Study of the length of the mouthparts of Africanized, Caucasian and Africanized/Caucasian honey bee crosses, and relationships between glossa sizeand food gathering behavior

Os comprimentos das peças que constituem o aparelho bucal, glossa, paraglossa, estipite, gálea, palpo labial, palpo maxilar, cardo, lorum, mento e pré-mento foram estudados a nível unidimensional em abelhas caucasianas, africanizadas e nos descendentes F1. Somente a paraglossa, estipite, gálea, palpo maxilar, mento e pré-mento mostraram ser diferentes entre esses 2 tipos de abelhas. Essas 6 variáveis foram estudadas nos descendentes F1, tendo sido utilizados 2 tipos de cruzamentos: rainhas caucasianas x machos africanizados (cruzamento 1) e rainhas africanizadas x machos caucasianos (cruzamento 2). Análises multidimensionais também foram realizadas, tendo sido obtidas as distâncias generalizadas de Mahalanobis (D2) entre os parentais e os descendentes F1. Tanto nas análises unidimensionais como nas multidimensionais houve aparente dominância das abelhas africanizadas, mas o número de genes não pôde ser conhecido porque só havia a geração F1 e não houve controle da heterozigosidade das 2 colônias parentais. Os cálculos dos coeficientes de correlações de Spearman mostraram que as abelhas com glossae mais longas coletaram mais xarope de açúcar e voaram mais lentamente da colônia para a fonte de alimento.

Orthogonal projections and bootstrap resampling procedures in the study of infraspecific variation

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

Sources of atmospheric acidity in an agricultural-industrial region of São Paulo State, Brazil

[1] Surface-based measurements of atmospheric formic acid (HCOOH), acetic acid (CH3COOH), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and nitric acid (HNO3) were made in central São Paulo State, Brazil, between April 1999 and March 2000. Mean concentrations were 9.0 ppb (HCOOH), 1.3 ppb (CH3COOH), 4.9 ppb (SO2), 0.3 ppb (HCl), and 0.5 ppb (HNO3). Concentrations in sugar cane burning plumes were 1160-4230 ppb (HCOOH), 360-1750 ppb (CH3COOH), 10-630 ppb (SO2), 4-210 ppb (HCl), and 14-90 ppb (HNO3). Higher ambient concentrations of SO2, HCl and HNO3 were measured during the burning season (May-November). Concentrations of SO2 and HCl increased during the evening, and of HCOOH and CH3COOH were lowest in the morning, with peak levels in the afternoon. Ratios obtained between different species showed either nighttime maxima (SO2/HCOOH, SO2/CH3COOH, SO2/HNO3, CH3COOH/HNO3, SO2/HCl and HCOOH/HNO3), daytime maxima (HCOOH/HCl, CH3COOH/HCl and HNO3/HCl), or no clear trends (HCOOH/CH3COOH). Correlation analysis showed that SO2 and HCl were primary emissions from biomass burning and road transport; HCOOH, HNO3 and CH3COOH were products of photochemistry; HCOOH and CH3COOH were emitted directly during combustion as well as from biogenic sources. Biomass burning affected atmospheric acidity on a regional scale, while vehicular emissions had greater impact in urban and adjacent areas. Atmospheric ammonia levels were insufficient to neutralize atmospheric acidity, which was mainly removed by deposition to the surface.

Macrobenthic intertidal communities from wave to tide dominated beach environments. A case study in two Brazilian beaches

Modification showed by intertidal macrofaunal communities between two nearby sites that change from a wave to a tide dominated beach environment, was analyzed on the present study. At each site, eleven intertidal sampling stations were distributed along a transect, from the drift line to the spring low tide water level. Four macrofaunal samples one meter long-shore spaced were collected at, each station with an iron core of 0.05 m(2) surface area, taken to a depth of 20 cm. Major,differences on sediments between sites were the offshore decrease of mean particle size diameter and increase of kurtosis and water content at the tide dominated site. KIDS ordination showed major similarities between the lowest stations of this site, that represents the dissipative low tide-terrace portion of the beach. Two lower station of the wave dominated site presented similarities with this group. The other stations of the tide-dominated site, that represents the reflective high tide beach portion, grouped distant from the former. (canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed a similar spatial distribution of stations, suggesting the importance of environmental factors on the explanation of species distribution patterns. Sediment water content and water table depth, with the highest inertia value, seems to be the principal physical factor. Increase on water content affects the macrofaunal distribution by the expansion of typical infralitoral species, as was the case of Bathyporeiapus ruffoi, on the dissipative low tide terrace beach portion. A disrupted distribution with the lost of a gradate zonation along a physical gradient is one of the major modification presented by macrobenthic communities on the transition from a wave to a tide dominated beach environment.

