In vitro predatory activity of conidia of fungal isolates of the Duddingtonia flagrans on Angiostrongylus vasorum first-stage larvae

INTRODUCTION: Angiostrongylus vasorum is a nematode that parasitizes molluscs, dogs, and even man. METHODS: The objective was to evaluate the predatory activity of the conidia of two fungal isolates of Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001 and CG722) on first-stage larvae (L1) of A. vasorum in laboratory conditions. RESULTS: At the end of the experiment, there were significant reductions (p<0.01) of 74.5% and 63.2%, on average, in the A. vasorum L1 recovered in the AC001 and CG722 treatment conditions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The two isolates of fungi were efficient in the capture and destruction of A. vasorum L1.

Biblioteca de referência de DNA barcodes de bivalves (Mollusca: Bivalvia) e gastrópodes (Mollusca: Gastropoda) da costa Portuguesa

Dissertação de mestrado em Ecologia

Contribuição ao conhecimento das larvas dos Sarcophagidae com especial referência ao esqueleto cefálico (Diptera)

The author publishes a comparative study of eleven species of Sarcophagid flies and gives a redescription of the larval stages of Musca domestica L. as a model. The work was made upon material obtained from Sarcophagidae reared in the Laboratory. Some of them were parasitic flies from Insects and other invertebrates. Protodexia was reared using the domestic cockroach (Periplaneta americana) instead of the Orthroptera or Mantodea its true hosts. The larvae obtained by dissection of female abdomen was reared in flesh or agarhorse serum. The last proceeding is very good since the skins of all larval stages can be conserved for study and it is possible to observe the ecdyses. Some of the larvae prefer dead snails (Bulimulus and Fruticicola) and is able to destroy larvae of other species found in the same molluscs. The first stage maggot can be obtained by dissections of dried female specimens and furnishes very good characters to determine the species and establish the philogenetical relationship of the genera in the family. Th pseudocephalon presents very curious ornaments or grooves in some species (Oxysarcodexia). Sometimes there is a pigmented capsule covering a great part of the pseudocephalon (Titanogrypa). The cephaloskeletal sclerietes have a peculiar shape and constitution for every species, mainly in the first stage maggot.

