Could Fidicina mannifera (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Fidicinini) promote a resource pulse in two Brazilian Cerrado vegetation classes? / Fidicina mannifera (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea: Fidicinini) promove pulsos de nutrientes em duas fitofisionomias do Cerrado?

Abstract Cicadas are usually studied regarding their importance in agriculture. However, the possibility of this group to represent a pulse of nutrients can also imply on the success of a given species in the biome. The aim of this study was to assess the level of total soluble proteins and lipids of Fidicina mannifera (Fabricius, 1803), and to determine whether the species can promote a pulse of nutrients in two vegetation classes of the Brazilian Cerrado. To assess the pulse of nutrients, it was concluded the determination of total soluble proteins and lipids from samples of males and adult females of F. mannifera, and the spatial distribution of exuviae of this species was also calculated in two vegetation classes of the Brazilian Cerrado. The amount of protein provided by each individual did not differ between males and females (p = 0.66) but females had 40% more lipids than males (p = 0.05). Regarding F. mannifera the gallery forest offered 11.75 g/ha of protein, 3.91 g/ha of lipids, and the Cerrado stricto sensu offered 4.25 g/ha of protein, and 1.41 g/ha of lipid. The male cicadas have a hollow abdomen, which houses a resonance chamber for sound production in order to attract females to mate, and females store larger amounts of lipids, mainly located in the abdominal cavity, where the body fat is directly linked to the reproductive system for the development of the ovaries and egg production after emergence. The mass occurrence of F. mannifera in the Brazilian Cerrado and the fast availability of proteins and lipids make this species a food resource that can directly impact the diet of secondary consumers and scavengers, although the amount of nutrients available by F. mannifera does not promote a pulse of nutrients in the study site.

Resumo O interesse no estudo de cigarras geralmente é despertado pela sua importância na agricultura. Entretanto, a possibilidade de que este grupo represente um pulso de nutrientes pode também implicar no sucesso de sobrevivência de espécies importantes num determinado bioma. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o nível de proteínas solúveis e lipídios totais de Fidicina mannifera (Fabricius, 1803) e determinar se a espécie pode promover um pulso de nutrientes em duas fitofisionomias do Cerrado. Para avaliar o pulso de nutrientes, foram determinados os níveis de proteínas solúveis e lipídios totais de machos e fêmeas adultos de F. mannifera, e também a distribuição espacial de exúvias desta espécie, em duas fitofisionomias de Cerrado. A quantidade de proteínas disponibilizada por indivíduo não diferiu entre machos e fêmeas (p = 0,66), porém fêmeas apresentaram 40% mais lipídios do que machos (p = 0,05). Para mata de galeria F. mannifera ofertou 11,75 g/ha de proteína, 3,91 g/ha de lipídios, e no cerrado stricto sensu, 4,25 g/ha de proteína, e 1,41 g/ha de lipídio. Machos de cigarras possuem um abdômen oco, que abriga uma câmara de ressonância para a produção de som com o objetivo atração de fêmeas para acasalar, por outro lado as fêmeas armazenam maiores quantidades de lipídios, localizados principalmente na cavidade abdominal, onde a gordura corporal está diretamente ligada ao aparelho reprodutor para o desenvolvimento dos ovários, e produção de ovos após a emergência. A ocorrência em massa de F. mannifera no Cerrado, bem como a disponibilidade de proteínas e lipídios de fácil acesso, faz desta espécie um recurso alimentar que pode impactar diretamente na dieta de consumidores e detritívoros secundários, embora quantidade de nutrientes disponibilizados por F. mannifera não promova um pulso de nutrientes no local estudado.

Immunomodulation of paecilomyces cicadidae polysaccharides on immune function of rats / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM: To explore the immunomodulatory effect of paecilomyces cicadidae polysaccharides (PCPS).METHODS: Subcutaneous injection with 50, l00, 200 mg/kg of PCPS were given in the back of the rats everyday for l5 days. The number of white blood cells (WBC) was counted. The activities of acid phosphatase (ACP) and lactase dehydrogenase (LDH)in liver, kidney, spleen and thymus were detected by automatic biochemistry analyzer. The ability of devouring neutral red and activity of ACP, LDH, arginase in alveolar macrophages were also detected. The body weight of the rat everyday during experiment and weight of the spleen and thymus after the rats were killed were measured and wet weight index was calculated.RESULTS: The wet weight index of spleen and thymus, the activity of ACP, LDH, arginase and ability of devouring neutral red in alveolar macrophages in the test group treated with PCPS were significantly higher than those in control group. CONCLUSION: PCPS shows a significant immunomodulatory effect with the increasing counts of WBC and activation of alveolar macrophages in a dose-dependent manner.