In the Americas, areas with a high risk of malaria transmission are mainly located in the Amazon Forest, which extends across nine countries. One keystone step to understanding the Plasmodium life cycle in Anopheles species from the Amazon Region is to obtain experimentally infected mosquito vectors. Several attempts to colonise Ano- pheles species have been conducted, but with only short-lived success or no success at all. In this review, we review the literature on malaria transmission from the perspective of its Amazon vectors. Currently, it is possible to develop experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of the colonised and field-captured vectors in laboratories located close to Amazonian endemic areas. We are also reviewing studies related to the immune response to P. vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis, a coastal mosquito species. Finally, we discuss the importance of the modulation of Plasmodium infection by the vector microbiota and also consider the anopheline genomes. The establishment of experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei parasites that could provide interesting models for studying malaria in the Amazonian scenario is important. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the parasites in New World vectors is crucial in order to better determine the interaction process and vectorial competence.

Informações a respeito de cultivares adaptadas ao sistema de cultivo orgânico são escassas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar, sob sistema de cultivo orgânico, genótipos nacionais e estrangeiros desenvolvidos para o cultivo convencional, quanto ao potencial produtivo, em condições de campo. O experimento foi conduzido em 2008, no Pólo APTA Leste Paulista, em Monte Alegre do Sul-SP. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com 18 tratamentos e quatro repetições. Cada parcela foi constituída por 80 batatas-semente, dispostas em quatro linhas de 5 m de comprimento, espaçadas de 80 cm, com 25 cm entre tubérculos. Os genótipos avaliados foram Agata, Asterix, Caesar, Cupido, Éden, Melody, Novella e Vivaldi, de origem estrangeira; e Apuã, Aracy, Catucha, IAC Aracy Ruiva, Itararé, Monte Alegre 172, IAC 6090, APTA 16.5, APTA 15.20 e APTA 21.54, nacionais. Foram avaliadas as características de produtividade total e comercial de tubérculos, massa média total e comercial de tubérculos, teor de matéria seca e severidade da pinta-preta (Alternaria solani). Os clones APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54 e IAC 6090, e as cultivares Cupido, Apuã, Itararé e Monte Alegre 172 foram os mais produtivos. 'APTA 21.54' superou os demais em relação a produtividade comercial (18,07 t ha-1), sendo que 'APTA 16.5', 'Cupido', 'IAC 6090' e 'Itararé' formaram o segundo grupo. As maiores massas médias de tubérculos foram apresentadas pelas cultivares Itararé e Cupido. O clone IAC 6090 e as cultivares Aracy e Aracy Ruiva foram as que apresentaram maiores teores de matéria seca, com valor médio de 22,91%. 'APTA 16.5', 'Apuã', 'Aracy', 'Aracy Ruiva', 'Éden', 'Ibituaçú' e 'Monte Alegre 172' apresentaram alto nível de resistência à pinta-preta. As cultivares Itararé, Apuã e Cupido são adaptadas ao cultivo orgânico, e os clones avançados APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54 e IAC 6090 apresentam potencial de cultivo no sistema orgânico.

Information regarding cultivars adapted to the organic system of production is scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate in an organic production system, Brazilian and foreign potato genotypes adapted for conventional systems, in terms of quality and yield potential. The experiment was carried out in 2008, at the Agro-ecological Experimental Station of the Polo APTA Leste Paulista, in Monte Alegre do Sul, São Paulo State, Brazil. A randomized block experimental design was adopted with 18 treatments and four replications. Each plot consisted of 80 seeds, arranged in four rows of 5 m spaced 0.80 m and with 0.25 m between tubers. The treatments consisted of the cultivars Agata, Apuã, Aracy, Asterix, Caesar, Catucha, Cupido, Éden, IAC Aracy Ruiva, Itararé, Melody, Monte Alegre 172, Novella, and Vivaldi, in addition to the advanced clones IAC 6090, APTA 16.5, APTA 15.20 and APTA 21.54. The following parameters were evaluated: yield, marketable yield, average total and marketable tuber mass, dry matter content and severity of potato early blight. The advanced clones APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54, IAC 6090, and the cultivars Cupido, Apuã, Itararé and Monte Alegre 172 showed the highest yield values. 'APTA 21.54' presente the highest marketable yield (18.07 t ha-1), whereas 'APTA 16.5', 'Cupido', 'IAC 6090' and 'Itararé' formed the subsequent group. The highest tuber mass values were presented by the cultivars Itararé and Cupido. The clone IAC 6090 and the cultivars Aracy and Aracy Ruiva showed the highest dry matter content, with an average of 22.91%. 'APTA 16.5', 'Apuã', 'Aracy', 'Aracy Ruiva', 'Éden', 'Ibituaçú' and 'Monte Alegre 172' exhibited high level of field tolerance to early blight. Potato genotypes Itararé, Apuã and Cupido are, thus, adapted to organic farming, and the advanced clones APTA 16.5, APTA 21.54 and IAC 6090 have potential for cultivation in the organic system.

As células megacariocíticas hepáticas de coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia Branco foram estudadas na fase intra-uterina e no período pós-natal imediato. A análise estatística dos dados referentes ao citoplasma e núcleo dessas células, isto é, área, perímetro, diâmetro máximo, diâmetro mínimo, volume e fator de forma apresentaram diferenças significativas (p<0,01) para os valores de F relativos às fases estudadas no 15º, 22º e 29º dia de vida intra-uterina e 10º dia de vida pós-natal, e para os valores de F para animal dentro de cada fase. O teste de Tukey mostrou que a maioria dos parâmetros estudados no citoplasma e núcleo dessas células apresentou os menores valores no 15º dia de vida intra-uterina e os maiores no 22º dia da mesma fase.

The hepatic megakaryocytic cells of New Zealand White rabbit in the intrauterine phase and in the immediate postnatal period were studied. Statistical analysis of the data concerning the cytoplasm and nucleus of those cells, i.e., area, perimeter, maximum diameter, minimum diameter, volume and shape factor, presented significant differences (p<0.01) for F values concerning the life phases studied on15th, 22nd and 29th day of intrauterine life and 10th day of postnatal life, and for F values for animal within each phase. The Tukey’s test showed that most of the parameters studied in the cytoplasm and nucleus of these megakaryocytic cells presented the lowest values on the 15th day of intrauterine life and the highest on the 22nd day of the same phase.