Longitudinal distribution of Copepoda populations in the transition zone of Paranapanema River and Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil) and interchange with two lateral lakes.

Longitudinal changes in composition, abundance, and distribution of copepods were studied at the transition zone of Paranapanema River-Jurumirim Reservoir (SP, Brazil). The interchange of biotic material between marginal lakes and the river system was also examined. Water samples were obtained from 6 stations along a stretch of 13 km of the Paranapanema River, from an upstream reach with high water velocity up to the river mouth into Jurumirim Reservoir. Two other sites in lateral lakes were also sampled. Nine copepod taxa were identified: 3 calanoids (Argyrodiaptomus furcatus Sars, Notodiaptomus iheringi Wright, and N. conifer Sars) and 6 cyclopoids (Eucyclops Claus, Microcyclops Claus, Mesocyclops longisetus Thiébaud, Thermocyclops decipiens Fischer, T. minutus Lowndes, and Paracyclops Claus). Harpacticoids were also collected. Calanoid and cyclopoid nauplii and copepodids, and harpacticoids were the most abundant organisms. In general, there was a longitudinal decrease in copepod abundance, whereas an increase was detected near the lakes. The abundance of most copepods was inversely correlated with current velocity and suspended solids. Higher abundance was observed in the river main course during the rainy season, during which there is a higher connectivity between the lakes and the main river. This promotes exportation of biologic material from marginal lakes to the river system, a biotic exchange reflecting the importance of marginal lakes to the river community structure.

An investigation of Leishmania spp. in Didelphis spp. from urban and peri-urban areas in Bauru (São Paulo, Brazil)

Blood and bone marrow samples were taken from 112 Didelphis spp., collected between March 2005 and February 2006, from urban and peri-urban areas of Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil, to evaluate the hypothesis that these animals might constitute a reservoir of Leishmania spp. Anti-Leishman ia ssp. antibodies were screened in the serum samples using an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR was performed on fragments of DNA samples from Leishmania spp. using primers 13A and 13B, and showed a positive outcome in 91.6% of the 112 samples tested. of the 107 samples analyzed by ELISA, 71 % were positive. Evidence of epidemiological risk factors such as a circulating parasite and freely moving vectors suggests that Didelphis spp. may participate in the transmission cycle of Leishmania spp. in Bauru. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nocardiosis: an overview and additional report of 28 cases in cattle and dogs

A caracterização fenotípica, perfil de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos e aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos foram avaliados em 28 linhagens de Nocardia isoladas de 19 casos de mastite, oito lesões tegumentares e um caso de pneumonia em cão. Foram utilizados no diagnóstico métodos microbiológicos, bioquímicos, citológicos e microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Nocardia asteroides tipo IV, N. otitidiscaviarum,N. nova (tipo III) e N. farcinica (tipo V) foram isoladas do leite de vacas com mastite, de material de lavado transtraqueal e de lesões cutâneas de cães. Nocardiose mamária bovina foi diagnosticada predominantemente sob a forma clínica, em propriedades com precárias condições de higiene na pré e pós-ordenha, e inadequado procedimento de terapia intramamária. Nocardiose canina foi diagnosticada comumente em animais co-infectados com o vírus da cinomose. Sulfametoxazole/trimetoprim (92,8%), amicacina (92,8%) e ceftiofur (92,8%) foram os antimicrobianos mais efetivos frente às linhagens de Nocardia. Resistência múltipla a três ou mais e cinco ou mais antimicrobianos foram observadas, respectivamente, em dez (35,7%) e três (10,7%) linhagens, notadamente frente à cloxacilina, cefoperazona e ampicilina. A caracterização de espécies (tipo), aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos, diagnóstico, resistência múltipla aos antimicrobianos e reflexos em saúde pública de linhagens de Nocardia isoladas de bovinos e cães no Brasil foram discutidos. Foi destacada a similaridade entre as espécies de Nocardia isoladas de animais e do homem, e a primeira descrição no Brasil de N. otitidiscaviarum na etiologia da mastite bovina.

