Range extensions and conservation of some threatened or little known Brazilian grassland birds

Populations of grassland birds are declining in Brazil due to profound alterations to grassland habitats. In this paper, we present recent records and range extensions for 12 threatened or little known Brazilian grassland species: Ocellated Crake Micropygia schomburgkii, Sickle-winged Nightjar Eleothreptus anomalus, Campo Miner Geositta poeciloptera, Rufous-sided Pygmytyrant Euscarthmus rufomarginatus, Sharp-tailed Grass-tyrant Culicivora caudacuta, Cocktailed Tyrant Alectrurus tricolor, Cinereous Warbling-finch Poospiza cinerea, Black-masked Finch Coryphaspiza melanotis, Tawny-bellied Seedeater Sporophila hypoxantha, Marsh Seedeater S. palustris, Chestnut Seedeater S. cinnamomea and Black-bellied Seedeater S. melanogaster. We also comment on the biogeography and conservation of these species.

COMMUTATIVE AUTOMORPHIC LOOPS OF ORDER p(3)

A loop is said to be automorphic if its inner mappings are automorphisms. For a prime p, denote by A(p) the class of all 2-generated commutative automorphic loops Q possessing a central subloop Z congruent to Z(p) such that Q/Z congruent to Z(p) x Z(p). Upon describing the free 2-generated nilpotent class two commutative automorphic loop and the free 2-generated nilpotent class two commutative automorphic p-loop F-p in the variety of loops whose elements have order dividing p(2) and whose associators have order dividing p, we show that every loop of A(p) is a quotient of F-p by a central subloop of order p(3). The automorphism group of F-p induces an action of GL(2)(p) on the three-dimensional subspaces of Z(F-p) congruent to (Z(p))(4). The orbits of this action are in one-to-one correspondence with the isomorphism classes of loops from A(p). We describe the orbits, and hence we classify the loops of A(p) up to isomorphism. It is known that every commutative automorphic p-loop is nilpotent when p is odd, and that there is a unique commutative automorphic loop of order 8 with trivial center. Knowing A(p) up to isomorphism, we easily obtain a classification of commutative automorphic loops of order p(3). There are precisely seven commutative automorphic loops of order p(3) for every prime p, including the three abelian groups of order p(3).

Evidence that a single bioluminescent system is shared by all known bioluminescent fungal lineages

Since the early 20th century, many researchers have attempted to determine how fungi are able to emit light. The first successful experiment was obtained using the classical luciferin-luciferase test that consists of mixing under controlled conditions hot (substrate/luciferin) and cold (enzyme/luciferase) water extracts prepared from bioluminescent fungi. Failures by other researchers to reproduce those experiments using different species of fungi lead to the hypothesis of a non-enzymatic luminescent pathway. Only recently, the involvement of a luciferase in this system was proven, thus confirming its enzymatic nature. Of the 100 000 described species in Kingdom Fungi, only 71 species are known to be luminescent and they are distributed unevenly amongst four distantly related lineages. The question we address is whether the mechanism of bioluminescence is the same in all four evolutionary lineages suggesting a single origin of luminescence in the Fungi, or whether each lineage has a unique mechanism for light emission implying independent origins. We prepared hot and cold extracts of numerous species representing the four bioluminescent fungal lineages and performed cross-reactions (luciferin x luciferase) in all possible combinations using closely related non-luminescent species as controls. All cross-reactions with extracts from luminescent species yielded positive results, independent of lineage, whereas no light was emitted in cross-reactions with extracts from non-luminescent species. These results support the hypothesis that all four lineages of luminescent fungi share the same type of luciferin and luciferase, that there is a single luminescent mechanism in the Fungi, and that fungal luciferin is not a ubiquitous molecule in fungal metabolism.

Illustrated key for the identification of the known zoeal stages of brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda) from tropical and subtropical Brazil, southwestern Atlantic

Approximately 370 brachyuran species have so far been recorded from the Brazilian coast, 123 of which have had their larval stages fully or partially described. The pictorial guide allows the identification of the first zoea of 110 species. The remaining 13 species with known larval stages are treated to the genus level because of difficulties in the morphological differentiation of closely related species.

A New Genus and Species of a Minute Suckermouth Armored Catfish (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) from the Rio Tocantins Drainage, Central Brazil: The Smallest Known Loricariid Catfish

Nannoplecostomus eleonorae, a new genus and species of a miniature suckermouth armored catfish, is described based on specimens collected from the karst region of Sao Domingos, upper Rio Tocantins basin, Goias State, central Brazil. The new genus and species can be diagnosed among loricariids by presenting a unique reductive pattern of lateral dermal plates, with most of the body covered by only three series of plates (viz., dorsal, mid-ventral, and ventral). Based on the available published phylogenetic studies for the family, we provisionally consider Nannoplecostomus eleonorae as being an incertae sedis taxon within Loricariidae. Achieving a maximum standard length of 22.2 mm SL, Nannoplecostomus eleonorae is the smallest known loricariid catfish, and a list of the remaining smallest loricariids is provided.

