Ultrastructure of the parotid and submandibular glands of the Old World marten (Carnivora; Mustelidae)

The morphology of the parotid and submandibular glands in the marten, a carnivore, were studied and analyzed under a transmission electron microscope. The nature of the granules in both glands, as well as in the acini and in the secretory tubules, is rather mucous. The structure of the secretory tubules is very characteristic, especially the striated ones. The myoepithelial cells are close to the acini and tubules and covered by the basement membrane separating them from the connective tissue, which enhances its epithelial origin. The cytoplasm of the basal parts of the acinar and tubular cells is abundant and separates the nucleus from the secretion granules. Although the morphology of the salivary glands of many carnivores is known, those of the parotid gland of the marten present peculiar characteristics, since they produce a rather mucous saliva and the granules, when forming, are far from the base as well as from the apex of the secretory cells. The submandibular gland contains granules of different densities, an aspect that in general resembles that of other animals.

Descrição de um fóssil de Eira barbara (Carnivora, Mustelidae) do Pleistoceno final (Bacia do Acre) e morfologia comparada do sincrânio de E. barbara recente: implicações paleobiogeográficas, geográficas e taxonômicas

A espécie recente Eira barbara (Mustelidae, Carnivora) possui uma distribuição geográfica desde o México até o norte da Argentina. É um importante táxon a ser estudado como modelo anatômico dentre os mustelídeos, assim como um importante modelo para uma melhor compreensão e entendimento sobre a diversificação dos Mustelidae. Atualmente, os registros fósseis de E. barbara na América do Sul são bastante escassos e restritos às idades pleistocênicas, sendo que os estudos destes fósseis são frequentemente desprovidos de maiores esforços para realização de descrições morfológicas detalhadas e de estudos paleobiogeográficos. Assim como os estudos dos fósseis de E. barbara são limitados, constatou-se que o mesmo cenário é observado quanto aos estudos sobre a morfologia e biogeografia da espécie. Desta forma, o presente trabalho se propôs a: realizar uma revisão de todos os registros da espécie e de uma forma geral, contribuir para um melhor conhecimento sobre a morfologia sincraniana e sobre a história biogeográfica e paleobiogeográfica de E. barbara. Para tanto, os seguintes objetivos foram propostos: estudo e redescrição detalhada do fóssil UFAC-PV 036, proveniente do Pleistoceno final do Alto Rio Juruá do sudoeste da Amazônia Brasileira; descrição sincraniana comparada de estruturas morfológicas externas e internas, analisando caracteres intraespecíficos da espécie E. barbara; realização de análises multivariadas a fim de investigar variações geográficas sob o uso de caracteres craniométricos de E. barbara entre os diferentes biomas brasileiros. A revisão dos registros fósseis foi de grande importância para o estabelecimento dos verdadeiros registros de Eira na América do Sul e a redescrição de UFAC-PV 36 contribui para o melhor conhecimento morfológico e paleobiogeográfico da espécie. A descrição morfológica comparada do sincrânio de E. barbara contribui de forma significativa para o conhecimento sobre a morfologia da espécie bem como, a descrição de caracteres intraespecíficos proporcionam caracteres mais apropriados em matrizes morfológicas, fornecendo maior robustez nas análises filogenéticas futuras. Este trabalho propõe que E. barbara não possui diferenças craniométricas estatisticamente significativas entre os biomas brasileiros, porém, E. barbara caracteriza-se aqui como uma espécie dimórfica, na qual os machos possuem estruturas cranianas relativamente maiores do que as fêmeas.

Carnivora from the Tertiary formations of the John Day region,

Mode of access: Internet.

Distribuição espaço-temporal e dieta de Lontra longicaudis (Carnivora: mustelidae) em região costeira do sul do RS

