Kinetic Analysis of Gill (Na+,K+)-ATPase Activity in Selected Ontogenetic Stages of the Amazon River Shrimp, (Decapoda, Palaemonidae): Interactions at ATP- and Cation-Binding Sites

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

Ingestion rates of Artemia nauplii for different larval stages of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The functional response between ingestion rate and food concentration was determined for each larval stage of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Artemia franciscana nauplii were supplied at 2,4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 per milliliter. The nauplii were counted by sight using a Pasteur pipette and transferred to Petri dishes containing 40 ml of brackish water (12 parts per thousand) lying on the top of black plastic. One larva at each stage was individually placed into each Petri dish containing different food density. After 24 h, each larva was removed from the Petri dish and the leftover nauplii were counted. The amount consumed was determined by the difference between the initial and final number of nauplii. Ingestion rate (I) increased as food density (P) increased and was defined by the model I=I-m(1-e(-kP)). The results suggest four levels of ingestion during larval development. The first level includes stages II, III and IV, with average maximum consumption of about 40 nauplii/day; the second level includes stages V and VI, with consumption of approximately 55 nauplii/day; the third level includes stages VII and VIII, with consumption of 80-100 nauplii/day. The fourth level includes stages IX, X and XI, in which the high values for maximum ingestion (Im) exceed the load capacity of the medium. The low values for constant k (that may correspond to the adaptability of the food to prey characteristics, such as, size, mobility, etc.) obtained for stages IX, X and XI indicated that Artemia is not an adequate prey and there is necessity of a supplementary diet. The best relationship between predator and prey seemed to occur during stage IV Results obtained in the present work may subsidize future researches and serve as a guideline for practical considerations of feeding rates. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

The preimaginal stages of the ensign wasp Evania appendigaster (Hymenoptera, Evaniidae), a cockroach egg predator

Evania appendigaster is a cosmopolitan wasp that deposits eggs in the oothecae of some species of cockroaches; its larvae then consume the cockroach eggs and embryos. It is a candidate for the biological control of cockroaches, but little is known about its basic biology. Here we describe the external morphology of all immature stages of E. appendigaster and compare them with the larvae of related species. The life cycle of E. appendigaster includes three larval instars, each with 13 body segments. Their mouthparts were generally reduced, except for the mandibles, which were always sclerotized and toothed, and were especially robust in second-instar larvae. Antennal and mouthpart sensilla were basiconic and difficult to observe. Larvae of E. appendigaster are similar in form to other described evaniid larvae, but quite different from the two available descriptions of larvae of gasteruptiid and aulacid wasps. Further descriptions of evaniid larvae will be useful in determining how widespread this morphology is within the family, and in understanding phylogenetic relationships within Hymenoptera.

Ontogenetic Variation in Ammonia Excretion during the Early Life Stages of the Amazon River Prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

CAROTID ARTERY EXTERIORIZATION IN BROWN BROCKET DEER (MAZAMA GOUAZOUBIRA) FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY of ANESTHESIA

This report evaluates the carotid artery exteriorization technique to allow repeated percutaneous artery catheterization in six brown brocket deer (Mazama gouazoubira). Repeated percutaneous catheterization of the carotid artery was possible for periods of 3 mo to obtain arterial blood and monitor arterial blood pressure of deer without risk of arterial rupture. The artery pulse was easily palpable for periods tip to 15 mo. Postoperative complication and/or arterial damage was not observed.

The effects of anesthesia with a combination of intramuscular xylazine-diazepam-ketamine on heart rate, respiratory rate and cloacal temperature in roosters

Objective To examine the anesthetic effects of a xylazine-diazepam-ketamine (XDK) combination in roosters.Study design Prospective experimental trial.Animals Six healthy white Leghorn roosters weighing 2.03 +/- 0.08 kg.Methods Each rooster was pre-medicated with xylazine (3 mg kg(-1), IM) and after 15 minutes anesthesia was induced with a diazepam (4 mg kg(-1)) and ketamine (25 mg kg(-1)) combination injected into the pectoral muscles. Heart and respiratory rates were recorded before anesthesia and every 15 minutes after induction for 165 minutes. Cloacal temperature was measured before and 15 minutes after pre-medication and every 75 minutes thereafter during anesthesia. Quality of induction and recovery were scored subjectively; duration of loss of righting reflex, abolition of response to a painful stimulus and palpebral reflex were also recorded.Results Intramuscular injection of xylazine smoothly induced loss of the righting reflex within 3-4 minutes. Loss of response to a painful stimulus occurred at 13.1 +/- 2.9 minutes (mean +/- SD) after the administration of the D-K combination, and lasted for 63.0 +/- 5.3 minutes. Roosters anesthetized with this combination had a significant decrease in heart and respiratory rates and cloacal temperature. The recovery period lasted for up to 4 hours (227.5 +/- 15.4 minutes). Quality of recovery was satisfactory for four roosters but excitation was noted in two birds.Conclusions and clinical relevance The XDK combination was a useful anesthetic technique for typhlectomy in roosters. Nevertheless this drug combination should be used with caution and cardiopulmonary parameters monitored carefully. Under the conditions of this experiment it was associated with a decreased cloacal temperature and prolonged recoveries.

