Ultrasonographic and endocrine aspects of follicle deviation, and acquisition of ovulatory capacity in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) heifers

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

Functional aspects of floral nectar secretion of Ananas ananassoides, an ornithophilous bromeliad from the Brazilian savanna

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

Morphological aspects of cluster formation in the germarium of the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis Fabricius (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae)

Diatraea saccharalis F. is one of the greatest pests of the sugar cane culture. This report aimed to characterize the germanium region of the sugarcane borer by light and transmission electron microscopy, emphasizing the morphological steps of the ovarian cluster formation. In the germanium of this insect, four zones could be morphologically identified during the cluster formation. In the most apical end of each ovariole - Zone I - the germ line stem cells undergo complete mitotic division, originating the cystoblasts. In the Zone II, each cystoblast produces a group of eight cells, the cystocytes, which are interconnected by the ring canals. Clusters containing all the cystocytes in the meiosis, characterizes the Zone III. Germ cells with ultrastructural features of apoptosis are also detected in this Zone. In the Zone IV the cystocytes differentiate, morphologically, into one oocyte and seven nurse cells. Interstitial somatic cells and pre-follicle cells exhibit, in their cytoplasm, heterogeneous vacuoles containing degenerated cellular fragments, characterized as apoptotic bodies. Our results pointed out to the morphological evidences related with important control mechanisms for new clusters/follicles production and for the cellular arrangement into the germanium, resulting from the programmed cell death. We believe that the morphological characterization of ovarian cluster formation in D. saccharalis provided valuable information for the understanding of the initial steps of oogenesis and contributed for the knowledge of the cellular mechanisms related with the oocyte production and with reproduction in insects.

Ultrastructural aspects of the mandibular gland of Melipona bicolor Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera : Apidae, Meliponini) in the castes

The mandibular gland in Melipona bicolor workers and queens was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. There is no difference in the gland anatomy between the castes, but the transmission electron microscopy showed variation of the cellular ultrastructure according to the secretory phase of the gland in both castes. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum was abundant in the secretory cells of physogastric queens, indicating that these cells produce lipid secretion that is stored in granules with multi-lamellar bodies. Mitochondrial variations during the cell secretory cycle indicates their participation in the lipid synthesis. After secretion, release in the reservoir lumen through the collecting canals, the secretory cells contain many myelinic bodies, indicative of cellular regression. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anatomical aspects of the gynoecium of species of Anthurium sect. Urospadix Engl. (Araceae, Alismatales)

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

Social and financial aspects of the artisanal fisheries of Middle Sao Francisco River, Minas Gerais, Brazil

The presence or absence of motorized boats, partnerships and multispecies catches characterize the fisheries of Sao Francisco River, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fishing activity based on 109 interviews, carried out in the wet (high water: February and March) and dry (low water: July and August) seasons, with professional fishermen are described. Aiming to identify the fishery income components, a covariance model was proposed, with the income as the response variable, related to the factors: fishing ground, use of motorized or paddle boat; seasonality; presence of fishing assistant, and the following covariates: capture in weight in the week Frier to the interview, fisherman experience in yrs; and distance (km) travelled for fishing. The results indicated that the main contributions to income were the absence of an engine (because of high price of the fuel), the absence of a partner (because of low capture) and the amount of fish caught by the fishermen.

Integrable aspects of the scaling q-state Potts models I: bound states and bootstrap closure

We discuss the q-state Potts models for q less than or equal to 4, in the scaling regimes close to their critical or tricritical points. Starting from the kink S-matrix elements proposed by Chim and Zamolodchikov, the bootstrap is closed for the scaling regions of all critical points, and for the tricritical points when 4 > q greater than or equal to 2. We also note a curious appearance of the extended last line of Freudenthal's magic square in connection with the Potts models. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Chiral aspects of hadron structure

Chiral loop corrections for hadronic properties are considered in a constituent quark model. It is emphasized that the correct implementation of such corrections requires a sum over intermediate hadronic states. The leading non-analytic corrections are very important for baryon magnetic moments and explain the failure of the sum rule (mu(Sigma+) + 2 mu(Sigma-))/mu(A) = -1 predicted by the constituent quark model. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Aspects of a dynamical gluon mass approach to elastic hadron scattering at LHC

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Universal aspects of light halo nuclei

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

Some aspects of the dynamics of fictitious Earth's satellites

In this work we study the dynamics of fictitious satellites of the Earth. In the first part we do not consider the effect of the Moon and study the dynamics in the restrict three-body model, i.e., a massless satellite under the effect of the gravitational force of an oblate Earth and that of the Sun. We show that a satellite starting with an almost circular orbit suffers very large variations of eccentricity, depending on the initial inclination of the orbit with respect to the reference plane. As the eccentricity may be driven to very large values (approximate to0.9) mutual collisions between satellites or collisions with the planet may occur. In the second part, we include the gravitational effect of the Moon. In this case, we find two regions with large variations of eccentricity due to the presence of the Moon. Consequently, in both scenarios, we find some large regions of the phase space where the long-term stability of some fictitious Earth's satellites is not possible. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental aspects of biomass fuels in a bubbling fluidized bed combustor

