TOURISM IN CAVES and THE CONSERVATION of THE SPELEOLOGICAL HERITAGE: THE CASE of SERRA da BODOQUENA (MATO GROSSO do SUL STATE, BRAZIL)

Heros Augusto Santos Lobo & Edvaldo Cesar Moretti: Tourism in Caves and the Conservation of the Speleological Heritage: The case of Serra da Bodoquena (Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil)The Serra da Bodoquena is the region in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil in which the Municipality of Bonito is located. This municipality is the primary calling card for tourism in the state and is one of the most developed areas of ecotourism and speleotourism in the country The tourism there is entitled ecotourism, and is designed to be sustainable. The present case study focuses on the ecologically Sustainable aspects of the spleotourism practiced there, especially the proposals for tourist carrying capacity adopted. The results and discussion provide Suggestions for the adoption of a different formulation of carrying capacity focusing on both operational and quantitative aspects. Ecologically Sustainable speleotourism in the Serra da Bodoquena should be possible as long as new proposals limiting visitation are adopted which conform to technical environmental management procedures and consider the interests of local stakeholders.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Leishmania spp. infections and risk factors for cats from Brazil

The seroprevalence of infection by Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Leishmania spp. was detected through an indirect immunofluorescence in 70 cats from the Andradina Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. Anti-T. gondii antibodies (titer >64) were detected in 15.7% (11/70) of animals, whereas positivity for N. caninum (titer 16) was not observed in any animal. of the cats from urban and rural areas, 10.4% (5/48) and 27.2% (6/22) were positive for T. gondii, respectively. Breed, age, food, and contact with animals of other species were significant for considering the positivity for T. gondii (P <= 0.0001). Cats having access to streets (17.1%, 11/64), cats cohabiting with rats (19.6%, 10/51), and cats feeding on homemade food and raw milk (27.2%, 6/22) were positive for T. gondii. In addition, 4.2% (3/70) of the cats were positive for Leishmania spp. by ELISA technique and negative by IFAT without coinfection with T. gondii and Leishmania spp. There was no serological positivity against feline immunodeficiency virus or feline leukemia virus. In conclusion, T. gondii infection in part of the feline population from Andradina is not linked to immunosuppressions or coinfections but probably to postnatal infection in association with the type of diet and presence of rats.

Cytogenetical characterization of six orb-weaver species and review of cytogenetical data for Araneidae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

First record of petrified Permian pecopterids from the Parana Basin, Brazil (Corumbatai Formation, Passa Dois Group, northeastern State of São Paulo): Morphology, anatomy and paleoecological implications

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Mirmecofauna em um fragmento de floresta atlântica urbana no município de Marília, Brasil

The aim of this study was to verify the influence of the habitat fragmentation on the Ant Fauna in an urban fragment of Semideciduous Seasonal Atlantic Forest located in the municipality of Marilia, São Paulo, Brazil. The studied fragment was divided into three environments in relation to edge: "Edge" (2m), "Transition" (30m) and "Interior" (90m). By using pitfalls traps and attractive baits there were done nine samples between November 2007 and February 2008. There were collected 3.873 individuals distributed into five subfamilies, 19 genera and 33 species. Five species were abundant on three studied environments: Ectatomma sp1, Mycocepurus goeldii, Paratrechina sp1, Pheidole sp2, Trachymyrmex sp1, Wasmannia auropunctata. The edge and transition environments presented the lower Simpsons diversity index and higher species dominance. However, it was observed little variation between these parameters between environments. Faunistic similarity between environments, expressed by Jaccard's similarity index showed high similarity between all studied environments. Because the studied site is an urban fragment, the similarity found between these areas can be related to habitat fragmentation process, an historical of constant anthropic perturbation and low local colonization rates. However, we suggest that a posteriori evaluation should be done with other arthropods groups like spiders and beetles in due to understand the changes that occur in urban fragments and support the choice of conservation and management actions in favor of this important forest remnant localized in urban area of Marilia, São Paulo, Brazil.

Detection of cross infections by Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma spp. in dogs using indirect immunoenzyme assay, indirect fluorescent antibody test and polymerase chain reaction

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Seasonal testicular changes in Dendropsophus minutus Peters, 1872 (Anura, Hylidae)

The reproductive cycle in anurans may be either continuous or discontinuous. These differences may be connected to seasonal climate changes and/or to anthropic activity. Forty adult male individuals of the Dendropsophus minutus species were collected during one year, in the municipality of Chapada dos Guimaraes (Mato Grosso, Brazil). The testicles were studied under light and transmission electron microscopy. No variations were observed when the diameter of the seminiferous tubules and the thickness of the interstitial tissue were studied. However, changes in spermatogenesis were conspicuous and indicated that the reproductive cycle of D. minutus in Chapada dos Guimaraes is discontinuous and seems related to variations in air temperature and rainfall.

