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.

Histology and morphometry of the testes of adult domestic cats (Felis catus)

Testicles of 30 mongrel cats were analyzed histologically and morphometrically, divided into three groups: G1 (1-2 years old), G2 (over 2 and up to 4 years old) and G3 (over 4 and up to 6 years old). After orchiectomy and histopathology, the morphometric parameters studied were: thickness of the tunica albuginea (72 mu m) and seminiferous epithelium (77.19 mu m), perimeter (53.81; 90.57 mu m), (54.80; 101.07 mu m); area (174.23; 494.55 mu m(2)), (176.68; 629.70 mu m(2)); maximum diameter (14.94; 28.02 mu m), (14.76; 31.66 mu m); minimum diameter (13.25; 21.92 mu m), (13.30; 24.52 mu m); and shape factor (index for regularity of the format) (1.36; 1.36), (1.39; 1.35) of the nucleus and cytoplasm of spermatogonia and Leydig cells, respectively. The results can be used for comparative studies and contribute knowledge concerning the height of the seminiferous epithelium, thickness of the tunica albuginea and size of spermatogonia and Leydig cells.

Influence of pH on the incorporation and growth of Pb2CrO5 crystallites in silica matrix

Pb2CrO5 nanoparticles were embedded in an amorphous SiO2 matrix by the sol-gel process. The pH and heat treatment effects were evaluated in terms of structural, microstructural and optical properties from Pb2CrO5/SiO2 compounds. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and diffuse reflectance techniques were employed. Kubelka-Munk theory was used to calculate diffuse reflectance spectra that were compared to the experimental results. Finally, colorimetric coordinates of the Pb2CrO5/SiO2 compounds were shown and discussed. In general, an acid pH initially dissolves Pb2CrO5 nanoparticles and following heat treatment at 600 A degrees C crystallized into PbCrO4 composition with grain size around 6 nm in SiO2 matrix. No Pb2CrO5 solubilization was observed for basic pH. These nanoparticles were incorporated in silica matrix showing a variety of color ranging from yellow to orange.

Frequency upconversion in a Pr(3+) doped chalcogenide glass containing silver nanoparticles

We report on orange-to-blue frequency upconversion (UC) in Pr(3+) doped chalcogenide glass (Ga(10)Ge(25)S(65)) doped with Ag(2)S and heat treated under different conditions to nucleate silver nanoparticles (NPs). The experiments were performed using 7 ns pulses from a dye laser that operates at similar to 590 nm, in resonance with the (3)H(4)->(1)D(2) transition of Pr(3+) ions. The enhancement observed in the UC emission at similar to 494 nm, ascribed as (3)P(0)->(3)H(4) transition of the Pr(3+) ion, is attributed to the large local field acting on the emitting ions due to the presence of the metallic NPs. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Plant glandular trichomes mediate protective mutualism in a spider-plant system

1. Although several species of Peucetia (Oxyopidae) live strictly in association with plants bearing glandular trichomes worldwide, to date little is known about whether these associations are mutualistic.2. In this study we manipulated the presence of Peucetia flava on the glandular plant Rhynchanthera dichotoma in the rainy and post-rain season, to test the strength of its effects on leaf, bud, and flower damage and plant reproductive output. In addition, we ran independent field experiments to examine whether these sticky structures improve spider fidelity to plants.3. Peucetia suppressed some species of foliar phytophages, but not others. Although spiders have reduced levels of leaf herbivory, this phenomenon was temporally conditional, i.e. occurred only in the post-rain but not in the rainy season. Floral herbivory was also reduced in the presence of spiders, but these predators did not affect plant fitness components.4. Plants that had their glandular trichomes removed retained fewer insects than those bearing such structures. Spiders remained longer on plants with glandular trichomes than on plants in which these structures had been removed. Isotopic analyses showed that spiders that fed on live and dead labelled flies adhered to the glandular hairs in similar proportions.5. Spiders incurred no costs to the plants, but can potentially increase individual plant fitness by reducing damage to reproductive tissues. Temporal conditionality probably occurred because plant productivity exceeded herbivore consumption, thus dampening top-down effects. Specialisation to live on glandular plants may have favoured scavenging behaviour in Peucetia, possibly an adaptation to periods of food scarcity.

