Occurrence of Atopozelus opsimus preying on nymphs and adults of Glycaspis brimblecombei

The stink bugs genus Atopozelus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is native in the Americas, with five described species of which only three have been recorded in Brazil. In August 2007, Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves infested by lerp psyllid were collected and taken to the Forest Pest Biological Control Laboratory situated at São Paulo State University. A small green stink bug, identified as Atopozelus opsimus Elkins (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) that fed on nymphs and adult psyllids, was found on the leaves. These stink bugs presented phytophagy, omnivory and ability in opening the lerp (shell) that protect the psyllid. A. opsimus has demonstrated unusual particularities, different from many biological control agents found in nature; this predator thus deserves more attention for its potential to be evaluated.

Occurrence of Delphastus davidsoni (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) predating Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in greenhouse conditions in Brazil.

In March of 2009 larvae and adults from ladybug Delphastus davidsoni Gordon (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were observed predating eggs and nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in cabbage plants on rearing of this whitefly. This is the first report of D. davidsoni predating B. tabaci biotype B on cabbage plants, limiting the rearing and showing high potential on biological control of this aleyrodid for conditions of protected cultivation.

Effects of Different Periods of Clomazone plus Hexazinona Permanence in Soil and Sugarcane Mulch before the Occurrence of Rain on Weed Control Efficacy

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of the formulated mixture clomazone and hexazinone applied in soil or combined with sugarcane mulch, after different periods of permanence without the occurrence of rain. The experiment was carried out in vases under greenhouse conditions in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. The weeds Brachiaria decumbens, Ipomoea grandifolia, Ipomoea hederifolia and Euphorbia heterophylla were sown and covered or not with sugarcane mulch. The experiment was arranged in a complete randomized design with four repetitions. The treatments were displaced in a 3x6 factorial scheme, with the factors being six periods without rain (0, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days) and three modes of herbicide application(on the soil without sugarcane mulch, on and under sugarcane mulch). Control evaluations were carried out at 10, 21, 35 and 42 days after the occurrence of rain. The clomazone + hexazinone mixture promoted an excellent weed control for all the species studied when applied on, under, or without sugarcane mulch. However, the control levels tended to reduce for periods over 60 days without rain.

Occurrence of Physoclypeus farinosus Hendel (Diptera : Lauxaniidae) in flowerheads of Asteraceae (Asterales)

The occurrence of Physoclypeus farinosus Hendel in flowerheads of Asteraceae from different Brazilian localities is presented. The use of this resource by this fly is discussed.

Occurrence of fungi in water used at a haemodialysis centre

Aims: The aim of this study was to identify and determine the diversity, occurrence and distribution of fungi in water used at a haemodialysis centre.Methods and Results: Samples in the hydraulic circuit for the distribution of the water, dialysate samples and samples of sterilization solution from dialysers were collected over a 3-month period, and 500 ml of each sample was filtered through membranes. All together 116 isolates of fungi were recovered from 89% of all water samples collected inside the haemodialysis unit, with prevalence of moulds in tap water samples and of yeasts in dialysate samples. Fusarium spp. was the most abundant genus found, whereas Candida parapsilosis was the predominant yeast species.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that various fungi were present in the water system. These data suggest the inclusion of the detection and quantification of fungi in the water of haemodialysis.Significance and Impact of the Study: The recovery of fungi from aqueous haemodialysis environments implies a potential risk for haemodialysis patients and indicates the need for continuous maintenance and monitoring. Further studies on fungi in haemodialysis water systems are required to investigate the organism ability to persist, their role in biofilm formation and their clinical significance.

Supernumerary chromosomes in the pufferfish Sphoeroides spengleri: first occurrence in marine Teleostean Tetraodontiformes fish

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

Minimum size for the occurrence of vortex matter in a square mesoscopic superconductor

The study of superconducting samples in mesoscopic scale presented a remarkable improvement during the last years. Certainly, such interest is based on the fact that when the size of the samples is close to the order of the temperature dependent coherence length xi(T), and/or the size of the penetration depth lambda(T), there are some significant modifications on the physical properties of the superconducting state. This contribution tests the square cross-section size limit for the occurrence (or not) of vortices in mesoscopic samples of area L-2, where L varies discretely from 1 xi(0) to 8 xi(0).The time dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equations approach is used upon taking the order parameter and the local magnetic field invariant along the z-direction. The vortex configurations at the equilibrium can be obtained from the TDGL equations for superconductivity as the system relaxes to the stationary state.The obtained results show that the limit of vortex penetration is for the square sample of size 3 xi(0) x 3 xi(0) in which only a single vortex are allowed into the sample. For smaller specimens, no vortex can be formed and the field entrance into the sample is continuous and the total flux penetration occurs at higher values of H/H-c2(0), where H-c2(T) is the upper critical field. Otherwise, for larger samples different vortices patterns can be observed depending on the sample size. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of consonant production errors in liquid phonemes in children with operated cleft lip and palate