A lontra-neotropical (Lontra longicaudis) é um carnívoro semi-aquático, com adaptações morfológicas para viver nos mais diversos habitats aquáticos, como rios, lagos, mangues e estuários. Além disso, também é encontrada em ambientes marinhos, onde se alimenta, ou apenas transita. São carnívoros que se alimentam principalmente de peixes e crustáceos. O objetivo desde trabalho foi verificar a utilização de ambientes de influência do mar, por L. longicaudis, no litoral sul do RS. A área de estudo foi a Praia do Cassino, onde foram percorridos seis cursos d’água (sangradouros), por cerca de 1 km em cada, à procura de fezes de lontras, entre dezembro de 2009 e novembro de 2010. As fezes foram analisadas para determinar a distribuição espaço-temporal e a dieta das lontras. Foram encontradas 75 fezes de lontras, sendo a maior quantidade no inverno e outono, diminuindo na primavera e verão. As maiores quantidades de fezes foram encontradas nos sangradouros R7 e R9, por estes serem mais extensos e profundos. As menores quantidades de fezes nos sangradouros R4, R8 e R10 se deve ao fato de estes serem menores e menos profundos. Os peixes foram as principais presas das lontras, seguidos pelos crustáceos, anfíbios, moluscos, insetos, aves e mamíferos. Os peixes foram mais predados na maior parte das estações, exceto no outono, quando os crustáceos predominaram. No inverno, os anfíbios predominaram sobre os crustáceos, sendo o segundo grupo mais predado. Os peixes mais consumidos foram Perciformes e Siluriformes. Foi verificado que as lontras utilizam os sangradouros da Praia do Cassino, mesmo estes não possuindo vegetação e substrato mais favoráveis à espécie. A maior utilização dos ambientes durante o inverno provavelmente se deve ao fato de neste período os sangradouros estarem mais profundos. A dieta das lontras variou ao longo do ano, possivelmente conforme a disponibilidade das presas.

Tick-Borne Bacteria in Free-Living Jaguars (Panthera onca) in Pantanal, Brazil

Tick-borne bacteria were investigated in 10 free-living jaguars and their ticks in the Pantanal biome, Brazil. Jaguar sera were tested by indirect fluorescent antibody assays using Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommii, Rickettsia rhipicephali, Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia bellii, Ehrlichia canis, and Coxiella burnetii as crude antigens. All 10 jaguar sera reacted (titer >= 64) to at least one Rickettsia species; 4 and 3 sera reacted with E. canis and C. burnetii, respectively. One jaguar presented antibody titer to R. parkeri at least fourfold higher than those to any of the other five Rickettsia antigens, suggesting that this animal was infected by R. parkeri. Ticks collected from jaguars included the species Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma triste, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. No Rickettsia DNA was detected in jaguar blood samples, but an A. triste specimen collected on a jaguar was shown by PCR to be infected by R. parkeri. The blood of two jaguars and samples of A. triste, A. cajennense, and Amblyomma sp. yielded Ehrlichia DNA by PCR targeting the ehrlichial genes 16S rRNA and dsb. Partial DNA sequences obtained from PCR products resulted in a new ehrlichial strain, here designated as Ehrlichia sp. strain Jaguar. A partial DNA sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of this novel strain showed to be closest (99.0%) to uncultured strains of Ehrlichia sp. from Japan and Russia and 98.7% identical to different strains of Ehrlichia ruminantium. The ehrlichial dsb partial sequence of strain jaguar showed to be at most 80.7% identical to any Ehrlichia species or genotype available in GenBank. Through phylogenetic analysis, Ehrlichia sp. strain jaguar grouped in a cluster, albeit distantly, with different genotypes of E. ruminantium. Results highlight risks for human and animal health, considering that cattle ranching and ecotourism are major economic activities in the Pantanal region of Brazil.

Evolutionary history of dog rabies in Brazil

Although dogs are considered to be the principal transmitter of rabies in Brazil, dog rabies had never been recorded in South America before European colonization. In order to investigate the evolutionary history of dog rabies virus (RABV) in Brazil, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of carnivore RABV isolates from around the world and estimated the divergence times for dog RABV in Brazil. Our estimate for the time of introduction of dog RABV into Brazil was the late-19th to early-20th century, which was later than the colonization period but corresponded to a period of increased immigration from Europe to Brazil. In addition, dog RABVs appeared to have spread to indigenous animals in Brazil during the latter half of the 20th century, when the development and urbanization of Brazil occurred. These results suggest that the movement of rabid dogs, along with human activities since the 19th century, promoted the introduction and expansion of dog RABV in Brazil.

