Identification and Analysis of NnOMT and NnNMT Gene Families in Nelumbo nucifera / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveThe biosynthetic pathways of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids（BIAs） in Nelumbo nucifera are of great theoretical and economic value. In this paper， N. nucifera O-methyltransferase（NnOMT） and N. nucifera N-methyltransferase（NnNMT） gene families were identified and analyzed by bioinformatics in order to facilitate the biosynthetic pathway of BIAs in N. nucifera. MethodBased on the whole genome of N. nucifera， UniPort and National Center for Biotechnology Information（NCBI） databases were used to identify the NnOMT and NnNMT gene families of N. nucifera， and analyze their physicochemical properties and subcellular localization， then TBtools， MEME， MEGA 11.0， FigTree 1.4.4 and other tools were used to analyze the phylogeny， sequence characteristics， gene structure， functional annotation and cis-acting elements of NnOMT and NnNMT genes identified in the previous stage. ResultA total of 61 NnOMT and NnNMT genes were identified in this paper， the number of amino acids encoded by these genes ranged from 168 aa to 580 aa， the isoelectric point ranged from 4.76 to 9.16， and the relative molecular weight ranged from 18 699.52 Da to 64 934.53 Da， most of which showed acidic and mostly hydrophilic proteins. There were 10 conserved motifs， Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） analysis enriched a total of 12 pathways， including metabolism， biosynthesis of phenylpropane and isoquinoline alkaloids， etc. And Visualization of Gene Ontology（GO） enrichment results showed that 61 NnOMT and NnNMT genes were annotated to 32 items， which included 16 molecular functions［such as reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide（NADH） activity and exopeptidase activity］ and 16 biological processes（such as metabolic process of carbon tetrachloride， anaerobic carbon tetrachloride metabolic process and responses to exogenous biological stimuli）. There were a variety of cis-acting elements in the promoter regions of NnOMT and NnNMT genes， mainly promoter and enhancer regions element， light responsive element and methyl jasmonate responsive element. ConclusionIn this study， a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of 61 NnOMT and NnNMT genes is carried out based on the genome data of N. nucifera， which lays a foundation for research on the gene structure and function of NnOMT and NnNMT gene families， and provides a reference for biosynthetic pathway elucidation of BIAs in N. nucifera.

Identification and Bioinformatics Analysis of CYP71 Gene Family of Diploid Perilla frutescens / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveCYP71 gene family is one of the CYP71 clans belonging to cytochrome P450， which plays an important role in secondary metabolites， especially terpenoid biosynthesis. To understand the characteristics of CYP71 family of diploid Perilla frutescens and predict its function， this study identified and systematically analyzed the family by bioinformatics. MethodOn the basis of the whole genome of diploid P. frutescens PC99， the conserved domains of CYP71 family of diploid P. frutescens were screened， and the sequence characteristics， gene structure， chromosome location， phylogeny and cis-acting elements were analyzed by National Center for Biotechnology Information （NCBI）， TBtools， MEME， Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis （MEGA）， Cytoscape and other tools. ResultA total of 68 CYP71 genes were identified from diploid P. frutescens， which were unevenly distributed on 34 chromosomes and belonged to two subfamilies. They encoded 481-530 amino acids and contained 10 conserved motifs， with the isoelectric point of 5.70-9.03 and the molecular weight of 54 217.07-60 031.79 Da. The enrichment analysis and functional annotation analysis revealed 11 enriched pathways and 114 categories， and the genes were mainly annotated in biological processes. There were many cis-acting elements in the promoter region of CYP71， mainly light-responsive and methyl jasmonate-responsive elements. Protein-protein interaction analysis indicated that CYP71 protein had multiple functions such as terpene cyclase activity. ConclusionThis study lays a foundation for the functional study of CYP71 family， and provides a reference for the biosynthesis of monoterpenes in P. frutescens and the directional cultivation of excellent varieties.

Diseño y Validación de Contenido de una Guía de Análisis Funcional para Población con Depresión / Design and Validation of Content of a Guide for Functional Analysis for Population with Depression

Resumen El objetivo de esta investigación fue establecer el diseño y la validez de contenido de una Guía de Práctica Clínica (GPC) de análisis funcional (AF) para población con trastorno depresivo mayor (TDM). Se realizó por medio de una metodología cuantitativa de tipo instrumental, implementando la técnica de validación por jueces expertos, con la participación de seis jueces con experiencia en psicología clínica y cuatro en análisis del comportamiento. Resultado de la evaluación de los jueces, se obtuvo un índice de validez de contenido de 0.85, permitiendo establecer la validez de la GPC de análisis funcional para evaluar el TDM. Se concluye que los procedimientos para realizar AF en TDM corresponden con los referentes teórico-prácticos disponibles y con la tradición del enfoque conductual en psicología.

