Campaign donation and government contracts in Brazilian states

A corporate firm may influence policies in its favor by transferring money to political candidates. However, empirical studies which document evidence about the return on campaign donations are rare (Großer, Reuben and Tymula, 2013). In this paper we estimate the net expected return of a campaign donation in eight Brazilian states using a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) to separate the return of winning and losing state deputy candidates in the electoral coalition in 2006. Our results show that that the net return is quite high (i.e., the investment of donor firms is almost 2% of the net expected return), and is larger among traditional electoral parties than any other parties, on average. Looking at the heterogeneity of local executive and legislative levels, we find that net returns are higher when donor firms finance deputies within a governor’s electoral coalition than deputies outside this coalition.

Chronic disease burden and human capital investment: evidence from the chagas disease campaign in Brazil

We investigate the effects of augmented life expectancy and health improvements on human capital investment, labor supply and fertility decisions. Our main motivation is the prediction of human capital theory that a longer and healthier life encourages educational investment and female labor force participation, while discouraging fertility. To assess the magnitude of these effects, we explore a national campaign against Chagas disease in Brazil as an exogenous source of adult mortality decline and improvement in health conditions. We show that, relative to non-endemic areas, previously endemic regions saw higher increases in educational investment, measured by literacy, school attendance and years of schooling, following the campaign. Additionally, we find that labor force participation increased in high prevalence areas relative to low prevalence ones. Furthermore, we estimate a substantially higher effect on female labor force participation relative to male, suggesting that longevity gains and health improvements affected women's incentives to work, encouraging women to join the labor force. We do not find significant effects on fertility decisions.

Structural and ultrastructural characteristics of interrenal gland and chromaffin cell of matrinxa, Brycon cephalus Gunther 1869 (Teleostei-Characidae)

This work presents the structure and ultrastructure of the interrenal gland and chromaffin cells, as well as the morphology of the head kidney of Brycon cephalus, the head kidney is composed of fused bilateral lobes located anterior to the swim bladder and ventrolateral to the spinal column, the parenchyma revealed lympho-haematopoietic tissue, melano-macrophage centres, interrenal gland and chromaffin cells. The interrenal gland consisted of cords or strands of cells grouped around the posterior cardinal vein and their branches. Chromaffin cells are found in small groups, closely associated with the interrenal gland and/or under the endothelium of the posterior cardinal vein. So far, the ultrastructural analysis has revealed only one interrenal cell type which contained abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum and numerous mitochondria with tubulo-vesicular cristae, characteristic of steroid-producing cells. Two types of chromaffin cells were observed. The first type was characterized by the presence of vesicles with round, strongly electron-dense granules, which were eccentrically located, Such cells were interpreted as noradrenaline cells, Meanwhile, cells which contained smaller vesicles and electron-lucent granules, with a small halo separating the granule from the vesicular limiting membrane, were identified as adrenaline cells.

Variação periódica da triiodotironina (T3) plasmática e sua ação na reprodução induzida do matrinxã, Brycon cephalus (Günther, 1869) em cativeiro

O matrinxã, Brycon cephalus, espécie nativa oriunda da Bacia Amazônica, apresenta características adequadas para a piscicultura. Entretanto, trata-se de peixe reofílico, sendo necessário manejo adequado para induzir à reprodução. O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar o perfil da triiodotironina (T3) plasmática no matrinxã, durante 16 meses (outubro/97 a janeiro/99), relacionando-o com a maturação sexual, além de testar a ação do T3 associado ao extrato pituitário de carpa na reprodução induzida da espécie. O experimento foi conduzido no Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Peixes Tropicais - CEPTA, Pirassununga, SP, e no Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal - UNESP. Foram amostrados, mensalmente, 8 a 12 peixes, de ambos os sexos, totalizando 173 animais, de onde retirou-se sangue para dosagem do T3 plasmático. As gônadas foram removidas para análise histológica com identificação do sexo e determinação do estádio de maturação. Analisaram-se testículos e ovários de 161 peixes em corte transversal, tendo predominado machos (63,35%) e o estádio sexual imaturo entre ambos. A concentração plasmática de T3 foi maior de dezembro a janeiro, para machos e fêmeas, coincidindo com o período de maior atividade reprodutiva da espécie e maiores temperaturas da água. em janeiro/99, reprodutores de matrinxã foram induzidos com extrato de pituitária de carpa (EPC) associado à administração de T3 (20 mg/kg em 0,1 mL de suspensão oleosa). Os resultados sugeriram que o T3 atuou sinergicamente à gonadotropina do extrato hipofisário e que o tratamento agudo de triiodotironina com o EPC pode estimular o eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-ovário. O tempo de eclosão das larvas provenientes das fêmeas tratadas com o T3 foi menor e o crescimento inicial e a sobrevivência dessas larvas, maiores.

Distribuição espacial, formação de grupos, uso do hábitat e ecologia comportamental de jovens de tubarão limão, negaprion brevirostris (poey 1868), no arquipélago de fernando de noronha

Lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, are common in the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, but detailed information about the species in this site is lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution, grouping behavior, habitat use and behavioral ecology of juvenile lemon sharks in the archipelago, and their interaction with some environmental and ecological factors. During 2006 and 2007, the presence and spatial distribution of juvenile sharks were quantified through scuba diving and snorkeling at several sites of the archipelago. In 2008 the habitat use of juvenile sharks was quantified through visual census while snorkeling along 300 x 8 m strip transects. During these transects the grouping behavior of lemon sharks was quantified by ad libitum. Results indicate that Fernando de Noronha Archipelago is used as a nursery area for lemon sharks, and the parturition occurs from November to April. Juveniles preferred using shallower areas available by the tide variation and formed groups only in the presence of adult conspecifics. This preference for shallower habitats and the group behavior probably are anti-predatory tactics used by juvenile lemon sharks, in response to the low availability of shelter and high predation risk of the studied areas. Quantifications of prey availability and predation risk of juveniles showed that, in general, lemon sharks are trading-off food by security and investing in sites with higher possibility of energetic return. Behavioral observations enabled to record juvenile carangid fishes following juvenile lemon sharks, remora host-parasite and juvenile sharks foraging on schools of herrings and octopuses. We also recorded the behavior of juvenile sharks following conspecifics of similar size, circling with two or three individuals and smaller individuals giving way to larger juveniles. When adults are present, juvenile lemon sharks are more social than solitary, indicating that predation is one of the factors that contribute to social behaviors of the species. Results also suggest that when grouped the juveniles have a hierarchical organization according to body size. Furthermore, observation of large adult females with several fresh mating bites and scars in the same habitats used by juvenile lemon sharks, indicates that Fernando de Noronha Archipelago is used as nursery and mating grounds by this species

Structural analysis of the embryonic development in Brycon cephalus (Gunther, 1869)

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

A NEW HOST RECORD, PALAEMONETES CARTERI (GORDON, 1935) (DECAPODA, PALAEMONIDAE), FOR TELOTHA HENSELII (VON MARTENS, 1869) (ISOPODA, CYMOTHOIDAE)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The reproductive cycle of Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 (Decapoda, Portunidae) in the Ubatuba Region, Brazil

Callinectes danae Smith, 1869, known as siri-azul, is an important fishery resource along the Brazilian coast. The reproductive cycle of this species was studied based on their moult cycle and the development of their gonads. The animals were collected with an otter-trawl in the Ubatuba region (23 degrees 26'S 45 degrees 02'W) every other month from July 1991 to May 1993. A total of 1826 specimens were captured: 788 males and 1038 females. Ovigerous females and specimens with developed gonads in both sexes were found in all months sampled. In females, moult activity was recorded in all size classes while in males, it was verified from 20-27 mm to 90-97 mm size classes. The females produced more than one clutch during a single reproductive season, a fact evidenced by the presence of ovigerous females with ovaries in all the development phases. The species C. danae reproduces continuously, like most brachyurans from tropical waters.

Larval development of Apiomithrax violaceus (A. Milne Edwards, 1868) (Decapoda : Brachyura : Majoidea : Pisidae) reared in laboratory conditions, and a review of larval characters of Pisidae

Apiomithrax violaceus (A. Milne Edwards, 1868 ) is a pisid majoid crab occurring in tropical and subtropical coastal waters of the eastern and western South Atlantic. Larval development consists of two zoeal stages and a megalopa. Beginning with the first zoea, the duration of each larval stage at 24degreesC was 3-8 (5+/-1), 3-5 (4+/-0.5) and 9-15 (11+/-2) days, the megalopa and first crab instar appearing 9-11 (10+/-1) and 20-27 (23+/-2) days after hatching, respectively. Larval characters agree with those proposed for the Majoidea, in having nine or more setae on the scaphognathite in the first zoea and well-developed pleopods in the second zoea. However, larvae of A . violaceus do not fit larval pisid features. Zoeal stages differ from most other Pisidae in having lateral spines, a long rostral spine extending beyond the antenna, two spines per telson fork and a dorsolateral process on the third abdominal somite. The megalopa differs in having a spine dorsally on the carapace and on the basial segment of the second pereiopod. Two characters that are potentially unique to Apiomithrax include a zoeal antenna with an exopod that is much longer than the protopod, and a rostral spine that is longer than the dorsal spine. These characters should facilitate the identification of this taxon and could also be useful for phylogenetic studies. A review of larvae of 28 species among 14 genera indicated that there is no apparent single larval character that differentiates the Pisidae, with more limited phylogenetic analyses suggesting that this is a paraphyletic group. Apiomithrax , Eurynolambrus , Pisoides , Rochinia and Scyra have the most divergent morphological characters within the family. The analysis and inclusion of additional taxa is likely to shed more light on the sister-group relationships of the Pisidae. However, based on the extent of morphological interspecific variability of known larvae it is likely that the group, as presently defined by adult morphology, is not monophyletic.

A new species of Tafalisca Walker, 1869 from the Iguacu National Park, Brazil (Grylloidea, Eneopteridae, Tafaliscinae)

The aim of this work was to describe a new cricket species from the Iguacu National Park, Southeastern Brazil. We characterize the genitalia and external morphology of Tafalisca paranaensis n. sp. and the genitalia of Tafalisca paulista Rehn, 1918 providing a comparison between these species.

Morphological Organization of the Dorsal Protuberance of Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868) Ant's Larvae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Primeiro registro de predação de Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859 e Phalloceros caudimaculatus (Hensel, 1868) por Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Chiroptera, Noctilionidae)

Noctilio leporinus (Chiroptera, Noctilionidae) has adaptations to piscivorous feeding habits, but also consumes crustaceans and insects. Between June 2005 and May 2006, bats were surveyed with mist nets during two evenings per month in the gallery forest of Corrego dos Tenentes, Pindorama, São Paulo State, Brazil. The objectives were to collect fecal samples and identify the fish species that were consumed by N. leporinus in this fragmented forest landscape. We documented two new fish species to its diet, the guppy Poecilia reticulata, Peters, 1859 and the "guaru" Phalloceros caudimaculatus (Hensel, 1868). Both fish species forage near the surface of water for insects and zooplankton, which is an area also utilized by N. leporinus when foraging for insects, crustaceans and fishs.

Seminal analysis, cryogenic preservation, and fertility in matrinxã fish, Brycon cephalus (Günther, 1869)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)