This work presents experimental information relevant to the combustion of biomass in a bubbling fluidized bed. The biomass distribution in a fluidized bed was studied through tests performed in a cold bed, while the volatiles released in the biomass pyrolysis, the burning rate of the resulting charcoal, and the combustion control regime, were studied through tests performed in a high temperature bed.Visual examination of photographs taken from a transparent walls bed, with a rectangular cross-section, showed that the large fuel particles, typical of biomass processing, were distributed in the bubbles, in the splash zone, and in the emulsion phase. The occurrence of biomass in the emulsion phase was favored by burning biomass particles of greater density and smaller size-expetimentally determined in each case. Decreasing the fuel particle size improved the biomass distribution inside the bed. The same was accomplished by increasing the superficial gas velocity as high as possible, compatibly with the acceptable elutriation.Burning tests showed that the biomass fuels have the advantage of reaching the diffusional regime at temperatures that can be lower than 1000 K, which ensures that the biomass fuels burn in a stable regime. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological aspects of astrovirus and coronavirus in poults in the South Eastern Region of Brazil

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

Immunologic aspects of West syndrome and evidence of plasma inhibitory effects on T cell function

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o perfil da deficiência imune em um grupo bem definido de epilepsia: crianças com síndrome de West (SW) e seus padrões EEG de evolução, idade-dependentes, como os complexos onda-aguda- onda lenta generalizadas da síndrome de Lenox-Gastaut (SLG) e as pontas multifocais independentes (PMI). MÉTODO: Um grupo de 50 crianças, 33 com SW, 10 com SLG, 7 com PMI e 20 crianças sadias (controle) foram avaliadas em relação aos seguintes parâmetros:determinação de subpopulações de linfócitos T (CD1, CD3, CD4 e CD8), relação CD4/CD8 e resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a fitohemaglutinina (PHA), na presença de plasma autólogo ou de plasma AB (homólogo). A prova cutânea de sensibilização ao Dinitroclorobenzeno (DNCB) foi realizada apenas nos pacientes. Os níveis séricos de IgG, IgA e IgM foram comparados aos valores normais em crianças Brasileiras, em diferentes faixas etárias. RESULTADOS: A resposta ao DNCB foi ausente ou fracamente reativa em 76% dos pacientes. Níveis séricos elevados de IgG (45,7%) e de IgM (61,4%) e baixos de IgA (23,9%) foram detectados nos pacientes. A determinação das subpopulações de linfócitos T em sangue periférico mostrou: deficiência nas proporções de células CD3+ (p<0,05) e de CD4+ (p<0,05), aumento de CD8+ (p<0,01) e diminuição da relação CD4 / CD8 (p<0,001). A proporção de células CD1+ no grupo controle manteve-se menor que 3%, enquanto que em 18% dos pacientes esses níveis variaram entre 3 e 11%. A resposta proliferativa de linfócitos frente a PHA revelou índices blastogênicos significativamente mais baixos apenas quando células dos pacientes foram cultivadas na presença do próprio plasma (plasma autólogo). Quando estas células foram cultivadas na presença de plasma AB, não se evidenciou diferença significativa em relação ao grupo controle. CONCLUSÃO: A imunodeficiência na SW caracterizou-se por: anergia, alteração de imunidade mediada por células e dos níveis de imunoglobulinas, presença de timócitos imaturos na circulação periférica e deficiência funcional de linfócitos T induzida por fatores plasmáticos inibidores. Discutem-se as principais evidências de disfunção imune como imunodeficiência e autoimunidade.

Description of an injury in a human caused by a false tocandira (Dinoponera gigantea, Perty, 1833) with a revision on folkloric, pharmacological and clinical aspects of the giant ants of the genera Paraponera and Dinoponera (sub-family Ponerinae)

A partir de um acidente causado pela picada de uma formiga falsa tocandira na mão de um pescador amador, os autores descrevem os achados clínicos locais observados, tais como edema, eritema e dor excruciante e a evolução do envenenamento, que cursou com fenômenos sistêmicos imediatos, como sudorese fria, náuseas, vômitos, mal estar, taquicardia e linfadenopatia axilar à esquerda. Após três horas, a dor intensa persistia e o paciente apresentou um episódio de hematoquesia, sem história anterior de enfermidades do trato digestivo, hematológicas ou vasculares. O uso de analgésicos (Tramal® 300 mg/dia), água quente e gelo não melhorou a dor, que arrefeceu em oito horas, tendo permanecido por cerca de 24 horas. São apresentados ainda os aspectos folclóricos, farmacológicos e clínicos relacionados às picadas de tocandiras.