Type of light in sand fly captures (diptera:psychodidae)

The number of cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil has been gradually increasing, and one of the strategies to reduce the transmission of this disease is based on the control of the adult forms of its vectors. It is therefore of great epidemiological importance to develop more refined methods for monitoring and controlling its vectors, which are the phlebotomine sand flies, or biting midges. The present study compares the attraction exercised by UV light in comparison with conventional incandescent, or white, light in catching phlebotomine sand flies. Traps baited with UV light caught higher numbers of these flies than traps baited with white light, indicating the potential use of UV light, especially in locations of low demographic density of the flies

Fluctuating asymmetry in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as bioindicator of anthropogenic environments

La distribución exitosa de A. mellifera se debe a su capacidad para adaptarse a las variaciones estacionales, controlar considerablemente su ambiente físico interno y por la exploración de recursos. Sin embargo, sus poblaciones experimentan diferentes formas y niveles de presión ambiental. Esta investigación evaluó colmenares, ubicadas en entornos con distintos niveles de antropización. Ambientes considerados altamente antropogénicos fueron escogidos: áreas urbanas, agrícolas con aplicaciones de insecticidas, y las industrias con grandes áreas (regiones con altos índices de contaminación). Por otra parte, los entornos considerados con bajos niveles de perturbación humana fueron elegidos: áreas de preservación permanente de los bosques restantes (Mata Atlántica, Planalto, Cerrado), áreas ribereñas o reservas ecológicas. Se muestrearon 16 localidades que abarcan las cinco regiones del Brasil. Estamos utilizando la asimetría fluctuante desde el tamaño y la forma del ala anterior por técnicas de morfometría geométrica. En cada sitio, las muestras se obtuvieron de las 20 colmenas instaladas en los colmenares: 10 instalados cerca de entornos altamente antropogénicos (Cassilândia - MS, Fortaleza - CE, Maringá - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Riachuelo - SE, Ubiratã - PR y Piracicaba - SP) y 10 en sitios de bajo nivel de perturbación humana (Cassilândia - MS, Itapiúna_CE, União da Vitória - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Pacatuba - SE, Erval Seco - RS, Rio Claro - SP). Los índices de tamaño y forma fueron sometidos a análisis de varianza (ANOVA), donde se utilizaron los caracteres evaluados como factores, para verificar las diferencias de tamaño y forma. La asimetría de análisis fluctuante (AF) se llevó a cabo con el fin de comprobar las diferencias bilaterales. Los resultados indican la existencia de la asimetría de la forma del ala (P < 0.001), pero no se observó asimetría del tamaño del ala. Considerando AF como respuesta ambiental y áreas de alto y bajo grado de alteración humana como factor fijo, observamos diferencias significativas (P < 0.05). Los resultados, para la forma de ala de la A. mellifera, muestran que esta característica se somete a más variación durante la ontogenia en comparación con la variación en el tamaño. Llegamos a la conclusión de que las colonias de abejas recogidas en ambientes con niveles más altos de la perturbación humana tienen una mayor asimetría en forma de ala, por lo que la asimetría fluctuante en forma de alas de las abejas puede ser utilizada como un indicador del grado de antropización del medio ambiente.The successful distribution of A. mellifera is due to their ability to adjust to seasonal variations, considerable control over their internal physical environment and exploration of different resources. However, their populations have experienced different forms and levels of environmental pressure. This research aimed to verify the phenotypic plasticity in both size and shape of wings in A. mellifera using fluctuating asymmetry, based on geometric morphometrics from apiaries located in sites with high and low levels of anthropization. We sampled 16 locations throughout all five geographic regions of Brazil. At each site, samples were collected from 20 beehives installed in apiaries: 10 installed near high anthropogenic environments (Cassilândia - MS, Fortaleza - CE, Maringá - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Riachuelo - SE, Ubiratã - PR and Piracicaba - SP), and 10 in sites with low levels of human disturbance (Cassilândia - MS, Itapiúna CE, União da Vitória - PR, Aquidauana - MS, Rolim de Moura - RO, Pacatuba - SE, Erval Seco - RS, Rio Claro - SP). A sample of 10 individuals was taken in each hive, totaling 200 per location, for a total of 1 600 individuals. We used fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in size and shape of the forewing through geometric morphometrics. The FA analysis was conducted in order to check bilateral differences. The indexes of size and shape were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA), where the characters evaluated were used as factors to verify the size and shape differences. The results indicated an asymmetry on the shape of the wing (P < 0.001) but no asymmetry was observed on wing size. Considering FA as an environmental response and high and low impacted areas as a fixed factor, we observed significant differences (P < 0.05). The results for the wing shape in A. mellifera demonstrated that this feature undergoes more variation during ontogeny compared to the variation in size. We concluded that bee samples collected from colonies with higher levels of human disturbance had higher wing-shape asymmetry; the variation of fluctuating asymmetry in the wing shape of honeybees can be used as an indicator of the degree of environmental anthropization