Abstract The objective of this research was to establish the design and content validity of a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for Functional Analysis (FA) for a population with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It was carried out by means of an instrumental quantitative methodology, implementing the validation technique by expert judges, with the participation of six judges with experience in clinical psychology and four in behavior analysis. Result of the evaluation of the judges, a Content Validity Index of 0.85 was obtained, allowing to establish the validity of the Functional Analysis CPG to evaluate the TDM. It is concluded that the procedures to perform FA in TDM correspond with the available theoretical-practical references and with the tradition of the behavioral approach in psychology.

Molecular characterization and functional analysis of scavenger receptor class B from black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

BACKGROUND: Scavenger receptor class B (SRB) is a multifunctional protein in animals that participates in physiological processes, including recognition of a wide range of ligands. Astaxanthin is a major carotenoid found in shrimp. However, the molecular mechanism of astaxanthin and SRB protein binding has not been reported. RESULTS: In the present study, a member of the SRB subfamily, named PmSRB, was identified from the transcriptome of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). The open reading frame of PmSRB was 1557 bp in length and encoded 518 amino acids. The structure of PmSRB included a putative transmembrane structure at the N-terminal region and a CD36 domain. Multiple sequence alignment indicated that the CD36 domain were conserved. Phylogenetic analysis showed four separate branches (SRA, SRB, SRC, and croquemort) in the phylogenetic tree and that PmSRB was clustered with SRB of Eriocheir sinensis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the PmSRB gene was widely expressed in all tissues tested, with the highest expression level observed in the lymphoid organ and brain. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that PmSRB-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion proteins were predominantly localized in the cell membrane. The recombinant proteins of PmSRB showed binding activities against astaxanthin in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: PmSRB was identified and characterized in this study. It is firstly reported that PmSRB may take as an important mediator of astaxanthin uptake in shrimp.

The role of circular RNA circ_0008285 in gestational diabetes mellitus by regulating the biological functions of trophoblasts

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) has emerged as vital regulator involved in various diseases. In this study, we identified and investigated the potential circRNAs involved in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: High-throughput sequencing was used to collect the plasma circRNAs expression profiles of GDM patients. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expressions of circ_0008285 and circ_0001173 in the plasma specimens. The Pearson's correlation test was employed to assess the correlation between 2 circRNAs expression and the clinicopathologic data. Two circRNAs expression was verified in high glucose (HG)-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. MTS, transwell assay was used to evaluate the effects of circ_0008285 expression on HG-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. The network of circ_0008285 was constructed using cytocape. RESULTS: In GDM patients, the expression of circ_0008285 was significantly upregulated, while that of circ_0001173 was decreased. Circ_0008285 was significantly correlated with the total cholesterol and LDL-C levels. Circ_0001173 was significantly correlated with glycated hemoglobin. HG promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration in HTR-8/SVneo cells, while the knockdown of circ_0008285 exerted reverse effects. In addition, network construction exhibited that circ_0008285 had 45 miRNA binding sites, which correlated with 444 mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: circ_0008285 plays an important role and provides a clue for the usage of therapeutic targets in the development of GDM.

Up-regulation of MARVEL domain-containing protein 1 (MARVELD1) accelerated the malignant phenotype of glioma cancer cells via mediating JAK/STAT signaling pathway

This work aimed to research the function of MARVEL domain-containing protein 1 (MARVELD1) in glioma as well as its functioning mode. Bioinformatics analysis was utilized to assess the MARVELD1 expression in glioma tissues and its relationship with grade and prognosis, based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and Transwell assays were carried out to determine the impact of MARVELD1 on malignant biological behavior of glioma, such as proliferation, invasion, and migration. qRT-PCR was carried out to test the mRNA level of MARVELD1. Western blot assay was performed to measure the protein expression of MARVELD1 and JAK/STAT pathway-related proteins. MARVELD1 was expressed at high levels in glioma tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the higher MARVELD1 expression, the shorter the survival time of patients with glioma. Also, the MARVELD1 expression in WHO IV was significantly enhanced compared to that in WHO II and WHO III. Furthermore, the functional analysis of MARVELD1 in vitro revealed that knockdown of MARVELD1 in U251 cells restrained cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while up-regulation of MARVELD1 in U87 cells presented opposite outcomes. Finally, we found that JAK/STAT signaling pathway mediated the function of MARVELD1 in glioma. MARVELD1 contributed to promoting the malignant progression of glioma, which is the key driver of activation of JAK/STAT signaling pathway in gliomas.