AGONISTIC PROFILE AND METABOLISM IN ALEVINS OF THE NILE TILAPIA

Metabolic differences derived from social stress usually show data with high variance that may hinder the finding of important differences. Since such high variance may be caused by agonistic variability occurring during social interactions, this work tested whether metabolism is associated with agonistic profile in the cichlid fish Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Metabolism was inferred from oxygen consumption, resistance to progressive hypoxia and ventilatory rate. Fifteen pairs of alevins were used for each metabolic and behavioral series. An ethogram based on 8 types of agonistic interactions was employed. Agonistic profiles were determined and associated with the physiological parameters later on. The test of canonical correlation showed significant association between some agonistic profiles and metabolism. Ventral nipping and lateral fight appeared as the two most important in promoting association with metabolism.

The role of spatial and temporal descriptors for neotropical tadpole communities in southern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

COX-2 inhibition decreases VEGF expression and alveolar bone loss during the progression of experimental periodontitis in rats

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a macromolecule of importance in inflammation that has been implicated in periodontitis. The aims of this study were to investigate VEGF expression during the progression of periodontal disease and to evaluate the effect of a preferential cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor meloxicam on VEGF expression and alveolar bone loss in experimentally induced periodontitis.Methods: A total of 120 Wistar rats were randomly separated into groups 1 (control) and 2 (meloxicam, 3 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally, for 3, 7, 14, or 30 days). Silk ligatures were placed at the gingival margin level of the lower right first molar of all rats. VEGF expression was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot (WB), and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses. The hemiarcades were processed for histopathologic analysis. RT-PCR and WB results were submitted to analysis of variance, the Tukey test, and Pearson correlation analysis (P<0.05).Results: A reduction in alveolar bone resorption was observed in the meloxicam-treated group compared to the control group at all periods studied. There was a positive correlation between COX-2 mRNA and VEGF mRNA in the gingival tissues and periodontal disease (R = 0.80; P = 0.026). Meloxicam significantly reduced the increased mRNA VEGF expression in diseased tissues after 14 days of treatment (P = 0.023). Some alterations in VEGF receptor I mRNA expression were observed, but these were not statistically significant. VEGF protein expression in WB experiments was significantly higher in diseased sites compared to healthy sites (P<0.05). After 14 days of treatment with meloxicam, an important decrease in VEGF protein expression was detected in diseased tissues (P = 0.08). Qualitative IHC analysis revealed that VEGF protein expression was higher in diseased tissues and decreased in tissues from rats treated with meloxicam.Conclusions: The present data suggest an important role for VEGF in the progression of periodontal disease. Systemic therapy with meloxicam can modify the progression of experimentally induced periodontitis in rats by reducing VEGF expression and alveolar bone loss.

Emergence and initial growth of rambutan seedlings as a function of seed storage conditions

Introduction. Rambutan is a tropical fruit species with recalcitrant seeds. Despite the expansion of exotic fruit cultivation in Brazil, lots of which fruit species, including rambutan, need basic information, especially in relation to propagation and storage of seeds, which are important for genetic improvement studies, maintenance of genetic sources and seedling production. Materials and methods. A completely randomized design was adopted with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement, 3 x 4, referring to three seed storage conditions [room temperature conditions; a dry chamber with (18 +/- 2) degrees C and 60% relative humidity; and a cold chamber with (10 +/- 2) degrees C and 70% relative humidity] and four storage times ( 0, 7, 14 and 21 d). Each treatment of 10 seeds was replicated five times. Data on seedling emergence, emergence rate, plant height, number of leaves and length of main root were submitted to variance analysis and means were separated using Tukey's test. Correlation analysis between seed moisture and seedling emergence was performed. Results and discussion. Our results indicated that dry chamber conditions promoted the statistically significantly highest seedling emergence after 7 d of storage. Cold chamber conditions promoted an extremely low seedling emergence independently of time. Conclusion. Rambutan seeds can be stored in a dry chamber for 7 d without losing viability; after 14 d of storage the loss of emergence is 60%.

