Microhabitat use by Peucetia flava (Oxyopidae) on the glandular plant Rhyncanthera dichotoma (Melastomataceae)

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

Fine-scale microhabitat selection in a bromeliad-dwelling jumping spider (Salticidae)

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

Geographic range, habitats, and host plants of bromeliad-living jumping spiders (Salticidae)

Although spiders are a very diverse group on vegetation, their associations with plants are poorly known. Some salticid species specifically use Bromeliaceae as host plants in some regions of South America. In this study, I report the geographic range of these spider-bromeliad associations, and whether the spiders inhabit particular bromeliad species and vegetation types, as well as open areas or interior of forests. Nine salticid species were found to be associated with up to 23 bromeliad species in cerrados (savanna-like vegetation), semideciduous and seasonal forests, coastal sand dune vegetation, restingas, inselbergs, highland forests, chacos, and rain forests at 47 localities in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Some species were typically specialists, inhabiting almost exclusively one bromeliad species over a large geographic range (e.g., Psecas chapoda on Bromelia balansae), whereas others were generalists, occurring on up to 7-8 bromeliad species (e.g., Psecas sp., Eustiromastix nativo, and Coryphasia sp. 1). The regional availability of bromeliad species among habitats may explain this pattern of host plant use. More jumping spiders were found on bromeliads in open areas than on bromeliads in the interior of forests. These results show that several jumping spider species may be strictly associated with the Bromeliaceae in the Neotropics. This is one of the few studies to show host-specific associations for spiders on a particular plant type over a wide geographic range.

ANTI-HERBIVORE PROTECTION BY MUTUALISTIC SPIDERS and THE ROLE of PLANT GLANDULAR TRICHOMES

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

Therapeutic response of benzodiazepine, orphenadrine citrate and occlusal splint association in TMD pain

Loss of function, muscle inflammation, and pain are some of the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). Pharmacological strategies to minimize the clinical manifestation of these disorders often focus on blocking or inhibiting the pain-causing symptom. Resources such as muscle-relaxants, anxiety-relief drugs, and splint therapy are often used to reduce muscular hyperactivity related to TMD muscle pain. This study compares the effect of a randomly ordered association of occlusal splint therapy (S), nonsteroid anti-inflammatory with a muscle-relaxant drug (orphenadrine citrate) (O), and an anxiety-relief drug (benzodiazepine) (B), to ease painful TMD muscle symptoms. Clinical and anamnestic analyses were recorded in accordance with the Helkimo TMD index and applied before and after treatments. Twenty-one group two Helkimo TMD adult female patients were treated, all of whom were subjected to the three random therapeutic associations proposed: SBO, BOS, and OSB. The same operator applied the three specific associations over a period of 21 days in the proposed sequence, seven days for each therapy. The results show that all the groups presented the best results in terms of relief from pain after the therapeutic association (28.5% showed a decrease and 47.6% showed an absence of symptoms). No significant difference was observed among association therapeutic protocols. Copyright © 2003 by CHROMA, Inc.

Genetic associations between carcass traits measured by real-time ultrasound and scrotal circumference and growth traits in Nelore cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Context-specific modulation of cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization and ERK and CREB phosphorylation in the rat nucleus accumbens

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Associations of spiders of the genus Peucetia (Oxyopidae) with plants bearing glandular hairs

Two common South American species of lynx spiders, Peucetia rubrolineata and P. flava (Oxyopidae), were surveyed on three localities in southeastern Brazil to determine plant choice. Both species were found to be associated with plants bearing glandular trichomes. A literature review and complementary data show that ten Peucetia species are associated with up to 55 plant species bearing glandular trichomes in at least 20 distinct vegetation types (phytophysiognomies) in more than 36 localities in the Neotropical, Neartic, Afrotropical, and Paleartic regions. The main plant families used by the spiders were Solanaceae, Asteraceae, and Melastomataceae. The specialization of the Peucetia species for plants bearing glandular trichomes may have evolved because insects adhered to these sticky structures may be used as prey by the spiders.