The bizarre male of Spalangia dozieri (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae): adaptations for male phoresy or the result of sexual selection?

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

Developmental and behavioral effects of postnatal amitraz exposure in rats

The effects of postnatal amitraz exposure on physical and behavioral parameters were studied in Wistar rats, whose lactating dams received the pesticide (10 mg/Kg) orally on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 of lactation; control dams received distilled water (1 ml/kg) on the same days. A total of 18 different litters (9 of them control and 9 experimental) born after a 21- day gestation were used. The results showed that the median effective time (ET50) for fur development, eye opening, testis descent and onset of the startle response were increased in rats postnatally exposed to amitraz (2.7, 15.1, 21.6 and 15.3 days, respectively) compared to those of the control pups (1.8, 14.0, 19.9 and 12.9 days, respectively). The ages of incisor eruption, total unfolding of the external ears, vaginal and ear opening and the time taken to perform the grasping hindlimb reflex were not affected by amitraz exposure. Pups from dams treated with amitraz during lactation took more time (in seconds) to perform the surface righting reflex on postnatal days (PND) 3 (25.0 ±2.0), 4 (12.3 ± 1.2) and 5 (8.7 ± 0.9) in relation to controls (10.6 ± 1.2; 4.5 ± 0.6 and 3.4 ± 0.4, respectively); the climbing response was not changed by amitraz. Postnatal amitraz exposure increased spontaneous motor activity of male and female pups in the open-field on PND 16 (140± 11)and 17(124± 12), and 16 (104±9), 17 (137 ± 9) and 18 (106 ± 8), respectively. Data on spontaneous motor activity of the control male and female pups were 59 ± 11 and 69 ± 10 for days 16 and 17 and 49 ± 9, 48 ± 7 and 56 ± 7 for days 16, 17 and 18, respectively. Some qualitative differences were also observed in spontaneous motor behavior; thus, raising the head, shoulder and pelvis matured one or two days later in the amitraz- treated offspring. Postnatal amitraz exposure did not change locomotion and rearing frequencies or immobility time in the open-field on PND 30, 60 and 90. The present findings indicate that postnatal exposure to amitraz caused transient developmental and behavioral changes in the exposed offspring and suggest that further investigation of the potential health risk of amitraz exposure to developing human and animal offsprings may be warranted.

Neonatal rat exposure to pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides: A physiological and biochemical trial of progeny

A manufactured product (Ectoplus®) composed by a cypermethrin (44.7%) and dichlorvos (4.2%) mixture was administered (10mg/kg/day, orally, by gavage) to pregnant rats, during the periods of gestation+lactation, gestation, and lactation. Control mothers received vehicle aqueous solution during the gestation+lactation period. With the progeny, in the 1-15 post-natal days (PNDI-15) there were observed alterations in the periods of occurrence of teeth, hair, unfolding of ears, and in the developmental period for following reflexes: postural, palmar grasp, negative geotaxis, and acoustic startle reflex. After weaning (PND21), there were observed the presence of cypermethrin and dichlorvos in the blood brain and liver; decrease in weight of liver, of cholinesterase activity in the plasma, liver, and brain, and hepatic metabolizing activity of drugs; alterations of levels of gamma glutamyl transferase enzymes, of creatinine, and of potassium in the serum of the animals. In conclusion, neonatal exposure to a formulated mixture of cypermethrin and dichlorvos is inductive to alterations in characteristics that indicate somatic and neuromuscular development of the progeny, and in certain biochemical parameters. The results suggest that enzymatic assessment associated with somatic and neuromotor assessment can be important markers of developmental characteristics in neonatal toxicity by pesticide formulations based on mixtures of insecticides.

A sound education: Becoming aware of the sound around us

In this article it is intended to discuss the issue of noise pollution from an unusual point of view: noise pollution is not only the result of sound increase worldwide, but, particularly, the poor quality of our listening habits in modern life as well. In contemporary society we are subject to a considerable amount of stimulus to all our senses: vision, scent, taste and hearing which are becoming more and more insensible due to over exposure in our environment. These increased stimuli make us look for alternatives to reduce our ability to perceive them and be protected from injuries. However, our sensitivity will also decrease. In the specific case of environment noise, over exposure has made us forget the enchantment of certain sounds that used to give us pleasure or evoke good feelings by many ways, making us recall certain good things, bringing particular moments of our lives to our memory or even filling us with strong emotion. The Canadian composer and music educator, R. Murray Schafer, believes that noise pollution is the result of a society who became deaf. Closing our ears to noise protect us from noise pollution but also prevent us from grasping subtleties of listening. Contemporary world does not help us to be aware of sound in the space around us; acquiring this hearing ability is a matter of focus, interest and practice. Sound education exercises are aimed at children, teenagers and adults who want to improve their listening ability to environmental sounds, perceive its proprieties and learn how sound affects us and touches our feelings. The results are easy to accomplish and contribute to our awareness of the sound environment around us and to the conception of the environmental sound as a composition made by everybody and everything through positive actions, strong will and high sensitivity. Copyright © (2011) by the International Institute of Acoustics & Vibration.

Desempenho motor de aluno com paralisia cerebral discinética frente à adaptação das propriedades físicas de recurso pedagógico

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the modified physical properties of an educational resource for facilitating the handling of a child with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. The participant of the study was a six year old child with dyskinetic cerebral palsy enrolled in a regular early childhood education classroom. The educational resource that was selected was a brick game, in which the physical properties of weight, size and texture had been modified. The analysis was made regarding the quality of upper limb movement to the variables: righting index, scalar displacement (s), average speed (As) and time (t). The results showed that combined large size and heavy weight did not have a satisfactory outcome, affecting both grasping the educational resource and fitting. There was also inconsistency in children with cerebral palsy's responses. There is variation in the results, though a standard cannot be established. Thus, this study contributed to understanding the motor responses of a child with dyskinetic cerebral palsy when participating in a fitting activity with educational resources in which the physical properties had been modified.

Regeneração axonial proveniente de nervo intacto para nervo parcialmente lesado utilizando neurorrafia término-lateral: trabalho experimental no plexo braquial de ratos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dieta e morfologia trófica de espécies do gênero Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Ostariophysi, Loricariidae) no alto curso do Rio Corumbataí-SP

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

As cidades pequenas na região metropolitana de Campinas-SP: dinâmica demográfica, papéis urbanos e (re) produção do espaço

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Brazilian identities: compositions and recompositions

The Contemporary Challenges series - originally sponsored by the Research Deanship of the State University of São Paulo (Unesp) - aims at providing access to essays on crucial issues concerning the Brazilian society as a whole. With the publication of those titles, which systematically avoid unnecessary academic jargon though preserving scientific rigour, the university fulfills one of its essential tasks: that of disseminating the skills and knowledge reared within its quarters. In the present volume, focused upon sociological questions, the authors face the difficult job of grasping the intricate horizon of complexities of Brazilian identity and their presence in the current national dilemmas.

A metrópole e a prosa cinematográfica no modernismo estadunidense: uma abordagem de Manhattan Transfer de John Dos Passos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)