Attractiveness of different sweet and fatty substances to three neotropical tramp ant species (Hymenoptera : Formicidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Persistent organic pollutants in juvenile Magellan penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) found on the northern shore of the state of São Paulo and southern shore of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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

Inflammation and apoptosis induced by mastoparan Polybia-MPII on skeletal muscle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Performance comparisons of the kicking of stationary and rolling balls in a futsal context

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Mixing and motion of rice particles in a rotating drum

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

Influence of forest cover and mesohabitat types on functional and taxonomic diversity of fish communities in Neotropical lowland streams

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

Oral colonization by yeasts in hiv-positive patients in Brazil

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

Stable periodic waves in coupled Kuramoto-Sivashinsky-Korteweg-de Vries equations

Periodic waves are investigated in a system composed of a Kuramoto-Sivashinsky-Korteweg-de Vries (KS-KdV) equation linearly coupled to an extra linear dissipative one. The model describes, e.g., a two-layer liquid film flowing down an inclined plane. It has been recently shown that the system supports stable solitary pulses. We demonstrate that a perturbation analysis, based on the balance equation for the net field momentum, predicts the existence of stable cnoidal waves (CnWs) in the same system. It is found that the mean value u(0) of the wave field u in the main subsystem, but not the mean value of the extra field, affects the stability of the periodic waves. Three different areas can be distinguished inside the stability region in the parameter plane (L, u(0)), where L is the wave's period. In these areas, stable are, respectively, CnWs with positive velocity, constant solutions, and CnWs with negative velocity. Multistability, i.e., the coexistence of several attractors, including the waves with several maxima per period, appears at large value of L. The analytical predictions are completely confirmed by direct simulations. Stable waves are also found numerically in the limit of vanishing dispersion, when the KS-KdV equation goes over into the KS one.

Spectroscopy properties and energy level location of Gd(2)O(2)S:Pr(3+),Ce(3+)

In this work we propose the study of the spectroscopy properties and the energy level location of Ce(3+) and Pr(3+) in Gd(2)O(2)S, along with the effects of Ce(4+) (Ce(2)O(2)S(2)) incorporation in Gd(2)O(2)S and Gd(2)O(2)S: Pr(3+) in order to understand the formation and position of the associated defects energy levels in relation to the band structure of Gd(2)O(2)S and Pr(3+) energy levels. Ce-, Pr(3+)-doped and Pr(3+), Ce-doped Gd(2)O(2)S were prepared by the sulfidization of a basic gadolinium carbonate with S(8) using H(2)/N(2) (3.0/97.0%) and air during the firing of the precursor. Samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction in order to guarantee the formation of the Gd(2)O(2)S single phase. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and luminescent measurements (emission/excitation) were used to locate Ce(3+), Pr(3+) and defects energy levels in relation to the band structure of Gd(2)O(2)S. (C) 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Essential oil of Lithraea molleoides (Vell.): chemical composition and antimicrobial activity

Lithraea molleoides(Vell.) (Anacardiaceae) é uma árvore encontrada no Brasil, Paraguai, Bolívia, Uruguai, Argentina e Chile. É popularmente usada na forma de extrato alcoólico, decocção e infusão para o tratamento de tosse, bronquite, artrite, doenças do sistema digestivo, como diurético, tranqüilizante, hemostático e tônico. O objetivo do presente estudo foi a extração do óleo essencial dos frutos maduros, folhas e outras partes aéreas da planta e o rendimento do mesmo; a identificação e quantificação dos principais componentes e a determinação da atividade antimicrobiana. O rendimento do óleo essencial dos frutos maduros foi de 1%, entretanto, não foi encontrado óleo essencial nas partes aéreas da planta. A análise do óleo essencial por cromatografia gasosa com espectrometria de massa, mostrou a presença de limoneno (89,89%), alfa-pineno (3,48%), beta-pineno (2,63%), alfa-terpineol (1.27%), mirceno (0,64%), sabineno (0,54%), 4-terpineol (0,28%), canfeno (0,22%) e delta-3-careno (0,13%). O óleo essencial foi ativo contra algumas bactérias Gram positivas e leveduras testadas e não apresentou atividade contra bactérias Gram negativas.

