Non-volant tetrapods from Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas, State of Espírito Santo, Southeastern Brazil

A Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas (2.190 ha) é um dos maiores remanescentes de Mata Atlântica do Estado do Espírito Santo, Sudeste do Brasil. Nós amostramos tetrápodes não voadores nessa área entre maio de 2007 e abril de 2008, utilizando armadilhas de queda, armadilhas de isca, armadilhas fotográficas e buscas oportunísticas diurnas e noturnas. Além disso, nós compilamos registros de vertebrados não voadores ocorrentes nesta área disponíveis na literatura e através de espécimes em museus. Nós documentamos 52 espécies de anfíbios, 24 espécies de répteis não voadores e 39 espécies de mamíferos não voadores. Do total de 115 espécies, 47 configuram novos registros para a área e seis outras espécies tiveram sua distribuição geográfica ampliada com os resultados do presente estudo. Além disso, apresentamos o registro de predação da perereca Hypsiboas faber pela serpente Chironius bicarinatus. Cinco das espécies registradas são listadas como ameaçadas no Estado do Espírito Santo e muitas outras possuem estado de conservação incerto. A Reserva Biológica de Duas Bocas é um importante refúgio de vida selvagem, principalmente quando consideramos a expansão de áreas urbanas no seu entorno.

Faunística e conservação das aranhas (ordem Araneae) nas Ilhas Desertas (Madeira)

Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, 31 de Janeiro de 2013, Universidade dos Açores.

Bioactive meroditerpenes from Cystoseira abies-marina, collected from the coast of S. Miguel island

3rd Portuguese Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry and 1st Portuguese-Spanish-Brazilian Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, Aveiro, 28-30 Novembro 2012.

Purification and structural characterization of compounds isolated from Cystoseira abies-marina

6th Spanish-Portuguese-Japanese Organic Chemistry Symposium, Lisboa, de 18 a 20 de Julho de 2012 (Poster Communication).

Reproductive dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea Lesson, 1831 in Ilha dos Cardos, Santa Catarina, Brazil

In this work, we intend to describe the reproductive dynamics of Sterna hirundinacea in an island fromSouth Brazil.We studied the reproductive biology of this species in its natural environment and provide data on their growth, survival, and reproductive success in Ilha dosCardos, SantaCatarina, South Brazil. Samplingswere carried out daily on the island throughout the reproductive seasons of 2003, 2005, and 2006 and the different stages of development of the chicks were characterized according to age, length of the beak, and plumage characteristics.We provide a basic equation Lm = 167.91 (1 – e −0.062t−(−0.23)) to determine the approximate age of individuals using their body mass. The main cause of chick mortality on the island was natural (63.17% in 2003, 81.41% in 2005, and 79.96% in 2006), whereas predation contributed to mortality in a proportion of 38.83% in 2003, 18.59% in 2005, and 20.04% in 2006.The absence in the area of the chicks’ main predator, Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), the large number of chicks that reached the final stages of development, and their reproductive success demonstrate that Ilha dos Cardos is an important breeding site for the species in southern Brazil.

Records of predatory, con-specific and human induced mauls on fish from the Northeast Atlantic and Black Sea

Present study aims to describe records of mauled and con-specific injures in various fish inhabiting different environment and to discuss possible impacts on fish behavior and ontogenesis. The fish specimens were collected from the Black Sea and Azores Islands (NE Atlantic). Individuals of European flounder, Pleuronectes flesus, common stingray, Dasyatis pastinaca and turbot, Scophthalmus maximus with missing dorsal and caudal fins and flesh, were found in the Black Sea. Specimens with severe mauls of the ocean sunfish, Mola mola, almaco jack, Seriola rivoliana and sargo, Diplodus sargus were recorded from the Azores Islands. All of them were caught alive and survived severe mauls caused by predators or by accidents with propellers, fishing nets. The NE Atlantic records, although possibly caused by natural predation, are more probably than not the result of negative interactions with human activity. Numerous records of mauled fish species from both regions show that the problem with adverse effects of fisheries is quite important. Predatory and con-specific injuries obviously are compatible with basic fish vital functions of described cases. The problem with negative anthropogenic interactions seems to be insufficiently investigated and need more attention by responsible managers and decision makers.

The last Anthracothere Brachyodus onoideus (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from westernmost Europe and its extinction

This paper deals with B. onoideus specimens from Portugal. This species occurs in the Lisbon area (in the upper part of the lower Miocene, ca.18 to 17.6 Ma) in a very accurate stratigraphic framing (age, lithostratigraphic, climatic and palaeoecologic control being most complete). Some mandibular dental size variation, sex characters, functional interpretation, ecology and predation, chemical corrosion, and extinction are discussed.

