First record of Molorchus minor minor (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Brazil

Molorchus minor minor (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) is recorded for the first time in Brazil (Bahia). It was originally described from Europe and is currently widely distributed in that continent and Asia.

Diversity and genetic struture in cajá tree (spondias mombin l.) populations in northeastern Brazil

Spondias mombin L. is a fruit tree from the American continent from the Anacardiaceae family. In Brazil it is common in different vegetation types but is more frequent in the Atlantic and Amazonian rainforests. It is economically important because of its fruits, which are widely consumed raw or processed as fruit jellies, juices and ice creams. The leaves have great importance in the pharmaceutical industry because of their antibacterial properties. In the state of Pernambuco, cajá tree is widely distributed in the Zona da Mata region and less frequently in the Agreste and Sertão areas. In this work diversity and genetic structure were studied in four populations of cajá tree from Pernambuco's Zona da Mata, Northeast Brazil, using isozymes polymorphism analyses from electrophoreses. The result showed 100% of polymorphism (P) for nine alleles and the average of alleles per locus s was 2.4. The expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.530 to 0.574 and the observed heterozygosity , from 0.572 to 0.735. It was not observed inbreeding and the average F IT was -0.175, whereas within population inbreeding (f) varied from -0.08 to- 0.37. The genetic divergence among the populations (F ST) ranged from 0.006 to 0.028 and the average was 0.026. The average of estimated gene flow (Nm) was high (5.27). The CG-IPA population, corresponding to the germplasm collection of IPA, showed more than 96% of genetic similarity with other populations; therefore, it is a good representative of the existent genetic diversity in the Zona da Mata region.

Production of caffeine alkaloid by Claviceps sorghi

The ergot disease of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), caused by the fungus Claviceps sorghi, restricted to the Indian sub-continent, is a disease in which the pathogen infects the florets, colonizing the unfertilized ovaries. Losses are higher in hybrid seed production fields due to a higher susceptibility of male sterile lines. The sclerotia of C. sorghi have never been found to contain alkaloids with a tetracyclic ergoline ring system, which is normal in most ergot pathogens. In this work, we show that sclerotia of C. sorghi contain caffeine alkaloid and the ability to produce it in vitro.

Distribuição dos Hydrozoa até agora conhecidos nas costas do Brasil

This work was done with the aim of computing all the species of Hydrozoa (Siphonophora excluded) that have been collected on the Brazilian coast, or in the pelagial, near the coast (some of the "Meteor" Stations). Nutting's (1900, 1904, 1915) and Mayer's (1910) monographs were taken as starting points and later papers and the Zoological Record used to check posterior findings. As a whole, 116 different valid names, among species and forms, have been mentioned from the Brazilian coast, distributed among 60 genera. Of the 116 species, 82 are represented by hydropolyps, 30 by hydromedusae (11 of which belong to the Trachylina and therefore lack a polypoid generation) and finally, by 4 species of which are known both polypoid and medusoid generations. The subdivision of the coast has been made at random, on account of the scarcity of the findings, except for the best known district, that goes from the latitude of Vitoria (State of Espirito Santo, at about 20ºlat.S.) to the bay of Santos (State of São Paulo, about 24ºlat.S.). The latitude of Cabo Frio (23ºlat.S.) was considered as a possible natural barrier, and the results of the global counting of the distribution of the hydropolyps North and South of 23ºlat.S. is the following: 29 species are known only North of Cabo Frio, 26 only from the same latitude (see direction of the coast, along parallel 23ºS.) or further South and 28 species are known both North and South of the coast (of these, 5 species are "cosmopolitan"). Therefore it seems quite possible that Cabo Frio really is a barrier to the distribution of 55 species. 26 species are endemic to the Brazilian coast, of these, only 5 are found both North and South of the Cape, while-14 are found only North and 7 only South. No studies can be done, on the bathymetric distribution in relation to the latitude. These results must be considered as provisory since more extensive researches will probably alter these figures. However, I believe that they are significative as a mean index of the condition of the hydrozoan fauna of the Brazilian coast. A tentative working hypothesis is presented as to the possible factors that confer such a zoogeographic importance to the region of Cabo Frio, a fact that has been foreseen by Ekman (1935, p. 73). Geographic position, currents, latitude and nature of the sea bottom between the continent and the oceanic island of Trindade have been taken in consideration, and all of them seem to be possible eficient factors of separation. Furthermore, according to the data obtained by the "Meteor" Expedition in July 2, 1926, at station 164 (23º8'lat.S. - 42º5'long.W.) and station 165 (23º35'lat.S. - 40º52'long.W.) and by what is known by hearsay and local experience of the region (exact continued study is urgently needed), it seems possible that, off from the sharp curve that the coast has at Cabo Frio, there may be an irregularity of the general scheme of the current and local upwelling may be present that would explain the local low temperature, low salinity and high density of the superficial layers as well as the abundance of fishes; these factors might contribute towards the establishement of a zoogeographical barrier. Further work is needed and nothing more than an hypothesis can be presented for the moment.

