Avaliação dos efeitos dos inseticidas malation e fipronil sobre a viabilidade e regeneração de girardia tigrina (Platyhelminthe, tricladida)

In this study were carried out toxicity tests and the evaluation of sub lethal effects of the insecticides malathion and fipronil, over the test system of Girardia tigrina, using for these analyses a great variety of methods. For evaluation of the lethal concentrations of the products, adult planarians were exposed to several different concentrations. All the tests were carried out in duplicate, maintained on the shelter of the light, on a temperature 24-26ºC and they had the duration of 96h, with observations at each 24h. The results were statically valued by the tests U of Mann- Whitney, Spearman-Karber, ANOVA and Pearson correlation. The effects over the system-test, in the different tested concentrations, varied in accordance with the time of exposition. The EC50 given by the test of Spearman-Karber was of 12,5mg/L for malathion and 13,4mg/L for fipronil. The evaluation of sub lethal effects was composed by analyses of the potential of regeneration; histological, for tissue damage evaluation; d; and the “comet assay”, for DNA damage detection. The specimens split up and exposed to the insecticides demonstrated, between other effects, retardation in development of the regenerative blastema. The histological evaluation has shown that exposed planarians to lower concentrations of the insecticides cause more significant damage against the tissues and some specific cell types. Through the comet assay, significant damages were noticed in the DNA in all the treatments, when compared with the control group. Such damages may result in reproduction and immunity alterations, which reduce the competitive efficiency and, consequently, the survival chances of these organisms.

Low power laser radiation at 685 nm stimulates stem-cell proliferation rate in Dugesia tigrina during regeneration

Today's scientific interest in tissue engineering for organ transplantations and regeneration from stem cells, allied with recent observations on biostimulation of tissues and cells by laser radiation, stands as a strong motivation for the present work, in which we examine the effects of the low power laser radiation onto planarians under regenerative process. To investigate those effects, a number of 60 amputated worms were divided in three study groups: a control group and two other groups submitted to daily 1 and 3 min long laser treatment sections at similar to 910 W/m(2) power density. A 685 nm diode laser with 35 mW optical power was used. Samples were sent to histological analysis at the 4th, the 7th and the 15th (lays after amputation. A remarkable increase in stem cells counts for the fourth day of regeneration was observed when the regenerating worms was stimulated by the laser radiation. Our findings encourage further research works on the influence of optical radiation onto stem cells and tissue regeneration. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revision of the Neotropical subfamily Eurychoromyiinae (Diptera: Lauxaniidae)

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

MOLECULAR and SEROLOGICAL DETECTION of BABESIA SPP. IN NEOTROPICAL and EXOTIC CARNIVORES IN BRAZILIAN ZOOS

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

Plasma cortisol levels in captive wild felines after chemical restraint

Eight Panthera onca (Po), 13 Felis concolor (Fc), 7 Felis yagouaroundi (Fy), 7 Felis tigrina (Ft) and 5 Felis pardalis (Fp) specimens from São Paulo State zoos were used. All animals were restrained with darts containing 10 mg/kg ketamine and 1 mg/kg xylazine. Venous blood samples were collected as soon as possible (within 15-20 min) and serum was frozen until the time for cortisol quantification. Cortisol was determined using a solid phase radioimmunoassay with an intra-assay coefficient of 8.51%. Data were analyzed statistically by the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test, and the one-sample t-test, with the level of significance set at P<0.05. Data are reported as means ± SEM. Cortisol levels differed among the captive felines: Po = 166 ± 33a, Fc = 670 ± 118b, Fy = 480 ± 83b, Ft = 237 ± 42ab, Fp = 97 ± 12a nmol/l (values followed by different superscript letters were significantly different (P<0.001)). Since most of the veterinary procedures on these species involve chemical restraint, these results show the necessity of preventive measures in order to minimize the effect of restraint stress on more susceptible species

Estudo biotecnológico, citogenético e molecular em espécies de orquídeas endêmicas da flora brasileira

Pós-graduação em Biociências - FCLAS

Biodegradação da vinhaça resíduo da produção de etanol

The State of São Paulo is responsible for the largest sugar cane production in Brazil, as well as the largest production of ethanol made of this raw material – which is widely used as fuel for automobiles. This utilization began in the 1970’s, with the institution by the Brazilian government of the National Alcohol Program (PRO-ÁLCOOL), as a consequence of the petroleum crisis, rising again five years ago, with the development of flex fuel cars. The obtaining process of ethanol originates residues; amongst them, vinasse is the one that’s generated in the largest amount (an average of 10 to 13 litres/litre of ethanol produced). The disposal of this residue in waters was only forbidden in 1978, but before that, researchers had already been investigating its utilization as raw material. This paper had the objective of accompany the biodegradation of vinasse by evaluating the oxygen comsumption during it until the ultimate Biochemical Oxygen Demand (uBOD), performed in twenty days; another objective was to analyse the biomass production of Saccharomyces cerevisae in this residue. Physical and chemical analyses of the residue were also performed, as well as acute toxicity essays using Daphnia similis and Dugesia tigrina, before and after its biodegradation. The physical and chemical analyses pointed elevated acidness (pH = 3,98), conductivity (8,30 mS/cm) and COD (25.693,43 mg O2/L) and mean quantity of suspended solids (5.246 mg/L). The toxicity essays indicated absence of toxic potential in vinasse after biodegradation for both species. The uBOD degradated until 88,22% of the COD, demonstrating the possibility of biodegradation of most of the residue’s organic load in a relatively short period of time. S. cerevisae caused a 37,03% COD diminution in vinasse, diminished its conductivity and promoted a slight elevation of the pH; it obtained low biomass...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Análise do uso das águas de uma empresa do ramo petroquímico via análise de sobrevivência

Pós-graduação em Biometria - IBB

Molecular study on endemic cattleya species from brazilian flora

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

Avaliação da qualidade da água dos rios Jaguarí e Atibaia por meio do índice de qualidade da água - IQA e ensaios toxicológicos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)