Description of the larva of Mnesarete pudica (Hagen in Selys, 1853) (Odonata: Calopterygidae) and notes on known genera of South American Calopterygidae larvae

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Basicladia emedii (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta): a new freshwater epilithic species from Brazil

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

Water beetles in mountainous regions in southeastern Brazil

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

Fission track and U-Pb in situ dating applied to detrital zircon from the Vale do Rio do Peixe Formation, Bauru Group, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

First Identification of Culex flavivirus (Flaviviridae) in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Alien shrimps in evidence: new records of the genus Athanas Leach, 1814 on the coast of So Paulo, southern Brazil (Caridea: Alpheidae)

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

Study of the timber constructive systems that are more commercialized in Brazil

The Brazilian houses in wood are executed with several techniques and species, in function of the areas they are located, therefore, it is treated of regional traditional houses, built practically without modem technological resources. These houses are the ones of the tropical areas, where there is abundance of this material, or the ones of the south region, prevailing the European immigrant's constructive techniques. Nowadays, in the urbanized centers of the country it is observed that this type of house can be found sheltering the most lacking populations, in the slums; or in highly sophisticated residential units which are conceived and executed by specialist professionals for a social class of high purchasing power; or still, those that are marketed by companies of small load, that offer standardized residences, usually acquired by the middle class as second residence, in the field or in the coast. The work has for objective to study the houses of these companies that are consolidated at the market, identifying the constructive system, the product; as well as, its production process, trying to verify which technologies are incorporated to these processes. The analysis that was made allows a larger understanding of the product, wood house, that exists in the market and identification of the technological degree in the productive process of those constructive systems.

Incidence and prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel diseases, in midwestern of São Paulo State, Brazil

CONTEXTO: No Brasil, a incidência e prevalência populacionais das doenças inflamatórias intestinais são desconhecidas. OBJETIVO: Neste trabalho, estimou-se esses parâmetros na área que abrange a antiga região de saúde DIR 11, no centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: Usou-se um registro sequencial de 115 pacientes (>15 anos de idade) com doenças inflamatórias intestinais, residindo na área de estudo, atendidos durante período de 20 anos (1986-2005) em hospital de referência. Estimou-se, para quatro períodos consecutivos de 5 anos, as incidências e prevalências de acordo com os tipos de doença e do sexo de doentes. As suas inter-relações foram analisadas utilizando o modelo de regressão linear de Poisson. RESULTADOS: Na região, as doenças inflamatórias intestinais foram predominantes em mulheres jovens, da raça branca, residindo na zona urbana.A incidência da retocolite foi maior que a da doença de Crohn e das colites não classificadas, e diferentemente dessas duas ultimas, mostrou decréscimo no último período (2001-2005). Neste mesmo período, a taxa da incidência para a retocolite foi de 4,48 casos/100.000 habitantes, para a doença de Crohn atingiu 3,50 casos/100.000 habitantes e a das colites não classificadas foi de 1,75 casos/100.000 habitantes. As prevalências atingiram os valores de 14,81 casos/100.000 habitantes para a retocolite, 5,65 casos/100.000 habitantes para a doenças de Crohn e 2,14 casos/100.000 habitantes. Considerando todas as doenças inflamatórias a prevalência atingiu o valor de 22,61 casos/100.000 habitantes. CONCLUSÃO:A incidência dessas doenças inflamatórias intestinais nessa região é baixa, igualando-se aos países da América Latina e do sul da Europa e sua crescente prevalência justifica políticas de saúde para as suas abordagens.

Hand injuries in a human caused by a South American porcupine (ourico-cacheiro)

Human injuries caused by South American porcupines (in Portuguese, ourico-cacheiro) are rare. This study reports severe hand injuries provoked by the body spines of the animal in a human and discusses the circumstances involved in the accident, with emphasis on environmental factors.

Geographic variation in Epstein-Barr virus-associated Burkitt's lymphoma in children from Brazil