The shoulder architecture of bears and other carnivores [by] D. Dwight Davis.

v.31:no.34(1949)

The auditory region of the arctoid carnivores.

v.29:no.3(1943)

Macroecologia de carnívoros do Novo Mundo (Mammalia): envelopes de restrição e análise de padrões filogenéticos

The relationship between body size and geographic range was analyzed for 70 species of terrestrial Carnivora ("fissipeds") of the New World, after the control of phylogenetic patterns in the data using phylogenetic eigenvector regression. The analysis from EcoSim software showed that the variables are related as a triangular envelope. Phylogenetic patterns in data were detected by means of phylogenetic correlograms, and 200 simulations of the phenotypic evolution were also performed over the phylogeny. For body size, the simulations suggested a non-linear relationship for the evolution of this character along the phylogeny. For geographic range size, the correlogram showed no phylogenetic patterns. A phylogenetic eigenvector regression was performed on original data and on data simulated under Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. Since both characters did not evolve under a simple Brownian motion process, the Type I errors should be around 10%, compatible with other methods to analyze correlated evolution. The significant correlation of the original data (r = 0.38; P < 0.05), as well as the triangular envelope, then indicate ecological and adaptive processes connecting the two variables, such as those proposed in minimum viable population models.

Mamíferos carnívoros e sua relação com a diversidade de hábitats no Parque Nacional dos Aparados da Serra, sul do Brasil

A survey of carnivore mammals was accomplished in Aparados da Serra National Park from February 1998 to March 2000. The park has 10,250 ha and is considered a biodiversity core area of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The landscape is characterized by relatively well preserved relicts of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Kuntze forest, grasslands and Atlantic Forest, which have contributed for the survival of endangered carnivore mammals. The National Park was divided in a grid of 16 km² cells using a 1:50,000 scale map. The animals were recorded using indirect methods, by identifying signs (scats, tracks) and direct observation in 2.5 km long and 5 m wide transects, with 10 replicates in each grid cell. Interviews with local people were also used to confirm the animal presence. A total of 13 species was recorded: Procyon cancrivorus (Cuvier, 1798), Pseudalopex gymnocercus (G. Fischer, 1814), Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766) were the most frequent species registered. Nasua nasua (Linnaeus 1766), Herpailurus yaguarondi (Lacépède, 1809), Chrysocyon brachyurus (Illiger, 1815), Eira barbara (Linnaeus, 1758), Leopardus sp., Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771), Galictis cuja (Molina, 1782), Conepatus chinga (Molina, 1892) and Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) showed lower frequencies. The Park presented areas with significant differences (Mantel Test, P< 0.05) in species richness and composition related to habitat classes. Areas with high habitat richness presented high species richness. The Araucaria forest was the habitat that presented the higher carnivore richness. The border areas of the Park are influenced by several environmental degradation factors that could be affecting the distribution of carnivores.

Some early Miocene carnivores / by Elmer S. Riggs --

v.9:no.3(1945)

Serosurvey Study of Toscana Virus in Domestic Animals, Granada, Spain

Toscana virus (TOSV) is transmitted by infected sandflies. In Mediterranean countries, TOSV is one of the major viral pathogens involved in aseptic meningitis and meningoencephalitis in humans. It remains unclear if there are animal reservoirs able to maintain the virus through the cold months of the year, when the vector is not circulating. From May to October of 2006 and 2007, we conducted a serosurvey study on domestic animals from Granada province (southern Spain). TOSV was investigated in 1186 serum samples from horses, goats, pigs, cats, dogs, sheep, and cows by serology (indirect fluorescence assay), viral culture, and RT-polymerase chain reaction. Specific anti-TOSV antibodies were detected in 429 (36.2%) serum samples. The highest seropositivity rates were observed in cats (59.6%) and dogs (48.3%). These results suggest that an important percentage of the domestic animals have been infected by TOSV. Significantly different seroprevalence rates were detected in goats among distinct geographical areas. All viral cultures were negative. TOSV was detected by RT-polymerase chain reaction in only one serum sample from a goat. Thus, the studied animals do not seem to act as reservoirs for TOSV; otherwise, they could be amplifying hosts for the virus.

Chagas disease: control, elimination and eradication. Is it possible?