Expression analysis of miRNA profiles in apheresis platelets at the end of storage / 中国输血杂志

【Objective】 To investigate the changes of platelet microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of storage in vitro, and to explore the molecular mechanism of miRNAs involved in the regulation of platelet storage lesion (PSL). 【Methods】 20 platelet samples (5 mL / sample) were collected from apheresis platelet donors, fully mixed and stored in a shaker with (22±2) ℃ horizontal agitation, sampled on day 1 and day 5, and sequenced by DNA nanoball (DNB) sequencing technology. The miRNAs with more than 2 times expressions (P<0.01) were considered as significantly differences between d5 and d1 groups. The miRanda and TargetScan softwares were used to predict the target genes. Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the target genes of significant differentially expressed miRNAs. The expression of miRNAs was verified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). 【Results】 Compared with d1 group, 315 miRNAs with significantly different expression (P<0.01) were screened in d5 group, including 146 up-regulated miRNAs (such as miR-146a, let-7b), and 169 down-regulated miRNAs (such as mir-30d, mir-142). Among 126 known miRNAs, 43 were up-regulated and 83 were down-regulated. There are 189 new miRNA sequences. The enriched GO terms of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs in d5 and d1 groups included cell components, organelles, cell membrane and other cell structures, molecular functions such as adhesion, catalysis and activity, and biological processes such as cell processing, metabolism, biological regulation and stress. The corresponding pathways in the top 10 of KEGG enrichment were mainly signal transduction, secretion, membrane transport, amino acid metabolism, polysaccharide metabolism, protein synthesis and environmental adaptation. The 6 randomly selected differentially expressed miRNAs verified by qRT-PCR were consistent with those of DNB sequencing. 【Conclusion】 The expression profiles of platelets miRNAs have changed significantly between the d1 and d5 of storage in vitro. Functional prediction suggested that these miRNAs might be involved in the regulation of platelet PSL.

Mirna expression profiling of osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by microchannel porous hydroxyapatite scaffold / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND: Porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds have good osteogenesis in vivo and in vitro. However, little research has been done on the complex regulation mechanisms of miRNAs involved. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of related miRNA expression in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells during osteogenic mineralization by porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds. METHODS: Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated, cultured and identified in vitro. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells co-cultured with porous hydroxyapatite scaffold were as experimental group, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells cultured alone served as blank control group, both of which underwent osteogenic induction for 7 days. During the osteogenic mineralization, miRNA high-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze the changes of miRNA expression profiles followed by GO analysis. The miRNA molecules with obvious expression differences were screened and verified by qRT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Compared with the blank control group, in the experimental group, the expression levels of BMP2, ALP and Runx2 mRNA were up-regulated, and the expression level of BMP2 was up-regulated significantly (P < 0.05). (2) Results of miRNA high-throughput sequencing showed that 13 miRNAs such as miR-210-3p and miR-146a-5p were up-regulated, and 17 miRNAs such as let-7c-3p and let-3615 were down-regulated significantly. (3) GO analysis revealed that up-regulated miRNA target genes were mainly involved in biological regulation, cellular gene expression, and gene expression regulation, mainly including nuclear factor-κB, Toll-like receptor 9, intercellular adhesion, interleukin-1 regulation, and signaling pathways such as angiogenesis and Hippo. (4) Real-time fluorescence quantitative qPCR results showed that miRNA-210 was up-regulated 15 times and miR-146a-5p was up-regulated 10 times in the experimental group (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the new microchannel porous hydroxyapatite scaffold can promote the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by up-regulating miRNA-210-3p and miR-146a.

