A Rare Variation of the Extensor Indicis Proprius Tendon With Important Clinical Implications

Introduction: Anatomical variations of the extensor tendons to the fingers are of great clinical interest, due to the relatively high frequency of tendon injury in clinical practice. Material and methods: During routine dissection of the right upper limb of a 67-year-old female preserved corpse, the extensor indicis proprius (EIP) muscle belly originated 3 independent tendons, each with a separate fascial sheath, forming a triple EIP tendon. There was a larger tendon, which occupied a central position, that represented the usual single EIP tendon. In addition, there were two thinner radial and ulnar accessory EIP tendons. The radial-EIP tendon crossed deep to the extensor digitorum communis (EDC) tendon to the index finger in the distal half of the dorsum of the hand to reach the radial side of the extensor expansion hood of the index finger. Discussion: According to the literature, the frequency of a triple EIP tendon ranges from 0%, to as high as 7%, although most authors do not acknowledge the presence of this variant in their series. This variant of the EIP tendon, in which the radial-EIP terminated laterally to the termination of the tendon of the EDC to the index finger, may be a source of confusion intraoperatively, as the EIP tendon has traditionally been identified on the basis of its ulnar location with respect to the EDC tendon. Conclusion: The possibility of a triple EIP tendon should certainly be born in mind by all surgeons when performing tendon repairs, tenoplasties or tendon transfers.

Identificação de genoespécies do complexo Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) circulantes na fauna ixodideológica em portugal

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Microbiologia Médica

Studies on the eucalyptus leaf disease complex in Portugal

Native from south eastern Australia, Eucalyptus globulus is the main species in eucalypts plantations in Portugal. The most serious foliar disease in eucalypt plantations is linked to Mycosphaerella senso lato, which affects young trees in the juvenile phase foliage causing leaf necrosis. This disease results in reduced growth rate of the host and lower wood volume, thus causing significant productivity losses. The most common name for this disease was Mycosphaerella Leaf Disease that became inappropriate when most of the pathogens on eucalypts were re-distributed into several genera. The term "Eucalyptus Leaf Disease Complex" is now more appropriate. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the Eucalyptus Leaf Disease Complex in Portugal, focusing on species diversity, taxonomy and the role played by each species in the disease complex on Eucalyptus globulus. Literature on the Eucalyptus Leaf Disease Complex was reviewed and the species were distributed into several genera. A survey based on symptomatic leaves collected from several Eucalyptus globulus plantations and characterized by morphological and molecular tools provided an overview of species incidence and of the most frequent species in the disease complex. The present work reveals additional species of Mycosphaerella senso lato associated with eucalypt plantations in Portugal. Thus, five new records of Teratosphaeria and phylogenetically related species were added to the Iberian Peninsula, namely, Neodevriesia hilliana, for the first time on Myrtaceae; Quasiteratosphaeria mexicana, Teratosphaericola pseudoafricana, Teratosphaeria pluritubularis and Teratosphaeria lusitanica, a new species. Furthermore, new anamorphic structures were found and two new combinations were made. Regarding other genera, some species were observed for the first time, such as Cladosporium cladosporioides, Fusicladium eucalypti, Mycosphaerella madeirae, in the mainland. In addition to leave diseases, Teratosphaeria gauchensis was found causing a severe stem and trunk canker on Eucalyptus globulus. The aggressiveness of several species was compared to evaluate each species individually in the complex, permitting to distinguish different behaviours, from primary to secondary pathogens. Cladosporium cladosporioides, M. communis and M. lateralis, appeared to be more aggressive than Teratosphaeria nubilosa. In fact, contrary to the prevailing views on this disease complex, Teratosphaeria nubilosa is not the only species responsible for the disease, which clearly involves a complex of species acting together.