Taxonomy, Hemipenial Morphology, and Natural History of Two Poorly Known Species of Anadia (Gymnophthalmidae) from Northern South America

Anadia pariaensis Rivas, La Marca, and Oliveros, 1999, and Anadia steyeri Nieden, 1914, are two particularly rare and poorly known lizards described from single specimens. In the case of A. pariaensis, it remains known from the holotype, whereas A. steyeri is known from three additional specimens reported in the literature after the original description of the species. A single new specimen of A. pariaensis and five of A. steyeri, including the first adult males recorded for both species, make possible a more representative description of both species, including descriptions of the hemipenes. Despite both species presenting some similar morphological characteristics, the examination of the hemipenial morphology revealed very different organs. The hemipenis of A. steyeri presents some characteristics that resemble the organs of two species from the Santa Marta Mountain Range in the "bitaeniata-group" (Anadia pulchella and Anadia altaserrania). On the other hand, the hemipenes of A. pariaensis are unique morphologically and cannot be associated with the hemipenes known from other species in the genus. We describe variation within both species, and we comment on possible sexual dimorphism (number and arrangement of the femoral pores), natural history, and the known geographic distribution of the species. We also comment on Anadia bumanguesa Rueda-Almonacid and Caicedo 2004 based on a new specimen, the second known. This species may be a synonym of A. steyeri.

Description of the larva of Mnesarete pudica (Hagen in Selys, 1853) (Odonata: Calopterygidae) and notes on known genera of South American Calopterygidae larvae

The final instar larva of Mnesarete pudica is described and illustrated based on reared specimens collected in Brazil. This species can be distinguished from others by presenting: a) five palpal and three premental setae; b) no posterodorsal hooks on abdominal segments; c) lateral spines only in S9-10. M. pudica is compared to other South American calopterygids and biological notes are presented.

Detailed H-1 and C-13 NMR structural assignment and relative stereochemistry determination for three new and one known semi-synthetic sesquiterpene lactones

In this work is described a complete H-1 and C-13 NMR analysis for a group of four sesquiterpene lactones, three previously unknown. The unequivocal assignments were achieved by H-1 NMR, C-13{H-1} NMR, gCOSY. gHMQC, gHMBC and NOESY experiments and no ambiguities were left behind. All hydrogen coupling constants were measured, clarifying all hydrogen signals multiplicities. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between lymphatic vascular density and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression with clinical-pathological features and survival in pancreatic adenocarcinomas

Abstract: Background Pancreatic cancer is a rare tumor with an extremely low survival rate. Its known risk factors include the chronic use of tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption and the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as pancreatitis and type 2 diabetes. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, which have been the focus of recent research, are considered prognostic factors for cancer development. Knowing the angiogenic and lymphangiogenic profiles of a tumor may provide new insights for designing treatments according to the different properties of the tumor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the density of blood and lymphatic vessels, and the expression of VEGF-A, in pancreatic adenocarcinomas, as well as the relationship between blood and lymphatic vascular density and the prognostically important clinical-pathological features of pancreatic tumors. Methods Paraffin blocks containing tumor samples from 100 patients who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer between 1990 and 2010 were used to construct a tissue microarray. VEGF expression was assessed in these samples by immunohistochemistry. To assess the lymphatic and vascular properties of the tumors, 63 cases that contained sufficient material were sectioned routinely. The sections were then stained with the D2-40 antibody to identify the lymphatic vessels and with a CD34 antibody to identify the blood vessels. The vessels were counted individually with the Leica Application Suite v4 program. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 18.0 (Chicago, IL, USA) software, and p values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Results In the Cox regression analysis, advanced age (p=0.03) and a history of type 2 diabetes (p=0.014) or chronic pancreatitis (p=0.02) were shown to be prognostic factors for pancreatic cancer. Blood vessel density (BVD) had no relationship with clinical-pathological features or death. Lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was inversely correlated with death (p=0.002), and by Kaplan-Meyer survival analysis, we found a significant association between low LVD (p=0.021), VEGF expression (p=0.023) and low patient survival. Conclusions Pancreatic carcinogenesis is related to a history of chronic inflammatory processes, such as type 2 diabetes and chronic pancreatitis. In pancreatic cancer development, lymphangiogenesis can be considered an early event that enables the dissemination of metastases. VEGF expression and low LVD can be considered as poor prognostic factors as tumors with this profile are fast growing and highly aggressive. Virtual slides. The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5113892881028514