Description of the Oocysts of Three New Species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Iguanid Lizards (Sauria: Iguanidae) of Central and South America

Three new species of Eimeria are described from iguanid lizards of Central and South America. The oocysts of each species have no micropyles or residua and the sporocysts lack Stieda bodies, but all have a sporocyst residuum. Eimeria sanctaluciae n.sp. was found in the St. Lucia tree lizard, Anolis luciae, collected from the Maria Islands, Lesser Antilles. The oocysts are spherical to subspherical, averaging 17.3 x 16.5 µm, with a single layered colourless wall; about 60% contain polar granules. The sporocysts are ellipsoidal and average 7.7 x 5.5 µm. Eimeria liolaemi n.sp. was recovered from the blue-gold swift, Liolaemus taenius, from Chile. The oocysts are spherical to subspherical, measuring 21 x 20.1 µm with a single-layered colourless wall. The sporocysts are subspherical and average 7.4 x 6.8 µm. Eimeria caesicia n.sp. is described from the Brazilian collared iguanid, Tropidurus torquatus. The oocysts measure 27.4 x 23.7 µm, are spherical to subspherical, with a bilayered wall, the outer surface of which appears pale blue in colour, the thin, inner wall appearing brown, when viewed by direct light under the optical microscope. The sporocysts are subspherical and average 9.4 x 7.2 µm. Unnamed polysporocystid oocysts with dizoic sporocysts are reported from the faeces of the lesser St. Vincent tree lizard, Anolis trinitatis and the possibility of spurious parasitism briefly discussed. In addition, oocysts of an unnamed Isospora sp. with a smooth oocyst wall which closely resembles I. reui were recovered from A. trinitatis.

Updated distribution of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Spain: new findings in the mainland Spanish Levante, 2013

In 2004, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse, 1894) was observed for the first time in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. A decade later, it has spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean region of the country and the Balearic Islands. Framed within a national surveillance project, we present the results of monitoring in 2013 in the autonomous communities of the mainland Levante. The current study reveals a remarkable increase in the spread of the invasive mosquito in relation to results from 2012; the species was present and well-established in 48 municipalities, most of which were along the Mediterranean coastline from the Valencian Community to the Region of Murcia.

Care in a birth center according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization

Birth centers are maternal care models that use appropriate technology when providing care to birthing women. This descriptive study aimed to characterize intrapartum care in a freestanding birth center, in light of the practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), with 1,079 assisted births from 2006 to 2009 in the Sapopemba Birth Center, São Paulo, Brazil. Results included the use of intermittent auscultation (mean=7 controls); maternal positions during delivery: semi-sitting (82.3%), side-lying (16.0%), other positions (1.7%), oral intake (95.6%); companionship (93.3%); exposure to up to three vaginal examinations (85.4%), shower bathing (84.0%), walking (68.0%), massage (60.1%), exercising with a Swiss ball (51.7%); amniotomy (53.4%), oxytocin use during the first (31.0%) and second stages of labor (25.8%), bath immersion (29.3%) and episiotomy (14.1%). In this birth center, care providers used practices recommended by the WHO, although some practices might have been applied less frequently.

Biologia de Neotrioza tavaresi Crawford, 1925 (Hemiptera, Psyllidae), galhador da folha do araçazeiro (Psidium cattleianum)

Biology of the leaf gall inducer Neotrioza tavaresi Crawford, 1925 (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) on strawberry guava tree (Psidium cattleianum). A field study was conducted in Curitiba region, State of Paraná, southern Brazil, to describe the life cycle of Neotrioza tavaresi Crawford, 1925, a leaf galling insect in strawberry guava trees (Psidium cattleianum). Three cycles were observed (1997, 1998, 1999) during regular field trips and the insects were observed in Piraquara municipality, where 15 samples with 50 infested leaves were sampled in the 1997-98 cycle. Galls were dissected for detailed studies. Neotrioza tavaresi has a univoltine cycle in which adult individuals were found inside the galls from August onwards. The sexually mature insects with sex ratio 1, emerged from the galls after their dehiscence caused by feeding of the adult insects on the gall walls. Adult emergence started in early October and ended by early December, with its peak in November. Copulation took place as soon as adults exit the gall and egg laying started the next day. Females had more than 100 ovarioles containing 218.7±44.7 (n=50) fully formed eggs. This indicated the short sexual adult life-span (aprox. 5-7 days) of the species, also characterized by a concentrated oviposition. Adult individuals fed and laid their eggs on younger shoots of the plant. The bottoms of the yellowish eggs were inserted into the leaf tissue, mainly on its adaxial edge (78.1%). The nymphs hatched and, as they fed on the adaxial side of expanding leaves, modified the cell growth pattern and the round-shape galls developed on the adaxial side with one insect inside. The gall wall showed distinct layers, with the inner one suppliyng the food to the insects, and the outer layer supplying gall protection. Nymphs went through five instars and the exuviae remained stuck on a ball of wax inside the gall. All parasitoids found were Hymenoptera belonging to Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae (1 sp), Pteromalidae (2 spp) and Encyrtidae (3 spp). The findings suggest that leaf gall inducer and parasitoids insects and plant life cycles are closely connected and both leaf sprouting and gall opening seem to be triggered by the same environmental and plant conditions. The high abundance of shoots may favor insect performance as adult individuals can easily find an ideal place for feeding, copulating and laying eggs.

