Respostas da Tilápia do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) à atratividade e palatabilidade de ingredientes utilizados na alimentação de peixes

Avaliaram-se as respostas da tilápia do Nilo à atratividade e palatabilidade de 14 ingredientes. O método utilizado foi de dupla escolha, comparando-se cada ingrediente peletizado à uma ração controle. Foram empregados quatro aquários (750 litros) contendo, cada um, três alevinos e dois comedouros instalados nos cantos direito e esquerdo, sendo registrados tempo decorrido entre colocação do ingrediente e chegada dos animais aos comedouros, freqüência de visitas aos comedouros, número de grânulos ingeridos e freqüência de ejeções. Os tratamentos foram comparados pela prova não-paramétrica de Kruskal-Wallis e a comparação dos ingredientes para o conjunto de variáveis, por intermédio da Análise de Agrupamento e Análise de Componentes Principais. Os ingredientes foram assim classificados: a) baixa atrato-palatabilidade = farelos de trigo, soja e algodão, farinha e raspa de mandioca, farinha de girassol e fubá de milho, b) média atrato-palatabilidade = levedura de cana-de-açúcar e glúten de milho e c) alta atrato-palatabilidade = ovo integral liofilizado, farinhas de crisálidas, peixes, carne e camarão. Ingestão de grânulos (manhã e tarde) e freqüência de visitas aos comedouros (tarde) foram consideradas as variáveis mais discriminatórias e freqüência de ejeção de grânulos e tempo gasto para aproximação dos comedouros (manhã e tarde), as menos discriminatórias. As respostas comportamentais dos peixes variaram de acordo com o ingrediente apresentado. A avaliação do grau de atrato-palatabilidade deve ser realizada considerando-se uma combinação de parâmetros.

Study of some Brazilian Myrtaceae in Jaboticabal sp

The family Myrtaceae is one of the most important related to fruit species. In Brazil it encloses more than 100 species of native fruit from North to South of the country (Giacometti, 1992; Donadio, 1992; Mattos, 1992). The genus Eugenia, Campomanesia, Psidium and Myrciaria are the most important, grouping most of the species of some importance. The germplasm bank of the Universidade Estadual Paulista includes some of the major species. Some characteristics are typical for most of the Myrtaceae fruit species. The most relevant are the long juvenile period presented by the trees, taking long time to produce, when propagated by seed; the slow growing tree behavior; difficult to propagated by vegetative means; large variability in trees obtained by seed propagation. The cited characteristics are commented for some species as well as the fruit quality, from data obtained in trees at the same ecological conditions.The species evaluated are: 1) Eugenia stipitata Mc Vaugh; 2) Eugenia tomentosa Cambes; 3) Eugenia brasiliensis Lam.; 4) Eugenia uniflora L.; 5) Eugenia luchsnathiana Berg.; 6) Eugenia uvalha Cambess; 7) Camponesia spp; 8) Plinia edulis (Veil. Sobral); 9) Eugenia involucrata D.C.; 10) Psidium acutangulum Mart.; 11) Myrciaria dubia Mc Vaugh; 12) Engenia guabiju Berg. The main conclusions based on the data analysed are: the fruits of some species present good general characteristics, mainly for fresh consumption, as high Vitamin C, sugars, pulp and other characteristics; 'Araca-boi' presents some good fruit characteristics, but is more adapted for processing, by its high acidity; Some species present low % of edible portion and need to be improved to gain commercial acceptance. mainly the 'cabeludinha' and 'cambuca'.

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.

SOCIAL-CONTROL OF GROWTH IN FISH

This review concerns the phenomenon of heterogeneous growth (Het-G) in fish. Het-G is characterized by different growth rates between conspecifics. Although genetic determination on Het-G is recognized, grouping increases the difference in size between conspecifics. This review focuses on population factors and the mechanisms underlying the socially mediated Het-G are summarized and discussed. The aim of this paper is to arrive at a general statement explaining why grouping decreases mean growth and why it suppresses growth only in some individuals. The mechanisms described are: a) food competition, b) chemical factors released by conspecifics, and c) social stress. Social stress is analyzed in terms of the effect on appetite, digestive processes and metabolism. It is proposed that the predominant mechanism promoting socially mediated growth suppression is related to the social habit of the species. The biological significance of growth heterogeneity in fish is also discussed. Growth variability is suggested as an adaptative strategy to optimize survival of the population in a restricted space.