Effect of juvenility on cutting propagation of red pitaya

Introduction. Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is an exotic fruit species little known in Brazil and which needs basic studies about plant nutrition, propagation and physiology. Emphasizing the co-existence of juvenile and adult stages in the pitaya canopy, the plant is generally propagated by cuttings. Materials and methods. A completely randomized design with four treatments and five replications was adopted. Each treatment was represented by the part of the canopy from which the cutting was taken ( upper, middle and lower cutting and cuttings from young plants). The following variables were registered: % cuttings with roots, % of live cuttings, root density, root diameter, root area, root length and root dry mass. Results were submitted to variance analyses, Tukey's test at 0.01 probability error and simple correlation analysis. Results and discussion. The results indicated that the position from which the cutting is taken had a quantitative effect on rooting formation of pitaya cuttings. Juvenile cuttings presented 35% more cuttings with roots than adult cuttings. Root density, root area, root length and root dry mass depended on juvenility, the highest results being registered for juvenile cuttings, independently of the variable. Conclusion. Juvenile and adult stages co-exist in the pitaya canopy. Juvenility is an important rooting factor for red pitaya cuttings.

Spider assemblages in widely-separated patches of cerrado in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Brazilian cerrado is a biologically-rich, poorly understood, yet rapidly disappearing habitat. Composition of the spider assemblages from areas of cerrado from three separate sites in the State of São Paulo, Brazil were sampled by beating the canopies and adjacent shrubs of three Myrcia (Myrtaceae; "myrtle") tree species. These produced a total of 859 spiders 'belonging to 21 families and 75 species. The most undisturbed and densest cerrado habitat had the largest number and greatest diversity of spider species, encompassing stalkers, ambushers, space web-weavers, and foliage runners. The other two areas were dominated by foliage runners. Spider distribution in this natural and complex habitat was evaluated by classifying the samples into 12 habitat/microhabitat groups according to local of the patch, tree species, and microhabitat (target tree or adjacent shrub). Correspondence analysis was used for ordination of species and groups based on their abundance. Environmental factors such as patches type (p=0.027) and plant species (p=0.046) had significant effects in explaining the ordination. Canonical correspondence analysis was applied for relating the patterns in species richness and/or abundance to the significant environmental factors. A comparison of the results showed that the family composition among the patches is rather similar, and there is a tendency of spiders species overlap an interregional level (patches effect, p=0.027). However, the most similar spider assemblages living on woody vegetation occurred in Myrcia venulosa and Myrcia guianensis at São Carlos and Pirassununga, demonstrating an interregional similarity (plant species effect, p=0.046) that indicates an association between spiders and particular vegetation.

O grupo natividade e sua correlacao com o grupo bambui

The Natividade Group is a metasedimentary sequence discontinuously exposed in the southeastern region of the Tocantins State. It rests unconformably on the Archean gneissic-granitoid complex and its associated supracrustals, as well as on granite intrusives of the Lajeado Suite (1.870 Ma). It is unconformably covered by the Monte do Carmo Formation and the Serra Grande Formation. The sequence is preserved on tilted blocks and grabens. The western portion is constituted of only detritic metasediments. The intermediate outcrops presents detritic and some carbonatic metasediments. A carbonatic sequence, with some detritic levels, is recognized at the eastern area. The sections of these different domains are interpreted as constituted of fining-up sequences due to three transgressive episodes into an ensialic paleobasin, with uplifted border to the western side and a carbonate platform to the east, which represents the western extension of the Mambui Group. The Natividade Group presents folds with variable styles and no defined vergence, which are synchronous to the regional metamorphism (lower to upper greenschist facies). Two groups of faults cut the sequence. -from English summary

Hypogaeic anti epigaeic ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) assemblages of atlantic costal rainforest and dry mature and secondary amazon forest in Brazil: Continuums or communities

