Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from Guarulhos, state of São Paulo, Brazil

The present study provides a record of the bat fauna captured in Guarulhos, state of São Paulo, Brazil, between February and November 2011. The capture sessions were carried out using mist nets set on trails, around and above streams and lakes, near built areas and around livestock. After a total effort of 26,208 m2.h, we recorded 17 bat species belonging to Phyllostomidae (13 species), Vespertilionidae (3) and Molossidae (1). Sturnira lilium (73 captures), Artibeus fimbriatus (69), and A. lituratus (59) were the most abundant species, corresponding to 57.8% of all captures. Some information about shelters was also commented. This paper is the first to report Molossops neglectus for Guarulhos. © 2012 Check List and Authors.

Structure and dynamics of the community of periphytic algae in a subtropical reservoir (state of São Paulo, Brazil)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

New species of Tenuipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Semidecidual Forest remnants in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Presence of antibodies against H5, H7 and H9 influenza a virus in wild birds in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Although the natural reservoirs of the avian influenza (AI) virus have been extensively studied in many countries, there is a clear lack of information on this subject in South America, particularly in Brazil. The objective of this study was to conduct a serological survey for H5, H7 and H9 antibodies to AI-subtype viruses in wild birds in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Serum samples were tested using the hemagglutination-inhibition assay. Out of the 31 wild birds sampled between January and December of 2006, seven (22.58%), were seropositive for H5, H7 and H9; four (12.90%) were seropositive for H5 and H7; 13 (41.94%), were seropositive only for H7; three (9.7%), were seropositive only for H9; and four (12.90%) were negative for all three hemagglutinin subtypes. These results indicate that AI viruses belonging to H5, H7 and H9 subtypes circulate among wild birds in the state of São Paulo in the form of either concurrent or consecutive infections. This study contributes to the knowledge of AI epidemiology in Brazil, and stresses the need of further detailed and long-term epidemiological and ecological investigation to determine the current status of this virus.

Resistance of beef cattle of two genetic groups to ectoparasites and gastrointestinal nematodes in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

The resistance to infestations by ectoparasites and infections by gastrointestinal nematodes was studied in 45 animals (males and females) of two genetic groups: purebred Nelore (NI, n=28) and Three-Cross (1/2 Angus+1/4 Canchim+1/4 Nelore - TC, n=17). The animals were monitored for 24months, during which they were left to graze in tropical pastures without receiving treatment for parasites. Each month the animals were examined for infestations by external parasites, to count the numbers of cattle ticks Rhipicephalus microplus with diameter greater than 4.5mm present on the left side, horn flies (Haematobia irritans) present in the lumbar region and botfly larvae (Dermatobia hominis) present on the entire body. The H. irritans counts were performed with the aid of digital photographs. At the time of examination, fecal samples were collected to count the eggs per gram (EPG) and to perform coprocultures, and peripheral blood samples were drawn to determine the packed cell volume (PCV) and to count the eosinophils. For statistical analysis, the count data were transformed into log10 (n+1), where n is the number of parasites. For PCV, significant effects (P<0.05) were found for collection month (CO), genetic group (GG) and gender (SX), with means and respective standard errors of 41.5±0.65% for the NI animals, 39.3±0.83% for the TC, 41.5±0.72% for the females and 39.3±0.77% for the males. Regarding the eosinophil counts, only the effect of sex was significant (P<0.01), with means and respective standard errors of 926.0±46.2/μL, for males and 1088.0±43.8/μL of blood, for females. The NI animals presented lower mean counts for all the external parasites compared to the TC animals (P<0.01). For ticks, the transformed means followed by standard errors for the NI and TC animals were 0.06±0.01 and 0.34±0.02, while for horn flies these were 0.92±0.05 and 1.36±0.06 and for botfly larvae they were 0.05±0.03 and 0.45±0.05, respectively. The average EPG values were only influenced by CO (P<0.01). The coprocultures revealed the presence of the following endoparasites: Haemonchus spp., Cooperia spp., Oesophagostomum spp. and Trichostrongylus spp., the last in smaller proportion. There were no significant differences between the genetic groups for the endoparasite loads, except for Cooperia spp., which were present in greater number (P<0.05) in the NI group. The results obtained in this experiment confirm previous findings of greater susceptibility of the Nelore breed to Cooperia spp. and high resistance to ectoparasites. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Palaeosurfaces mapping and associated supergene copper deposits identification as mineral exploration tool Itapeva and Ribeirão Branco region – Ribeira Valley, state of São Paulo, Brazil

