Comparative cytogenetics among populations of Astyanax altiparanae (Characiformes, Characidae, Incertae sedis)

Cytogenetic data are presented for Astyanax altiparanae populations from three Brazilian hydrographic systems. The chromosomal data obtained in A. altiparanae support the hypothesis of diploid number conservation. However, small differences in the karyotype formula and number of nucleolar organizer regions were observed in these populations. The apparent karyotypical similarity among the studied populations strongly suggests a close relationship among them with some chromosomal divergences due to gene flow restriction

Habilidades expressivas de um grupo de alunos com paralisia cerebral na atividade de jogo Expressive abilities of a group of students with cerebral palsy during game activities

OBJETIVO: Analisar as habilidades expressivas de um grupo de alunos com paralisia cerebral sem oralidade durante atividades de jogos. MÉTODOS: Participaram deste estudo três alunos com paralisia cerebral, do sexo masculino, com idades entre 13 e 16 anos, com severos distúrbios na comunicação oral, sem déficits visual, auditivo e cognitivo. Os alunos frequentavam classe especial e eram usuários de recursos de comunicação alternativa. Foi filmada a interação do grupo de alunos durante a realização de seis jogos adaptados. A partir das transcrições das fitas, foi possível definir oito categorias referentes às habilidades expressivas do grupo. RESULTADOS: Os resultados demonstraram que o grupo de alunos utilizou as expressões: verbal sem ajuda/vocal; verbal com ajuda/não-vocal; não-verbal/vocal; não-verbal/não-vocal; não-verbal/não-vocal + não-verbal/vocal; verbal sem ajuda/vocal + não-verbal/vocal; não-verbal/vocal + verbal com ajuda/não-vocal e não-verbal/não-vocal + verbal com ajuda/não-vocal para se comunicar, sendo que as categorias mais utilizadas foram não-verbal/não-vocal; verbal com ajuda/não-vocal e não-verbal/não-vocal + não-verbal/vocal. CONCLUSÕES: Os jogos propiciaram ao grupo de alunos com paralisia cerebral sem oralidade o uso das diferentes habilidades expressivas, como, por exemplo, uso de gestos representativos, expressões corporais e faciais, vocalizações, fala articulada, uso de pastas e pranchas de comunicação suplementar e alternativa, assim como as combinações destas habilidades. Os gestos representativos e as expressões corporais e faciais foram as habilidades mais utilizadas pelo grupo de alunos com paralisia cerebral sem oralidade, razão pela qual os profissionais devem estar atentos a estas possibilidades expressivas.<br>PURPOSE: To analyze the expressive abilities of a group of nonspeaking students with cerebral palsy during game activities. METHODS: Three male students with cerebral palsy, with ages varying from 13 to 16 years, participated in this study. These students presented severe oral communication disability, without any visual, hearing or cognitive deficits. The students attended a special classroom and used alternative communication resources. An interaction situation among the group during six adapted games was filmed. From the transcriptions of the interaction, it was possible to define eight expressive abilities categories of the group. RESULTS: Data showed that the group of students used the following categories of expression to communicate: verbal without help/vocal; verbal with help/nonvocal; nonverbal/vocal; nonverbal/nonvocal + nonverbal/vocal; verbal without help/vocal + nonverbal/vocal; nonverbal/vocal + verbal with help/nonvocal; nd nonverbal/nonvocal + verbal with help/nonvocal. The most frequent categories were nonverbal/nonvocal; verbal with help/nonvocal and nonverbal/nonvocal + nonverbal/vocal. CONCLUSIONS: The games favored the use the different expressive abilities by the group of nonspeaking students with cerebral palsy, as, for example, with the use of representative gestures, facial and corporal expressions, vocalizations, articulate speech, and the use of augmentative and alternative communication board, as well as with the combinations of these abilities. Representative gestures and the facial and corporal expressions were the most frequent abilities used by the group, and therefore professionals should be aware of these expressive possibilities

Cytogenetic and Molecular Data Demonstrate that the Bryconinae (Ostariophysi, Bryconidae) Species from Southeastern Brazil Form a Phylogenetic and Phylogeographic Unit

<div><p><i>Brycon</i> spp. occur in Neotropical watersheds to the west and east of the Andes, and as they are sensitive to anthropogenic changes, many these species are endangered in southeastern Brazil. Coastal rivers in southeastern Brazil are characterized by the presence of relatively few freshwater fish species and high endemism of this fauna. The objective of this study was to examine whether <i>Brycon</i> spp. occurring in the coastal basins of southeastern Brazil are monophyletic, using cytogenetic data, mitochondrial, and nuclear molecular markers. All the species showed a diploid number of 50 chromosomes, a conserved number within the subfamily Bryconinae. However, the karyotypic formulas were unique to most species, including <i>Brycon devillei</i> (26m+22sm+2st), <i>Brycon ferox</i> (26m+12sm+12st), <i>Brycon insignis</i> (22m+20sm+8st), <i>Brycon opalinus</i>, and <i>Brycon vermelha</i> (24m+20sm+6st), indicating the prevalence of pericentric and paracentric inversions in the chromosomal evolution of these species. All of them had nucleolar organizer regions in the first pair of subtelocentric chromosomes and no equilocal distribution of heterochromatin in the first pair of chromosomes of the karyotype. These two features, not seen in any other <i>Brycon</i> spp. examined to date, indicate that Bryconinae species from the Brazilian southeastern coastal basins, including the monotypic genus <i>Henochilus</i>, are monophyletic. Also, this is the first study that reports NOR location and C-banding patterns as synapomorphies for a Neotropical fish species group. The monophyly was also supported by a phylogenetic analysis of <i>16S</i> rDNA (<i>16S</i>), cytochrome oxidase subunit I (<i>COI</i>), alpha-myosin (<i>MYH6</i>) genes and <i>S72</i> intron molecular data. Our results partially corroborate the “<i>Brycon acuminatus</i>” group proposed by Howes in 1982: our proposed clade keeps <i>B</i>. <i>devillei</i>, <i>B</i>. <i>ferox</i>, and <i>B</i>. <i>insignis;</i> but it also includes <i>B</i>. <i>opalinus</i>, <i>B</i>. <i>vermelha</i>, and <i>H</i>. <i>weatlandii</i> whereas it excludes <i>B</i>. <i>nattereri</i>. The phylogeographic unit formed by Bryconinae species in southeastern Brazil reflects the long and isolated paleohydrological history of these coastal basins relative to the continental watersheds.</p></div