Copepods (Crustacea, Maxillopoda) from shallow reservoirs

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

Fitoplâncton em três lagoas marginais ao Rio Paranapanema e em sua desembocadura no Reservatório de Jurumirim (São Paulo, Brasil) durante um período prolongado de seca

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

Desenvolvimento larval de Dardanus insignis (Saussure) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Diogenidae), em laboratório

The developmental stages of Dardanus insignis (Saussure, 1858) from first through eighth zoea and megalopa are described and illuslraled. The experiments were carried out involving 100 larvae, obtained from ovigerous females collected on the north littoral of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The larvae were kept in individual containers, with water of 34 salinity and fed with freshly hatched nauplii of Artemia; room temperature was maintained at 25±1ºC. The larval characters of this species are compared with Dardanus arrosor (Herbst, 1796). the only species of the genus that has also heen reared in laboratory.

Método simplificado para manutenção da concentração sangüínea de propofol em nível aproximadamente constante, associado ao óxido nitroso no paciente pediátrico

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A manutenção de concentração sangüínea alvo-controlada em níveis aproximadamente constantes do propofol é uma técnica que pode ser empregada de modo simplificado na sala de cirurgia. A finalidade desta pesquisa é comparar clínica e laboratorialmente a infusão de propofol em crianças usando os atributos farmacocinéticos de Short e de Marsh. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 41 pacientes com a idade de 4 a 12 anos, de ambos os sexos, estado físico ASA I ou II, distribuídos em dois grupos S (20 pacientes) e M (21 pacientes). No Grupo S utilizaram-se os atributos farmacocinéticos de Short, e no Grupo M, os atributos farmacocinéticos de Marsh. A indução anestésica foi feita com bolus de alfentanil 30 µg.kg-1, propofol 3 mg.kg-1 e pancurônio, 0,08 mg.kg-1 por via venosa. Procedeu-se a intubação traqueal e a manutenção com N2O/O2 (60%) em ventilação controlada mecânica. No grupo S a infusão de propofol foi de 254 (30 min) seguido de 216 µg.kg-1.min-1 por mais 30 min. No grupo M a infusão de propofol foi de 208 (30 min) seguido de 170 µg.kg-1.min-1 por mais 30 min. Através do atributo farmacocinético específico a cada grupo a meta foi a obtenção da concentração-alvo de 4 µg.kg-1 de propofol. Foram colhidas três amostras sangüíneas (aos 20, 40 e 60 minutos) para a dosagem do propofol pelo método da Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Performance. RESULTADOS: Os Grupos S e M foram considerados similares quanto à idade, altura, peso e sexo (p > 0,05). Não houve diferença estatística significativa entre os dois grupos estudados para os parâmetros: PAS, PAD, FC, FiN2O, SpO2 da hemoglobina e P ET CO2 no final da expiração. A comparação entre grupos no número de bolus repetidos de alfentanil não foi estatisticamente significativa. O índice bispectral (BIS) não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa entre M0 (vigília) e os demais momentos em ambos os grupos. Os valores Medianos da Performance do Erro (MPE) e os valores Medianos Absolutos da Performance do Erro (MAPE) mostraram diferenças estatísticas significativas entre os grupos no momento 60. Valores medianos da concentração sangüínea de propofol (µg.kg-1) mostraram diferenças estatísticas significativas entre M e S no momento 60 e entre os momentos 40 e 60 no grupo S. CONCLUSÕES: A anestesia com propofol usando os atributos farmacocinéticos de Marsh (Grupo M) apresentou menor erro no cálculo da concentração-alvo de propofol de 4 µg.kg-1. Além disso, utiliza menor quantidade de propofol para obter resultados clínicos semelhantes. Por todas essas qualidades deve ser a preferida para uso em crianças ASA I e com idades entre 4 e 12 anos.

Síndrome dolorosa complexa regional: epidemiologia, fisiopatologia, manifestações clínicas, testes diagnósticos e propostas terapêuticas

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A Síndrome Dolorosa Complexa Regional (SDCR), assim denominada a partir de 1994 pelo Consenso da Associação Internacional para o Estudo da Dor (AIED) e anteriormente denominada de várias formas, tais como Distrofia Simpático Reflexa, Causalgia, Algodistrofia ou Atrofia de Sudeck, é uma doença cuja compreensão dos limites clínicos, fisiopatologia e implicações de patogenia ainda é pobre. Disto resulta a enorme insatisfação não só para os pacientes como para os profissionais da saúde quanto aos métodos terapêuticos atualmente disponíveis. O objetivo deste trabalho é rever a literatura e atualizar um conjunto de informações com o intuito da melhor compreensão desta importante síndrome dolorosa. CONTEÚDO: Este é um trabalho de revisão da literatura nos diversos aspectos da SDCR, com ênfase em suas causas, definição e taxonomia, fisiopatologia, características clínicas, testes diagnósticos e propostas de tratamentos mais recentes. CONCLUSÕES: Poucos são os estudos controlados adequadamente, encobertos e aleatórios, publicados com grandes amostras, havendo muitas dúvidas sobre esta doença. Desta forma, ainda há enorme empirismo na sua terapêutica, e os resultados obtidos são insatisfatórios.