Genome-wide Identification and Characterization of TIFY Gene Family in Medicinal Plant Cannabis sativa / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:The TIFY gene family will be identified and characterized from the whole genome level in Cannabis sativa，which will lay the foundation for gene function study on TIFY family genes and their regulation mechanism on the biosynthesis of cannabinoids and other secondary metabolites. Method:Using the existing genomic data of cannabis，the CsTIFY genes were identified through bioinformatics analysis tools such as NCBI，PlantTFDB，MEME and TBtools etc.，and physicochemical properties，phylogenetic trees，gene structures，chromosome locations and gene expression patterns were analyzed and visualized. Result:Fourteen TIFY family genes（CsTIFY1-CsTIFY14） were identified in Cannabis sativa，which belong to four subfamilies：TIFY，JAZ，ZML，and PPD. The CsTIFYs are composed of 365-1 369 bp nucleotides encoding 118-442 amino acid residues，and their isoelectric points are 4.64-9.96. The 14 CsTIFYs are unevenly distributed on 8 chromosomes，and their proteins are all located in the nucleus. The promoter of CsTIFYs contain multiple abiotic stress responsive cis-acting elements，which indicated that CsTIFYs might involved in the regulation of different abiotic stresses. Transcriptome profiling revealed that CsTIFYs expressed differently in female flowers of 10 differently cannabis varieties，or in flowers，bracts，stems，and leaves of the same variety. Conclusion:Fourteen TIFY family genes were characterized from the whole genome level in C. sativa，and their phylogenetic evolutions and gene expression patterns were analyzed，indicating that CsTIFYs may play important regulatory roles in JA signal transduction，abiotic stress and cannabinoid biosynthesis. This study will provide valuable reference for gene function study of the TIFY family genes in cannabis and cannabis breeding.

Identification and functional analysis of soybean stearoyl-ACP Δ⁹ desaturase (GmSAD) gene family / 生物工程学报

Stearoyl-ACP Δ⁹ desaturase (SAD) catalyzes the synthesis of monounsaturated oleic acid or palmitoleic acid in plastids. SAD is the key enzyme to control the ratio of saturated fatty acids to unsaturated fatty acids in plant cells. In order to analyze the regulation mechanism of soybean oleic acid synthesis, soybean (Glycine max) GmSAD family members were genome-wide identified, and their conserved functional domains and physicochemical properties were also analyzed by bioinformatics tools. The spatiotemporal expression profile of each member of GmSADs was detected by qRT-PCR. The expression vectors of GmSAD5 were constructed. The enzyme activity and biological function of GmSAD5 were examined by Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in Nicotiana tabacum leaves and genetic transformation of oleic acid-deficient yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutant BY4389. Results show that the soybean genome contains five GmSAD family members, all encoding an enzyme protein with diiron center and two conservative histidine enrichment motifs (EENRHG and DEKRHE) specific to SAD enzymes. The active enzyme protein was predicted as a homodimer. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that five GmSADs were divided into two subgroups, which were closely related to AtSSI2 and AtSAD6, respectively. The expression profiles of GmSAD members were significantly different in soybean roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds at different developmental stages. Among them, GmSAD5 expressed highly in the middle and late stages of developmental seeds, which coincided with the oil accumulation period. Transient expression of GmSAD5 in tobacco leaves increased the oleic acid and total oil content in leaf tissue by 5.56% and 2.73%, respectively, while stearic acid content was reduced by 2.46%. Functional complementation assay in defective yeast strain BY4389 demonstrated that overexpression of GmSAD5 was able to restore the synthesis of monounsaturated oleic acid, resulting in high oil accumulation. Taken together, soybean GmSAD5 has strong selectivity to stearic acid substrates and can efficiently catalyze the biosynthesis of monounsaturated oleic acid. It lays the foundation for the study of soybean seed oleic acid and total oil accumulation mechanism, providing an excellent target for genetic improvement of oil quality in soybean.

An update on sparring taekwondo's internal logic / Uma atualização da lógica interna de competição do combate no taekwondo / Una actualización de la lógica interna de la competición del combate en el taekwondo

Abstract: This manuscript addresses the internal logic of sparring taekwondo, regulated by the World Taekwondo Federation, to explain motor actions used in competitions. A narrative review was conducted on Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Ebsco, PubMed, ProQuest, and Dialnet databases, guided by structural and functional taekwondo parameters with no limits as to year of publication or language used. The authors describe the various elements that make up the sport's internal logic such as regulation, space, time, motor communication, roles and sub-roles in addition to the techniques or execution models that explain their special characteristics. This could assist in further examining the characteristics of that sport, defining combat actions, and contextualizing the real competitive situation by adapting tactical taekwondo sequences. Being aware of this sport's unique characteristics will enable creating the necessary framework to continue research on Olympic-level taekwondo.

