Differential occupation of habitat as a reproductive strategy of the blue crab Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda)

The reproductive biology of a species includes factors beyond its sexual maturity, fecundity and reproductive period, and may extend to the differential distribution of individuals. The reproductive dynamics of the blue crab Callinectes ornatus was investigated through monthly collections over the course of 2 years in three bays on the southeastern coast of Brazil. For each bay, six transects were established, four of them parallel to the beach line (at depths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 m), one transect exposed to wave action, and another sheltered from waves. Females and males were classified according to the gonadal maturation stage, and were grouped as individuals with reproductive potential (mature gonads or breeding females) or not (rudimentary gonads or in development). Analyses using ordination techniques (PCA) and gradient analysis (CCA) showed that 82.13 % of environmental variations were explained by the transect arrangement, and these characteristics explained 86.70 % of the differential distribution of female crabs and 96.57 % of the distribution of males. These results indicate that females with reproductive potential were more abundant in deeper regions, while females with rudimentary or developed gonads were abundant in shallower habitats and areas sheltered from wave action. Thus, the distribution of C. ornatus in these bays was linked to their reproductive state, as part of the reproductive strategy of the population. © 2013 Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Green chromatographic fingerprinting: An environmentally friendly approach for the development of separation methods for fingerprinting complex matrices

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

A cytochemical approach to describe oocyte development in the freshwater ostariophysan, Serrasalmus maculatus (Characiformes)

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

Multivariate Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating HPLC Method for the Determination of Glimepiride in Tablets

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

Product-portfolio management: A framework based on Methods, Organization, and Strategy

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

Short periods of food restriction do not affect growth, survival or muscle development on pacu larvae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Use of uniform designs in combination with neural networks for viral infection process development

This work aimed to compare the predictive capacity of empirical models, based on the uniform design utilization combined to artificial neural networks with respect to classical factorial designs in bioprocess, using as example the rabies virus replication in BHK-21 cells. The viral infection process parameters under study were temperature (34°C, 37°C), multiplicity of infection (0.04, 0.07, 0.1), times of infection, and harvest (24, 48, 72 hours) and the monitored output parameter was viral production. A multilevel factorial experimental design was performed for the study of this system. Fractions of this experimental approach (18, 24, 30, 36 and 42 runs), defined according uniform designs, were used as alternative for modelling through artificial neural network and thereafter an output variable optimization was carried out by means of genetic algorithm methodology. Model prediction capacities for all uniform design approaches under study were better than that found for classical factorial design approach. It was demonstrated that uniform design in combination with artificial neural network could be an efficient experimental approach for modelling complex bioprocess like viral production. For the present study case, 67% of experimental resources were saved when compared to a classical factorial design approach. In the near future, this strategy could replace the established factorial designs used in the bioprocess development activities performed within biopharmaceutical organizations because of the improvements gained in the economics of experimentation that do not sacrifice the quality of decisions.

Long-term low intensity physical exercise attenuates heart failure development in aging spontaneously hypertensive rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Development of a comprehensive method for analyzing clerodane-type diterpenes and phenolic compounds from Casearia sylvestris Swartz (Salicaceae) based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography combined with chemometric tools

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