that allows and facilitates access to information existing in archives. Arrangement work, archival description and the construction of research instruments are also pointed out as objectives for planning the socialization of the content of this collection. Together with this, there is a reflection on how the archivist should facilitate access to the information in these documents in order to contribute to the understanding of the Brazilian slave regime, building policies of memory and preservation of information

Injustiças Tributárias e gênero: o caso da Pink Tax

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro Sócio-Econômico. Economia.A disparidade de preços em produtos e serviços similares ou idênticos diferenciados somente pelo público ao qual se destina, é um fenômeno que há décadas já vem sendo observado em todo o mundo. A este fenômeno foi dado o nome de Pink Tax. Embora não se trate, em termos tributários, de uma taxa real, esta taxa invisível aplicada a produtos destinados ao público feminino configura-se como um agravante às desigualdades econômicas sofridas pelas mulheres. Para aprofundar o debate acerca do tema, este estudo realizado por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, faz uma revisão dos conceitos abrangidos pela problemática da Pink Tax bem como das teorias econômicas tradicionais e da economia feminista, apresenta exemplos de como este fenômeno pode ser observado em diferentes países, levanta hipóteses a respeito da sua origem, levanta outras injustiças econômicas para mostrar como a Pink Tax se torna um agravante às mulheres no Brasil e, por fim, apresenta formas de combate ao fenômeno

Nonlinear Gravitational Waves: Their Form and Effects

A gravitational wave must be nonlinear to be able to transport its own source, that is, energy and momentum. A physical gravitational wave, therefore, cannot be represented by a solution to a linear wave equation. Relying on this property, the second-order solution describing such physical waves is obtained. The effects they produce on free particles are found to consist of nonlinear oscillations along the direction of propagation.Comment: 15 pages, no figures. v2: presentation changes aiming at clarifying the text; matches published versio

The “Hypertension Approaches in the Elderly: a Lifestyle study” multicenter, randomized trial (HAEL Study): rationale and methodological protocol

Background: Hypertension is a clinical condition highly prevalent in the elderly, imposing great risks to cardiovascular diseases and loss of quality of life. Current guidelines emphasize the importance of nonpharmacological strategies as a first-line approach to lower blood pressure. Exercise is an efficient lifestyle tool that can benefit a myriad of health-related outcomes, including blood pressure control, in older adults. We herein report the protocol of the HAEL Study, which aims to evaluate the efficacy of a pragmatic combined exercise training compared with a health education program on ambulatory blood pressure and other health-related outcomes in older individuals. Methods: Randomized, single-blinded, multicenter, two-arm, parallel, superiority trial. A total of 184 subjects (92/center), ≥60 years of age, with no recent history of cardiovascular events, will be randomized on a 1:1 ratio to 12-week interventions consisting either of a combined exercise (aerobic and strength) training, three times per week, or an active-control group receiving health education intervention, once a week. Ambulatory (primary outcome) and office blood pressures, cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function, together with quality of life, functional fitness and autonomic control will be measured in before and after intervention. Discussion: Our conceptual hypothesis is that combined training intervention will reduce ambulatory blood pressure in comparison with health education group. Using a superiority framework, analysis plan prespecifies an intention-to-treat approach, per protocol criteria, subgroups analysis, and handling of missing data. The trial is recruiting since September 2017. Finally, this study was designed to adhere to data sharing practices. Trial registration: NCT03264443. Registered on 29 August, 2017

Assessment of interprofessional competence in undergraduate health professions education: protocol for a systematic review of self-report instruments

