Vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 exposed to different densities of microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy,1856)

Vector competence of Cuter quinquefascictus Say, 1823 exposed to different densities of microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856). The metropolitan region of Recife, Brazil is endemic for Dirofilaria immitis and has an environment favorable to the development of Culex quinquefasciatus. The goal of this study was to evaluate the vector competence of the Cx. quinquefasciatus RECIFE population for D. immitis transmission. A total of 2.104 females of Cx. quinquefasciatus RECIFE population were exposed to different densities of D. immitis microfilariae blood meals, ranging from 1,820 to 2,900 mf/ml of blood, in a natural membrane apparatus. The results showed a variation between 92.3% and 98.8% of females fed. The exposure of the Cx. quinquefasciatus RECIFE population to different densities of microfilariac did not influence the mortality of the mosquitoes. Infective larvae from D. immitis were observed in the Malpighian tubules beginning on the 12(th) day, whereas larvae were observed in the head and proboscis beginning oil the 13(th) day following infection. The vector efficiency index (VEI) presented by the mosquitoes ranged front 7.8 to 56.5. The data demonstrates that the Cx. quinquefasciatus RECIFE population has great potential for the transmission of D. immitis, as it allowed the development of the filarid until the infectious stage at the different densities of microfilariae to which it was exposed.52465866

Prediction of social structure and genetic relatedness in colonies of the facultative polygynous stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Stingless bee colonies typically consist of one single-mated mother queen and her worker offspring. The stingless bee Melipona bicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae) shows facultative polygyny, which makes this species particularly suitable for testing theoretical expectations concerning social behavior. In this study, we investigated the social structure and genetic relatedness among workers from eight natural and six manipulated colonies of M. bicolor over a period of one year. The populations of M. bicolor contained monogynous and polygynous colonies. The estimated genetic relatedness among workers from monogynous and polygynous colonies was 0.75 ± 0.12 and 0.53 ± 0.16 (mean ± SEM), respectively. Although the parental genotypes had significant effects on genetic relatedness in monogynous and polygynous colonies, polygyny markedly decreased the relatedness among nestmate workers. Our findings also demonstrate that polygyny in M. bicolor may arise from the adoption of related or unrelated queens

Potential therapeutic applications of microbial surface-activecompounds

Numerous investigations of microbial surface-active compounds or biosurfactants over the past two decades have led to the discovery of many interesting physicochemical and biological properties including antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and therapeutic among many other pharmaceutical and medical applications. Microbial control and inhibition strategies involving the use of antibiotics are becoming continually challenged due to the emergence of resistant strains mostly embedded within biofilm formations that are difficult to eradicate. Different aspects of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm control are becoming issues of increasing importance in clinical, hygiene, therapeutic and other applications. Biosurfactants research has resulted in increasing interest into their ability to inhibit microbial activity and disperse microbial biofilms in addition to being mostly nontoxic and stable at extremes conditions. Some biosurfactants are now in use in clinical, food and environmental fields, whilst others remain under investigation and development. The dispersal properties of biosurfactants have been shown to rival that of conventional inhibitory agents against bacterial, fungal and yeast biofilms as well as viral membrane structures. This presents them as potential candidates for future uses in new generations of antimicrobial agents or as adjuvants to other antibiotics and use as preservatives for microbial suppression and eradication strategies

Observation of long-range, near-side angular correlations in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

This is the pre-print version of the Published Article, which can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 Springer VerlagResults on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles emitted in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 0.9, 2.36, and 7 TeV are presented, using data collected with the CMS detector over a broad range of pseudorapidity (eta) and azimuthal angle (phi). Short-range correlations in Delta(eta), which are studied in minimum bias events, are characterized using a simple "independent cluster" parametrization in order to quantify their strength (cluster size) and their extent in eta (cluster decay width). Long-range azimuthal correlations are studied differentially as a function of charged particle multiplicity and particle transverse momentum using a 980 inverse nb data set at 7 TeV. In high multiplicity events, a pronounced structure emerges in the two-dimensional correlation function for particle pairs with intermediate transverse momentum of 1-3 GeV/c, 2.0< |Delta(eta)| <4.8 and Delta(phi) near 0. This is the first observation of such a long-range, near-side feature in two-particle correlation functions in pp or p p-bar collisions

Strange Particle Production in pp Collisions at sqrt(s) = 0.9 and 7 TeV

Peer reviewe

Observation of long-range, near-side angular correlations in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

Results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles emitted in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 0.9, 2.36, and 7TeV are presented, using data collected with the CMS detector over a broad range of pseudorapidity (eta) and azimuthal angle (phi). Short-range correlations in Delta(eta), which are studied in minimum bias events, are characterized using a simple "independent cluster" parametrization in order to quantify their strength (cluster size) and their extent in eta (cluster decay width). Long-range azimuthal correlations are studied differentially as a function of charged particle multiplicity and particle transverse momentum using a 980 nb(-1) data set at 7TeV. In high multiplicity events, a pronounced structure emerges in the two-dimensional correlation function for particle pairs with intermediate p(T) of 1-3 GeV/c, 2.

Particle identification in ALICE : a Bayesian approach

Peer reviewe

Factorial design analysis of the catalytic activity of di-imine copper(II) complexes in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide

Factorial design analysis was applied to the study of the catalytic activity of diimine copper(II) complexes, in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The studied complexes show a tridentate imine ligand (apip), derived from 2-acetylpyridine and 2-(2-aminoethyl)pyridine, and a hydroxo or an imidazole group at the fourth coordination site of the copper ion. The factorial design models for both [Cu(apip)imH](2+) and [Cu(apip)OH](+) were similar. increasing the peroxide concentration from 3.2 x 10(-3) to 8.1 x 10(-3) mol L-1 resulted in increased oxygen formation. Increasing the pH from 7 to I I also increased oxygen formation and had an effect about twice as large as the peroxide one. Both complexes also had an important interaction effect between peroxide concentration and pH. However, increasing the catalyst concentration led to a decrease in total oxygen formation. The obtained results were corroborated by further data, achieved by using the usual univariate method, and helped to elucidate equilibrium steps occurring in the studied systems. in very alkaline solutions, the studied [Cu(apip)imH](2+) complex can form the corresponding dinuclear species, [Cu-2(apip)(2)im](3+). While the mononuclear complex proved to be an efficient catalyst in hydrogen peroxide decomposition, the corresponding dinuclear compound seemed to be able to coordinate with the dioxygen molecule, inhibiting its observed release. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.33847247