Screening for quality indicators and phenolic compounds of biotechnological interest in honey samples from six species of stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract Honey from stingless bees of the genus Melipona is a well sought product. Nevertheless lack of legal frameworks for quality assessment complicates the evaluation of food safety and marketing of these products. Seeking to assess the quality of honey from the bees of this genus, physical and chemical analyses, identification of phenolic compounds, and microbiological evaluation from six species of stingless bees was performed. The honey samples showed high reducing sugars, low protein levels and a balanced microbiota. High total phenols and flavonoids and higher antioxidant activity were also recorded. Different phenolic compounds of great biotechnological potential were identified and of these apigenin, kaempferol and luteolin were identified for the first time in honey. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few works describing a detail characterization of melipona honey together with identification of the phenolic compounds of significant therapeutic value

TYPE OF LIGHT IN SAND FLY CAPTURES (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) Tipo de luz en la captura de flebotominos (Diptera: Psychodidae)

The number of visceral leishmaniasis cases has been gradually increasing in Brazil. One of the strategies to reduce the disease transmission is based on vector control. It is therefore of great epidemiological importance to develop more refined methods for monitoring and controlling its vectors, which are the phlebotomine sand flies. The present study evaluates the performance of traps using UV light or conventional incandescent, or white, light in sand flies captures. Traps baited with UV light caught higher numbers of sand flies than traps baited with white light, indicating the potential use of UV light, especially in locations of low sand flies densities.<br>El número de casos de leishmaniasis visceral en Brasil ha ido en aumento, y una de las estrategias para reducir la transmisión de esta enfermedad tiene como base el control de sus vectores. Por tanto, es de gran importancia epidemiológica desarrollar métodos más refinados para monitorear y controlar sus vectores, que son los flebotominos. El presente estudio compara la atracción ejercida por la luz UV en comparación con luz incandescente convencional, o luz blanca, en la captura de flebotominos. Las trampas adaptadas con luz UV capturaron un mayor número de mosquitos que las trampas adaptadas con luz blanca, lo que indica el uso potencial de la luz ultravioleta, especialmente en las localidades de baja densidad de flebotominos

Screening for quality indicators and phenolic compounds of biotechnological interest in honey samples from six species of stingless bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

<div><p>Abstract Honey from stingless bees of the genus Melipona is a well sought product. Nevertheless lack of legal frameworks for quality assessment complicates the evaluation of food safety and marketing of these products. Seeking to assess the quality of honey from the bees of this genus, physical and chemical analyses, identification of phenolic compounds, and microbiological evaluation from six species of stingless bees was performed. The honey samples showed high reducing sugars, low protein levels and a balanced microbiota. High total phenols and flavonoids and higher antioxidant activity were also recorded. Different phenolic compounds of great biotechnological potential were identified and of these apigenin, kaempferol and luteolin were identified for the first time in honey. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few works describing a detail characterization of melipona honey together with identification of the phenolic compounds of significant therapeutic value.</p></div

Chemical markers and antifungal activity of red propolis from Sergipe, Brazil

The aim of this study was to analyze the physicochemical properties and antifungal activities of the red propolis samples from Sergipe, Brazil, and also evaluate their variability throughout the year. The characterization of the hydroalcoholic extract (HPE) of the red propolis samples was performed monthly from October 2009 to September 2010. The concentrations of the bioactive compounds varied during the year, but their chromatographic profiles were similar. Four compounds were identified by comparison with authentic standards. Formononetin was one of the predominant compounds in all propolis extracts. In our study, it was observed that all the propolis samples inhibited the growth of Candida species. Multivariate analysis confirmed the variations in chemical composition and color of the HPEs throughout the year. The biological activities of the HPEs were statistically significant (p<0.05), and all samples exhibited antifungal properties

Sandfly fauna in an area endemic for visceral leishmaniasis in Aracaju, State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, visceral leishmaniasis, a major public health problem, has been spreading from the rural to urban areas in many areas of Brazil, including Aracaju, the capital of the State of Sergipe. However, there are no studies of the sandfly fauna in this municipality or its variation over the year. METHODS: Phlebotomine sandflies were collected from a rural area of Aracaju from September 2007 to July 2009. Modified CDC ultra-violet (UV) light traps were used to evaluate sandfly monthly distribution and their presence in the domestic and peridomestic environments. RESULTS: The most abundant species was Lutzomyia longipalpis (90.4%) followed by Evandromyia lenti (9.6%). A chicken shed trap site had the highest proportion of L. longipalpis (51.1%) and large numbers of L. longipalpis were also collected in the houses closest to the chicken shed. There was a positive correlation between monthly rainfall and L. longipalpis abundance. CONCLUSIONS: Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most abundant species and is probably the main vector of the visceral leishmaniasis agent in the rural area of Aracaju. An increase in L. longipalpis frequency was observed during the rainy season. The peridomicile-intradomicile observations corroborate the importance of chicken sheds for the presence of L. longipalpis in the peridomestic environment. The great numbers of L. longipalpis inside the houses confirm the endophilic behaviour of this species and the possibility of visceral transmission in the intradomicile