\n\nResults: We implemented the first web server, RNASAlign, which can automatically identify the pseudoknot type of a secondary structure and perform structural alignment

of a folded RNA with every region of a target DNA/RNA sequence. Regions with high similarity scores and low e-values, together with the detailed alignments will be reported to the user. Experiments on more than 350 ncRNA families show that RNASAlign is effective.”
“The differences in development time, survival, mortality and life expectancy were determined for three populations of the mosquito Culex quinqueflacialus from three temperature zones in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia: Mosquera (2516 m, 15 degrees C), Fusagasuga (1728 m, 22 degrees C) and Girardot (269 m, 33 degrees C). The larvae and adults from each population were kept in laboratory conditions

JIB04 similar to those of their place of origin. Survival and mortality for each colony were recorded daily. Epoxomicin For the statistical analysis, the Kruskal Wallis test was used with Bonferroni’s modification. Development times by site were as follows: Mosquera 15.05 days, Fusagasuga 10.62 days and Girardot 7.72 days. Significant differences were only found between Mosquera and Girardot, but by analysis of the development time for larvae separately, were significant differences among all three populations. Intrapopulation differences in the three cohorts were not significant. Survival and mortality of the pre-reproductive stages showed no significant differences in the three cohorts and survival showed a type-I curve.

The life expectancy for a recently oviposited egg from Girardot was 26.06 days, from Fusagasuga it was 24.12 days and selleck compound from Mosquera it was 40.77 days. These data show that Culex quinquefasciatus has been adapting to higher elevation zones with lower temperatures without detriment to life table parameters.”
“Background: Improvements in environmental conditions may result in an earlier onset of thelarche. However, its onset is not homogeneous among different population groups. Aim. To assess the relationship between nutritional status, ethnicity and age of thelarche. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study of girls in second through sixth grade, attending 165 schools located in Chile’s Araucania region. Of these, 23.1 girls who presented thelarche (breast button) were selected. The girls’ surnames were used to identify their ethnicity: indigenous had three or four last names Mapuche indigenous origin (n =113), while non-indigenous were those who only had Chilean-Spanish last names (n = 118). Weight, height, waist circumference and skinfold thicknesses were measured and socio-economic background information was collected through a home interview. Results: The median age of thelarche was 10 years and 4 months, regardless of ethnic group.