Histopathology findings in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus, 1758) with chronic weight loss associated with bile tract obstruction by infestation with Platynosomum (Loos, 1907)

Chronic weight loss in marmosets is often associated with wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS), an important disease that occurs in callitrichid colonies around the world. Even though its etiology is very difficult to determine, particular variables, such as weight loss, diarrhea and alopecia, associated or not with infestation in the pancreatic ducts with Trichospirura leptossoma (Nematoda: Thelazioidea), seem to be linked with the syndrome. This study investigated the histopathology of the lungs, duodenum, liver, gallbladder, extrahepatic bile ducts and pancreatic ducts of six common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) suffering from severe non-diarrheic weight loss. Three individuals died naturally and the other three were euthanized. Microscopic findings showed the presence of adult flukes (Platynosomum) in the liver. These flukes, which provoke common infection in cats, were also observed inside the gallbladder as well as in the intra and extrahepatic bile ducts in common marmosets. Portal fibrosis was observed in two animals, which developed chronic fibrosing hepatopathy (biliary pattern, grade 3). The disease progresses without diarrhea and without pancreatic lesions or infestation. With the rogression, the animals presented with ascending cholangitis, cholestasis and portal fibrosis, sometimes culminating in secondary biliary cirrhosis. Therefore, this nfirmity, associated with chronic weight loss in common marmosets, could be another tiological factor linked with WMS

Histopathology findings in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus, 1758) with chronic weight loss associated with bile tract obstruction by infestation with Platynosomum (Loos, 1907)

Chronic weight loss in marmosets is often associated with wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS), an important disease that occurs in callitrichid colonies around the world. Even though its etiology is very difficult to determine, particular variables, such as weight loss, diarrhea and alopecia, associated or not with infestation in the pancreatic ducts with Trichospirura leptossoma (Nematoda: Thelazioidea), seem to be linked with the syndrome. This study investigated the histopathology of the lungs, duodenum, liver, gallbladder, extrahepatic bile ducts and pancreatic ducts of six common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) suffering from severe non-diarrheic weight loss. Three individuals died naturally and the other three were euthanized. Microscopic findings showed the presence of adult flukes (Platynosomum) in the liver. These flukes, which provoke common infection in cats, were also observed inside the gallbladder as well as in the intra and extrahepatic bile ducts in common marmosets. Portal fibrosis was observed in two animals, which developed chronic fibrosing hepatopathy (biliary pattern, grade 3). The disease progresses without diarrhea and without pancreatic lesions or infestation. With the rogression, the animals presented with ascending cholangitis, cholestasis and portal fibrosis, sometimes culminating in secondary biliary cirrhosis. Therefore, this nfirmity, associated with chronic weight loss in common marmosets, could be another tiological factor linked with WMS

Distribuição e abundância da malacofauna epibentônica no Parracho de Maracajaú, RN, Brasil

The mollusks present a great taxon variety and life habits in coral reefs being good environmental indicators. It is important to know the distribution pattern of the mollusks and the processes that influence it, so that disturbances in sea ecosystems could be monitored. The present study aims to accomplish the inventory and distribution of epibenthic mollusks in the Parracho of Maracajaú. 23 sites in different habitats of the Parracho were settled: 11 in the reef habitat, 3 in the sandy bottom and 9 in the seagrass bed. Qualitative and quantitative samplings have been done through snorkeling and scuba diving. Three band transects (10m²) were sampled in each site and the data were obtained to each m² of the transect, where the species were counted and the environmental variables (rugosity and recovery of the substratum) were valued. The data were submitted to multivariate analyses in order to find possible distribution patterns that could be associated to the substratum variables. The diversity indexes were calculated for each reef sites and compared with each other. A number of 46 species were registered. The reef habit at should to be the richnest area while the sandy bottom was poorest one. In the reef habitat, the mollusks were associated to rugosity and recovering of frondose algae and zoanthids, while for the seagrass bed, the animals exhibited a richness variation associated to the muddy and sandy sediment. There were found 3 species economically explored, what requires an appropriate management for the maintenance and conservation of the area resources in a sustainable way

Influência dos fatores abióticos sobre a variação espaço-temporal de paralonchurus brasiliensis (Steindachner, 1875) (pisces, sciaenidae) componente da fauna acompanhante da pesca de camarões no litoral Norte de São Paulo

