Synopsis and annotated checklist of Recent marine Bryozoa from Brazil

We present here a checklist of recent marine bryozoans recorded in the literature from Brazil. The total number of species recorded is 346. The most diverse group is the order Cheilostomata with 271 species, followed by the order Ctenostomata, with 42 species, and the order Cyclostomata, with 33 species. Included in the checklist are records by state and citations for species with synonyms utilized in Brazilian works.

The contribution of self-efficacy and depression to disability and work status in chronic pain patients: A comparison between Australian and Brazilian samples

There is evidence that cognitions (beliefs) and mood contribute to physical disability and work status in people with chronic pain. However, most of the current evidence comes from North America and Europe. This study examined the contribution of demographic, pain and psychosocial factors to disability and work status in chronic pain patients in two matched samples from quite different countries (Australia and Brazil). Data were collected from 311 chronic pain patients in each country. The results suggest that although demographic and pain variables (especially pain levels) contribute disability, self-efficacy beliefs made a significant contribution to disability in both samples. Age and educational level also contributed to unemployment in both samples. But there were some differences, with self-efficacy and physical disability contributing to work status only in the Brazilian sample. In contrast, depression was the only psychological risk factor for unemployment in the Australian sample. Catastrophising and pain acceptance did not contribute to disability or unemployment in either sample. These findings confirm key aspects of biopsychosocial models of pain in two culturally and linguistically different chronic pain samples from different countries. They suggest that different chronic pain populations may share more similarities than differences. (C) 2008 European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Published

Influence of the slice position on chloride migration tests for concrete in marine conditions

Chloride migration tests are used to measure the concrete capacity to inhibit chloride attack. Many researchers carry out this test in a slice of concrete extracted from the central part of cylindrical specimens, discarding about 75% of the concrete used to mold the specimens. This fact generated the question: would it be possible to extract more slices from a same specimen without losing the confidence in the results? The main purpose of this work is to answer this question. Moreover, another aim of this study was to show the difference of chloride penetration between finished faces and the formwork surfaces of concrete beams and slabs. The results indicated that it is possible to use more slices of a single specimen for a chloride migration test. Moreover, it was demonstrated that there is a significant difference of chloride penetration between the finished surface and the formwork surface of the specimens. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface treatment of reinforced concrete in marine environment: Influence on chloride diffusion coefficient and capillary water absorption

There are currently many types of protective materials for reinforced concrete structures and the influence of these materials in the chloride diffusion coefficient still needs more research. The aim of this paper is to study the efficacy of certain surface treatments (such as hydrophobic agents, acrylic coating, polyurethane coating and double systems) in inhibiting chloride penetration in concrete. The results indicated that all tested surface protection significantly reduced the sorptivity of concrete (reduction rate > 70%). However, only the polyurethane coating was highly effective in reducing the chloride diffusion coefficient (reduction rate of 86%). (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning about knowledge management for improving environmental impact assessment in a government agency: The Western Australian experience

How does knowledge management (KM) by a government agency responsible for environmental impact assessment (EIA) potentially contribute to better environmental assessment and management practice? Staff members at government agencies in charge of the EIA process are knowledge workers who perform judgement-oriented tasks highly reliant on individual expertise, but also grounded on the agency`s knowledge accumulated over the years. Part of an agency`s knowledge can be codified and stored in an organizational memory, but is subject to decay or loss if not properly managed. The EIA agency operating in Western Australia was used as a case study. Its KM initiatives were reviewed, knowledge repositories were identified and staff surveyed to gauge the utilisation and effectiveness of such repositories in enabling them to perform EIA tasks. Key elements of KM are the preparation of substantive guidance and spatial information management. It was found that treatment of cumulative impacts on the environment is very limited and information derived from project follow-up is not properly captured and stored, thus not used to create new knowledge and to improve practice and effectiveness. Other opportunities for improving organizational learning include the use of after-action reviews. The learning about knowledge management in EIA practice gained from Western Australian experience should be of value to agencies worldwide seeking to understand where best to direct their resources for their own knowledge repositories and environmental management practice. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production and characterization of sponge-dough bread using scalded rye

In this work, flatbed scanning, instrumental texture analysis, spectrophotometric color determination (L*, a*, b*), moisture and specific volume measurements were used to evaluate the effects of the addition of rye flour or rye flakes, yeast and boiling water in different amounts in sponge-dough rye bread production. The treatments changed significantly (P < 0.05) the crumb cell area (mm(2)), cell diameter (mm), cell perimeter (mm), texture parameters and light reflectance (L*, a*, b*). Scalding process could be used to produce new textures and color of baked products.