Determination of metal ions in fuel ethanol after preconcentration on 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol modified silica gel

This work describes the synthesis and characterization of 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol modified silica gel (SiATT), and the results of a study of the adsorption and preconcentration (in batch, and in flow using a column technique) of Cd(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) in ethanol medium. The adsorption capacities for each metal ion were (in mmol g -1): Cd(II) = 0.11, Co(II) = 0.10, Cu(II) = 0.20, Fe(III) = 0.20, Ni(II) = 0.16, Pb(II) = 0.08 and Zn(II) = 0.12. The results obtained in the flow experiments, showed a recovery of ca. 100% of the metal ions adsorbed in a column packed with 2 g of SiATT, using 5 mL of 2.0 mol L -1 HCl solution as eluent. The sorption-desorption of the metal ions made possible the development of a preconcentration method and quantification by Flame AAS of metal ions at trace level in fuel ethanol.

Windrowing and cylindrical baling of sugar cane vegetal residues: Some operational parameters and energetic efficiency

The objective of this study was to analyze the sugar cane vegetal residues collection, as well as determining its energetic potential, using a rake and cylindrical baler, both from NEW HOLLAND® under two different windrowing process (simple and double). The field tests were carried out in an area that belongs to COSTA PINTO MILL (COSAN® Group) in the city of Piracicaba, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The geographic location of the area is: Latitude 22°4030'S, Longitude 47°3633'W and altitude of 605m. From the trash analysis, before the baling, the following average results were obtained: 69.93% of leaves; 2.27% of stalks fractions; 21.44% of tops and 6.36% of total strange matter. The estimated residues yield was 27.01 tons.ha -1 with a gross heat of 18.43 MJ.kg-1, low heat of 17.01 MJ.kg-1, useful heat of 13.32 MJ.kg-1, average moisture of 20.76% and an energetic potential of 494,875.09 MJ.ha-1. In the windrowing operations (simple and double) the averages of the 5 out of 13 analyzed variable presented differences between them in a 1% level of significance in the Tukey Test. The averages comparison of the results for bale's specific mass and the effective capacities (ton.h-1) e (ha.h-1) had been significant at a 5% level in the Tukey Test. The comparisons of the averages for the results had been significant to 1% level. The strange matter averages of the bales did not differed between them.

Estudo multicêntrico Brasileiro - Adesivo contraceptivo transdérmico semanal: Preferência e satisfação das usuárias

Background: To assess satisfaction with the weekly transdermal contraceptive patch, compared to the previous contraceptive method. Adhesion, cycle control, safety and efficacy were secondary outcomes. Methods: A multicenter, open label, descriptive study. Subjects received the weekly transdermal contraceptive patch for 6 cycles. At the baseline and after the 1 st, 3 rd and 6 th cycles, satisfaction with the method was assessed. The contraceptive efficacy was assessed by the Pearl Index and by life table analysis. Results: An ITT analysis was performed with 494 subjects. At the endpoint, 95.3% of women were satisfied with the patch compared to the previous method; 59.5%, 58.0% and 63.2% of women reported improvement in the physical and emotional well-being, and pre-menstrual symptoms, respectively. Pre-menstrual symptoms frequency decreased from 85.0% (CI 95%: 80.8-87.4%) to 55.0% (CI 95%: 49.9-66.0%). There was a significant increase in hemoglobin levels, and also a significant decrease in total serum cholesterol and tryglicerides.. There were no significant adverse events. The adjusted Pearl Index was 1.1 pregnancies per 100 women-years. Conclusions: The weekly contraceptive transdermal patch is a safe and effective method, and there was a high rate of satisfaction with its use among brazilian women. The patch was associated to a good cycle control, with easiness of use, improvement in the physical and emotional well-being and improvement in the premenstrual symptoms and lipid profile. © Copyright Moreira Jr. Editora. Todos os direitos reservados.