Distribuição geográfica da fauna e flora da Baía de Guanabara

The author studied, the horizontal and vertical distribution of most common part of the flora and fauna of the bay of Guanabara at Rio de Janeiro. In this paper the eulittoral, poly, meso and oligohaline regions were localised and studied; and the first chart of its distribution was presented (fig. 2). The salinity of superficial waters was established through determinations based on 30 trips inside the buy for collecting biological materials. Some often 409 determinations which were previous reported together with the present ones served for the eleboration of a salinity map of the bay of Guanabara (fig. 1). This map of fig. 2 shows the geographic locations of the water regions. EULITTORAL WATER REGIME — Fig. 3 shows the diagram scheme of fauna and flora of this regime. Sea water salinity 34/1.000, density mean 1.027, transparent greenish waters, sea coast with moderate bursting waves. Limpid sea shore with white sand, gneiss with the big barnacle Tetraclita squamosa var. stalactifera (Lam. Pilsbry. Vertical distributions: barna¬cles layers with a green region in which are present the oyster Ostrea pa-rasitica L., the barnacles Tetraclita, Chthamalus, Balanus tintinnabulum var. tintinnabulum (L.) e var. antillensis Pilsbry in connection with several mollusca and the sea beatle Isopoda Lygia sp. Covered by water and exposed to air by the tidal ritms, there is a stratum of brown animals that is the layer of mussels Mytilus perna L., with others brown and chestnut animals : the Crustacea Pachygrapsus, the little crab Porcellana sp., the stone crab Me-nippe nodifrons Stimpson, the sea stars Echinaster brasiliensis (Mull. & Tr.), Astropecten sp. and the sea anemones Actinia sp. Underneath and never visible there is a subtidal region with green tubular algae of genus Codium and amidst its bunches the sea urchin Lycthchinus variegatus (Agass.) walks and more deeply there are numerous sand-dollars Encope emarginata (Leske). The microplancton of this regime is Ceratiumplancton. POLYHALINE WATER REGIMB — Water almost sea water, but directly influenced by continental lands, with rock salts dissolved and in suspension. Salinity: 33 to 32/1.000. This waters endure the actions of the popular nicknamed «water of the hill» (as the waters of mesohaline and oligohaline regimes), becoming suddenly reddish during several hours. That pheno¬menon returns several times in the year and come with great mortality of fishes. In these waters, according to Dr. J. G. FARIA there are species of Protozoa : Peridinea, the Glenoidinium trochoideum St., followed by its satellites which he thinks that they are able to secret toxical substances which can slaughter some species of fishes. In these «waters of the hill» was found a species of Copepoda the Charlesia darwini. In August 1946 the west shore of the Guanabara was plenty of killed fishes occupying a area of 8 feet large by 3 nautical miles of lenght. The enclosure for catching fishes in the rivers mouthes presents in these periods mass dead fishes. The phenomenon of «waters of the hill» appears with the first rains after a period of long dryness. MESOHALINE WATER REGIME — Fig. 4 shows the the diagramm scheme. Salt or brackish water from 30 to 17/1.000 salinity, sometimes until 10/1.000. Turbid waters with mud in suspension, chestnut, claveyous waters; shore dirty black mud without waving bursting; the waters are warmer and shorner than those of the polihaline regime. Mangrove shore with the mangrove trees : Rhizophora mangle L., Avicennia sp., Laguncularia sp., and the »cotton tree of sea» Hibiscus sp. Fauna: the great land crab «guaimú» Cardisoma guanhumi Latr., ashore in dry firm land. There is the real land crab Ucides cordatus (L.) in wetting mud and in neigh¬ bourhood of the burrows of the fiddler-crabs of genus Uca. On stones and in the roots of the Rhizophora inhabits the brightly colored mangrove-tree-crab («aratu» Portuguese nickname) Goniopsis cruentata (Latreille) and the sparingly the big oyster Ostrea rhizophorae Guild. Lower is the region of barnacles Balanus amphitrite var. communis Darwin and var. niveus Darwin; Balanus tintinnabulum var. tintinnabulum (L.) doesn't grow in this brackish water; lower is the region of Pelecipoda with prepollency of Venus and Cytherea shell-fishes and the Panopeus mud crab; there are the sea lettuce Ulva and the Gastreropod Cerithium. The Paguridae Clibanarius which lives in the empty shells of Gasteropod molluscs, and the sessile ascidians Tethium plicatum (Lesuer) appears in some seasons. In the bottom there is a black argillous mud where the «one landed shrimps» Alpheus sp. is hidden. OLIGOHALINE WATER REGIME — The salinity is lower than 10/1.000. average 8/1.000. There are no barnacles and no sea-beetles Isopods of genus Lygia; on the hay of the shore there are several graminea. This brackish water pervades by mouthes of rivers and penetrates until about 3 kilometers river above. While there is some salt dissolved in water, there are some mud crabs of the genus Uca, Sesarma, Metasesarma and Chasmagnatus. The presence of floating green plants coming from the rivers in the waters of a region indicated the oligohaline waters, with low salt content because when the average of NaCl increases above 8/1.000 these plants die and become rusty colored.

Disseny i aplicació del protocol d'instal·lació d'energia fotovoltaica en edificis aïllats de la xarxa elèctrica al PNAP

