Epistasis and inheritance of plant habit and fruit quality traits in ornamental pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

Two accessions of ornamental pepper Capsicum annuum L., differing in most of the characters studied, were crossed, resulting in the F1 generation, and the F2 generation was obtained through self-fertilization of the F1 generation. The backcross generations RC1 and RC2 were obtained through crossing between F1 and the parents P1 and P2, respectively. Morpho-agronomic characterization was performed based on the 19 quantitative descriptors of Capsicum. The data obtained were subjected to generation analysis, in which the means and additive variance (σa(2)), variance due to dominance deviation (σd(2)), phenotypic variance (σf(2)), genetic variance (σg(2)) and environmental variance (σm(2)) were calculated. For the full model, we estimated the mean effects of all possible homozygotes, additives, dominants, and epistatics: additive-additive, additive-dominant, and dominant-dominant. For the additive-dominant model, we estimated the additive effects, dominant effects and mean effects of possible homozygotes. The character fruit dry matter had the lowest value for broad sense heritability (0.42), and the highest values were found for fresh matter and fruit weight, 0.91 and 0.92, respectively. The lowest value for narrow sense heritability was for the minor fruit diameter character (0.33), and the highest values were found for seed yield per fruit and fresh matter, 0.87 and 0.84, respectively. The additive-dominant model explained only the variation found in plant height, canopy width, stem length, corolla diameter, leaf width, and pedicel length, but in the other characters, the epistatic effects showed significant values.

Combining ability for yield and fruit quality in the pepper Capsicum annuum.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of 15 characteristics and to evaluate the most promising crosses and the reciprocal effect between the hybrids of six parents of the Capsicum annuum species. Six parents, belonging to the Horticultural Germplasm Bank of Centro de Ciências Agrárias of Universidade Federal da Paraíba, were crossed in complete diallel manner. The 30 hybrids generated and the parents were then analyzed in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The data were submitted to analysis of variance at 1% probability, and the means were grouped by the Scott-Knott test at 1% probability. The diallel analysis was performed according to the Griffing method, model I and fixed model. Both additive and non-additive effects influenced the hybrids' performance, as indicated by the GCA/SCA ratio. The non-additive effects, epistasis and/or dominance, played a more important role than the additive effects in pedicel length, pericarp thickness, fresh matter, dry matter content, seed yield per fruit, fruit yield per plant, days to fructification, and total soluble solids. The GCA effects were more important than the SCA effects in the fruit weight, fruit length and diameter, placenta length, yield, vitamin C, and titratable acidity characteristics. The results found here clearly show that ornamental pepper varieties can be developed through hybridization in breeding programs with C. annuum.

Histopathology of experimental myiasis in mice as a result of infestation and experimental implantation of Dermatobia hominis larvae.

A laboratory model of myiasis as a result of Dermatobia hominis (L.) larvae was developed using mice as hosts. Mice in three groups were each infested with one newly hatched larva and skin biopsies processed for histopathology at 4, 12, and 20 d postinfestation (dpi). Mice in three other groups were each subjected to implantation of one larva collected from an infested (donor) mouse at 4, 12, and 20 dpi. Skin lesions of these receptor mice were then assessed at 10, 14, and 6 d postimplantation (dpimp), respectively. The inflammatory process in infested mice at 4 dpi was discrete, consisting of a thin necrotic layer around the larva, edema, many neutrophils, few eosinophils, mast cells, and proliferation of fibroblasts. At 12 dpi, there was a thicker necrotic layer, edema, many neutrophils and eosinophils, few mast cells, neoformation of capillaries, proliferation of the endothelium and fibroblasts, and early stages of fibrosis. These histopathological characteristics together with fibrosis were observed over a large area of the lesion at 20 dpi. Mice submitted to larval implantations demonstrated similar skin histopathology to that seen in the infested rodents, 10 dpimp corresponding to 12 dpi and 6 or 14 dpimp to 20 dpi. In all mice, the progressive acute inflammatory process followed a sequence linked to factors such as size of larvae and presence of secretory-excretory products. Both infested mice and those implanted experimentally with D. hominis larvae were shown to be suitable models for the study of the parasite-host relationship in this important zoonotic myiasis.

