Ultrastructural aspects of the mandibular gland of Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera : Apidae, Meliponini) in the castes

The mandibular gland in Melipona bicolor workers and queens was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. There is no difference in the gland anatomy between the castes, but the transmission electron microscopy showed variation of the cellular ultrastructure according to the secretory phase of the gland in both castes. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum was abundant in the secretory cells of physogastric queens, indicating that these cells produce lipid secretion that is stored in granules with multi-lamellar bodies. Mitochondrial variations during the cell secretory cycle indicates their participation in the lipid synthesis. After secretion, release in the reservoir lumen through the collecting canals, the secretory cells contain many myelinic bodies, indicative of cellular regression. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphologic and morphometric aspects of oenocytes of Apis mellifera queens and workers in different phases of life

Oenocytes of adult workers and queens of Apis mellifera L. were studied in different ages or life stages, by means of morphometric and histologic techniques. In workers, the oenocytes were found in the head, near the mandibles and in the abdomen, immersed in the parietal fat body mainly below the sterna, close to the wax gland. In queens, two populations of oenocytes different in size and localization were found within the parietal and visceral fat body, respectively. The oenocytes of workers and queens show the presence of acid lipids and acid phosphatase. The role of these cells in the castes differences is discussed.

Ultrastructural aspects of the intercellular bridges between female bee germ cells

No ovário das abelhas as células germinativas e as células foliculares são interconectadas por pontes intercelulares mantidas abertas por reforços do citoesqueleto na membrana plasmática. As pontes entre as células germinativas têm comportamento dinâmico e provavelmente atuam na determinação do ovócito entre as células do clone formado pelas mitoses pré meióticas formando posteriormente uma via de transporte para que os produtos sintetizados pelas células nutridoras atinjam o ovócito durante sua maturação. Os elementos do citoesqueleto presentes nas pontes intercelulares das gônadas das abelhas são basicamente microfilamentos e microtúbulos, mas nas pontes entre os cistócitos pré-meióticos outro tipo de filamento (espesso de natureza não definida, associado a elementos do retículo endoplasmático) está presente, atravessando a ponte e prendendo-se através dos microfilamentos à membrana plasmática. Estes filamentos aparentemente controlam o vão da ponte. Terminada a fase de proliferação os cistócitos tomam a forma de uma roseta e um fusoma, formado pela convergência das pontes, aparece no centro desta. Nesta conformação os filamentos grossos não estão presentes. Nova mudança ocorre com a diferenciação do ovócito e das células nutridoras, com a reorientação de todas as pontes de maneira a canalizar o conteúdo das futuras células nutridoras para o ovócito.

Anatomical aspects of the gynoecium of species of Anthurium sect. Urospadix Engl. (Araceae, Alismatales)

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

Social and financial aspects of the artisanal fisheries of Middle Sao Francisco River, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The presence or absence of motorized boats, partnerships and multispecies catches characterize the fisheries of Sao Francisco River, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fishing activity based on 109 interviews, carried out in the wet (high water: February and March) and dry (low water: July and August) seasons, with professional fishermen are described. Aiming to identify the fishery income components, a covariance model was proposed, with the income as the response variable, related to the factors: fishing ground, use of motorized or paddle boat; seasonality; presence of fishing assistant, and the following covariates: capture in weight in the week Frier to the interview, fisherman experience in yrs; and distance (km) travelled for fishing. The results indicated that the main contributions to income were the absence of an engine (because of high price of the fuel), the absence of a partner (because of low capture) and the amount of fish caught by the fishermen.

Obesity: effects of physical exercise and metformin on metabolic aspects of monosodium glutamate treated rats

The present study investigated the effects of swimming training and metformin on metabolic aspects of obese rats. Wistar rats were divided into control (C), obese (O), Trained Obese (TO) and metformin obese (MO) groups. Obesity was induced by subcutaneous monosodium glutamate injection (4 mg/g body weight). Exercise program consisted in swimming 1 h/day, 5 days/week, for 8 weeks, supporting a load corresponding to 5% of body weight. Metformin was dissolved in the drinking water (1.4 mg/ml) for 8 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, rats were sacrificed and blood was collected for determinations of serum glucose, insulin and triglycerides and hematocrit. Samples of gastrocnemius muscle and liver were removed to evaluate triglycerides content MSG-induced obesity, increased serum glucose, insulin and triglycerides, while physical training was able to recover serum glucose and insulin and metformin treatment recovered serum insulin and slightly reduced the serum glucose. MSG-induced obesity also increased liver triglycerides content and physical training and metformin administration recovered these parameters. It was concluded that in MSG obese rats, physical exercise and metformin induced important metabolic alterations associated with an improvement in glucose homeostasis and in liver fat content. Obesity and Metabolism 2009; 5: 129-133.

