The bloodsucking biting midges of Argentina (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

A key is presented for the identification of the adults of 54 species of bloodsucking ceratopogonids, 51 of which are known inhabitants of Argentina, and Culicoides uruguayensis Ronderos, C. pifanoi Ortiz, and C. trilineatus Fox, which are known to occur in bordering Uruguay and Paraguay. Wing photographs are provided of females of the 45 species of Culicoides. Three new species of Culicoides Latreille from Northeastern Argentina are described and illustrated: C. austroparaensis Spinelli, C. bachmanni Spinelli, and C. williamsi Spinelli. The following six species are recorded for the first time from Argentina and/or bordering localities in Paraguay: Leptoconops brasiliensis (Lutz), C. gabaldoni Ortiz, C. ginesi Ortiz, C. pifanoi Ortiz, C. pseudocrescentis Tavares and Luna Dias, and C. trilineatus; and C. estevezae Ronderos and Spinelli is newly recorded from Misiones province of Argentina. C. lopesi Barretto is excluded from the Argentinean ceratopogonid fauna.

Uncária tomentosa e a lesão renal aguda isquêmica em ratos

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito renoprotetor do fitoterápico Uncaria tomentosa sobre a lesão renal aguda isquêmica induzida pelo clampeamento dos pedículos renais de ratos. A hipóxia e a hipoperfusão geradas com a isquemia intensificam a produção de espécies reativas já presentes no processo inflamatório. Os resultados mostraram que a função renal avaliada pelo clearance de creatinina, a excreção de peróxidos urinários (FOX) e a excreção urinária de malondealdeído (TBARS) desses animais apresentou renoproteção induzida pela UT, provavelmente relacionada às suas atividades antioxidantes.

O efeito protetor do bicarbonato de sódio na nefropatia induzida por contraste radiológico em ratos

Contrastes radiológicos iodados - CI são causa de lesão renal aguda - LRA. Avaliar o efeito renoprotetor do bicarbonato de sódio (Bic) sobre a função renal (clearance de creatinina, Jaffé, Clcr-ml/min/100g) e o perfil oxidativo (excreção de peróxidos, PU e de malondealdeído urinários, FOX-2 e TBARs, nmol/mgCr ) em ratos com CI. Ratos machos adultos Wistar, 250-300g, tratados 1x/dia, por 5 dias, foram divididos nos grupos: Salina (solução salina 0,9%, 3ml/kg/dia, intraperitoneal-i.p.); CI (ioxitalamato de meglumina e sódio, 3ml/kg, i.p); Bic+Salina (Bic 3ml/kg, i.p, 1 hora antes e 1 hora depois da Salina); Bic+CI (Bic 3ml/kg, i.p, 1 hora antes e 1 hora depois do CI). CI induziu LRA e o Bic confirmou seu efeito renoprotetor antioxidante (Clcr/TBARs/PU Salina: 0,59±0,03/0,11±0,02/1,29±0,24 vs Bic+Salina 0,58±0,03/0,13±0,02/1,32±0,64 vs CI 0,22±0,02A/0,19±0,02A/4,77±0, 24A vs Bic+CI 0,51±0,04B/0,13±0,3B/1,80± 0,04B, A/B p<0,05). O Bic confirmou efeito protetor na LRA por CI, podendo ser considerado como possibilidade terapêutica para pacientes submetidos a CI.

Notes on Neotropical Eumeninae, with the description of a new species of Pachodynerus de Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Notes on Neotropical Eumeninae, with the description of a new species of Pachodynerus de Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Taxonomic information on Neotropical Eumeninae is provided. A new species, Pachodynerus fessatus sp. nov. is described from southeastern São Paulo, Brazil. Additional material of Pachodynerus sericeus (Fox) was examined, representing the first further specimens after the original description and including the previously unknown male. The examination of new material of the genus Stenonartonia adds some new distribution records and shows some previously unrecorded individual variation for some species. The males of Stenonartonia guaraya Garcete-Barrett and Stenonartonia rejectoides Garcete-Barrett are described for the first time.