Resumo: O objetivo do manuscrito é abordar a lógica interna do taekwondo competição regulamentada pela Federação Mundial do Taekwondo para explicar a ação motora na competição. Uma revisão narrativa foi realizada com base nos parâmetros estruturais e funcionais do taekwondo nos bancos de dados do Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Ebsco, PubMed, ProQuest e Dialnet, sem limitar o ano de publicação nem o idioma utilizado. Os autores se referem aos diversos elementos que compõem a lógica interna mencionada, como regulação, espaço, tempo, comunicação motora, papéis e subfunções, além dos modelos de técnica ou execução, explicando suas particularidades. Isso poderia nos ajudar a aprofundar as características desse esporte, definir a ação de combate e contextualizar a situação real da competição, adaptando as sequências táticas do taekwondo. O conhecimento das particularidades desse esporte permite criar uma estrutura necessária para continuar o trabalho da pesquisa no taekwondo olímpico .

Resumen: El objetivo de este manuscrito es abordar la lógica interna del taekwondo de competición regulado por la Federación Mundial de Taekwondo para explicar la acción motriz en la competición. Se realizó una revisión narrativa basada en los parámetros estructurales y funcionales del taekwondo en las bases de datos del Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, Ebsco, PubMed, ProQuest y Dialnet sin limitar el año de publicación ni el idioma. Los autores se refieren a los diversos elementos que componen la lógica interna mencionada, como reglamento, espacio, tiempo, comunicación motriz, roles y subfunciones, además de los modelos de técnica o ejecución, explicando sus particularidades. Esto podría ayudarnos a profundizar en las características del taekwondo, a definir la acción de combate y a contextualizar la situación real de la competición, adaptando las secuencias tácticas del taekwondo. El conocimiento de las particularidades de este deporte permite crear un marco necesario para continuar el trabajo de investigación en el taekwondo olímpico.

Methodological strategies for functional analysis and evaluation of obsessive-compulsive behavior / Estratégias metodológicas para avaliação e análise funcional do comportamento obsessivo-compulsivo / Estrategias metodológicas para evaluación y análisis funcional de la conducta obsesiva-compulsiva

The study aimed to identify the controlling variables of obsessive-compulsive behaviors of an adult participant, based on three evaluation strategies. For the first one, Indirect Functional Assessment, the researchers recovered records of therapy sessions attended by the participant, in which conditions favorable to obsessive-compulsive behaviors were described. For the second one, Descriptive Functional Assessment, the researchers observed the participant's behavior during sessions in which they presented tasks previously mentioned as triggering of the problem behavior. For the third one, Brief Functional Analysis - Single Function Test, the researchers manipulated a demand condition and a control condition, aiming to examine the functional hypothesis that the problem behavior would be maintained by escape/avoidance of tasks. Although dissonant, the results allowed the researchers to discard the negative reinforcement hypothesis. The pertinence of the adoption of different evaluation strategies for clinical practice and the frailties of interventions guided only by verbal reports are discussed.

O estudo teve por objetivo identificar variáveis controladoras de comportamentos obsessivo-compulsivos de um participante adulto, com base em três estratégias de avaliação. Na primeira, Avaliação Funcional Indireta, recuperaram-se registros de sessões de terapia frequentadas pelo participante, em que foram descritas condições favorecedoras dos comportamentos obsessivo-compulsivos. Na segunda, Avaliação Funcional Descritiva, observou-se o comportamento do participante em sessões nas quais se dispunham tarefas antes indicadas como desencadeantes do comportamento-problema. Na terceira, Análise Funcional Breve - Teste de Função Única, foram manipuladas condições de demanda e controle, a fim de examinar a hipótese funcional de que o comportamento-problema seria mantido por fuga/ esquiva de tarefas. Embora divergentes, os resultados das avalições permitiram descartar a hipótese de que o comportamento-alvo seria mantido pela retirada da tarefa. Discutem-se a pertinência da adoção de diferentes estratégias de avaliação no trabalho clínico e a fragilidade de intervenções unicamente orientadas por relatos verbais.

El estudio objetivó identificar variables controladoras de la conducta obsesiva-compulsiva de un participante adulto, basando-se en tres estrategias de evaluación. Por la primera, Evaluación Funcional Indirecta, fueran recuperados registros de sesiones de terapia frecuentadas por el participante, en que se describieron condiciones favorecedoras de los comportamientos obsesivo-compulsivos. Por la segunda, Evaluación Funcional Descriptiva, fue observada la conducta del participante en sesiones en las cuales se disponían tareas indicadas como desencadenantes de la conducta-problema. Por la tercera, Análisis Funcional - Prueba de Función Única, fueran manipuladas condiciones de demanda e control, objetivando examinar la hipótesis funcional de que la conducta problema sería mantenida por fuga/evasión de tareas. Aunque divergentes, los resultados permitirán descartar a la hipótesis de que la conducta objetivo sería mantenida por reforzamiento negativo. Se discute la pertinencia de la adopción de diferentes estrategias de evaluación del trabajo clínico, y debilidades de intervenciones únicamente orientadas por relatos verbales.

