This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oregano oil on the intestinal and liver morphometry of yellow tail tetra, Astyanax altiparanae. Fish (1.46 ± 0.09 g) were kept in a 60-L aquaria, at a stocking density of 0.5 fi sh L -1 . Six diets containing varying amounts of oregano oil were evaluated (0.0; 0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0 and 2.5 g of oregano oil kg -1 ). At the end of 90 days, the fi sh were euthanised. Four intestines and four livers were collected per treatment, which were fi xed in Bouin and embedded in resin. For height and width folds, the absorption surface area and thickness of the muscular layer a positive linear effect of oregano oil was observed. A decrescent linear effect on the total number of goblet cells was also observed. For the cytoplasmic percentage of hepatocytes and liver glycogen, a positive linear effect of oregano oil was observed. There was a decreasing linear effect on the percentage of nuclei in the hepatocytes and capillaries. Thus, the oregano essential oil promotes increased absorption areas, modulates the amount of goblet cells involved in protecting the intestinal mucosa and promotes cytoplasmic increase with greater deposition of liver glycogen in yellow tail tetra.

Os mirídeos têm papel importante sobre a economia brasileira devido à sua influência sobre diversas culturas agrícolas. Devido a isso, este artigo foi desenvolvido visando apresentar as espécies de Miridae que possuem associações ou potenciais associações com plantas no Brasil. Para isso, foram realizadas consultas de artigos, livros e coleções de museus. Ao todo, foram encontradas 168 espécies de mirídeos associadas a plantas; estes dados foram manipulados para a elaboração de gráficos representando as interações entre as espécies de percevejos e as plantas hospedeiras no Brasil.

Rodrigues Sartori, S. S., Nogueira, K. O. P. C., Rocha, A. S. and Neves, C. A. 2011. Morphology of the stomach of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia (Squamata: Gekkonidae). -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 179-186.Hemidactylus mabouia is a common species in Brazil, which facilitates its use in research in several areas and allows display it as a benchmark for studies with reptiles. To study the morphology of the stomach of H. mabouia, we carried out anatomical, histological and histochemical analysis. The stomach of H. mabouia is 'J' shaped and can be divided into oral fundic (OF), aboral fundic (AF) and pyloric regions. The surface epithelium is composed of mucosecretory cells (MC) containing neutral mucins. In the lamina propria of the OF region, are large ramified tubulo-acinar glands, which become smaller, less ramified and more tubular towards the AF region, and are simple tubular and short in the pyloric region. The fundic glands contain differentiated neck and pit. The neck is composed of MC containing neutral mucins and the pit is made of oxyntopeptic cells (OC). The OC of the OF region contained many zymogen granules, while those of the AF region contained few zymogen granules and many mitochondria, which suggests the existence of a gradient of pepsinogen and hydrochloric acid secretion. Pyloric glands consisted of MC containing neutral mucins and both argyrophil and argentaffin endocrine cells.

Hemidactylus mabouia is an Africa oviparous lizard that is now distributed on other continents and has been introduced to Brazil. In the majority of reptiles, the females have the ability to store spermatozoa in specialized regions of the genital tract. Considering that in H. mabouia the storage of spermatozoa is restricted to the region of the uterine tube, in this study we utilized optical and transmission electron microscopy to investigate the processes related to the large number of spermatozoa in the vagina. Although it was possible to visualize spermatozoa in the vagina, an ultrastructural analysis of the region revealed that significant phagocytosis occurs, which is mediated by the epithelial cells. Such a process indicates that the anterior portion of the vagina is related to the elimination of supernumerary or deficient spermatozoa and not storage.

Different lignocellulosic biomasses are found worldwide and each country has its own important industrial crop that can be converted into high-value products, such as ethanol. Therefore, evaluation of new biomasses to be used in biorefineries is important to decrease the dependence on non-renewable resources and to guarantee sustainable development. This work evaluated Brachiaria brizantha, a grass commonly used as animal forage, and the standard biomass for 2G-ethanol, sugarcane bagasse. The chemical compositions of both biomasses were determined and different times and temperature of acid pretreatment were tested. Morphological analysis via scanning electron microscopy showed more deconstructed fibers after harsher biomass pretreatments. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of pretreated Brachiaria brizantha presented higher efficiency than when using sugarcane bagasse as the carbon source. A biomass conversion of 46 % was achieved when Brachiaria brizantha grass was pretreated with 2% sulfuric acid for 60 minutes. Moreover, fermentation was not impaired by the inhibitors furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural. It was concluded that Brachiaria brizantha is a promising biomass for ethanol production.