Reproductive modes and fecundity of an assemblage of anuran amphibians in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil

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

Excision of sclerocorneal limbus in dogs and resulting clinical events: study of an experimental model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Amperometric differential determination of ascorbic acid in beverages and vitamin C tablets using a flow cell containing an array of gold microelectrodes modified with palladium

A simple and attractive method for quantification of ascorbic acid (AA) in beers, soda, natural juices and commercial vitamin C tablets was achieved by combining Bow injection analysis and amperometric detection. An array of gold microelectrodes electrochemically modified by deposition of palladium was employed as working electrode which was almost unaffected by fouling effects. Ascorbic acid was quantified in beverages and vitamin tablets using amperometric differential measurements. This method is based on three steps involving the flow injection of: 1) the sample plus a standard addition of AA, 2) the pure sample, and 3) the enzymatically-treated sample. The enzymatic treatment was carried out with Cucumis sativus tissue, which is a rich source of ascorbate oxidase, at pH 7. The calibration plots for freshly prepared ascorbic acid standards were very linear in the concentration range of 0.18-1.8 mg L-1 with a relative standard deviation (RSD) < 1%, while for real samples the deviations were between 2.7% to 8.9%.

Comparing river basins world-wide and contrasting inland fisheries in Africa and Central Amazonia

An analysis of covariance relating basin area (A, km2) to river length (L, km) and discharge rate (D, m3 s-1) was performed for two continents and showed that the two covariates (L and D) were highly significant and that the strength of the relationship changed between continents. For comparison, D was excluded but the result remained the same. Although geomorphological models are useful for establishing global levels of production, these regressions should be applied with caution. Historically, simple statistical models were developed to predict fish catches in rivers. These, based upon regression of catches on channel length or basin area for Africa and Central Amazonia, are contrasted in this paper because of their generally similar approach.

An analysis of diurnal cycles in the mass of ambient aerosols derived from biomass burning and agro-industry

Strong diurnal cycles in ambient aerosol mass were observed in a rural region of Southeast Brazil where the trace composition of the lower troposphere is governed mainly by emissions from agro-industry. An optical particle counter was used to record size-segregated aerosol number concentrations between 13 May 2010 and 15 March 2011. The data were collected every 10 min and used to calculate aerosol mass concentrations. Aerosol samples were also collected onto filters during daytime (10:00-16:00 local time) and nighttime (20:00-06:00) periods, for subsequent analysis of soluble ions and water-soluble organic carbon. Biomass burning aerosols predominated during the dry winter, while secondary aerosols were most important in the summer rainy season. In both seasons, diurnal cycles in calculated aerosol mass concentrations were due to the uptake of water by the aerosols and, to a lesser extent, to emissions and secondary aerosol formation. In neither season could the observed mass changes be explained by changes in the depth of the boundary layer. In the summer, nighttime increases in aerosol mass ranged from 2.7-fold to 81-fold, depending on particle size, while in the winter, the range was narrower, from 2.2-fold to 9.5-fold, supporting the possibility that the presence of particles derived from biomass burning reduced the overall ability of the aerosols to absorb water. Key Points Diurnal cycle of agro-industrial aerosol mass governed by humidity Biomass burning emissions act to suppress particle growth Need to consider diurnal mass cycles in aerosol dry deposition models ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Identification of Nocardia Isolates from Clinical Samples and an Overview of Human Nocardiosis in Brazil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Bovine cysticercosis in slaughtered cattle as an indicator of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and epidemiological risk factors

This study focused on estimating the economic losses resulting from cysticercosis at beef cattle farms that supply an export slaughterhouse located in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and to identify the epidemiological risks factors involved in the disease to ascertain if these farms adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). To this, we used data recorded in 2012 by Brazil's Federal Inspection Service (SIP) on the daily occurrence of the disease, according to the farm from which the animals originated. In addition, the associated risk factors were determined based on a case-control study at 48 farms. Cysticercosis was detected in 2.26% (95% CI 2.2-2.33) of the 190,903 bovines supplied by 556 farms in the following four states: 2.92% (95% CI 2.83-3.03) in Sao Paulo, 1.81% (95% CI 1.71-1.93) in Minas Gerais, 0.71% (95% CI 0.6-0.82) in Goias and 1.11% (95% CI 0.79-1.57) in Mato Grosso do Sul, with significant differences in the epidemiological indices of these states. Cysticercosis was detected at 58.45% (95% CI 54.36-62.55) of the farms of this study, representing estimated economic losses of US$312,194.52 for the farmers. Lower prevalence of this disease were found at the farms qualified for exports to the European Union, indicating a statistically significant difference from those not qualified to export to Europe. The access of cattle to non-controlled water sources, as well as sport fishing activities near the farms, was identified as risk factors. Cysticercosis causes considerable losses in Brazil's beef supply chain, with lower prevalence appearing only at farms qualified to export to the European Union. As for the access of cattle to non-controlled water sources, this is an indication that GAP are not implemented by some farms, demonstrating the violation of international agreements by the industry and the farms. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hemolytic activity of alternative complement pathway as an indicator of innate immunity in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the methodology to establish the hemolytic activity of alternative complement pathway as an indicator of the innate immunity in Brazilian fish pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), in addition to verifying the influence of β-glucan as an immunostimulant. Fish were fed with diets containing 0, 0.1 and 1% β-glucan, during seven days, and then inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila. Seven days after the challenge, they were bled for serum extraction. The methodology consisted of a kinetic assay that allows calculating the required time for serum proteins of the complement to promote 50% lysis of a rabbit red blood cell suspension. The method developed in mammals was successfully applied for pacu and determined that the hemolytic activity of the proteins of the complement system (alternative pathway) increased after the pathogen challenge, but was not influenced by the β-glucan treatment.