A análise do comportamento e a intersexualidade / Behavior analysis and intersexuality / El análisis del comportamiento y la intersexualidad

Há várias teorias para explicar a sexualidade humana e são várias as ciências que também tentam explicá-la. Nesse sentido, a Análise do Comportamento entende a sexualidade como um comportamento, e a intersexualidade como uma metacontigência, isto é, contingências de reforçamento em que um organismo depende do outro para obter reforçamento e que produz um produto agregado. Então, o presente artigo está embasado teoricamente no Bahaviorismo Radical de B.F. Skinner e tem como objetivo analisar a intersexualidade à luz da Análise do Comportamento...(AU)

There are several theories to explain human sexuality and there are several sciences that try to explain it. In this sense, for some years now, the Behavior Analysis has been concerned with issues of macrocontamination and metacontingency. In this sense, the Behavior Analysis understands sexuality as a behavior, and intersexuality as a metacontigence, that is, contingencies of reinforcement in which an organism depends on the other to obtain reinforcement and produces an aggregate product. Thus, the present paper is based theoretically on the Radical Bahaviorism of B.F. Skinner and aims to analyze the intersexuality in the light of the Analysis of the Behavior...(AU)

Existen varias teorías para explicar la sexualidad humana, y muchas ciencias también intentan explicarla. En este sentido, el Análisis del Comportamiento entiende la sexualidad como un comportamiento, y la intersexualidad como metacontingencia, es decir, contingencias de refuerzo en las que un organismo depende del otro para el refuerzo y produce un producto agregado. Por lo tanto, el presente trabajo se basa teóricamente en el Behaviorismo Radical de B.F. Skinner y tiene como objetivo analizar la intersexualidad a la luz del Análisis del Comportamiento...(AU)

Quality Characteristics of Bread from Wheat and Garden Peas Flours

The functional, physicochemical and sensory evaluation of bread from wheat and garden peas flours were investigated. Five (5) bread samples were produced from the proportion of wheat and garden pea flours as 90%:10% (B), 80%:20% (C), 70%:30% (D), 60%:40% (E) and 100% wheat was the control sample (A) using standard methods. All the functional parameters differed (p≤0.05) significantly. The moisture, crude protein, crude fat, Ash and crude fiber increased (p≤0.05) significantly while the carbohydrate content decrease (p≤0.05) significantly with corresponding increase in the percentage of the composite flour from 10-40%. The result of the physical properties showed that there was a significant difference in all the physical parameters. Also, sensory results showed that there were significant differences in all the sensory scores. However, consumers preferred the bread from 100% wheat flour and 90% and 10% (Sample B) of wheat and garden peas flours substitution.

Behavioral Therapy and Virtual Reality Exposure for Public Speaking Anxiety / Terapia Comportamental e Exposição por Realidade Virtual para Ansiedade de Falar em Público / Terapia Comportamental y Exposición por Realidad Virtual para la Ansiedad de Hablar en Público

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The effects of a behavioral intervention procedure that included exposure to VR, diaphragmatic breathing, differential reinforcement, and functional analysis of behavior of participants with public speaking anxiety were investigated. The Virtua Therapy simulator with an Oculus Rift® was used for VR exposure. Six university students participated in the procedure involving the following sequence of sessions: initial interview and baseline measures (3-5), intervention (6), closure (1), follow-up (2). In the baseline sessions, the participants gave a speech in a room without an audience (avatars): in the intervention sessions and follow-up they spoke in a classroom or auditorium with an audience, and verbal consequences (feedback) were provided for appropriate speech pitch and speed. Verbal and non-verbal measures of behaviors were recorded. In the intervention sessions, functional analyses of everyday public speaking situations were performed. There was statistically significant difference in the pre- and post-intervention data in the Self-Statements during Public Speaking Scale (improvement in self-evaluation) and improvement in speech quality. The conclusion was reached that the intervention procedure contributed to the reduction of anxiety.