Background Health practitioners from different professions, and with differing competencies, need to collaborate to provide quality care. Competencies in interprofessional working need developing in undergraduate educational preparation. This paper reports the protocol for a systematic review of self-report instruments to assess interprofessional learning in undergraduate health professionals’ education. Methods We will search PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and ERIC from January 2010 onwards. A combination of search terms for interprofessional learning, health professions, psychometric properties, assessment of learning and assessment tools will be used. Two reviewers will independently screen all titles, abstracts and full-texts. Potential conflicts will be resolved through discussion. Quantitative and mixed-methods studies evaluating interprofessional learning in undergraduate health professions education (e.g. medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, pharmacy and psychology) will be included. Methodological quality of each reported instrument, underpinning theoretical frameworks, and the effects of reported interventions will be assessed. The overall outcome will be the effectiveness of instruments used to assess interprofessional competence. Primary outcomes will be the psychometric properties (e.g. reliability, discriminant and internal validity) of instruments used. Secondary outcomes will include time from intervention to assessment, how items relate to specific performance/competencies (or general abstract constructs) and how scores are used (e.g. to grade students, to improve courses or research purposes). Quantitative summaries in tabular format and a narrative synthesis will allow recommendations to be made on the use of self-report instruments in practice. Discussion Many studies use self-report questionnaires as tools for developing meaningful interprofessional education activities and assessing students’ interprofessional competence. This systematic review will evaluate both the benefits and limitations of reported instruments and help educators and researchers (i) choose the most appropriate existing self-report instruments to assess interprofessional competence and (ii) inform the design and conduct of interprofessional competency assessment using self-report instruments. Systematic review registration Open Science Framework [https://osf.io/vrfjn]

Association between physical exercise interventions participation and functional capacity in individuals with type 2 diabetes : a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus increases with age, and people with type 2 diabetes are more affected by reductions in functional performance. Although exercise interventions are recommended for people with diabetes, it is relevant to assess the effects of different training modes on the available functional outcomes. Therefore, our purpose was to systematically assess the effect of different physical exercise modalities in patients with type 2 diabetes with an average age of 45 years or older on outcomes used to measure functional capacity. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials was conducted. Seven databases were searched from January 1987 to December 2021 (PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus, and in grey literature: Open Grey and Google Scholar). Eligible studies should last 8 weeks or longer, comparing structured exercise training and non-exercise control for one out of six pre-specified functional capacity outcomes (Timed Up and Go test, chair stands, walking performance, upper-limb muscle strength, lower-limb muscle strength, physical fitness parameter), in patients with type 2 diabetes, aged ≥ 45 years. The risk of bias was assessed with the Downs & Black checklist. Pooled mean differences were calculated using a random-effects model, followed by sensitivity and meta-regression analyses. Results: Of 18,112 references retrieved, 29 trials (1557 patients) were included. Among these, 13 studies used aerobic training, 6 studies used combined training, 4 studies used resistance training, 3 studies had multiple intervention arms and 3 studies used other types of training. Exercise training was associated with an increase in functional capacity outcomes, as reflected by changes in 6-min walk test (n = 8) [51.6 m; 95% CI 7.6% to 95.6%; I2 92%], one-repetition maximum leg-press (n = 3) [18.0 kg; 95% CI 4.0% to 31.9%; I2 0%], and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) (n = 20) [2.41 mL/kg·min; 95% CI 1.89% to 2.92%; I2 100%] compared with control groups. In sensitivity and subgroup analyses using VO2max as outcome and stratified by type of study (randomized and non-randomized controlled clinical trials), duration of diabetes diagnosis, and sex, we observed overlapping confidence intervals. Meta-regression showed no association between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) levels and VO2max [p = 0.34; I2 99.6%; R2 = 2.6%]. In addition, the quality of the included studies was mostly low. Conclusion: The results indicate that structured physical exercise programs might improve functional capacity in patients with type 2 diabetes, except for the upper-limb muscle strength. However, we could not identify potential effect predictors associated with directional summary estimates

Yersiniose fatal por Yersinia enterocolitica em um zogue-zogue (Plecturocebus brunneus)