En el perímetre del parc es troben gran nombre d’edificacions amb mancances de subministrament elèctric per la gran dispersió de la població de la comarca. L’objectiu d’aquest estudi és desenvolupar un protocol per determinar la viabilitat de l’energia fotovoltaica en edificis aïllats i aplicar-la de forma pilot a dos edificis gestionats pels responsables del Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu: el Centre de Logística i Manteniment (CLM) i el Refugi del Fornet. Aquests han estat escollits per la seva representativitat com a edificis aïllats de la xarxa elèctrica convencional. S’ha elaborat una metodologia pròpia, el Protocol d’instal·lació d’energia fotovoltaica en edificis aïllats de la xarxa elèctrica. S’ha realitzat una anàlisi de sensibilitats del dimensionat fotovoltaic davant la modificació de diversos paràmetres rellevants. Això ha permès determinar les característiques òptimes de viabilitat per als dos edificis en estudi i el cost de la instal·lació fotovoltaica (17.183€ el CLM i 164.815 € el Refugi del Fornet). Els resultats obtinguts en els dos edificis pilot han mostrat el gran cost relatiu entre l’energia fotovoltaica i l’energia elèctrica produïda a partir de combustibles fòssils.

GP38, P28-I and P28-II: candidates for a vaccine against Schistosomiasis

Three antigens protective against Schistosoma mansoni have been extensively characterized. The schistosomulum surface antigen GP38 possesses an immunodominant carbohydrate epitope of which the structure has been defined. Protection can be achieved via the transfer of monoclonal antibodies recognizing the epitope or by immunization with anti-idiotype monoclonal antibodies. The glycan epitope is shared with the intermediate host, Biomphalaria glabrata as well as being present on other molluscs, including the Keyhole Limpet. A group of molecules at 28 kDa were initially characterized in adult worms and shown to protect rats and mice against a challenge infection. One of these molecules, P28-I, was cloned and expressed in E. coli, yeast and vaccinia virus. The recombinant antigen significantly protected rats, hamsters and baboons against a challenge infection. P28-I is a glutathione-S-transferase and the recombinant antigen produced in yeast exhibits the enzyme activity and has been purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography. A second P28 antigen, P28-II, has also been cloned, fully sequenced and expressed. This recombinant antigen also protects against S. mansoni infection.

Els agrocombustibles a Catalunya : mecanismes i efectes de l'europeïtzació en la política pública

En els darrers temps els agrocombustibles s’han promocionat com una alternativa als combustibles fòssils,adquirint un pes important en les agendes polítiques internacionals. Les dues grans potències econòmiques mundials, els Estats Units i la Unió Europea, han impulsat els agrocombustibles a través de diferents estratègies; plans, legislació, però també amb excempcions fiscals i obligacions de barreja amb combustibles fòssils. En aquest marc, Catalunya va ser de les comunitats autònomes de l’Estat espanyol pioneres en la potenciació d’experiències de producció i consum d’agrocombustibles. A partir de l’anàlisi de la política i el debat a Catalunya es pot destacar la gran influència de l’esfera europea a través de diversos mecanismes en el procés, el que s’ha anomenat en la literatura com europeïtzació. Darrerament Europa s’ha convertit en un important centre de producció de polítiques públiques, especialment en polítiques ambientals i agrícoles a partir dels anys 80. És per aquest motiu que resulta rellevant conèixer les dinàmiques europees en una política complexa com la dels agrocombustibles a Catalunya, que presenta components energètics, però també amb altres aspectes relacionats amb el món agràri i el medi ambient.

Phillocaulis variegatus: an intermediate host of Angiostrongylus costaricensis in south Brazil

Molluscs collected in five localities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) were digested and examined. The infected slugs were identified as Phyllocaulis variegatus and the larvae found were inoculated per os into mice. After 50 days, worms with the caracteristics of Angiostrongylus costaricensis were recovered from the mesenteric arterial system. The results establish the role of P. variegatus as intermediate host of A. costaricensis in south Brazil, where many cases of abdominla angiostrongyliasis have been diagnosed.

On the fate of sexual traits under asexuality.