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Occurrence of Tetrameres confusa (Nematoda, Tetrameridae) in Ara ararauna (Psittacidae)

Relata-se a ocorrência de Tetrameres confusa Travassos 1917 (= T. americana (Cram, 1927) Baylis, 1929) (Nematoda, Tetrameridae) em um novo hospedeiro, Ara ararauna Linnaeus, 1758 (Aves, Psittacidae). Este é o primeiro registro da ocorrência do nematódeo em psitacídeos no Brasil.

Evaluation of pathogenic fungi occurrence in traumatogenic structures of freshwater fish

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Occurrence of pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV-infected patients and the interference of the highly active antiretroviral therapy

From the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, pneumocystis pneumonia ( PCP) has been distinguished as one of the most frequent opportunistic diseases with high morbid-mortality. As from 1996, the advent of the highly active antiretroviral therapy ( HAART) has changed the characteristics of such epidemic by reducing its related diseases and, as a result, AIDS-related mortality. With the purpose to estimate PCP occurrence and HAART interference, 376 HIV-infected or AIDS patients were studied from January 1992 to December 2002. Among them, 58 ( 15.5%) PCP cases were found. There was a higher occurrence of PCP in the group of patients in which HAART was not used, with 40 ( 69.0%) of the episodes. As regards the studied period, a tendency to a linear reduction in annual PCP incidence was observed. The mean of T CD4+ lymphocytes in the patients with PCP ( 117 cells/mm(3)) was significantly lower when compared to that of the other individuals ( 325 cells/mm(3)). Therefore, this study suggests a temporal reduction in PCP occurrence related to HAART use with higher T CD4+ lymphocyte counts. Nevertheless, this opportunistic infection still shows significant incidence in AIDS patients. ( NCT00516581).

Occurrence of enteroparasites in day care centers in Botucatu (São Paulo State, Brazil) with emphasis on Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterobius vermicularis

Verificou-se a prevalência dos enteroparasitas em 279 crianças (0 a 6 anos) de quatro creches municipais de Botucatu/SP. Foram coletadas três amostras de fezes de cada criança e processadas pelos métodos Hoffman, Faust e Ritchie e posterior coloração do esfregaço fecal pelos métodos de Auramina-O e Ziehl-Neelsen modificado para diagnóstico de Cryptosporidium sp. e método da fita gomada para diagnóstico de Enterobius vermicularis. Das crianças analisadas apresentaram-se parasitadas 53.40%, sendo que o parasita mais freqüente foi Giardia duodenalis (26.88%). Verificou-se associação significativa entre enteroparasitose, renda familiar, escolaridade materna e idade; quanto maior a renda e o grau escolar, menor a freqüência de enteroparasitas. Observou-se que G. duodenalis é mais prevalente em crianças de 0 a 4 anos e E. vermicularis em crianças entre três e quatro anos de idade. A elevada prevalência de enteroparasitas em creches sugere estrutura complexa em sua epidemiologia, onde fatores além do saneamento devem ser considerados.

Occurrence of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus in various food products commercialized in Botucatu, SP, Brazil and detection of toxins from food and isolated strains

The aim of this work was to assess the microbiological quality of commercialized desserts, sandwiches and finger food in Botucatu, SP, for human consumption. A total of 172 food samples were analyzed for fecal coliforms and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and 69 (40.1%) were in disagreement with the standards established by Decree No. 12 (Brazilian Food Sanitation Standard, 2001). Coagulase-positive Staplylococcus was isolated from 26 (15.1%) samples. Toxins were not isolated directly from foods but 27 (54%) coagulase-positive Staphylococcus strains were enterotoxigenic, and toxin type C was the most frequently detected. These results suggest that these products may act as an important vehicle of transmission for well-established pathogens. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi in a domestic cat (Felis catus) in Andradina, São Paulo, Brazil: case report

Neste trabalho, é relatada a infecção natural por Leishmania em um gato doméstico no qual, formas amastigotas do parasito foram observadas em imprint de linfonodo poplíteo. Reações sorológicas positivas e negativas foram observadas pelo teste de imunoadsorção enzimática (ELISA) e reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI), respectivamente. A reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) revelou que a sequência de nucleotídeos foi idêntica à Leishmania (L.) chagasi. Este é o primeiro relato da doença em felino da cidade de Andradina, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, área considerada endêmica para leishmaniose visceral canina e humana.