RESUMO Em galos de matriz pesada sabe-se que o peso dos testículos pode ser associado positivamente com a produção diária de espermatozoides e que alterações nos testículos irão refletir na fertilidade. Nas aves, os testículos estão localizados dentro da cavidade celomática, e, portanto, não são acessíveis para exame andrológico direto, como em mamíferos. A avaliação reprodutiva de galos se baseia principalmente em características fenotípicas. Buscou-se avaliar o potencial de associação de alguns parâmetros fenotípicos, como peso corporal (PC), escores de crista (ECR), escores de cloaca (ECL) e escores de pés (EP), com parâmetros morfológicos de testículos em galos Cobb® Mx em duas idades (25 e 45 semanas de idade). Galos leves apresentaram menor peso testicular (PT), menor diâmetro de túbulo seminífero (DT), e menores ECR e ECL que galos médios e pesados (P≤0.05). Galos pesados apresentaram os maiores ECR e maiores valores para altura do epitélio seminífero (AE), e DT. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa entre as categorias de peso para escores de pé e proporções de túbulo seminífero (TS) e interstício (INT). Considerando-se o efeito da idade, galos com 45 semanas de idade apresentaram menores PT e TS que galos com 25 semanas de idade. Correlação positiva, moderada e significativa foi encontrada entre peso de testículo e características fenotípicas como ECR, ECL e PC em galos de 45 semanas de idade. Foi encontrada correlação positiva, moderada e significativa entre PC e características testiculares como DT e AE nas duas idades avaliadas. Conclui-se que em galos Cobb® Mx ocorre regressão do testículo com o avanço da idade, e ela é mais intensa em galos com menor peso corporal. Conclui-se que o PC tem influência positiva no peso e índices histomorfométricos dos testículos, e que escores de crista e de cloaca podem ser utilizados com potencial moderado de predição para identificar galos com baixo peso de testículos em galos com 45 semanas de idade.

ABSTRACT In broiler breeder roosters, the weight of the testes is positively associated with daily sperm production and fertility. In birds, the testes are located in the coelomic cavity, not being accessible to reproductive evaluation as mammalian testes. The reproductive evaluation of roosters is based on phenotypic traits. Any changes on testes will be reflected on fertility levels. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the potential of association of phenotypic traits as body weight (BW), comb scores (COS), cloaca scores (CLS) and feet scores (FS) with testicular morphometric parameters in adult Cobb® Mx roosters in two ages (25 and 45 weeks of age). The low BW roosters had lower testes weight (TW), smaller seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) and lower comb and cloaca scores than the medium and high BW roosters (P≤0.05). Heavy roosters had the highest COS and bigger seminiferous epithelium height (SEH). There was no statistical difference between the BW categories in FS and volumetric proportion of seminiferous tubule (ST) and interstitial tissue (IT). Considering the age effect, roosters with 45 weeks of age had lower TW and ST than 25-week roosters. Positive, moderate and significant correlation was found between testes weight and phenotypic characteristics as BW, COS and CLS in 45week roosters. A positive, moderate and significant correlation was found between body weight and histologic testicular characteristics as STD and SHE in both evaluated ages. In conclusion, there is a regression in the testes weight with age and it is more intense in Cobb® Mx roosters with lower BW. Furthermore, it is concluded that the BW positively influences the testes weight and histological quality of the testes. COS and CLS can be used with moderate potential prediction to identify roosters with low testes weight at 45 weeks of age.

A modified version of the intruder-resident paradigm was used to investigate if social recognition memory lasts at least 24 h. One hundred and forty-six adult male Wistar rats were used. Independent groups of rats were exposed to an intruder for 0.083, 0.5, 2, 24, or 168 h and tested 24 h after the first encounter with the familiar or a different conspecific. Factor analysis was employed to identify associations between behaviors and treatments. Resident rats exhibited a 24-h social recognition memory, as indicated by a 3- to 5-fold decrease in social behaviors in the second encounter with the same conspecific compared to those observed for a different conspecific, when the duration of the first encounter was 2 h or longer. It was possible to distinguish between two different categories of social behaviors and their expression depended on the duration of the first encounter. Sniffing the anogenital area (49.9% of the social behaviors), sniffing the body (17.9%), sniffing the head (3%), and following the conspecific (3.1%), exhibited mostly by resident rats, characterized social investigation and revealed long-term social recognition memory. However, dominance (23.8%) and mild aggression (2.3%), exhibited by both resident and intruders, characterized social agonistic behaviors and were not affected by memory. Differently, sniffing the environment (76.8% of the non-social behaviors) and rearing (14.3%), both exhibited mostly by adult intruder rats, characterized non-social behaviors. Together, these results show that social recognition memory in rats may last at least 24 h after a 2-h or longer exposure to the conspecific.

Graduate programs provide the highest level of formal education and thus are crucial for the development of any country. However, official Brazilian data clearly show a dramatic decrease in the number and values of scholarships available to graduate programs in Brazil over the last few years, despite the importance and growth of such programs. Between 1995 and 2004, investment by the Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES, subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Culture) in funding scholarships, corrected for inflation in the period, actually decreased by 51%. In addition, during the period between 1994 and 2004, there was a loss of about 60% in the purchasing power of the graduate scholarships provided by CAPES and the National Council for Science and Technology (CNPq). To reverse this trend, we propose the development of sectorial funding for Brazilian graduate programs to guarantee the availability and continuity of financial support for this strategic activity.

Skin scrapings of three sloths Bradypus variegatus from the State of Pernambuco, Brazil, were analysed after lactophenol clarification. The mites Sarcoptes scabiei De Geer, 1778 and Lobalges trouessarti Fonseca, 1954 were identified. For the first time, S. scabiei and L. trouessarti are recorded as mange agents in B. variegatus.