Diversity of Mycosphaerella spp. and Teratosphaeria spp. in Eucalyptus globulus plantations in Brazil

Among the most important diseases affecting Eucalyptus is Mycosphaerella Leaf Disease (MLD) caused by Mycosphaerella spp. and Teratosphaeria spp. MLD has led to significant losses in eucalypt plantations in the South and Southeast Region of Brazil, as well as in several countries such as Portugal, Spain, South Africa and Australia. Symptoms of MLD include localized necrotic spots, early defoliation in juvenile plants, stem cankers, early death of branches, and in some cases, atrophy and death. In the present study, single spore isolations from leaves of E. globulus from five locations in Brazil allowed the differentiation of species of Mycosphaerella and Teratosphaeria based on ascospore germination and growth in culture. These isolates were also subjected to sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA internal transcribed spacer regions, which allowed their identification to species level. The results of this study showed that six species of Mycosphaerella and four species of Teratosphaeria were associated with leaves showing symptoms of MLD in E. globulus plantations in various locations of Brazil. © 2013 KNPV.

Ponencia de las actividades de información sobre población en la Secretaría de Planificación y Presupuesto (SPP) de la República de Nicaragua

Contiene las actividades sobre población de la Secretaría a traves de su Centro de Documentación, que en conjunto con el Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos desarrolló el Sistema Integrado de Información y Documentación en Población (SIDOP). Analiza la informacion sobre población utilizada y generada por las unidades de información bibliográfica y procesamiento de datos de la Institución. Presenta sugerencias sobre cooperación inter-institucional y regional.

Molecular identification and antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia spp. isolated from bovine mastitis in Brazil

Nocardia spp. infections can cause severe damage to the mammary gland due to suppurative pyogranulomatous lesions and lack of clinical cure in response to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Although Nocardia infections are considered relatively uncommon in cows, there has been an apparent worldwide increase in the incidence of bovine mastitis caused by Nocardia spp, perhaps due to environmental transmission of this ubiquitous pathogen. The objectives of present study were to determine: (i) species distribution of 80 Nocardia isolates involved in bovine mastitis (based on molecular methods); and (ii) antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of all isolates from three geographical areas in Brazil. In this study, Nocardia nova (80%) was the most frequently isolated species, followed by Nocardia farcinica (9%). Additionally, Nocardia puris, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Nocardia veterana, Nocardia africana, and Nocardia arthritidis were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing. This is apparently the first report of N. puris, N. veterana, N. cyriacigeorgica, N. arthritidis and N. africana in association with bovine mastitis. Based on the disk diffusion test, isolates were most frequently resistant to cloxacillin (75%), ampicillin (55%) and cefoperazone (47%), whereas few Nocardia spp. were resistant to amikacin, cefuroxime or gentamicin. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic dogs are highly competent to transmit Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi to the natural vector

We evaluated the ability of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi to transfer the parasite to the vector and the factors associated with transmission. Thirty-eight infected dogs were confirmed to be infected by direct observation of Leishmania in lymph node smears. Dogs were grouped according to external clinical signs and laboratory data into symptomatic (n= 24) and asymptomatic (n= 14) animals. All dogs were sedated and submitted to xenodiagnosis with F1-laboratory-reared Lutzomyia longipalpis. After blood digestion, sand flies were dissected and examined for the presence of promastigotes. Following canine euthanasia, fragments of skin, lymph nodes, and spleen were collected and processed using immunohistochemistry to evaluate tissue parasitism. Specific antibodies were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody levels were found to be higher in symptomatic dogs compared to asymptomatic dogs (p= 0.0396). Both groups presented amastigotes in lymph nodes, while skin parasitism was observed in only 58.3% of symptomatic and in 35.7% of asymptomatic dogs. Parasites were visualized in the spleens of 66.7% and 71.4% of symptomatic and asymptomatic dogs, respectively. Parasite load varied from mild to intense, and was not significantly different between groups. All asymptomatic dogs except for one (93%) were competent to transmit Leishmania to the vector, including eight (61.5%) without skin parasitism. Sixteen symptomatic animals (67%) infected sand flies; six (37.5%) showed no amastigotes in the skin. Skin parasitism was not crucial for the ability to infect Lutzomyia longipalpis but the presence of Leishmania in lymph nodes was significantly related to a positive xenodiagnosis. Additionally, a higher proportion of infected vectors that fed on asymptomatic dogs was observed (p= 0.0494). Clinical severity was inversely correlated with the infection rate of sand flies (p= 0.027) and was directly correlated with antibody levels (p= 0.0379). Age and gender did not influence the transmissibility. Our data show that asymptomatic dogs are highly infective and competent for establishing sand fly infection, indicating their role in maintaining L. (L.) infantum chagasi cycle as well as their involvement in VL spreading in endemic areas. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Frequency of different human mollicutes species in the mucosa of the oropharynx, conjunctiva, and genitalia of free-ranging and captive capuchin monkeys (Cebus spp.)

