Sympatric occurrence of two species of Pseudopaludicola (Anura: Leptodactylidae) and first record of Pseudopaludicola jaredi Andrade, Magalhães, Nunes-de-Almeida, Veiga-Menoncello, Santana, Garda, Loebmann, Recco-Pimentel, Giaretta & Toledo, 2016 in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil

Here, we document the sympatric occurrence of Pseudopaludicola canga and P. jaredi. We also provide the first record of P. jaredi in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, expanding this species’ distribution by about 610 km southwestward from Serra das Flores, municipality of Viçosa do Ceará, state of Ceará. Furthermore, we fill the gap in the geographic distribution range of P. canga in the state of Maranhão, extending the distribution of this species by about 530 km southwestward from the municipality of Barreirinhas

First record of Leptodactylus sertanejo (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leptodactylinae) in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil

Leptodactylus sertanejo is a mid-sized frog that inhabits areas of the Cerrado Biome, in natural and artificial grassland areas, in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Bahia, Goiás and Tocantins, Brazil. Herein, we provide the first species record for the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, expanding the known distribution of L. sertanejo ca. 420 km northeast from the Parque Estadual do Jalapão, Tocantins state

Herpetofauna of the Environmental Protection Area Delta do Parnaíba, Northeastern Brazil

Recent studies on Brazilian coastal zones and restinga environments revealed a high richness of amphibian and reptile species. However, there is still a lack of information about herpetofauna diversity in coastal zones of Northeastern Brazil. This study provides a checklist of amphibians and reptiles inhabiting the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) Delta do Parnaíba, Northeastern Brazil, suggesting conservation actions. To elaborate the checklist, we searched in seven electronic databases and check the following scientific collections: Zoological collection of Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI) and Herpetological collection of Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA). In addition, we sampled 16 areas along the EPA Delta do Parnaíba close to the river branches and temporary ponds that compose the Parnaíba River Delta (December 2015 to April 2017) to fill gaps of information about herpetofauna in some regions from the EPA. We recorded 86 species (34 amphibians and 52 reptiles), including four anurans, one crocodilian, 14 snakes, 12 lizards and two amphisbaenians reported for the first time for the EPA Delta do Parnaíba. In addition, we added the first record of the snake Oxybelis fulgidus in Piauí state. The EPA Delta do Parnaíba shows high herpetofaunal richness; thus, we suggest that conservation actions should be taken to preserve the restingas environments in the Parnaíba River Delta and its high diversity of amphibians and reptiles.As áreas costeiras e ambientes de restinga têm sido bastante estudados nos últimos anos. Estes ambientes apresentam uma elevada riqueza de anfíbios e répteis, no entanto ainda existem lacunas de informações sobre a diversidade da herpetofauna nas áreas costeira da região Nordeste do Brasil. O presente estudo fornece uma lista dos anfíbios e répteis que ocorrem na Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) Delta do Parnaíba, Nordeste do Brasil, e sugestões que auxiliem na conservação destas espécies na região. Para a elaboração da lista da herpetofauna do Delta do Parnaíba nós realizamos uma pesquisa bibliográfica em publicações científicas disponíveis em sete banco de dados eletrônicos, e consultamos os acervos das seguintes coleções científicas: Coleção Zoológica do Delta do Parnaíba, da Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI) e Coleção Herpetológica da Universidade Regional do Cariri (URCA). Adicionalmente, para preencher algumas lacunas sobre a herpetofauna da APA Delta do Parnaíba nós amostramos 16 áreas ao longo da APA próximas aos braços dos rios e lagoas temporárias que formam o Delta do Parnaíba (dezembro de 2015 e abril de 2017). Nós registramos 86 espécies (34 anfíbios e 52 répteis), sendo que quatro espécies de anfíbios anuros, um crocodilo, 14 espécies de serpentes, 12 lagartos e duas anfisbenas tiveram seus primeiros registros para a APA Delta do Parnaíba. Além disso, adicionamos o primeiro registro Oxybelis fulgidus para o estado do Piauí. A APA Delta do Parnaíba possui uma rica herpetofauna; portanto, sugerimos que ações de conservação sejam tomadas para preservar a restinga no delta do Rio Parnaíba e sua alta diversidade de anfíbios e répteis.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

