Abstract An endophytic bacterium inhibiting pathogenic bacteria was isolated and the strain was genetically identified as Paenibacillus polymyxa. Biochemical characterization of fermentation broth indicated the presence of peptidic antimicrobial molecules. Liquid-liquid partition resulted in an organic fraction (OF) and an aqueous fraction (AF). OF presented a broad spectrum of activity against a panel of pathogenic bacteria and a fungus whereas the AF was active only against Gram-negative bacteria. AF was sequentially submitted to ion-exchange, desalting and reverse phase (RP) chromatography. A molecule with an RT of 2.45 min exhibited activity against all Gram-negative pathogenic strains tested beside P. mirabilis. The primary structure of the molecule, named AMP-Pp, was determined as Gly-Glu-Hyp-Gly-Ala by N-terminal sequencing. The molecular mass and amino acid sequence were confirmed by MS/MS. With a molecular mass of 463 Da, AMP-Pp is one of the smallest active natural peptides reported, yet. RP chromatography of OF resulted in four peaks. The first three peaks corresponded to known antimicrobials. MS analysis of peak 4 revealed the presence of an ion with m/z 3,376.4 Da, whose proposed molecular formula is C182H321N29O29. The compound, named polycerradin, showed a spectrum of activity against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria (beside P. mirabilis) and a fungus.

Five new withanolides, designated as 15-oxo-nicaphysalin B, 6β,7α-dihydroxynicandrenone 10, 24α,25β-dihydroxy-nicandrenone-2 and a mixture of the epimers 17-(1α/1β-methylpropanone)-nicandrenone, in addition to six known others, were isolated from the leaf acetone extract from Nicandra physalodes. The complete structures of the five new withanolides, particularly their relative stereochemistries, were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS). The main isolated withanolides were evaluated for their antibacterial, antifungal and larvicidal properties, but, except nicandrenone, which showed marginal larvicidal activity, none of them was active.

Description of the pupa and redescription of the larva of Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (Fabricius), collected for the first time on Brugmansia suaveoleus (Humb. and Bonpl. ex Willd.) Bercht. and J. Presl (Solanaceae) (trombeteiro), in the state of São Paulo (Brazil), is presented. The diagnoses of the described pupae of E. clandestina (Mulsant), E. paenulata (Germar) and E. spreta (Mulsant), based on specimens examined, and that of E. cacica Guérin, based on the literature, are presented. A comparison among the known larvae and pupae of this genus is also presented. This is the first description of immatures of E. vigintioctopunctata from the Western Hemisphere.

Immatures of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae). Larva and pupa of Eutrypanus dorsalis (Germar, 1928), collected in trunks of Pinus elliottii Engelm., and Paratenthras martinsi Monné, 1998, collected in spathes of Scheelea phalerata (Mart. ex Spreng.) Burret, are described and illustrated. Larva and pupa of Lophopoeum timbouvae Lameere, 1884, collected in Hymenaea corbaril L., Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Vell.) Morong and Pterogyne nitens Tul., are redescribed and illustrated. A table with all described immatures of Lamiinae, and a comparison among the immatures of Acanthocinini are presented. Biological notes and new records are also included.

A ocorrência de Sinoxylon conigerum Gerstäcker é registrada pela primeira vez no Brasil em madeira de teca (Tectona grandis L.f.), mangueira (Mangifera indica L.) e gonçaleiro (Astronium fraxinifolium Schott), em Cuiabá e Várzea Grande, MT.

This is the first register of Sinoxylon conigerum attacking timber of teak (Tectona grandis L.f.), mango tree (Mangifera indica L.) and (Astronium fraxinifolium Schott) in the municipalities of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Objetivou-se determinar a produção de biomassa e o teor de macronutrientes do milheto (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.) Stapf), feijão-de-porco (Canavalia ensiformes (L.) DC.) e guandu-anão (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) em cultivo solteiro e nos consórcios da gramínea com as leguminosas, visando a produção de palha no sistema plantio direto. O trabalho foi conduzido no campo experimental do Departamento de Agricultura da Universidade Federal de Lavras (Lavras, MG, Brasil). O delineamento foi o de blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições. Apenas o guandu-anão solteiro apresentou menor produção de fitomassa fresca e seca, sendo que os demais tratamentos não diferiram entre si, pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. De forma geral, as leguminosas apresentaram maiores teores de N e Ca e o milheto maiores teores de S. Apenas o feijão-de-porco solteiro apresentou menor teor de P. Os maiores teores de K foram apresentados pelo milheto solteiro e consorciado com as leguminosas e pelo feijão-de-porco em consórcio com milheto. Os menores teores de Mg foram verificados para o guandu-anão.