Nutrição mineral de plantas ornamentais I : absorção de nutrientes pela cultura de gladíolos

Bulbos de gladíolos (Gladiolus communis, var. Itapetininga) foram postos a germinar em vasos com capacidade de 7 kg de silica. Após a germinação, as plantas foram irrigadas com solução nutritiva completa de HOAGLAND & ARNON (1950). Quinze dias, após a germinação e em períodos de 10 dias subsequentes, plantas foram coletadas e divididas em: parte aérea, bulbo velho, bulbo em formação e bulbilhos. Os materiais foram pesados e analisados para nitrogênio, fosforo, potássio, calcio, magnésio, enxofre, boro, cobre, ferro, manganês e zinco. Foi constatado que o gladíolo tem um crescimento acentuado ate aos 55 dias de idade, sendo que após êste período somente aumenta em peso ate aos 75 dias de idade. Uma planta de gladíolo no fim do ciclo acumula 362,6 mg de nitrogênio, 78,4 mg de fosforo, 586,4 mg de potássio, 78,4 mg de calcio, 27,9 mg de magnesio, 35,9 mg de enxofre, 1019,4 ug de boro, 94,7 ug de cobre, 1655,6 ug de ferro, 914,6 ug de manganês e 272,8 ug de zinco. Foi constatado igualmente que os nutrientes contidos no bulbo velho sao insuficientes para a nutrição da planta.

Oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) in a neotropical stream: a mesohabitat approach

This paper analyses the relationship among mesohabitat and aquatic oligochaete species in the Galharada Stream (Campos do Jordão State Park, state of São Paulo, Brazil). Between August 2005 and May 2006 a total of 192 samples were obtained in areas of four different mesohabitats: riffle leaf litter (RL), pool leaf litter (PL), pool sediment (PS) and interstitial sediment from rocky beds in riffle areas (IS). In the mesohabitats sampled, 2007 specimens were identified, belonging to two families (Naididae and Enchytraeidae). Among the oligochaetes identified Naididae was represented by six genera (Allonais, Chaetogaster, Nais, Pristina, Aulodrilus and Limnodrilus). Principal components analysis (PCA) revealed the first two axes explained 85.1% of the total variance of the data. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Claparede, 1862 and Aulodrilus limnobius Bretscher, 1899 were associated with the pool areas (PL and PS). Most species of genera Pristina and Nais demonstrated apparent affinity with the riffle mesohabitats. The Indicator Species Analysis (IndVal) revealed that Nais communis Piguet, 1906, Pristina leidyi Smith, 1896 and Pristina (Pristinella) jenkinae (Stephenson, 1931) are indicative of RL mesohabitat, while family Enchytraeidae was considered indicative of PL mesohabitat.

Nota sobre os Ixodideos da Republica Argentina

A study of and addicional collection of Argentine ixodidae is made on material send to the Author by Professor Salvador Mazza of Departamento de pathologia do Norte - Jujuy and Professor Doello Jurado of the Museu Rivadavia. There was examined 37 lots of Ixodidae. Among them there were found the nymph of Ixodes auritulus Nn. and 3 other species already known on the South American fauna and from which there was til yet no record in Argentine; they are Ixodes ricinus, Amblyomma parvum and Amblyomma pseudo-concolor.