Lianas da estação ecológica do Noroeste Paulista, São José do Rio Preto/Mirassol, SP, Brasil

Lianas são membros característicos das florestas tropicais, onde são abundantes e de grande importância ecológica. Entretanto, têm sido negligenciadas em estudos florísticos e fitossociológicos. Este trabalho apresenta as espécies de lianas da Estação Ecológica do Noroeste Paulista (EENP) e as compara àquelas encontradas em outros fragmentos florestais. A EENP (20º48'36'' S e 49º22'50'' W) está a 468 m de altitude e abrange área de 168,63 ha, composta de três fragmentos de vegetação descontínua, classificada como floresta estacional semidecidual, entremeadas por pastagens. As amostras de lianas foram coletadas realizando caminhadas na periferia e no interior da mata. Foram identificadas 105 espécies; delas, 99 são Magnoliopsida (60 gêneros e 22 famílias); e seis, Liliopsida (três gêneros e três famílias). As famílias mais ricas em espécies representaram 59% do total das lianas. A análise do dendrograma de similaridade mostrou que esta é baixa entre a Floresta Atlântica de São Paulo e aquelas localizadas no interior. Situação semelhante foi observada por outros autores na análise de similaridade com espécies de porte arbóreo, e também, entre florestas do interior e Floresta Atlântica.

Aspectos biológicos do camarão-espinho Exhippolysmata oplophoroides (Holthuis, 1948) (Crustacea, Caridea, Hippolytidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Mapping oil spill environmental sensitivity in cardoso island state park and surroundings areas, São Paulo, Brazil

This study presents an environmental oil spill sensitivity map of Cardoso Island State Park, located in São Paulo state, Brazil, including some of its surrounding areas. This map was designed following the procedures determined by the Brazilian Federal Environment Organ (Ministry of the Environment), which separates coastal habitats in different littoral sensitivity indexes (LSI) to oil spills. We have also analysed some seasonal variations in morphologic and textural parameters at the local marine beaches that could affect their sensitivity, having found that they are more sensitive during summer due to a wider foreshore zone during these periods. Local most sensitive habitats are estuarine mangroves (LSI 10) and estuarine mud banks (LSI 9). Marine beaches were ranked LSI 3, and littoral rocky shores were subdivided in exposed flat rocky shores (LSI 1), boulder rocky shores (LSI 6) and sheltered rocky shores (LSI 8). Due to the elevated sensitivity of an estuarine system in the area, we considered necessary the installation of an Environmental Emergency Centre and the design of an emergency plan for the region in case of an accident resulting in oil spills within its vicinities. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variação espaço-temporal na distribuição e abundância de Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae (Characiformes: Characidae) em lagoas da planície de inundação do rio Cuiabá, Pantanal, Brasil

Identifying the biotic and abiotic factors that determine the variation in the distribution and abundance of populations has become a great challenge for the field of ecology in recent years. Thus, in this study we evaluated the effect of abiotic variables and the abundance of predators on the abundance of Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae, the variation in the average length of the individuals between lakes and periods, and the effect of the abiotic variables and abundance of predators on the structure in length of that species. Sixteen lakes of the Cuiaba river flood plain were sampled in June (drying period), September (dry period) and December (flooding period) 2005 and March (flood period) 2006. For M. sanctaefilomenae, the distribution is ampler and the abundance is greater at the end of the drying period, beginning of dry season, reducing gradually over the periods of dry, drying and flood season. Additionally, the period affects the structure in size of the populations that are spatially homogeneous. Smaller individuals were captured at the end of the drying period and the larger individuals at the start of flooding. During the end of the drying period and in the beginning of the dry season, the spatial variation in the abundance of the population was positively related with pH, dissolved oxygen and macrophyte cover and area of the lake, but not with the local abundance of predators in the littoral zone of the lakes.

Composição e abundância da ictiofauna na zona litorânea de um tributário, na zona de sua desembocadura no reservatório de Jurumirim, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Monthly collections of fishes using a trawl net were carried out from August 1996 to December 1997 with the objective of evaluating the composition and diversity of fish species in the littoral area of the transition zone between Veados Stream and Jurumirim Dam (Upper Paranapanema River, São Paulo State). Diversity and similarity indices of ichthyofauna at the sites were determined and correlated with abiotic factors such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, pluviometric precipitation and hydrological level. Twenty-six (26) fish species (the majority small-sized) of the family Characidae (Tetragonopterinae and Cheirodontinae) were registered. Representatives of the orders Siluformes, Gymnotiformes, Perciformes and Synbranchiformes occurred in lower abundance. Significant differences were found in the site diversity indices, but not in the abiotic factors. Significant correlations between the abundance of the ichthyofauna and the variations in the abiotic factors were not detected. The presence of fish larvae in the samples indicates the importance of the transition zone as a reproduction area of the fish species registered in this study.

