Yeasts and others parameters of pollution of the Ribeirao Claro stream in Rio Claro, São Paulo

The main water source of the Rio Claro municipal district (DAAE) was analysed for determining the level of organic contamination. Temperature, pH, light penetration, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved phosphate, ortophosphate, ammonia, heterotrofic bacteria, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, total yeasts and fermentative yeasts were analysed during one year with samples being collected on a monthly basis. Bathing quality of the water from sites 1, 2 and 3 were classified, respectively, as Satisfactory, Very Good and Improper based on fecal coliform counts. Total yeast counts were appropriate as a complement for the appraisal of fresh water contamination by coliform counts. Seventeen yeast species belonging to genera Candida, Cryptococcus, Kloeckera, Pichia and Rhodotorula were found but none of them could be correlated with a level of contamination. Candida famata, C. robusta-like and C. colliculosa were isolated at all of the sites and between the five species found only at the more polluted site, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was prevalent.

EFFECTS OF 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID (2,4-D) ON OPEN-FIELD BEHAVIOR AND NEUROCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF RATS

The effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the central nervous system (CNS) were studied in rats. Behavioural and neurochemical studies were performed. Results show that acute and oral administration of dimethylamine 2,4-D was able to decrease locomotion and rearing frequencies and to increase immobility duration of rats observed in an open-field test. Treatment of rats with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) was unable to change rat's open-field behaviour; 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) administration not only increased locomotion and rearing frequences but also decreased immobility duration. Pretreatment of the rats with PCPA and 5-HTP decreased and increased dimethylamine 2,4-D effects, respectively. The herbicide was not able to change the striatal levels of dopamine and homovanilic acid but decreased the striatal levels of serotonin (5-HT), as observed for the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and increased those of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) as measured after the 200 mg/kg dose treatment. When the levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured at the brain stem level, only those of 5-HIAA were modified, being increased by diethylamine 2,4-D (60; 100 and 200 mg/kg); this increment on 5-HIAA levels was observed even 1 hr after pesticide administration. Further analysis showed that 2,4-D concentrations chromatographycally detected both in serum and brain of the intoxicated animals were dose-dependent, being found as early as 1 hr after the smaller dose of the herbicide used (10 mg/kg). The results suggest that diethylamine 2,4-D modify 5-HT functional activity within the CNS. Thus, the effects of the herbicide on open-field behaviour of rats could be attributed to a direct or indirect pesticide action on serotoninergic systems.

Occurrence of adults and biological aspects of Geniates borelli Camerano (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) in Aquidauana, MS, Brazil

Occurrence of adults and biological aspects of Geniates borelli Camerano (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Due to the importance of Geniates borelli Camerano as a pest in many crops, studies were developed at Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul (UEMS). Aquidauana campus, MS, Brazil. Adults were collected with a light trap from January 2006 to December 2007. 3,320 adults were collected, and the highest quantities were obtained in October 2006 and November 2007, with 1,548 and 802 adults recorded, respectively. Collected adults were kept in plastic containers with soil and Brachiaria decumbens seedlings for oviposition. 535 eggs measuring 2.30 x 1.60 mm were obtained. As the embryonic development progressed, eggs increased in size to 3.00 x 2.70 mm, and this change occurred between 6 and 10 days after oviposit ion. The embryonic period lasted 17.9 days. The first, second, and third instars lasted 37.6, 49.7, and 74 days, respectively The prepupal stage lasted 65.9 days and the pupal stage lasted an average of 18.5 days. The biological cycle is completed in 315.8 days, which characterizes the species as univoltine. The average longevity of females was 35.4 days and 28.5 days for males.

EFFECTS of 14-WEEK SWIMMING TRAINING PROGRAM on THE PSYCHOLOGICAL, HORMONAL, and PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS of ELITE WOMEN ATHLETES

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Growth Curves and Genetic Parameters in Colombian Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae)

Non-linear mathematical functions proposed by Brody, Gompertz, Richards, Bertalanffy and Verhulst were compared in several buffalo production systems in Colombia. Herds were located in three provinces: Antioquia, Caldas, and Cordoba. Growth was better described by the curves proposed by Brody and Gompertz. Using the datasets from herds from Caldas, heritabilities for traits such as weaning weight (WW), weight and maturity at one year of age (WY and MY, respectively), age at 50% and 75% of maturity (A50% and A75%, respectively), adult weight (beta(0)), and other characteristics, were also estimated. Direct and maternal heritabilities for WW were 0.19 and 0.12, respectively. Direct heritabilities for WY, MY, A50%, A75% and beta(0) were 0.39, 0.15, 0.09, 0.20 and 0.09, respectively. The genetic correlation for beta(0) and WY was -0.47, indicating that selection for heavy weight at one year of age will lead to lower weight at adult age. These data suggest that selection based on maturity traits can generate changes in characteristics of economic importance in beef-type buffalo farms.

Changes in physiological and stroking parameters during interval swims at the slope of the d-t relationship

The slope of the distance-time relationship from maximal 200 and 400 in bouts (S(200-400)) has been increasingly employed for setting training intensities in swimming. However, physiological and mechanical responses at this speed are poorly understood. Thus, this study investigated blood lactate, heart rate (HR), stroke rate (SR), stroke length (SL) and RPE responses to an interval swimming set at S(200-400) in trained swimmers. In a 50-m pool, twelve athletes (16.5 +/- 1.2 yr, 176 +/- 7 cm, 68.4 +/- 5.4 kg, and 7.8 +/- 2.5% body fat) performed maximal 200 and 400 m crawl trials for S(200-400) determination (1.28 +/- 0.05 m/s). Thereafter, swimmers were instructed to perform 5 x 400 in at this speed with 1.5 min rest between repetitions. Three athletes Could not complete the set (exhaustion at 21.0 +/- 3.1 min). For the remaining swimmers (total set duration = 32.0 +/- 1.3 min) significant increases) (p < 0.05) in blood lactate (5.7 +/- 0.8-7.9 +/- 2.4 mmol/l), SR (29.6 +/- 3.2-32.1 +/- 4.1 cycles/min), HR (169 +/- 11-181 +/- 8 bpm) and RPE (13.3 +/- 1.6-16.3 +/- 2.6) were observed through the IS. Conversely, SL decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from the first to the fifth repetition (2.48 +/- 0.22-2.31 +/- 0.24 m/cycle). These results suggest that interval swimming at S(200-400) represents an intense physiological, mechanical and perceptual stimulus that can be sustained for a prolonged period by most athletes. (C) 2008 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ceramic raw materials from the State of Maranhao, Brazil. Part 1: chemical and mineralogical characterization and technological properties of clays from Sao Luis, Rosario, Pinheiro and Mirinzal

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Chemical and spectroscopic studies of a new palladium(II) complex with N-acetyl-L-cysteine

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

Synthesis, characterization, crystal structure, and biological studies of vanadium complexes with glycolic acid

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)