Foi observado haver uma relação entre o estímulo sonoro intenso e alterações morfológicas na glândula (g.l) pineal de ratas adultas. Estes animais foram estimulados por uma campainha elétrica, com nível de intensidade sonora em torno de 110 db, por 1, 2, 4 e 7 dias e como também por mais 10 estímulos sucessivos no sétimo dia. Foram observadas alterações celulares, tais como: núcleos picnóticos, vacuolizações e perda do aspecto lobular da distribuição dos pinealócitos, sendo que estas alterações se agravam com o aumento do número de estimulações.

The authors studied the effect of noise (110 dB), delivered by an eletric bell, upon parenchima cells of pineal gland of albino female rats. Several experimental groups were previously formed and stimulated during, 1, 2, 4 and 7 days. In addition another group was formed and stimulated during 7 days plus 10 additional stimulations of about 3 minutes each after the routine stimulations in the seventh day. The authors observed that a single stimulation of about 3 minutes was sufficient to determine alterations in the parenchima cells of the pineal of experimental animals; the changes were characterized by picnolisis in some groups, whereas in others groups picnolisis and interstitials vacuolizations were evidently increased directly with stimulation. The results suggest that the sound stimulation has a destructible effect upon the parenchima cells of the pineal gland of the female albino rats.

The silica structure of the grass Panicum maximum were studied by electron and phase contrast microscopy. Several interesting kinds of silica formation (spiklets) were found. The most ineresting structures ressembels the "Schaumstruktur" found by HELMCKE in diatoms. Another interesting structure was described in the "silica cells" and a detailed study of the mophology of some different kinds of spiklets was made.

Os autores, examinando a distribuição, pelas várias alturas, do teôr do matéria orgânica das águas armazenadas no imbricamento das fôlhas de certas bromeliáceas, verificaram: 1.º) O têor de matéria orgãnica contido na água das bromeliáceas depende da cobertura vegetal. 2.º) As curvas da sua distribuição são semelhantes ás encontradas para o índice MK dos anofelíneos do sub-gênero Kerteszia.

Bezueglich des Gehalts an organischer materie im Wasser der Blattrosetten gewisser Bromelien, unter Beruecksichtigung ihrer verteilung ueber die verschiedenen Hoehen ihrer Wachstumszonen auf den Baeumen, stellten die Autoren fest: 1. Abhaengigkeit der hoehren oder niedrigeren Konzentration "Bromelien - Anophelinen - organische Materie" von der Pflanzenbedeckung. 2. Von den drei als Beispiele ausgewaehlten Bromelien besitzt jede ein Maximum bezueglich der in ihrem Wasser enthaltenen organischen Materie (Kurve 2). 3. Betrachtet man die Bromelien als Ganzes, so zeigt die Kurve drei maxima (Kurve 1). 4. Diese Maxima entsprechen den bevorzugten Hoehen fuer den Index MK der drei Arten von Kerteszia, die in dieser Region verkommen (Kurve 3).

The present work is part of the studies realized under the authority of the National Service of Malaria (Brazil), with the collaboration of scientists of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, in some forests of the southern part of Brazil.This is the first of a series and its subject is the development of the Anopheles mosquitoes of the kerteszia in water collected in Bromeliaceae leaves. The ecology of Bromeliaceae was studied in a previous work. The botanical material was classified by specialists from several botanical institutions from Europe and the United States of America. The most important ecological relations of the “bromeliad-kerteszia” problem were presented through four indices: 1st Positivity index – Relative frequency of bromeliad with watery forms in the bromeliad examined. 2nd Larval index – Mean number of watery forms in the positive bromeliad. 3rd Ovoposition index – Product of the Positivy index by the Larval index. 4th MK index – Product of the Ovoposition index by the total number of bromeliad, positive or not, in a unity of area (1.000 m²). The capture of flying forms in relation to the relative humidity was also studied. From the several forests of the Brusque region we have selected one community of each type, which were the most representative forests in Southern Brazil. Conclusions on the “bromeliad-kerteszia” problem – From a general point of view only a few factors are really important and these are listed below: 1°) The volum of water on the bromeliad. 2°) The level where the bromeliad is fixed. 3°) The number of bromeliad in unity of area. The distribution of microclimas in the forest through the considered levels has a direct influence on the species of subgenus Kerteszia (qualitative influence) and an indirect influence through the ecological distribution of the more frequent bromeliad with best qualities as biotope for the watery forms (qualitative influence). The MK index is roughly proportional to the square of half the total number of Bromeliaceae in a certain type of forest. Then the MK index would be a certain function of the ecological type of the forest and of the total number of bromeliad in a unity of area. MK approximately α x (x/10)² . x = n° of bromeliad in a unity of área (1.000 m²); α = qualitative factor. It would be interesting to see if this proportion is maintained when we have examined a greater number of forests of different types.

Die vorliegende Arbeit bildet einem Teil der Studien, die unter Leitung des nationalen Malaria-Dienstes in Zusammenarbeit mit Technikern des Institutes Oswaldo Cruz im Sueden Brasiliens durchgefuehrt werden und sich mit dem Problem des Wechselspiels zwischen Malaria und Bromeliacen befassen. Die verfasser bearbeiten in dieser Niederschrift, die den Anfang einer Serie ueber die erwaehnten Fragen darstellt, die Entwicklung der Anophelinen der Untergattung Kerteszia in den Wasseransammlungen der Blattwinkel von Bromelien. Es wurde das Munizip Brusque ausgewaehlt, da hier die Abhaengigkeit der Bevoelkerung vom Wald eine sehr enge ist und da dieses Gebiet fuer die Oekologie und Topographie der Suedregion charakteristisch ist. Den hier gefundenen Wald nennen die Autoren die “Suedbrasilianische Regenformation”. Vor der Ankunft der Arbeitsgruppe wurden die folgenden Methoden zur Bekaempfung der Brutstaetten der Malariauebertraeger angewendet: 1. Manuelle Entfernung der Bromelien aus den die Staedte umgebenden Waeldern, 2. Abholzung. Da diese beiden Methoden zu drastisch sind, benutzten die erwaehnten Techniker anfangs eine 0,5% ige Loesung von Kupfersulfat als “Bromelicid” und spaeter PariserGruen, das vom Flugzeug aus verstaeubt wurde. Um ueberfluessige Schaeden an den Pflanzengesellschaften zu vermeiden, wurde daran gedacht, auf Grund oekologischer Betrachtungen das Problem “Bromeliaceae-Malaria” nach dem Vorbild Pittendrigh’s in Trinidad zu loesen. Es wurde folgenden Arbeitsplan durchgefuehrt: 1. Studium der Vergesellchaftungen im Hinblick auf die Soziologie und ihre Beziehungen zu den Bromelien, 2. Auszaehlung der in den Bromelien enthaltenen Larven und Puppen, 3. Kenntnis des Mittelwertes der Larven, die sich zu Imagines entwickeln und 4. Mikrolima der Waelder usw. Die Oekologie der bromelien wurde in einer frueheren Publikation veroeffentlich (Veloso, H. P., 1952). Das botanische Material der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde von Spezialisten verschiedener Laender der Welt klassifiziert.