Growth and juvenile development of Uca maracoani Latreille 1802-1803 in laboratory conditions (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Ocypodidae).

The life cycle of decapod crustaceans can be classified into three distinct morphological phases: larval, juvenile and adult. Despite its recognized importance, studies of the juvenile phase have been neglected. The present Study aimed to analyze the growth of juveniles from a single population of Uca maracoani under laboratory conditions, and also to describe the morphological differentiation of pleopods in each sex. Megalopae and juvenile crabs or U. maracoani obtained on a Mud beach at Jabaquara, Paraty, on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), were reared in the laboratory. The specimens were checked daily for molts and deaths. The carapace widths (CW) of intact exuviae and dead individuals were measured under a stereoscopic microscope provided with a micrometer rule. These data allowed the definition of a growth equation as well as the stages related to the beginning of pleopod development, which begins when females reach 3.0 mill CW (6th juvenile developmental stage), similar to the sizes reported for other species of the genus. In males, however, pleopods appear when the crabs reach 3.5 mm CW, equivalent to the 7th developmental stage. This difference may be related to differential growth between sexes. It also may be a consequence of laboratory rearing, or may represent an actual feature of the species.

Cognitive Deficits in Machado-Joseph Disease Correlate with Hypoperfusion of Visual System Areas

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

Cognitive and olfactory deficits in Machado-Joseph disease: A dopamine transporter study

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

A morphological and ultrastructural study of the paracloacal (Scent) glands of the marsupial Metachirus nudicaudatus Geoffroy, 1803

Morphological and ultrastructural features of the paracloacal glands of Metachirus nudicaudatus are described. Two pairs of glands, one on the right and the other on the left of the anal canal, are formed, each consisting of a major and a minor portion. Their wall is made up of three layers: a mucosal, a muscular and an external capsule. The inner one is a mucosa the epithelium of which contains holocrine cells characterized by lipid droplets and intermediate filaments. The surrounding vascular lamina propria contains flattened tubular apocrine glands whose epithelial cells contain abundant endoplasmic reticulum, prominent Golgi complexes and numerous secretory granules. The middle layer is formed by skeletal striated muscle and the outer (third layer) consists of dense connective tissue. Each gland originates from a single duct. Transverse sections show that each duct, except in the female major gland, is in fact formed by a duct system. One of these ducts comes from the central cavity, lined by holocrine epithelium, and the others result from the branched tubular glands of the lamina propria.

Henneguya piaractus n.sp. (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae), a gill parasite of Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes: characidae), in Brazil

Henneguya piaractus n.sp. was found from the gill filaments of Piaractus mesopotamicus (Characidae). Fishes were collected during a year from the reservoir at Centro de Aquicultura da UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The prevalence of this parasite was 97.3% in the gills of farmed fish. Observations on spore development into the cysts were done. Studies with scanning electon microscopy were performed to observe the spore and cyst structure.

Composição corporal e índices biométricos do pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes, Characidae) submetido a ciclos alternados de restrição alimentar e realimentação

The present paper evaluated, through hepatosomatic/mesenteric fat indexes and body composition, the pacu energy utilization when submitted to alternated food restriction/refeeding cycles during the growout period. Juveniles were distributed in three pounds and submitted to different feeding programs: A (ad libitum daily feeding), B (4-week feeding restriction and 9-week refeeding) and C (6-week feeding restrictions and 7-week refeeding), totaling 13 weeks for each cycle (4 experimental cycles). At the end of the periods, fish were sampled to obtain biometrics and biochemical data. The results showed that, during the first two cycles, C treatment obtained the best compensatory growth. Carcass lipid and water contents were inversely related, with body fat decrease. Fishes under B and C treatment during food restriction utilized liver and mesentery energy stores. These parameters were re-established in the refeeding phase, in all cycles.

Alterações hematológicas e histopatológicas em pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes, Characidae), tratado com sulfato de cobre (CuSo4)

This paper evaluated the haematological and glycaemic parameters in Piaractus mesopotamicus (Osteichthyes, Characidae) infected with Monogenea Anacanthorus penilabiatus Boeger, Husak & Martins, 1995 (Dactylogyridae) after treatment with 0.50 mg/L and 1.00 mg/L of copper sulphate (CuSO4). The efficacy of the CuSO4 was observed in the first day after administration but not after eight, fifteen or thirty days. The histopathological analyses showed hyperplasia of the epithelium and circulatory changes in the gills. In the first day after treatment significant changes (P<0.05) in the total count of erythrocyte, leucocyte, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were observed. The fishes treated with 0.50 mg/L showed decrease in the haemoglobin levels and in the percentage of neutrophils (P<0.05). The dose of 1.00 mg/L provoked increase of glycaemia but reduction in the lymphocytes percentage when compared with 0.50 mg/L in the 8th day. Fifteen days after 1.00 mg/L treatment, values of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and special granulocitic cells (S.G.C.) percentage decreased. Nevertheless, increase of total leucocyte number was observed. Thirty days after treatment with 0.50 mg/L showed increased S.G.C. and treatment with 1.00 mg/L showed increased lymphocyte.