From an epidemiological point of view, Chagas disease and its reservoirs and vectors can present the following characteristics: (i) enzooty, maintained by wild animals and vectors, with broad occurrence from southern United States of America (USA) to southern Argentina and Chile (42ºN 49ºS), (ii) anthropozoonosis, when man invades the wild ecotope and becomes infected with Trypanosoma cruzi from wild animals or vectors or when the vectors and wild animals, especially marsupials, invade the human domicile and infect man, (iii) zoonosis-amphixenosis and exchanged infection between animals and humans by domestic vectors in endemic areas and (iv) zooanthroponosis, infection that is transmitted from man to animals, by means of domestic vectors, which is the rarest situation in areas endemic for Chagas disease. The characteristics of Chagas disease as an enzooty of wild animals and as an anthropozoonosis are seen most frequently in the Brazilian Amazon and in the Pan-Amazon region as a whole, where there are 33 species of six genera of wild animals: Marsupialia, Chiroptera, Rodentia, Edentata (Xenarthra), Carnivora and Primata and 27 species of triatomines, most of which infected with T. cruzi . These conditions place the resident populations of this area or its visitors - tourists, hunters, fishermen and especially the people whose livelihood involves plant extraction - at risk of being affected by Chagas disease. On the other hand, there has been an exponential increase in the acute cases of Chagas disease in that region through oral transmission of T. cruzi , causing outbreaks of the disease. In four seroepidemiological surveys that were carried out in areas of the microregion of the Negro River, state of Amazonas, in 1991, 1993, 1997 and 2010, we found large numbers of people who were serologically positive for T. cruzi infection. The majority of them and/or their relatives worked in piassava extraction and had come into contact with and were stung by wild triatomines in that area. Finally, a characteristic that is greatly in evidence currently is the migration of people with Chagas disease from endemic areas of Latin America to non-endemic countries. This has created a new dilemma for these countries: the risk of transmission through blood transfusion and the onus of controlling donors and treating migrants with the disease. As an enzooty of wild animals and vectors, and as an anthropozoonosis, Chagas disease cannot be eradicated, but it must be controlled by transmission elimination to man.

PARP-1 regulates metastatic melanoma through modulation of vimentin-induced malignant transformation.

PARP inhibition can induce anti-neoplastic effects when used as monotherapy or in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy in various tumor settings; however, the basis for the anti-metastasic activities resulting from PARP inhibition remains unknown. PARP inhibitors may also act as modulators of tumor angiogenesis. Proteomic analysis of endothelial cells revealed that vimentin, an intermediary filament involved in angiogenesis and a specific hallmark of EndoMT (endothelial to mesenchymal transition) transformation, was down-regulated following loss of PARP-1 function in endothelial cells. VE-cadherin, an endothelial marker of vascular normalization, was up-regulated in HUVEC treated with PARP inhibitors or following PARP-1 silencing; vimentin over-expression was sufficient to drive to an EndoMT phenotype. In melanoma cells, PARP inhibition reduced pro-metastatic markers, including vasculogenic mimicry. We also demonstrated that vimentin expression was sufficient to induce increased mesenchymal/pro-metastasic phenotypic changes in melanoma cells, including ILK/GSK3-β-dependent E-cadherin down-regulation, Snail1 activation and increased cell motility and migration. In a murine model of metastatic melanoma, PARP inhibition counteracted the ability of melanoma cells to metastasize to the lung. These results suggest that inhibition of PARP interferes with key metastasis-promoting processes, leading to suppression of invasion and colonization of distal organs by aggressive metastatic cells.

Using a top predator as a sentinel for environmental contamination with pathogenic bacteria: the Iberian wolf and leptospires

The Iberian wolf (Canis lupus) is the top predator in the Iberian environments in which it lives, feeding on a wide range of species, thus encountering a wide range of disease agents. Therefore, the wolf can serve as sentinel of environmental contamination with pathogens. We investigated the exposure of free-living wolves to 14 serovars of Leptospira interrogans sensu lato. Kidney samples from 49 wolves collected from 2010-2013 in northwestern Spain were analysed by culture, direct immunofluorescence and polymerase chain reaction. Tissue fluids were analysed for antibodies by a microscopic agglutination test. Ten wolves (observed prevalence: 20%, 95% confidence interval = 11-33%) showed evidence of contact with leptospires, eight through direct detection and nine through serology (7 wolves were positive according to both techniques). Titres below the cut-off level were also detected in seven cases. Serovars confirmed were Canicola (n = 4), Icterohaemorrhagiae (n = 3) and Sejroë, Ballum and Grippotyphosa (n = 1 each), indicating that wolves were infected with serovars for which dogs, rodents and ungulates, are the natural hosts and supporting the utility of the wolf and other large predators as environmental sentinels for pathogens.