Comparative evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on crude and purified antigen in the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in symptomatic and oligosymptomatic dogs

This study evaluated the performance of crude total antigen (CTA) and fucose-mannose ligand antigen (FML) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). The assays used sera from known negative controls (n = 30), clinically symptomatic (n = 30) and oligosymptomatic (n = 30) parasitologically proven infection (by microscopy). Aspirates of popliteal lymph node from infected canines were colleted to score parasitism and compared with the ELISA results. The study indicated that FML used in ELISA provided high sensitivity for detecting oligosymptomatic dogs (90%) and CTA showed greater sensitivity than FML for symptomatic canines (90%). In oligosymptomatic dogs, specificity was 100% for CTA-ELISA, but in symptomatic dogs, FML specificity was higher (96.7%) than CTA-ELISA (93.3%). A significant correlation was observed between the degree of parasitism and the results obtained in CTA-ELISA. Since no available antigen offers 100% specificity and sensitivity for CVL diagnosis, the choice of antigen used must depend on the aim of the investigation. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immune response and performance of growing Santa Ines lambs to artificial Trichostrongylus colubriformis infections

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

Unsuccessful attacks dominate a drone-preying wasp's hunting performance near stingless bee nests

Bee males (drones) of stingless bees tend to congregate near entrances of conspecific nests, where they wait for virgin queens that initiate their nuptial flight. We observed that the Neotropical solitary wasp Trachypus boharti (Hymenoptera, Cabronidae) specifically preys on males of the stingless bee Scaptotrigona postica (Hymenoptera, Apidae); these wasps captured up to 50 males per day near the entrance of a single hive. Over 90% of the wasp attacks were unsuccessful; such erroneous attacks often involved conspecific wasps and worker bees. After the capture of non-male prey, wasps almost immediately released these individuals unharmed and continued hunting. A simple behavioral experiment showed that at short distances wasps were not specifically attracted to S. postica males nor were they repelled by workers of the same species. Likely, short-range prey detection near the bees' nest is achieved mainly by vision whereas close-range prey recognition is based principally on chemical and/or mechanical cues. We argue that the dependence on the wasp's visual perception during attack and the crowded and dynamic hunting conditions caused wasps to make many preying attempts that failed. Two wasp-density-related factors, wasp-prey distance and wasp-wasp encounters, may account for the fact that the highest male capture and unsuccessful wasp bee encounter rates occurred at intermediate wasp numbers.

Energy substrate utilization during nightly vocal activity in three species of Scinax (Anura/Hylidae)

Anuran amphibians exhibit different patterns of energy substrate utilization that correlate with the intensity of vocal and locomotor activities. Given the remarkable differences among species in breeding and feeding strategies, and the different ways energy is used in the whole animal, the suggested correlations between calling and locomotor behavior and the level of energy substrates in the muscles responsible for such activities are more complex than previously reported. We explored the relationships between calling and locomotor behavior and energy supply to trunk and hindlimb muscles, respectively, within the ecologically diverse tree-frog genus Scinax. Specifically, we measured the relative amount of carbohydrates and lipids in these two groups of muscles, and in the liver of three species of Scinax that differ in vocal and locomotor performance, and compared our results with those of two other species for which comparable data are available. We also compared the contents of lipids and carbohydrates of conspecific males collected at the beginning and after 4 h of calling activity. The stomach content to potential feeding opportunities across species was also assessed in both groups of males. Scinax hiemalis and S. rizibilis exhibit comparatively low and episodic calling during long periods of activity whereas S. crospedospilus calls at higher rates over shorter periods. Male S. hiemalis had highest levels of trunk muscle glycogen followed by those of S. rizilbilis and S. crospedospilus, respectively. There was no correlation between total lipid content in trunk muscle and calling rate among different species, suggesting that other metabolic aspects may be responsible for the energetic support for vocal activity. The levels of lipids and carbohydrates in trunk and hindlimb muscles and liver of males collected at the beginning and 4 h into the calling period were similar across species, so the extent of energetic reserves does not appear to constrain vocal or locomotor activity. Finally, we found exceptionally high levels of carbohydrates and lipids in the liver of S. rizibilis, a trait perhaps related to a long and demanding breeding period.

Chemical transfer of warning information in non-injured fish

In this study we describe pacus, Piaractus mesopotamicus, detecting the presence of a predator by conspecific alerting pheromone. Moreover, we investigate whether this chemical information indicates the presence of a specific predator, or whether it indicates general disturbance. We exposed groups of pacus to the view of a predator fish (trahira, Hoplias malabaricus), a non-predator fish (piracanjuba, Brycon orbignyanus) or an aquarium without any fish (control), and then we transferred their water to isolated conspecifics. We set up six trials of each condition in which we analysed the dispersion and the distance from the visual stimulus in water-donor fish and the distance from the chemical stimulus in water-receiver pacus. This study showed that pacus visually identified the presence of another fish and recognised it as predator or non-predator. This is interpreted as an innate response. Such heterospecific detection affects the behaviour of pacus, which release chemicals that induce conspecifics to adopt a similar behavioural response. At least two chemicals might be involved, one of them possibly an alerting pheromone.

