On Munduruku, a new Theraphosid genus from Oriental Amazonia (Araneae, Mygalomorphae)

Munduruku gen. nov. is proposed for the type species Munduruku bicoloratum sp. nov., from Juruti and Santarém, Pará, Brazil. The main diagnostic character of Munduruku gen. nov. is the presence of a subapical, lanceolate keel on the male palpal bulb, which is unique among the basal taxa of Theraphosinae with type III-IV urticating setae. The female spermathecae consist of two spheroid receptacles with funnel-shaped necks, each of which bears a sclerotized area. In both sexes, the abdomen is remarkably patterned, an uncommon feature in adults of New World theraphosids. Both the bulbus lanceolate keel and the abdominal color pattern are hypothesized as synapomorphies of the genus.

Occurrence of Hirudinea species in a post urban reach of a Patagonian mountain stream

Temporal (May 2005 to February 2006) and habitat distribution (pools and riffles) of Hirudinea species was analyzed at a post urban reach from Esquel stream (Chubut province, Patagonia, Argentina). Site was located 5.7 km downstream a Waste Treatment Plant. Mean values of nutrients: ammonia, nitrates and soluble reactive phosphate, as well water conductivity, turbidity and total suspended solids indicated physical and organic pollution. Leeches assemblage was composed by the glossiphonids: Helobdella scutifera Blanchard, 1900, H. michaelseni (Blanchard, 1900), H. simplex (Moore, 1911), Helobdella sp., H. hyalina Ringuelet, 1942, H. obscura Ringuelet, 1942 and the semiscolecid Patagoniobdella variabilis (Blanchard, 1900). From these H. hyalina and H. obscura are new records for Chubut province. Helobdella hyalina (810 ind.m-2) and H. simplex (465 ind. m-2) clearly dominated the assemblage at the reach. Only H. simplex displayed a spatial preference being significantly more abundant in pools than in riffle habitats (p<0.001). Species recruitment occurred mostly at September, December and March when juveniles were very abundant. Although several species of Helobdella were able to live in the disturbed section of the stream, only H. simplex and H. hyalina sustained large populations at the site and can be considered as tolerant to organic enrichment. This information is valuable to future studies on stream condition assessment in mountainous areas in Patagonia, and in other areas in which these species are present.

Assessing the performance of macroinvertebrate metrics in the Challhuaco-Ñireco System (Northern Patagonia, Argentina)

ABSTRACT Seven sites were examined in the Challhuaco-Ñireco system, located in the reserve of the Nahuel Huapi National Park, however part of the catchment is urbanized, being San Carlos de Bariloche (150,000 inhabitants) placed in the lower part of the basin. Physico-chemical variables were measured and benthic macroinvertebrates were collected during three consecutive years at seven sites from the headwater to the river outlet. Sites near the source of the river were characterised by Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, Trichoptera and Diptera, whereas sites close to the river mouth were dominated by Diptera, Oligochaeta and Mollusca. Regarding functional feeding groups, collector-gatherers were dominant at all sites and this pattern was consistent among years. Ordination Analysis (RDA) revealed that species assemblages distribution responded to the climatic and topographic gradient (temperature and elevation), but also were associated with variables related to human impact (conductivity, nitrate and phosphate contents). Species assemblages at headwaters were mostly represented by sensitive insects, whereas tolerant taxa such as Tubificidae, Lumbriculidae, Chironomidae and crustacean Aegla sp. were dominant at urbanised sites. Regarding macroinvertebrate metrics employed, total richness, EPT taxa, Shannon diversity index and Biotic Monitoring Patagonian Stream index resulted fairly consistent and evidenced different levels of disturbances at the stream, meaning that this measures are suitable for evaluation of the status of Patagonian mountain streams.

La Gestión del conocimiento en pequeñas empresas de tecnologías de la información: una investigación exploratoria

La habilidad de crear y replicar el conocimiento es especialmente crítico para empresas que compiten en entornos dinámicos, las cuales no solamente tienen recursos tecnológicos relevantes, sino que deben mostrar flexibilidad y capacidad administrativa para coordinar efectivamente sus competencias internas. Los procesos de generación y transferencia del conocimiento son analizados aquí a través de un estudio de casos de cuatro pequeñas empresas del sector de las tecnologías de la información en Barcelona. Como resultado del estudio, se diseña un modelo en el cual la generación del conocimiento es posible a través de la adquisición de conocimiento externo y de la creación interna de conocimiento, proceso este último facilitado por la motivación personal y la oportunidad de aprender de los miembros de la organización. La transferencia del conocimiento se realiza mediante la utilización de mecanismos formales e informales. Aún y cuando los mecanismos formales como los documentos y el Intranet proveen un apoyo a este proceso, los empleados prefieren transferir su conocimiento de una forma cara a cara.

