Helminth community structure of the white-bellied woolly mouse opossum Marmosa constantiae Thomas, 1904 in Central-West Brazil.

Marmosa constantiae is a species of marsupial restricted to the central portion of South America. In Brazil, it occurs in the northwestern region including five states of the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal biomes. However, there is no study of the helminth fauna or helminth community structure for this marsupial. The aims of this study were to describe the species composition and to analyse the structure of the helminthic community of M. constantiae in an area of the Amazon Arc in Sinop, north of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Parasites were searched in 53 specimens of this marsupial, among which 44 were infected with at least one helminth species. Parasitic helminths were counted and identified. Nine species were collected: seven nematodes, one cestode, and one acanthocephalan. The most abundant species were Gracilioxyuris agilisis, Travassostrongylus scheibelorum, Pterygodermatites sinopiensis, and Subulura eliseae. These species were the only dominant ones in the component community. No significant differences were observed in the abundance and prevalence of helminths between male and female hosts. Host body size significantly influenced helminth abundance in males. The pattern of community structure considering the infracommunities in this locality indicated more species replacement than species loss along the environmental gradient. This is the first study to report the helminth fauna and the helminth community structure of M. constantiae.

Subulura eliseae sp. n. (Ascaridida: Subuluroidea), a parasite of Marmosa spp. from Amazon rainforest, Brazil.

The parasite biodiversity of mouse opossums in Brazil remains incompletely explored. We describe a new species of Subulura (Ascaridida: Subuluroidea) from the large intestine of the white-bellied woolly mouse opossum, Marmosa constantiae, based on the results of light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also partially sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (MT-CO1) gene of the new species, using molecular phylogenetic analyses to determine its relationships within the Subuluroidea superfamily. As molecular data on subuluroid species are extremely limited, few inferences could be drawn from our phylogenies. Our SEM observations showed the detailed morphology of the cephalic extremity, precloacal pseudo-sucker, caudal papillae, phasmids and vulva. Subulura eliseae sp. n. differs from the other four Subulura parasites species of marsupials by the number of caudal papillae and the structure dimensions, and size of the spicule. Moreover, S. eliseae sp. n. has ten pairs of caudal papillae, which is unique compared to other species. We present morphometric and molecular data on this new species, contributing to future studies on subuluroids.

Global CO2 emissions from dry inland waters share common drivers across ecosystems.

Many inland waters exhibit complete or partial desiccation, or have vanished due to global change, exposing sediments to the atmosphere. Yet, data on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from these sediments are too scarce to upscale emissions for global estimates or to understand their fundamental drivers. Here, we present the results of a global survey covering 196 dry inland waters across diverse ecosystem types and climate zones. We show that their CO2 emissions share fundamental drivers and constitute a substantial fraction of the carbon cycled by inland waters. CO2 emissions were consistent across ecosystem types and climate zones, with local characteristics explaining much of the variability. Accounting for such emissions increases global estimates of carbon emissions from inland waters by 6% (~0.12 Pg C y-1). Our results indicate that emissions from dry inland waters represent a significant and likely increasing component of the inland waters carbon cycle.

Increased androgen receptor messenger RNA in frontal-parietal hair follicles of women with androgenetic alopecia.

Normal testosterone levels are frequently observed in women with androgenetic alopecia (AGA), suggesting the involvement of androgen sensitivity in this condition. Androgen sensitivity is related to androgen receptor (AR) messenger RNA (mRNA) production in hair follicles and is negatively related to the number of CAG repeats present in exon 1 of the AR gene. The aim of this study was to compare AR expression in AGA women with normal controls and to correlate this expression with the number of CAG repeats. Hair follicles were obtained from 27 women with AGA and 21 controls for AR gene expression analysis. AR expression was evaluated through AR mRNA quantification using real-time polymerase chain reaction and the number of CAG repeats in the AR gene was determined in complementary DNA samples obtained from hair follicles and analyzed with the Gene Scan software. AR mRNA in the frontal-parietal region was significantly higher than in the occipital region of AGA patients (paired t-test, P = 0.046). No significant difference was identified in controls (P = 0.67). Both regions in the same individual showed a significant positive correlation in AGA patients (r = 0.77; P < 0.05) and in controls (r = 0.91; P < 0.05). A negative correlation was identified between AR expression and the number of CAG repeats only in AGA patients (r = 0.510; P = 0.013). The identification of elevated AR mRNA quantitation in hair follicles is a useful tool for identifying potentially abnormal androgen sensitivity in AGA patients.

Narcolepsia: registro de um caso com estudo tomografico. / Narcolepsy: report of a case with tomographic study

Os autores relatam um caso de narcolepsia, no qual o paciente apos ser examinado sob o ponto de vista clinico, laboratorial, radiografico e eletroencefalografico, e submetido a tomografia computadorizada do encefalo. Discutem os aspectos clinicos, etiopatogenicos, hereditarios e terapeuticos da doenca, salientando a resposta favoravel ao uso da imipramina no controle dos sintomas