The object of this work was to evaluate the biomass production and the macronutrients quantity of millet (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm.) Stapf), jack bean (Canavalia ensiformes (L.) DC.), guandu (Cajanus cajan, (L.) Millsp.) dwarf cultivar, and the millet with leguminous consortiums to straw production in no-tillage system. The experiment was carried in experimental area at Agriculture Department of the Federal University of Lavras (Lavras, Minas Gerais state, Brazil). The experimental design was randomized blocks, with five treatments and four replications. For biomass production, only the guandu presented smaller fresh and dry biomass yield than the other treatments. In general, the leguminous presented the greatest N and Ca quantities and millet the greatest quantities of S. Only jack bean presented minor P quantity. For K the greatest quantities were verified for single milett and its incropping with leguminous and jack bean in intercroppin with millet. The minor quantities of Mg were observed for guandu.

Larva e pupa de Heterispa vinula (Erichson, 1847) e larva de Physocorina scabra Guérin-Méneville, 1844 são descritas e ilustradas. O material de H. vinula foi coletado em Sida carpinifolia (L.f.) K. Schum (Malvaceae) em São Paulo (Ipiranga e Mooca), e P. scabra em acerola (Malpighia glabra L.) (Malpighiacea) em Cruz das Almas, Bahia. Os imaturos do gênero Physocoryna são descritos pela primeira vez.

Larva and pupa of Heterispa vinula (Erichson, 1847) and larva of Physocorina scabra Guérin-Méneville, 1844 are described and illustrated. The material of H. vinula was collected feeding on Sida carpinifolia (L.f.) K. Schum (Malvaceae) in the city of São Paulo (Ipiranga and Mooca districts), and of P. scabra on acerola (Malpighia glabra L.) (Malpighiacea) in Cruz das Almas, Bahia. Larvae of genus Physocorina are described for the first time.

É registrada pela primeira vez a presença de Sinoxylon anale Lesne e Sinoxylon senegalensis (Karsch) no Brasil, em madeira importada da Índia e da China.

Sinoxylon anale Lesne and Sinoxylon senegalensis (Karsch) are registered for the first time in Brazil in wood imported from India and China.

É registrada pela primeira vez a ocorrência de Spodoptera albula (Walker) atacando amendoim no município de Tupã (21º 56' 00" S; 50º 31' 00" W), no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil.

The occurrence of the armyworm Spodoptera albula (Walker) is registered for the first time attacking peanut in Tupã county (21º 56' 00" S; 50º 31' 00" W), São Paulo State, Brazil.

Foram coletadas, entre março de 1990 e julho de 1992, 1459 amostras sanguíneas de mulheres gestantes/parturientes na cidade de Goiânia-GO, objetivando detecção da infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B (VHB), através dos marcadores sorológicos AgHBs e anti-HBs. O percentual depositividade encontrado, pelo teste imunoenzimãtico, foi de 7,5%, sendo 0,5%para AgHBs e 7,0%para anti-HBs. A análise efetuada, considerando a faixa etária, mostra que 7 de 8 mulheres AgHBs-positivas pertenciam à faixa etária de até 30 anos, situação semelhante em relação ao anti-HBs(83/101). Das 8 mulheres positivas, 4 tiveram seus recém-nascidos submetidos a tratamento profilático com vacina (Engerix B) e imunoglobulina humana anti-hepatite B (HBIG). Além disso, 3 dessas crianças foram analisadas sorologicamente, sendo que uma era AgHBs-positiva ao nascimento. Doença sexualmente transmissível e transfusão sanguínea foram fatores de risco que coirelacionaram significantemente com a infecção. Esses resultados parece-nos reforçar a indicação de triagem à infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B no período pré-natal, assim como a adoção de medidas imunoprofiláticas nas crianças nascidas de mães positivas.

In order to detect hepatitis B vírus (HBV), 1459 serum samples from pregnant/parturient women were collected at two public hospitals in Goiânia, GO. These samples were tested by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay forHBsAg and anti-HBs. 109 (7.5%) serum samples were positive. Eight (0.5%) sera were positive for HBsAg and 101 (7.0%) for anti-HBs. Viral positivity for both HBsAg and anti- HBs were observed in women which age ranged from 15 to 30 years. Four newborns from HBsAg positive mothers were submitted to the treatment with HBV vaccine (Engerix B) and with hyperimmune gammaglobulin (HBIG - Abbott Laboratories - Brazil). Cord blood from one of the newborns was positive for HBsAg. A positive association was found between hepatitis B and sexually transmited infections and blood transfusion. These results emphasize the need for prenatal sereening for HBV in pregnant women and treatment of the newborns from AgHBs positive mothers.