Distribuição geográfica da fauna e flora da Baía de Guanabara

The author studied, the horizontal and vertical distribution of most common part of the flora and fauna of the bay of Guanabara at Rio de Janeiro. In this paper the eulittoral, poly, meso and oligohaline regions were localised and studied; and the first chart of its distribution was presented (fig. 2). The salinity of superficial waters was established through determinations based on 30 trips inside the buy for collecting biological materials. Some often 409 determinations which were previous reported together with the present ones served for the eleboration of a salinity map of the bay of Guanabara (fig. 1). This map of fig. 2 shows the geographic locations of the water regions. EULITTORAL WATER REGIME — Fig. 3 shows the diagram scheme of fauna and flora of this regime. Sea water salinity 34/1.000, density mean 1.027, transparent greenish waters, sea coast with moderate bursting waves. Limpid sea shore with white sand, gneiss with the big barnacle Tetraclita squamosa var. stalactifera (Lam. Pilsbry. Vertical distributions: barna¬cles layers with a green region in which are present the oyster Ostrea pa-rasitica L., the barnacles Tetraclita, Chthamalus, Balanus tintinnabulum var. tintinnabulum (L.) e var. antillensis Pilsbry in connection with several mollusca and the sea beatle Isopoda Lygia sp. Covered by water and exposed to air by the tidal ritms, there is a stratum of brown animals that is the layer of mussels Mytilus perna L., with others brown and chestnut animals : the Crustacea Pachygrapsus, the little crab Porcellana sp., the stone crab Me-nippe nodifrons Stimpson, the sea stars Echinaster brasiliensis (Mull. & Tr.), Astropecten sp. and the sea anemones Actinia sp. Underneath and never visible there is a subtidal region with green tubular algae of genus Codium and amidst its bunches the sea urchin Lycthchinus variegatus (Agass.) walks and more deeply there are numerous sand-dollars Encope emarginata (Leske). The microplancton of this regime is Ceratiumplancton. POLYHALINE WATER REGIMB — Water almost sea water, but directly influenced by continental lands, with rock salts dissolved and in suspension. Salinity: 33 to 32/1.000. This waters endure the actions of the popular nicknamed «water of the hill» (as the waters of mesohaline and oligohaline regimes), becoming suddenly reddish during several hours. That pheno¬menon returns several times in the year and come with great mortality of fishes. In these waters, according to Dr. J. G. FARIA there are species of Protozoa : Peridinea, the Glenoidinium trochoideum St., followed by its satellites which he thinks that they are able to secret toxical substances which can slaughter some species of fishes. In these «waters of the hill» was found a species of Copepoda the Charlesia darwini. In August 1946 the west shore of the Guanabara was plenty of killed fishes occupying a area of 8 feet large by 3 nautical miles of lenght. The enclosure for catching fishes in the rivers mouthes presents in these periods mass dead fishes. The phenomenon of «waters of the hill» appears with the first rains after a period of long dryness. MESOHALINE WATER REGIME — Fig. 4 shows the the diagramm scheme. Salt or brackish water from 30 to 17/1.000 salinity, sometimes until 10/1.000. Turbid waters with mud in suspension, chestnut, claveyous waters; shore dirty black mud without waving bursting; the waters are warmer and shorner than those of the polihaline regime. Mangrove shore with the mangrove trees : Rhizophora mangle L., Avicennia sp., Laguncularia sp., and the »cotton tree of sea» Hibiscus sp. Fauna: the great land crab «guaimú» Cardisoma guanhumi Latr., ashore in dry firm land. There is the real land crab Ucides cordatus (L.) in wetting mud and in neigh¬ bourhood of the burrows of the fiddler-crabs of genus Uca. On stones and in the roots of the Rhizophora inhabits the brightly colored mangrove-tree-crab («aratu» Portuguese nickname) Goniopsis cruentata (Latreille) and the sparingly the big oyster Ostrea rhizophorae Guild. Lower is the region of barnacles Balanus amphitrite var. communis Darwin and var. niveus Darwin; Balanus tintinnabulum var. tintinnabulum (L.) doesn't grow in this brackish water; lower is the region of Pelecipoda with prepollency of Venus and Cytherea shell-fishes and the Panopeus mud crab; there are the sea lettuce Ulva and the Gastreropod Cerithium. The Paguridae Clibanarius which lives in the empty shells of Gasteropod molluscs, and the sessile ascidians Tethium plicatum (Lesuer) appears in some seasons. In the bottom there is a black argillous mud where the «one landed shrimps» Alpheus sp. is hidden. OLIGOHALINE WATER REGIME — The salinity is lower than 10/1.000. average 8/1.000. There are no barnacles and no sea-beetles Isopods of genus Lygia; on the hay of the shore there are several graminea. This brackish water pervades by mouthes of rivers and penetrates until about 3 kilometers river above. While there is some salt dissolved in water, there are some mud crabs of the genus Uca, Sesarma, Metasesarma and Chasmagnatus. The presence of floating green plants coming from the rivers in the waters of a region indicated the oligohaline waters, with low salt content because when the average of NaCl increases above 8/1.000 these plants die and become rusty colored.

