Behavior and biological aspects of <i>Acanthoscelides obtectus</i> (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in common landraces bean, <i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>

O feijão é uma fonte natural de proteínas e constitui um produto de grande importância econômica e social. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se estudar a influência de diferentes cultivares “crioulas” de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) de polinização aberta, sobre o comportamento e a biologia do caruncho do feijão Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). O experimento foi conduzido sob delineamento completamente casualizado com grãos de 22 cultivares crioulas de feijão, composto por 16 repetições, oferecidos aos carunchos em teste com chance de escolha. Utilizaram-se parcelas com 13 g de grãos de cada cultivar e liberados cinco casais adultos por cultivar. Foi avaliado a atratividade, a oviposição, a viabilidade de ovos, a emergência e o peso de adultos, o período de desenvolvimento e a perda de peso das sementes. Em média, 77,8% dos adultos alojaram-se entre os grãos. Os cultivares BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 e 192 foram significativamente menos atrativos e menos preferidos para a oviposição. Já os cultivares BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 foram aqueles em que os adultos preferiam alojar-se e consequentemente depositaram maior número de ovos. Significativa redução na emergência foi observada nos cultivares BAFs 3, 97 e 192. Insetos oriundos dos cultivares BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 mostraram menor consumo da massa de grãos, mas não diferiram no peso quando comparados aos insetos emergidos nos demais genótipos. Conclui-se que os cultivares BAFs 3, 192 e 97 foram menos atrativos e também aqueles em que menos adultos de A. obtectus emergiram.Bean is a natural source of proteins and has a high economic and social importance. The objective of this research was to study the influence of different common landrace beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on the behavior and biology of bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). In a statistical randomized design with sixteen repetitions, grains of twenty two common beans landraces were offered to the bean weevil in a free choice test. Plots with 13 g of each variety and a proportion of 5 adult pairs/plot were used. The attractiveness, oviposition, emergence and adult weight, developmental period and seed weight loss were assessed. An average of 78 % of adults beetle were attracted for the tested genotypes. The varieties BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 and 192 were significantly less attractive and less preferred to oviposition. However the varieties BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 attracted a major number of adults and consequently the number of eggs laid was higher. Significantly less bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 3, 97 and 192. Bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 showed less food consumption but did not differed on body mass from the bean weevil emerged of the others beans grain varieties.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Behavior and biological aspects of <i>Acanthoscelides obtectus</i> (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in common landraces bean, <i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>

O feijão é uma fonte natural de proteínas e constitui um produto de grande importância econômica e social. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se estudar a influência de diferentes cultivares “crioulas” de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) de polinização aberta, sobre o comportamento e a biologia do caruncho do feijão Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). O experimento foi conduzido sob delineamento completamente casualizado com grãos de 22 cultivares crioulas de feijão, composto por 16 repetições, oferecidos aos carunchos em teste com chance de escolha. Utilizaram-se parcelas com 13 g de grãos de cada cultivar e liberados cinco casais adultos por cultivar. Foi avaliado a atratividade, a oviposição, a viabilidade de ovos, a emergência e o peso de adultos, o período de desenvolvimento e a perda de peso das sementes. Em média, 77,8% dos adultos alojaram-se entre os grãos. Os cultivares BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 e 192 foram significativamente menos atrativos e menos preferidos para a oviposição. Já os cultivares BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 foram aqueles em que os adultos preferiam alojar-se e consequentemente depositaram maior número de ovos. Significativa redução na emergência foi observada nos cultivares BAFs 3, 97 e 192. Insetos oriundos dos cultivares BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 mostraram menor consumo da massa de grãos, mas não diferiram no peso quando comparados aos insetos emergidos nos demais genótipos. Conclui-se que os cultivares BAFs 3, 192 e 97 foram menos atrativos e também aqueles em que menos adultos de A. obtectus emergiram.Bean is a natural source of proteins and has a high economic and social importance. The objective of this research was to study the influence of different common landrace beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on the behavior and biology of bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). In a statistical randomized design with sixteen repetitions, grains of twenty two common beans landraces were offered to the bean weevil in a free choice test. Plots with 13 g of each variety and a proportion of 5 adult pairs/plot were used. The attractiveness, oviposition, emergence and adult weight, developmental period and seed weight loss were assessed. An average of 78 % of adults beetle were attracted for the tested genotypes. The varieties BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 and 192 were significantly less attractive and less preferred to oviposition. However the varieties BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 attracted a major number of adults and consequently the number of eggs laid was higher. Significantly less bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 3, 97 and 192. Bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 showed less food consumption but did not differed on body mass from the bean weevil emerged of the others beans grain varieties.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Behavior and biological aspects of <i>Acanthoscelides obtectus</i> (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in common landraces bean, <i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>

