Potamotrygon boesemani (Chondrichthyes: Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygonidae), a new species of Neotropical freshwater stingray from Surinam

Potamotrygon boesemani, new species, is described from the Corantijn river drainage in Surinam. The species has a diagnostic dorsal color pattern formed by deep orange to red ocellated spots of irregular form, encircled by relatively broad black rings. Potamotrygon boesemani is distinguished from other ocellated congeners (P. motoro, P. henlei and P. leopoldi) by the more intensely colored ocelli, which are usually yellow in the latter species. From P. motoro it is also distinguished by the darker dorsal background coloration, by the broader black contour of the dorsal ocelli, and by the irregular form of the ocelli as compared to the more rounded shape in the latter species. From P. henlei and P. leopoldi, it is distinguished by the lack of ocelli on tail. From the tentatively identified specimen of P. ocellata, which also has dark orange ocelli, the irregular contour of the ocelli in the new species is also distinctive. The teeth are relatively smaller and in greater number than in P. motoro and P. ocellata, with up to 45 rows in the upper jaw.

Determinação eletroquímica da capacidade antioxidante de sucos de frutas industrializados usando o CRAC assay

Fruits juices are natural sources of several compounds that present antioxidant action. Together with the fruits, they contribute with almost 40% of the antioxidant capacity in a healthy diet avoiding and preventing diseases deriving from oxidative stress. The present study determined the antioxidant capacity of seven samples of industrialized fruits juices applying CRAC (Ceric Reducing/Antioxidant Capacity) assay, a new electrochemistry assay that evaluates, by means of chronoamperometric measurements, the ability of a sample in reducing species Ce4+ in acid media. At the end of the assay was obtained the following classification: cashew > guava > grape > mango > apple > orange > passion fruit.

Vegetable-origin foam employed in dye extraction in tanning and leather processing facilities

This study addressed the use of conventional and vegetable origin polyurethane foams to extract C. I. Acid Orange 61 dye. The quantitative determination of the residual dye was carried out with an UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometer. The extraction of the dye was found to depend on various factors such as pH of the solution, foam cell structure, contact time and dye and foam interactions. After 45 days, better results were obtained for conventional foam when compared to vegetable foam. Despite presenting a lower percentage of extraction, vegetable foam is advantageous as it is considered a polymer with biodegradable characteristics.

Síntese de poli(1,1'-ferrocenilenovinileno) via acoplamento de McMurry

Com base nas grandes modificações das propriedades de materiais poliméricos resultantes da inclusão de unidades organometálicas, descrevem-se neste trabalho a síntese e a caracterização de um polímero organometálico conjugado com estrutura semelhante à de poli(p-fenilenovinileno) (PPV), o qual apresenta grupos 1,1'-ferrocenileno no lugar de 1,4fenileno em sua cadeia principal. Sintetizado por meio de reação de acoplamento de McMurry de 1,1'-ferrocenodialdeído, o poli(1,1'-ferrocenilenovinileno) (PFV) se apresentou na forma de um sólido de cor laranja, amorfo e insolúvel tanto em solventes polares quanto em apolares. Para caracterização do PFV, empregaram-se os métodos de espectroscopia no infravermelho (FTIR), espectroscopia Raman e análise termogravimétrica (TGA).

Stability of fruit bases and chocolate fillings

Syrups with high sugar content and dehydrated fruits in its composition can be added to chocolate fillings to reduce the need of artificial flavor and dyes attributing a natural appeal to the product. Fruit bases were produced with lyophilized strawberry, passion fruit, and sliced orange peel. Rheological dynamic oscillatory tests were applied to determine the products stability and tendency of shelf life. Values of G´< G´´ were observed for strawberry and passion fruit flavor, whereas values of G´ > G´´ were found for orange flavor during the 90 days of storage. It was observed that shear stress values did not vary significantly suggesting product stability during the studied period. For all fillings, it was found a behavior similar to the fruit base indicating that it has great influence on the filling behavior and its stability. The use of a sugar matrix in fillings provided good shelf life for the fruit base, which could be kept under room temperature conditions for a period as long as one year. The good stability and storage conditions allow the use of fruit base for handmade products as well as for industrialized products.

A new species of Acteon (Opisthobranchia: Acteonidae) from Northeast Brazil

A new species of Acteon Montfort 1810, Acteon mirim sp. nov., from Canopus Bank, state of Ceará, Brazil is described based on shell morphology. The new species is compared with other species of the genus reported from Brazil. It differs from other Brazilian species in having a whitish color with dark orange-brown spiral bands and a shell surface covered with small spiral grooves, regularly rectangular.

