Reproductive cycle of Ophionereis reticulata (Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata) on the southeast coast of Brazil

The reproductive cycle of Ophionereis reticulata, a common sediment-rocky shore-interface ophiuroid, was examined monthly from January 2002 to January 2003 at Praia Grande beach (Sao Sesbatiao, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil). Mature individuals were found from January 2002 to April 2002 and from November 2002 to January 2003. Spawning was regcorded from January 2002 to March 2002 and from November 2002 to January 2003. Mature sperm is still present in April which could be involved in the fertilization of the last oocytes spawned in March and April. November and December marked the final point in the maturation process, with a high concentration of yolk and lipid nutrients in the oocytes. Ophionereis reticulata showed, for the period analyzed, a single spawning period, during spring and summer.

Alternative to the stroop color-word test for illiterate individuals

An alternative to the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT), denominated the Colored Numbers Test (CNT), was developed to evaluate the selective attention of illiterate individuals. A total of 30 volunteers with basic education (control group) and 30 illiterate volunteers (experimental group) performed the SCWT and the CNT. Volunteers had to name the color of the rectangles in the CNT neutral condition, and in the critical condition they had to either name the color of the numbers or, when the numbers were black, read the numbers. An interference index (II) was calculated for both tests by subtracting the time taken to complete the task in the neutral condition from the time taken to complete the task in the critical condition. The control group showed an II of 14.9s in the SCWT and of 19.1s in the CNT, and the experimental group, which practically presented no interference in the SCWT (II = 0.2s), showed an II of 18.7s in the CNT. These findings suggest that the CNT can he used to evaluate selective attention. Further work should confirm its validity. Its advantage over the SCWT is that it does not depend on the ability to read words, being then suitable for illiterate individuals.

Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis: alternative therapy with ajoene, compound from Allium sativum, associated with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim

Ajoene has been described as an antithrombotic, anti-tumour, antifungal, antiparasitic and antibacterial agent. This study deals with the efficacy of ajoene to treat mice intratracheally infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The results indicate that ajoene therapy is effective in association with antifungal drugs (sulfametoxazol/trimethoprim), showing a positive additive effect. Ajoene-treated mice developed Th1-type cytokine responses producing higher levels of IFN-gamma and IL-12 when compared to the infected but untreated members of the control group. Antifungal activity of ajoene involves a direct effect on fungi and a protective pro-inflammatory immune response. Reduction of fungal load is additive to chemotherapy and therefore the combined treatment is mostly effective against experimental paracoccidioidomycosis.