Characterization of the social wasp guild (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) visiting flowers in the Caatinga (Itatim, Bahia, Brazil)

Thirteen species of flower-visiting social wasps were collected from 41 plant species. The number of wasp species did not vary significantly. On the other hand, the number of individuals varied significantly during the data collection period. Four of the wasp species (Mischocyttarus lanei, Polybia ignobilis, Polybia occidentalis, and Polybia sericea) showed changes in body size over the year. The total wasp biomass and the number of plants monthly visited by wasps had a positive significant correlation. The structure of this social wasp community is characterized by a small number of dominant species, a large number species that are not frequently present and several plant species visited by few wasps. Social wasp species are differently affected by seasonal changes in the 'caatinga'.

Origo Vitae: Um diálogo intertextual entre Haroldo de Campos e Gustave Courbet

This work intends to undertake a comparative reading of two works of two different artists: The painting The Origin of the World by Gustave Courbet and the poem Origo Vitae by Haroldo de Campos and, from this reading, to verify how the border between the visible and the invisible may vanish and how, in a process of transcodifying, one mirrors the other in a dialogue that, besides surpassing different codes and times, produces new meanings and elicits a conversation about the act of reading these different codes.

Comparison between inverted and unprocessed digitized radiographic imaging in periodontal bone loss measurements

The advances in digital imaging technology in dentistry have provided an alternative to film-based radiography and have given new options to detect periodontal bone loss. The purpose of this study was to compare inverted and unprocessed digitized radiographic imaging in periodontal bone loss measurements. Thirty-five film-based periapical radiographs of patients suffering from moderate to advanced untreated periodontal bone loss associated to lower premolar and molars was selected from the department files, with 40 bone loss areas. The film-based radiographs were digitized with a flatbed scanner with a transparency and radiograph adapter used for transilluminating the radiograph imaging. Digitization was performed at 600 dpi and in gray scale. The images were digitized using Image Tool software by applying image inversion, that is, transformation of radiopaque structures into radiolucent structures and vice-versa. The digital data were saved as JPEG files. The images were displayed on a 15-inch and 24-bit video monitor under reduced room lighting. One calibrated examiner performed all radiographic measurements, three times, from the cementoenamel junction to the most apical extension of the bone loss, in both types of image (inverted and unprocessed). Brightness and contrast were adjusted according to the examiner's individual demand. Intraclass correlation coefficient was used to compare the measurements from both types of images. The means of radiographic measurements, in mm, for inverted and unprocessed digitized imaging were 6.4485 and 6.3790, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was significant (0.99) The inverted and unprocessed digitized radiographic images were reliable and there was no difference in the diagnostic accuracy between these images regarding periodontal bone loss measurements.

Qualidade química da água residual da criação de peixes para cultivo de alface em hidroponia

Aiming to evaluate the association of hydroponic lettuce cultivation with residues from a fish intensive breeding system, a project was carried out in the Aquaculture Center in the FCAV-UNESP at Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. A closed system was designed in order to allow the water to circulate through the fish tanks, a clarifier tank for removal of residues, a reservoir for biological conversion of ammonia into nitrate, and the hydroponic system. After this process, water returned back to the fish tanks. Three varieties of lettuce, constituting the treatments with four repetitions were evaluated. The results of the chemical analysis of the residual water from the fish tanks indicated the presence of the majority of the mineral nutrients necessary for vegetable development. Their concentration was close to that found in nutrient solutions, used for lettuce hydroponic cultivation, except for potassium and magnesium. The low concentration of magnesium in the water did not prevent lettuce development, although the plants presented visual symptoms of deficiency of this nutrient. Differences were not found between the varieties produced, regarding productivity and the mean weight of fresh plants.