The adequacy of artificial oviposition substrates for laboratory rearing of Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae)

Studies in the laboratory tested the suitability of synthetic wool string, cotton string, cheesecloth, and commercial cotton ball as artificial oviposition substrates for the small green stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae). In confined cages, 54% of total egg masses was laid on synthetic wool string, 31% on cotton string, and only 15% on cheesecloth. In an additional test, the best substrate selected, synthetic wool string, received 92% of egg masses compared to 8% on the commonly used substrate, cotton ball. Synthetic wool string received the most egg masses of any size, in particular those in the range 11-20 eggs/mass. Because the eggs of P. guildinii are laid in two parallel double rows, the egg masses fit the wool string perfectly.

Novo gênero e espécie de Portanini Linnavuori, e notas taxonômicas (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Xestocephalinae)

Nove espécies são transferidas de Portanus Ball, 1932 para Paraportanus gen. nov.: Paraportanus longicornis (Osborn, 1923) comb. nov. = Portanus chelatus DeLong, 1976 syn. nov.; Paraportanus elegans (Kramer, 1961) comb. nov.; Paraportanus facetus (Kramer, 1961) comb. nov.; Paraportanus eburatus (Kamer, 1964) comb. nov.; Paraportanus filamentus (DeLong, 1980) comb. nov.; Paraportanus bicornis (Carvalho & Cavichioli, 2003) comb. nov.; Paraportanus bimaculatus (Carvalho & Cavichioli, 2003) comb. nov.; Paraportanus cinctus (Carvalho & Cavichioli, 2003) comb. nov.; Paraportanus variatus (Carvalho & Cavichioli, 2003) comb. nov.. Novos dados de distribuição geográfica são registrados para: P. facetus; P. elegans e P. longicornis. Chave para identificação das espécies é apresentada.

Aeration condition of a clayey oxisol under long-term no-tillage

The hypothesis of this study was that the absence of soil tillage in long-term no-tillage (NT) systems can be detrimental to soil aeration. The objective was to assess the aeration condition of an Oxisol (Rhodic Ferrasol), very clayey texture (750 g kg-1 of clay; 200 g kg-1 of sand), after 30 years of cultivation under NT. The physical property soil air permeability (Ka) is sensitive to changes in the soil pore system. Aside from Ka, the air-filled porosity (ε a) and indices of pore continuity (K1 and N), derived from the relationship between Ka and εa, were used as indices of soil aeration. From the soil layers 0.0-0.1 and 0.1-0.2 m, 240 undisturbed samples were collected along a transect perpendicular to the crop rows, at three sampling positions: corn plant row (CR); center of the interrow (INT); and the equidistant point between CR and INT (PE). The properties Ka and εa were determined at soil matric potentials (Ψm) of -2, -4, -6, -10, -30, and -50 kPa. Soil bulk density (BD) was also determined. The results confirmed the hypothesis. In the 0.0-0.1 m layer, Ka, K1, N and Ψa were significantly greater and BD significantly lower in CR than at the other sampling positions. At a Ψm of -10 kPa, the Ka of CR was 6.9 and 8.4 times higher than in PE and INT, respectively, in the 0.0-0.1 m layer. The properties Ka, K1 and N were sensitive enough to detect changes in the pore system and their differences between the sampling positions demonstrated the importance of the spatial location for soil sampling. Tilling the crop rows provides better soil aeration under NT.

Profissionalismo, gerencialismo e performatividade

O texto analisa a cultura de gestão e do desempenho como duas das principais tecnologias da reforma educacional que envolve a utilização calculada de técnicas e artefatos para organizar forças humanas e capacidades em redes de poder, as quais terminam por sonegar o espaço à constituição da identidade profissional dos professores como prática ético-cultural.