Cinco novas espécies de Cerambycidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) da Região Neotropical e novos registros

New species are described: Tessaropa elongata sp. nov. from Brazil (Rondônia) has long elytra, a character that distinguishes it from the remaining species with short elytra; Hexoplon immaculatum sp. nov. from Ecuador (Pichincha) is characterized by the red-orange general color and black legs. Eburodacrys inaequalis sp. nov. from Bolivia (Santa Cruz) has elytral apices and same-color femora that cause it to be similar to E. ayri Martins & Galileo, 2006 and E. silviamariae Martins & Galileo, 2006, yet it differs from either species in the black lateral spines and dorsal tubercles of pronotum and the elongate eburneuos maculae of the elytra. Coleomethia bezarki sp. nov. (Costa Rica, Guanacaste) differs from C. australis Hovore, 1987 by male pronotum without rugosities, peduculate metafemora and metatibiae entirely pubescent. Bisaltes (B.) petilus sp. nov. (Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Alajuela) is separated from B. (B.)buquetii Thomson, 1868 and B. (B.) fuchsi Breuning, 1971 by the more slender body appearance, the absence of dark belts on pronotum, and the absence of circular macula in the anterior third of elytra. Notes and new records are provided for: Tetraibion concolor Martins, 2006 (Bolivia: La Paz); Gnomidolon ornaticolle Martins, 1960 (Panama: Colón); Mephritus apicatus (Linsley, 1935) (Brazil: Rondônia).

Geometric morphometrics of the wing as a tool for assigning genetic lineages and geographic origin to Melipona beecheii (Hymenoptera: Meliponini)

The stingless bee Melipona beecheii presents great variability and is considered a complex of species. In order to better understand this species complex, we need to evaluate its diversity and develop methods that allow geographic traceability of the populations. Here we present a fast, efficient, and inexpensive means to accomplish this using geometric morphometrics of wings. We collected samples from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica and we were able to correctly assign 87.1% of the colonies to their sampling sites and 92.4% to their haplotype. We propose that geometric morphometrics of the wing could be used as a first step analysis leaving the more expensive molecular analysis only to doubtful cases.

Morphometric and genetic changes in a population of Apis mellifera after 34 years of Africanization

Though the replacement of European bees by Africanized honey bees in tropical America has attracted considerable attention, little is known about the temporal changes in morphological and genetic characteristics in these bee populations. We examined the changes in the morphometric and genetic profiles of an Africanized honey bee population collected near where the original African swarms escaped, after 34 years of Africanization. Workers from colonies sampled in 1968 and in 2002 were morphometrically analyzed using relative warps analysis and an Automatic Bee Identification System (ABIS). All the colonies had their mitochondrial DNA identified. The subspecies that mixed to form the Africanized honey bees were used as a comparison for the morphometric analysis. The two morphometric approaches showed great similarity of Africanized bees with the African subspecies, Apis mellifera scutellata, corroborating with other markers. We also found the population of 1968 to have the pattern of wing venation to be more similar to A. m. scutellata than the current population. The mitochondrial DNA of European origin, which was very common in the 1968 population, was not found in the current population, indicating selective pressure replacing the European with the African genome in this tropical region. Both morphometric methodologies were very effective in discriminating the A. mellifera groups; the non-linear analysis of ABIS was the most successful in identifying the bees, with more than 94% correct classifications.

Surface-plasmon-enhanced frequency upconversion in Pr(3+) doped tellurium-oxide glasses containing silver nanoparticles

A frequency upconversion process in Pr(3+) doped TeO(2)-ZnO glasses containing silver nanoparticles is studied under excitation with a nanosecond laser operating at 590 nm, in resonance with the (3)H(4)-->(1)D(2) transition. The excited Pr(3+) ions exchange energy in the presence of the nanoparticles, originating efficient conversion from orange to blue. The enhancement in the intensity of the luminescence at similar to 482 nm, corresponding to the (3)P(0)-->(3)H(4) transition, is due to the influence of the large local field on the Pr(3+) ions, which are located near the metallic nanoparticles. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Cuticular hydrocarbons in the stingless bee Schwarziana quadripunctata (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini): differences between colonies, castes and age

Chemical communication is of fundamental importance to maintain the integration of insect colonies. In honey bees, cuticular lipids differ in their composition between queens, workers and drones. Little is known, however, about cuticular hydrocarbons in stingless bees. We investigated chemical differences in cuticular hydrocarbons between different colonies, castes and individuals of different ages in Schwarziana quadripunctata. The epicuticle of the bees was extracted using the nonpolar solvent hexane, and was analyzed by means of a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer. The identified compounds were alkanes, branched-alkanes and alkenes with chains of 19 to 33 carbon atoms. Discriminant analyses showed clear differences between all the groups analyzed. There were significant differences between bees from different colonies, workers of different age and between workers and virgin queens.