Environmental shifts and life-history changes may result in formerly adaptive traits becoming non-functional or maladaptive. In the absence of pleiotropy and other constraints, such traits may decay as a consequence of neutral mutation accumulation or selective processes, highlighting the importance of natural selection for adaptations. A suite of traits are expected to lose their adaptive function in asexual organisms derived from sexual ancestors, and the many independent transitions to asexuality allow for comparative studies of parallel trait maintenance versus decay. In addition, because certain traits, notably male-specific traits, are usually not exposed to selection under asexuality, their decay would have to occur as a consequence of drift. Selective processes could drive the decay of traits associated with costs, which may be the case for the majority of sexual traits expressed in females. We review the fate of male and female sexual traits in 93 animal lineages characterized by asexual reproduction, covering a broad taxon range including molluscs, arachnids, diplopods, crustaceans and eleven different hexapod orders. Many asexual lineages are still able occasionally to produce males. These asexually produced males are often largely or even fully functional, revealing that major developmental pathways can remain quiescent and functional over extended time periods. By contrast, for asexual females, there is a parallel and rapid decay of sexual traits, especially of traits related to mate attraction and location, as expected given the considerable costs often associated with the expression of these traits. The level of decay of female sexual traits, in addition to asexual females being unable to fertilize their eggs, would severely impede reversals to sexual reproduction, even in recently derived asexual lineages. More generally, the parallel maintenance versus decay of different trait types across diverse asexual lineages suggests that neutral traits display little or no decay even after extended periods under relaxed selection, while extensive decay for selected traits occurs extremely quickly. These patterns also highlight that adaptations can fix rapidly in natural populations of asexual organisms, in spite of their mode of reproduction.

Avaliação da infestação e diversidade de Teredinidae (Mollusca - Bivalvia) ao longo da costa do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

In order to evaluate the diversity and infestation level of Teredinidae wood-boring molluscs, ten satations were chosen along the coast of Rio de Janeiro State. Using five pine-wood panels in each station, it was possible to distinguish five areas according to species dominance. Ilha Grande Bay is characterized by the dominance of Lyrodus floridanus (Bartsch, 1922); Sepetiba Bay, by Bankia fimbriatula Moll & Roch, 1931, Tijuca Lagoon by Teredo navalis Linnaeus, 1758; Guanabara Bay by Notoredo knoxi (Bartsch, 1917) and Araruama Lagoon by Teredo furcifera Martens, 1894. Specific composition and dominance of these species were due mainly to abiotic factors such as salinity whereas infestation level was associated not only to salinity but also to other factors such as the quantity and quality of fouling, the presence of larval dispersion focus and the wood supply in each area.

El bosc dels fartets o la història d'una depuradora ecològica

Treball de recerca realitzat per una alumna d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit científic del Jovent l'any 2009. Aquest treball té per objectiu plantejar el disseny d’una depuradora ecològica i un petit bosc de ribera amb la finalitat de divulgar i reivindicar el paper crucial que juguen les zones humides en el gran ecosistema de la Terra. Davant l’imminent esgotament de les principals energies fòssils i la manca de recursos tant bàsics com l’aigua, es pretén insistir en els molts avantatges d’importar la capacitat depuradora de les zones humides com a tecnologia alternativa per tractar aigües residuals industrials, agrícoles i urbanes, amb una despesa energètica pràcticament nul•la i uns beneficis ecològics, econòmics i de cost de la oportunitat més que evidents. El reciclatge d’aigües residuals es presenta com un dels reptes més importants de les societats actuals. La denominada fitodepuració aprofita el poder refinador de la vegetació present en les zones humides per reduir o eliminar contaminants de l’aigua mitjançant una sèrie de complexos processos biològics i fisicoquímics que la natura, en la seva dinàmica perfecte, ha dissenyat durant 4500 milions d anys. I és en base a aquestes qualitats depuradores d’aquests ecosistemes aquàtics que sorgeix la figura de l’aiguamoll artificial.

