Avaliação do perfil eletroforético das proteínas séricas em matrizes pesadas (gallus gallus domesticus) da linhagem avian farm

This work is aimed to determine the profile of electrophoretic serum protein in healthy adult broiler breeders (Gallus gallus domesticus) of the Avian farm strain. Fifteen breeders aging 63 weeks from Conchas, city located in the State of São Paulo, were assessed. The biuret method was used to obtain the total serum protein values and protein fractions separation through electrophoresis technique in agarose gel, and film reading through densitometry in 520nM. Seven fractions were obtained, whereas, β 1 - globulin and β 2 - globulin were not cited by the authors in the textbooks checked. The prealbumin fraction was identified only in six out of 15 samples analyzed. In five breeders, it was observed the division of g - globulin into two fractions named g - 1 and g - 2, according to the electrophoretic mobilities. The relation albumin/globulin (A/G) found in the experiment agrees with the other authors cited, demonstrating that it decreases as the age increases.

Structural, cytochemical, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural characterization of blood granulocytes of the roadside hawk Buteo magnirostris (Gmelin, 1788) (Avian, Falconiform)

In the peripheral blood of the roadside hawk, Buteo magnirostris, the following types of granulocytic leucocytes were identified: heterophil, eosinophil and basophil. The heterophils presented acidophilic and spindle shaped granules, the eosinophils possess spherical eosinophilic granules and the basophils showed spherical and basophilic granules. The heterophils and eosinophils presented positive cytochemical reaction to glycogen and basic polyaminoacid, while the eosinophils presented sudanophilic granules, which were also positive for myeloperoxidase. The heterophils, alone, presented positivity for acid phosphatase in some granules and immunoreactivity to TGF-β1 was observed only in the cytoplasm of the eosinophils. Electron microscopy demonstrated the heterophil granules as predominantly spindle shaped, being strongly electron-dense, while the eosinophils had numerous uniformly electron-dense spherical granules and the basophils presented three different types of granules identified according to their electron-density and the aspect of their matrix.

Skull and mandible formation in the cuckoo (Aves, Cuculidae): Contributions to the nomenclature in avian osteology and systematics

The study of the contributions of different bones to the formation of the skeleton in birds is necessary: (1) to establish homologies in comparative anatomy; (2) to delimit each bone structure correctly, mainly in relation to the skull and mandible where the bones are fused to each other in adults; and (3) to standardize nomenclature in avian osteology. In this paper at least one young specimen belonging to each sub-family of Cuculidae was examined in order to identify each bone in terms of boundaries and contributions to skull and mandible formation. These cuckoos specimens were also compared with adults and young of turacos and hoatzin. The results show little variation of skull and jaw among the young cuckoos studied compared with the variations among adult specimens. However, it provides new suggestions for the boundaries and nomenclature of certain osseous structures in the skull and mandible of birds, specifically fissura zona flexoria craniofacialis, prominetia frontoparietalis, crista temporalis transversa, processus squamosalis, fossa laterosphenoidalis, tuberculum laterosphenoidale and processus retroangularis. This study also provides more reliable homologies for use in cladistic analysis and above all it contributes to the phylogenetic position of Cuculidae within Neognathae, specifically the skull formation suggest that turacos and hoatzin are more similar to each other than either is to the cuckoos. © 2005 Taylor & Francis.

Flight range extension in Polistes simillimus Zikán, 1951 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

The aim of this study was to determine the flight range extension of the social wasps, Polistes simillimus. The results of the 125 wasps-carried out tests originating from 10 colonies in post-emergency stage demonstrated that the flight range extension of P. simillimus was of approximately 150m, resulting in a collection area of about 70.650m2 by colony. It suggested wasp's efficiency as a biological control agent.

Differential seed germination of a keystone palm (Euterpe edulis) dispersed by avian frugivores

The effectiveness of seed dispersal by vertebrates has been analysed by examining both quantitative and qualitative components (Jordano & Schupp 2000, Schupp et al. 2010). While the quantitative component is relatively easily assessed in the field (e.g. visitation rate, number of fruits eaten per visit), the qualitative component (e.g. fate of dispersed seeds, seed treatment in the digestive system of the disperser) is rarely studied under natural conditions, because it is difficult to measure the effects on seeds once ingested by the dispersers (Cortes et al. 2009). © Cambridge University Press 2012.

Avian assemblages in bamboo and non-bamboo habitats in a tropical rainforest

Some species of bird are closely associated with bamboos (bamboo specialists) but community-wide studies comparing the avian assemblages in bamboo and non-bamboo habitats are lacking. Using point counts, we compared the species richness, abundance and composition of the avian assemblages in bamboo and non-bamboo habitats in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Apart from considering bamboo specialists and non-specialist species, we contrasted birds from different categories of forest dependence, forest strata and diet. We recorded a total of 81 species of birds (74 in bamboo, 55 in non-bamboo habitats), including 15 bamboo specialists. Species richness was greater in bamboo habitats in all categories of diet and forest dependence. Bamboo and non-bamboo habitats had a similar number of canopy species, but bamboo habitats had a greater number of non-canopy species. The abundance of the whole avian community or of each of the dietary categories did not differ between habitats. The overall species composition differed between habitats, with a more homogeneous composition in non-bamboo habitats. A great number of species use bamboo habitats, even if they are not bamboo specialists. The initial expansion of bamboos, forming discrete patches of bamboo within mature forest, represents an intermediate-level disturbance that enhances forest heterogeneity and promotes the diversity of avian communities. © BirdLife Australia 2013.

Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to different doses of attenuated vaccine against avian infectious bronchitis virus

The antibody and cellular immune responses against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were evaluated at mucosal sites of chickens after immunization with various doses of an attenuated vaccine at 1 day of age. The correlation of these immune responses with protection of tracheal tissues was evaluated after experimental infection of these birds. Significantly reduced tracheal pathologic effects, measured according to ciliostasis and histology lesions, and reduced viral load were observed only in the full-dose vaccinated group at 5 days post-infection (dpi), while incomplete protection was observed for the subdose vaccinated groups. Moreover, birds of vaccinated groups, especially with full dose, developed higher levels of lachrymal IBV-specific IgG and IgA and increased the expression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) genes, such as gamma interferon (IFNγ), CD8+ T cell marker, and granzyme homolog A more rapidly. In addition, these humoral and cellular immune responses evaluated at mucosal sites correlated significantly with tracheal protection against homologous IBV challenge in a vaccine dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that IgG, IgA and CD8+ T cell responses developed at mucosal sites after IBV vaccination of day-old chicks, could be taken as good correlates of protection against this virus. © 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Comportamento do papagaio-do-mangue Amazona amazonica: gregarismo, ciclos nictemerais e comunicação sonora

Neste estudo foi realizado o censo de uma população de Papagaio-do-mangue Amazona amazonica em um dormitório, a Ilha dos Papagaios, nos arredores de Belém, PA. Através das contagens verificamos que o número total de papagaios, indivíduos sozinhos, casais, trios, grupos de quatro e de cinco indivíduos apresentaram uma flutuação, indicando sazonalidade reprodutiva, que influencia no número de indivíduos através da diminuição de sua participação nos bandos que dormem na ilha durante seu período reprodutivo, já que a espécie fornece cuidados parentais aos filhotes. Em relação ao ciclo nictemeral, avaliamos a influência de fatores abióticos nos horários de deslocamentos dos indivíduos dessa população no dormitório. Estabelecemos uma forma de registrar a freqüência de sua chegada ou saída de minuto em minuto e relacionamos os dados obtidos com o horário do ocaso e da aurora. Verificamos que a porcentagem média de indivíduos que chega e sai é significativamente maior depois do ocaso e antes da aurora, respectivamente, e que as condições climatológicas adversas influenciam significativamente na movimentação diária dos papagaios, mascarando o real posicionamento do Sol, adiantando ou atrasando sua chegada e saída do dormitório. Embora os Papagaios-do-mangue sejam aves diurnas, eles se deslocam em horários de pouca luminosidade, e o fotoperiodismo é o sincronizador de suas atividades. Quanto sua comunicação sonora, registramos 9 vocalizações em seu repertório vocal durante o período reprodutivo, relacionadas a três categorias comportamentais diferentes. Verificamos ainda diferenças inter-individuais em seu chamado de contato de vôo e dialetos vocais entre as populações estudadas.

Influence of spray mixture volume and flight height on herbicide deposition in aerial applications on pastures

The objective of the present study was to analyze the influence of spray mixture volume and flight height on herbicide deposition in aerial applications on pastures. The experimental plots were arranged in a pasture area in the district of Porto Esperidião (Mato Grosso, Brazil). In all of the treatments, the applications contained the herbicides aminopyralid and fluroxypyr (Dominum) at the dose of 2.5 L c.p. ha-1, including the adjuvant mineral oil (Joint Oil) at the dose of 1.0 L and a tracer to determine the deposition by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (rhodamine at a concentration of 0.6%). The experiment consisted of nine treatments that comprised the combinations of three spray volumes (20, 30 and 50 L ha-1) and three flight heights (10, 30 and 40 m). The results showed that, on average, there was a tendency for larger deposits for the smallest flight heights, with a significant difference between the heights of 10 and 40 m. There was no significant difference among the deposits obtained with the different spray mixture volumes.

