Population growth and within-plant distribution of the striped mealybug Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) on cotton. The striped mealybug, Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell) (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), is a widely distributed and polyphagous pest species, which naturally occurs on cotton plants in Brazil. This study evaluated the establishment and population growth as well as the within-plant distribution of F. virgata on four cotton cultivars: CNPA 7H (white fibers), BRS Verde, BRS Safira, and BRS Rubi (colored fibers). The experiment was conducted in a complete randomized design with four treatments (cultivars) and 18 replications of each. Thus, cotton plants of each cultivar were infested with 100 newly hatched nymphs of F. virgata. The number of adult female mealybugs and the total number of mealybugs per plant were quantified, respectively, at 25 and 50 days after infestation. The developmental and pre-reproductive periods were also determined. Furthermore, we verified the distribution of F. virgata on the plant parts at 25 and 50 days after infestation. Ferrisia virgata showed similar growth of 412-fold in the four cotton cultivars studied. Also, the nymphs were spread on infested leaves; the secondgeneration nymphs were spread and established in all plant parts. Our results characterize F. virgata as having much potential as an important cotton pest in Brazil.

A Polineuropatia Amiloidótica Familiar (PAF) é uma doença autossómica dominante progressiva, caracterizada pela deposição sistémica, extracelular de fibrilhas amilóides afectando particularmente o sistema nervoso periférico. Nesta doença, as fibrilhas de amilóide são compostas por uma variante da transtirretina em que a valina na posição 30 da molécula é substituída por uma metionina (TTR V30M). Actualmente, a única terapia que melhora a condição clínica dos portadores de PAF é o transplante hepático que, abolindo a síntese da proteína mutada, resulta numa paragem da deposição de amilóide. Contudo, trata-se de uma terapia bastante agressiva pelo que se pretende descobrir uma forma alternativa de tratar a doença. Várias equipas prosseguem estudos experimentais sobre o efeito de terapêuticas farmacológicas quer no sentido da disrupção da substância amilóide, quer no sentido da estabilização da transtirretina de modo a impedir a deposição de fibrilhas.

ABSTRACT: In the upper Paraguay River basin, which includes the Pantanal, one of the largest wetlands in the world, rivers connection the surrounding upland plateaus with lowland floodplains. Agriculture, erosion, urban effluent, and hydropower in the uplands can alter the transport of materials by rivers to the Pantanal. Information about material transport, particularly nutrients, is still insufficient to evaluate changes. In this study we estimated rates of dissolved and suspended material transport from the upland watersheds into the Pantanal, and through the Paraguay River, and calculated mass balances of these flows to reveal net losses and gains inside the Pantanal. We sampled fifteen tributaries and the Paraguay River for seven years. The annual water balance in the basin was almost complete, with a deficit of only 11%. Predicted:Observed ratios close to one indicated a near balance between inputs and outputs for dissolved solutes and nutrients, however sedimentation losses of suspended solids and particulate carbon were significant. In spite of a high degree of river-floodplain contact, no significant changes on solutes concentrations were observed between inputs and outputs, enough to alter the transport of solutes though the Pantanal, indicating equilibrium in biogeochemical process on floodplain. RESUMO: Na Bacia do Alto Paraguai, formadora do Pantanal Mato-grossense, uma das maiores áreas úmidas do mundo, os rios fazem a conexão entre o planalto e a extensa planície de inundação. Agropecuária, potencial erosivo associado a desmatamento elevado, efluentes urbanos e dezenas de barramentos hidrelétricos no planalto podem alterar o transporte de matéria e energia para a planície. Contudo o conhecimento sobre o transporte, principalmente de nutrientes, ainda é insuficiente para avaliar potenciais alterações. Neste estudo foi estimado o carreamento de materiais dissolvidos e em suspensão do planalto para o Pantanal e no seu exutório, o rio Paraguai, avaliando os fluxos e balanços de massa. O rio Paraguai e tributários foram amostrados durante sete anos, com frequência semestral ou mensal. O balanço hidrológico anual do Pantanal foi considerado quase completo, com déficit de apenas 11%, entre entrada e saída. A relação Previsto: Observado também indicou um balanço de massa praticamente completo para solutos dissolvidos e nutrientes, porém, com perdas significativas para sólidos suspensos e carbono. Apesar da extensa área de interação rios-planície, não foram observadas mudanças nas concentrações dos solutos suficientes para modificar o transporte de solutos através do Pantanal, o que indica equilíbrio entre os processos biogeoquímicos na planície.

