Development of environmental and natural vulnerability maps for Brazilian coastal at Sao Sebastiao in São Paulo State

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Putative metabolic pathway of mannitol and sorbitol and in sugarcane

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

Occurrence of Nuages and Lamellae Anulata during spermatogenesis in Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae)

Various types of nuages and lamellae anulata can be found during Dermatobia hominis spermatogenesis. In spermatogonia, the nuages occur as granules juxtaposed to the cytoplasmic face of the nuclear envelope or as cytoplasmic granules similar toglycogen granules. In spermatocytes, in addition to the nuages, dense spherical bodies of approximately 1.0 µm in diameter are also observed. In the spermatids the nuages can be of the following types: perinuclear granules, spherical granules with diameters varying in length from 0.5 to 1.0 µm, granules similar to glycogen granules, granules with variable diameters which accumulate at the flagellum base forming the centriole adjunct, or remain in the cytoplasm. Nuages can also be observed in these cellular types as dense masses, without a definite outline and are common to animal germinal cells in general. The lamellae anulata on the other hand, are observed only in spermatocytes I and in early spermatids, being always immersed in electron-dense material of indefinite outline. In spermatids, the lamellae anulata are close to the nuclear envelope suggesting, in spite of opposing opinions, that these cells are envolved in the synthesis and transport of material from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.

Boron influence on concentration of polyols and other sugars in Eucalyptus

Embora a função do elemento Boro (B) nas plantas ainda não tenha sido bem esclarecida, várias hipóteses vêm sido levantadas. Uma das funções atribuídas a esse elemento é a síntese de carboidratos. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito do B sobre a síntese de alguns polióis e açúcares em Eucalyptus grandis e híbridos urograndis, estes foram submetidos à situação de suprimento e restrição de B. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação de acordo com o delineamento de blocos casualizados com cinco repetições, e os elementos nutricionais, assim como o B, foram fornecidos na forma de solução nutritiva. Não se observou diferença significativa nos teores de manitol, sorbitol, myo-inositol e scyllo-inositol e dos açúcares α-glicose e β-glicose entre E. grandis e híbridos. Arabinose foi o único a apresentar maior teor em E. grandis em restrição de B. O efeito da presença do B foi bastante expressivo, mas em suprimento do elemento as plantas apresentaram acréscimo significativo na síntese dos compostos avaliados.

Tracing heme in a living cell: hemoglobin degradation and heme traffic in digest cells of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus

Heme is present in all cells, acting as a cofactor in essential metabolic pathways such as respiration and photosynthesis. Moreover, both heme and its degradation products, CO, iron and biliverdin, have been ascribed important signaling roles. However, limited knowledge is available on the intracellular pathways involved in the flux of heme between different cell compartments. The cattle tick Boophilus microplus ingests 100 times its own mass in blood. The digest cells of the midgut endocytose blood components and huge amounts of heme are released during hemoglobin digestion. Most of this heme is detoxified by accumulation into a specialized organelle, the hemosome.We followed the fate of hemoglobin and albumin in primary cultures of digest cells by incubation with hemoglobin and albumin labeled with rhodamine. Uptake of hemoglobin by digest cells was inhibited by unlabeled globin, suggesting the presence of receptor-mediated endocytosis. After endocytosis, hemoglobin was observed inside large digestive vesicles. Albumin was exclusively associated with a population of small acidic vesicles, and an excess of unlabeled albumin did not inhibit its uptake. The intracellular pathway of the heme moiety of hemoglobin was specifically monitored using Palladium-mesoporphyrin IX (Pd-mP) as a fluorescent heme analog. When pulse and chase experiments were performed using digest cells incubated with Pd-mP bound to globin (Pd-mP-globin), strong yellow fluorescence was found in large digestive vesicles 4 h after the pulse. By 8 h, the emission of Pd-mP was red-shifted and more evident in the cytoplasm, and at 12 h most of the fluorescence was concentrated inside the hemosomes and had turned green. After 48 h, the Pd-mP signal was exclusively found in hemosomes. In methanol, Pd-mP showed maximal emission at 550 nm, exhibiting a red-shift to 665 nm when bound to proteins in vitro.The red emission in the cytosol and at the boundary of hemosomes suggests the presence of heme-binding proteins, probably involved in transport of heme to the hemosome. The existence of an intracellular heme shuttle from the digestive vesicle to the hemosome acting as a detoxification mechanism should be regarded as a major adaptation of ticks to a blood-feeding way of life. To our knowledge, this is the first direct observation of intracellular transport of heme in a living eukaryotic cell. A similar approach, using Pd-mP fluorescence, could be applied to study heme intracellular metabolism in other cell types.

