Abstract In this study, we investigated the infection by pulmonary parasites in the water snake Helicops angulatus. We found four nymphs of the pentastomide parasite Sebekia oxycephala, parasitizing two adult females H. angulatus collected in the municipality of Rio Tinto, Paraíba, Brazil. This occurrence is likely due to the nymphs of this parasite directly infecting aquatic intermediate hosts, such as fish. The result of this study represents the first record of pentastomid infecting H. angulatus.

Resumo Neste estudo investigamos a infecção por parasitos pulmonares na serpente Helicops angulatus. Encontramos quatro ninfas de pentastomídeos (Sebekia oxycephala) parasitando duas fêmeas adultas de H. angulatus oriundas do município de Rio Tinto, Paraíba, Brasil. A ocorrência das ninfas na serpente sugere que a transmissão ocorra através da cadeia trófica, uma vez que peixes atuam como hospedeiros intermediários do parasito e fazem parte da dieta H. angulatus . O resultado deste estudo representa o primeiro registro de pentastomídeos infectando H. angulatus.

As lagoas temporárias são comuns no semiárido baiano, apresentando espelhos de água no período chuvoso. Nesse período, surgem várias espécies vegetais com diferentes formas de vida, adaptadas às condições de sazonalidade do regime pluviométrico. Este trabalho objetivou levantar estruturas anatômicas adaptativas de algumas espécies de monocotiledôneas anfíbias e emergentes que ocorrem nessas lagoas. Para tanto, estudou-se anatomia de raiz, rizoma, folha e escapo de Cyperus odoratus, Oxycaryum cubense e Pycreus macrostachyos (Cyperaceae) - anfíbias, e de Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Eichhornia paniculata (Pontederiaceae) e Habenaria repens (Orchidaceae) - emergentes. Características anatômicas dos sistemas dérmico, fundamental e vascular - presença de uma camada de células epidérmicas, com cutícula fina nos órgãos aéreos; presença de lacunas de ar em todos os órgãos; baixa quantidade ou ausência de tecidos de sustentação; redução de elementos xilemáticos e do espessamento das paredes de suas células - confirmam uma tendência à convergência adaptativa dessas plantas ao ambiente lacustre temporário. As espécies emergentes, quando comparadas com as espécies anfíbias, apresentam essas características mais acentuadas, como redução no sistema de sustentação; redução na frequência e até ausência de estômatos, e redução do número de elementos condutores do xilema e do grau de lignificação das paredes de suas células. O padrão de distribuição de aerênquima nas raízes das espécies estudadas foi considerado importante para distinguir a forma de vida anfíbia da forma emergente.

Temporary lakes are common in the semi-arid region of the State of Bahia and form water mirrors in the rainy season. In this period, various vegetal species appear having different life forms adapted to the seasonality conditions of the rainfall regime. This work surveyed the adaptive anatomical structures of some emergent and amphibious monocot species occurring in these lakes. We studied the anatomy of roots, rhizomes, leaves and scapes of Cyperus odoratus, Oxycaryum cubense, Pycreus macrostachyos (Cyperaceae) - amphibious species; and of Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Eichhornia paniculata (Pontederiaceae) and Habenaria repens (Orchidaceae) - emergent species. The anatomical features of the dermal, fundamental and vascular systems confirming the tendency of the adaptive convergence of these plants to temporary lacustrine the environment include: single layered epidermal cells with a thin cuticle layer in the aerial organs; the presence of air canals in all the organs; few or no supporting tissues; and less numerous conducting elements and thinner cell walls in the xylem. The reduction of the supporting tissues, the number of stomata, which can even be absent, and the number of conducting elements and the degree of cell wall lignification in the xylem of the emergent species is more accentuated than that of the amphibious species. The pattern of distribution of aerenchyma in the roots of the studied species was considered important to distinguish between amphibious and emergent life forms.

Sugar-cane stalks, 2.0 cm long, were used as a support for yeast immobilization envisaging ethanol production. The assays were conducted in 38.5 L fermenters containing a bed of stalks with 50% porosity. The operational stability of the immobilized yeast, the efficiency and stability of the process, as well as the best dilution rate were evaluated. Molasses from demerara sugar production was used in the medium formulation. It was diluted to obtain 111.75 ± 1.51 g/L without any further treatment. Sulfuric acid was used to adjust the pH value to around 4.2. Every two days Kamoran HJ (10 ppm) or with a mixture containing penicillin (10 ppm) and tetracycline (10 ppm), was added to the medium. Ethanol yield and efficiency were 29.64 g/L.h and 86.40%, respectively, and the total reducing sugars (TRS) conversion was 74.61% at a dilution rate of 0.83 h-1. The yeast-stalk system was shown to be stable for over a 60 day period at extremely variable dilution rates ranging from 0.05 h-1 to 3.00 h-1. The concentration of immobilized cell reached around 109 cells/gram of dry sugar-cane stalk when the fermenter was operating at the highest dilution rate (3.00 h-1).

Espécies nativas ou endêmicas do semi-árido brasileiro foram investigadas com o intuito de se descobrir novas drogas antimicrobianas. Os ensaios foram realizados contra cepas padrões de Staphylococcus aureus e Escherichia coli através do método de difusão em disco. Dos 137 extratos de vegetais avaliados, sete apresentaram atividade significativa contra o Staphylococcus aureus. Os extratos ativos foram preparados a partir de espécies pertencentes às famílias Leguminosae e Rutaceae e serão futuramente fracionados com o intuito de se chegar às moléculas ativas.

Species native or endemic of the Brazilian semi-arid were investigated with the intention of discovering new antibacterial drugs. The rehearsals were accomplished against standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli through the diffusion method in disk. Of the 137 extracts of appraised vegetables, seven presented significant activity against the Staphylococcus aureus. The active extracts were prepared starting from species belonging to the Leguminosae and Rutaceae families and they will be fractional hereafter with the intention of arriving to the active molecules.

The occurence of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis among inhabitants of 10 farms within 10 Km of the hamlet of Corte de Pedra, Bahia, Brazil was studied prospectively from 1984-l989. A mean population of 1,056 inhabitants living in 146 houses were visited every 6 months and the number of sKin ulcers recorded. A leishmanin skin test survey was done people with suggestive skin scars or active disease in l984. The incidence of skin ulcers due to Leishmania (Viannia) brasiliensis (Vlb) reached 83/1,000 inhabitants but declined sharply in the subsequent 2 years. Retrospective data shows that leishamiasis is a sporadic endemic disease. Although the reasons for this epidemic are unclear some possible aetiological factors are discussed.