Small pelagics in a changing ocean : Biological responses of sardine early stages to warming

Small pelagic fishes are known to respond rapidly to changes in ocean climate. In this study, we evaluate the effects of future environmental warming (+2°C) during the early ontogeny of the European sardine, Sardina pilchardus. Warming reduced the survival of 30-day-old larvae by half. Length at hatching increased with temperature as expected, but no significant effect was observed on the length and growth at 30 days post-hatching. Warming did not significantly affect the thermal tolerance of sardine larvae, even though the mean lethal temperature increased by 1°C. In the warm conditions, sardine larvae showed signs of thermal stress, indicated by a pronounced increase in larval metabolism (Q 10 = 7.9) and a 45% increase in the heat shock response. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly affected by the higher temperature, even though the mean value doubled. Warming did not affect the time larvae spent swimming, but decreased by 36% the frequency of prey attacks. Given the key role of these small pelagics in the trophic dynamics off the Western Iberian upwelling ecosystem, the negative effects of warming on the early stages may have important implications for fish recruitment and ecosystem structure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Multivariate classification techniques and mass spectrometry as a tool in the screening of patients with fibromyalgia

Abstract: Fibromyalgia is a rheumatological disorder that causes chronic pain and other symptomatic conditions such as depression and anxiety. Despite its relevance, the disease still presents a complex diagnosis where the doctor needs to have a correct clinical interpretation of the symptoms. In this context, it is valid to study tools that assist in the screening of this disease, using chemical work techniques such as mass spectroscopy. In this study, an analytical method is proposed to detect individuals with fibromyalgia (n = 20, 10 control samples and 10 samples with fibromyalgia) from blood plasma samples analyzed by mass spectrometry with paper spray ionization and subsequent multivariate classification of the spectral data (unsupervised and supervised), in addition to the treatment of selected variables with possible associations with metabolomics. Exploratory analysis with principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised analysis with successive projections algorithm with linear discriminant analysis (SPA-LDA) showed satisfactory results with 100% accuracy for sample prediction in both groups. This demonstrates that this combination of techniques can be used as a simple, reliable and fast tool in the development of clinical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia

Human parvovirus B19 infection and hydrops fetalis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded lung and liver tissue from 23 cases of non immune hydrops fetalis and five control cases, in which hydrops were due to syphilis (3) and genetic causes (2), were examined for the presence of human parvovirus B19 by DNA hybridisation. Using in situ hybridisation with a biotynilated probe one positive case was detected. Using 32P-labelled probes in a dot blot assay format, five further positives were obtained. These were all confirmed as positive by a nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Electron microscopy revealed virus in all these five positive cases. The six B19 DNA positive cases of hydrops fetalis were from 1974, 1980, 1982, 1987 and 1988, four of which occurred during the second half of the year, confirming the seasonality of the disease

Microplastic in angling baits as a cryptic source of contamination in European freshwaters.

High environmental microplastic pollution, and its largely unquantified impacts on organisms, are driving studies to assess their potential entry pathways into freshwaters. Recreational angling, where many anglers release manufactured baits into freshwater ecosystems, is a widespread activity with important socio-economic implications in Europe. It also represents a potential microplastic pathway into freshwaters that has yet to be quantified. Correspondingly, we analysed three different categories of industrially-produced baits ('groundbait', 'boilies' and 'pellets') for their microplastic contamination (particles 700 µm to 5 mm). From 160 samples, 28 microplastics were identified in groundbait and boilies, with a mean concentration of 17.4 (± 48.1 SD) MP kg-1 and 6.78 (± 29.8 SD) mg kg-1, yet no microplastics within this size range were recorded in the pellets. Microplastic concentrations significantly differed between bait categories and companies, but microplastic characteristics did not vary. There was no correlation between microplastic contamination and the number of bait ingredients, but it was positively correlated with C:N ratio, indicating a higher contamination in baits with higher proportion of plant-based ingredients. We thus reveal that bait microplastics introduced accidentally during manufacturing and/or those originating from contaminated raw ingredients might be transferred into freshwaters. However, further studies are needed to quantify the relative importance of this cryptic source of contamination and how it influences microplastic levels in wild fish

Congenital toxoplasmic myocarditis: case report of an unusual presentation

Made available in DSpace on 2011-11-01T16:37:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1648 bytes, checksum: e095249ac7cacefbfe39684dfe45e706 (MD5) 1985 - Congenital toxoplasmic myocarditis case report of na unusual..pdf: 598526 bytes, checksum: 3da6e6ae14fe25a19e1a5473a4095277 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1985Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Fernandes Figueira. Departamento de Patologia Perinatal. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Fernandes Figueira. Departamento de Patologia Perinatal. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Fernandes Figueira. Departamento de Patologia Perinatal. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Extensive calcification of the heart, involving predominantly the right ventricle and interventricular septum, was observed in a 3-h-old baby. The aetiology of the condition was attributed to infection by toxoplasma gondii, based on the presence of several visceral lesions allied to the identification of the microorganism. The case is reported in view of the rarity of the type lesion. It is considered that calcification of the myocardium is secondary to vascular, inflamatory or toxic condition. The factors implicated in the pathogenesis of this unusual myocardial lesion are discussed

Os Jovens e o Mercado de Trabalho: Caracterização, Estrangulamentos à Integração Efectiva na Vida Activa e a Eficácia das Políticas

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