Clinical characterization of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy in dogs

On the American continent, almost 15 million people are affected by Chagas disease, resulting in important economic and social damages. Dogs are considered to be an excellent experimental model to study Chagas' disease; as a result, in this research, the characterization of cardiovascular abnormalities was performed in dogs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (the Colombian strain) that were at chronic stage. Thirteen adult female dogs were evaluated by electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, hematological and biochemical analyses in the chronic phase. For the electrocardiographic studies, respiratory sinus arrhythmia was the predominant rhythm during the entire research period (49.55% to 67%), with a low prevalence of right bundle branch block (0-13%) and first-degree atrioventricular block (0-14%). The spectral Doppler echocardio-graphy showed E and A mitral wave reversal (0.71±0.17), confirming the diastolic dysfunction present in all dogs. An increase in the enzymes activities was detected in the serum analysis, indicating myocardial injury by the infection. Six dogs died during the follow-up. In this way, the clinical characterization of experimentally infected dogs, as described here, increases the knowledge and allows for recognition of the behavioural modifications present in Chagas' disease in affected dogs.

Antiprotozoal and molluscicidal activities of five Brazilian plants

Leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis (bilharzia) are parasitic diseases with wide distribution on the American continent, affecting millions of people. In the present study, biological assays for antiprotozoal and molluscicidal activities were carried out with ethanolic extracts of plant species from the Brazilian part of the Upper Paraná River. Crude extracts were obtained by percolation with absolute ethanol from the leaves of Cayaponia podantha Cogn., Nectandra falcifolia (Nees) Castiglioni and Paullinia elegans Cambess., as well as from the aerial parts of Helicteres gardneriana St. Hil. & Naud. and Melochia arenosa Benth., all belonging to genera used in folk medicine. Trypanocidal activity of plants was assayed on epimastigote cultures in liver infusion tryptose. Anti-leishmanial activity was determined over cultures of promastigote forms of the parasite in Schneider's Drosophila medium. Microscopic countings of parasites, after their incubation in the presence of different concentrations of the crude extracts, were made in order to determine the percentage of growth inhibition. C. podantha and M. arenosa, at a concentration of 10 µg/mL, showed 90.4 ± 11.52 and 88.9 ± 2.20% growth inhibition, respectively, of epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi, whereas N. falcifolia demonstrated an LD50 of 138.5 µg/mL against promastigote forms of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Regarding molluscicidal activity, the acute toxicity of the extracts on Biomphalaria glabrata was evaluated by a rapid screening procedure. M. arenosa was 100% lethal to snails at 200 µg/mL and showed an LD50 of 143 µg/mL. Screening of plant extracts represents a continuous effort to find new antiparasitic drugs.

Microbial profile of a kefir sample preparations: grains in natura and lyophilized and fermented suspension

Probiotics are supplementary foods developed by microbial strains that improve animal health beyond basic nutrition. Probiotics are consumed orally, regardless of being considered as normal inhabitants of the intestines, able to survive in enzimatic and biliary secretions. Kefir is a probiotic originated from the old continent, fermented by several bacteria and yeasts, encapsulated in a polyssacharide matrix, and resembles jelly grains. Kefir is also presented as its sourish product both in sugary or milky suspensions containing vitamins, aminoacids, peptides, carbohydrates, ethanol, and volatile compounds. Kefir is known to have a diverse microbial content depending on the country and fermentative substrates, which cause distinct probiotic effects. In this sense, the purpose of this work was to isolate, identify, and quantify the microbial content of a native sugary kefir sample (fermented suspension and lyophilized natural grains). Serial dilutions were plated on Rogosa agar (AR) and De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS), for Lactobacillus; Brain Heart Infusion (BHI), for total bacteria; Sabouraud-Dextrose-Agar (SDA), for yeasts and filamentous fungi; Thioglycolate Agar (TA), for Streptococcus, Acetobacteria and Leuconostoc; and Coconut Water Agar (CWA), and CWA supplemented with yeast extract (CWAY), for various genera. Genera and species for all strains were identified through biochemical reactions and specific API systems. The microbial profile of kefir was different from other sources of grains despite the presence of similar microorganisms and others which have not been reported yet. The data obtained with the CWA and CWAE media suggest that both substrates are alternative and salutary media for culture of kefir strains.