In developing countries, BL has a strong association with EBV infection during childhood. In South America, the data have shown an EBV association intermediate between that reported in the United States (30%) and that in equatorial Africa (95%). Early age at EBV infection and lower socioeconomic status have been related to increased EBV-associated BL in developing countries. In Brazil, there are not enough data on childhood BL related to EBV infection. Our aim was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features and EBV association of 44 children with NHL from the state of Rio de Janeiro, situated in the southeast of Brazil. EBV was detected using RNA in situ hybridization in 36 biopsy specimens. DNA from fresh tumor samples and from paraffin-embedded tissues of patients were analyzed by PCR, in which the first reaction included primers for an EBNA-2 common region while the nested reaction amplified the region discriminating between EBV types I and 2 in separate reactions. EBV was detected in 21 of 29 BLs (72%), and type I virus infected the majority of EBV-positive BLs (18/21). There was a trend for younger age in children with EBV-positive BL compared to EBV-negative BL (median age 4 compared to 6 years, respectively; p = 0.056). Our study confirmed that in the southeast of Brazil BL had an intermediate association with EBV. A higher rate of EBV-associated BL was described in the northeast of Brazil. These differences are probably related to regional socioeconomic status. In conclusion, our study suggests that early infection with EBV in the background of a low socioeconomic condition associated with other environmental factors could contribute to BL in Brazil. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis in dogs from Brazil

The intestinal protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (syn. Giardia intestinalis and Giardia lamblia) is a widespread enteric pathogen in human and domestic animals. This organism is one of the most common parasites in domestic dogs in Brazil. In this study, we determined the occurrence and genetic characterization of G. duodenalis isolated from dogs from south-central São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 300 fecal samples were collected. Fecal specimens were screened for the presence of G. duodenalis using microscopy (zinc sulfate solution flotation technique) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the small subunit ribosomal (SSU-rDNA) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) genes. Genetic characterization was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and sequencing analysis of the GDH gene. In addition, selected samples were further characterized by RFLP and sequencing of the beta-giardin gene. The overall occurrence of G. duodenalis was 17.3% (52/300). The occurrence was higher in stray dogs (28%) than in household dogs (6.25%). of the 36 PCR-positive samples that were selected for genotyping, only dog-specific genotype C (20 isolates), D (11 isolates) and mixed C+D (five isolates) isolates were detected in the study. This study provides current information on the infection rates of G. duodenalis genotypes in canine populations and describes for the first time the presence of mixed infections within host-specific C and D genotypes in dogs in Brazil. These genotypes were widespread and commonly found in domestic dogs living in urban and suburban environments of the studied area and confirmed the endemic status of Giardia in this region.

A new species and a new record of Pyxine (Physciaceae) with norstictic acid from São Paulo State, Brazil

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

Survey for Foot-and-mouth Disease in the Endangered Marsh Deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) from Marshlands of the Parana River Basin, Brazil

Habitat fragmentation and diseases have resulted in a decline of the marsh deer (Blastocerus (dichotomus) throughout its South American range. Our objectives were to determine whether marsh deer intended for translocation from a region of the Rio Parana Basin had been infected previously by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and whether they were carrying virus We captured marsh deer from June to October 1998 and collected blood from 108 animals and esophageal-pharyngeal fluid from 53 Serum was tested for antibodies against three FMDV serotypes (O, A, and C) by liquid-phase-blocking sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Esophageal-pharyngeal fluid was tested for FMDV RNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and inoculation into three successive baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cell subcultures, followed by RT-PCR of cultures We detected low log(10) titers (range 1 0-1 5) to FM DV subtype A(24) Cruzeiro in 19 of 108 sampled marsh deer, but failed to isolate FMDV or detect FMDV RNA in any samples we conclude that marsh deer from our study site were unlikely to carry FMDV, however, as a preventive measure, the 19 animals with titers for FMDV were not sent to FMDV-free Brazilian states

Illegal trade of the guitarfish Rhinobatos horkelii on the coasts of central and southern Brazil: genetic identification to aid conservation

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

Occurrence of ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes in Thoracocharax stellatus fish (Characiformes, Gasteropelecidae) from the Araguaia River, south America

The karyotypic and chromosomal characteristics of the hatchetfish Thoracocharax stellatus from the Araguaia River, Brazil (Araguaia-Tocantins basin) were analyzed using Giemsa, AgNO3, and CMA(3) fluorescent staining, and C-banding. The diploid chromosome number was 54 and the karyotypes of females and males were composed of six metacentrics, six submetacentrics, six subtelocentrics and 36 acrocentrics. Two impaired acrocentric chromosomes were detected in the female karyotype. C-banding showed heterochromatic blocks at several chromosomes and an entirely heterochromatic acrocentric chromosome in females that was lacking in the male karyotype. This discovery indicated a heteromorphic sex chromosome system of the ZZ/ZW type. Ag-staining and CMA(3) fluorescence revealed one major chromosome pair bearing the NORs with the presence of additional signals in some metaphases. Both heterochromatic segments associated with Ag-NORs and the W chromosome were positively stained by CMA(3). Considering the present data and previous findings it is hypothesized that the occurrence of ZW sex chromosome system is widespread in the genus Thoracocharax.