Resumo A realidade virtual (RV) tem se mostrado eficaz no tratamento de transtornos de ansiedade. Os efeitos de um procedimento de intervenção comportamental que incluiu a exposição à RV, a respiração diafragmática, o reforço diferencial e a análise funcional de comportamentos de participantes com ansiedade de falar em público foram investigados. O simulador Virtua Therapy com um Oculus Rift® foi usado para a exposição à RV. Seis estudantes universitárias participaram do procedimento envolvendo a seguinte sequência de sessões: entrevista inicial e medidas de linha de base (3-5), intervenção (6), encerramento (1), acompanhamento (2). Nas sessões de linha de base, as participantes faziam um discurso em uma sala sem audiência (avatares): em sessões de intervenção e follow-up, elas discursavam em sala de aula ou auditório com audiência, sendo liberadas consequências verbais (feedback) para altura e velocidade apropriadas da fala. Medidas verbais e não verbais dos comportamentos foram registradas. Nas sessões de intervenção, eram realizadas análises funcionais de situações cotidianas de falar em público. Verificou-se diferença estatisticamente significativa nos dados pré e pós-intervenção na Self-Statements during Public Speaking Scale (melhora na autoavaliação) e melhora na qualidade dos discursos. Concluiu-se que o procedimento de intervenção contribuiu para a redução da ansiedade.

Resumen La realidad virtual (RV) se ha mostrado eficaz en el tratamiento de trastornos de ansiedad. Se investigaron los efectos de un procedimiento de intervención comportamental que incluyó exposición a la RV, respiración diafragmática, refuerzo diferencial y análisis funcional de comportamientos de participantes con ansiedad de hablar en público. El simulador Virtua Therapy con un Oculus Rift® se utilizó para la exposición a la RV. Seis estudiantes universitarios participaron del procedimiento con la siguiente secuencia de sesiones: entrevista inicial y línea-de-base (3-5), intervención (6), cierre (1), follow-up (2). En las sesiones de línea-de-base, las participantes hacían un discurso en una sala sin audiencia (avatares): en las sesiones de intervención y follow-up ellas discursaban en sala de aula o auditorio con audiencia, siendo liberadas consecuencias verbales (feedback) para altura y velocidad apropiadas del discurso. Las medidas verbales y no verbales de los comportamientos se registraron. En las sesiones de intervención, se realizaron análisis funcionales de situaciones cotidianas de hablar en público. Se verificó diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los datos pre y post-intervención en la Self-Statements durante Public Speaking Scale (mejora de la autoevaluación) y mejora en la calidad de los discursos. Se concluyó que el procedimiento de intervención contribuyó a la reducción de la ansiedad.

Global Quantitative Mapping of Enhancers in Rice by STARR-seq / 基因组蛋白质组与生物信息学报·英文版

Enhancers activate transcription in a distance-, orientation-, and position-independent manner, which makes them difficult to be identified. Self-transcribing active regulatory region sequencing (STARR-seq) measures the enhancer activity of millions of DNA fragments in parallel. Here we used STARR-seq to generate a quantitative global map of rice enhancers. Most enhancers were mapped within genes, especially at the 5' untranslated regions (5'UTR) and in coding sequences. Enhancers were also frequently mapped proximal to silent and lowly-expressed genes in transposable element (TE)-rich regions. Analysis of the epigenetic features of enhancers at their endogenous loci revealed that most enhancers do not co-localize with DNase I hypersensitive sites (DHSs) and lack the enhancer mark of histone modification H3K4me1. Clustering analysis of enhancers according to their epigenetic marks revealed that about 40% of identified enhancers carried one or more epigenetic marks. Repressive H3K27me3 was frequently enriched with positive marks, H3K4me3 and/or H3K27ac, which together label enhancers. Intergenic enhancers were also predicted based on the location of DHS regions relative to genes, which overlap poorly with STARR-seq enhancers. In summary, we quantitatively identified enhancers by functional analysis in the genome of rice, an important model plant. This work provides a valuable resource for further mechanistic studies in different biological contexts.

Morphometric discrimination between females of two isomorphic sand fly species, Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis (Diptera: Phlebotominae) in endemic and non-endemic foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran

Objective: To delineate reliable morphological characteristics for identifying and separating female Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis which exist sympatrically in the main foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Methods: Sand flies were collected using sticky trap papers from active colonies of rodent burrows installed from 16 catching sites. Morphometric measurements were analyzed of 87 Phlebotomus caucasicus and 156 Phlebotomus mongolensis. Univariate and multivariate analysis were carried out to determine significant morphometric variables for discrimination of the two species. Finally, seven morphological characteristics of 65 female Phlebotomus caucasicus and 124 female Phlebotomus mongolensis were described. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses of 10 morphometric variables via Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that five morphometric variables had an accuracy of 100% for discriminating female Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis. Moreover, PCA revealed that the five morphometric variables with the highest loadings separated these two species. Morphological studies on antennal flagellum (and its associated structures) and mouth-parts of female specimens demonstrated significant differences in several structures. Conclusions: The results show that morphological and morphometrical features can be used to discriminate two female isomorphic species, Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis accurately.