Potential and costs for the production of electrolytic hydrogen in alcohol and sugar cane plants in the central and south regions of Brazil

This project verified the potential for the production of hydrogen via water electrolysis by using the exceeding electrical energy resultant from alcohol and sugar plants that use sugar cane bagasse as fuel. The studies were carried out in cogeneration plants authorized by the Electrical Energy National Agency (ANEEL). The processing history of sugar cane considered was based on the 2006/2007 harvests. The total bagasse produced, electrical energy generated and exceeding electrical energy in a year were calculated. It was obtained an average energy consumption value of 5.2 kWh Nm(-3) and the hydrogen production costs regarding the amount of sugar cane processed that ranged from US$ 0.50 to US$ 0.75 Nm(-3). The results pointed that the costs for the production of hydrogen via the bagasse exceeding energy are close to the production costs that use other sources of energy. As the energy generated from the bagasse is a renewable one, this alternative for the production of hydrogen is economical and environmentally viable. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of repeated nicotine in adolescent and adult rats

Despite the high prevalence of tobacco abuse among adolescents, the neurobiology of nicotine addiction has been studied mainly in adult animals. Repeated administration of this drug to adult rats induces behavioral sensitization. Nicotine activates the HPA axis in adult rats as measured by drug-induced increases in ACTH and corticosterone. Both behavioral sensitization and corticosterone are implicated in drug addiction. We examined the expression of behavioral sensitization induced by nicotine as well as the changes in corticosterone levels after repeated injections of nicotine in adolescent and adult animals. Adolescent and adult rats received subcutaneous (s.c.) injections of saline or 0.4 mg/kg of nicotine once daily for 7 days. Three days after the last injection animals were challenged with saline or nicotine (0.4 mg/kg; s.c.). Nicotine-induced locomotion was recorded in an activity cage. Trunk blood samples were collected in a subset of adolescent and adult rats and plasma corticosterone levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. Adult, but not adolescent, rats expressed behavioral sensitization. Pretreatment with nicotine abolished corticosterone-activating effect of this drug only in adult animals, indicating the development of tolerance at this age. Our results provide evidence that adolescent rats exposed to repeated nicotine display behavioral and neuroendocrine adaptations distinct from that observed in adult animals. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of shot peening, residual stress and stress relaxation on the fatigue life of AISI 4340 steel

Shot peening is a method widely used to improve the fatigue strength of materials. through the creation of a compressive residual stress field (CRSF) in their surface layers. In the present research the gain in fatigue life of AISI 4340 steel, Used in landing gear. is evaluated under four Shot peening conditions. Rotating bending fatigue tests were conducted and the CRSF was measured by an X-ray tensometry prior and during fatigue tests. It was observed that relaxation of the CRSF occurred due to the fatigue process. In addition, the fractured fatigue specimens were investigated using a scanning electron microscope in order to obtain information about the crack initiation points. The evaluation of fatigue life, relaxation of CRSF and crack sources are discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

An overview of domestic aspects in US climate policy

The article shows how domestic aspects influence the United States national and international climate policy. To accomplish the task, the authors analyzes the discussions when Bill Clinton was ruling the country, a time during which global discussions were forwarded. The paper recalls the debate in the Bush administration and the growing polarization since Barack Obama took office.