Evidence of Leishmania spp. antibodies and DNA in bush dogs (Speothos venaticus) in Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acoustic repertory of Hypsiboas exastis (Caramaschi and Rodgrigues, 2003) (Amphibia, Hylidae).

Advertisement, territorial, and distress calls of Hypsiboas exastis, a species of the Hypsiboas faker group, are described for the first time. Acoustic records were obtained of one specimen found at the Municipality of Urucuca, state of Bahia, Brazilian eastern cost. We compared the advertisement calls of H. exastis with those of H. lundii and H. pardalis (the closest related species) and suggested a closer similarity with H. lundii.

Use of levoglucosan, potassium, and water-soluble organic carbon to characterize the origins of biomass-burning aerosols

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Agronomic Traits of Corn Fertilized with Sewage Sludge

Although research on the environmental impacts of using waste as a fertilizer is of great importance, the basic principle for using a product as fertilizer is that it should provide nutrients for plants without causing any harm to them. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic traits (number of nodes, plant height, leaf number, yield, and protein content of grains) and the nutritional status of corn treated with sewage sludge. The experiment was conducted in the municipality of Jaboticabal in a Red Latosol. A randomized block design with four treatments (0, 55, 110, and 167.5 Mg ha(-1) of sewage sludge) and five repetitions was used. At 30 days after emergence (DAE), the dose of 110 Mg ha(-1) dry weight presented greater values for plant height, leaf number and stem diameter. At 60 DAE, the treatments did not affect the agronomic traits. No influence from the treatments tested was observed for protein content of grains and yield. The dose of 167.5 Mg ha(-1) showed greater weight of 100 seeds. All treatments showed nutritional imbalances. This study confirmed the agricultural potential of sewage sludge as a source of nutrients.

Ocorrência de enteroparasitos em centros de educação infantil no Município de Patos de Minas, MG, Brasil

Considering the high prevalence of the parasitic diseases in Brazil and its close relationship with the socio-economic and cultural levels of the population, aimed to establish the occurrence of enteroparasites in children of six Centers of Education Child (CEIs) of the municipality of Patos of Minas (MG). Were collected three samples of faeces of 161 children from zero to six years of age. Were used the Lutz and Baermann-Moraes' methods, to the detection of cysts of protozoa, eggs and larvae of helminths. Coproparasitological analyses showed positivity of 73%. The most frequent helminths were: Ascaris lumbricoides (50%), hookworm (22%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.6%). Among the protozoa highlighted were: Entamoeba histolytica/E. dispar (22%) and Giardia lamblia (32%). The high occurrence of enteroparasites evidenced the need for an effective health policy in the CEIs of the municipality of Patos of Minas to the fight against intestinal parasites.

Estimación de la heredabilidad del intervalo de partos en bovinos cruzados

Objetive. To estimate the heritability of interval calving in crossbred cattle. Materials and methods. Information from database of La Leyenda farm, in the municipality of Caucasia (Antioquia) was used. A single-trait animal model was used, that included genetic group, year of birth, season of birth and the number of calvings as fixed effects and the additive direct genetic, permanent environmental and residual as random effects. Results. The heritability estimated was 0.15 +/- 0.07 and the phenotypic mean was 544 +/- 97 days. Conclusions. The heritability for the interval between calvings was low, indicating that little genetic progress can be achieved by selecting for this characteristic.

Methodological contributions towards the study of health care production: lessons from a research study on barriers and access in mental health

This article presents methodological contributions and a conceptual innovation for thinking about the production of health care, stemming from a study on access and barriers in mental health carried out in the municipality of Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil). The study used a cartographic approach and, after an initial identification of the most complex cases (on the part of the teams of workers), adopted the users as guides to explore the different levels of production of their lives and to evaluate the possibility of forming a network of existential connections that produce life as a fundamental analyzer of access or barriers to care.

Occurrence of antibodies anti-Neospora caninum, anti-Toxoplasma gondii, and anti-Leishmania chagasi in serum of dogs from Para State, Amazon, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)