Alguns exemplos de formação de minério supérgeno e sua interação com a morfogênese (paleosuperfícies) e resistência mineralógica são discutidas aqui. Registros geomorfológicos e mineralógicos na caracterização paleosuperfícies associam o intemperismo de minerais primários e sua relação com as concentrações de cobre e minério de ferro no sudeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Distinguiram-se duas paleosuperfícies geradas por várias fases de intemperismo e controladas pela estrutura geológica. A primeira, mais antiga, é a paleosuperfície superior (900 - 1000 m de altitude), situado em Ribeirão Branco (Alto do Brancal), foram desenvolvidas em rochas silico-calcários. É formada por lateritas de ferro enriquecido por produtos secundários de cobre. O segundo nível de paleosuperfície é mais novo está localizado na região de Itapeva (Santa Blandina e Bairro do Sambra). Esta paleosuperfície é formada por percolação de cobre através da rocha alterada (saprolito). Outras características podem ser observadas como produtos neoformados em lateritas. Eles são classificados em dois tipos: a argila como produtos silico-cuprífero (com quantidades significativas de ferro) e de cobre minerais (crisocola, fixas nas vertentes). Essas feições reconheceram a presença de minérios de cobre e seu controle morfogénetico ajudando na exploração e prospecção de minérios supérgenos.

Salmonella spp. in meat-type quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Quality of life profile and correlated factors in chronic leg ulcer patients in the mid-west of São Paulo State, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Chronic leg ulcer may have an impact on patients' quality of life.OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to identify the impact of leg ulcers on patient's quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index and to define the main factors correlated with this perception.METHOD:Cross-sectional, non-probabilistic sampling study. We included patients with chronic leg ulcers being treated for at least 3 months. A sociodemographic and clinical survey was conducted to assess the profile of the ulcers. We administered a screening for depressive symptoms and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test for categorical data, Pearson for numeric variables, and multiple regression for categorical data.RESULTS:Forty-one patients were assessed. Their mean age was 61.78 years. Venous ulcers (48.8%) were the most prevalent. Seventy-three percent of the sample perceived no impact/low impact on quality of life in the past week, and 26.8% perceived moderate/high impact. A multiple regression analysis identified the causes of lesion, pain related to the ulcers, time of onset, and severity of the depressive symptoms as the variables that had an influence on quality of life.CONCLUSIONS:The majority of the sample perceived low or no impact of the condition on the quality of the life. The variables etiology of the lesion (p<0.001), pain related to the ulcers (p=0.001), time of onset (p=0.006), and severity of the depressive symptoms (p<0.001) had an influence on the quality of life, suggesting the need for further studies with more robust designs to confirm the causal relationship between these characteristics and quality of life.

The relative growth and sexual maturity of the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei (Brachyura, Trichodactylidae) in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo

The aim of the present study was to determine the size at sexual maturity in the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861, from a population located in Mendonça, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The crabs were sampled monthly (July 2005 to June 2007), at Barra Mansa reservoir. The specimens were captured manually or in sieves passed through the aquatic vegetation. The crabs were captured and separated by sex based on morphology of the pleon and on the number of pleopods. The following dimensions were measured: carapace width (CW); carapace length (CL); propodus length (PL); and abdomen width (AW). The morphological analysis of the gonads was used to identify and categorize individuals according to their stage of development. The morphological maturity was estimated based on the analysis of relative growth based on the allometric equation y = ax b. The gonadal maturity was based on the morphology of the gonads by the method CW50 which indicates the size at which 50% of the individuals in the population showed gonads morphologically mature to reproduction. The biometric relationships that best demonstrated the different patterns of growth for the juvenile and adult stages were CW vs. PL for males and CW vs. AW for females (p<0.001). Based on these relationships, the estimated value to morphological sexual maturity was 21.5 mm (CW) in males and 19.7 mm (CW) in females. The determination of the size at sexual maturity and the adjustment of the data based on the logistic curve (CW50) resulted in a size of 38.2 mm for males and 39.4 mm for females (CW). Based on the data obtained for sexual maturity for D. pagei, we can estimate a minimum size for capture of 40 mm (CW). This minimum size allows at least half of the population to reproduce and retains the juveniles and a portion of the adults in the population.

The sarsaparilla market in the state of São Paulo (Brazil) and the challenges of cultivation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Temporal, spatial and spatiotemporal analysis of the occurrence of visceral leishmaniasis in humans in the City of Birigui, State of São Paulo, from 1999 to 2012

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fishery of the Uçá Crab Ucides Cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) in a Mangrove Area in Cananéia, State of São Paulo, Brazil: Fishery Performance, Exploitation Patterns and Factors Affecting the Catches

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Bony fishes (Teleostei) caught by small-scale fisheries off central to south coast of São Paulo State, Southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Differential environmental impacts on small and medium size rivers from center of São Paulo State, Brazil, and regional management perspectives

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)