Abiotic modulators of Podocnemis unifilis (Testudines: Podocnemididae) abundances in the Peruvian Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Behavior at a nest of Amazilia lactea (Aves, Trochilidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The contribution of air breathing to aerobic scope and exercise performance in the banded knifefish Gymnotus carapo L.

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

Autonomic control of heart rate is virtually independent of temperature but seems related to the neuroanatomy of the efferent vagal supply to the heart in the bullfrog, Lithobathes catesbeianus

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

Protected cerrado fragments grow up and lose even metapopulational birds in central São Paulo, Brazil

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

Thermophysical and rheological properties of dulce de leche with and without coconut flakes as a function of temperature

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

Diretrizes para desenvolvimento coletivo de melhoria contínua em arranjos produtivos locais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Evidence for a respiratory component, similar to mammalian respiratory sinus arrhythmia, in the heart rate variability signal from the rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus terrificus

Autonomic control of heart rate variability and the central location of vagal preganglionic neurones (VPN) were examined in the rattlesnake ( Crotalus durissus terrificus), in order to determine whether respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) occurred in a similar manner to that described for mammals. Resting ECG signals were recorded in undisturbed snakes using miniature datalogging devices, and the presence of oscillations in heart rate (f(H)) was assessed by power spectral analysis (PSA). This mathematical technique provides a graphical output that enables the estimation of cardiac autonomic control by measuring periodic changes in the heart beat interval. At fH above 19 min(-1) spectra were mainly characterised by low frequency components, reflecting mainly adrenergic tonus on the heart. By contrast, at f(H) below 19 min(-1) spectra typically contained high frequency components, demonstrated to be cholinergic in origin. Snakes with a f(H) > 19 min(-1) may therefore have insufficient cholinergic tonus and/or too high an adrenergic tonus acting upon the heart for respiratory sinus arrhythmia ( RSA) to develop. A parallel study monitored f(Hd) simultaneously with the intraperitoneal pressures associated with lung inflation. Snakes with a fH < 19 min(-1) exhibited a high frequency (HF) peak in the power spectrum, which correlated with ventilation rate (f(V)). Adrenergic blockade by propranolol infusion increased the variability of the ventilation cycle, and the oscillatory component of the f(H) spectrum broadened accordingly. Infusion of atropine to effect cholinergic blockade abolished this HF component, confirming a role for vagal control of the heart in matching f(H) and f(V) in the rattlesnake. A neuroanatomical study of the brainstem revealed two locations for vagal preganglionic neurones (VPN). This is consistent with the suggestion that generation of ventilatory components in the heart rate variability (HRV) signal are dependent on spatially distinct loci for cardiac VPN. Therefore, this study has demonstrated the presence of RSA in the HRV signal and a dual location for VPN in the rattlesnake. We suggest there to be a causal relationship between these two observations.

Central control of cardiorespiratory interactions in fish

Fish control the relative flow rates of water and blood over the gills in order to optimise respiratory gas exchange. As both flows are markedly pulsatile, close beat-to-beat relationships can be predicted. Cardiorespiratory interactions in fish are controlled primarily by activity in the parasympathetic nervous system that has its origin in cardiac vagal. preganglionic neurons. Recordings of efferent activity in the cardiac vagus include units firing in respiration-related bursts. Bursts of electrical stimuli delivered peripherally to the cardiac vagus or centrally to respiratory branches of cranial, nerves can recruit the heart over a range of frequencies. So, phasic, efferent activity in cardiac vagi, that in the intact fish are respiration-related, can cause heart rate to be modulated by the respiratory rhythm. In elasmobranch fishes this phasic activity seems to arise primarily from central feed-forward interactions with respiratory motor neurones that have overlapping distributions with cardiac neurons in the brainstem. In teleost fish, they arise from increased levels of efferent vagal activity arising from reflex stimulation of chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors in the orobranchial, cavity. However, these differences are largely a matter of emphasis as both groups show elements of feed-forward and feed-back control of cardiorespiratory interactions. (C) 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

PrimerSNP: a web tool for whole-genome selection of allele-specific and common primers of phylogenetically-related bacterial genomic sequences