Biological aspects of the immature stages of Ceraeochrysa everes (Banks) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Para o estabelecimento de um programa de controle biológico, o conhecimento de alguns aspectos biológicos e de comportamento dos inimigos naturais é de extrema importância. Os aspectos biológicos do desenvolvimento larval e pupal do predador Ceraeochrysa everes (Banks) foram estudados. Larvas oriundas de adultos da geração F1 foram mantidas em laboratório a 25 ± 21°C, 70 ± 10 % UR e fotofase 14 horas, sendo alimentadas com ovos de Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier). A duração e viabilidade do período embrionário, estágios imaturos de desenvolvimento e o período de ovo a adulto foram avaliados. O período embrionário foi em média de 5,0 dias, enquanto que as durações médias para o primeiro, segundo e terceiro instares foram de 5,1 ± 0,03; 4,3 ± 0,05 e 4,5 ± 0,05 dias, respectivamente, com viabilidade superior a 90 %. Os estágios larval, pré-pupal e pupal apresentaram duração média de 13,9 ± 0,07; 5,7 ± 0,07 e 9,6 ± 0,12 dias, respectivamente. A duração do ciclo biológico foi de 34 ± 0,11 dias em média. Ovos de S. cerelella não foram adequados para a manutenção de C. everes em laboratório, por interferir no desenvolvimento do predador.

In vitro Survival of Follicles Collected from Domestic Cats' Ovaries at Different Stages of Oestrous Cycle and Cultured with IGF-1

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Susceptibility of adult and larval stages of the horn fly, Haematobia irritans, to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae under field conditions

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

Upregulation of soluble and membrane-bound human leukocyte antigen G expression is primarily observed in the milder histopathological stages of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide health problem that may evolve to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Incompletely understood immune system mechanisms have been associated with impaired viral clearance. The nonclassical class I human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) molecule may downregulate immune system cell functions exhibiting well-recognized tolerogenic properties. HCV genotype was analyzed in chronic HCV-infected patients. Because HLA-G expression may be induced by certain viruses, we evaluated the presence of HLA-G in the liver microenvironment obtained from 89 biopsies of patients harboring chronic HCV infection and stratified according to clinical and histopathological features. Overall, data indicated that HCV genotype 1 was predominant, especially subgenotype 1a, with a prevalence of 87%. HLA-G expression was observed in 45(51%) liver specimens, and it was more frequent in milder stages of chronic hepatitis (67.4%) than in moderate (27.8%; p = 0.009) and severe (36.0%; p = 0.021) stages of the disease. Altogether, these results suggest that the expression of HLA-G in the context of HCV is a complex process modulated by many factors, which may contribute to an immunologic environment favoring viral persistence. However, because the milder forms predominantly expressed HLA-G, a protective role of this molecule may not be excluded. (C) 2012 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of bispectral index to monitor depth of anesthesia in isoflurane-anesthetized dogs

Objective-To evaluate the correlation between the bispectral index (BIS) and end-tidal isoflurane (ETISO) concentration and compare the use of 3 BIS sensor positions in dogs.Animals-6 adult dogs.Procedures-Mechanically ventilated dogs received pancuronium, and depth of anesthesia was altered by increasing ETISO concentration from 1.5% to 2.3% and 3.0%. The BIS, suppression ratio (relative percentage of isoelectric electroencephalographic waveforms), and signal quality index (SQI) were recorded at each ET, so concentration for each of 3 BIS sensor positions (frontal-occipital, bifrontal, and frontal-temporal positions).Results-The BIS and ETISO concentration were poorly correlated-, regardless of sensor positioning, mean BIS values did not change significantly as ETISO was increased. At 3% isoflurane, regardless of sensor positioning, there was an increase in suppression ratio coincident with BIS < 40 in some dogs, whereas paradoxic increases in BIS (> 60) were recorded in others. Furthermore, at 3.0% isoflurane, the SQI was significantly lower for the bifrontal sensor position (compared with values for the other positions), but low SQI values prevented recording of BIS values from the frontal-occipital sensor position in 2 dogs. Overall, BIS values derived from the 3 sensor positions did not differ.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-In dogs, BIS values may not reflect changes in depth of isoflurane anesthesia in the absence of noxious stimulation. of the 3 sensor positions, frontal-temporal positioning provided better correlation with changes in depth of anesthesia induced via changes in isoflurane concentrations. However, the sensor placements yielded similar results at SQI values > 50.

Metalloproteinases 2 and-9 activity during promotion and progression stages of rat liver carcinogenesis

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)