Fabricació i anàlisi del biodièsel

La producció de biodièsel a partir d'olis de cuina utilitzats, amb l'objectiu de transformar un residu en un producte amb valor comercial i ambiental, és més net que els combustibles fòssils i contribueix a disminuir el gran consum de petroli que estem fent. En una primera part teòrica s’ha realitzat un treball de recerca d' informació del biodièsel per saber si és un bon combustible i si podria ser un possible substitut dels combustibles fòssils. En quant a la part pràctica l'objectiu principal ha estat fabricar el biodièsel . Les matèries primeres són oli de gira-sol i oli de cuina utilitzat, per tal de comparar les seves qualitats. S’ha arribat a la conclusió que presenten característiques molt semblants. Després de fer les anàlisis físico-químics de qualitat vam fer una mescla dels dos biodièsels fabricats, i el vam provar en un motor Dièsel per comprovar si funciona correctament i fer una comparació dels gasos emesos pel nostre combustible amb els emesos pel gasoil comercial. El resultat va ser molt positiu ja que el motor va funcionar correctament, i la comparació de gasos va sortir tal i com esperàvem ja que les quantitats de diòxid i monòxid de carboni emeses eren menors que en el gasoil.

Plan de gestión de energías renovables en el Monasterio Sakya Tashi Ling del Garraf

En el presente estudio se han analizado las posibilidades de reducción del impacto ambiental que genera el consumo de energía en el Monasterio budista Sakya Tashi Ling del Parque del Garraf, mediante la mejora de la eficiencia energética de los edificios y la producción de la energía consumida a partir de fuentes de energía renovables. Se ha realizado un inventario exhaustivo de los flujos energéticos de entrada del Monasterio: electricidad y combustibles fósiles, y el análisis de estos datos ha permitido observar que la mayor parte del consumo energético del Monasterio tiene como uso final la iluminación. El consumo total de energía se ha cuantificado en 138 kWh/m2/año y la emisiones de CO2 en 177 kg CO2/m2/año. A partir de estos datos se ha estudiado la posibilidad de reducir el consumo y abastecer la demanda energética del Monasterio a través de fuentes de energía renovable como las placas solares fotovoltaicas o las calderas de biomasa. Para alcanzar este objetivo se han propuesto tres escenarios posibles con costes económicos y resultados muy distintos. A diferencia de los escenarios “Edificio Energía Plus” y “Edificio Energía 0”, el tercer escenario propuesto, que trataba de alcanzar el triple objetivo del Plan 20/20/20 (producir a partir de fuentes renovables el 20% de la energía consumida, aumentar en una 20% la eficiencia energética y reducir en un 20% las emisiones de CO2 derivadas del uso de la energía) ha resultado ser muy viable económicamente: la inversión necesaria se amortizaría en tan sólo 5 años.

On the diversity of mollusc intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus costaricensis Morera & Cespedes, 1971 in southern Brazil

Veronicellid slugs are considered the most important intermediate hosts of Angiostrongylus costaricensis, an intra-arterial nematode of rodents. Studies undertaken in three localities in southern Brazil led to identification of molluscs other than veronicellid slugs as hosts of A. costaricensis: Limax maximus, Limax flavus and Bradybaena similaris. These data indicate a low host specificity of larval stages of A. costaricensis, as it has been reported to other congeneric species.

Effect of Niclosamide (Bayluscide WP 70 (R)), Anacardium occidentale hexane extract and Euphorbia splendens latex on behavior of Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818), under laboratory conditions

The repellent effect of the molluscicides Niclosamide (Bayluscide WP 70 (R)), Anacardium occidentale and the latex of Euphorbia splendens on Biomphalaria glabrata was observed through the investigation of the occurrence of escape behavior among molluscs that were exposed to dosages lower than the LD 50. The total number of individuals out of water among the surviving snails in the control group provided a "Natural Escape Index". The comparison between this total and the total number of surviving snails in each group exposed to the different dosages of the molluscicides after 24 hr provided the "Molluscicide Escape Index" and the detection of a "Repellency Range" to these snails. The escape indexes for Niclosamide, A. occidentale and E. splendens were 10, 6.22 and 6.44 respectively. Repellency occurred at the following concentration ranges: 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 ppm Bayluscide, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ppm A. occidentale and 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20 ppm E. splendens. The Natural Escape Index obtained in the control group was zero.