Fruit biomass availability along a forest cover gradient

Habitat loss is the main driver of the current high rate of species extinction, particularly in tropical forests. Understanding the factors associated with biodiversity loss, such as the extinction of species interactions and ecological functions, is an urgent priority. Here, our aim was to evaluate how landscape‐scale forest cover influences fruit biomass comparing different tree functional groups. We sampled 20 forest fragments located within landscapes with forest cover ranging from 2 to 93 percent in the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. In each fragment, we established five plots of 25 × 4 m and carried out phenological observations on fleshy fruit throughout 1 year on all trees ≥5 cm dbh. We estimated fruit availability by direct counting of all fruits and derived fruit biomass from this count. We used spatial mixed linear models to evaluate the effects of forest cover on species richness, abundance, and fruit biomass. Our results indicated that forest cover was the main explanatory variable and negatively influenced the total richness and abundance of zoochoric and shade‐tolerant but not shade‐intolerant species. A linear model best explained variations in richness and abundance of total and shade‐tolerant species. We also found that forest cover was positively correlated with the fruit biomass produced by all species and by the shade‐tolerant assemblages, with linear models best explaining both relationships. The loss of shade‐tolerant species and the lower fruit production in fragments with lower landscape‐scale forest cover may have implications for the maintenance of frugivore, seed dispersal service, and plant recruitment.     

Comparative analysis of the male reproductive accessory glands of bats Noctilio albiventris (Noctilionidae) and Rhynchonycteris naso (Emballonuridae)

In eutherian mammals, the male reproductive accessory glands (RAGs) comprise the prostate, bulbourethral glands, ampullary glands, and the seminal vesicles. Their composition, anatomy and function vary widely between species. This study aimed to characterize histologically and compare the RAGs of bats. The RAGs of Noctilio albiventris (Noctilionidae) and Rhynchonycteris naso (Emballonuridae) were studied using anatomical and histological methods, and were reconstructed three dimensionally. The RAGs of N. albiventris and R. naso are composed of a compact glandular complex that surrounds the urethra and a pair of bulbourethral glands, which are extra‐abdominally located in the inguinal region. In both species, the glandular complex is composed of two well‐defined prostatic regions (ventral and dorsal). The ventral region showed an atypical epithelium (holocrine), where no obvious cellular limits were observed, and PAS‐positive secretion. The dorsal region had a pseudostratified cuboidal epithelium, with basal and secretory cells, and PAS‐negative secretion. Noctilio albiventris also had urethral glands (Littre glands) surrounding the urethra, however, R. naso had only muscles. Both species had bulbourethral glands, with simple columnar epithelium and PAS‐positive secretion. In conclusion, the RAGs of N. albiventris and R. naso comprised a pair of bulbourethral glands and an intra‐abdominal complex, composed of a prostate with two different regions (ventral and dorsal), while the ampullary glands and seminal vesicles were missing in both species. This morphology was more closely related between N. albiventris and R. naso, and to species of the family Phyllostomidae than to families Molossidae and Vespertilionidae. J. Morphol. 277:1459–1468, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A fungal glycoprotein mitigates passion fruit woodiness disease caused by Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV) in Passiflora edulis

BioControl - Passion fruit woodiness disease is responsible for severe losses in passion fruit production around the world. The disease is caused by Cowpea aphid-borne mosaic virus (CABMV), an...     

Insulin-loaded alginate microspheres for oral delivery – Effect of polysaccharide reinforcement on physicochemical properties and release profile

Oral administration of insulin requires protein protection from degradation in the gastric environment and its absorption improvement in the intestinal tract. To achieve this objective several types of microspheres composed of alginate, chitosan and dextran sulphate have been prepared by ionotropic gelation. Parameters such as the mean particle size, swelling behaviour, insulin encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and release profiles in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids have been compared for the systems developed. In this study, attempts have been made to increase insulin protection and to improve its release from microspheres by reinforcing the alginate matrix with chitosan and/or dextran sulphate. Dextran sulphate was able to avoid insulin release at pH 1.2, protecting the protein from the acidic environment and reducing the total insulin released at pH 6.8. This effect was explained by an interaction between the permanent negatively charged groups of dextran sulphate and insulin molecules.     