Características hematológicas, bioquímicas e biométricas de Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes: Characidae) oriundos de cultivo intensivo

Hematological characteristics are important tools for diagnosis and prognostic features in fish population and they contribute to the comprehension of comparative physiology, phylogenetic relation, food habit and other ecological parameters. Red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), thrombocytes counts, glucose, cortisol, hepatosomatic and splenosomatic relation were evaluated in Piaractus mesopotamicus. The values of hepatosomatic relation varied from 0.67% to 2.79% and splenosomatic relation from 0.011% to 0.108%. RBC 1.870 to 4.590 × 106/μL, hemoglobin concentration 5.7 to 12.1g/dL, haematocrit 24.0% to 40.0%, mean corpuscular volume 98.0 to 174.0 fL, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration 19.1 to 34.2g/dL, glucose 40.6 to 89.2mg/dL and cortisol 4.73 to 110.5ng/dL The number of total thrombocytes was 12,160.0 to 89,280.0/μL and WBC 2,019.0 to 47,473.0/μL. Differential count of leucocytes showed 54.1% limphocytes, 10.9% neutrophils, 10.3% monocytes, 9.9% PAS-positive granular leukocytes (PAS-GL), 6.7% eosinophils, 0.3% basophils and 7.8% immature leucocytes. Variation of these haematological characteristics in the same fish species was observed, being considered as the normal variation in the fish concerned. Hence it is incorrect to assume that biological characteristics in fishes are distributed normally.

Métodos de coleta de fezes e determinação dos coeficientes de digestibilidade da fração protéica e da energia de alimentos para o pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887)

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

Co-feeding of pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg (1887), larvae with Artemia naupili and a microencapsulated diet

Aiming at a precocious substitution of live prey by artificial diet, a 20-day experiment with pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, larvae using co-feeding and abrupt weaning strategies was set up. At the end of the experiment, larvae fed Artemia showed the best results (P < 0.05) in weight, total length and biomass, compared with other treatments. Larvae fed exclusively a microencapsulated diet never ingested the diet. Diet ingestion in co-fed and abrupt-weaned larvae was low, but did increase during the experiment; however, Artemia influenced diet ingestion on co-fed larvae. Careful considerations should be given to diet processing and formulation to ensure survival and growth of larvae fed exclusively on prepared diets. © 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy of gastrointestinal stromal tumor presenting as an umbilical mass (Sister Mary Joseph's nodule)

The Sister Mary Joseph (SMJ) nodule is a clinical sign of metastatic cancer involving the umbilicus. The vast majority of these instances represent adenocarcinomas arising from ovarian or colorectal primaries. We present a patient who presented with ascites and the SMJ lesion that turned out to be a metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor after fine needle aspiration biopsy was performed. The lesion was subsequently histologically confirmed. Gastrointestinal stroma tumor involving the umbilicus is exceedingly uncommon and only rarely presents in this fashion. The cytomorphological features, differential diagnosis, and comparison with the tissue specimen are made. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efeitos do parasitismo sobre a estrutura branquial de Leporinus macrocephalus Garavello e Britsk, 1988 (Anastomidae) e Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887 (Osteichthyes:Characidae).

This work described the lesions caused in different species of fish by gill parasites from fee-fishing at Guariba, State of São Paulo. The research was developed from april, 1997 to march to 1999, seeking to verified the kind tissues lesions from fish. Of these, forty and seven were Leporinus macrocephalus and fifty and five Piaractus mesopotamicus. About 87.2% of the L. macrocephalus, and 58.1% of the P. mesopotamicus were sponged by several species of parasites. The parasite most abundant in L. macrocephalus was Piscinoodinium pillulare, while monogenean, Trichodina sp and myxosporidian infected P. mesopotamicus. Severe gill lesions have been observed in L. macrocephalus and P. mesopotamicus caused by monogenean, P. pillulare e Trichodina sp. parasitism, such as intersticial hemorrhage, sub-epithelium edema, inflammation, epitelial hiperplasy in filaments and lamina, proliferation of mucosal cells and laminar fusion.

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) (Acari: Ixodidae): Acid phosphatase and ATPase activities localization in salivary glands of females during the feeding period

This study investigates the presence and the localization of acid phosphatase and ATPase in the salivary glands of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus female ticks during feeding. Semi-engorged females showed a larger amount of acid phosphatase compared to those at beginning of feeding, localized mainly in the apical portion of the secretory cells, and in the basal labyrinth of the interstitial cells. Ultrastructural observations also demonstrated its presence in secretion granules and inside some nuclei of secretory cells at beginning of feeding. Acid phosphatase in a free form probably has a hemolymph and/or ribosomal origin and participates in salivary gland secretion control. ATPase was detected in basal membrane of all types of acini and/or in the cytoplasm of the secretory cells at both feeding stages. The enzyme activities found strongly suggests that cell death by apoptosis occurs during the degenerative process. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Avaliação comparativa da eficácia de fitoterápicos e produtos químicos carrapaticidas no controle do boophilus microplus (Canestrini, 1887) por meio do biocarrapaticidograma

The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of plant extracts and chemical products for the control of Boophilus microplus. Three commercial products for the control of Boophilus microplus were in vitro evaluated, chemical compounds of cypermethrin + DDVP and organophosphate as recomended by the manufacturer, and also four plant extracts, Azadirachta indica (1%), Cymbopogon densiflorus, Lippia alba and Ipomoea asarifolia at different concentrations. The results showed that the chemical compounds tested had efficacy lower than 95% against the Boophilus microplus samples in the experiment. The extracts of all plants have shown some biological activity in the mortality of ingurgitated females and inhibition of egg crash, however the extract of Azadirachta indica presented efficacy higher than 95% in all tested concentrations, being the best sample tested in this experiment.