O feijão é uma fonte natural de proteínas e constitui um produto de grande importância econômica e social. Neste trabalho, objetivou-se estudar a influência de diferentes cultivares “crioulas” de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) de polinização aberta, sobre o comportamento e a biologia do caruncho do feijão Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). O experimento foi conduzido sob delineamento completamente casualizado com grãos de 22 cultivares crioulas de feijão, composto por 16 repetições, oferecidos aos carunchos em teste com chance de escolha. Utilizaram-se parcelas com 13 g de grãos de cada cultivar e liberados cinco casais adultos por cultivar. Foi avaliado a atratividade, a oviposição, a viabilidade de ovos, a emergência e o peso de adultos, o período de desenvolvimento e a perda de peso das sementes. Em média, 77,8% dos adultos alojaram-se entre os grãos. Os cultivares BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 e 192 foram significativamente menos atrativos e menos preferidos para a oviposição. Já os cultivares BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 foram aqueles em que os adultos preferiam alojar-se e consequentemente depositaram maior número de ovos. Significativa redução na emergência foi observada nos cultivares BAFs 3, 97 e 192. Insetos oriundos dos cultivares BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 mostraram menor consumo da massa de grãos, mas não diferiram no peso quando comparados aos insetos emergidos nos demais genótipos. Conclui-se que os cultivares BAFs 3, 192 e 97 foram menos atrativos e também aqueles em que menos adultos de A. obtectus emergiram.Bean is a natural source of proteins and has a high economic and social importance. The objective of this research was to study the influence of different common landrace beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) on the behavior and biology of bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say). In a statistical randomized design with sixteen repetitions, grains of twenty two common beans landraces were offered to the bean weevil in a free choice test. Plots with 13 g of each variety and a proportion of 5 adult pairs/plot were used. The attractiveness, oviposition, emergence and adult weight, developmental period and seed weight loss were assessed. An average of 78 % of adults beetle were attracted for the tested genotypes. The varieties BAFs 3, 47, 68, 97, 121 and 192 were significantly less attractive and less preferred to oviposition. However the varieties BAFs 4, 7, 23, 75 e 102 attracted a major number of adults and consequently the number of eggs laid was higher. Significantly less bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 3, 97 and 192. Bean weevil emerged from the grains of the varieties BAFs 13, 55, 84 e 192 showed less food consumption but did not differed on body mass from the bean weevil emerged of the others beans grain varieties.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Dominant mutations in ITPR3 cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Objective ITPR3, encoding inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3, was previously reported as a potential candidate disease gene for Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy. Here, we present genetic and functional evidence thatITPR3is a Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease gene. Methods Whole-exome sequencing of four affected individuals in an autosomal dominant family and one individual who was the only affected individual in his family was used to identify disease-causing variants. Skin fibroblasts from two individuals of the autosomal dominant family were analyzed functionally by western blotting, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and Ca(2+)imaging. Results Affected individuals in the autosomal dominant family had onset of symmetrical neuropathy with demyelinating and secondary axonal features at around age 30, showing signs of gradual progression with severe distal leg weakness and hand involvement in the proband at age 64. Exome sequencing identified a heterozygousITPR3p.Val615Met variant segregating with the disease. The individual who was the only affected in his family had disease onset at age 4 with demyelinating neuropathy. His condition was progressive, leading to severe muscle atrophy below knees and atrophy of proximal leg and hand muscles by age 16. Trio exome sequencing identified ade novo ITPR3variant p.Arg2524Cys. Altered Ca2+-transients in p.Val615Met patient fibroblasts suggested that the variant has a dominant-negative effect on inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 function. Interpretation Together with two previously identified variants, our report adds further evidence thatITPR3is a disease-causing gene for CMT and indicates altered Ca(2+)homeostasis in disease pathogenesis.Peer reviewe

Nurse moral disengagement

Background: Ethics is a founding component of the nursing profession; however, nurses sometimes find it difficult to constantly adhere to the required ethical standards. There is limited knowledge about the factors that cause a committed nurse to violate standards; moral disengagement, originally developed by Bandura, is an essential variable to consider. Research objectives: This study aimed at developing and validating a nursing moral disengagement scale and investigated how moral disengagement is associated with counterproductive and citizenship behaviour at work. Research design: The research comprised a qualitative study and a quantitative study, combining a crossvalidation approach and a structural equation model. Participants and research context: A total of 60 Italian nurses (63% female) involved in clinical work and enrolled as students in a postgraduate master’s programme took part in the qualitative study. In 2012, the researchers recruited 434 nurses (76% female) from different Italian hospitals using a convenience sampling method to take part in the quantitative study. Ethical considerations: All the organisations involved and the university gave ethical approval; all respondents participated on a voluntary basis and did not receive any form of compensation. Findings: The nursing moral disengagement scale comprised a total of 22 items. Results attested the mono-dimensionality of the scale and its good psychometric properties. In addition, results highlighted a significant association between moral disengagement and both counterproductive and citizenship behaviours