ENDOPARÁSITOS DE PHILODRYAS OLFERSII (LICHTENSTEIN, 1823) EN AMBIENTES DE RESTINGA DEL DELTA DEL RÍO PARNAIBA, NORDESTE DE BRASIL

Lista de endoparásitos son fundamentalmente importantes porqué contribuyen para la comprensión de la biodiversidad. Las infecciones endoparásitas pueden estar asociadas a la historia evolutiva del huésped del parásito o variar según la dieta y el hábitat; así, es importante investigar tales infecciones en distintos ambientes, a la vez que las condiciones ambientales y disponibilidad de recursos pueden influir en la composición y estructura de los helmintos en ensambles de serpientes. Aquí, investigamos los endoparásitos asociados con Philodryas olfersii (Lichtenstein, 1823), y presentamos la revisión bibliográfica de los endoparásitos asociados con el género Philodryas. Buscamos los endoparásitos relaccionados con la serpiente P. olfersii en el Delta del Parnaíba, región costera del estado de Piauí, noreste de Brasil. Hemos analizado la presencia de ectoparásitos en la epidermis y la cavidad oral, y endoparásitos en los siguientes órganos: tracto digestivo, pulmones, corazón, hígado y riñones, utilizando los descriptores parasitológicos: prevalencia, abundancia, abundancia promedio e intensidad promedio de infección, para describir la comunidad de endoparásitos. Registramos 312 especímenes de endoparásitos pertenecientes a nueve tasas: Kalicephalus costatus Rudolphi, 1819, Strongyloides ophidiae Pereira 1929, Physaloptera sp., Physalopteroides venancioi Lent, Freitas & Proença, 1946, larva de Cosmocercidae, Raillietiella furcocerca (Diesing, 1835), Ophiotaenia sp., cistacantos y un trematodo digenea no identificado. Nematodos y pentastómidos fueron los taxones más abundantes infectando P. olfersii. Nuestros resultados contribuyen a la expansión del conocimiento acerca de los endoparásitos de P. olfersii, con destaque para la naturaleza pionera del presente estudio, el primero en investigar el parasitismo en reptiles del Delta del Parnaíba; por consiguiente, alentamos más estudios parasitológicos con vista a mejorar la comprensión de la relación parásito-huésped en serpientes brasileñas, sobre todo en ambientes costeros

Standard Electrocardiographic Data of Peccaries (Tayassu tajacu)

Background:Peccaries (Tayassu tajacu, Linnaeus, 1758) are wild suiformes that belong to the Tayassuidae family. Electrocardiography is an important technique for cardiovascular evaluation. Analysis of various intervals, segments, complexes and waveforms of electrocardiographic (ECG) traces aids in the diagnosis of cardiac alterations and in the differentiation of congenital and acquired heart diseases from physiological cases. However, in wild animal medicine, the various patterns of normality and the evaluation of electrical traces associated with heart disease have not yet been sufficiently elucidated. The purpose of this study was to characterize the electrocardiographic (ECG) traces of peccaries sedated using ketamine and xylazine.Materials, Methods & Results:Fourteen healthy adult animals that were subjected to digital ECG examination were used. Animals with evidence of systemic diseases, cardiovascular abnormalities (murmurs or arrhythmias), or any degree of valve insufficiency observed on echocardiogram and animals that exhibited excessive stress during the examination were excluded from the study. All animals presented with a normal sinus rhythm. A combination of 15 mg/kg of ketamine hydrochloride and 3 mg/kg of midazolam maleate was applied intramuscularly for chemical immobilization. The animals were manipulated after 15 min, when the onset of the anaesthetic effect was verified, for a duration of 45 min, and no reinforcement dose was necessary to complete the electrocardiographic examination.  No significant differences were observed in the P-wave duration, PR interval and QT interval between genders (P > 0.05). No significant differences were found between the amplitudes of the P and R waves between males and females (P > 0.05). The observed P waves were small, monophasic and positive. The QRS complex was positive in the DI, DII, DIII, aVF, V4 and V10 derivations and negative in the aVR, aVL, V1 and V2 derivations. In 71% of the animals, the T wave showed negative polarity in the DI, DII, DIII, aVL, aVF, and V10 derivations and positive polarity in the aVR, V1, V2 and V4 derivations. The ST segment was isoelectric in 100% of the animals. GraphPad Prism 7 (La Jolla, CA, USA) software was used to analyze the data, with non-parametric tests used to test for differences in the variables between the sexes. In these tests, a P-value of 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.Discussion:Although studies on the cardiac electrophysiology of wild animals have previously shown good results for several species, this is the first study concerning the standardization ECG traces for peccaries. However, due to the wild nature of these animals, their manipulation for handling and data collection purposes is only feasible under chemical containment, although other studies have used non-anaesthetized agoutis. It is not known to what extent these results may have been influenced by the effects of stress. Drugs used for this function may have direct effects on cardiac function. Therefore, the presumed normal ECG values, as well as the recognition of changes due to drug or iatrogenic interactions, are of fundamental importance.  This protocol provided high-quality anaesthetized peccary ECG traces, allowing reliable measurements of waves and intervals and assessment of the cardiac rhythm and heart rate. The surface registry digital ECG recording technique used with chemical containment allowed good monitoring and rapid acquisition and was well tolerated by the animals. 