Antileishmanial Sesquiterpenes from the Brazilian Red Alga Laurencia dendroidea

Investigation of the bioactive crude extracts from two populations of the red alga Laurencia dendroidea from the southeastern Brazilian coast led to the identification of five sesquiterpenes: (+)-obtusane (1), a triquinane derivative (2), (-)-elatol (3), obtusol (4), and cartilagineol (5). An antileishmanial bioassay against Leishmania amazonensis was conducted for crude lipophilic extracts and for sesquiterpenes 2, 3, and 4. Compounds 3 and 4 displayed in vitro and in vivo leishmanicidal activity and very low cytotoxicity.

Trypanocidal, leislimanicidal and antifungal potential from marine red alga Bostrychia tenella J. Agardli (Rhodomelaceae, Ceraniiales)

Specimens of the red alga Bostrychia tenella J Agardh (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) were collected from the Sao Paulo coast and submitted to loom temperature solvent extraction The resulting extract was fractionated by partitioning with organic solvent The n-hexane (BT-H) and dichloromethane (BT-D) fractions showed antiprotozoal potential in biological tests with Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania amazonensis and presented high activity in an antifungal assay with the phytopathogenic fungi Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium sphaerospermum Chromatography methods were used to generate subfractions from BT-H (H01 to H11) and from BT-D (D01 to 019) The subtractions were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). and the substances were identified by retention index (Kovats) and by comparison to databases of commercial mass spectra The volatile compounds found in marine algae were identified as fatty acids, low molecular mass hydrocarbons, esters and steroids, some of these have been previously described in the literature based on other biological activities Moreover, uncommon substances. such as neophytadiene were also identified In a trypanocidal assay, fractions BT-H and BT-D showed IC(50) values of 168 and 19 1 mu g/mL. respectively, and were mote active than the gentian violet standard (31 mu g/ml.); subfractions H02. H03, D01 and D02 were active against L amasonensis, exhibiting IC(50) values of 1 S. 2 7, 4 4. and 4 3 mu g/mL., respectively (standard amphotericin B IC(50) = 13 mu g/mL.) All fractions showed antifungal potential this work reports the biological activity and identification of compounds by GC/MS for the marine red alga B tenella for the first time (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All lights reserved

Bioreduction of Acetophenone Derivatives by Red Marine Algae Bostrychia radicans and B. tenella, and Marine Bacteria Associated

The biocatalytic reduction of acetophenone derivatives was exploited by using algal biomass from Bostrychia radicans and B. tenella producing exclusively (S)-2-phenylethanols with high enantiomeric excess (> 99% ee). Bacterial populations associated with algal biomass were identified as the Bacillus genus. This report deals with the first investigations involving the use of marine bacteria associated with B. radicans and B. tenella marine algae for the biocatalytic reduction of acetophenone derivatives.

Evaluation of Maxillary Alveolar Reconstruction Using a Resorbable Collagen Sponge with Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Cleft Lip and Palate Patients

Introduction: A resorbable collagen matrix with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein (rhBMP-2) was compared with traditional iliac crest bone graft for the closure of alveolar defects during secondary dental eruption. Methods: Sixteen patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate, aged 8 to 12 years, were selected and randomly assigned to group 1 (rhBMP-2) or group 2 (iliac crest bone graft). Computed tomography was performed to assess both groups preoperatively and at months 6 and 12 postoperatively. Bone height and defect volume were calculated through Osirix Dicom Viewer (Pixmeo, Apple Inc.). Overall morbidity was recorded. Results: Preoperative and follow-up examinations revealed progressive alveolar bone union in all patients. For group 1, final completion of the defect with a 65.0% mean bone height was detected 12 months postoperatively. For group 2, final completion of the defect with an 83.8% mean bone height was detected 6 months postoperatively. Dental eruption routinely occurred in both groups. Clinical complications included significant swelling in three group 1 patients (37.5%) and significant donor-site pain in seven group 2 patients (87.5%). Conclusions: For this select group of patients with immature skeleton, rhBMP-2 therapy resulted in satisfactory bone healing and reduced morbidity compared with traditional iliac crest bone grafting.