Seasonality Role on the Phenolics from Cultivated Baccharis dracunculifolia

Baccharis dracunculifolia is the source of Brazilian green propolis (BGP). Considering the broad spectrum of biological activities attributed to green proplis, B. dracunculifolia has a great potential for the development of new cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. In this work, the cultivation of 10 different populations of native B. dracunculifolia had been undertaken aiming to determine the role of seasonality on its phenolic compounds. For this purpose, fruits of this plant were collected from populations of 10 different regions, and 100 individuals of each population were cultivated in an experimental area of 1800 m(2). With respect to cultivation, the yields of dry plant, essential oil and crude extract were measured monthly resulting in mean values of 399 +/- 80 g, 0.6 +/- 0.1% and 20 +/- 4%, respectively. The HPLC analysis allowed detecting seven phenolic compounds: caffeic acid, ferulic acid, aromadendrin-4'-methyl ether (AME), isosakuranetin, artepillin C, baccharin and 2-dimethyl-6-carboxyethenyl-2H-1-benzopyran acid, which were the major ones throughout the 1-year monthly analysis. Caffeic acid was detected in all cultivated populations with mean of 4.0%. AME displayed the wide variation in relation to other compounds showing means values of 0.65 +/- 0.13% at last quarter. Isosakuranetin and artepillin C showed increasing concentrations with values between 0% and 1.4% and 0% and 1.09%, respectively. The obtained results allow suggesting that the best time for harvesting this plant, in order to obtain good qualitative and quantitative results for these phenolic compounds, is between December and April.

Caste-specific cuticular lipids in the stingless bee Friesella schrottkyi

While a queen control pheromone complex that inhibits worker ovary development has been described for honey bees, no comparable control pheromones have been identified for their sister group, the stingless bees. The aim of the present work was to search for possible control pheromones in the stingless bee Friesella schrottkyi. No volatile substances were found in the heads of queens that might serve as queen control pheromones. On the other hand, distinct differences were found between the cuticular substances of queens and workers. The major hydrocarbons were different between the two castes, and while queens contained methyl-branched alkanes and no unsaturated hydrocarbons, workers contained alkenes and alka-dienes but no methyl branched hydrocarbons. Colonies deprived of a queen produced laying workers. Differences were observed in the cuticular patterns of laying workers and workers from a queen controlled colony.

Ovariole structure and oogenesis in queens and workers of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) kept under different social conditions

The high variability in the reproductive biology of stingless bees makes them very amenable for comparative studies with other eusocial bee taxa. We investigated the structural organization of the ovaries of Melipona quadrifasciata queens and workers kept under different social conditions by analyzing their general histology, mitotic activity, and microfilament organization. The overall dynamics of ovarian activity were similar in the two castes, and at emergence their ovarioles contained a previtellogenic follicle. Stingless bees and honey bees differ in the structural organization in the lower germarium, but they have in common synchronized mitotic activity and putative germ line stem cells in the terminal filament. Unlike honey bees, stingless bee workers lay trophic eggs in addition to reproductive eggs. The overall similarities in oogenesis between the two taxa suggest that the decision to form trophic eggs should only occur in the late stages of oogenesis.

Effect of Nd:YAG Laser and Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride on Bovine and Human Enamel Submitted to Erosion/Abrasion or Erosion Only: An in Vitro Preliminary Study

Objective: The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate, using two different methodologies, the effectiveness of pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation associated with topical acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) for preventing enamel erosion and structure loss under regimes of erosion and abrasion or erosion only. Background Data: An increased incidence of noncarious lesions (erosion and abrasion) has been observed, consequently new preventative therapies have been proposed. Materials and Methods: Two different methodologies were performed. For the first, 100 bovine crowns were submitted to four different treatments (n = 25): no treatment (control), 4 min application of APF, Nd:YAG laser irradiation (1 W, 100 mJ, 10 Hz, 141.5 J/cm(2)), and Nd:YAG laser irradiation+4 min of APF. After the specimens were exposed to citric acid (2% w/v; 30 min), they were submitted to 5000 brushing cycles. Specimen mass was measured before and after the treatments. For the second methodology, 20 human crowns were embedded in acrylic resin and cut surfaces were exposed and polished. The specimens were divided into four groups (n = 10): no treatment (control), APF for 4 min, Nd:YAG laser irradiation (1 W, 100 mJ, 10 Hz, 125 J/cm(2)), and Nd:YAG laser irradiation+APF. The samples were then immersed in citric acid (2% w/v; 90 min). Vickers hardness was obtained before and after the treatments. Results: The Nd:YAG laser irradiation+APF (bovine and human enamel) was more effective and yielded statistically significant results for surface microhardness and enamel wear. Conclusion: Nd:YAG laser irradiation associated with APF reduced bovine enamel wear and human enamel softening when samples were submitted to a regime of erosion and abrasion or erosion only in vitro.