Temporal dynamics of two species of Chaetophoraceae (Chlorophyta) in tropical streams of São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil

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

Histopathological findings and detection of parasites in the eyes of dogs infected naturally with Leishmania chagasi

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

Comparative cytogenetic and morphological analysis of Astyanax scabripinnis paranae (Pisces, Characidae, Tetragonopterinae)

Foram realizados estudos citogenéticos e morfológicos em nove populações locais de Astyanax scabripinnis paranae. Todas as populações apresentaram 2n = 50 cromossomos e conspícuas diferenças envolvendo a morfologia dos cromossomos, número e posição das NORs e quantidade e localização dos blocos de heterocromatina constitutiva. O estudo quantitativo dos dados citogenéticos, usando a análise das variáveis canônicas (CVA), mostraram que oito populações apresentaram diferentes constituições cariotípicas. Análises morfológicas baseadas em nove caracteres morfométricos e dois merísticos foram eficazes no estabelecimento de uma clara identificação de cinco populações. Análises comparativas dos dados citogenéticos e morfológicos sugerem que as modificações cromossômicas e morfológicas ocorreram em diferentes taxas, sendo as cromossômicas mais rápidas do que as morfológicas. A despeito da similaridade morfológica encontrada entre algumas populações, diferenças cromossômicas foram detectadas entre todas as populações estudadas.

LONGITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION OF MACROALGAE IN 2 TROPICAL LOTIC ECOSYSTEMS FROM SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Macroalgal species richness and diversity were analysed along a longitudinal profile in small and large scales during Spring, Fall and Winter, respectively in a small stream and a mid size river in the northwest region of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil (20 degrees 23'-20 degrees 49'S, 49 degrees 26'-51 degrees 19'W). Longitudinal variation in species richness and diversity in small scale was strongly associated with incident light. Microhabitat distribution (from data taken by quadrat technique) revealed no significant correlations. Principal coordinates analysis (PCO) indicated no consistent groupings among sampling sites in distinct seasons (Spring, Fall and Winter). Longitudinal analysis in large scale revealed different patterns in the two seasons sampled (Spring and Winter), whereas species diversity presented a consistent tl end: high upstream, low in mid reaches and higher downstream. It was associated with type of substratum in Spring, rocky substrata presenting the highest values for species richness and diversity. Weak correlations were observed in Winter. Microhabitat distribution showed significant correlations between species abundance and the following variables: positive for rocky substrata and current velocity and negative for sandyclayish substratum and macrophyte-dominated substratum. PCO delineated only one consistent grouping formed by the two headwater sites. Small scale macroalgal distribution corroborated the longitudinal pattern predicted by the River Continuum Concept, whereas the large scale approach showed a distribution more associated with substratum type than to light availability. These results showed an opposite trend in relation to the expected distributional pattern. Longitudinal distribution in macroalgal community structure has yet to be better documented, particularly for tropical streams and no generalization is possible at this stage.

Modulation of coronary flow and cardiomyocyte size by sensory fibers

Cardiac tissue is densely innervated by sensory neurons that an believed to play important modulatory roles in cardiac functions. In this study, pretreatment of neonate mts with capsaicin was performed. In adult rats, cardiomyocyte size and amount of fibrous tissue in left ventricles as well as in vitro coronary flow were evaluated, the chronotropic and inotropic responses to beta-adrenoceptor agonists (norepinephrine and isoproterenol), muscarinic agonists (carbachol and pilocarpine), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were also investigated with the use of the isolated right atria preparation. Capsaicin pretreatment significantly (P<0.05) reduced both basal coronary flow (18% reduction) and cardiomyocyte size (34% reduction) without affecting the amount of fibrous tissues in the left ventricles. The positive inotropic and chronotropic effects in response to norepinephrine in the isolated rat heart did not significantly differ between control and capsaicin-treated rats, Similarly, the positive chronotropic effects in response to norepinephrine, isoproterenol, and CGRP as well as the negative chronotropic responses to carbachol and pilocarpine in the isolated light atria were not affected by capsaicin pretreatment, Our data are consistent with the suggestion that reductions of both basal coronary flow and cardiomyocyte size seen in hearts from capsaicin-pretreated rats may be consequences of CGRP depletion. The cardiomyocyte size reduction produced by capsaicin treatment may be related to a modulatory role of CGRP as a growth factor.