Optimization of pheromone trapping method for click beetles (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agriotes</Emphasis> spp.) in Greece

Field studies were performed to survey and monitor Agriotes spp. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) click beetles in Greece. A pitfall type trap made of durable plastic and loaded with pheromone lures for different Agriotes species was employed in field sites in 2006 and 2007. The diversity of Agriotes species in arable crops in central Greece seems to be rather limited. The two species trapped in this study, A. rufipalpis and A. litigiosus, had quite different temporal patterns. In both years A. rufipalpis was captured in high numbers, beginning early in the spring and declining progressively later on. In 2006 but not in 2007, there were A. rufipalpis trap captures in early summer. Trap captures for A. litigiosus remained at low levels in both fields and only in mid-summer was there an increase in the number of adult captures. Pheromone dose had a significant effect in trap captures for both species, whereas old baits and new ones were equally attractive. The simple trap used in the present study loaded with the optimal pheromone and dose would be suitable for surveying and monitoring and even mass trapping of click beetles.     

Lectin histochemical pattern on the normal and cystic ovaries of sows

The lectin histochemical pattern (LHP) was characterized and compared in normal and cystic ovaries of sows. Six biotinylated lectins (PNA, SBA, WGA, RCA‐1, DBA and UEA‐1) were used on tissue sections. In the normal ovaries, the reaction to UEA‐1 and SBA was mild to moderate in mesothelial and endothelial cells. RCA‐1 staining was mild to moderate in theca interna of growing follicles, corpora luteum and mesothelium. In addition, this lectin presented strong reaction in endothelial cells, granulosa cells of atretic follicles, zona pellucida of growing follicles and plasma. DBA showed strong intensity in mesothelial and endothelial cells. There was mild to moderate reactivity to WGA in granulosa cells, corpus luteum and theca interna of follicles in development, and moderate in zona pellucida, in granulosa cells of atretic follicles and mesothelium. PNA staining was mild to moderate in oocytes and in the adventitia and media of medullary arteries. Changes in the LHP of the cystic ovaries were noted; however, there were no differences in these findings between the follicular and luteinized cysts. UEA‐1 reactivity in the cystic ovaries was moderately reduced in the mesothelial and endothelial cells, whereas there was mild reduction in the DBA staining in the granulosa cells. Reaction to RCA‐1 and WGA in the cysts also was decreased in theca interna, zona pellucida and granulosa cells of atretic follicles. Furthermore, endothelium and theca interna in the cystic ovaries presented mild reduction of marcation to SBA, whereas there was decreased reactivity to PNA in the oocytes and adventitia and media layers of the medullary arteries. The results of the current study show that cysts modify the LHP in swine ovaries. These changes of glycoconjugates in many ovarian structures could modify diverse process and may be one of the reasons for decreased fertility in sows.     

Frequencies of feline blood types in the Rio de Janeiro area of Brazil

Background: The distribution and frequency of blood types in cat populations vary according to geographic region and breed. Frequencies of feline blood types in Rio de Janeiro city, as well as in other Brazilian areas, are unknown, and the risk of unmatched transfusions and neonatal isoerythrolysis has not been estimated. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of feline blood types in the area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: EDTA blood samples were obtained from 172 nonpedigreed domestic shorthair (DSH) cats (92 female, 80 male, 3 months-20 years old) in different sites of Rio de Janeiro city. Blood typing was performed by agglutination assays using Triticum vulgaris lectin and feline anti-A serum. The hemagglutination results for type B and AB cats were confirmed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) of erythrocyte membrane gangliosides. Results: The majority (163/172, 94.8%) of cats were type A, 2.9% were type B, and 2.3% were type AB. High-titer anti-A serum agglutinated RBCs from all cats in type A and type AB blood groups, with 3+ to 4+ agglutination. The probability that a type A cat would receive type B or AB blood in a first random transfusion was calculated as 2.25% and 2.20%, respectively. HPTLC analysis of glycolipids yielded a chromatographic profile characteristic of feline gangliosides for all blood groups. Conclusions: These results indicate a high prevalence of type A cats in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and a low frequency of type B and AB cats, consistent with what has been observed for DSH cats in other regions of the world.     

Daily and Annual Variation in Digestive Enzymes – Amylase and Basic and Acid Proteases – in Gilt‐head Sea Bream,Sparus aurata

This study examines the daily and annual changes in amylase and basic and acid protease activities in gilt‐head sea bream, Sparus aurata. During the experiment, the fish were kept in cages for production under natural temperature and photoperiod conditions and fed with a commercial diet. To study the effect of photoperiod and temperature, the experiments were conducted during six different months that were chosen based on temperature and photoperiod. To determine daily changes in enzymes activities, for every 3 h during 24 h period, six fish were randomly selected and sacrificed. The annual results for acid protease activity show a rhythm with 6‐mo period (bimodal rhythm) with acrophases in May and November. The activities of pancreatic enzymes, which include basic protease and amylase, exhibited parallel changes with two peaks of activity in January and October without a rhythmic pattern. The daily changes in enzyme activities are significant only in May, June, and November for basic proteases and May, October, and November for amylase (P < 0.05). The observed variations suggest a varying capacity for digestion depending on the day and the year and could aid in the study of seasonal feeding protocols.     