Intraspecific evolution of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA associated with soybean and rice in Brazil based on polymorphisms at the ITS-5.8S rDNA operon

Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA causes leaf blight on soybean and rice. Despite the fact that R. solani AG-1 IA is a major pathogen affecting soybean and rice in Brazil and elsewhere in the world, little information is available on its genetic diversity and evolution. This study was an attempt to reveal the origin, and the patterns of movement and amplification of epidemiologically significant genotypes of R. solani AG-1 IA from soybean and rice in Brazil. For inferring intraspecific evolution of R. solani AG-1 IA sampled from soybean and rice, networks of ITS-5.8S rDNA sequencing haplotypes were built using the statistical parsimony algorithm from Clement et al. (2000) Molecular Ecology 9: 1657-1660. Higher haplotype diversity (Nei M 1987, Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Columbia University Press, New york: 512p.) was observed for the Brazilian soybean sample of R. solani AG-1 IA (0.827) in comparison with the rest of the world sample (0.431). Within the south-central American clade (3-2), four haplotypes of R. solani AG-1 IA from Mato Grosso, one from Tocantins, one from Maranhao, and one from Cuba occupied the tips of the network, indicating recent origin. The putative ancestral haplotypes had probably originated either from Mato Grosso or Maranhao States. While 16 distinct haplotypes were found in a sample of 32 soybean isolates of the pathogen, the entire rice sample (n=20) was represented by a single haplotype (haplotype 5), with a worldwide distribution. The results from nested-cladistic analysis indicated restricted gene flow with isolation by distance (or restricted dispersal by distance in nonsexual species) for the south-central American clade (3-2), mainly composed by soybean haplotypes.

Genetic recombinants in Trichoderma pseudokoningii (Rifai) without typical parasexuality

Heterokaryons were obtained by hyphal anastomosis in Trichoderma pseudokoningii using strains with morphologic and double auxotrophic genetic markers. Stable haploid and unstable hyperhaploid recombinants were detected in monosporic colonies derived from heterokaryons and selected in appropriate media or by an enrichment filtration technique. Diploids were not observed and the recombinant frequencies were higher than those found in fungi with a typical parasexual cycle. The mechanism of recombinant emergence may involve a transient diploid formation followed by chromosomal losses at the hyphal stages, resulting in haploid and hyperhaploid recombinants. The possibility of intrachromosomal rearrangement with the involvement of cytoplasmatic DNA as a heterokaryotic transformation system cannot be excluded.

HETEROGENEOUS GROWTH IN THE NILE TILAPIA - SOCIAL STRESS AND CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM

Increase in heterogeneous growth as a result of grouping in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), is presumed to be partially promoted by the social stress imposed by the dominant fish on the subordinates. Such stress may decrease the energy available for growth. In this study, the effect of social stress on carbohydrate metabolism was studied in adult, growing males. All animals were deprived of food during the experimentation period and pairing was imposed for either 2 or 4 days. Glycemia was measured before and after pairing, and muscle and liver glycogen contents were determined only after pairing. Subordinate fish showed the highest consumption of carbohydrate reserves. This response was caused by the social stress imposed which corroborates the idea that metabolic differences promoted by social stress may be involved in the rouping effect on heterogeneous growth in the Nile tilapia.

rDNA-based characterization of a new binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. causing root rot on kale in Brazil

In this paper we present the first report of the occurrence of a binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. causing hypocotyl and root rot in kale in Brazil. Rhizoctonia spp. were isolated from kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) with symptoms of hypocotyl and root rot. The isolates, characterized as binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., did not show an anastomosis reaction with any of the binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. testers used. The pathogenicity of the isolates was tested under greenhouse conditions; all isolates were pathogenic and showed different symptom severities on kale. The ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences of kale isolates and 50 testers (25 binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. and 25 Rhizoctonia solani) were compared in order to characterize the genetic identity of Rhizoctonia spp. infecting kale. The kale isolates showed genetic identities ranging from 99.3 to 99.8% and were phylogenetically closely related to CAG 7 (AF354084), with identities of 98.5 and 98.7%. It is suggested that the binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. causing hypocotyl and root rot on kale Brazil comprises a new AG not yet described.

RFLP analysis of genetic variation in species of section Arachis, genus Arachis (Leguminosae)

Four A-genome species of the genus Arachis ( A. cardenasii, A. correntina, A. duranensis, A. kempff-mercadoi), three B genomes species ( A. batizocoi, A. ipaensis and A. magna), the AABB allotetraploid A. hypogaea (cultivated peanut) and introgression lines resulting from a cross between A. hypogaea and A. cardenasii were analyzed by RFLP. The A genome species (cytologically characterized by the presence of a small chromosome pair 'A') were closely similar to each other and shared a large number of restriction fragments. In contrast, the B genome species differed more from one another and shared few fragments. The results of this study indicate that the absence of the small chromosome pair is not a good criterion for grouping species of section Arachis as B genome species, since their genome might be quite distinct from the B genome of A. hypogaea. The lowest genetic variation was detected within accessions of A. duranensis (17 accessions), followed by A. batizocoi (4 accessions) and A. cardenasii (9 plants of accession GKP 10017). The high level of genetic variation found in A. cardenasii might indicate that not all accessions of wild species of Arachis are autogamous, as reported for A. hypogaea.