Micropolítica escolar e estratégias para o desenvolvimento do protagonismo juvenil

Este artigo aborda a construção do protagonismo juvenil no âmbito da reforma do ensino médio, discutindo resultados parciais de pesquisa mais ampla, os quais focalizaram cinco escolas em dois estados brasileiros. O objetivo geral da investigação foi verificar como as escolas interagiam com as diretrizes oficiais que propõem a participação efetiva de alunos e dos pais na dinâmica escolar e quais são as mediações que articulam os microprocessos institucionais às orientações políticas e sociais mais abrangentes. Este texto, no entanto, analisa apenas o espaço que o pretendido desenvolvimento do protagonismo juvenil ocupa na trama da micropolítica escolar e, para isso, vale-se de conceitos de Stephen J. Ball como tentativa de "ler" a intrincada rede de relações intramuros que ressignifica as prescrições de órgãos centrais.

Troca iônica no estado sólido de európio3+ em zeólita Y: influência do tempo de reação

Rare earth elements supported in zeolites are the most important catalysts in the fluid cracking of petroleum. The solid state ion exchange of Eu3+ in Y zeolite was investigated. First of all, the hydrated EuCl3 was well mixed in a ball mill and was then heated at 300ºC for different times. The quantitative determination of Eu3+ showed that the degree of ion exchange depends on the reaction time at constant temperature, being ~95% in 4 h. The X-ray study showed that the crystallinity of the zeolite is little affected by the exchange procedure. The study of spectroscopic properties of Eu3+, emission spectra and lifetime, give information about the migration and position of the ion in the zeolite cages.

Estudo do efeito do tratamento superficial por moagem sobre as propriedades das partículas de uma liga de hidreto metálico

This work reports results of studies on the electrochemical and structural properties of a Ti/Zr-based metal hydride alloy covered by Ni and LaNi4,7Sn0,3 powder additives by ball milling. The effect of this treatment is investigated for the activation time, hydrogen storage capacity and equilibrium pressure, cycling stability and the hydration/dehydration kinetics. Charge and discharge cycles show a significant decrease of the activation time due to an increase of the active area caused by the milling treatment, independent of the additive. However, other results have evidenced little effect of the milling surface treatment on the charge storage capacity, hydrogen equilibrium pressure, and hydration/dehydration kinetics, for both the Ni and LaNi4,7Sn0,3 covered materials.

Preparação de amostra de fígado bovino e estudo de micro homogeneidade para a determinação de Cd E Pb por espectrometria de absorção atômica com atomização eletrotérmica e amostragem direta de sólido

This work describes a systematic study for bovine liver sample preparation for Cd and Pb determination by solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Samples were prepared using different procedures: (1) drying in a household microwave oven followed by drying in a stove at 60 ºC until constant mass, and (2) freeze-drying. Ball and cryogenic mills were used for grinding. Particle size, sample size and micro sample homogeneity were investigated. All prepared samples showed good homogeneity (He < 10) even for low sample mass, but samples dried in a microwave oven/stove and ground in a ball mill presented the best homogeneity.

Argilas especiais: o que são, caracterização e propriedades

Special clays are a group of clays different from the large volume of clay mineral products named "Industrial Clays": kaolins, ball clays, refractory clays, bentonites, fuller's earths, common clays. Two groups of special clays exist: rare, as in the case of hectorite and sepiolite and restricted areas, as in the case of white bentonite, halloysite and palygorskite (attapulgite). A review is given of the most important producers of the special clays and their properties in the Western World, as well as a discussion of the occurrence of these types of clays in Brazil.

Tribocorrosão da liga TI6AL4V em solução salina tamponada com fosfato

The tribocorrosion behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy was investigated in a Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS) solution by a reciprocating wear, using alumina ball as the counterface material, at different normal forces and sliding velocities. Dry wear experiments were performed in order to compare with the tribocorrosion experiments at open circuit potential and under anodic polarization. Dry wear induced a superior damage on the counterface, forming larger and shallower wear tracks compared with those experiments performed in PBS solution. The anodic current was increased by wear; however the volume of oxidized metal in tribocorrosion experiments correspond to a relative low percentage of the wear track volume.

Sistema limpo em linha para extração em fase sólida de contaminantes emergentes em águas naturais

A solid-phase in-line extraction system for water samples containing low levels of emerging contaminants is described. The system was specially developed for large volume samples (up to 4 L) using commercial solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Four sets containing PTFE-made connectors, brass adapters and ball valves were used to fit SPE cartridges and sample bottles to a 4-port manifold attached to a 20 L carboy. A lab-made vacuum device was connected to the manifold cap. The apparatus is robust and less expensive than the typical available system. Its also provides less experimental handling, avoiding cross contamination and sample losses.