Morphometric discrimination between females of two isomorphic sand fly species, Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis (Diptera: Phlebotominae) in endemic and non-endemic foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran

Objective: To delineate reliable morphological characteristics for identifying and separating female Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis which exist sympatrically in the main foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran. Methods: Sand flies were collected using sticky trap papers from active colonies of rodent burrows installed from 16 catching sites. Morphometric measurements were analyzed of 87 Phlebotomus caucasicus and 156 Phlebotomus mongolensis. Univariate and multivariate analysis were carried out to determine significant morphometric variables for discrimination of the two species. Finally, seven morphological characteristics of 65 female Phlebotomus caucasicus and 124 female Phlebotomus mongolensis were described. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses of 10 morphometric variables via Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that five morphometric variables had an accuracy of 100% for discriminating female Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis. Moreover, PCA revealed that the five morphometric variables with the highest loadings separated these two species. Morphological studies on antennal flagellum (and its associated structures) and mouth-parts of female specimens demonstrated significant differences in several structures. Conclusions: The results show that morphological and morphometrical features can be used to discriminate two female isomorphic species, Phlebotomus caucasicus and Phlebotomus mongolensis accurately.

Cloning of the Coffea canephora SERK1 promoter and its molecular analysis during the cell-to-embryo transition

Background: Somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase 1 (SERK1) is a cell membrane receptor active in different plant tissues and involved in cell differentiation activities including somatic embryogenesis. The identification of promoter elements responsible for SERK1 expression during the onset of somatic embryogenesis can be useful to understand the molecular regulation of the cell-to embryo transition, and these promoter elements represent biotechnological tools in plant organ tissue culture. Results: A −1,620 bp DNA sequence located upstream of the Coffea canephora SERK1 gene homologue (CcSERK1) was isolated, and then, different segments containing key response elements (REs) for somatic embryogenesis onset and development were fused to the uidA (encoding a ß-glucuronidase, GUS) reporter gene to evaluate its expression in transgenic leaf explants. DNA segments of −1,620 and −1048 bp in length directed uidA expression with patterns in leaf explants similar to those occurring during somatic embryogenesis. When a −792-bp fragment was used, uidA expression disappeared only in leaf explants and pro-embryogenic mass but persisted in developing embryos. No uidA expression was detected in any embryogenic stage when a −618-bp fragment was used. Conclusion: DNA deletions showed that a −1048-bp sequence located upstream of the CcSERK1 gene is sufficient to direct gene expression during the onset and the development of C. canephora somatic embryogenesis. The DNA segment located between −1048 and −792 bp (containing BBM and WUS REs) is needed for gene expression before embryogenesis onset but not during embryo development. The promoter segment between −792 and −618 bp (including GATA, ARR1AT, and ANT REs) regulates gene expression in developing embryos.

A whole-transcriptome approach to evaluate reference genes for quantitative diurnal gene expression studies under natural field conditions in Tamarix ramosissima leaves

Background: Tamarix ramosissima is a desert forest tree species that is widely distributed in the drought-stricken areas to sustain the fragile ecosystem. Owing to its wide usage in the desert restoration of Asia, it can be used as an ecophysiological model plant. To obtain reliable and accurate results, a set of reference genes should be screened before gene expression. However, up to date, systematical evaluation of reference genes has not been conducted in T. ramosissima. Results: In this study, we used eigenvalues derived from principal component analysis to identify stable expressed genes from 72,035 unigenes from diurnal transcriptomes under natural field conditions. With combined criteria of read counts above 900 and CV of FPKM below 0.3, a total of 7385 unigenes could be qualified as candidate reference genes in T. ramosissima. By using three statistical algorithm packages, geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper, the stabilities of these novel reference genes were further compared with a panel of traditional reference genes. The expression patterns of three aquaporins (AQPs) suggested that at least UBQ (high expression), EIF4A2 (low expression), and GAPDH (moderate expression) could be qualified as ideal reference genes in both RT-PCR and RNA-seq analysis of T. ramosissima. Conclusions: This work will not only facilitate future studies on gene expression and functional analysis of genetic resources of desert plants but also improve our understanding of the molecular regulation of water transport in this plant, which could provide a new clue to further investigate the drought adaptation mechanism of desert plant species under harsh environments.