Abstract
Because of their sensitivity and high level of discrimination, short tandem repeat (STR) maker systems are currently the method of choice in routine forensic casework and data banking, usually in multiplexes up to 15-17 loci. Constraints related to sample amount and quality, frequently encountered in forensic casework, will not allow to change this picture in the near future, notwithstanding the technological developments. In this study, we present a free online calculator named PopAffiliator (http://cracs.fc.up.pt/popaffiliator) for individual population affiliation in the three main population groups, Eurasian, East Asian and sub-Saharan African, based on genotype profiles for the common set of STRs used in forensics. This calculator performs affiliation based on a model constructed using machine learning techniques. The model was constructed using a data set of approximately fifteen thousand individuals collected for this work. The accuracy of individual population affiliation is approximately 86%, showing that the common set of STRs routinely used in forensics provide a considerable amount of information for population assignment, in addition to being excellent for individual identification.

Abstract
Multiple independent recruitments of the S-pollen component (always an F-box gene) during RNase-based gametophytic self-incompatibility evolution have recently been suggested. Therefore, different mechanisms could be used to achieve the rejection of incompatible pollen in different plant families. This hypothesis is, however, mainly based on the interpretation of phylogenetic analyses, using a small number of divergent nucleotide sequences. In this work we show, based on a large collection of F-box S-like sequences, that the inferred relationship of F-box S-pollen and F-box S-like sequences is dependent on the sequence alignment software and phylogenetic method used. Thus, at present, it is not possible to address the phylogenetic relationship of F-box S-pollen and S-like sequences from different plant families. In Petunia and Malus/ Pyrus the putative S-pollen gene(s) show(s) variability patterns different than expected for an S-pollen gene, raising the question of false identification. Here we show that in Petunia, the unexpected features of the putative S-pollen gene are not incompatible with this gene's being the S-pollen gene. On the other hand, it is very unlikely that the Pyrus SFBB-gamma gene is involved in specificity determination.

Abstract
It has been argued that the common ancestor of about 75% of all dicots possessed an S-RNase-based gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system. S-RNase genes should thus be found in most plant families showing GSI. The S-RNase gene (or a duplicate) may also acquire a new function and thus genes belonging to the S-RNase lineage may also persist in plant families without GSI. Nevertheless, sequences that belong to the S-RNase lineage have been found in the Solanaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Rosaceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Fabaceae plant families only. Here we search for new sequences that may belong to the S-RNase lineage, using both a phylogenetic and a much faster and simpler amino acid pattern-based approach. We show that the two methods have an apparently similar false-negative rate of discovery (similar to 10%). The amino acid pattern-based approach produces about 15% false positives. Genes belonging to the S-RNase lineage are found in three new plant families, namely, the Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Malvaceae. Acquisition of a new function by genes belonging to the S-RNase lineage is shown to be a frequent event. A putative S-RNase sequence is identified in Lotus, a plant genus for which molecular studies on GSI are lacking. The hypothesis of a single origin for S-RNase-based GSI (before the split of the Asteridae and Rosidae) is further supported by the finding of genes belonging to the S-RNase lineage in some of the oldest lineages of the Asteridae and Rosidae, and by Baysean constrained tree analyses.

Abstract
A systematic survey was carried out in an unbiased sample of 815 protein chains with a maximum of 20% homology selected from the Protein Data Bank, whose structures were solved at a resolution higher than 1.6 angstrom and with a R-factor lower than 25%. A set of 5556 subsequences with a-helix or 3(10)-helix motifs was extracted from the protein chains considered. Global and local propensities were then calculated for all possible amino acid pairs of the type (i, i + 1), (i, i + 2), (i, i + 3), and (i, i + 4), starting at the relevant helical positions N1, N2, N3, C3, C2, C1, and N-int (interior positions), and also at the first nonhelical positions in both termini of the helices, namely, N-cap and C-cap. The statistical analysis of the propensity values has shown that pairing is significantly dependent on the type of the amino acids and on the position of the pair. A few sequences of three and four amino acids were selected and their high prevalence in helices is outlined in this work. The Glu-Lys-Tyr-Pro sequence shows a peculiar distribution in proteins, which may suggest a relevant structural role in alpha-helices when Pro is located at the C-cap position. A bioinformatics tool was developed, which updates automatically and periodically the results and makes them available in a web site.

Abstract
The tshz genes comprise a family of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors. However, despite the major role played by Drosophila tsh during the development of the fruit fly, the expression and function of other tshz genes have been analyzed in a very limited set of organisms and, therefore, our current knowledge of these genes is still fragmentary. In this study, we perform detailed phylogenetic analyses of the tshz genes, identify the members of this gene family in zebrafish and describe the developmental expressions of two of them, tshz2 and tshz3b, and compare them with meis1, meis2.1, meis2.2, pax6a, and pax6b expression patterns. The expression patterns of these genes define a complex set of coexpression domains in the developing zebrafish brain where their gene products have the potential to interact. Developmental Dynamics 239:1010-1018, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Abstract
Breast screening is the regular examination of a woman's breasts to find breast cancer earlier. The sole exam approved for this purpose is mammography. Usually, findings are annotated through the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) created by the American College of Radiology. The BIRADS system determines a standard lexicon to be used by radiologists when studying each finding. Although the lexicon is standard, the annotation accuracy of the findings depends on the experience of the radiologist. Moreover, the accuracy of the classification of a mammography is also highly dependent on the expertise of the radiologist. A correct classification is paramount due to economical and humanitarian reasons. The main goal of this work is to produce machine learning models that predict the outcome of a mammography from a reduced set of annotated mammography findings. In the study we used a data set consisting of 348 consecutive breast masses that underwent image guided or surgical biopsy performed between October 2005 and December 2007 on 328 female subjects. The main conclusions are threefold: (1) automatic classification of a mammography, independent on information about mass density, can reach equal or better results than the classification performed by a physician; (2) mass density seems to be a good indicator of malignancy, as previous studies suggested; (3) a machine learning model can predict mass density with a quality as good as the specialist blind to biopsy, which is one of our main contributions. Our model can predict malignancy in the absence of the mass density attribute, since we can fill up this attribute using our mass density predictor.