Knowledge of the environmental factors influence on the spatial-temporal variation of fishes is important to fisheries management and conservation. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the influence of the abiotical factors on the spatial-temporal distribution of Paralonchurus brasiliensis (Pisces, Sciaenidae) caught by-catch with the shrimp fishing of Ubatuba and Caraguatatuba regions, north coast of São Paulo State. The fishes were captured every month from January to December 2002. Samples were collected by otter trawl at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35m depths. The temperatures (surface and bottom), salinities (surface and bottom), sediment features and organic matters were verified for each depth. During all period of the study 12.642 specimens of P. brasiliensis were captured at Ubatuba and 17.166 at Caraguatatuba, which totalized the biomass of 267 for the first and 339kg for the other region. The females outnumbered males in fish population. The greatest values of biomass and number of individuals were registered at the summer and autumn seasons, while the lowest values were observed at the winter and spring seasons. The greatest abundances were found from 15 to 25m depth. In this study, it was verified that P. brasiliensis is a coastal waters associate species. The spatialtemporal distribution of P. brasiliensis is affected by intrusion of SACW and depth for the coastal region and by depth and sediment in sheltered areas such as Caraguatatuba

Projeto raia de fogo: aspectos populacionais da raia de fogo (Dasyatis marianae Gomes, Rosa & Gadig, 2000) e pesca de elasmobrânquios no complexo recifal do Parracho de Maracajaú

The species Dasyatis marianae inhabits coastal areas associated with coral reefs, considered endemic to the northeast of Brazil, occurring from the State of Maranhão to the south of Bahia. Specimens of this species are commonly sighted by divers and fishermen in the area of Maracajaú reefs, a complex reef that is part of the Environmental Protection Area of Coral Reefs (EPACR), which was developed in this study about the ecology and biology of the D. marianae, in order to characterize aspects of population structure in the area of the reef complex of Parracho de Maracajaú. We analyzed 120 specimens caught by artisanal fishing site of the size, weight, sex, stage of maturity and stomach contents. Most subjects were adult males (1.7:1) and was more abundant for rays with lengths between 25 and 29cm of LD, where females reach larger sizes, a feature common to other rays. The largest specimens were captured in the area of seagrass, which is preferred for the species. The distribution of species in the area showed an ontogenetic and sexual segregation, where the youthful occur near the beach, which is a likely area for nursery and growth of the adult females prevail in the seagrass, which apparently has a high prey availability, and Adult males are more distant, a higher proportion occurring in outlying areas, suggesting a habit more exploratory than the females. The evaluation of the reproductive system indicated 3 reproductive cycles per year, one young per pregnancy, and showed that the mature males were smaller than females. The cubs of D. marianae size at birth 12 to 15cm LD. As for diet, the species was characterized as carnivorous crustacean specialist. The performance of visual censuses in different localities allowed to evaluate the density of D. marianae in different environments of the complex. The species occurs in greater numbers in seagrass, environment very important for the conservation of the species. 100 individuals of D. marianae marked in reef complex area enrolled in a recapture rate of 3%. Some behavioral aspects were evaluated, as diurnal pattern of activity, interaction with cleaning and fish Pomacanthus paru followers as Lutjanus analis and Carangoides bartholomaei. Overall, much of the information obtained should be used for management of the species

Características limnológicas e estrutura trófica das comunidades de peixes de alguns lagos naturais e artificiais do Rio Grande do Norte

Artificial lakes must differ from natural lakes in important structural and functional aspects that need to be understood so that these ecosystems can be properly managed. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that the artificial lakes (impoundments) in the semi-arid region of the Rio Grande do Norte State are more eutrophic and turbid and have different trophic structure when compared to the natural coastal lakes that occur in the humid eastern coast of the State. To test this hypothesis, 10 natural lakes and 8 artificial lakes with about 100 ha were sampled between September and November 2005 for the determination of some limnological variables and the abundance of the main fish species, which were grouped in three trophic guilds: facultative piscivores, facultative planktivores and omnivores. The results show that the artificial lakes had significantly higher concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a , total and volatile suspended solids than the natural lakes. Results also show that the values of pH, total alkalinity, electric conductivity, turbidity as well as the coefficient of vertical attenuation of light were significantly higher in the artificial lakes than in the natural lakes. In the artificial lakes, the abundance of facultative planktivores was significantly higher, while the abundance of facultative piscivores significantly lower than in the natural lakes. There was no significant difference in the abundance of omnivorous fish between the two types of lakes. These results suggest that the increase in turbidity together with the other changes in the water quality of the artificial lakes, modifies the trophic structure of the fish communities reducing the importance of piscivores and the length of the food chains

