Occurrence of Haplometroides odhneri (Trematoda, Digenea, Plagiorchiidae) infecting Leptotyphlops koppesi (Serpentes, Leptotyphlopidae)

Descreveu-se a ocorrência de Haplometroides odhneri (Trematoda, Digenea, Plagiorchiidae) na traquéia e esôfago de Leptotyphlops koppesi (Serpentes, Leptotyphlopidae) proveniente da Usina Hidrelétrica Corumbá I, município de Caldas Novas, Goiás. Este é o primeiro relato sobre a ocorrência de H. odhneri parasitando L. koppesi.

Reproductive mechanisms in a Nasutitermes species (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Cúpulas comerciais para produção de geléia real e rainhas em colméias de abelhas Apis mellifera

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

Ovarian development in Meliponine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae): the effect of queen presence and food on worker ovary development and egg production

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

Hemoglobinopatias no Distrito Federal, Brasil

Em uma amostra de 3137 pessoas, residentes no Distrito Federal, foram detectadas as seguintes hemoglobinas: em 3009(95,92%) HbAA; em 91 (2,90%) HbAS; em 20(0,64%) HbAC; em 8 (0,26%) talassemia beta minor; em 5(0,16%) HbAJ alfa; em 3 (0,09%) HbAM e em 1 (0,03%) talassemia major associada com HbAS. A HbAS têm as seguintes freqüências, quanto ao grupo racial: branco - 1,84%; mulato claro 2,55%; mulato médio-3,68%; mulato escuro - 6,80%; negro -10,43% e mestiço de índio -3,85%.

Mandioca e Resíduos das Farinheiras na Alimentação de Ruminantes: pH, Concentração de N-NH3 e Eficiência Microbiana

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a concentração de N-NH3, o pH do líquido ruminal e a eficiência de síntese microbiana de rações que continham diferentes fontes energéticas: milho (MI), milho + casca de mandioca desidratada (MC), raspa de mandioca (RM) e farinha de varredura de mandioca (FV). Foram utilizados quatro novilhos da raça Holandesa (270 kg), portadores de cânulas ruminal e duodenal, distribuídos em um delineamento Quadrado Latino 4x4. A cinza insolúvel em ácido foi utilizada como indicador do fluxo duodenal e fecal. Não houve efeito das rações experimentais no pH ruminal. No entanto, menor concentração de N-NH3 foi observada para a ração com FV. O fluxo duodenal de matéria orgânica e nitrogênio e a composição química das bactérias ruminais não foram influenciados pelas rações experimentais. A maior eficiência microbiana aparente foi obtida para a ração com FV. Nas condições do presente experimento a FV, possivelmente apresentou uma melhor sincronização com a fonte protéica (farelo de soja), diminuindo a perda de nitrogênio na forma de N-NH3 e aumentando a eficiência microbiana.

Substituição do farelo de soja pela farinha de glúten de milho na alimentação de cabras leiteiras

Realizou-se um experimento com cabras Saanen, primíparas, pesando em média, 50 kg, alojadas em baias individuais de 3 m², objetivando avaliar a substituição da proteína do farelo de soja (FS) pela proteína da farinha de glúten de milho (FGM), na produção e composição do leite, consumo voluntário e níveis de uréia plasmática. O delineamento experimental foi o triplo quadrado latino 4x4, com quatro períodos de 21 dias, sendo 14 dias de adaptação à dieta e sete dias para colheita das amostras. As cabras foram alimentadas e ordenhadas pela manhã e tarde. Os níveis de substituição estudados foram 0, 10, 30 e 50% de FGM (base na proteína bruta). A substituição do farelo de soja pela farinha de glúten de milho não afetou o consumo (kg/dia e %PV) de matéria seca, proteína bruta e fibra em detergente ácido, mas houve efeito quadrático, para o consumo de fibra em detergente neutro (kg/dia e % PV). Houve efeito sobre os níveis de uréia plasmática (UP), que foram inferiores para os menores níveis de substituição, sendo os maiores valores de UP observados para o tratamento que possuía somente FS. A produção de leite decresceu linearmente com a inclusão da farinha de glúten de milho. Os níveis de substituição resultaram em decréscimos lineares na produção de gordura (kg/dia), no teor de gordura do leite (%) e no teor de sólidos totais. Houve efeito quadrático para produção de lactose (kg/dia), observando-se o menor valor estimado para o nível de substituição de 31,6%. Não foi observado efeito sobre a produção de proteína bruta no leite, cujo valor médio foi de 0,083 kg/dia. Os teores de proteina bruta, lactose e sólidos totais não sofreram efeito dos níveis de substituição, sendo os valores médios percentuais de 2,98; 4,35 e 11,51%, respectivamente.

Direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirits by graphite furnace AAS using Tungsten permanent modifier with Co-injection of Pd/Mg(NO3)(2)

A method was developed using the multi-element graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry technique for the direct and simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in Brazilian sugar cane spirit (cachaqa) samples. Also employed was the end-capped transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) with platforms pre-treated with W permanent modifier and co-injection of Pd/Mg(NO3)(2). Pyrolysis and atomization temperature curves were established in a cachaqa medium (1+1; v/v) containing 0.2% (v/v) HNO3 and spiked with 20 mu g L-1 As and Pb and 200 mu g L-1 Cu. The effect of the concentration of major elements usually present in cachaqa matrices (Ca, Mg, Na, and K) and ethanol on the absorbance of As, Cu, and Pb was investigated. Analytical working solutions of As, Cu, and Pb were prepared in 10% (v/v) ethanol plus 5.0 mg L-1 Ca, Mg, Na, and K. Acidified to 0.2% (v/v) HNO3, these solutions were suitable to build calibration curves by matrix matching. The proposed method was applied to the simultaneous determination of As, Cu, and Pb in commercial sugar cane spirits. The characteristic mass for the simultaneous determination was 16 pg As, 119 pg Cu, and 28 pg Pb. The pretreated tube lifetime was about 450 firings. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.6 mu g L-1 As, 9.2 mu g L-1 Cu, and 0.3 pig L-1 Pb. The found concentrations varied from 0.81 to 4.28 mu g L-1 As, 0.28 to 3.82 mg L-1 Cu and 0.82 to 518 mu g L-1 Pb. The recoveries of the spiked samples varied from 94-112% (As), 97-111% (Cu), and 95-101% (Pb). The relative standard deviation (n=12) was 6.9%, 7.4%, and 7.7% for As, Cu, and Pb, respectively, present in a sample at 0.87 mu g L-1, 0.81 mg L-1, and 38.9 mu g L-1 concentrations.

Analytic properties of thermal corrected boson propagators

We investigate the analytic properties of finite-temperature self-energies of bosons interacting with fermions at one-loop order. A simple boson-fermion model was chosen due to its interesting features of having two distinct couplings of bosons with fermions. This leads to a quite different analytic behavior of the bosons self-energies as the external momentum K-mu=(k(0),k) approaches zero in the two possible limits. It is shown that the plasmon and Debye masses are consistently obtained at the pole of the corrected propagator even when the self-energy is analytic at the origin in the frequency-momentum space.

Determination of weathering rate of the Morro do Ferro Th-REEs deposit, Brazil using U-isotope method

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic diversity of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville determined by AFLP molecular markers

Bark extracts of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart) Coville a Leguminosae species, well known in Brazil as barbatimao, are popularly used as healing agent. The objective of this work was to determine the genetic diversity of S. adstringens populations and to correlate genetic distances to the production of tannins. S. adstringens accessions from populations found in Cerrado regions in the states of Goias, Minas Gerais and São Paulo were analyzed using the AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique. A total of 236 polymorphic bands were scored and higher proportion of genetic diversity was found inter populations (70.9%), rather than intra populations (29.1%). F-ST value was found to be significantly greater than zero (0.2906), demonstrating the complex genetic structure of S. adstringens populations. Accessions collected in Cristalina, GO, showed higher percentage of polymorphic loci (87.3%) and the highest genetic diversity. The lowest genetic variability was detected among accessions from the population growing in Caldas Novas, GO. The genetic distance among populations was estimated using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA), which grouped populations into 3 clusters. Moreover, chemotypes with tannin concentration above 40% showed higher genetic similarity. AFLP analysis proved to be an efficient gene mapping technique to determine the genetic diversity among remaining populations of S. adstringens. Obtained results may be employed to implement further strategies for the conservation of this medicinal plant. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Simple Method Based on ICP-MS for Estimation of Background Levels of Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Manganese, Nickel, Lead, and Selenium in Blood of the Brazilian Population

Throughout the world, biomonitoring has become the standard for assessing exposure of individuals to toxic elements as well as for responding to serious environmental public health problems. However, extensive biomonitoring surveys require rapid and simple analytical methods. Thus, a simple and high-throughput method is proposed for the determination of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) in blood samples by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Prior to analysis, 200 l of blood samples was mixed with 500 l of 10% v/v tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solution, incubated for 10 min, and subsequently diluted to 10 ml with a solution containing 0.05% w/v ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) + 0.005% v/v Triton X-100. After that, samples were directly analyzed by ICP-MS (ELAN DRC II). Rhodium was selected as an internal standard with matrix-matching calibration. Method detection limits were 0.08, 0.04, 0.5, 0.09, 0.12, 0.04, and 0.1 g//L for As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Se, respectively. Validation data are provided based on the analysis of blood samples from the trace elements inter-\comparison program operated by the Institut National de Sante Publique du Quebec, Canada. Additional validation was provided by the analysis of human blood samples by the proposed method and by using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The method was subsequently applied for the estimation of background metal blood values in the Brazilian population. In general, the mean concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Se in blood were 1.1, 0.4, 890, 9.6, 2.1, 65.4, and 89.3 g/L, respectively, and are in agreement with other global populations. Influences of age, gender, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, and geographical variation on the values were also considered. Smoking habits influenced the levels of Cd in blood. The levels of Cu, Mn, and Pb were significantly correlated with gender, whereas Cu and Pb were significantly correlated with age. There were also interesting differences in Mn and Se levels in the population living in the north of Brazil compared to the south.

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.