Spatial distribution and shell utilization in three sympatric hermit crabs at non-consolidated sublittoral of estuarine-bay complex in São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil

The objective of the present study was to characterize the spatial distribution and shell utilization of three hermit crab species in the estuarine-bay complex of São Vicente, São Paulo State, Brazil. Monthly samples were done throughout two years, in the non-consolidated sub-littoral at the estuarine-bay complex. The environmental factors, such as temperature, salinity and depth, were measured every month. The three hermit crab species, Clibanarius vittatus, Loxopagurus loxochelis and Isocheles sawayai, were captured utilizing shells from six gastropods species; 92.7% of the hermit crabs utilized Stramonita haemastoma. The results suggest a strong correlation between hermit crabs spatial distribution and salinity, which was considered the main environmental factor limiting their distribution in the estuary. I. sawayai was the only species present in all transects sampled; C. vittatus was captured only in regions with low salinity and L. loxochelis occurred only in high salinity waters.

Chronostratigraphy and radiocarbon age inversion in the Holocene regressive barrier of Paraná, southern Brazil

Twenty-two 14C datings were performed at the central sector of the Paraná coast to define Holocene regressive barrier evolution. The barrier Pleistocene substratum was ascribed an age between 40 400 and 30 000 yr BP, but it can also represent the penultimate sea level highstand during marine isotope stage 5e. The Holocene barrier samples provided ages between 8542-8279 and 2987-2751 cal yr BP, and showed at least six age inversions that were related to age differences between in situ or low-distance transported shells or trunk fragments, and high-distance transported vegetal debris, wood fragments and organic matter samples. The regressive Holocene barrier age was 4402-4135 cal yr BP near the base, and 2987-2751 cal yr BP near the top. Most of the vegetal remains were transported by ebb tidal currents from the estuaries to the inner shelf below wave base level during the mid-Holocene highstand; they were transported onshore by storm waves and littoral currents during the sea level lowering after the sea level maximum, and were deposited mainly as middle shoreface swaley cross-stratification facies. © 2008.

Efecto de la fertirrigación con n y k en el crecimiento de la palma de coco enano Verde de jiqui

The coconut palm crop has increased with the use of the fertigation technique in Brazil in the last years. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of N and K rates via fertigation, on vegetative growth of three year old palms, cultivated in the littoral region of the Ceará State, Brazil, with tropical rainy climate. The study was conducted in a sandy soil using the variety of green dwarfed Jiqui coconut palm. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with 10 treatments, including five nitrogen and five of potassium rates, according to the model of the experimental matrix Plan Puebla III. The nitrogen and potassiun applications via fertigation influenced significantly the plant height, stem perimeter, and the number of leaves and folioles. © 2009 Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA).

Anatomical features of the urethra and urinary bladder catheterization in female mice and rats. An essential translational tool

PURPOSE: To present fundamental anatomical aspects and technical skills necessary to urethra and urinary bladder catheterization in female mice and rats. METHODS: Urethral and bladder catheterization has been widely utilized for carcinogenesis and cancer research and still remains very useful in several applications: from toxicological purposes as well as inflammatory and infectious conditions to functional aspects as bladder dynamics and vesicoureteral reflux, among many others. RESULTS: Animal models are in the center of translational research and those involving rodents are the most important nowadays due to several advantages including human reproducibility, easy handling and low cost. CONCLUSIONS: Although technical and anatomical pearls for rodent urethral and bladder access are presented as tackles to the advancement of lower urinary tract preclinical investigation in a broaden sight, restriction to female animals hampers the male microenvironment, demanding future advances.

Ocorrência de anormalidades morfológicas externas em caranguejos marinhos (Decapoda, Brachyura) no litoral norte do estado de são paulo

Deformities and abnormalities in crustaceans have been associated to genetic problem, which occurred during molt process, damage caused by ectobionts, predators or environmental stress caused by chemical wastes. Some crab specimens collected in the São Paulo littoral were found having body abnormalities. They belong to the following crab species: Callinectes ornatus (Ordway, 1863), Arenaeus cribrarius (Lamarck, 1818) and Leurocyclus tuberculosus (H. Milne Edwards; Lucas, 1843). Samplings were performed by trawling during July 2008, August and October 2009 at the Ubatuba region, São Paulo State, Brazil. Body abnormalities were verified in the cheliped dactyl (C. ornatus an adult male), carapace deformities (A. cribrarius an adult male) and abdominal alterations (C. ornatus an adult female; L. tuberculosus an adult male and an ovigerous female). The record and analysis of such occurrences can help in the distinction of natural or human impact caused alterations. In this way, the occurrence study of this kind of body alterations could provide tools in order to control unprotected environmental areas, as well as bring subsides to understand the unusual variations during the ontogeny of important species in the benthic community.