Background: The increasing number of genomic sequences of bacteria makes it possible to select unique SNPs of a particular strain/species at the whole genome level and thus design specific primers based on the SNPs. The high similarity of genomic sequences among phylogenetically-related bacteria requires the identification of the few loci in the genome that can serve as unique markers for strain differentiation. PrimerSNP attempts to identify reliable strain-specific markers, on which specific primers are designed for pathogen detection purpose.Results: PrimerSNP is an online tool to design primers based on strain specific SNPs for multiple strains/species of microorganisms at the whole genome level. The allele-specific primers could distinguish query sequences of one strain from other homologous sequences by standard PCR reaction. Additionally, PrimerSNP provides a feature for designing common primers that can amplify all the homologous sequences of multiple strains/species of microorganisms. PrimerSNP is freely available at http://cropdisease.ars.usda.gov/similar to primer.Conclusion: PrimerSNP is a high-throughput specific primer generation tool for the differentiation of phylogenetically-related strains/species. Experimental validation showed that this software had a successful prediction rate of 80.4 - 100% for strain specific primer design.

Naphthopyranone glycosides from Paepalanthus bromelioides

Two new naphtho[2,3-C]pyran-1-one glycosides, paepalantine-9-O-β-D- glucopyranoside and paepalantine-9-O-β-D-allopyranosyl(1 → 6)glucopyranoside, were isolated from an ethanolic extract of capitula from Paepalanthus bromelioides and identified from their spectrometric data.

On a nest of the Planalto Woodcreeper, Dendrocolaptes platyrostris, with taxonomic and conservation notes

A pair of Planalto Woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptes platyrostris) fed young in a nest cavity 6 m up in a wooded botanic garden of an old eucalyptus grove near São Paulo, Brazil, during October 1982. The pair often visited together at first, one (likely male) raising its head feathers as noted in other species of the genus. Feedings were less frequent at midday. Songs of the southeastern moist forest D. p. platyrostris were strikingly different from inland dry forest D. p. intermedius, despite intermediate specimens where the two rather distinctly colored forms come together. There are several poorly studied forms in interior dry forests, which need much more conservation effort.

Pelecitus helicinus Railliet & Henry, 1910 (Filarioidea, Dirofilariinae) and other nematode parasites of Brazilian birds

We report Pelecitus helicinus Railliet & Henry, 1910 from 13 species of birds of 2 orders and 7 families, collected from the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso, Brazil. All 13 constitute new host records for this nematode. In addition, we report the first record of Aprocta golvani Diaz-Ungria, 1963 from Brazil and Monasa nigrifrons (Bucconidae), as well as a number of other nematode records from Neotropical birds.

Birds at Eucalyptus and other flowers in Southern Brazil: A review

In southern Brazil, I recorded 14 species of hummingbirds, one woodpecker, three Psittacidae, four Tyrannidae, one mockingbird, and 31 tanagers and relatives at eucalyptus flowers. Others have registered 3 different hummingbirds, another parrotlet, four more tyrannids, a peppershrike, a thrush, and 5 tanagers and related birds, for a total of 69 species. However, commercial plantations rarely flower, so use is local or undependable. Understory Phaethorninae are not recorded at eucalyptus, rarely at other tall and hence multiflowered trees. Bromelias and other flowers are noted in various studies, which add 89 species of flower feeders, including 14 Psittacidae, 17 Trochilidae, and 37 tanagers and relatives. Isolated low flowers and epiphytes are mostly visited by hummingbirds (some by Coereba), but some tall trees (Chorisia) also. As two times as many tanager species visit flowers as hummingbirds, researchers will have to get up early and patiently study treetop and nonpatchy habitats. However, tree plantations can attract artificially, like feeders. Bunch-flowering extrafloral nectar (Mabea, Combretum) is preferred by wandering mixed-flock treetop or edge tanagers and relatives, which often crawl over bunched flowers like parrots or woodpeckers (or marsupials and other mammals) rather than hover at separate flowers like nonflocking Trochilidae or peck from nearby like Nectariniidae and Coereba. Clamberers and petal-pullers, even nectar robbers, can cause evolution of umbels and other bunched flowers, for the bird, mammal or insect receives pollen from nearby flowers. Psittacidae, saltators and others mostly eat flowers, but can pollinate if they touch nearby flowers. Multiflowered trees can also attract hawks, causing waves of tanagers, parrots and others that move on to pollinate trees via fear and nectarivory. Certain groups, notably thrushes and tyrannids, seem to use nectar little, the latter often catching insects.