Examples of retracts in a free group that are not the fixed subgroup of any group of automorphisms

Let F be a free group of rank at least three. We show that some retracts of F previously studied by Martino-Ventura are not equal to the fixed subgroup of any group of automorphisms of F. This shows that, in F, there exist subgroups that are equal to the fixed subgroup of some set of endomorphisms but are not equal to the fixed subgroup of any set of automorphisms. Moreover, we determine the Galois monoids of these retracts, where, by the Galois monoid of a subgroup H of F, we mean the monoid consisting of all endomorphisms of F that fix H.

Polynomial-time complexity for instances of the endomorphism problem in free groups

We say the endomorphism problem is solvable for an element W in a free group F if it can be decided effectively whether, given U in F, there is an endomorphism Φ of F sending W to U. This work analyzes an approach due to C. Edmunds and improved by C. Sims. Here we prove that the approach provides an efficient algorithm for solving the endomorphism problem when W is a two- generator word. We show that when W is a two-generator word this algorithm solves the problem in time polynomial in the length of U. This result gives a polynomial-time algorithm for solving, in free groups, two-variable equations in which all the variables occur on one side of the equality and all the constants on the other side.

Considerações sôbre a técnica de determinação do "Índice Lipásico Seabra"

A detailed study of Seabra's lipasic reagent for the diagnostic of tuberculosis has been made. Substrate. The oily emulsion of cotton seed oil containing gum as dispersing agent, presented a pH variation to the ampoulles examined. In these belonging to the same cartoon as well as in those from different cartoons the values obtained electrometrically ranged from pH 5.8-6.4 (Table I). These variations lead us to presuppose: 1) instability of the oily emulsion in gum; 2) spontaneous hydrolysis of the oil; 3) different batches or technique of the oil extraction, or different sources. Buffer: The same variability observed with substrate was found for the buffer. In CHERRY & CRANDALL's method the buffer is pH 7.0. The saline solution from Seabra's oscillated from pH6.25-6.9 (table II). Titration - end point. A colorimetric comparison between the sample and the blank as suggested by Seabra becomes very difficult. The end point in the presence of serum, when phenolphtalein is used as indicator, is very difficult to compare with the blank containing water. Conclusion. The differences observed in the results when the same serum was used, must be due to the variations observed with Seabra's reagents.

Índice lipásido Seabra: seu valor no diagnóstico da tuberculose

The determination of blood lipase has been proposed by SEABRA as a method for detecting predisposition to initial or subsequent stages of tuberculosis; normal subjects having high titers (8-12 units), tuberculous patients low ones (5-7), falling to zero in advanced stages of the disease. An assay of the method has been made by the AA. in sera of 238 non tuberculous subjects (419 tests) and 207 tuberculous ones (456 tests) following the technical procedures described by SEABRA. All of them had their Roentgenographies taken at the same day of blood collection. Factors interfering with blood lipase values in tuberculosis are discussed. A relationship between the course of the disease and the serum lipase could not be confirmed. High and low values were found in initial as well as in advanced cases. Our results are in agreement with those recorded in the literature (Figs. I and II). It seems that the general condition, rather than pulmonary lesions are responsible for the blood lipase values. There was no direct relationship between blood lipase titer and severity of pulmonary tuberculosis; however the data presented in this paper do not agree with such correlation, stated by SEABRA, FERNANDES and VICENTE.

O relêvo do solo como fator determinante da distribuição dos Anofelíneos na região "Bromeliácea-Malária do Brasil

Aus dem Vorhergehenden ergibt sich, dass das Problem "Bromeliaceen-Kerteszia" hinsichtlich des Bodenreliefs in vier Punkten zusammengefasst werden kann: 1- Zone des Vorkommens von Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii; das sind die Kontinentalebenen der Niederung des Itapocú im Norden der Region und der des Araranguá im Sueden. Dazu kommen die benachbarten Streifen einschliesslich der Abhaenge der Serra do Mar. 2 - Zone des Vorkommens von Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii und bellator; das sind die quartaeren Ebenen mariner Sedimente (Restingas). 3 - Zone des Vorkommens von Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii, bellator und homunculus; das ist das stark vertikal aufgeteilte Relief der parallel zueinander in EW-Richtung verlaufenden Gebirgszuege. 4 - Zone des Vorkommens von Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii und homunculus; das sind die Abhaenge der Gebirgsraender des kristalinen Hochlandes, die tief durch die zum Meer gerichteten Fluesse zerschnitten sind. Ebenfalls erbigt sich, dass in den vier Zonen die Art Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii einen gleichbleibenden Prozentsatz an Larven aufweist, woraus hervorgeht: 1 - Die Art besitzt keine bevorzugte Wohnstaette, in Bezug aur die Eiablage, in der zur Frage stehenden biogeographischen Region. 2- Die grossen Differenzen bezueglich des Prozentsatzes an positiven Brutstaetten in den bearbeiteten Gebieten haengt nicht von dem groesseren oder geringeren vorkommen der entspreschenden Art im biotop ab, sondern von den Wohnstaetten, die fuer das Leben der Arten Anopheles (Kerteszia) bellator und homunculus geeignet sind. Des weiteren ersieht man, dass, im allgemeinen gesehen, eine Abnahmees der Positivitaet der Brutstaetten in der EW-Richtung besteht, dagegen ist die Verringerung in der NS-Richtung weininger akzentuiert.

