Population Dynamics of the Critically Endangered Golden Lancehead Pitviper, Bothrops insularis: Stability or Decline?

Little is known about vital rates of snakes generally because of the difficulty in collecting data. Here we used a robust design mark-recapture model to estimate survival, behavioral effects on capture probability, temporary emigration, abundance and test the hypothesis of population decline in the golden lancehead pitviper, Bothrops insularis, an endemic and critically endangered species from southeastern Brazil. We collected data at irregular intervals over ten occasions from 2002 to 2010. Survival was slightly higher in the wet season than in the dry season. Temporal emigration was high, indicating the importance of accounting for this parameter both in the sampling design and modeling. No behavioral effects were detected on capture probability. We detected an average annual population decrease (lambda = 0.93, CI = 0.47- 1.38) during the study period, but estimates included high uncertainty, and caution in interpretation is needed. We discuss the potential effects of the illegal removal of individuals and the implications of the vital rates obtained for the future persistence and conservation of this endemic, endangered species.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao Grupo Boticario de Protecao a NaturezaConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundo de Auxilio aos Docentes e Alunos (FADA-UNIFESP)Instituto Nacional de Cienca e Tecnologia em Toxinas (INCTTOX)Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Biol Anim, Campinas, SP, BrazilUniv Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Fac Estudios Super Iztacala, FES Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, Estado de Mexic, MexicoColorado State Univ, Dept Fish Wildlife & Conservat Biol, Ft Collins, CO 80523 USAUniv São Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Ecol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, Diadema, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Ciencias Biol, Diadema, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Análise comparativa de mapas de eletroforese bidimensional (2-DE) de Helicobacter pylori de pacientes brasileiros com úlcera duodenal e gastrite crônica: relato preliminar

O Helicobacter pylori é uma bactéria reconhecida como a principal causa de úlcera péptica e gastrite crônica. Recentemente, o proteoma do H. pylori tem sido desenvolvido visando identificar fatores patogênicos relacionados ao microorganismo. Neste estudo preliminar, cepas de H. pylori foram isoladas de fragmento de mucosa gástrica de pacientes com úlcera duodenal e gastrite crônica. Posteriormente, realizou-se uma análise proteômica parcial dessas cepas, através da lise bacteriana e da separação de proteínas através da eletroforese de duas dimensões (2-DE). Por análise comparativa, foi possível verificar a expressão protéica diferencial entre os dois mapas 2-DE obtidos. Os dados poderão ser úteis para esclarecer a importância de diferentes proteínas relacionadas à patogênese da bactéria. Este estudo será complementado utilizando um maior número de amostras e a identificação protéica do H. pylori através da espectrometria de massa do tipo MALDI-TOF.Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium recognized as the major cause of peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. Recently, a proteome-based approach was developed to investigate pathogenic factors related to H. pylori. In this preliminary study, H. pylori strains were isolated from gastric biopsies of patients with chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcers. A partial proteomic analysis of H. pylori strains was performed by bacterial lyses and proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). A comparative analysis was performed to verify a differential protein expression between these two 2-DE maps. These data should be useful to clarify the role of different proteins related to bacterial pathogenesis. This study will be completed using a larger number of samples and protein identification of H. pylori by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry