Culicídeos associados a entrenós de bambu e bromélias, com ênfase em Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae) na Mata Atlântica, Paraná, Brasil

Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) larvae were recorded for the first time in the internodes of bamboo cuts found in the Atlantic Forest in the State of Paraná, Brazil. The bamboo, Bambusa sp., was introduced in the area of Imbucuí-Mirim town, across the municipal district of Paranaguá and towards the interior of the Atlantic Forest. A total of 251 larvae of Aedes albopictus (37.9%), Culex (Microculex) spp. (13.9%), Limatus durhami Theobald, 1901 (39.8%), Toxorhynchites sp. (0.4%) and Wyeomyia spp. (8.0%) were collected from bamboo internodes filled with rain and from the terrestrial Bromeliaceae and epiphytas found near the bamboo bushes. Aedes albopictus was found in bamboo internodes containing 30 to 254 ml of rain, sometimes coexisting with Li. durhami. Borders of forest ecosystems should be characterized as risk areas for arbovirosis transmission, since they sustain the circulation of vertebrates and arthropodal hematophagus, not only in the wild but also in the anthropic areas.

Poderá o carrapato transmitir a lepra?: mais quatro amostras de culturas de bacilos acido-alcool resistentes obtidas de carrapatos (2 de "Amblyomma cajennense"e 2 de "Boophilus microplus") infectados em leprosos do Paraná: 3ª nota

The AA. carried out experiments in the leprosarium São Roque, State of Paraná, South Brazil, to verify if the cattle tick Boophilus microplus could be experimentally infected in lepers, which was true. The AA. Tried also to be ascertained if Boophilus microplus and Amblyomma cajennense could change of hosts during their feedings which was true, both ticks continue feeding, the last species for many days, after being transferred from one to another leper. The junior A. describes in full their experiments and also a dermatites caused by tick bites. The senior A. brought to Rio de Janeiro most of the infected ticks for examination, which revealed a very high positivity. He smeared the sediments of lots of both species of ticks in Loewenstein medium and after a variable periode of incubation at 37° C. he obtained four new samples of cultures of acid-fast organisms, two from Amblyomma cajennense and two from Boophilus microplus. These cultures are being studied and will be inoculated into laboratory animals. The senior A. inoculated new batches of white rats with sediments of many ticks infected in lepers. Various hypotheses of both previous notes upon the subject now are verified facts. The A. is accumulating facts to draw the conclusions in the future. He also suggested the leprosy workers in the interior of the country to cooperate with him in such important studies, specially in the habitat of lepers in the rural zones of various States.

Tentativas de transmissão da lepra ao homem, por meio de Triatomídeos infectados em doentes lepromatosos: (nota prévia)

The A.A. started a new series of experiments upon the transmission of Leprosy to man by means of one of the more widespread hematophagi of the hinterland of Brazil, the Triatomidae. Two species of these insects were found naturally infected with Hansen's bacillus in huts of lepers in the interior of the State of Minas Gerais and one of the writers (S.A.) upon feeding the same insects on lepromatous cases could obtain two strains of acid-fast bacilli cultures smearing Lowenstein medium with the intestinal contains of the same. The first phase of the experiments lasted five months and the results, partially positive, are here describe. More than one hundred Triatomidae (Triatoma infestans and Panstrongylus megistus) bred in the Institute Oswaldo Cruz and fed in normal pigeons until convenient growth were put on lepromatous lesions, which they sucked many times, and them after one or more days they were put to be fed on selected regions of the skin of four negativated cases of leprosy. The arguments in favour and against the possibility of obtaining new lesions of leprosy in such burnet out patients were discussed. The A.A. are not authorized to draw any definite conclusions, but the few facts registered are worth of divulgation, in orther that other workers send their suggestions. Three out of the four volunteers showed moderate local reactions between 1 to 4 days after being sucked by the infected insectes. After five months experiments subcutanous lymph were obtained from the points where the insects have bitten. A very few acid-fast bacilli were found in such material. The patients, being kept in separation from infectious cases, will be followed up during months or a year in order to be detected any suspicious experimental lesions of leprosy.

Subsídio ao melhor conhecimento do tifo exantemático neotrópico no Brasil: presença do virus no leite

In articles, already published, we have proved that the strain V. B. of Brazilian virus, goes through the placenta (Macacus rhesus) (1) and the apparently normal gastro-intestinal tube (1934-1937) (Canis familiaris) (2). Today we present the idea that the Brazilian virus can reach the milk of an animal even when the latter has only the unapparent disease. In former articles (**), we have shown that the goat (Capra hircus) can be an excellent reservoir of Brazilian virus, having the strain V. B. in its blood and presenting a Weil Felix reaction high and in “group”, with the disease unapparent. When the goats are bred in the laboratory, and even in some foci of the disease, they give a negative Weil Felix, being zero for all the nine strains of Proteus. In the interior of Brazil, in many localities, goats substitute cows, in supplying milk for children and adults, and in some districts goat’s milk is considered superior to cow’s milk, possessing marvellous qualities for men, women an children. Having proved, now, that goat’s milk can contain the virus even when the animal presents nothing clinically, and having also shown that this virus goes through the digestive tube apparently sound, it is easy to understand how infants-in-arms, that is, only a few months old, living in strictly domestic surroundings, can contract the disease; we have many such cases on record. Protocol of the experiments: Goat nº 2, white, January 1948. This animal had been inoculated with the V. B. strain of the Brazilian virus in June 1947, via intra-peritoneal, presenting nothing then, not even a feverish reaction. On that occasion it was not possible to isolate the virus of the blood, although the Weil Felix reaction was positive, high and in “group”. Now January 17, 1948, seven months later, the same animal was reinoculated with a semple of virus V. B. in the same manner (intra-peritoneal) two days after bringing forth two sturdy kids. The virus V. B. was obtained from guinea-pig n. 7170 whose thermic graph was as follows: Temperatura – 38,8 – 39,1 – 39,5 – 39,4 –39,8 – 40,4 – 40,2 – 40,1 - + Necropsy – Typical lesions. The spleen weighed 5 grammes. With 3c.c. of emulsion from the nervous system of this guinea-pig, we inoculated not only the goat, as also two guineapigs, number 14 and number 5. The following is the thermic graph of one: - Guinea-pig n. 14 – 38,9 – 39,1 – 39,2 – 39.2 – 40,7 – 41,0 – 40,5 – 40,4 – 40,1 - + Typical lesions. Guinea-pig n. 2 presented the following thermic graph after the infective inoculation: - 39,5 – 39,7 – 39,7 – 39,7 – 39,5 – 39,3 – 39,5 – 39,5 – 39,5 – etc. Clinically, this animal presented nothing unusual, feeding well and suckling the kids normally. The Weil Felix reaction was positive, in “group” high very similar to the reaction obtained in June 1947, with the first infective inoculation. On the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh day after the infective inoculation, we took milk from the goat and inoculated male guinea-pigs via intra-celular and via intra-peritoneal, giving 5 c.c. to each animal. Guinea-pig n. 4663, inoculated with 5 c.c. of milk, via intra-muscular, taken on the third day of the infectaive inoculation, presented the following thermic graph: - 38.8 (*) – 39,1 – 39,0 – 39,1 – 40,1 – 40,1 – 40,8 (**) – 40,8 – Killed – Typical deisions (***). The virus V. B. of this goat, circulated naturally in the blood up to the third day, having passed into the milk, producing nothing in the kids, on account of the natural resistance of these animals to the disease. The Weil Felix reaction and that of Widal for the Burcellas suis, abortus and militensis were negative for the goat and the kids. It is remarkable that, even with inoculation of the living virus after a period of seven months we cannot get a real and absolute immunity of sensitive animals. We shall return to this subject later. The hart Mazama simplicicornis may be a carrier of the virus in Brasil. The experimental serum against the virus of Exanthematic neotropical typhus has not protected guinea-pigs.

Bee assemblage in habitats associated with Brassica napus L.

ABSTRACTAssessments in agricultural crops indicate that alterations in the landscape adjacent to the crops can result in reduced productivity due to loss or low abundance of pollinating agents. In the canola crop, production is partially dependent on insect pollination. Therefore, knowledge of the faunal diversity within and near crop fields is key for the management of these insects and consequently for the increase in productivity. This study aimed to determine and compare the diversity of bees in habitats associated with canola fields in southern Brazil. Bees were captured in four agricultural areas using pan traps in three habitat classes: (1) flowering canola crop, (2) forest remnant, and (3) grassland vegetation. The highest abundance of bees was observed in the grassland vegetation (50%) and in the flowering canola field (47%). Eight species common to the three habitat classes were recorded, four of which are represented by native social bees. In addition, a single or a few individuals represented species that were exclusive to a specific habitat class; eight species were collected exclusively in the interior of the canola field, 51 in the grassland vegetation, and six in the forest remnant. The majority of the rare species recorded exhibits subsocial or solitary behaviour and inhabit open places. The composition of bee groups differed between the habitats showing the importance of maintaining habitat mosaics with friendly areas for pollinators, which promote the pollination service for canola flowers.

Catálise básica usando sílica mesoporosa estabilizada por acrilatos encapsulados

The synthesis of new type of silicas, with structures akin to that of MCM-41, containing polyacrylate-encapsulated micelles in their mesopores is reported. Initially, the monomers were inserted in the aqueous micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium cations. MCM-41 was then prepared in this microemulsion. Finally, the polymerization of the acrylates was initiated by UVC radiation. The presence of monomers and polymers in the interior of micelles in aqueous media were characterized by IR spectroscopy and small-angle Xray scattering. The presence of this polymer increased the stability of these new materials in catalytic transesterification.

Does the edge effect influence plant community structure in a tropical dry forest?

Edge effects are considered a key factor in regulating the structure of plant communities in different ecosystems. However, regardless to few studies, edge influence does not seem to be decisive in semiarid regions such as the Brazilian tropical dry forest known as Caatinga but this issue remains inconclusive. The present study tests the null hypothesis that the plant community of shrubs and trees does not change in its structure due to edge effects. Twenty-four plots (20 x 20 m) were set up in a fragment of Caatinga, in which 12 plots were in the forest edges and 12 plots were inside the fragment. Tree richness, abundance and species composition did not differ between edge and interior plots. The results of this study are in agreement with the pattern previously found for semiarid environments and contrasts with previous results obtained in different environments such as Rainforests, Savanna and Forest of Araucaria, which indicate abrupt differences between the border and interior of the plant communities in these ecosystems, and suggest that the community of woody plants of the Caatinga is not ecologically affected by the presence of edges.

Abscesso hepático piogênico por corpo estranho

Pyogenic hepatic abscess by a foreign body is a rare disease and its diagnosis is habitually made during necropsy. The authors present a case of a woman operated because of a pyogenic hepatic abscess, in the interior of which bristle made of material of vegetable origin were encountered and identified in the laboratory as the principal rib of a leaf, known in Brazil as piaçava. The hepatic abscess was drained and the patient was discharged. The probable mechanism for the formation of the hepatic abscess consisted of the accidental ingestion, perforation of the intestines and penetration in the liver.