Determination of weathering rate of the Morro do Ferro Th-REEs deposit, Brazil using U-isotope method

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influence of sugar cane burning on aerosol soluble ion composition in Southeastern Brazil

Seasonal variability in the major soluble ion composition of atmospheric particulate matter in the principal sugar cane growing region of central São Paulo State indicates that pre-harvest burning of sugar cane plants is an important influence on the regional scale aerosol chemistry. Samples of particulate matter were collected between April 1999 and February 2001 in coarse (> 3.5 mum) and fine (< 3.5 mum) fractions, and analysed for HCOO-, CH3COO-, C2C42-, SO42- . Results indicated that the principal sources of the aerosols investigated NO3-, Cl-, Na+, K+, NH4+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ were local or regional in nature (scale of tens to a few hundreds of km), and that differences between air masses of varying origins were small. Fine particles were typically acidic, containing secondary nitrates, sulphates and organic species. Coarse fraction concentrations were mainly influenced by physical parameters (wind speed, movement of vehicles and surface condition) affecting rates of re-suspension, although secondary nitrate and sulphate were also present in the larger particles.Concentrations of all measured species except sodium and chloride were higher during the burning season. Although concentrations were lower than often found in polluted urban environments, the massive increases during much of the year, due to a single anthropogenic activity (sugar cane burning) are indicative of a very large perturbation of the lower troposphere in the region relative to the natural condition. These aerosols are suspected of promoting respiratory disease. They also represent an important mechanism for the tropospheric transport of species relevant to surface acidification (sulphates, nitrates, ammonium and organic acids) and soil nutrient status (potassium, nitrogen, ammonium, calcium), so their impact on fragile natural ecosystems (following deposition) needs to be considered. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transplacental Transfer of Iron in the Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): Uteroferrin and Erythrophagocytosis

The objectives of this investigation were to understand transplacental transport of iron by secreted uteroferrin (UF) and haemophagous areas of water buffalo placenta and clarify the role(s) of blood extravasation at the placental-maternal interface. Placentomes and interplacentomal region of 51 placentae at various stages of gestation were fixed, processed for light and transmission electron microscopy, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Haemophagous areas were present in placentomes collected between 4 and 10 months of pregnancy. Perl's reaction for ferric iron was negative in placentomes, but positive in endometrial glands. Positive staining for UF indicated areas in which it was being taken up by phagocytosis and/or fluid phase pinocytosis in areolae of the interplacentomal mesenchyme, with little staining in endometrial stroma. Imunohistochemistry detected UF in trophectoderm of haemophagous regions of placentomes and in other parts of the foetal villous tree, but the strongest immunostaining was in the epithelial cells and lumen of uterine glands. Ultrastructural analyses indicated that erythrophagocytosis was occurring and that erythrocytes were present inside cells of the chorion that also contained endocytic vesicles and caveolae. Results of this study indicate that both the haemophagous areas of placentomes and the areolae at the interface between chorion and endometrial glands are important sites for iron transfer from mother to foetal-placental tissues in buffalo throughout pregnancy.

