Brain distribution of myosin Va in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

This study presents data on myosin Va localization in the central nervous system of rainbow trout. We demonstrate, via immunoblots and immunocytochemistry, the expression of myosin Va in several neuronal populations of forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain and spinal cord. The neuronal populations that express myosin Va in trout constitute a very diverse group that do not seem to have many specific similarities such as neurotransmitters used, cellular size or length of their processes. The intensity of the immunoreactivity and the number of immunoreactive cells differ from region to region. Although there is a broad distribution of myosin Va, it is not present in all neuronal populations. This result is in agreement with a previous report, which indicated that myosin Va is approximately as abundant as conventional myosin II and kinesin, and it is broadly involved in neuronal motility events such as axoplasmatic transport. Furthermore, this distribution pattern is in accordance with what was shown in rats and mice; it indicates phylogenetic maintenance of the myosin Va main functions.

Partial cDNA sequence analysis of myosin Va from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and its relationship to myosin v isoforms from other vertebrates.

Partial cDNA sequences of myosin V from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were analyzed and showed high similarity to MVa from other vertebrates. Phylogenetic analysis has shown that events resulting in the formation of paralogous copies of myosin Va, Vb, and Vc occurred before the divergence of vertebrates into different classes. Expression analysis of myosin Va, Vb, and Vc in different O. mykiss tissues revealed MVa exclusively expressed in hypophysis and brain whereas Vb and Vc were expressed in practically all tissues analyzed. The nucleotide sequence for myosin V was explored in a fish species for the first time and these results represent an important start in understanding the organization, evolution, and expression of myosins in early vertebrates. The data presented here represent contributions to the knowledge of rainbow trout genome. A better understanding of this economically important species could assist in development of improved strains of this fish for aquaculture.

Localization of myosin-Va in subpopulations of cells in rat endocrine organs

Myosin-Va is a Ca 2+/calmodulin-regulated unconventional myosin involved in the transport of vesicles, membranous organelles, and macromolecular complexes composed of proteins and mRNA. The cellular localization of myosin-Va has been described in great detail in several vertebrate cell types, including neurons, melanocytes, lymphocytes, auditory tissues, and a number of cultured cells. Here, we provide an immunohistochemical view of the tissue distribution of myosin-Va in the major endocrine organs. Myosin-Va is highly expressed in the pineal and pituitary glands and in specific cell populations of other endocrine glands, especially the parafollicular cells of the thyroid, the principal cells of the parathyroid, the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas, the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, and a subpopulation of interstitial testicular cells. Weak to moderate staining has been detected in steroidogenic cells of the adrenal cortex, ovary, and Leydig cells. Myosin-Va has also been localized to non-endocrine cells, such as the germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium and maturing oocytes and in the intercalated ducts of the exocrine pancreas. These data provide the first systematic description of myosin-Va localization in the major endocrine organs of rat. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.

New records and distribution extensions of three species of Mesoclemmys Gray, 1863 (Testudines: Chelidae) in Mato Grosso state, Brazil, with observations on terrestrial movements

Distribution patterns of most of the 20 Neotropical freshwater turtles belonging to the family Chelidae are usually based on few locality records. We here report on vouchered records of three species of the chelid genus Mesoclemmys in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Presence of M. vanderhaegei is confirmed for the Amazon River Basin, and M. gibba and M. raniceps are recorded in Mato Grosso for the first time. © 2012 Check List and Authors.

Immunolocalization of myosin Va in the developing nervous system of embryonic chicks

Myosins are molecular motors associated with the actin cytoskeleton that participate in the mechanisms of cellular motility. During the development of the nervous system, migration of nerve cells to specific sites, extension of growth cones, and axonal transport are dramatic manifestations of cellular motility. We demonstrate, via immunoblots, the expression of myosin Va during early stages of embryonic development in chicks, extending from the blastocyst period to the beginning of the fetal period. The expression of myosin Va in specific regions and cellular structures of the nervous system during these early stages was determined by immunocytochemistry using a polyclonal antibody. Whole mounts of chick embryos at 24-30-h stages showed intense immunoreactivity of the neural tube in formation along its full extent. Cross-sections at these stages of development showed strong labeling in neuroepithelial cells at the basal and apical regions of the neural tube wall. Embryos at more advanced periods of development (48h and 72 h) showed distinctive immunolabeling of neuroepithelial cells, neuroblasts and their cytoplasmic extensions in the mantle layer of the stratified neural tube wall, and neuroblasts and their cytoplasmic extensions in the internal wall of the optic cup, as well as a striking labeling of cells in the apparent nuclei of cranial nerves and budding fibers. These immunolocalization studies indicate temporal and site-specific expression of myosin Va during chick embryo development, suggesting that myosin Va expression is related to recruitment for specific cellular tasks.

Effect of thyroid hormone T3 on Myosin-Va expression in the central nervous system

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Cataract Remains an Important Cause of Blindness in Campinas, Brazil

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of blindness in the elderly population of Campinas, Brazil, and to describe the coverage and quality of cataract surgery services in the area. Methods: A brief assessment of cataract surgery services (using the RACSS (Rapid Assessment of Cataract Surgical Services Method) was conducted using random cluster sampling, with a sample composed of 60 clusters of 40 people aged 50 years or older. Visual acuity (VA) was measured and the lens status observed by direct visual ophthalmoscopy. From the selected sample of 2,400 subjects, 92.67% were examined. Results: Blindness (VA 3/60 with available correction) was found in 1.98 % (2.03 % among male subjects, and 1.94 % among female subjects). The prevalence of blindness varied with age, from 0.2%, in the group from 50 to 54 years, to 7.2% in those above 80. Cataract was the main cause of blindness (40.2%) followed by suspected posterior segment disorders (18.2%), diabetic retinopathy (15.9%), and glaucoma (11.4%). The cataract surgical coverage was of 93% (VA 3/60) and 82.18% when the criterion was VA 6/60 in the best eye. The main reasons the subjects did not receive surgical treatment were: fear of undergoing surgery, 11.1%; lack of awareness about the condition, 16.7%; waiting for maturity, 16.7%; and contraindication to surgery, 44.4%. Conclusion: Cataract is the major cause of blindness in Campinas. Education on eye diseases, their prevention and treatment must become part of the city's public healthcare policies.