Note on predation of the brood of Mischocyttarus injucundus (de Saussure) by another social wasp in Caxiuanã, Pará, Brazil, with new records of species for the Ferreira Penna Research Station (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

ABSTRACT Predation of the brood of Mischocyttarus injucundus by another polistine social wasp is reported from an Amazonian rainforest locality. This is the first report for the American tropics of naturally occurring predation by one social wasp on the brood of another. Three species are added to the list of the Ferreira Penna Research Station, raising known local richness to 81 species: Mischocyttarus filiformis (de Saussure, 1854), Mischocyttarus vaqueroi Zikán, 1949, and Parachartergus griseus (Fox, 1898).

Alterações nos atributos físicos de um latossolo vermelho sob plantio direto induzidas por diferentes tipos de escarificadores e o rendimento da soja

A compactação do solo, quando em níveis elevados, é um processo de difícil reversão sob sistema de plantio direto (SPD), especialmente em solos argilosos. Geralmente, a sua ocorrência em áreas comerciais de grãos é descontínua e restrita a áreas com histórico de pressões associadas ao trânsito intenso de máquinas agrícolas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar as alterações nos atributos físicos de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico de textura argilosa (450 g kg-1) promovidas por dois tipos de escarificações sítio-específico e uma convencional (aleatória), bem como seus efeitos sobre o rendimento da soja. Para isso, selecionou-se no município de Victor Graeff, na região do planalto do RS, uma lavoura de 50,6 ha manejada sob SPD por longo prazo e, recentemente, com agricultura de precisão. O clima local é subtropical Cfa, com precipitação pluvial anual oscilando entre 1.500 e 1.750 mm, temperatura média de 20 ºC e altitude de 490 m. Com base nos mapas de rendimento de três safras anteriores, a área foi subdividida em três zonas de potencial produtivo. Na zona de baixo rendimento (ZB) foram implantados os seguintes tratamentos: (a) escarificação convencional com profundidade fixa de 0,30 m (EC); (b) escarificação sítio-específico com equipamento Fox® com profundidade fixa de 0,30 m (ESEF); (c) escarificação sítio-específico com equipamento Fox® com profundidade de atuação variável (0,10 a 0,30 m), em função da resistência máxima do solo à penetração (ESEV); e (d) controle sem escarificação (SE). A zona de alto rendimento (ZA) foi usada como referência para avaliar o efeito dos tratamentos no rendimento de grãos. Os tratamentos foram implantados em faixas paralelas de 100 x 20 m, seguindo o delineamento de blocos casualizados. Avaliaram-se, em três épocas, a densidade do solo, macroporosidade, microporosidade e porosidade total nas profundidades de 0,0-0,05, 0,05-0,10, 0,10-0,15 e 0,15-0,20 m, bem como a infiltração de água no solo. Os resultados da caracterização inicial dos atributos do solo por zona de rendimento evidenciaram maior densidade do solo e menor porosidade total, na profundidade de 0,15-0,20 m, na ZB em relação à ZA. Em todos os tratamentos com escarificação mecânica, observou-se, logo após o preparo, incremento da infiltração de água em relação ao SE, que aumentou em torno de quatro vezes nos tratamentos EC e ESEV em comparação a esse controle. No entanto, o efeito da escarificação, independentemente do tipo de escarificador, foi efêmero; transcorridos sete meses, verificou-se decréscimo na infiltração de água no solo, que não diferiu do tratamento controle. Entre os escarificadores investigados, o ESEV destacou-se pela manutenção da cobertura do solo em relação ao EC e proporcionou maior rendimento de soja. Contudo, sob condições de elevada precipitação pluvial não foi observado incremento no rendimento da soja nos tratamentos com escarificação mecânica, em relação ao tratamento controle (SE).

Technology and research in a global Networked University Digital Library (NUDL)

Digital Libraries (DLs) are extremely complex information systems that support the creation, management, distribution, and preservation of complex information resources, while allowing effective and efficient interaction among the several societies that benefit from DL content and services. In this paper, we focus on our experience facing challenges of building, maintaining, and developing the Networked University Digital Library (www.nudl.org), an extension of the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (www.ndltd.org). NUDL is a worldwide initiative that addresses making the intellectual property produced in universities more accessible, stimulating international collaboration across all disciplines. We detail technological aspects of our solutions and research activities carried out to provide powerful and enriched services for the communities served by this initiative.