Notas de ixodologia: III - conformação de Ixodes aragãoi Fonseca, 1935, de Ixodes amarali Fonseca, 1935, e lista das espécies do gênero Ixodes que ocorrem no Brasil (Acari, Ixodidae)

After comparison of the types of Ixodes ricinus aragãoi Fonseca, 1935, with a lot of Ixodes affinis Neumann, 1899, kindly loaned by Dr. Kohls, it was observed that both species differ by the aspect of the dorsal scutm, no large punctations being in the posterior border in the Brazilian material. Therefore is FONSECA'S species maintened as Ixodes aragãoi Fonseca, 1935. Ixodes amarali Fonseca, 1935 was reexamined and confirmed as a valid species. A list of Brazilian species of the genus Ixodes studied by the authors is presented.

Antimicrobial activity and chemical investigation of Brazilian Drosera

The antimicrobial activity of three different extracts (hexanic, ethyl acetate, methanol) obtained from Brazilian Drosera species (D. communis, D. montana var. montana, D. brevifolia, D. villosa var. graomogolensis, D. villosa var. villosa, Drosera sp. 1, and Drosera sp. 2 ) were tested against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecium (ATCC23212), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC27853), Escherichia coli (ATCC11229), Salmonella choleraesuis (ATCC10708), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC13883), and Candida albicans (a human isolate). Better antimicrobial activity was observed with D. communis and D. montana var. montana ethyl acetate extracts. Phytochemical analyses from D. communis, D. montana var. montana and D. brevifolia yielded 5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (plumbagin); long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons were isolated from D. communis and from D. villosa var. villosa, a mixture of long chain aliphatic alcohols and carboxylic acids, was isolated from D. communis and 3b-O-acetylaleuritolic acid from D. villosa var. villosa.

Growth, cysts and kinetics of Borrelia garinii (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetacea) in different culture media

The aim of the present paper was to evaluate cyst formation and growth parameters of Borrelia garinii in a range of media differing in formulation and cost. A qualitative assessment of morphology and motility of B. garinii was conducted. All media were prepared aseptically and used in test tubes or Petri dishes. For each medium, the initial spirochete concentration was standardized to 10³ spirochets/mL. The following culture media were suitable to grow B. garinii: Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly, brain heart infusion and PMR. Growth was minimal at six weeks post-inoculation and maximum spirochete density was observed between 9-12 weeks. Often, the cultures developed cysts of different sizes, isolated or in groups, with a spiraled portion of variable sizes, mainly in unfavorable culture media. Brazilian Lyme disease-like illness, also known as Baggio-Yoshinari syndrome (BYS), is a new and interesting emerging tick-borne disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes, only during its cystic forms. It has been assumed that the peculiar clinical and laboratory features of BYS are consequential to the absence of a human sucker Ixodes ricinus complex tick at risk areas in Brazil, supporting the concept that the borrelia phenotypic expression pattern is modified as it is transmitted through the host.

"Comment. Boetii in periermenias librum Aristotelis.

N° 22 des mss envoyés à Paris par Maugerard en octobre 1802; cf. B.n.F., département des Manuscrits, Archives Modernes 497; — abbaye d'Echternach (dioc. de Trèves), cf. titre "Continet"; 1789. Le patrimoine libéré, 152 et n° 96

Diversity of the bacterial community in the surface soil of a pear orchard based on 16S rRNA gene analysis