Black sea urchins evaluate predation risk using chemical signals from a predator and injured con- and heterospecific prey

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The 'club' cell and behavioural and physiological responses to chemical alarm cues in the Nile tilapia

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

Morphometry of the midgut epithelium of Diatraea saccharalis Fabricius, 1794 (Lepidoptera) parasitized by Cotesia flavipes Cameron, 1891 (Hymenoptera)

The morphometric study of the midgut in Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera) larvae parasitized by the Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera) showed that there was significant increase in the columnar, goblet and regenerative cells and their nuclei; the midgut lumen diameter and the epithelial height were also increased in the parasitized larvae. The multivariate analysis showed that parasitism affected the columnar cell only in the posterior region, and the goblet cells along the midgut length (anterior and posterior regions). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mitochondria in the midgut epithelial cells of sugarcane borer parasitized by Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891)

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

Deep barcode divergence in Brazilian freshwater fishes: the case of the Sao Francisco River basin

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Interspecific fish hybrids in Brazil: management of genetic resources for sustainable use

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

DNA barcodes discriminate freshwater fishes from the Paraiba do Sul River Basin, São Paulo, Brazil

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

Spherites in the midgut epithelial cells of the sugarcane borer parasitized by Cotesia flavipes

Diatraea saccharalis, the main pest of sugarcane, has been controlled by Cotesia flavipes. Very little is known about the effect of parasitism on the host organs, including the midgut. The Lepidoptera midgut epithelium is composed of columnar, goblet, regenerative, and endocrine cells. Spherites have been described in columnar and regenerative cells of several Lepidoptera species, and presented a lot of functional meaning. We identified spherites in the midgut epithelial cells of non-parasitized D. saccharalis larvae analyzed the effect of parasitism on spherite morphology and distribution along the length of the midgut. Midgut fragments of both non-parasitized and parasitized larvae were processed for transmission electron microscopy. All the midgut epithelial cells showed spherites, but they were not preferentially located in a particular part of the cells. Parasitized larvae had more spherites, mainly in the columnar cells, than non-parasitized larvae. This observation was associated with an ionic imbalance within the insect host. Spherites were more abundant in the anterior midgut region than in other regions, which suggests that this region is involved in ion transport by intracellular and/or paracellular route. The morphological variability of spherites in the cells of parasitized larvae was related to the developmental stages of these structures.

Worm burden and immunological responses in Corriedale and Crioula Lanada sheep following natural infection with Haemonchus contortus

The effects of natural infection with Haemonchus contortus were compared in 15 Corriedale lambs and 18 Crioula Lanada lambs kept in the grazing conditions after weaning. The following parameters were assessed weekly for 9 consecutive weeks: number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), packed cell volume (PCV), total serum proteins (TSP) and albumin (ALB). At 10 weeks, the animals were slaughtered and autopsied to evaluate to the worm burden and eosinophil, mast cell and globule leukocyte counts in histological sections of the abomasum. EPG counts and worm burden were significantly lower in Crioula lambs, which also showed higher levels of PCV, TSP and ALB, as well as higher eosinophil and globule leukocyte counts. Mast cell counts were similar for the two breeds. These results indicate that, under intensive pasture conditions, the Crioula Lanada breed shows a better response to natural infection with H. contortus, suggesting greater resistance to parasitism. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidences of non-additive effects of multiple parasitoids on Diatraea saccharalis Fabr. (Lep., Crambidae) populations in sugarcane fields in Brazil

Biological control is a relatively benign method of pest control. However, considerable debate exists over whether multiple natural enemies often interact to produce additive or non-additive effects on their prey or host populations. Based on the large data set stored in the Sao Joao and Barra sugarcane mills (state of São Paulo, Brazil) regarding the programme of biological control of Diatraea saccharalis using the parasitoids Cotesia flavipes and tachinid flies, in the present study the author investigated whether the parasitoids released into sugarcane fields interfered significantly with the rate of parasitized D. saccharalis hosts. The author also observed whether there was an additive effect of releasing C. flavipes and tachinids on the rate of parasitized hosts, and looked for evidence of possible negative effects of the use of multiple parasitoid species in this biological control programme. Results showed that C. flavipes and the tachinids were concomitantly released in the Barra Mill, but not in the Sao Jao Mill. Furthermore, in the Barra Mill there was evidence that the parasitoids interacted because the percentage of parasitism did not increase after the release of either C. flavipes or tachinids. In the Sao Joao Mill, when both parasitoid species were released out of synchrony, both the percentage of parasitism by C. flavipes as well as that of the tachinids increased. When large numbers of tachinids were released in the Barra Mill, they caused a significant lower percentage of parasitism imposed by C. flavipes. The implications of the results as evidence of non-additive effects of C. flavipes plus tachinids on D. saccharalis populations are discussed.