ETDs, NDLTD, and open access: a 5S perspective

Worldwide initiatives toward digital library (DL) support for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), facilitated by the work of the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), are a key part of the move toward open access. When all graduate students learn to use openly available ETDs, and have experience with authoring and submission in connection with their own research results, it will be easy for them to continue these efforts through other contributions to open access. When all universities support ETD activities, they will be key participants in institutional repositories and open access, and will have engaged in discussion and infrastructure development supportive of further open access activities. Understanding of open access also can be facilitated through modeling of all of these efforts using the 5S framework, considering the key aspects of DL development: Societies, Scenarios, Spaces, Structures, and Streams.

Estimation of evaporation in the Banabuiú dam, in the state of Ceará, Brazil, by different combined methods, derived from the Penman equation

The state of Ceará, Brazil, has 75% of its area covered by Brazilian semiarid, with its peculiar features. In this state, the dams are constituted in water structure of strategic importance, ensuring, both in time and space, the development and supply of water to population. However, construction of reservoirs results in various impacts that should be carefully observed when deciding on their implementation. One of the impacts identified as negative is the increased evaporation, which constitutes a major component of water balance in reservoirs, especially in arid regions. Several methods for estimating evaporation have been proposed over time, many of them deriving from the Penman equation. This study evaluated six different methods for estimating evaporation in order to determine the most suitable for use in hydrological models for water balance in reservoirs in the state of Ceará. The tested methods were proposed by Penman, Kohler-Nordenson-Fox, Priestley-Taylor, deBruim-Keijman, Brutsaert-Stricker and deBruim. The methods presented good performance when tested for water balance during the dry season, and the Priestley-Taylor was the most appropriate, since the data from de simulated water balance with evaporation estimated by this method were the closest of the water balance data observed from measures of reservoir level and the elevation-volume curve provided by the Company of Management of Water Resources of the state of Ceará - COGERH.

Mode B ultrasonography and abdominal Doppler in crab-eating-foxes ( Cerdocyon thous )

Abstract: Annually hundreds of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) are referred to rehabilitation centers and zoos in Brazil. The ultrasonographic study of wildlife species is an important tool for a non-invasive and accurate anatomical description and provides important information for wildlife veterinary care. The aim of the present study was to determine the characteristics of the main abdominal organs as well as the vascular indexes of the abdominal aorta and renal arteries of crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) using mode B ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasonography, respectively. Ultrasonographic features of the main abdominal organs were described and slight differences were noticed between ultrasound imaging of abdominal organs of crab-eating foxes and other species. The bladder presented wall thickness of 12±0.01mm, with three defined layers. Both, the right and left kidneys presented corticomedullary ratio of 1:1 and similarly to the adrenals and the liver, they were homogeneous and hypoechoic compared to the spleen. The spleen was homogeneous and hyperechoic compared to the kidneys. The stomach presented 3 to 5 peristaltic movements per minute, wall thickness of 39±0.05mm and lumen and mucosa with hyperechoic and hypoechoic features, respectively. Small and large intestines presented 2 to 3 peristaltic movements per minute, wall thickness of 34±0.03mm and three defined layers with hyperechogenic (submucosa and serosa) and hypoechogenic (muscular) features. Ovaries of the female crab-eating fox were hypoechoic compared to the spleen and with heterogeneous parenchyma due to the presence of 2x2mm ovarian follicles. Prostates of the six males were regular and with a well defined boundary, with a homogeneous and hyperechoic parenchyma compared to the spleen. Vascular indexes of the abdominal aorta (PSV: 25.60±0.32cm/s; EDV: 6.96±1.68cm/s; PI: 1.15±0.07 e RI: 0.73±0.07) and right (PSV: 23.08±3.34cm/s; EDV: 9.33±2.36cm/s; PI: 1.01±0.65 e RI: 0.65±0.16) and left renal arteries (PSV: 23.74±3.94cm/s; EDV: 9.07±3.02cm/s; PI: 1.04±0.31 e RI: 0.64±0.10) were determined. Thus, conventional and Doppler ultrasonographic imaging provides basic information that can be used as reference for the species as well for other wild canids and it is a precise and non-invasive method that can be safely used to evaluate and diagnose abdominal injuries in these patients.