Phylogeography of the Solanaceae-infecting Basidiomycota fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 based on sequence analysis of two nuclear DNA loci

Background: the soil fungus Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group 3 (AG-3) is an important pathogen of cultivated plants in the family Solanaceae. Isolates of R. solani AG-3 are taxonomically related based on the composition of cellular fatty acids, phylogenetic analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and beta-tubulin gene sequences, and somatic hyphal interactions. Despite the close genetic relationship among isolates of R. solani AG-3, field populations from potato and tobacco exhibit comparative differences in their disease biology, dispersal ecology, host specialization, genetic diversity and population structure. However, little information is available on how field populations of R. solani AG-3 on potato and tobacco are shaped by population genetic processes. In this study, two field populations of R. solani AG-3 from potato in North Carolina (NC) and the Northern USA; and two field populations from tobacco in NC and Southern Brazil were examined using sequence analysis of two cloned regions of nuclear DNA (pP42F and pP89).Results: Populations of R. solani AG-3 from potato were genetically diverse with a high frequency of heterozygosity, while limited or no genetic diversity was observed within the highly homozygous tobacco populations from NC and Brazil. Except for one isolate (TBR24), all NC and Brazilian isolates from tobacco shared the same alleles. No alleles were shared between potato and tobacco populations of R. solani AG-3, indicating no gene flow between them. To infer historical events that influenced current geographical patterns observed for populations of R. solani AG-3 from potato, we performed an analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and a nested clade analysis (NCA). Population differentiation was detected for locus pP89 (Phi(ST) = 0.257, significant at P < 0.05) but not for locus pP42F (Phi(ST) = 0.034, not significant). Results based on NCA of the pP89 locus suggest that historical restricted gene flow is a plausible explanation for the geographical association of clades. Coalescent-based simulations of genealogical relationships between populations of R. solani AG-3 from potato and tobacco were used to estimate the amount and directionality of historical migration patterns in time, and the ages of mutations of populations. Low rates of historical movement of genes were observed between the potato and tobacco populations of R. solani AG-3.Conclusion: the two sisters populations of the basidiomycete fungus R. solani AG-3 from potato and tobacco represent two genetically distinct and historically divergent lineages that have probably evolved within the range of their particular related Solanaceae hosts as sympatric species.

A revised taxonomy for time warp based distributed synchronization protocols

This paper presents an improved and updated taxonomy for Time Warp based distributed synchronization protocols. This taxonomy aims to allow the grouping of several optmistic distributed simulation synchronization protocols, with the objective to facilitate the task to decide which protocol is better for a specific simulation.

Ant Group Effects on the Insecticide and Dye Flow Among Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Workers

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Study of environmental burden of lead in children using teeth as bioindicator

The south region of São Paulo city hosts the Guarapiranga dam, responsible for water supply to 25% of the city population. Their surroundings have been subject to intense and irregular occupation by people from very low socioeconomics classes. Measurements undertaken on sediment and particulate materials in the dam revealed concentrations of lead. copper, zinc and cadmium above internationally accepted limits. Epidemiological and toxicological studies undertaken by the World Health Organization in individuals exhibiting lead concentrations in blood, near or below the maximum recommended (10 mu g dl(-1)), surprisingly revealed that toxic effects are more intense in individuals belonging to low socioeconomics classes. Motivated by these facts, we aimed at the investigation of chronic incorporation of lead. as well as the use of our BIOKINETICS code, which is based on an accepted ICRP biokinetics model for lead, in order to extrapolate the results from teeth to other organs. The focus of our data taking was children from poor families, living in a small, restrict and allegedly contaminated area in São Paulo city. Thus, a total of 74 human teeth were collected. The average concentration of lead in teeth of children 5 to 10 years old was determined by means of a high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). For standardization of the measurements, an animal bone certified material (H-Animal Bone), from the International Atomic Energy Agency, was analyzed. The amount of lead in children living in the surroundings of the dam, was approximately 40% higher than those from the control region, and the average lead concentration was equal to 1.3 mu g g(-1) approximately. Grouping the results in terms of gender, tooth type and condition, it was concluded that a carious molar of boys is a much more efficient contamination pathway for lead, resulting in concentrations 70% higher than in the control region. We also inferred the average concentrations of lead in other organs of these children, by making use of our BIOKINETIC code. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Choledochal cyst: A case associated with traumatic hemobilia

A case of choledochal cyst associated with traumatic hemobilia is presented. The symptomatology appeared only because of bleeding into the biliary tract following an automobile accident. The cyst was resected and a choledochal cystoduodenum anastomosis performed. The early result (12 mth) was very good.