Inventário das espécies de peixes da costa do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte e aspectos zoogeográficos da ictiofauna recifal do Oceano Atlântico

We present a checklist of the shores fishes of the coast of the Rio Grande do Norte state. Species were registered through the specimens collection, underwater records, samples in landings of artisanal fleet and by compilation of data from literature and ichthyologic collections, between January 2004 to 2006. A total of 440 species form 2 classes, 25 orders, 106 families and 253 genus were registered. It is believed that due the great increase of the number of species registered, the ichthyofauna of the coast of this state is reasonably known

Isolamento de uma quitinase extraída do cefalotórax do camarão marinho Litopenaeus schmitti (BURKENROAD, 1936) : avaliação de suas atividades antimicrobiana e larvicida

Chitinases are enzymes involved in degradation of chitin and are present in a range of organisms, including those that do not contain chitin, such as bacteria, viruses, plants and animals, and play important physiological and ecological roles. Chitin is hydrolyzed by a chitinolytic system classified as: endo-chitinases, exo-chitinases and N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidases. In this study a Litochitinase1 extracted from the cephalotorax of the shrimp Litopenaeus Schmitt was purified 987.32 times using ionexchange chromatography DEAE-Biogel and molecular exclusion Sephacryl S-200. These enzyme presented a molecular mass of about 28.5 kDa. The results, after kinetic assay with the Litochitinase1 using as substrate p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-b-Dglucosaminideo, showed apparent Km of 0.51 mM, optimal activity at pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.0, optimum temperature at 55°C and stability when pre-incubated at temperatures of 25, 37, 45, 50 and 55°C. The enzyme showed a range of stability at pH 4.0 to 5.5. HgCl2 inhibited Litochitinase1 while MgCl2 enhances its activity. Antimicrobial tests showed that Litochitinase1 present activity against gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli in the 800 μg/mL concentration. The larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti was investigated using crude extracts, F-III (50-80%) and Litochitinase1 at 24 and 48 hours. The results showed larvicidal activity in all these samples with EC50 values of 6.59 mg/mL for crude extract, 5.36 mg/mL for F-III and 0.71 mg/mL for Litochitinase1 at 24 hours and 3.22 and 0.49 mg/mL for the F-III and Litochitinase1 at 48 hours, respectively. Other experiments confirmed the presence of chitin in the midgut of Aedes aegypti larvae, which may be suffering the action of Litochitinase1 killing the larvae, but also the absence of contaminating proteins as serine proteinase inhibitors and lectins in the crude extract, F-III and Litochitinase1, indicating that the death of the larvae is by action of the Litochitinase1. We also observed that the enzymes extracted from intestinal homogenate of the larvae no have activity on Litochitinase1. These results indicate that the enzyme can be used as an alternative to control of infections caused by Escherichia coli and reducing the infestation of the mosquito vector of dengue.

Adsorção de cobre e cromo utilizando fibra de sisal visando o tratamento da água produzida pela indústria petrolífera

Currently, the oil industry is the biggest cause of environmental pollution. The objective was to reduce the concentration of copper and chromium in the water produced by the oil industry. It was used as adsorbent natural sisal fiber Agave sp treated with nitric acid and sodium hydroxide. All vegetable fibers have physical and morphological properties that enablies the adsorption of pollutants. The basic composition of sisal is cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The features are typically found in the characterization of vegetable fibers, except the surface area that was practically zero. In the first stage of adsorption, it was evaluated the effect of temperature and time skeeking to optimize the execution of the factorial design. The results showed that the most feasible fiber was the one treated with acid in five hours (30°C). The second phase was a factorial design, using acid and five hours, this time was it determined in the first phase. The tests were conducted following the experimental design and the results were analyzed by statistical methods in order to optimize the main parameters that influence the process: pH, concentration (mol / L) and fiber mass/ metal solution volume. The volume / mass ratio factor showed significant interference in the adsorption process of chromium and copper. The results obtained after optimization showed that the highest percentages of extraction (98%) were obtained on the following operating conditions: pH: 5-6, Concentration: 100 ppm and mass/ volume: 1 gram of fiber/50mL solution. The results showed that the adsorption process was efficient to remove chromium and copper using sisal fibers, however, requiring further studies to optimize the process.