Demographic aspects of Chrysomya megracephala (Diptera, Calliphoridae) adults maintained under experimental conditions: Reproductive rate estimates

The objective of this work was to evaluate some aspects of the populational ecology of Chrysomya megacephala, analyzing demographic aspects of adults kept under experimental conditions. Cages of C. megacephala adults were prepared with four different larval densities (100, 200, 400 and 800). For each cage, two tables were made: one with demographic parameters for the life expectancy estimate at the initial age (eo), and another with the reproductive rate and average reproduction age estimates. Populational parameters such as the intrinsic growth rate (i) and thefinite growth rate (lambda) were calculated as well.

Aspects of the reproductive biology of the shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus (Elasmobranchii Lamnidae), in the Southeastern region of Brazil

Quatro úteros provenientes de quatro fêmeas prenhas e dois indivíduos recém-nascidos de anequim, Isurus oxyrinchus, foram coletados na região Sudeste do Brasil durante os meses de setembro a novembro de 1993 e 1994. Todos os embriões estavam bem desenvolvidos, próximos ao estágio de nascimento, apresentando a dentição e órgãos internos bastante desenvolvidos. O comprimento total desses embriões variou entre 64,5 e 72,0 cm, e o maior número de embriões observado no interior de uma única fêmea foi 20. As observações aqui realizadas confirmam a oofagia como forma de nutrição dos embriões dessa espécie e sua periodicidade. A presença de dentes no estômago dos embriões sugere que a substituição dos dentes se inicia na fase uterina.

Population structure, feeding and reproductive aspects of Serrapinnus heterodon (Characidae, Cheirodontinae) in a Mogi Guaçu reservoir (SP), upper Paraná River basin

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reproductive aspects of Harttia carvalhoi Miranda Ribeiro, 1939, a small loricariid from streams of serra da Mantiqueira eastern, SP, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Biological aspects of Schizodon nasutus Kner, 1858 (Characiformes, Anostomidae) in the low Sorocaba river basin, São Paulo state, Brazil

Four biological aspects of Schizodon nasutus in the low Sorocaba river basin, São Paulo, Brazil were analysed. These were accomplished during the year seasons. The fish diet and the feeding activity were investigated by studying the repletion index, which showed no significant differences between seasons. The food items analysed by frequency of occurrence and dominance showed a predominance of vegetable items in the diet. The reproduction, analysed by using the gonadosomatic index, indicated that the reproductive period occurs during the summer period when temperatures are higher and rainfalls are more intense. The amount of accumulated fat and condition factor varied according to reproduction, especially for females.

Phlebotomine (Diptera: Psychodidae) survey and some considerations about epidemiological aspects of canine leishmaniasis in Rio Claro city, São Paulo, Brazil.

Between 2000 and 2004, 170 sand flies were captured in urban or peri-urban areas of the Rio Claro city, SP, Brazil. Nyssomyia neivai, the main LTA vector species in São Paulo territory, corresponded to 124 specimens (72,94%) of the total number of captured insects. Incidence of American Cutaneous (LTA) and Visceral leishmaniasis (LVA) is increasing in human and dogs in São Paulo State. Rio Claro city is located in the center-east region of the State. During 2001 and 2003, two cases of alochtonus canine LVA and an autochthonous case of canine LTA were locally diagnosed. Results indicate the risk of LVA establishment in this region. Possible role of alternative vectors in leishmaniasis transmission is discussed.

Dynamics at infinity and other global dynamical aspects of Shimizu-Morioka equations

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Major Aspects of the Mercury Cycle in the Negro River Basin, Amazon

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

Integrable aspects of the scaling q-state Potts models I: bound states and bootstrap closure

We discuss the q-state Potts models for q less than or equal to 4, in the scaling regimes close to their critical or tricritical points. Starting from the kink S-matrix elements proposed by Chim and Zamolodchikov, the bootstrap is closed for the scaling regions of all critical points, and for the tricritical points when 4 > q greater than or equal to 2. We also note a curious appearance of the extended last line of Freudenthal's magic square in connection with the Potts models. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.