Occurrence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. In free-ranging wild canids from the Brazilian savanna

Abstract: The Brazilian savanna, also known as Cerrado, is one of the world's richest and most ecologically invaluable tropical savanna regions. There are few studies in Brazil about the diseases that affect the wild canids of this biome, which may be harmful to wildlife populations and public health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in three Cerrado wild canids species using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Serum samples were tested from 19 crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous), 14 maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and seven hoary foxes (Lycalopex vetulus), all free-ranging animals found in the municipalities of Araguari and Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, and Cumari, Goiás State, Brazil. Fourteen (35%) of these samples were seropositive. The most frequent serovars detected in the samples were Copenhageni and Hardjo, but reactions to the serovars Autumnalis, Grippotyphosa, Hebdomadis, Wolffi, and Icterohaemorrhagiae also occurred. Notwithstanding other reported results, this study is the first to report the presence of antibodies against Leptospira spp. in L. vetulus. The three species of wild canids examined may act as potential hosts for several serovars of leptospira in Brazil's savanna environment.

High frequency of mutation G377S in Brazilian type 3 Gaucher disease patients

Gaucher disease (GD), the most prevalent lysosome storage disorder, presents an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. It is a paradigm for therapeutic intervention in medical genetics due to the existence of effective enzyme replacement therapy. We report here the analysis of GD in 262 unrelated Brazilian patients, carried out in order to establish the frequency of the most common mutations and to provide prognostic information based on genotype-phenotype correlations. Among 247 type 1 GD patients, mutation N370S was detected in 47% of all the alleles, but N370S/N370S homozygosity was found in only 10% of the patients, a much lower frequency than expected, suggesting that most individuals presenting this genotype may not receive medical attention. Recombinant alleles were detected at a high frequency: 44% of the chromosomes bearing mutation L444P had other mutations derived from the pseudogene sequence, present in 25% of patients. Three neuronopathic type 2 patients were homozygous for L444P, all presenting additional mutations (E326K or recombinant alleles) that probably lead to the more severe phenotypes. Six children, classified as type 1 GD patients, had a L444P/L444P genotype, showing that neuronopathic symptoms may only manifest later in life. This would indicate the need for a higher treatment dose during enzyme replacement therapy. Finally, mutation G377S was present in 4 homozygous type 1 patients and also in compound heterozygosity in 5 (42%) type 3 patients. These findings indicate that G377S cannot be unambiguously classified as mild and suggest an allele-dose effect for this mutation.

The inflammatory stimulus of a natural latex biomembrane improves healing in mice

The aim of the present study was to compare healing obtained with biomembranes with the natural healing process (sham) using biochemical and immunohistological assays. C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups of 15 mice each and received different subcutaneous implants: natural latex biomembrane (NLB), denatured latex (DL), expanded polytetrafluorethylene (ePTFE), or sham. On the 2nd, 7th, and 14th days post-treatment, 5 mice per group were sacrificed and biopsied for the following measurements: oxidative stress based on malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and hydrogen peroxide by the method of ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX), as well as glutathione and total proteins; histological evaluation to enumerate inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, blood vessels, and collagen, and immunohistochemical staining for inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-1β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). On day 2 post-treatment, NLB stimulated a dense inflammatory infiltrate mainly consisting of polymorphonuclear cells, as indicated by increased MPO (P < 0.05), but oxidative stress due to MDA was not observed until the 7th day (P < 0.05). The number of blood vessels was greater in NLB (P < 0.05) and DL (P < 0.05) mice compared to sham animals on day 14. NLB induced fibroplasia by day 14 (P < 0.05) with low expression of TGF-β1 and collagenesis. Thus, NLB significantly induced the inflammatory phase of healing mediated by oxidative stress, which appeared to influence the subsequent phases such as angiogenesis (with low expression of VEGF) and fibroplasia (independent of TGF-β1) without influencing collagenesis.

Para superar el estancamiento económico en México: "nudos críticos" de un proyecto nacional de desarrollo

This article is devoted to analyze changes in economic policy to be adopted by Mexico if a national development project were implemented. Starting from an evaluation of the main economic and political outcomes of Vicente’s Fox administration, the author proposes an alternative development strategy which permits Mexico to overcome economic stagnation. That strategy would be based in recovering the internal market as the dynamical focus of the economy with the purpose of satisfying basic needs of people. To be successful this strategy should to confront the "critical knots" of the Neo-liberal model: to reverse the uneven distribution of income; abandoning the fixing of restrictive monetary, fiscal and exchange rate policies; and mobilizing economic surplus by means of a profound revision of debt service schemes. It concludes that to implement a national development project it is required a political and economic strategy to dismantle neoliberalism, which is an antinational structure of power.