Diversidade de cefalópodes e o seu papel no nicho trófico de seus principais predadores nos Arquipélagos de Fernando de Noronha e São Pedro e São Paulo

This study aims, to characterize the diversity of cephalopods by analyzing the stomach contents of fishes caught in the islands of St. Peter and St. Paul (ASPSP) and Fernando de Noronha (AFN). Also, verify the participation of cephalopods in the diet of their main predators. A total of 723 stomachs were collected, from 8 species of fish, caught by the fishery, 471 stomachs were from ASPSP and 252 were from the AFN. It was recorded the occurrence of food items (fish, cephalopods and crustaceans) and the cephalopods were identified to the lowest taxa possible, according to specialized literature. The Ommastrephidae family represented 84.46% of occurrence in the ASPSP and 63.48% in the AFN, confirming the importance of this family in the area studied and also in the diet of their predators. Among the species with greatest occurrence Ornitoteuthis antillarum was the most representative in both regions. This species had an average mantle length of 54.25 mm, thus demonstrating that the majority of this population is in the juvenile stage of development. The smallest species found was Argonauta nodosa with a mantle length of 4.06 mm and the largest was Ommastrephes bartrami, with 223.33 mm. In the AFN, the species richness (d) was 2.318, the diversity index (H ') was 1.454 and the measure of evenness (J) was 0.585. In the ASPSP, the species richness (d) was 2.66, the Shannon diversity index (H ') was 1.013 and the measure of evenness (J) was 0.373. AFN has a greater cephalopod diversity than ASPSP, confirming the pattern suggested by the Theory of Island Biogeography. Among the occurrence of prey items for all predators, the cephalopods are secondary preys. The most important cephalopod species in the diet of Thunnus albacares and Acantocybium solandri was Ornithoteuthis antillarum. These predators have different niche width the diet of Thunnus albacares is more specialized, but they have an overlap of 84.684% in the trophic niche, suggesting that in the ASPSP these two species may use similar niches

Avaliação da cobertura e monitoramento do branqueamento de corais nos

Coral bleaching has been increasingly the focus of research around the world since the early 1980s, when it was verified to be increasing in frequency, intensity and amount of areas affected. The phenomenon has been recorded since 1993, associated with elevation of the sea surface temperature due to El Niños and water thermal anomalies, according to most reports around the world. On the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a mass coral bleaching event was recorded in the Environmental Protection Area of Coral Reefs (APARC) during March and April 2010, when the water temperature reached 34°C for several days. About 80% of the corals in Maracajaú reef-complex exhibited partial or total bleaching. The aims of this study were to verify representativeness of coral coverage and how the bleaching dynamic has developed among different species. Coral coverage was estimated according to Reef Check Brazil protocol associated with quadrant method, and bleaching was evaluated from biweekly visual surveys in 80 colonies of Favia gravida, Porites astreoides, Siderastrea stellata and Millepora alcicornis. At the same time temperature, pH, salinity and horizontal transparency, as well as mortality and disease occurrence were monitored. Analysis of variance and Multiple Regression from the perspective of time lag concept were used to evaluate the bleaching dynamics among species and the relationship between variation of means of bleaching and variations of abiotic parameters, respectively. Species showed significant differences among themselves as to variation of means of bleaching over time, but the dynamic of variation exhibited similar patterns

Estudo da oxidação do metabissulfito de sódio contido no efluente da carcinicultura

The shrimp farming is a process of creation of shrimp that has been growing rapidly in the country, occupying a meaningful space in the Brazilian exporting. In 2003, this activity presented a volume of 60 millions of tons and 220 millions of dollars, being the main generator of employment and income of the primary sector of the northeast economy. However, it is a new activity with c.a. five years in the Rio Grande do Norte State and therefore needs investment in the technological area. Among the wastewaters of this activity, the sulphite solution is being usually applied in the process of fishing, i.e. retrieval of the shrimps from the farming. The aim of this work is to present the oxidation experimental results of the sulphite that may be and to determine what it s the most efficient method, trough laboratory experiments. The measurements were carried out in a mixing reactor inserting air and with hydrogen peroxide addition with and without UV light. The solutions were prepared synthetically with concentrations found in the wastewater of fishing and also collected in locu. The oxidation process using air was monitorated by iodometric analysis for the sulphite and the oxidation using hydrogen peroxide was evaluated with turbidimetric analysis for sulphate, by spectrophotometer. The sulphite was totally oxidized in both processes. The experimental results permit to conclude that the oxidation by hydrogen peroxide is more efficient and allowed to determine the optimum operational conditions in terms of concentration and time of treatment