Characterisation of potential virulence markers in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> isolated from drinking water

Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from tap water, mineral water, and artesian well water were investigated for their ability to produce different potential virulence factors or markers such as hemolysins, hemaglutinins, cytotoxins and their ability to adhere to epithelial cells and to abiotic surfaces. The susceptibility to antibiotics, human serum sensitivity and the survival of P. aeruginosa isolates in a chlorinated environment were also examined. Of the 30 isolates tested, 16 possessed the capacity to adhere to abiotic surfaces, and 28 to adhere to epithelial cells; 30 were capable of producing hemolysins, 27 produced cytotoxins, 9 hemagglutinins, and 18 were classified as serum-resistant. For the lowest concentration of chlorine (0.2 mg/l) tested, no killing of biofilm bacteria could be discerned, even after prolonged exposure to the agent. Although all the drinking water isolates were susceptible to aztreonam, cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and polymyxin, the P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant to one or more antibiotics. The increasing prevalence of resistance in the isolates from environmental sources may have important therapeutic implications. A notable proportion of the P. aeruginosa isolates from drinking water were able to develop virulence factors, and the incidence of virulence properties was not statistically different among the three sources. A more extensive study of the virulence properties of this bacterium by toxic assays on animals should be explored. Still more interesting would be toxicity assays on immuno-deficient animals with isolates from drinking water in order to better understand the health risk these bacteria may present.     

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of the Amazon River dolphin Inia geoffrensis

Classical and molecular cytogenetic (18S rDNA, telomeric sequence, and LINE-1 retrotransposon probes) studies were carried out to contribute to an understanding of the organization of repeated DNA elements in the Amazon River dolphin (boto, Inia geoffrensis). Twenty-seven specimens were examined, each presenting 2n?=?44 chromosomes, the karyotype formula?12m?+?14sm?+?6st?+?10t?+?XX/XY, and fundamental number (FN)?=?74. C-positive heterochromatin was observed in terminal and interstitial positions, with the occurrence of polymorphism. Interstitial telomeric sequences were not observed. The nucleolar organizer region (NOR) was located at a single site on a smallest autosomal pair. LINE-1 was preferentially distributed in the euchromatin regions, with the greatest accumulation on the X chromosome. Although the karyotype structure in cetaceans is considered to be conserved, the boto karyotype demonstrated significant variations in its formula, heterochromatin distribution, and the location of the NOR compared to other cetacean species. These results contribute to knowledge of the chromosome organization in boto and to a better understanding of karyoevolution in cetaceans.     

Pediatricians’ Own Weight: Self‐perception,Misclassification, and Ease of Counseling

Objectives: Pediatricians underdiagnose overweight and feel ineffective at counseling. Given the relationship between physicians’ health and health habits and counseling behaviors, we sought to determine the 1) percentage of pediatricians who are overweight; 2) accuracy of pediatricians’ own weight status classification; and 3) relationship between weight self‐perception and perceived ease of obesity counseling. Research Methods and Procedures: This study was a cross‐sectional, mail survey of North Carolina pediatricians that queried about their weight status and ease of counseling. Accuracy of pediatricians’ self‐classification of weight status was compared with BMIs derived from self‐reported height and weight. Using logistic regression, controlling for potential confounding variables, we examined the association between weight perception and ease of counseling. Results: The unadjusted response rate was 62%, and the adjusted response rate was 71% (n = 355). Nearly one‐half (49%) of overweight pediatricians did not identify themselves as such. Men had greater adjusted odds of misclassifying overweight than women [odds ratio (OR), 3.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.81, 7.21]. Self‐classified “thin” pediatricians had nearly six times the odds of reporting more counseling difficulty as a result of their weight than “average” weight pediatricians (OR = 5.69; 95% CI = 2.30, 14.1), and self‐identified “overweight” pediatricians reported nearly four times as great counseling difficulty as “average” weight physicians (OR = 3.84; 95% CI = 1.11, 13.3), after adjustment for self‐reported BMI weight status and other potential confounders. Discussion: The roles that physician weight misclassification and self‐perception potentially play in influencing rates of obesity counseling warrant further research.