Contrasting Patterns of Nuclear and mtDNA Diversity in Native American Populations

We report an integrated analysis of nuclear (autosomal, X- and Y-chromosome) short tandem repeat (STR) data and mtDNA D-loop sequences obtained in the same set of 22 Native populations from across the Americas. A north to south gradient of decreasing population diversity was observed, in agreement with a settlement of the Americas from the extreme northwest of the continent. This correlation is stronger with "least cost distances," which consider the coasts as facilitators of migration. Continent-wide estimates of population structure are highest for the Y-chromosome and lowest for the autosomes, consistent with the effective size of the different marker systems examined. Population differentiation is highest in East South America and lowest in Meso America and the Andean region. Regional analyses suggest a deviation from mutation-drift equilibrium consistent with population expansion in Meso America and the Andes and population contraction in Northwest and East South America. These data hint at an early divergence of Andean and non-Andean South Americans and at a contrasting demographic history for populations from these regions.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celula

Analysis of X chromosome inactivation in autism spectrum disorders.

International audienceAutism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex genetic disorders more frequently observed in males. Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is observed in heterozygous females carrying gene mutations involved in several X-linked syndromes. In this study, we aimed to estimate the role of X-linked genes in ASD susceptibility by ascertaining the XCI pattern in a sample of 543 informative mothers of children with ASD and in a sample of 163 affected girls. The XCI pattern was also determined in two control groups (144 adult females and 40 young females) with a similar age distribution to the mothers sample and affected girls sample, respectively. We observed no significant excess of skewed XCI in families with ASD. Interestingly, two mothers and one girl carrying known mutations in X-linked genes (NLGN3, ATRX, MECP2) showed highly skewed XCI, suggesting that ascertainment of XCI could reveal families with X-linked mutations. Linkage analysis was carried out in the subgroup of multiplex families with skewed XCI (> or = 80:20) and a modest increased allele sharing was obtained in the Xq27-Xq28 region, with a peak Z-score of 1.75 close to rs719489. In summary, our results suggest that there is no major X-linked gene subject to XCI and expressed in blood cells conferring susceptibility to ASD. However, the possibility that rare mutations in X-linked genes could contribute to ASD cannot be excluded. We propose that the XCI profile could be a useful criteria to prioritize families for mutation screening of X-linked candidate genes

Age-associated modifications of intestinal permeability and innate immunity in human small intestine

The physical and immunological properties of the human intestinal epithelial barrier in aging are largely unknown. Ileal biopsies from young (7–12 years), adult (20–40 years) and aging (67–77 years) individuals not showing symptoms of gastrointestinal (GI) pathologies were used to assess levels of inflammatory cytokines, barrier integrity and cytokine production in response to microbial challenges. Increased expression of interleukin (IL)-6, but not interferon (IFN)γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-1β was observed during aging; further analysis showed that cluster of differentiation (CD)11c+ dendritic cells (DCs) are one of the major sources of IL-6 in the aging gut and expressed higher levels of CD40. Up-regulated production of IL-6 was accompanied by increased expression of claudin-2 leading to reduced transepithelial electric resistance (TEER); TEER could be restored in in vitro and ex vivo cultures by neutralizing anti-IL-6 antibody. In contrast, expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and junctional-adhesion molecule-A1 did not vary with age and overall permeability to macromolecules was not affected. Finally, cytokine production in response to different microbial stimuli was assessed in a polarized in vitro organ culture (IVOC). IL-8 production in response to flagellin declined progressively with age although the expression and distribution of toll-like receptor (TLR)-5 on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) remained unchanged. Also, flagellin-induced production of IL-6 was less pronounced in aging individuals. In contrast, TNF-α production in response to probiotics (VSL#3) did not decline with age; however, in our experimental model probiotics did not down-regulate the production of IL-6 and expression of claudin-2. These data suggested that aging affects properties of the intestinal barrier likely to impact on age-associated disturbances, both locally and systemically

Congenital myopathies: Clinical phenotypes and new diagnostic tools

Congenital myopathies are a group of genetic muscle disorders characterized clinically by hypotonia and weakness, usually from birth, and a static or slowly progressive clinical course. Historically, congenital myopathies have been classified on the basis of major morphological features seen on muscle biopsy. However, different genes have now been identified as associated with the various phenotypic and histological expressions of these disorders, and in recent years, because of their unexpectedly wide genetic and clinical heterogeneity, next-generation sequencing has increasingly been used for their diagnosis. We reviewed clinical and genetic forms of congenital myopathy and defined possible strategies to improve cost-effectiveness in histological and imaging diagnosis