Ecological implications on the aggregation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amblyomma fuscum</Emphasis> (Acari: Ixodidae) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thrichomys laurentius</Emphasis> (Rodentia: Echimyidae), in northeastern Brazil

We investigated the Amblyomma fuscum load on a pullulating wild rodent population and the environmental and biological factors influencing the tick load on the hosts. One hundred and three individuals of Thrichomys laurentius were caught in an Atlantic forest fragment in northeastern Brazil, as part of a longitudinal survey on ticks infesting non-volant small mammals. Ticks (n = 342) were found on 45 individuals and the overall mean intensity of infestation was 7.6 ticks per infested rodent. Ticks were highly aggregated in the host population and the negative binomial distribution model provides a statistically satisfactory fit. The aggregated distribution was influenced by sex and age of the host. The microhabitat preference by T. laurentius probably increases contact opportunities between hosts and aggregated infesting stages of the ticks and represents important clues about the habitat suitability for A. fuscum.     

Hepatitis C virus quantification in serum and saliva of HCV-infected patients

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be detected in blood and other bodily fluids, such as saliva, semen and gastric juices. The aim of this study was to compare the HCV viral loads in the serum and saliva of infected patients. Twenty-nine patients with detectable HCV RNA in their serum and saliva were included in this study. The HCV viral loads were determined through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions. The median viral RNA levels were 5.78 log10 copies in the serum and 3.32 log10 copies in the saliva. We observed that the salivary HCV viral load was significantly lower than the viral load in the serum. Further studies are required to understand the role of saliva in the diagnosis, management and potential transmission of HCV.     

Activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) during mitosis in retinal progenitor cells

Most studies of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) activation in retinal tissue were done in the context of neurodegeneration. In this study, we investigated the behavior of JNK during mitosis of progenitor cells in the retina of newborn rats. Retinal explants from newborn rats were kept in vitro for 3 hours and under distinct treatments. Sections of retinal explants or freshly fixed retinal tissue were used to detect JNK phosphorylation by immunohistochemistry, and were examined through both fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Mitotic cells were identified by chromatin morphology, histone-H3 phosphorylation, and location in the retinal tissue. The subcellular localization of proteins was analyzed by double staining with both a DNA marker and an antibody to each protein. Phosphorylation of JNK was also examined by western blot. The results showed that in the retina of newborn rats (P1), JNK is phosphorylated during mitosis of progenitor cells, mainly during the early stages of mitosis. JNK1 and/or JNK2 were preferentially phosphorylated in mitotic cells. Inhibition of JNK induced cell cycle arrest, specifically in mitosis. Treatment with the JNK inhibitor decreased the number of cells in anaphase, but did not alter the number of cells in either prophase/prometaphase or metaphase. Moreover, cells with aberrant chromatin morphology were found after treatment with the JNK inhibitor. The data show, for the first time, that JNK is activated in mitotic progenitor cells of developing retinal tissue, suggesting a new role of JNK in the control of progenitor cell proliferation in the retina.     

Separation of clavulanic acid from fermented broth of amino acids by an aqueous two-phase system and ion-exchange adsorption

The clavulanic acid is a substance which inhibits the β-lactamases used with penicillins for therapeutic treatment. After the fermentation, by-products of low molecular weight such as amino acids lysine, histidine, proline and tyrosine are present in the fermented broth. To remove these impurities the techniques of extraction by an aqueous two-phase system of 17% polyethylene glycol molecular weight 600 and 15% potassium phosphate were used for a partial purification. A subsequent ion-exchange adsorption was used for the recuperation of the clavulanic acid of the top phase and purification getting a concentration factor of 2 and purification of 100% in relation to the amino acids lysine, histidine, proline and tyrosine.     

Pseudocercospora species on Piperaceae from Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Three Pseudocercospora species were found associated with leaf spots on five different members of the family Piperaceae in a stretch of Atlantic rain forest in the municipality of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Pseudocercospora piperis is newly recorded on Piper crassinervium and Piper mollicomum. It was also found in association with Pothomorphe umbellata, which is already known to be a host. Pseudocercospora piperis-arborei sp. nov. and Pseudocercospora piperis-gigantifolii sp. nov. were recorded on Piper arboreum and Piper gigantifolium, respectively. These three species are fully described and illustrated in the present work.     

Effect of water renewal on dominance hierarchy of juvenile Nile tilapia

Nile tilapia social position (Oreochromis niloticus) can be mediated by multiple channels, including chemical communication. Absence of chemical cues in the environment prevents hierarchical settlement among pairs, and enhances time spent in confrontations. The aim of this study was to test the effect of continuously renewed water flow on the establishment of hierarchical dominance in Nile tilapia juveniles. In this condition, a high frequency of attacks and disruption on hierarchical stability were expected because chemical cues for hierarchy maintenance could be washed out. After 3 days in isolation, the fish were paired by standard size but not by sex, and submitted to two conditions: continuously renewed water flow (RENEWED, n = 7) and non-renewed water flow (NONRENEWED, n = 8). The paired fish were placed in an aquarium (40 cm × 30 cm × 40 cm) for 3 h; four 10-min sessions were video-recorded: the first, immediately after the fish were paired and the others 1, 2, and 3 h after pairing. Hierarchy was identified by a dominance index (DI = given attacks/received + given attacks) for each fish. The hierarchical stability was achieved by analyzing the difference between dominant DI and subordinate DI (DI-D). Hierarchy was established in both groups after second session because the DI was significantly higher for one fish of the pair. The frequency of attacks of the dominant fish in RENEWED and NONRENEWED conditions was similar in all observation sessions. The attack frequency by subordinate fish was also similar during the first three sessions (2-h pairing). However, the frequency of attacks by subordinate fish in the RENEWED condition was higher than in the NONRENEWED situation at the fourth observation session (means ± S.E.: RENEWED = 2.83 ± 0.94 × 10 min⁻¹ and NONRENEWED = 0.25 ± 0.16 × 10 min⁻¹; Mann–Whitney, p = 0.04). At this point, a significant reduction of the DI-D was observed (means ± S.E.: RENEWED = 0.70 ± 0.11 and NONRENEWED = 1,00 ± 0.002; Mann–Whitney, p = 0.04). The changes in DI-D were related to more frequent attacks by the subordinated fish in renewed water flow. According to our results, the unsteady agonistic interaction under renewed water flow leads to social instability. Thus, continuous water renewing can wash out relevant chemical substances and therefore disturb the dominance recognition by subordinate fish.     

Efficacy of Heterorhabditis baujardi LPP7 (Nematoda: Rhabditida) applied in Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) insect cadavers to Conotrachelus psidii, (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae

The guava weevil, Conotrachelus psidii, is a major pest of guava in Brazil causing severe reduction in fruit quality. We assessed its susceptibility to Heterhorhabditis baujardi LPP7 infective juveniles (IJs) in the greenhouse and under field conditions applying the nematodes in cadavers of seventh instar Galleria mellonella larvae. Field persistence of these nematodes in the soil was evaluated through G. mellonella-baiting. Insect cadaver concentrations of 2, 4 and 6 applied in pots in the greenhouse experiment caused significant mortality compared to the control. Significance differences were observed in the field between control and treatments only when six cadavers per 0.25 m² were applied. Infective juveniles from the cadavers persisted 6 weeks after application in the field, but decreased greatly thereafter. Our work demonstrates that H. baujardi LPP7 IJs emerging from G. mellonella cadavers can be efficacious against guava weevil fourth instar larvae. Also, we demonstrated the long-term persistence of IJs in the soil.