Population structure and growth of the hermit crab Pagurus brevidacylus (Anomura : Paguridae) from the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil

The hermit crab Paguras brevidactylus (Crustacea: Anomura: Paguridea) from the infralittoral area of Anchieta Island, Ubatuba, was characterized by population Structure (size, sex ratio, reproduction and recruitment) and growth. Animals were collected monthly during 1999 by SCUBA diving. A total of 1525 individuals was collected (633 males and 892 females), 695 of them were ovigerous females. Overall sex ratio was 0.7:1 in favour of females. The crabs showed a unimodal distribution with males significantly larger than females. Ovigerous females were collected during all months and in high percentages from 1.0 mm of shield length, demonstrating intense and Continuous reproduction. The longevity was approximately 24 months for males and 18 for females, which showed larger growth rate and reached sexual maturity earlier (two months) than males. The low number of males in this Population may be due to the longer life span. Moreover, the sexual dimorphism favours males during the intra- and interspecific fights by shell, food, reproduction and territory. Females demonstrated a short life cycle and intense reproduction.

Perception of HIV among pregnant women in the public health system in two municipalities of the state of São Paulo

Aim: To verify the knowledge of pregnant women on mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV, the availability of HIV tests in the public health system and counseling on the disease in two cities, Birigui and Piacatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Methods: This is a descriptive and exploratory research using as samples, the files of 141 pregnant women attending the Basic Health Unit. Data were collected by survey, followed by a semi-structured questionnaire with open and closedend questions. Data were analyzed on Epi Info™ 7.1.4, by the Chi-square and Exact Fisher tests. Results: From all the 141 pregnant women, 119 were interviewed and 92.4% reported to have been informed about the need of taking the HIV test during prenatal exams. However, only 5.9% were counseled and 20.2% reported to be aware of how to prevent MTCT of HIV, usually mentioning lactation suppression and prescribed medication. The association between the knowledge about how to prevent MTCT of HIV and some social, demographic and economic variables like ethnics, educational level, home location, occupation, age and parenting was not verified. Conclusions: It is necessary to advise pregnant women on the importance of taking the HIV test regardless of the examination outcome, which was not observed in the cities where the research was conducted.

Program Ações Locais (Local Action) and Citizenship: A Shared Management experience in the Historic Town of São Paulo City

Shared management between businesses, governments and society in the historic town of São Paulo city began concurrently with the growth of nonprofit organizations (NGOs) in the 1990s. The program Ações Locais, coordinated by the NGO Associação Viva o Centro is housed in this context and its mission is to bring together individuals, businesses and local governments for economic, social and political development as to build up the citizenship in that area. This study provides a historical background on formation of Brazilian citizenship and, from that reference, analyzes the performing citizenship in the program Ações Locais. The main conclusion of the analysis identified that the program have been consolidated, despite the enormous quotidian difficulties, especially in the social inclusion actions for the poor. The dilemma about how bring in the excluded segments of the population may indicate a new field of research and future studies.

Territorial planning of Juquiá municipality (State of São Paulo, Brazil), using an integrated analysis of the land cover and slope.

2008

Reproductive cycle of the swimming crab Portunus spinimanus Latreille (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) from Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil

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

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in raw milk produced in dairy farms in São Paulo state, Brazil

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

Occurrence of Theileria equi in horses raised in the Jaboticabal microregion, São Paulo State, Brazil

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

Identification of new Bremia lactucae races in lettuce in São Paulo state

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

Only the B biotype of Bemisia tabaci is present on vegetables in São Paulo State, Brazil

Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) é considerada uma das mais importantes pragas em cultivos de hortaliças e ornamentais em todo o mundo. Baseado na análise da seqüência mitocondrial (citocromo oxidase I - mtCOI) foi proposto recentemente que B. tabaci deva ser considerado um complexo críptico de espécies, contendo 11 grupos e 24 espécies. Dois destes grupos: Middle East-Asia Minor e Mediterranean englobam os biótipos B e Q, respectivamente. Avaliou-se a sequência mtCOI de espécimes de B. tabaci coletados em regiões do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Por PCR-RFLP utilizando-se a enzima Taq I, pôde-se observar somente o padrão típico de clivagem para o biótipo B. Comparando-se com sequências consenso, todas as moscas brancas foram classificadas no grupo Middle East-Asia Minor e puderam ser separadas em quatro haplótipos, indicando prevalência do biótipo B em áreas de pimentão (Capsicum annuum L.), tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.), cucurbitáceas e berinjela (Solanum melongena L.) do Estado de São Paulo.

Prevalence of Lettuce mosaic virus - common strain on three lettuce producing areas from São Paulo State

O LMV ocorre em todo o mundo e é considerado um dos patógenos mais importantes para a cultura da alface. de acordo com a habilidade em contornar os genes de resistência mo1¹ e mo1² encontrados em alface, os isolados de LMV podem ser dividos em dois sub-grupos: LMV-Most, capazes de contornar a resistência propiciada por estes genes e de serem transmitidos pela semente nestas cutivares, e LMV-Common, que não são capazes de causar sintomas nestes cultivares, além de serem transmitidos pela semente somente em cultivares suscetíveis. Para avaliar a ocorrência destes dois tipos de isolados de LMV foram coletadas, durante 2002-2005, amostras de alface com sintomas de mosaico em áreas de produção de alface comercial das regiões de Campinas, Mogi das Cruzes e Bauru no estado de São Paulo. O RNA total foi utilizado para detecção por RT-PCR utilizando-se oligonucleotídeos universais para LMV que amplificam a porção N-terminal variável da capa protéica, localizada no terminal 3´do genoma. As amostras positivas foram analisadas por um segundo primer que amplifica um fragmento da região central (CI-VPg) do genoma viral. Um total de 1362 amostras foram avaliadas, tendo sido detectado o LMV em 504 amostras (37,29%). O LMV-Common prevaleceu em variedades suscetíveis (77,3%). O LMV-Most foi encontrado frequentemente associado a variedades portadoras do gene de tolerância mo1¹. Apesar da existência dos LMV-Most capazes de contornar a resistência em alface, estes não predominam em nossa condições.

Ecological distribution of the shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti (Burkenroad, 1936) (Decapoda, Penaeoidea) in Ubatuba Bay, São Paulo, Brazil

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

Genotyping, serotyping and determination of mating-type of Cryptococcus neoformans clinical isolates from São Paulo State, Brazil

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