Recommendations for monitoring avian populations with point counts: a case study in southeastern Brazil

No hemisfério norte, o censo de aves é fundamental para gerar informações que auxiliam na compreensão de tendências populacionais. Tais censos, devido à marcada sazonalidade deste hemisfério, são realizados durante dois momentos distintos: na estação reprodutiva (aves residentes) e no inverno (quando as aves migratórias deixam determinadas regiões). Na região neotropical, porém, dependendo da localidade, as aves podem se reproduzir durante qualquer ou vários períodos do ano; podem ou não migrar, e aquelas que o fazem podem apresentar um padrão assincrônico. Em contraste com o hemisfério norte, tendências populacionais são desconhecidas, bem como o impacto das taxas rápidas de urbanização e desmatamento, que também são pouco monitoradas. Para melhor entender padrões temporais de riqueza e abundância de aves, e avaliar como um censo similar pode ser implementado na América tropical, foram utilizados pontos de escuta ao longo de 12 meses em uma localidade no Estado de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. Os censos ocorreram duas vezes por dia (manhãs/tardes) em uma floresta semidecidual ao longo de transecções com 10 pontos (20 pontos por dia) distantes 200 m entre si e com raio de detecção limitado em 100 m. Ambas as riquezas e abundâncias de aves foram maiores durante as manhãs, mas as curvas de acumulação sugerem que os censos vespertinos com maior esforço amostral podem fornecer resultados similares aos censos matutinos. Riqueza e abundância das aves não variam de acordo com estações (i.e., sem padrão aparente entre reprodução e migração), enquanto espécies exclusivas foram encontradas todos os meses e relativamente poucas espécies (20%) foram registradas em todos os meses do ano. Durante este ano, 84% de todas as aves florestais da área estudada foram registradas. Sugerimos que a metodologia de pontos de escuta pode ser utilizada à semelhança dos censos do hemisfério norte. Recomendamos ainda que o esforço amostral em transecções deva incluir ao menos 20 pontos, e que o início da contagem das aves deva ser sazonal, utilizando o período de migração das espécies austrais (e os seis meses seguintes) para coordenar pontos de escuta. Por último, sugerimos que os censos no Brasil e até mesmo na América Latina podem ajudar no entendimento de tendências populacionais, mas também demandam maior esforço do que o observado em latitudes temperadas, devido à maior riqueza de espécies e diferenças nas dinâmicas de reprodução e migração. Por meio do uso de censos de aves coordenados poderá ser desenvolvida uma técnica para os trópicos que irá gerar informações que permitam acompanhar tendências populacionais, com benefícios para a conservação das aves, similarmente aos censos realizados em países do hemisfério norte.

Asymmetrical Dependence Between a Neotropical Mistletoe and its Avian Seed Disperser

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Decay of interspecific avian flock networks along a disturbance gradient in Amazonia

Our understanding of how anthropogenic habitat change shapes species interactions is in its infancy. This is in large part because analytical approaches such as network theory have only recently been applied to characterize complex community dynamics. Network models are a powerful tool for quantifying how ecological interactions are affected by habitat modification because they provide metrics that quantify community structure and function. Here, we examine how large-scale habitat alteration has affected ecological interactions among mixed-species flocking birds in Amazonian rainforest. These flocks provide a model system for investigating how habitat heterogeneity influences non-trophic interactions and the subsequent social structure of forest-dependent mixed-species bird flocks. We analyse 21 flock interaction networks throughout a mosaic of primary forest, fragments of varying sizes and secondary forest (SF) at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in central Amazonian Brazil. Habitat type had a strong effect on network structure at the levels of both species and flock. Frequency of associations among species, as summarized by weighted degree, declined with increasing levels of forest fragmentation and SF. At the flock level, clustering coefficients and overall attendance positively correlated with mean vegetation height, indicating a strong effect of habitat structure on flock cohesion and stability. Prior research has shown that trophic interactions are often resilient to large-scale changes in habitat structure because species are ecologically redundant. By contrast, our results suggest that behavioural interactions and the structure of non-trophic networks are highly sensitive to environmental change. Thus, a more nuanced, system-by-system approach may be needed when thinking about the resiliency of ecological networks.

Fatigue Behavior of Weld Repaired AISI 4130 Aeronautic Steel Used in Critical Flight Safety Structures

Since the 1950s, fatigue is the most important project and operational consideration for both civil and military aircrafts. For some aircraft models the most loaded component is one that supports the motor: the Motor Cradle. Because they are considered critical to the flight safety the aeronautic standards are extremely rigorous in manufacturing them by imposing a zero index of defects on the final weld quality (Safe Life), which is 100% inspected by Non-Destructive Testing/NDT. This study has as objective to evaluate the effects of up to four successive TIG welding repairs on the axial fatigue strength of an AISI 4130 steel. Tests were conducted on hot-rolled steel plate specimens, 0.89 mm thick, with load ratio R = 0.1, constant amplitude, at 20 Hz frequency and in room temperature, in accordance with ASTM E466 Standard. The results were related to microhardness and microstructural and geometric changes resulting from welding cycles.

Protein content of leaf-cutting ant queens before the nuptial flight and during the post-claustral phase

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