Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians (Tunicata: Ascidiacea) on intertidal rocks in Northeastern Brazil

Recruitment and colonization of colonial ascidians, starting on natural scraped substratum, was observed throughout one year, in quadrats marked on sea- and continental-rock faces in the sublittoral fringe of an exposed beach in the Northeast of Brazil. The species of the Didemnidae, Didemnum duplicatum Monniot, 1983, D. psammathodes Sluiter, 1895, and Polysyncraton amethysteum Van Name, 1902, and an unidentified species of Polycitoridae, Eudistoma sp. 1, were recruited. Presenting continuous recruitment of all species, the density of living and dead recruits and colonies was similar on both faces of the rocks. The highest rainfall during winter, affected significantly the recruits density of D. duplicatum and D. psammathodes. Different permanence periods were observed for colonies of each species. The longest permanence periods were assigned to the colonies of P. amethysteum and D. psammathodes, extending up to four and five months, respectively.

Schistosoma mansoni in a low-prevalence area in Brazil: the importance of additional methods for the diagnosis of hard-to-detect individual carriers by low-cost immunological assays

Schistosomiasis diagnosis is based on the detection of eggs in the faeces, which is laborious and lacks sensitivity, especially for patients with a low parasite burden. Immunological assays for specific antibody detection are available, but they usually demonstrate low sensitivity and/or specificity. In this study, two simple immunological assays were evaluated for the detection of soluble Schistosoma mansoni adult worm preparation (SWAP) and egg-specific IgGs. These studies have not yet been evaluated for patients with low parasite burdens. Residents of an endemic area in Brazil donated sera and faecal samples for our study. The patients were initially diagnosed by a rigorous Kato-Katz analysis of 18 thick smears from four different stool samples. The ELISA-SWAP was successful for human diagnosis with 90% sensitivity and specificity, confirming the Kato-Katz diagnosis with nearly perfect agreement, as seen by the Kappa index (0.85). Although the ELISA-soluble S. mansoni egg antigen was 85% sensitive, it exhibited low specificity (80%; Kappa index: 0.75) and was more susceptible to cross-reactivity. We believe that immunological assays should be used in conjunction with Kato-Katz analysis as a supplementary tool for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis for patients with low infection burdens, which are usually hard to detect.

Characterization and nutrient release from silicate rocks and influence on chemical changes in soil

The expansion of Brazilian agriculture has led to a heavy dependence on imported fertilizers to ensure the supply of the growing food demand. This fact has contributed to a growing interest in alternative nutrient sources, such as ground silicate rocks. It is necessary, however, to know the potential of nutrient release and changes these materials can cause in soils. The purpose of this study was to characterize six silicate rocks and evaluate their effects on the chemical properties of treated soil, assessed by chemical extractants after greenhouse incubation. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized plots, in a 3 x 6 factorial scheme, with four replications. The factors were potassium levels (0-control: without silicate rock application; 200; 400; 600 kg ha-1 of K2O), supplied as six silicate rock types (breccia, biotite schist, ultramafic rock, phlogopite schist and two types of mining waste). The chemical, physical and mineralogical properties of the alternative rock fertilizers were characterized. Treatments were applied to a dystrophic Red-Yellow Oxisol (Ferralsol), which was incubated for 100 days, at 70 % (w/w) moisture in 3.7 kg/pots. The soil was evaluated for pH; calcium and magnesium were extracted with KCl 1 mol L-1; potassium, phosphorus and sodium by Mehlich 1; nickel, copper and zinc with DTPA; and the saturation of the cation exchange capacity was calculated for aluminum, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and overall base saturation. The alternative fertilizers affected soil chemical properties. Ultramafic rock and Chapada mining byproduct (CMB) were the silicate rocks that most influenced soil pH, while the mining byproduct (MB) led to high K levels. Zinc availability was highest in the treatments with mining byproduct and Cu in soil fertilized with Chapada and mining byproduct.

Evaluation of hard gelatin capsules and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose containing ampicillin

This study aims to develop and evaluate formulations containing ampicillin in capsules of gelatin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Two formulations (A and B) were developed. The final product quality was evaluated by testing for quality control and the results were in agreement with the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. The formulations with HPMC capsules showed lower percentages of drug dissolved (99.67%, HPMC-A and 87.70%, HPMC-B) than the gelatin (100.18%, GEL-A and 101.16% GEL-B). Because of the delay of the ampicillin release observed in the dissolution profiles, it becomes necessary to evaluate the drugs that can be conditioned in the HPMC capsules.

COMPARAÇÃO E CONSTRUÇÃO DE REATORES DE "MILD" E "HARD ANODISATION" PARA FABRICAÇÃO DE ALUMINA ANÓDICA POROSA

The mild anodization (MA) reactor is exemplified for its operational simplicity and its excellent control over the experimental parameters that are involved in the anodization process. This method provides porous anodic alumina films with a regular cell-arrangement structure. This offers a better cost-benefit ratio than the other equipment configurations that are used to fabricate nanoporous structures (i.e., ion beam lithography). Conversely, the hard anodization (HA) reactor produces oxides at a rate that is 25 to 35 times faster than the MA reactor. The produced oxides also have greater layer thicknesses and interpore distance, and with a uniform nanopore spatial order (> 1000). In contrast to MA reactors, the construction of an HA reactor requires special components to maintain anodisation at a high potential regime. Herein, we describe and compare both reactors from a technical viewpoint.

Saimiri sciureus' hard palate morphology

Primate order includes around 180 species. Morphological aspects of New World non-human primates (NHP) have been extensively investigated since last century. General commonsense describes oral cavity adaptations according to diet and feeding, dentition, tongue projection and head shape. Morphological appearance and dimension of the hard palate have been outstanding as interest in many species including man. Six young Saimiri sciureus hard palate were investigated. We measured the hard palate distance (HL), intercanine distance (ICD), intermolar distance (IMD), and interpremolar distance (IPD). Complete and incomplete palatine crests were quantified. We believe that better understanding of the mouth roof morphology will contribute to improve the management of captive animal's diet in order to re-introduce the animals in its habitat.

Development and characterization of edible films based on gluten from semi-hard and soft Brazilian wheat flours (development of films based on gluten from wheat flours)

Edible films based on gluten from four types of Brazilian wheat gluten (2 "semi-hard" and 2 "soft") were prepared and mechanical and barrier properties were compared with those of wheat gluten films with vital gluten. Water vapor, oxygen permeability, tensile strength and percent elongation at break, solubility in water and surface morphology were measured. The films from "semi-hard" wheat flours showed similar water vapor permeability and solubility in water to films from vital gluten and better tensile strength than the films from "soft" and vital gluten. The films from vital gluten had higher elongation at break and oxygen permeability and also lower solubility in water than the films from the Brazilian wheat "soft" flours. In spite of the vital gluten showed greater mechanical resistance, desirable for the bakery products, for the purpose of developing gluten films Brazilian "semi-hard" wheat flours can be used instead of vital gluten, since they showed similar barrier and mechanical properties.