A cultivation-independent approach based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified partial small subunit rRNA genes was used to characterize bacterial populations in the surface soil of a commercial pear orchard consisting of different pear cultivars during two consecutive growing seasons. Pyrus communis L. cvs Blanquilla, Conference, and Williams are among the most widely cultivated cultivars in Europe and account for the majority of pear production in Northeastern Spain. To assess the heterogeneity of the community structure in response to environmental variables and tree phenology, bacterial populations were examined using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) followed by cluster analysis of the 16S ribosomal DNA profiles by means of the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means. Similarity analysis of the band patterns failed to identify characteristic fingerprints associated with the pear cultivars. Both environmentally and biologically based principal-component analyses showed that the microbial communities changed significantly throughout the year depending on temperature and, to a lesser extent, on tree phenology and rainfall. Prominent DGGE bands were excised and sequenced to gain insight into the identities of the predominant bacterial populations. Most DGGE band sequences were related to bacterial phyla, such as Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Gemmatimonadetes, previously associated with typical agronomic crop environments

Presence of Chlamydiales DNA in ticks and fleas suggests that ticks are carriers of Chlamydiae.

The Chlamydiales order includes the Chlamydiaceae, Parachlamydiaceae, Waddliaceae, Simkaniaceae, Criblamydiaceae, Rhabdochlamydiaceae, Clavichlamydiaceae, and Piscichlamydiaceae families. Members of the Chlamydiales order are obligate intracellular bacteria that replicate within eukaryotic cells of different origins including humans, animals, and amoebae. Many of these bacteria are pathogens or emerging pathogens of both humans and animals, but their true diversity is largely underestimated, and their ecology remains to be investigated. Considering their potential threat on human health, it is important to expand our knowledge on the diversity of Chlamydiae, but also to define the host range colonized by these bacteria. Thus, using a new pan-Chlamydiales PCR, we analyzed the prevalence of Chlamydiales DNA in ticks and fleas, which are important vectors of several viral and bacterial infectious diseases. To conduct this study, 1340 Ixodes ricinus ticks prepared in 192 pools were collected in Switzerland and 55 other ticks belonging to different tick species and 97 fleas belonging to different flea species were harvested in Algeria. In Switzerland, the prevalence of Chlamydiales DNA in the 192 pools was equal to 28.1% (54/192) which represents an estimated prevalence in the 1340 individual ticks of between 4.0% and 28.4%. The pan-Chlamydiales qPCR was positive for 45% (25/55) of tick samples collected in Algeria. The sequencing of the positive qPCR amplicons revealed a high diversity of Chlamydiales species. Most of them belonged to the Rhabdochlamydiaceae and Parachlamydiaceae families. Thus, ticks may carry Chlamydiales and should thus be considered as possible vectors for Chlamydiales propagation to both humans and animals.

Revisão das espécies de Ceroplastinae Atkinson (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae) do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