A clinico-epidemiological study of bites by spiders of the genus Phoneutria

From January, 1984 to December, 1996, 422 patients (ages 9 m-99 y, median 29 y) were admitted after being bitten by spiders which were brought and identified as Phoneutria spp. Most of the bites occurred at March and April months (29.2%), in the houses (54.5%), during the day (76.5%), and in the limbs (feet 40.9%, hands 34.3%). Upon hospital admission, most patients presented only local complaints, mainly pain (92.1%) and edema (33.1%) and were classified as presenting mild (89.8%), moderate (8.5%) and severe (0.5%) envenomation. Few patients (1.2%) did not present signs of envenomation. Severe accidents were only confirmed in two children (9 m, 3 y). Both developed acute pulmonary edema, and the older died 9 h after the accident. Patients more than 70 year-old had a significantly greater (p<0.05) frequency of moderate envenomations compared to the 10-70-year-old individuals. Proceedings to relief local pain were frequently performed (local anesthesia alone 32.0%, local anesthesia plus analgesics 20.6% and oral analgesics alone 25.1%). Only 2.3% of the patients (two cases classified as severe and eight as moderate, eight of them in children) were treated with i.v. antiarachnid antivenom. No antivenom early reaction was observed. In conclusion, accidents involving the genus Phoneutria are common in the region of Campinas, with the highest risk groups being children under 10 years of age and adults over 70 years of age. Cases of serious envenomation are rare (0.5%).

Clinical and epidemiological features of definitive and presumed loxoscelism in São Paulo, Brazil

A retrospective study analysed 359 proven or presume cases of loxoscelism seen at the Hospital Vital Brazil, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil, between 1985 and 1996. The spider was identified in 14%. The bites occurred predominantly in the urban areas (73%) between September and February. Patients > 14 years were commonest inflicted (92%) and 41% were bitten while getting dressed. Only 11% sought medical care within the first 12 hours post bite. Cutaneous loxoscelism was the commonest form presenting (96%); commonest manifestations were: pain (76%), erythema (72%), edema with enduration (66%), ecchymosis (39%). Skin necrosis occurred in 53% of patients, most frequently seen on trunk, tigh and upper arm, and when patients seek medical care more than 72 hours after bite. Local infection was detected in 12 patients (3%). Hemolysis was confirmed in 4 cases (1.1%). Generalised cutaneous rash, fever and headache were also observed in 48% of the total of patients. None of them had acute renal failure or died. Treatment usually involved antivenom administration (66%), being associated with corticosteroids (47%) or dapsone (30%). Presumptive diagnosis of loxoscelism may be established based on clinical and epidemiological findings. Further investigations are required to prove the value of antivenom and other treatment schedules.

Demand Response Programs Design and Use Considering Intensive Penetration of Distributed Generation

Further improvements in demand response programs implementation are needed in order to take full advantage of this resource, namely for the participation in energy and reserve market products, requiring adequate aggregation and remuneration of small size resources. The present paper focuses on SPIDER, a demand response simulation that has been improved in order to simulate demand response, including realistic power system simulation. For illustration of the simulator’s capabilities, the present paper is proposes a methodology focusing on the aggregation of consumers and generators, providing adequate tolls for the demand response program’s adoption by evolved players. The methodology proposed in the present paper focuses on a Virtual Power Player that manages and aggregates the available demand response and distributed generation resources in order to satisfy the required electrical energy demand and reserve. The aggregation of resources is addressed by the use of clustering algorithms, and operation costs for the VPP are minimized. The presented case study is based on a set of 32 consumers and 66 distributed generation units, running on 180 distinct operation scenarios.

Behavioral changes in Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected by Toxocara canis larvae

Toxocara canis is a common canine nematode parasite and one of its possible transmission mechanisms is the predation of infected rodents by canids. Fifty Rattus norvegicus were used to study behavioral alterations in rodents infected by T. canis larvae. The rats were divided into three groups: G1, 20 rats infected with 300 T. canis eggs; G2, 20 rats infected with 2,000 T. canis eggs; and G3, 10 non-infected rats. Thirty and 60 days post-infection, rats from all the groups were submitted to an open-field apparatus for five min and subsequently, to an elevated plus-maze apparatus, again for five min. The data obtained indicated improvement in mobility (total locomotion time and rearing frequency) and exploratory behavior in infected rats, principally in G2, which provides some support for the hypothesis that behavioral alterations in rodents infected by Toxocara canis larvae enhance the transmission rate of this ascarid to dogs.

Price linkages in pharmaceutical markets

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

First record on Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet, 1849) (Araneae, Sicariidae) in the West Zone of São Paulo City, São Paulo, Brazil, and considerations regarding its geographic distribution

Loxosceles laeta spiders were captured in the West zone of São Paulo City, this being the first record of the specie in this area. Since loxoscelism is an important public health problem in the South region of Brazil, it is necessary to investigate the presence of this spider in São Paulo City.

Cellulose micro/nano fibers conformational effects probed by nematic liquid crystal droplets

Probing micro-/nano-sized surface conformations, which are ubiquitous in biological systems, by using liquid crystal droplets, which change their ordering and optical appearance in response to the presence of more than ten times smaller cellulose based micro/nano fibers, might find new uses in a range of biological environments and sensors. Previous studies indicate that electrospun micro/nano cellulosic fibers produced from liquid crystalline solutions could present a twisted form [1]. In this work, we study the structures of nematic liquid crystal droplets threaded by cellulose fibers prepared from liquid crystalline and isotropic solutions as well as droplets pierced by spider-made fibers [2]. Planar anchoring at the fibers and planar and homeotropic at the drop surfaces allowed probing cellulose fibers different helical structures as well as aligned filaments.

Proteomics based approach to understand tissue regeneration

Dissertation presented to obtain the PhD degree in Biochemistry