Presumed Normal Hemodynamic Values of the Arteries in the Final Third Period of Gestation in Bitches

Background: Doppler ultrasonography enables the investigation of vascular blood flow indexes in gestational assessment, being able to detect vascular resistances that can affect fetal and maternal circulation, such as cases of placental insufficiency, associated with fetal cerebral oxygenation deficit and fetal distress. The study aims to assume hemodynamically normal values in the final third of gestation in bitches, of the umbilical, uteroplacental, middle cerebral and internal carotid arteries, correlating the obtained Doppler velocimetric indexes, for the assessment of the feto-placental circulation, and prediction of fetal viability indexes, fetal centralization and probable date of delivery.Materials, Methods & Results: Thirty healthy bitches were examined in the final third of gestation (40-60 days). These were evaluated by Doppler ultrasonography at 2 times (T): T1: between 40-50 days; T2: between 51-60 of gestation. At each time point, the peak systolic velocities (PSV) and end-diastolic velocities (EDV) used to obtain the pulsatility (IP) and resistivity (IR) indexes of the umbilical, uteroplacental, middle cerebral and internal carotid arteries of fetuses were evaluated. Also, the systole/diastole (S/D) ratio of these vessels was evaluated. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey test, using a P value equal to 5%. A significant difference was observed between velocities and Doppler velocimetric indexes between the 2 phases of the gestational final third in all studied vessels. There was an increase in the values of PSV and EDV and a decrease in the indexes, as the probable date of delivery approached. The analysis of the umbilical cord IR showed an increase from P1 to P2 (P < 0.05), while the IP decreased at the same time. For all studied variables there was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). In the uteroplacental artery, similarly to the umbilical artery, the PSV and EDV values showed an increase between P1 and P2, while the S/D ratio decreased up to 60 days of gestation (P2). The IR and IP of these vessels decreased during the study interval in pregnant bitches. The studied variables showed a statistically significant difference when analyzed comparatively between P1 and P2 (P < 0.05). As for the middle cerebral artery and internal carotid artery, the PSV and EDV values increased until the end of pregnancy. Likewise, the Doppler velocimetric values and the S/D ratio decreased until the end of pregnancy (P2).Discussion: The hemodynamic values obtained for the umbilical artery and uterine artery were significantly different between 40 and 50 days of gestation (P1) and 50 and 60 days of gestation (P2), with a decrease in vascular resistance and an increase in velocities. It can be related to a greater association of maternal-fetal blood perfusion, due to the increased demand for the development of the fetus. The Middle Cerebral Artery (MCA) also showed changes between P1 and P2, with an increase in PSV and EDV in the final third of pregnancy, and the S/D ratio was reduced, differing significantly between P1 and P2. The systolic (PSV) and diastolic (EDV) flow velocities of the internal carotid artery increased progressively, while the IR, IP and the S/D ratio decreased, between the evaluated periods (P1 and P2), providing greater flow in canine fetuses, maintaining normal heart rate, indicating positive fetal viability. Keywords: Doppler, gestational ultrasound, bitches, fetal circulation, umbilical artery, internal carotid, fetal middle cerebral artery

Spectrochemical analysis in blood plasma combined with subsequent chemometrics for fibromyalgia detection