Implantation of human bot fly larvae in host skin.

Adult males of Mus musculus each infested with four first-instar (L1) larvae of Dermatobia hominis (Linneaus, Jr.) were used as donors of larvae to other mice (recipients). Larvae at four (L1), six (early L2), 12 (L2), or 20 (L3) days postinfestation (dpi), were implanted into the skin of each recipient. Only two of 38 mice (5.3%) were refractory to implants and three died after implantation. Developmental times (pre- plus postimplantation) of implanted larvae were of similar duration to those in larvae that completed their development in the original mice. The L3 that emerged from implanted hosts developed to pupae and fertile adult specimens, whose L1 descendants were used to maintain the D. hominis life cycle in our laboratory. The model described here has several potential applications, including studies of the host relationship with specific instars and the development of management and control measures to combat this Neotropical myiasis.

Canal shapes produced sequentially during instrumentation with Quantec SC rotary nickel-titanium instruments: a study in simulated canals.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the shaping ability of Quantec SC nickel-titanium rotary instruments in simulated root canals. METHODOLOGY: Forty simulated canals consisting of four different shapes in terms of angle and position of curvature were prepared with Quantec SC instruments. Sequential still images were taken of the canals using a video camera attached to a computer with image analysis software. Images were taken preoperatively, and then after instrument 7 (Size 25, 0.05 taper), instrument 8 (size 25, 0.06 taper), and instrument 10 (size 45, 0.02 taper) were taken to length. Each sequential postoperative image was superimposed individually over the preoperative image in order to highlight the amount and position of material removed during preparation. RESULTS: Overall, the mean preparation time to size 10 was 3.6 min with 12 mm canals taking on average less time than 8 mm canals. There was a highly significant difference between the canal types (P < 0.0001). No instruments fractured within the canal or deformed, although one instrument separated from the latch grip. All canals remained patent. Following preparation to size 10, 19 canals (48%) retained their length, eight (20%) lost length, and 13 (32%) gained length; the magnitude of the change in length was always 0.5 mm or below. Following preparation to size 7 instruments all canals showed aberrant shapes. Excess removal of material along the outer aspect of the curve between the beginning of the curve and the end-point (outer widening) was found in 26 canals (65%) after instrument 7. At the same stage of preparation six canals (15%) had zips, three (8%) had ledges and five (13%) had perforations. Following preparation to size 10, 27 (68%) canals were perforated. CONCLUSIONS: Under the conditions of the study, Quantec SC instruments consistently produced aberrations when canals were enlarged to size 7 (size 25, 0.05 taper) or above. Care should be exercised when using these instruments in real teeth.

[Elisabeth Kübler-Ross-Nurekr renewal center: health care based on the hospice model]. / Núcleo de renascimento Elisabeth Kübler-Ross-Nurekr: assistência de saúde no modelo "hospice".

The hospice model is a movement concerned with the care of the dying patient and its family. It's main aim is to comfort and give nursing assistance to terminal patients, giving the patient and family more decision making power than it would have in regular hospitals. The Hospice is not a geographic, territorial space, defined as what we call an "institution". It is more than that, it is an attitude, a behavior towards death and dying. This paper reports on the experience of a multi-professional team' which implemented hospice model care in the Nursing School of the Federal University of Bahia. The study showed that there is a need to understand and study tanathology, to change one's changing attitude towards death and dying, and to develop the ability to deal with one's own terminability.

Pneumonia intersticial por Pneumocystis carinii em criancas desnutridas.Apresentacao de quatro casos. / Interstitial pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii in malnourished children. Report of 4 cases

Os autores apresentam quatro casos de pneumonia por Pneumocystis carinii associados com desnutricao. Relatam o resumo clinico e os principais achados anatomo-patologicos dos casos. A autopsia mostrou acentuada atrofia do timo e de mais areas perifericas timo-dependentes e a presenca de numerosos parasitas nos alveolos pulmonares