Gênese e Classificação da Coquina de Camaquã, Formação Corumbataí (Neopermiano), na Região de Rio Claro, SP

Analysis of the taphonomic signatures of a well preserved, silicifled coquina (Pinzonella neotropica assemblage) from the Camaquã outcrop, upper part of the Corumbataí Formation (Late Permian), in the Rio Claro region, state of Sáo Paulo, allowed interpretation of processes involved in its origin as related to high energy events (storms). The coquina occurs as a lenticular body, 2-11 cm thick and extending laterally for about 120 m. Basal contact of the coquina is sharp and erosive. Its upper contact is sharp. The concentration is dominated by pelecypods including the shallow burrowers (Pinzonella neotropica, Jacquesia brasiliensis), intermediate burrower (Pyramus anceps) and semi-infaunal forms (Naiadopsis lamellosus). All these species are suspension feeders. Besides sand-sized or even smaller shell fragments, there occur disarticulated, complete shells which are commonly abraded but do not show any signs of bioerosion or incrustation. In vertical side view, the shells are mainly convex-up, nested or stacked, while in plan-view they show random orientation. Multiple discontinuous grading is visible. These taphonomic signatures suggest that the origin of the skeletal accumulation is related to high energy events (possibly storm flows) in a proximal environment. The amalgamated nature of the Camaquã coquina records several episodes of erosion and deposition.

Comparação de métodos para determinar biomassa na região amazônica

The aboveground biomass content of a region can be estimated by either direct or indirect methods. Direct methods correspond to the biomass content determination with scales and extrapolation of results to larger areas. It is a destructive and very laborious procedure. Indirect methods utilize formulas whose entrance parameters are obtained from forest inventories. Forest inventories are made with the purpose to plan exploration and land use and the inventory data are frequently not suitable for biomass estimation. Problems with both methods increase in the Amazon region, where little information is available on forest biomass. The objective of this paper is to establish, by comparing the application of the indirect and direct methods in the determination of the biomass, the more appropriate indirect formulation to represent the characteristic vegetation of a region in the amazonian forest. A 0.2 hectare area was chosen, which was part of a major forest clearing experiment conducted in Tomé Açu, a town located 250 km south of Belém, the capital of the Brazilian state of Pará. The entire biomass in the area was weighted with scales during the three weeks that followed the cut of the forest in July 1994. A detailed inventory was carried out in the area and then the indirect method was applied in the data. Seven different formulas for determining biomass were used. Comparison of the data of real mass and the mass obtained through the application of the seven formulas indicated that the more suitable for the region is given by FW = α · φβ · Hγ, where FW is total fresh weight (kg), φ is the diameter at breast height (cm), H is the total height of the tree and α, β and γ are regression coefficients (equal to 0.026, 1.529 and 1.747, respectively).

Genotipagem do locus ABO (9q34.1) em doadores de sangue da região noroeste do estado de São Paulo

The advances of molecular genetics enabled us to understand the molecular basis of the ABO locus. Considering Us importance as a genetic marker and its applications, the aim of this study was to verify the distribution of the ABO genotypes in a Brazilian population from the Northwest region of the Sào Paulo Stale, Brazil. The genomic DNA was extracted from three hundred and twenty four healthy Brazilian blood donors (O ] 50; A 118; B 32 and AB 24) and analyzed by PCR amplification followed by restriction enzyme digestion. Fourteen genotypes were identified and the relative frequencies of the O , O , O , A and B genes ivere estimated at 44.6%, 16.9%, 4.1%, 25.3% and 9.1%, respectively. Tloese results demonstrate that the ABO locus presents a high polymorphism as revealed by molecular analysis.

Prevalência de reagentes ao teste de tuberculinização no rebanho bovino leiteiro da região de São Carlos - SP

Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease readily transmitted between animals and humans, is an great threat to public and animal health a like and has been declared an international emergency. According to the WHO, animal TB is a source of much concern, especially in the poorer countries where there is little awareness of the problem. Thus, improvements in veterinary health are essential, with regard to infection by Mycobacterium bovis, particularly in areas where the public is at risk. The prevalence of infected animals in Brazil is about 1%, whereas, in the dairy cattle region of São Carlos, the average proportion of positive tests was found to be 3. 1% from 1987 to 1996. The current research was carried out to investigate the prevalence, in the region, of dairy cattle reacting positively to the tuberculin test, from 1997 to the first half of 2001. The results were obtained by searching through the data collected by the Federal Inspection Authority, and they indicated an average prevalence of 1.3% over the period, similar to the official national average. It was concluded that bovine TB continues to be present in the region, posing a potential threat of infection to the human population.

Padrão de sensibilidade de cepas de Enterobacter spp isoladas na região de Presidente Prudente - SP

Enterobacter spp. are considered important causing agents of infection, specially in hospitalized individuals. The natural resistance of these microorganisms and the great facility to develop resistance to new antimicrobial agents make this genus an important object of study. In this work, 176 strains isolated from various clinical samples were used from hospitalized patients (University Hospital Domingos Leonardo Cerávolo) and from clinic patients (Clinical Laboratory from Unoeste), both situated in Presidente Prudente - SP. E. cloacae (78.9%), E. aerogenes (7.9%) and E. (pantoea) agglomerans (3.9%) were the ones more frequently isolated. Eleven antimicrobial agents were tested by the disk diffusion method and around 90% of the strains presented resistance to the cephalotin, ampicillin and cefaclor. Strains of E. (pantoea) agglomerans presented wide profile of sensibility However one strain of E. cloacae presented resistance to all the antimicrobial agents. The antimicrobial agents with greater inhibitory activity were imipenem and cefepime, for this reason these antimicrobial agents could be the treatment of choice in emergencial therapeutic. This emergencial therapy can be applied with relative security, whereas the data obtained in this study show homogeneity in the profile of sensibility to these antimicrobial agents, independent of the infection site and from the isolated species. The ESBL enzyme could not be detected in no one of the strains by the double diffusion test.

Composição faunística de insetos predadores em fragmento florestal e em área de hortaliças na região de Jaboticabal, estado de São Paulo

A population survey was carried out in a forest fragment and in an area of vegetables, from November/1996 to February/1998, aiming to determine the predator insect species and the influence of abiotic factors. The samples were taken weekly by light traps. The results were evaluated using faunistic analysis and simple correlation with temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. In the forest fragment higher similarity in the abundance of species was observed comparing to the area of vegetables, but the largest number of captured individuals (95%) occurred in this last habitat. Metius sp., Polpochila impressifrons (Dej.), Eulissus sp. and Doru sp. were predominant species in both areas, evidencing they may play an important role as pest predators in areas of vegetables. Arthrostictus speciosus (Dej.) and Leptotrachelus sp. predominated in the forest fragment, and the same was observed with Paederus sp. in the vegetable area. This species is probably adapted for open and hot places, while A. speciosus and Leptotrachelus sp. can be adapted for dark and humid places of forests.