Controlling collapse in Bose-Einstein condensates by temporal modulation of the scattering length

A study was conducted on the dynamics of 2D and 3D Bose-Einstein condensates in the case when the scattering length in the Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equation which contains constant (dc) and time-variable (ac) parts. Using the variational approximation (VA), simulating the GP equation directly, and applying the averaging procedure to the GP equation without the use of the VA, it was demonstrated that the ac component of the nonlinearity makes it possible to maintain the condensate in a stable self-confined state without external traps.

Gap solitons in fermion superfluids

We consider a dynamical model of a superfluid Fermi gas in the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer regime trapped in a periodic optical lattice (OL) potential. The model is based on an equation for complex order parameter phi of the superfluid, which is derived from the relevant energy density and includes a self-repulsive term similar to phi(7/3). By means of the variational approximation (VA) and numerical simulations, we find families of stable one- and two-dimensional (I D and 2D) gap solitons (GSs) in this model. Chiefly, they are compact objects trapped in a single cell of the OL. Families of stable even and odd bound states of these GSs are also found in one dimension. A 3D GS family is constructed too, but solely within the framework of the VA. In the linear limit, the VA predicts an almost exact position of the left edge of the first band-gap in the OL-induced spectrum. The full VA provides an accurate description of families of I D and 2D fundamental GSs. We also demonstrate that a I D GS can be safely transported by an OL moving at a moderate velocity. (C) 2009 IMACS. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

O universo imaginário dos holandeses no Brasil seiscentista: um estudo da narrativa do viajante Joan Nieuhof

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Juvenile development of Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 (Crustacea : Decapoda : Portunidae), from megalopae obtained in the neuston

The juvenile development of Callinectes ornatus was studied from megalopae collected in the neuston off Ubatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil. The animals were raised in the laboratory under constant temperature (25 +/- 1 degrees C), filtered sea water (35 parts per thousand) from the sampling location, and the natural photoperiod. Eleven stages of the juvenile phase were obtained. The main features of the first juvenile stage diagnostic of the species are: the number of segments in the antenna; number of setae on the exopod, endopod, basal endite and coxal endite of the maxilla, on the exopod, endopod, basal endite, coxal endite and epipod of the 1(st) maxilliped, and on the exopod, endopod and epipod of the 2(nd) maxilliped. Sexual dimorphism becomes apparent from the fourth juvenile stage onwards.

Phylogenetic analysis of the neotropical pseudopolybia de saussure, 1863, with description of the male genitalia of pseudopolybia vespiceps (Hymenoptera : Vespidae, epiponini)

The male genitalia of Pseudopolybia vespiceps are described and compared to congeners. Characters of the male genitalia are combined with morphological characters of the females and nests and used in a phylogenetic analysis. The single cladogram resulting supports monophyly of the genus Pseudopolybia and interrelationships among the species as: P. langi + (P. difficilis + (P. compressa + P. vespiceps)). A new, illustrated identification key is presented.

Fecundity of the crab Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae) from the Ubatuba region, São Paulo, Brazil

The objective of the present study was to characterize the fecundity of Callinectes ornatus from the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil. To study the fecundity and its relationships to size, brood weight, and egg size, the ovigerous females were collected at 2-month intervals for two consecutive years (January, 1991 to November, 1992) in the Ubatuba region using a fishing boat equipped with an otter-trawl type of net. After collecting, the animals were screened, bagged, labeled, and stored frozen. Only data from 38 females carrying early stage eggs were considered. In the laboratory, the specimens were thawed at room temperature, the pleopod structure with the egg mass was removed and the eggs were carefully removed from the pleopods. The samples were then fixed in 10% formalin and stored in 70% ethanol, until the time for processing. Processing followed the method of Hines (1982, 1988). Following the frequency determination of carapace width and fecundity, mean egg number, mean volume and mean dry weight of brooded egg mass were determined for each class obtained. Data were analyzed by regressions of log-log transformations for allometric plots (Y = aX(b)) of reproductive variables versus carapace width. Carapace width was one of the main factors for the determination of fecundity, which ranged 171 570 +/- 94 634 eggs, with females of the same size class presenting a wide amplitude of variation. This supports the hypothesis that portunid females present staggered spawning, possibly presenting more than one period of reproduction within one year. The present species showed lower fecundity than the remaining portunids studied, but they did show a rapid and efficient embryonic development, presumably capable of assuring reproductive success.

Population biology of Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 (Decapoda, Portunidae) from Ubatuba (SP), Brazil

Population structure and reproductive season of the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus were studied in animals collected from the Ubatuba bays, Sao Paulo, Brazil (23°20' to 23°35' S and 44°50' to 45°14' W). The samples were taken in three trawls performed every other month from January 1991 to May 1993. A total of 3,829 specimens of C. ornatus were obtained. Their size ranged from 9.3 to 84.6 mm (carapace width). Their median size based on their cephalothoracic width and their size frequency were determined as well. Their reproduction was continuous, with variable proportions of ovigerous females. The highest incidence of ovigerous females occurred in January 1991, 1992 and 1993 and March and November 1992. The oscillations of the environmental factors between the seasons are not so intense in subtropical regions, therefore allowing the continuity of the physiological process of growth and reproduction throughout the year.