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatologic condition characterized by multiple and chronic body pain, and other typical symptoms such as intense fatigue, anxiety and depression. It is a very complex disease where treatment is often made by non-medicated alternatives in order to alleviate symptoms and improve the patient’s quality of life. Herein, we propose a method to detect patients with fibromyalgia (n = 252, 126 controls and 126 patients with fibromyalgia) through the analysis of their blood plasma using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with chemometric techniques, hence, providing a low-cost, fast and accurate diagnostic approach. Different chemometric algorithms were tested to classify the spectral data; genetic algorithm with linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA) achieved the best diagnostic results with a sensitivity of 89.5% in an external test set. The GA-LDA model identified 24 spectral wavenumbers responsible for class separation; amongst these, the Amide II (1,545 cm−1) and proteins (1,425 cm−1) were identified to be discriminant features. These results reinforce the potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with multivariate analysis as a new tool to screen and detect patients with fibromyalgia in a fast, low-cost, non-destructive and minimally invasive fashion

Ação dialógica e praxis no ensino de biologia em Parintins/AM: Relato de experiência / Dialogical action and praxis in teaching biology in Parintins/AM: Experience report

O sistema de ensino atual, ainda está configurado no limitado modelo de aulas expositivas, exigindo uma renovação do processo ensino aprendizagem em áreas como a Biologia, sendo um conhecimento recebido de modo passivo, tornando o aluno dependente e sem proatividade, onde as aulas práticas, neste contexto, podem ser uma nova ferramenta metodológica, devendo ser encaradas como uma forma de facilitar e estimular a busca de conhecimento, por meio delas, pode-se obter proximidade e benefícios a comunidade. O objetivo deste estudo relatar a experiência de alunos e professores de escolas públicas do ensino médio do município de Parintins/AM, durante a aplicação de um projeto sobre o sangue e seus componentes, no qual houveram ações onde se inseriram práticas de tipagem sanguínea e captação de doadores para auxiliar e dar suporte ao banco de sangue do município. A parceria para essa tarefa também ocorreu junto ao hemocentro da cidade de Parintins, a Unidade de Coleta e distribuição de Sangue Dr. Amilcar Monte Rey e um laboratório de Análises Clínicas da rede privada do município. A proposta pedagógica teve sucesso e conseguiu um total de 80 testagens de tipagem sanguínea e a doação de 40 bolsas de sangue, o que demonstra a necessidade de implementações de práticas de educação em saúde que deve ser trabalhada nas escolas por iniciativas dos próprios professores e gestores, em forma de estratégias pedagógicas, sociais e psicológicas. Nesses preceitos, o ambiente escolar torna-se um campo ideal para o desenvolvimento de atividades de promoção a saúde, pois estas influenciam a aquisição de valores morais e estimulam o exercício da cidadania

Differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease using spectrochemical analysis of blood

The progressive aging of the world’s population makes a higher prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases inevitable. The necessity for an accurate, but at the same time, inexpensive and minimally invasive, diagnostic test is urgently required, not only to confirm the presence of the disease but also to discriminate between different types of dementia to provide the appropriate management and treatment. In this study, attenuated total reflection FTIR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy combined with chemometric techniques were used to analyze blood plasma samples from our cohort. Blood samples are easily collected by conventional venepuncture, permitting repeated measurements from the same individuals to monitor their progression throughout the years or evaluate any tested drugs. We included 549 individuals: 347 with various neurodegenerative diseases and 202 age-matched healthy individuals. Alzheimer’s disease (AD; n = 164) was identified with 70% sensitivity and specificity, which after the incorporation of apolipoprotein ε4 genotype (APOE ε4) information, increased to 86% when individuals carried one or two alleles of ε4, and to 72% sensitivity and 77% specificity when individuals did not carry ε4 alleles. Early AD cases (n = 14) were identified with 80% sensitivity and 74% specificity. Segregation of AD from dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB; n = 34) was achieved with 90% sensitivity and specificity. Other neurodegenerative diseases, such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD; n = 30), Parkinson’s disease (PD; n = 32), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP; n = 31), were included in our cohort for diagnostic purposes. Our method allows for both rapid and robust diagnosis of neurodegeneration and segregation between different dementias