An experiment was conducted to study the in vitro digestibility of dry matter (IVDMD) and gross energy (IVGED) of hydrolyzed sugarcane bagasse with different storage times and two periods of adaptation of the bovine to the diet. A completely randomized design with four treatments and five replications was used. Treatments A,B,C, and D which corresponded to the times of 0, 15, 30, and 45 days of storage time period of the bagasse, respectively. Each treatment was studied at 7 and 45 after adaptation of the bovine ruminal donor to the diet. After 30 days storage, the bagasse IVDMD was inpaired for both 7 and 45 days of adaptation. Averages values of 25.8; 25.9; 23.1 and 23.3% were obtained for IVDMD with seven days of adaptation, and 25.04; 21.6; 12.5 and 11.4% with 45 days of adaptation for storage periods of 0; 15; 30 and 45 days, respectively. For IVGED, the averages obtained were 33.4; 27.8; 30.9; and 27.2% with seven days, and 30; 26.6; 20.6 and 14.5% with 45 days of adaptation for storage periods of 0, 15, 30 and 45 days, respectively.

A study was made to compare dry matter, crude protein and gross energy digestibility of corn silage, associated to concentrate, through in vitro and in vivo digestion techniques. A completely randomized design was used, with two treatments and nine replications, involving three assays. The in vivo digestion assay was conducted with 12 Holstein heifers, on a 24 h permanent sample collection. The in vitro digestion assay was achieved with three collection methods: manual (M), vacuum pump (VP) and nasoesophagic (N). The collection methods VP and M can he used to determine the dry matter digestibility, instead of in vivo method, for the present study ration. The digestion methods influenced the DM, CP and GE digestibility for the studied ration.

Aims: The aim of this work was to analyse the antimicrobial properties of a purified lectin from Eugenia uniflora L. seeds. Methods and Results: The E. uniflora lectin (EuniSL) was isolated from the seed extract and purified by ion-exchange chromatography in DEAE-Sephadex with a purification factor of 11·68. The purified lectin showed a single band on denaturing electrophoresis, with a molecular mass of 67 kDa. EuniSL agglutinated rabbit and human erythrocytes with a higher specificity for rabbit erythrocytes. The haemagglutination was not inhibited by the tested carbohydrates but glycoproteins exerted a strong inhibitory action. The lectin proved to be thermo resistant with the highest stability at pH 6·5 and divalent ions did not affect its activity. EuniSL demonstrated a remarkable nonselective antibacterial activity. EuniSL strongly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp. with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1·5 μg ml−1, and moderately inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus sp. and Escherichia coli with a MIC of 16·5 μg ml−1. Conclusions: EuniSL was found to be effective against bacteria. Significance and Impact of the Study: The strong antibacterial activity of the studied lectin indicates a high potential for clinical microbiology and therapeutic applications.

Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar as características nutricionais e a digestibilidade in vitro de silagens de diferentes cultivares de milho colhidas em duas alturas de corte. Foram avaliadas 11 cultivares (Dina 766, Dina 657, Dina 1000, P 3021, P 3041, C 805, C 333, AG 5011, FO 01, Dina co 9621 e BR 205) colhidas 5 cm acima do solo (baixa) e 5 cm abaixo da inserção da primeira espiga (alta). O experimento foi delineado em blocos casualizados (três blocos), arranjados em esquema fatorial 11 × 2. As silagens das plantas colhidas na altura de corte alta apresentaram teor médio de matéria seca significativamente superior às silagens das plantas colhidas na altura de corte baixa. As cultivares FO 01, AG 5011, Dina co 9621 e Dina 766 apresentaram maior teor de proteína bruta, que as cultivares C 805, P 3041 e P 3021, as quais apresentaram os menores teores deste nutriente. A elevação da altura de corte aumentou os coeficientes de digestibilidade verdadeira in vitro da matéria seca e digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca das silagens avaliadas. O aumento da altura de corte melhorou o valor nutritivo das silagens, diminuindo as concentrações das frações fibrosas e aumentando a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca.