Creation of museums as strategy for preservation of the fossil heritage of Araripe sedimentary basin in Pernambuco, NE, Brazil

O Araripe pernambucano tem excelentes exposições de rochas da Formação Santana, Bacia Sedimentar do Araripe (PE, CE e PI), reconhecida internacionalmente pelos fósseis de vertebrados, preservados em concreções, considerados entre os mais importantes do supercontinente Gondwana (110 Ma). Embora a região tenha excelente potencial para coleta e estudos paleontológicos, facilitada pela extração a céu aberto da gipsita (Polo Gesseiro do Araripe), não existem ações de preservação do patrimônio fossilífero. Dado a vocação mineira e o potencial paleontológico, a região torna-se relevante para desenvolvimento de programas, projetos e ações que promovam os recursos naturais para uso educacional, turístico, inclusão social e sustentabilidade. Propõe-se a criação de museus paleontológicos nos municípios do Araripe pernambucano, como estratégia de uso sustentável desses recursos para geração de cultura e renda para a região, ao mesmo tempo em que se preserva para as gerações futuras a “memória paleobiológica da Terra”, retratada nos nossos fósseis.The Araripe Basin portion located in the Pernambuco state of Brazil has excellent Santana Formation outcrops. This internationally known unit has provided some of the most important concretion preserved vertebrate fossils of the Lower Cretaceous (~110 Ma) Gondwana. Although this region has its potential for fossil collecting eased by the gypsum extraction in surface mines (known as the ‘Araripe Plast Pole’), there are currently no fossil Patrimony preservation actions in the area. Given both the mining and paleontological potentials of these localities it is relevant to develop programmes, projects, and measures to promote its natural resources for educational, touristic, social, and sustainable porpuses. Here we propose the creation of paleontological museums in some of the Araripe municipalities within the Pernambuco state. These museums will be strategic for the sustainability of these resources to generate culture and profit for this region. These museums will also preserve the ‘Earth’s paleobiological memory’ by protecting our fossils for future generations.Agradecemos ao Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Brasil/CNPq, pela bolsa de produtividade de pesquisa 303071/2014-1 e o projeto de pesquisa 401748/2010, a Pró-reitora de Extensão- PROEXT-UFPE e a FUNCULTURA, Processo 0756/2014. Sinceros agradecimentos também são devidos a prefeitura do Munícipio de Exu, ao Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral-DNPM e ao Sindicato da Indústria do Gesso de Pernambuco/SINDUGESSO, pelo apoio no desenvolvimento da pesquisa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A review of the systematic biology of fossil and living bony-tongue fishes, Osteoglossomorpha (Actinopterygii: Teleostei)

The bony-tongue fishes, Osteoglossomorpha, have been the focus of a great deal of morphological, systematic, and evolutionary study, due in part to their basal position among extant teleostean fishes. This group includes the mooneyes (Hiodontidae), knifefishes (Notopteridae), the abu (Gymnarchidae), elephantfishes (Mormyridae), arawanas and pirarucu (Osteoglossidae), and the African butterfly fish (Pantodontidae). This morphologically heterogeneous group also has a long and diverse fossil record, including taxa from all continents and both freshwater and marine deposits. The phylogenetic relationships among most extant osteoglossomorph families are widely agreed upon. However, there is still much to discover about the systematic biology of these fishes, particularly with regard to the phylogenetic affinities of several fossil taxa, within Mormyridae, and the position of Pantodon. In this paper we review the state of knowledge for osteoglossomorph fishes. We first provide an overview of the diversity of Osteoglossomorpha, and then discuss studies of the phylogeny of Osteoglossomorpha from both morphological and molecular perspectives, as well as biogeographic analyses of the group. Finally, we offer our perspectives on future needs for research on the systematic biology of Osteoglossomorpha

The complete genome sequence of Chromobacterium violaceum reveals remarkable and exploitable bacterial adaptability

Chromobacterium violaceum is one of millions of species of free-living microorganisms that populate the soil and water in the extant areas of tropical biodiversity around the world. Its complete genome sequence reveals (i) extensive alternative pathways for energy generation, (ii) ≈500 ORFs for transport-related proteins, (iii) complex and extensive systems for stress adaptation and motility, and (iv) wide-spread utilization of quorum sensing for control of inducible systems, all of which underpin the versatility and adaptability of the organism. The genome also contains extensive but incomplete arrays of ORFs coding for proteins associated with mammalian pathogenicity, possibly involved in the occasional but often fatal cases of human C. violaceum infection. There is, in addition, a series of previously unknown but important enzymes and secondary metabolites including paraquat-inducible proteins, drug and heavy-metal-resistance proteins, multiple chitinases, and proteins for the detoxification of xenobiotics that may have biotechnological applications

Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae addition to feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1 on the health and performance indices of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum ) fingerlings

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the performance and health of tambaqui fingerlings. A fully randomized study design was used, represented by four treatments: (T1) with 0.0 µg/kg of AFB1 and 0.0 colony forming unit (CFU)/g of yeast (control); (T2) with 0.0 µg/kg of AFB1 and 10-6 CFU/g of yeast; (T3) with 100 µg/kg of AFB1 and 0.0 CFU/g of yeast and (T4) with 100 µg/kg of AFB1 and 10-6 CFU/g of yeast, with four repetitions per treatment. Over a period of 34 days, 192 fingerlings with an initial weight of 2.9 ± 0.2 g and length of 26.1 ± 1.3 mm were used, distributed in 16 tanks with 12 fish per experimental unit. The following parameters were evaluated: water quality, zootechnical performance, histopathological analysis, counting and isolation of yeasts from the feed and intestine. No significant differences were observed (P > 0.05) in the initial weight, initial length, final length, specific growth rate, mean length gain, Fulton condition factor (K Factor) of the tambaqui fingerlings during the trial period. Statistical differences (P < 0.05) were found between the treatments with respect to fingerling final weight, mean weight gain and average feed intake. Histopathological changes in the liver and kidney tissues from tambaqui fingerlings were more pronounced in T3 and T4. Based on histopathological findings, the yeast was unable to reduce the characteristic effects of aflatoxicosis in tambaqui fingerlings fed with 100 µg/kg AFB1. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae A8L2 strain was able to colonize the intestine of tambaqui fingerlings, however, its addition in conjunction with 100 µg/kg AFB1 to fingerling feed did not promote improvements in performance indices or the histopathological parameters of these animals.Fil: Pinheiro, R. E. E.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Rodrigues de Campos, Ana Maria. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Batista, E. K. F.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Monte, A. M.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Ribeiro, Lígia Nunes de Morais. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Calvet, Rodrigo M.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Pereyra, Carina Maricel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Adriana Mabel. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Araripe, M. N. B. A.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; BrasilFil: Muratori, M. C. S.. Universidade Federal do Piaui; Brasi