Evolutionary transition to freshwater by ancestral marine palaemonids: evidence from osmoregulation in a tide pool shrimp

The transition from marine/brackish waters to freshwater habitats constitutes a severe osmotic and ionic challenge, and successful invasion has demanded the selection of morphological, physiological, biochemical and behavioral adaptations. We evaluated short-term (1 to 12 h exposure) and long-term (5 d acclimation), anisosmotic extracellular (osmolality, [Na(+), Cl(-)]) and long-term isosmotic intracellular osmoregulatory capability in Palaemon northropi, a neotropical intertidal shrimp. F northropi survives well and osmo- and ionoregulates strongly during short- and long-term exposure to 5-45 parts per thousand salinity, consistent with its rocky tide pool habitat subject to cyclic salinity fluctuations, Muscle total free amino acid (FAA) concentrations decreased by 63% in shrimp acclimated to 5%. salinity, revealing a role in hypoosmotic cell volume regulation; this decrease is mainly a consequence of diminished glycine, arginine and proline. Total FAA contributed 31% to muscle intracellular osmolality at 20 parts per thousand, an isosmotic salinity, and decreased to 13% after acclimation to 5 parts per thousand. Gill and nerve tissue FAA concentrations remained unaltered. These tissue-specific responses reflect efficient anisosmotic and anisoionic extracellular regulatory mechanisms, and reveal the dependence of muscle tissue on intracellular osmotic effectors. FAA concentration is higher in P. northropi than in diadromous and hololimnetic palaemonids, confirming muscle FAA concentration as a good parameter to evaluate the degree of adaptation to dilute media. The osmoregulatory capability of P. northropi may reflect the potential physiological capacity of ancestral marine palaemonids to penetrate into dilute media, and reveals the importance of evaluating osmoregulatory processes in endeavors to comprehend the invasion of dilute media by ancestral marine crustaceans.

Agglutinin isolated from the red marine alga Hypnea cervicornis J. Agardh reduces inflammatory hypernociception: Involvement of nitric oxide

Hypnea cervicornis agglutinin (HCA), a lectin isolated from the red marine alga has been previously shown to have an antinociceptive effect. In the present study in rats, mechanisms of action of HCA were addressed regarding mechanical hypernociception induced by carrageenan, ovalbumin (as antigen), and also by prostaglandin E(2) in rats. The lectin administered intravenously inhibited carrageenan- and antigen-induced hypernociception at 1,3, 5 and 7 h. This inhibitory effect was completely prevented when lectin was combined with mucin, demonstrating the role of carbohydrate-binding sites. The inhibition of inflammatory hypernociception by HCA was associated with the prevention of neutrophil recruitment to the plantar tissue of rats but was not associated with the inhibition of the release of pro-hypernociceptive cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and CINC-1). HCA also blocked mechanical hypernociception induced by PGE(2), which was prevented by the administration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitors. These results were corroborated by the increased circulating levels of NO metabolites following HCA treatment. These findings suggest that the anti-hypernociceptive effects of HCA are not associated with the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production. However, these effects seem to involve the inhibition of neutrophil migration and also the increase in NO production. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of marine bivalve shellfish from the fish market in Santos city, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, for Toxoplasma gondii

The aim of this study was to determine if Toxoplasma gondii are present in oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) and mussels (Mytella guyanensis) under natural conditions using a bioassay in mice and molecular detection methods. We first compared two standard protocols for DNA extraction, phenol-chloroform (PC) and guanidine-thiocyanate (GT), for both molluscs. A total of 300 oysters and 300 mussels were then acquired from the fish market in Santos city, Sao Paulo state, Brazil, between March and August of 2008 and divided into 60 groups of 5 oysters and 20 groups of 15 mussels. To isolate the parasite, five mice were orally inoculated with sieved tissue homogenates from each group of oysters or mussels. For molecular detection of T. gondii, DNA from mussels was extracted using the PC method and DNA from oysters was extracted using the GT method. A nested-PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) based on the amplification of a 155 bp fragment from the B1 gene of T. gondii was then performed. Eleven PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) markers, SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, CS3 and Apico, were used to genotype positive samples. There was no isolation of the parasite by bioassay in mice. T. gondii was not detected in any of the groups of mussels by nested-PCR. DNA of T. gondii was apparently detected by nested-PCR in 2 groups of oysters (3.3%). Genotyping of these two positive samples was not successful. The results suggest that oysters of the species C. rhizophorae, the most common species from the coast of Sao Paulo, can filter and retain T. gondii oocysts from the marine environment. Ingestion of raw oysters as a potential transmission source of T. gondii to humans and marine mammals should be further investigated. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.