This study is the first to evaluate the occurrence of several Mollicutes species in Brazilian capuchin monkeys (Cebus spp.). Mollicutes were detected by culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in samples of the oropharyngeal, conjuctiva, and genital mucosae of 58 monkeys. In the oropharynx, Mollicutes in general (generic PCR to the Class), and those of the genus Ureaplasma (genus PCR), were detected in 72.4% and 43.0% of the samples, respectively. The identified species in this site included: Mycoplasma arginini (43.1%), M. salivarium (41.4%), and M. pneumoniae (19.0%). Both Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma are genera of the order Mycoplasmatales. In the preputial/vaginal mucosa, PCR detected Mollicutes in general in 27.58% of the samples, the genus Ureaplasma in 32.7%, the species M. arginini in 8.6%, and Acholeplasma laidlawii of the order Acholeplasmatales in 1.7% In the conjunctiva, Mollicutes in general were detected in 29.3% of the samples, with 1.7% being identified as A. laidlawii. Culturing was difficult due to contamination, but two isolates were successfully obtained. The Mollicutes species of this study provided new insights into these bacteria in Brazilian Cebus. Studies are lacking of the actual risk of Mollicutes infection or the frequency at which primates serve as permanent or temporary reservoirs for Mollicutes. In the present study, the samples were collected from monkeys without clinical signs of infection. The mere presence of Mollicutes, particularly those also found in humans, nevertheless signals a need for studies to evaluate the impact of these microorganisms on the health of non-human primates (NHPs) and the possibility of cross-species transmission between NHPs and humans. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lack of host specificity of Colletotrichum spp. isolates associated with anthracnose symptoms on mango in Brazil

The aim of the present study was to analyse the genetic and pathogenic variability of Colletotrichum spp. isolates from various organs and cultivars of mango with anthracnose symptoms, collected from different municipalities of São Paulo State, Brazil. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolates from symptomless citrus leaves and C. acutatum isolates from citrus flowers with post-bloom fruit drop symptoms were included as controls. Sequencing of the ITS region allowed the identification of 183 C. gloeosporioides isolates from mango; only one isolate was identified as C. acutatum. amova analysis of ITS sequences showed larger genetic variability among isolates from the same municipality than among those from different populations. fAFLP markers indicated high levels of genetic variability among the C. gloeosporioides isolates from mango and no correlation between genetic variability and isolate source. Only one C. gloeosporioides mango isolate had the same genotype as the C. gloeosporioides isolates from citrus leaves, as determined by ITS sequencing and fAFLP analysis. Pathogenicity tests revealed that C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum isolates from either mango or citrus can cause anthracnose symptoms on leaves of mango cvs Palmer and Tommy Atkins and blossom blight symptoms in citrus flowers. These outcomes indicate a lack of host specificity of the Colletotrichum species and suggest the possibility of host migration. © 2012 British Society for Plant Pathology.

Comparative study of the life cycle assessment of particleboards made of residues from sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum spp.) and pine wood shavings (Pinus elliottii)

This paper presents a research on the environmental impacts of particleboards produced from wastes, based on a comparative Life Cycle Assessment study. The particleboards were manufactured in laboratorial scale from the following residues: sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum spp.) and pine wood shavings (Pinus elliottii). The study was developed following the methodological guidelines of ISO 14040. The functional unit adopted was the m2 of the particleboards produced and the impacts were evaluated by the Environmental Development of Industrial Products method. The results indicated that pine particleboard present the highest environmental impact potential. Our findings suggested that the factors that mostly aggravated the environmental impacts were: the distance between the raw materials and the production site, and formaldehyde emissions (FE). The first is related to the combustion of fossil fuel during the acquisition of raw material, which achieved the values of 2185.94 g/m2 for consumption of non-renewable resources for pine particleboard and 893.53 g/m2 for bagasse particleboard. The second is related to the use of urea-formaldehyde resin, responsible for the FE into the air during production. The FE is accountable for the contamination of approximately 7,800,000.00 m3 of air per m2 of particleboard produced, and was the factor with the greatest impact in human toxicity potential. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eficácia da mistura de glifosato a outros maturadores na cana-de-açúcar (Saccharum spp.)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Eficácia de fluridone para o controle de Egeria spp. em caixas d'água e em represa de pequeno porte sem fluxo de água

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Agricultura) - FCA

Mamíferos de médio e grande porte e ecologia alimentar de carnívoros em remanescentes de Floresta Ombrófia Mista e palntios de Pinus spp. na região centro-sul do Estado do Paraná, Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ácaros associados à Jatropha spp. (Euphorbiaceae) no Brasil

Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal - IBILCE

Análises moleculares das formigas lava-pés (Solenopsis spp.) (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) e da presença da endobactéria Wolbachia

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Celular e Molecular) - IBRC

Caracterização do perfil clonal, fatores de virulência e determinação da resistência em Staphylococcus spp. isolados de leite ovino

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Prevalência e suscetibilidade aos antibióticos de enterococcus spp. isoladas da cavidade bucal humana

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Seleção de micro-organismos fermentadores de xilose em etanol a partir de diferentes variedades da casca de uvas (Vitis spp)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)