Planta de producción de carbonato sódico

Aquest projecte presenta el procés de producció del carbonat sòdic a partir del mètode Solvay. Aquest procés es caracteritza perquè a partir de matèries primes molt bàsiques, com són el clorur sòdic i la pedra caliça, s'obté un producte de gran mercat, el carbonat sòdic. En el projecte s'estudien tant el disseny dels equips que seràn part del procès de producció com els sistemes de control utilitzats, impactes mediambientals que es puguin generar o l'avaluació econòmica de l'acceptació del procés en el mercat, entre d'altres.

Águas com predominância de Eutreptia lanowi steuer e Chlamydomonas reinhardi dangeard no plancton, na enseada de Inhauma, Baía de Guanabara

In brackish waters of a creek of Guanabara Bay, the author points by the first time the presence of Chlamydomonas reinhardi, Eutreptia lanowi, Oscillatoria putrida, O. limosa, O. chlorina that were unknown in our waters; such biologic indicators proved themselves pollutional conditions, so bad a stark-mesosaprobic regime. Other news are plankton analysis by the Standar methods, of two most expressive samples of water masses;also the mobility of the plankters are measured in micra by second.

Ueber die hautdruesen von Apiomerus nigrilobus Stal, 1872 (Reduviidae, Apiomerinae)

Die ersten beiden Beinpaare und die Unterseite des Abdomens von Apiomerus nigritobus sind dicht mit Borsten besetzt, zwischen denen sich ein klebriges Sekret befindet. Das Sekret hilft den Tieren, ihre Beute zu ueberwaeltigen. Es wird in Druesenzellen hergestellt, die unter der Hypodermis als Einzelzellen oder als kleine Zellgruppen liegen. Die Druesenzelle besitzt homogenes Protoplasma und einen zentral gelegenen Kern. Der Ausleitungsapparat besteht aus einem langen, in der Zelle stark gewunden verlaufenden Cuticularroehrchen von etwa 0,2μ. Dicke, das von besonderen Zellen der Hypodermis gebildet wird. Die Oeffnung auf der Cuticula besitzt keine Hilfsapparate. Ausstoss und Transport des Sekrets beruhen auf dem Sekretdruck der Druesenzelle.

Restricted walks in regular trees

Let T be the Cayley graph of a finitely generated free group F. Given two vertices in T consider all the walks of a given length between these vertices that at a certain time must follow a number of predetermined steps. We give formulas for the number of such walks by expressing the problem in terms of equations in F and solving the corresponding equations.

Os grandes clímaces do Brasil: III - Considerações gerais sôbre a vegetação da Região Centro-Oeste

Die west-zentrale Region Brasiliens, die im Gebiet des gleichfoermigen feuchten tropischen Klimas mit Trockenzeiten liegt, schliesst, allgemein gesehen, drei phytogeographische Zonen in sich ein; die noerdliche mit Wald, die zentrale mit Savannen und die suedliche mit Campos. In den Zonen sind verschiedene Waldinseln eingeschlossen, deren Existenz, entsprechend den vielfaeltigen orographischen Verhaeltnissen und der hiermit zusammenhaengenden komplexen geologischen Struktur, eine ausreichende Erklaerung fuer die beobachtete Zerschneidung der Zonen abgibt. Es finden sich: 1. Auf den hoeheren Ebenen: a) "Cerrado" (Buschwald). Er breitet sich aus auf den ebenen kretassischen Stufen und Haegen mit kompakteren Boeden, sowohl auf denen der "Chapadões" wie auch auf denen, die die grosse paraguaische Depression umgeben; b) Savanne. Sie tritt immer auf ebenen oder schwach gewellten Gelaenden auf, wo eine dicke, gut durchlaessige Schicht auf undurchiaessigem Untergrund liegt; c) Campo. Er dehnt sich auf Flaechen aus, die oberflaeching undurchlaessig geworden sind, und zwar sowohl auf ebenen, wie auch auf schwaecher oder staerker bewegten Gelaenden; d) Wald. Er findet sich auf den Talsohlen, begleitet die Wasserlaeufe und Talhaenge in stark bewegtem Gelaende. 2. Die Campos der grossen paraguaischen Depression nehmen sehr ausgedehnte Gebiete ein, die von kleineren feuchten Niederungen, Fluessen und Inselbergn unterbrochen sind, wo sich Buschwald, Galleriewald und Cerrado findet. 3. Auf den fruchtbareren Boeden, die auf Zerfall eruptiver Gesteine zurueckgefuehrt werden und durch das Einschneiden des ausgedehnten hydrographischen Netzes, das die Region zerschneidet, herausgearbeitet sind, bedecken die Waelder unterschiedslos die ebenen wie die schwach oder stark geneigten Gelaende.