We described a case of fatal septicemic yersiniosis in a young adult brown titi monkey (Plecturocebus brunneus) which presented lethargy and severe anemia. Postmortem external assessment revealed marked dehydration and pale pink mucous membranes. The main gross findings included enlarged liver with yellow pinpoints, enlarged spleen with yellow nodules, mucosal ulcerations in the large intestine, enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, and pulmonary hemorrhage. Histology revealed necrosuppurative hepatosplenitis with intralesional colonies of rodshaped gram-negative bacteria, ulcerative colitis, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, and fibrinous and hemorrhagic pneumonia. Bacterial culture and identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry confirmed the diagnosis of yersiniosis by Yersinia enterocolitica. This study indicated that yersiniosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of death in brown titi monkeys.Descrevemos um caso de yersiniose septicêmica fatal em um zogue-zogue (Plecturocebus brunneus) jovem adulto que apresentava um quadro de letargia e anemia severa. Macroscopicamente, havia acentuada desidratação e as mucosas estavam pálidas. Notou-se hepatomegalia com múltiplos pontos amarelos e esplenomegalia com múltiplos nódulos amarelos pelo parênquima. Ainda, ulcerações da mucosa do intestino grosso, linfonodos mesentéricos aumentados e hemorragia pulmonar foram observados. A avaliação histológica revelou hepatite e esplenite necrossupurativas associadas a agregados bacterianos bacilares gram-negativos intralesionais, colite ulcerativa, hiperplasia linfoide reativa e pneumonia fibrino-hemorrágica. A cultura bacteriana e identificação através do método de espectrometria de massa por ionização e dessorção a laser assistida por matriz associada ao tempo de voo confirmou o diagnóstico de yersiniose por Yersinia enterocolitica. Este estudo demonstra que a yersiniose deve ser considerada como um diagnóstico diferencial de causa de morte em zogue-zogues

Genomic screen for loci associated with tobacco usage in Mission Indians

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of tobacco usage in Native American adults and adolescents is higher than any other racial or ethnic group, yet biological risk and protective factors underlying tobacco use in this ethnic group remain unknown. A genome scan for loci associated with tobacco use phenotypes was performed with data collected from a community sample of Mission Indians residing in Southwest California. METHODS: A structured diagnostic interview was used to define two tobacco use phenotypes: 1) any regular tobacco usage (smoked daily for one month or more) and 2) persistent tobacco usage (smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day for more than one year). Heritability was determined and a linkage analysis was performed, using genotypes for a panel 791 microsatellite polymorphisms, for the two phenotypes using variance component methods implemented in SOLAR. RESULTS: Analyses of multipoint variance component LOD scores for the two tobacco use phenotypes revealed two scores that exceeded 2.0 for the regular use phenotype: one on chromosomes 6 and one on 8. Four other loci on chromosomes 1,7,13, and 22 were found with LOD scores between 1.0 and 1.5. Two loci of interest were found on chromosomes 1 and 4 for the persistent use phenotype with LOD scores between 1.3–1.5. Bivariate linkage analysis was conducted at the site on chromosome 4 for persistent tobacco use and an alcohol drinking severity phenotype previously identified at this site. The maximum LOD score for the bivariate analysis for the region was 3.4, however, there was insufficient power to exclude coincident linkage. CONCLUSION: While not providing evidence for linkage to specific chromosomal regions these results identify regions of interest in the genome in this Mission Indian population, for tobacco usage, some of which were identified in previous genome scans of non-native populations. Additionally, these data lend support for the hypothesis that cigarette smoking, alcohol dependence and other consumptive behaviors may share some common risk and/or protective factors in this Mission Indian population

The "Hypertension approaches in the elderly: a lifestyle study" multicenter, randomized trial (HAEL Study) : rationale and methodological protocol

Background: Hypertension is a clinical condition highly prevalent in the elderly, imposing great risks to cardiovascular diseases and loss of quality of life. Current guidelines emphasize the importance of nonpharmacological strategies as a first-line approach to lower blood pressure. Exercise is an efficient lifestyle tool that can benefit a myriad of health-related outcomes, including blood pressure control, in older adults. We herein report the protocol of the HAEL Study, which aims to evaluate the efficacy of a pragmatic combined exercise training compared with a health education program on ambulatory blood pressure and other health-related outcomes in older individuals. Methods: Randomized, single-blinded, multicenter, two-arm, parallel, superiority trial. A total of 184 subjects (92/center), ≥60 years of age, with no recent history of cardiovascular events, will be randomized on a 1:1 ratio to 12-week interventions consisting either of a combined exercise (aerobic and strength) training, three times per week, or an active-control group receiving health education intervention, once a week. Ambulatory (primary outcome) and office blood pressures, cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function, together with quality of life, functional fitness and autonomic control will be measured in before and after intervention. Discussion: Our conceptual hypothesis is that combined training intervention will reduce ambulatory blood pressure in comparison with health education group. Using a superiority framework, analysis plan prespecifies an intention-to-treat approach, per protocol criteria, subgroups analysis, and handling of missing data. The trial is recruiting since September 2017. Finally, this study was designed to adhere to data sharing practices