Aplicação da água residuária das salinas no tratamento de efluente têxtil

The treatment of colored and alkaline effluent has been a challenge to the textile industry. An alternative to remove the colors of those effluents is applying magnesium chloride as a coagulant agent. The magnesium ion, in high pH, hydrolyzes itself, forming the magnesium hydroxide which has a large adsorptive area and positive electrostatic charges able to act as an efficient coagulant. The bittern wastewater from the salt industries has been studied as a potential font of this magnesium ion. Nowadays, this bittern wastewater is evicted into the sea, without any treatment or other use. This thesis has evaluated the potential of applying the wastewater from the salt industries in the treatment of dyeing effluent containing indigo dye and alkaline pH. All the experiments were made in jar tests simulating the chemical coagulation, flocculation and decantation steps ranging the pH and the concentration of magnesium ion. Were obtained removals between 96% and 76% for turbidity, apparent color, and true color, respectively, using 200mg/L Mg2+. The reduction of costs with acid, when were used the salt industries wastewater, comparing with Al2(SO4)3, was 62%. For the degradation of organic matter remaining in the clarified, around 900 mg/L, was applyed the advanced process of oxidation: photo-Fenton. The preliminary results showed 57% reduction in DOC. According to the results obtained, the salt industries wastewater can be applied, as coagulant, in the physical-chemical treatment of the denim dyeing wastewater, so it is not necessary a previous adjust of pH, efficiently and economically

Impacto do abastecimento irregular de água nos altos índices de dengue

Dengue fever is an infectious disease that causes thousands of deaths each year in Brazil and other tropical countries. This work demonstrates that the irregularity in the supply of water by public water supply systems is a major factor that contributes to the proliferation of breeding sites of the mosquito that transmits dengue, due to the impossibility of removing water storage tanks. 31 points in the water supply network in thirteen districts of Natal, Brazil, were monitored by the installation of pressure gauges type Datalogger. The data about pressure showed deficiency in water supplies in many neighborhoods, forcing residents to accumulate water in tanks at ground level. In addition, It was observed that in neighborhoods with regular water supply, Infestation Index per type of container (ITR) of type A2 (Deposit ground level) was 0.00% and where there were failures in the supply of water , the ITR was high (above 50%). We believe that policies to combat dengue in Brazil should be reassessed so that more resources can be directed to the improvement of water supply systems and supply companies should be blamed for the problem too

A eliminação do mosquito do dengue em ambientes residenciais: uma questão de cuidado ambiental?

Dengue is currently considered one of the most relevant public health problems worldwide. Studies indicate the surroundings of the houses as the preferred sites for the proliferation of Aedes aegypti. The residential areas are privileged environments for human development and contribute to the formation of the individual s identity and for the establishment of affective, social and cultural bonds. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible links between psychological indicators of pro-environmentalism and conservation status of residential backyards. Data collection was performed in 147 homes and methodological strategy involved the use of interview, the Scale of Ecocentric and Anthropocentric Environmentalism, Scale of Consideration of Future Consequences and a tool for environmental evaluation. It was found that the participants expressed as environmental practices the garbage recycling, besides they had the knowledge of how the transmission of dengue occurs. These residents showed ecofriendly motivated commitment: pro-environmentalist ecocentric and anthropocentric. In evaluating the backyard it was verified that the conservation conditions, in almost half of the homes, appeared as carelessness on the part of residents and those conditions are conducive to the proliferation of Aedes aegypti. The pro-environmentalists and guidance for the future identified by the scales were not associated with the conservation status of the backyards. However, it was found that the trends of reduction and stability of infestation levels are associated with self-reported environmental care. These results can contribute to the discussion and design of new mosquito control actions and practices of education and health information among the population