Application of an algal bioassay to heavy‐metal contaminated soil samples

The aim of this study was to test the effect of heavy‐metal contamination (Cu, Zn) on the growth of Chlorella kessleri. Two soils (Chernozem and Podzoluvisol) were contaminated with several amounts of copper and zinc (100–3000 ppm), and the effects of the soil eluates on the growth of the alga were examined over several days. The soil eluates inhibited algal growth in dependence on metal concentration and soil properties. It was shown that this algal assay, which was first developed for aquatic samples, in principle seems to be suitable also in monitoring soil contamination.     

Expression and mode of inheritance of resistance in coffee to leaf miner Perileucoptera coffeella

The coffee leaf miner (Perileucoptera coffeella, Guérin-Méneville), is the most serious pest on coffee in Brazil. Coffee varieties with resistance to this pest have been developed in Brazil using genes from the Coffea racemosa Lour. species. Resistance to P. coffeella was studied in C. racemosa and in advanced breeding populations derived from BC3 and BC4 generations through artificial infestation of coffee leaves (laboratory) and natural infestation (greenhouse). Based on an analysis of variance carried out with notes attributed to lesions, two weeks after egg hatching, C. racemosa plants and BC4 progenies were classified in 3 groups according to their degree of resistance to the insect. The age of the leaves seemed to play a role in the expression of resistance of C. racemosa and of BC4 progenies to P. coffeella. The data seemed to show that resistance to P. coffeella derived from C. racemosa can be best explained by two complementary dominant genes. Segregations for resistance assessed in families obtained by selfing or open pollination or by back-crossing with a susceptible variety were similar to the expected segregation of 9 resistant: 7 susceptible or 1 resistant: 3 susceptible, respectively. The symbols Lm1, lm1, Lm2 and lm2 are proposed for the alleles. Consequences for breeding coffee varieties with resistance are discussed.     

Sperm fertility of the subtropical freshwater streaked prochilod Prochilodus lineatus (Characiformes) improved after dilution and cold storage

The aims of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of simple and complex extenders in prolonging the cold storage of sperm (Experiments 1 and 2) and to test the diluted‐cooled sperm in the best extender with regard to sperm quality parameters (Experiment 3) in the streaked prochilod, Prochilodus lineatus. In all the experiments, aliquots of 0.3 mL of sperm were diluted 1:10 in extenders and stored at 4–6 °C. Sperm diluted in simple extenders (NaCl and glucose solutions) yielded 0–26% sperm motility, whereas sperm diluted in complex extenders (BTS^?, M III^? and Androstar^?) yielded 62–81% sperm motility on day 4 after cold storage. When Androstar^? was further investigated, the following was observed on day 4: 53% motility with 94 s of duration; 47% live spermatozoa; 26–61% fertility rate; and 22–60% hatching rate. The use of Androstar^? improves the sperm fertility of the streaked prochilod during a 4‐day storage period and can therefore be used to facilitate artificial reproduction.     

Surface water quality and deforestation of the Purus river basin,Brazilian Amazon

In the last years, deforestation constitutes a threat for the aquatic ecosystems. This paper aims to characterize the water quality of the Purus river in the Brazilian Amazon, and investigate the relations between water quality and deforestation of the Purus river basin over a 9-year period, as well as to quantify the Purus river basin’s land cover changes (%) in a 5-year period. Sampling data from upstream to downstream show a decrease in pH-value, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and total suspended solids. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation of the accumulated total deforestation values (km2) with the pH-value (in all the study sites), and a significant positive correlation with temperature (only in two sites). However, the deforestation rates (km2/year) did not present, in none of the study stations, any significant correlation with water quality parameters. It seems that the effects of deforestation on water quality are related not with the rate but with the total area deforested. It was estimated that the basin’s forested area decreased by 5.17%. Since similar attributes are common in other basins of the whitewater systems of the Brazilian Amazon, this results may be seen as a warning on the effects of deforestation on water quality (reduction in pH and increment in temperature values), in larger areas than those of our study sites. To maintain the conservation and preservation status of the Purus river basin, it is necessary, the implementation of a transboundary watershed management program that could serve as a conservation model for Brazil and other countries of the Amazonian region.