Hechtiella lopesi sp. n. from São Paulo state, Brazil (Siphonaptera: Rhopalopsyllidae)

Descriptions are given of the male and female of Hechtiella lopesi sp. n., collected on Proechimys sp. and Tayra barbara from Boracéia Ecological Station, Salesópolis, São Paulo State, Brazil. The new species is discussed in relation to Hechtiella lakoi and Hechtiella nitidus, species previously included in the genus Polygenis. The name is a tribute to the late Brazilian entomologist, Prof. Hugo de Souza Lopes.

Neotropical monogenoidea. 25. Anacanthorus penilabiatus n. sp. (Dactylogyridae, Anacanthorinae) from Piaractus mesopotamicus (Osteichthyes, Serrasalmidae), cultivated in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Anacanthorus penilabiatus n. sp. is described from the serrasalmid fish, Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887), cultivated in the Centro de Aqüicultura, Universidade Estadual Paulista. The new species is characterized by having a relatively straight copulatory organ with a long "lip" on the distal margin and a median longitudinal flap, and a copulatory ligament. The large size of the infrapopulations of this species of parasite indicates that it should be considered a potential agent causing losses in aquaculture of the fish host.

Molecular characterization of Leptospira sp. strains isolated from human subjects in São Paulo, Brazil using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay: a public health tool

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay which amplifies repetitive DNA elements present within bacterial genomes was used to characterize and differentiate Leptospira sp. Thirty-five strains from a reference culture collection and 18 clinical isolates which had been previously analyzed by cross agglutinin absorption test (CAAT) were evaluated by this technique. PCR results from analysis of the reference culture collection showed no bands corresponding to serogroups Australis, Autumnalis, Bataviae, Celledoni, Cynopteri, Djasiman, Panama, Pomona, Pyrogenes, and Tarassovi. However, the PCR method was able to clearly discriminate the serogroups Andamana, Ballum, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hebdomadis, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Javanica, Sejroe, Semaranga, and Shermani. Clinical isolates previously characterized by CAAT as serovar Copenhageni, serovar Castellonis, and as serovar Canicola were in agreement with PCR results. The clinical isolate previously characterized as serovar Pomona was not differentiated by PCR. Forty additional clinical isolates from patients with leptospirosis obtained in São Paulo, Brazil were also evaluated by this PCR method. Thirty-nine of these were determined to belong to serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae (97.5%) and one to serogroup Sejroe (2.5%). These results demonstrate that the PCR method described in this study has utility for rapid typing of Leptospira sp. at the serogroup level and can be used in epidemiological survey.

Marcadores orgânicos de contaminação por esgotos sanitários em sedimentos superficiais da baía de Santos, São Paulo

Organic markers, such as sterols and ketones, were used to assess sewage contamination in sediments from the Santos Bay, SP, and its continental shelf. These compounds were analyzed by GC/FID after soxhlet extraction, clean up and derivatization. The concentration of coprostanol and ratios between selected sterols were used to evaluate fecal contamination. The stations located in the mid-western part of the Santos Bay presented organic matter from sewage due to the input of fecal material from the city of Santos by submarine sewage outfall. Stations located at the continental shelf did not present fecal contamination. Coprostanol levels in sewage outfall stations were higher in comparison to other Brazilian coastal areas, except Guanabara Bay/RJ, and could be related to the fraction of the population without sewage treatment.

SURVEY OF DEOXYNIVALENOL, DIACETOXYSCIRPENOL, AND T2 TOXIN IN POPCORN HYBRIDS PLANTED IN THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO AND IN POPCORN COMMERCIALIZED IN THE CITY OF CAMPINAS, SP

The incidence of the trichothecenes deoxynivalenol (DON), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), and T2 toxin (T2) in popcorn was investigated in 90 samples, belonging to 2 commercial and 28 experimental hybrids planted at experimental stations of the Agronomic Institute of Campinas at the locations of Campinas, Mococa, and Capão Bonito, and in 15 samples of popcorn, 9 branded and 6 unbranded, acquired from commercial outlets in the city of Campinas, SP. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector combined with an alumina:carbon cleanup column. The detection limits were 30ng/g for DON, 50ng/g for DAS, and 40ng/g for T2. Five samples were contaminated with DON, four of them commercial and one from an experimental cultivar. The level of contamination in the commercial samples ranged from 30 to 40ng/g. The sample from the experimental cultivar contained 770ng/g DON. DAS and T2 were not detected in any of the popcorn samples analyzed.

Bolsa eletrônica de compra do governo do Estado de São Paulo - BEC/SP: novo modelo gerencial de Administração Pública ou simples aplicação da tecnologia da informação ao modelo burocrático?

Procura discutir os modelos de administração pública burocrático e gerencial, as compras governamentais e o governo eletrônico no Brasil e no exterior, utilizando-se da BEC/SP como estudo de caso para exemplificar toda a discussão apresentada

Aspectos biológicos do peixe-olhudo-dentinho, Synagrops bellus (Actinopterygii: Acropomatidae), da plataforma externa e talude superior do estado de São Paulo, Brasil.

Biological aspects of the blackmouth bass Synagrops bellus from the outer shelf and upper slope along the coast of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, are presented. The species represented about 71.6% and 9.7% in number of the total catch performed by balloom trawl in the isobaths of 300m and 500m respectively. Body sizes of 266 individuals ranged between 130 and 265mm total length, with sex ratio of 55.9% males, and 44.1% females, where most individuals were in maturation stage. Twenty two food items were found, pointing out Myctophidae fishes, Penaeidea and Caridea shrimps, Brachyuran megalopae, Enoploteuthidae and Cranchiidae cephalopods, pteropods and tunicates. The intestinal coefficient increases as the body size increase, and the number of gill rakers ranged between 16 and 17. Length-weight relationship was WT = 6.0 x 10-6 x TL3.12, r2 = 0.9495. Synagrops bellus is an important link between zooplankton and micronekton, and demersal and pelagic predators in the outer shelf and upper slope in southwestern Brazilian coast.

Nenneguya garavelli n. sp and Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp (Myxozoa : Myxobolidae) in the gills of Cyphocharax nagelli (Osteichthyes : Curimatidae) from Rio do Peixe Reservoir, Sao Jose do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Brazil

The present work describes myxozoans found in Cyphocharax nagelli (Characiformes: Curimatinae) commonly called saguiru collected from Rio do Peixe Reservoir, Sao Jose do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Brazil. From a total of 38 examined fish, 24 were infected with Henneguya garavelli n. sp. (63% prevalence) and two with Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp. (5% prevalence) in the gills. Spores were studied by staining and fresh spores were observed by differential interference contrast optics. Henneguya garavelli n. sp. differs from Henneguya iheringi , Henneguya occulta, Henneguya cesarpintoi, Henneguya santae, Henneguya pisciforme, Henneguya amazonica, Henneguya striolata, Henneguya leporinicola and Henneguya chydadea in spore length and from Henneguya travassosi, Henneguya adherens, Henneguya malabarica, Henneguya piaractus and also Henneguya chydadea in polar capsule length and tail length. Myxobolus peculiaris n. sp. was very different when compared to other species of Myxobolus in its morphology and the biggest size of spore body. The authors present tables with comparative measurements of Brazilian myxozoan parasites. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ocorrência de Staphylococcus sp. em água utilizada em propriedades leiteiras do Estado de São Paulo

Com o objetivo de verificar o papel da água utilizada durante a produção do leite como via de transmissão de Staphylococcus sp., fez-se a contagem de Staphylococcus coagulase negativa e Staphylococcus aureus nas amostras de água das fontes, dos reservatórios e dos estábulos de 30 propriedades leiteiras situadas na região Nordeste do Estado de São Paulo. As maiores ocorrências de isolamentos (10,0 e 16,6%) e os maiores valores médios (4,3×10(4) e 2,5×10(4)) de contagens desses microrganismos foram encontrados nas amostras de água dos estábulos utilizada na obtenção de leite. Estes resultados são importantes pois evidenciam a possibilidade de contaminação do leite ou dos animais por cepas patogênicas.

Morfologia e sedimentologia da plataforma continental brasileira adjacente a São Bento do Norte e Caiçara do Norte-RN/NE-Brasil

This dissertation the results of a research developed in the area of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, northern coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of June of 2000 to August of 2001, in the ambit of the projects MAMBMARÉ (CNPq/CTPETRO) and PROBRAL (CAPES/DAAD). The objective principal of this research was the characterization of the sedimentary dynamics of this coast, with base in data of coastal process (winds, currents, waves and tides), with topographical risings (beach profiles and dunes), satellite images and sedimentary analyses. The more specific objectives were accomplished the coastal monitoring of this coast, to verify the maintenance of an erosive tendency or progradacional after the groynes construction for contention of the erosion in the beach of Caiçara do Norte, as well as to verify the influence of the features of bottom of the platform interns adjacent on the pole petroliferous of Guamaré. The executed monitoramento allowed to identify that the movement of the sediments, along the year, in that area, is cyclical, reaching the largest oscillations during the months of winter (deposition) and they will summer (erosion). The sedimentologic studies indicated a general tendency for sands quartzosas, with gravel presence, moderately to good selected, with asymmetry predominantly negative. In agreement with the parameter of Dean (1957), used in the identification of the state morfodinâmico of the beaches, monitored beaches, are basically reflectivas with tendency to middlemen, what frames that space of the coast norte-riograndense, as a space strongly vulnerable to erosive processes. The studies developed in the platform, it interns of this area, allowed to visualize for the first time, in large scale, the distribution of the features of the submarine bottom to the batométrico coat of 25 meters. Being pointed out the presence of a high one topographical submerged, with about 5 meters of height, 1 km of width and more than 24 meters of extension, located in the platform it interns in front of São Bento do Norte; coincident with the trend of the system of flaws of Carnaubais. This feature relay an important paper on the control of the sedimentary processes and oceanographic, as well as in the coastal evolution of this area of the RN state, and they affect the area of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré directly. These results contribute to a better knowledge of the processes in the area, and consequently as subsidies implantation of measures of coastal and environmental protection for the cities of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, as well as to understand how the geological-sedimentary processes and oceanographic, in this area, are influencing the characteristics geoambientais of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré

Occurrence of enteroparasites in day care centers in Botucatu (São Paulo State, Brazil) with emphasis on Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia duodenalis and Enterobius vermicularis

Verificou-se a prevalência dos enteroparasitas em 279 crianças (0 a 6 anos) de quatro creches municipais de Botucatu/SP. Foram coletadas três amostras de fezes de cada criança e processadas pelos métodos Hoffman, Faust e Ritchie e posterior coloração do esfregaço fecal pelos métodos de Auramina-O e Ziehl-Neelsen modificado para diagnóstico de Cryptosporidium sp. e método da fita gomada para diagnóstico de Enterobius vermicularis. Das crianças analisadas apresentaram-se parasitadas 53.40%, sendo que o parasita mais freqüente foi Giardia duodenalis (26.88%). Verificou-se associação significativa entre enteroparasitose, renda familiar, escolaridade materna e idade; quanto maior a renda e o grau escolar, menor a freqüência de enteroparasitas. Observou-se que G. duodenalis é mais prevalente em crianças de 0 a 4 anos e E. vermicularis em crianças entre três e quatro anos de idade. A elevada prevalência de enteroparasitas em creches sugere estrutura complexa em sua epidemiologia, onde fatores além do saneamento devem ser considerados.

Molecular detection of Leishmania sp. in cats (Felis catus) from Andradina Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil

The aim of this work was to molecularly detect Leishmania species in 52 cats from Andradina Municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. The direct parasitological test was performed by using imprints of poplited lymph node, bone marrow and spleen to verify amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. The samples that were positive parasitological tests were subjected to molecular analysis (PCR) and sequencing. Infection was detected for 5.76% (3/52) of the examined cats and two had presence of amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. in lymph nodes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of kinetoplast minicircle DNA, indicated positive amplification for samples of spleen and lymph nodes and the sequencing resulted in 97% similarity with Leishmania (L) chagasi. This study proved the occurrence of infection with Leishmania (L) chagasi in felines from Andradina municipality, São Paulo State. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First report of Strongyloides sp. (Nematoda, Strongyloididae) in Leopardus tigrinus (Carnivora: Felidae) in the municipality of Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil

O presente estudo reporta o primeiro caso de infecção por Strongyloides sp. em Leopardus tigrinus no município de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Fezes do exemplar parasitado de L. tigrinus foram cultivadas em fezes eqüinas esterilizadas e foi realizada infecção experimental em gato (Felis catus domesticus) com três mil larvas L3 infectantes por via subcutânea, para a identificação da espécie de Strongyloides envolvida no parasitismo. As fêmeas partenogenéticas obtidas do animal experimental foram analisadas porém a comparação dos dados biométricos encontrados com os dados da literatura não permitiu a identificação da espécie. Este é o primeiro relato sobre a ocorrência de Strongyloides sp. em L. tigrinus

Infecção natural de Equus caballus por Leishmania sp - São Paulo, Brasil (Breve comunicação científica)

E assinalado, pela primeira vez, o encontro de um cavalo (Equus caballus) infeclado por Leishmania sp, no Estado de São Paulo.