Geochemical Assessment of a Subtropical Reservoir: A Case Study in Curitiba, Southern Brazil

Suspended particles and dissolved substances in water provide reactive surfaces, influence metabolic activity and contribute to the net sediment deposition. It therefore plays an important part in the ecology and quality of the water mass. The water quality in reservoirs is crucial and it is naturally maintained by flushing and sedimentation, which continuously remove phosphorus from the water. In some reservoirs, however, these removal processes are countered by recycling of ions which could play a key role to start and/or maintain the eutrophic state. The combination of macro-, trace- and microanalysis techniques can be useful to trace pollution sources through a chemical fingerprint, whether be during an acute environmental disaster or a long-term release of pollutants. The water quality and total metal content of reservoir sediments were assessed in a reservoir, situated in the capital of the Parana State, in the South-Eastern part of Brazil. The goal of this paper was to determine the metal presence in the sediment and metal and ionic speciation in the Green River reservoir water. Water and bed sediment samples, collected from various sites during 2008 and 2009, were investigated using XRF, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, XRD and zeta potential measurements. Based on the results, the heavy metal concentration and chemical composition of the suspended matter in the water samples, as well as the sediment's chemical composition will be discussed.

Aerosol and precipitation chemistry measurements in a remote site in Central Amazonia: the role of biogenic contribution

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

The significance of root growth on cotton nutrition in an acidic low-P soil

Toxic levels of Al and low availability of Ca have been shown to decrease root growth, which can also be affected by P availability. In the current experiment, initial plant growth and nutrition of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum var. Latifolia) were studied as related to its root growth in response to phosphorus and lime application. The experiment was conducted in Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, in pots containing a Dark Red Latosol (Acrortox, 20% clay, 72% sand). Lime was applied at 0.56, 1.12 and 1.68 g kg -1 and phosphorus was applied at 50, 100 and 150 mg kg -1. Two cotton (cv. IAC 22) plants were grown per pot for up to 42 days after plant emergence. There was no effect of liming on shoot dry weight, root dry matter yield, root surface and length, but root diameter was decreased with the increase in soil Ca. Shoot dry weight, as well as root length, surface and dry weight were increased with soil P levels up to 83 mg kg -1. Phosphorus concentration in the shoots was increased from 1.6 to 3.0 g kg -1 when soil P was increased from 14 to 34 mg kg -1. No further increases in P concentration were observed with higher P rates. The shoot/root ratio was also increased with P application as well as the amount of nutrients absorbed per unit of root surface. In low soil P soils the transport of the nutrient to the cotton root surface limits P uptake. In this case an increase in root growth rate due to P fertilisation does not compensate for the low P diffusion in the soil.

Degradation of rice pesticides and their stability during storage of samples

Transformation of pesticides is directly related to the environmental conditions during application and transport of these compounds in the ecosystem. Rice fields include peculiar conditions, relatively high temperatures and wet conditions, leading to degradation processes, different from that observed in other agricultural systems. This article presents the degradation routes of some characteristic rice insecticides and herbicides under field conditions. A compilation of the pesticides that are usually applied during rice cultivation is included, with their main physico-chemical parameters. The stability of the pesticides by solid phase extraction systems during storage of rice samples is also discussed.

Phylogenetic systematics of dart-poison frogs and their relatives (Amphibia: Athesphatanura: Dendrobatidae)