Meat, flour and sugar baits were used on the soil surface and buried to examine species composition of the ant fauna in three separate tropical forests in Brazil, and to control for the effect of the regional faunal pool. Compositional mosaic diversities were comparable among areas, bait types and foraging strata. Mosaic diversity was independent of mean assemblage size. The number of unique species per sampling unit was correlated with mean assemblage size. Canonical correspondence analysis ordered species first by foraging substrate, second by geographic location, and third by diet. The first axis was significantly correlated with mean similarity and affinity. Mean Mahanalobis distances between centroids of groups based upon foraging strata were significantly larger than between localities, indicating local ecological pressures stronger than regional species pool constraints. As most. species foraged in only one stratum in one geographical position and were not omnivorous, the response of species to environmental gradients (continuums) showed a lower coherency with these patterns than did communities, structured around guilds based upon foraging strata and diet.

The silent period in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis

Silent period was evaluated in 20 adult male patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis. Readings were obtained by supramaximal stimulus to the median nerve, during maximum isometric effort of the abductor pollicis brevis muscle against resistance. Two types of abnormalities were observed, motor neuron hypoexcitability with elongated silent period, and motor neuron hyperexcitability with reduction or absence of silent period. Some abnormalities are probably linked with dialysis duration, but show no correlation to presence or absence of peripheral neuropathy. The silent period alterations described in this study could possibly correlate with some other clinical feature frequently seen in patients with chronic renal failure such as hypereflexia of the deep tendon reflexes.

Estudo de modelo alternativo para estimação de componentes de (co)variância e predição de valores genéticos de características de crescimento em bovinos da raça Nelore

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for non-standardized weights at nursing (PR120), at weaning (PR240), at yearling (PR365) and at post yearling (PR550), and to predict EPD's (expected progeny differences) for these traits using records from 29,769 Nellores. Covariance components and genetic parameters were estimated by mixed-model methodology, REML, using an animal model. Models for PR120, PR240, PR365 and PR455 included the random direct and maternal animal effects, the dam permanent environmental effect and the error. Fixed effects were contemporary group (CG) and age of cow at parturition (CIVP) and the covariate age of the calf at measuring. Two additional models for PR365, PR455 and PR550 analyses were used: the first included CG and CIVP, animal and maternal direct effect, residual and age of the calf (as covariate), and the second included CG and CIVP (as fixed effects), animal direct effect, residual and age of calf at measuring. Observed means±standard deviations were: 127±25kg (PR120); 191±34kg (PR240); 225±42kg (PR365); 266±51kg (PR455) and 310±56kg (PR550). From single-trait analyses, direct and maternal heritabilities for PR120, PR240, PR365 and PR455 were, respectively, .23 and .08; .19 and .10; .24 and .04; .30 and .04. Direct heritabilities were .39; .44 and .43, respectively, for PR365, PR455 and PR550. In the model without permanent effect, direct and maternal heritabilities for PR365, PR455 and PR550 were .25 and .08; .32 and .07; .38 and .03, respectively. When the estimates for standardized traits at the same period were compared, no differences in magnitude were found. Rank correlation had important changes when standardized and non-standardized traits were compared.

Metabolismo oxidativo de neutrófilos em ovelhas naturalmente infectadas por nematódeos gastrintestinais e correlação entre nível sérico de cortisol e carga parasitária

The relationships between neutrophils oxidative metabolism, cortisol serum levels and worm burden, estimated by fecal egg count (EPG), were studied in sheep naturally infected by gastrointestinal parasites at the end of pregnancy, during lactation, and after weaning. Twenty-two Suffolk sheep three to four year old, of same parity and season of parturition were used. Serum cortisol was determined by radioimmunoassay and the neutrophils oxidative metabolism by the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test. The highest EPG values were observed on the fifth week of lactation while the highest rates of cortisol and reduction of NBT occurred on the fourth week after weaning. A positive correlation (r = 0.52; P<0.01) was observed between the neutrophils capacity to reduce the NBT and the serum cortisol concentration in the pre-parturition period. Otherwise, the neutrophils oxidative metabolism decreased near to the parturition. A negative correlation (r = -0.39; P<0.01) between EPG and NBT reduction test was observed after weaning, which was coincident with the increase in the neutrophils capacity to reduce NBT, indicating that animals showing better immune response after weaning have neutrophils with higher oxidative metabolism and lower worm burden.