Analysis of differential selective forces acting on the coat protein (P3) of the plant virus family Luteoviridae

The coat protein (CP) of the family Luteoviridae is directly associated with the success of infection. It participates in various steps of the virus life cycle, such as virion assembly, stability, systemic infection, and transmission. Despite its importance, extensive studies on the molecular evolution of this protein are lacking. In the present study, we investigate the action of differential selective forces on the CP coding region using maximum likelihood methods. We found that the protein is subjected to heterogeneous selective pressures and some sites may be evolving near neutrality. Based on the proposed 3-D model of the CP S-domain, we showed that nearly neutral sites are predominantly located in the region of the protein that faces the interior of the capsid, in close contact with the viral RNA, while highly conserved sites are mainly part of beta-strands, in the protein's major framework.

A proposito de dois casos de polineuropatia amiloidotica familiar (doenca de Corino Andrade). / Apropos of 2 cases of familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (Corino Andrade disease)

Sao estudados dois casos de polineuropatia amiloidotica familiar confirmados por biopsia, e apesar de nao haver duvidas quanto ao diagnostico, foi ressaltado o comportamento diferente de uma mesma doencao. Destacam-se as investigacoes realizadas por Corino Andrade, que relatou o primeiro caso portugues da doenca, chamando atencao para a incidencia familiar. Procurou-se, tambem, definir polineuropatia amiloidotica familiar, baseando-se em relatos publicados por varios autores

Comprometimento neurologico na esquistossomose mansonica. / Neurological involvement in schistosomiasis mansoni

Os autores chamam atencao para o problema do comprometimento neurologico da esquistossomose mansonica em nosso meio, com areas endemicas, onde milhoes de individuos sao acometidos por esta parasitose. Assinalam a subestimacao destas complicacoes que sao pouco diagnosticadas, apesar das multiplas manifestacoes medulares e encefalicas que surgem nestes casos, embora as lesoes medulares sejam bem mais frequentes e mais sugestivas. Ressaltam a importancia do diagnostico etiologico diante da existencia de possibilidades terapeuticas satisfatorias