We present here a multisource approach that takes advantage of several disciplines to address a taxonomic issue. A triatomine related to Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, 1927 was recently found in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. The name Rhodnius montenegrensis n. sp. is suggested because it was found in the municipality of Monte Negro. The main differences between these two species can be detected in the female and male genitalia, but there are also noticeable differences in their eggs. Molecular analysis using PCR-RFLP technique and Bayesian inferences based on a fragment of the Cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene corroborated the morphological findings. We used this integrative approach to address the taxonomic decision for a new Rhodnius species and its relationship with others of this genus. Results obtained herein stress that morphology must be used as the major approach for obtaining phenotypic information, and molecular data should be taken as a complementary tool.

A colony was formed from eggs of a Rhodnius sp. female collected in Taquarussu, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, and its specimens were used to describe R. taquarussuensis sp. n. This species is similar to R. neglectus, but distinct characters were observed on the head, thorax, abdomen, female external genitalia and male genitalia. Chromosomal differences between the two species were also established.

Morphological analysis is the standard method of assessing embryo quality; however, its inherent subjectivity tends to generate discrepancies among evaluators. Using genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks (ANNs), we developed a new method for embryo analysis that is more robust and reliable than standard methods. Bovine blastocysts produced in vitro were classified as grade 1 (excellent or good), 2 (fair), or 3 (poor) by three experienced embryologists according to the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS) standard. The images (n = 482) were subjected to automatic feature extraction, and the results were used as input for a supervised learning process. One part of the dataset (15%) was used for a blind test posterior to the fitting, for which the system had an accuracy of 76.4%. Interestingly, when the same embryologists evaluated a sub-sample (10%) of the dataset, there was only 54.0% agreement with the standard (mode for grades). However, when using the ANN to assess this sub-sample, there was 87.5% agreement with the modal values obtained by the evaluators. The presented methodology is covered by National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patents and is currently undergoing a commercial evaluation of its feasibility.

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Several studies support the hypothesis that chronic diseases in adulthood might be triggered by events that occur during fetal development. This study examined the consequences of perinatal salt intake on blood pressure (BP) and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in adult offspring of dams on high-salt [HSD; 8% (HSD2) or 4% (HSD1)], normal-salt (NSD; 1.3%), or low-salt (LSD; 0.15% NaCl) diet during pregnancy and lactation. At 12 wk of age, female Wistar rats were matched with adult male rats that were fed NSD. Weekly tail-cuff BP measurements were performed before, during, and after pregnancy. After weaning, the offspring received only NSD and were housed in metabolic cages for 24-h urine collection for sodium and potassium and nitrate and nitrite excretion measurements. At 12 wk of age, intra-arterial mean BP was measured, a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp was performed, and plasma lipids and nitrate and nitrite concentrations were determined. Tail-cuff BP was higher during pregnancy in HSD2 and HSD1 than in NSD and LSD dams. Mean BP (mm Hg) was also higher in the offspring of HSD2 (110 Ϯ 5) and HSD1 (107 Ϯ 5) compared with NSD (100 Ϯ 2) and LSD (92 Ϯ 2). Lower glucose uptake and higher plasma cholesterol and triacylglycerols were observed in male offspring from LSD dams (glucose uptake: HSD2 17 Ϯ 4, HSD1 15 Ϯ 3, NSD 11 Ϯ 3, LSD 4 Ϯ 1 mg · kg Ϫ1 · min Ϫ1 ; cholesterol: HSD2 62 Ϯ 6, HSD1 82 Ϯ 11, NSD 68 Ϯ 10, LSD 98 Ϯ 17 mg/dL; triacylglycerols: HSD2 47 Ϯ 15, HSD1 49 Ϯ 12, NSD 56 Ϯ 19, LSD 83 Ϯ 11 mg/dL). In conclusion, maternal salt intake during pregnancy and lactation has long-term influences on arterial pressure, insulin sensitivity, and plasma lipids of the adult offspring. (Pediatr Res 56: 842-848, 2004) Abbreviations BP, blood pressure HSD, high-salt diet HR, heart rate LSD, low-salt diet MBP, mean blood pressure NSD, normal-salt diet NOx, nitrate plus nitrite RAS, renin-angiotensin system tcBP, tail-cuff blood pressure Almost two decades ago, Barker and Osmond (1) proposed that ischemic heart disease could be triggered by events that occur during fetal life and early childhood (1). They showed an association between poor living standard during the perinatal period and ischemic heart disease in adulthood. This lifestyle possibly goes along with intrauterine growth retardation. Despite criticisms about the validity of their observations (2), the association between low birth weight and adult diseases is now further supported by several studies with similar findings (3-6). Moreover, the understanding of the mechanisms of this association represents a challenge for investigators in this area.Intrauterine growth is controlled by a complex interplay of maternal and fetal factors, including circulatory, endocrine, and metabolic systems (7). An increasing number of studies have shown that small modifications in fetal growth may have profound consequences in later life (8 -10).

Morphological embryo classification is of great importance for many laboratory techniques, from basic research to the ones applied to assisted reproductive technology. However, the standard classification method for both human and cattle embryos, is based on quality parameters that reflect the overall morphological quality of the embryo in cattle, or the quality of the individual embryonic structures, more relevant in human embryo classification. This assessment method is biased by the subjectivity of the evaluator and even though several guidelines exist to standardize the classification, it is not a method capable of giving reliable and trustworthy results. Latest approaches for the improvement of quality assessment include the use of data from cellular metabolism, a new morphological grading system, development kinetics and cleavage symmetry, embryo cell biopsy followed by pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, zona pellucida birefringence, ion release by the embryo cells and so forth. Nowadays there exists a great need for evaluation methods that are practical and non-invasive while being accurate and objective. A method along these lines would be of great importance to embryo evaluation by embryologists, clinicians and other professionals who work with assisted reproductive technology. Several techniques shows promising results in this sense, one being the use of digital images of the embryo as basis for features extraction and classification by means of artificial intelligence techniques (as genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks). This process has the potential to become an accurate and objective standard for embryo quality assessment.

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This study aimed at measuring the influence of a low salt diet on the development of experimental atherosclerosis in moderately hyperlipidemic mice. Experiments were carried out on LDL receptor (LDLR) knockout (KO) mice, or apolipoprotein E (apoE) KO mice on a low sodium chloride diet (LSD) as compared with a normal salt diet (NSD). On LSD, the rise of the plasma concentrations of TG and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) was, respectively, 19% and 34% in LDLR KO mice, and 21% and 35% in apoE KO mice, and that of plasma cholesterol was limited to the LDLR KO group alone (15%). Probably due to the apoE KO severe hypercholesterolemia, the arterial inner-wall fat storage was not influenced by the diet salt content and was far more abundant in the apoE KO than in the LDLR KO mice. However, in the less severe hypercholesterolemia of the LDLR KO mice, lipid deposits on the LSD were greater than on the NSD. Arterial fat storage correlated with NEFA concentrations in the LDLR KO mice alone (n ‫؍‬ 14, P ‫؍‬ 0.0065).Thus, dietary sodium chloride restriction enhances aortic wall lipid storage in moderately hyperlipidemic mice.