The known diversity of dart-poison frog species has grown from 70 in the 1960s to 247 at present, with no sign that the discovery of new species will wane in the foreseeable future. Although this growth in knowledge of the diversity of this group has been accompanied by detailed investigations of many aspects of the biology of dendrobatids, their phylogenetic relationships remain poorly understood. This study was designed to test hypotheses of dendrobatid diversification by combining new and prior genotypic and phenotypic evidence in a total evidence analysis. DNA sequences were sampled for five mitochondrial and six nuclear loci (approximately 6,100 base pairs [bp]; x=3,740 bp per terminal; total dataset composed of approximately 1.55 million bp), and 174 phenotypic characters were scored from adult and larval morphology, alkaloid profiles, and behavior. These data were combined with relevant published DNA sequences. Ingroup sampling targeted several previously unsampled species, including Aromobates nocturnus, which was hypothesized previously to be the sister of all other dendrobatids. Undescribed and problematic species were sampled from multiple localities when possible. The final dataset consisted of 414 terminals: 367 ingroup terminals of 156 species and 47 outgroup terminals of 46 species. Direct optimization parsimony analysis of the equally weighted evidence resulted in 25,872 optimal trees. Forty nodes collapse in the strict consensus, with all conflict restricted to conspecific terminals. Dendrobatids were recovered as monophyletic, and their sister group consisted of Crossodactylus, Hylodes, and Megaelosia, recognized herein as Hylodidae. Among outgroup taxa, Centrolenidae was found to be the sister group of all athesphatanurans except Hylidae, Leptodactyidae was polyphyletic, Thoropa was nested within Cycloramphidae, and Ceratophryinae was paraphyletic with respect to Telmatobiinae. Among dendrobatids, the monophyly and content of Mannophryne and Phyllobates were corroborated. Aromobates nocturnus and Colostethus saltuensis were found to be nested within Nephelobates, and Minyobates was paraphyletic and nested within Dendrobates. Colostethus was shown to be rampantly nonmonophyletic, with most species falling into two unrelated cis- and trans-Andean clades. A morphologically and behaviorally diverse clade of median lingual process-possessing species was discovered. In light of these findings and the growth in knowledge of the diversity of this large clade over the past 40 years, we propose a new, monophyletic taxonomy for dendrobatids, recognizing the inclusive clade as a superfamily (Dendrobatoidea) composed of two families (one of which is new), six subfamilies (three new), and 16 genera (four new). Although poisonous frogs did not form a monophyletic group, the three poisonous lineages are all confined to the revised family Dendrobatidae, in keeping with the traditional application of this name. We also propose changes to achieve a monophyletic higher-level taxonomy for the athesphatanuran outgroup taxa. Analysis of character evolution revealed multiple origins of phytotelm-breeding, parental provisioning of nutritive oocytes for larval consumption (larval oophagy), and endotrophy. Available evidence indicates that transport of tadpoles on the dorsum of parent nurse frogs-a dendrobatid synapomorphy-is carried out primitively by male nurse frogs, with three independent origins of female transport and five independent origins of biparental transport. Reproductive amplexus is optimally explained as having been lost in the most recent common ancestor of Dendrobatoidea, with cephalic amplexus arising independently three times. © American Museum of Natural History 2006.

Development of SCAR marker linked to stem canker resistance gene in soybean

Stem canker caused by the fungus Diaporthe phaseolorum f. sp. meridionalis is a disease that limits soybean cultivation. Phenotypic evaluations aiming at disease resistance require labor-intensive processes, as for instance handling and transport of phytopathogens. The use of DNA markers in the selective procedures eases certain phases, besides being practical, safe and reliable. A RAPD fragment of 588pb was identified among bulks of resistant and susceptible plants in the cross BR92-15454 (R) x IAC-11 (S). Through co-segregation, the distance between the resistance locus and the fragment was estimated at 7.4 ± 2.1 cM, with a Lodmax. of 23.072 (first year) and at 6.0 ± 3.4 cM with a Lodmax. of 7.806 (second year). The fragment was converted into a SCAR marker and digested with enzyme Hinc II, which made the classification in homozygous resistant, heterozygous resistant and susceptible plants possible. This SCAR marker is suitable for use in the improvement program conducted in Jaboticabal.

Localization of myosin-Va in subpopulations of cells in rat endocrine organs

Myosin-Va is a Ca 2+/calmodulin-regulated unconventional myosin involved in the transport of vesicles, membranous organelles, and macromolecular complexes composed of proteins and mRNA. The cellular localization of myosin-Va has been described in great detail in several vertebrate cell types, including neurons, melanocytes, lymphocytes, auditory tissues, and a number of cultured cells. Here, we provide an immunohistochemical view of the tissue distribution of myosin-Va in the major endocrine organs. Myosin-Va is highly expressed in the pineal and pituitary glands and in specific cell populations of other endocrine glands, especially the parafollicular cells of the thyroid, the principal cells of the parathyroid, the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas, the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, and a subpopulation of interstitial testicular cells. Weak to moderate staining has been detected in steroidogenic cells of the adrenal cortex, ovary, and Leydig cells. Myosin-Va has also been localized to non-endocrine cells, such as the germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium and maturing oocytes and in the intercalated ducts of the exocrine pancreas. These data provide the first systematic description of myosin-Va localization in the major endocrine organs of rat. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.