As espécies de Ceroplastinae (Hemiptera, Coccoidea, Coccidae) que ocorrem no Estado de São Paulo são revisadas. São estudadas 36 espécies de Ceroplastinae, das quais 9 são sinonimizadas, 8 espécies novas são descritas e 19 são redescritas. Ceroplastes campinensis Hempel, 1901, C. bicolor Hempel, 1901, C. excaericae Hempel, 1912 e C. farmairii (Signoret, 1866), mencionadas para o Estado de São Paulo, não foram examinadas, devido a não localização do material tipo ou de outros exemplares. Nossos estudos indicaram que C. albolineatus Cockerell, 1894 e C. confluens Cockerell & Tinsley, 1898 foram erroneamente citadas por Hempel, 1900 para o estado de São Paulo. Coccus stellifer Westwood, 1871, atualmente Vinsonia stellifera (Westwood, 1871), é transferida para gênero Ceroplastes como Ceroplastes stellifer (Westwood, 1871) n. comb. C. flosculoides Matile-Ferrero, 1993 é registrada pela primeira vez para o país e C. cassiae (Chavannes, 1848), C. deodorensis Hempel, 1937, C. formosus Hempel, 1900 e C. quadratus Green, 1935 são registradas pela primeira vez no Estado de São Paulo. Ceroplastinae é agora representada por 31 espécies no Estado de São Paulo, todas incluídas no gênero Ceroplastes. Ilustrações e uma chave para espécies são incluídas. Novos sinônimos: C. formicarius Hempel = Ceroplastes communis Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. janeirensis Gray, 1828 = Ceroplastes psidii (Chavannes, 1848) n. sin. = C. simplex Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. cirripediformis Comstock, 1881 = C. cultus Hempel, 1900 n. sin. = C. cuneatus Hempel, 1900 n. sin. = C. rarus Hempel, 1900 n. sin e C. rotundus Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. lucidus Hempel, 1900 = C. novaesi Hempel, 1900 n. sin.; C. grandis Hempel, 1900 = C. rhizophorae Hempel, 1918 n. sin. Novas espécies descritas: C. acutus sp. nov.; C. bragai sp. nov.; C. coronatus sp. nov; C. glomeratus sp. nov; C. jordanensis sp. nov.; C. minimus sp. nov.; C. solanaceus sp. nov.; C. willinkae sp. nov. Espécies redescritas: C. agrestis Hempel, 1932; C. cassiae (Chavannes, 1848); C. cirripediformis; C. deodorensis Hempel, 1900; C. diospyros Hempel, 1928; C. floridensis Comstock, 1881; C. flosculoides Matile-Ferrero, 1993; C. formicarius Hempel, 1900; C. formosus Hempel, 1900; C. grandis Hempel, 1900; C. gregarius Hempel, 1932; C. iheringi Cockerell, 1895; C. janeirensis; C. lucidus; C. purpureus Hempel, 1900; C. quadratus Green, 1935; C. speciosus Hempel, 1900; C. stellifer e C. variegatus Hempel, 1900. São designados lectótipos e paralectótipos para C. agrestis, C. deodorensis, C. diospyros, C. formosus, C. purpureus, C. speciosus e C. variegatus e um neótipo para C. cassiae.

Ethyl glucuronide in plant extracts :O16

Introduction: The specificity of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in hair as marker of alcohol consumption exceeds by far those of fatty acid ethyl esters. False positive cases are therefore very rare but not excluded as recent publications have shown. Especially, the use of plant extracts containing high percentages of ethanol can lead to EtG hair concentrations typically found in cases of chronic alcohol consumption. As proposed by Baumgartner et al., a nucleohilic substitution could most likely explain this phenomenon. Fresh and dried plants as well as commercial hair lotions based on plants extracts have been analysed for EtG presence or EtG formation. Methods: Urtica dioica, Plantago lanceolata, Cortex Quercus, Sempervivum, Armoracia rusticana, Juniperus communis, Brassica alba, Thymian vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, Majorana hortensis, Aloe vera, birch gingko and green tea leafs, ginger, lemon grass were extracted in water, water/ethanol (50/50) and ethanol (100%). The extracts as well as diluted hair lotions were measured by immunological test (Microgenics DRI® EtG assay) and by LC-MS/MS on Shimadzu Nexera UHPLC coupled with an AB Sciex 4500 QTrap. Results: EtG could not be detected in water extracts of all tested plants. However, DRI® EtG assay indicated the presence of EtG in 66% of the tested ethanolic plant extracts. That could only be confirmed by mass spectrometry in the cases of fresh thyme as well as in dried birch, oak and plantain extracts where EtG concentrations between of 0.25 and 2,09 mg/l were measured. In one hair lotion, the EtG concentration was 0,76 mg/l. Conclusion: Ethanolic plant extracts represents a non-negligible risk for false positive EtG hair tests, especially when applied as lotion without following washing out. The use of hair care products must therefore be evaluated at every hair sampling. In case of doubt, the product should be analysed by mass spectrometric methods since the presence of EtG can't be proven by use of the DRI® EtG assay, only. Our results support Baumgartner's assumption of a nucleophilic substitution in presence of ethanol because EtG was only measured in the ethanolic extracts.