Safety assessment of starch-based personal care products: Nanocapsules and pickering emulsions.

The safety profile of the ingredients used in topical dosage forms and its evaluation is an issue of utmost importance. A suitable equilibrium between safety and efficacy is crucial before promoting a dermatological product. The aim of this work was to assess the safety and biological effects of starch-based vehicles (St-BV) used in such products. The hazard, exposure and dose-response assessment were used to characterize the risk of each ingredient. The EpiSkin™ assay and human repeat insult patch tests were performed to compare the theoretical safety assessment to in vitro and in vivo data. The efficacy of the St-BV was studied using biophysical measurements in human volunteers during 28 days, showing that all ingredients and their combinations were safe for the consumer. Tissue viability determined using the EpiSkin™ testing reached values between 84.0 ±â€¯5.0% and 98.0 ±â€¯8.6% after application of St-BV, which were considered as non-irritant to the skin. These observations were confirmed by the in vivo studies where the St-BV did not induce any sensitization on the volunteers, being safe for human use. Moreover, St-BV increased skin hydration and microcirculation, emerging as an attractive alternative to chemical raw materials.

Detection and quantification of hepatitis E virus in the absence of IgG and IgM anti-HEV in HIV-positive patients.

AIMS: To improve RT-qPCR with an internal control and a synthetic standard curve to detect HEV in HIV co-infected patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) and a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) synthetic curve were designed, compared to the international reference panel for HEV genotypes, and tested to quantify and detect a reference panel for HEV genotypes. The detection limit of the RNA synthetic curve (50 copies per ml) was better than the DNA synthetic curve (100 copies per ml) and the WHO standard curve (250 copies per ml). Then, 280 serum samples from HIV-positive patients were tested for HEV RNA, which was detected in 3·6% of serum samples. The viral load ranged from 2 × 102 copies per ml to 4·78 × 108 copies per ml. HEV IgM/IgG antibodies were not detected in the RNA-positive patients. Sequencing analysis of HEV showed that the virus belongs to genotype 3 (HEV GT3). CONCLUSIONS: Real-time PCR was a useful tool to estimate co-infection with HEV/HIV, even in patients with low viral loads and undetectable anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Hepatitis E virus genotype 3 (HEV GT3) has been associated with silent chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis in HIV-positive subjects worldwide, but there is a lack of data on this co-infection in Brazil.

Design of minocycline-containing starch nanocapsules for topical delivery.

Pharmaceutical research has been focussed on developing improved delivery systems while exploring new ways of using approved excipients. The present work investigated the potential of starch nanocapsules (StNC) as a topical delivery platform for hydrophilic antimicrobial drugs using minocycline hydrochloride (MH) as a model drug. Thus, a quality by design approach was used to assess the role of different factors that affect the main pharmaceutical properties of StNC prepared using an emulsification-solvent evaporation method. Full characterisation was performed in terms of particle size, encapsulation efficiency, morphology and physical stability at 5 ± 3 °C. Results show the surfactant and lipid contents play a major role in StNC particle size distribution. The MH loading only promoted minor changes upon StNC properties. Formulations were stable without variations on physicochemical properties. All tested formulations presented a zeta-potential of +33.6 ± 6.7 mV, indicating a good physical stability and evidencing that StNC are suitable nanocarriers for topical use.

Optical memory based on quantized atomic center-of-mass motion.

We report a new type of optical memory using a pure two-level system of cesium atoms cooled by the magnetically assisted Sisyphus effect. The optical information of a probe field is stored in the coherence between quantized vibrational levels of the atoms in the potential wells of a 1-D optical lattice. The retrieved pulse shows Rabi oscillations with a frequency determined by the reading beam intensity and are qualitatively understood in terms of a simple theoretical model. The exploration of the external degrees of freedom of an atom may add another capability in the design of quantum-information protocols using light.

Lipid nanoparticles as an emerging platform for cannabinoid delivery: physicochemical optimization and biocompatibility.

This work aims at developing and optimizing a valuable oral delivery carrier for the cannabinoid derivative CB13, which presents a high therapeutic potential in chronic pain states that respond poorly to conventional analgesics, but also shows highly unfavorable physicochemical properties. CB13-loaded lipid nanoparticles (LNP) formulations were developed through solvent-emulsion evaporation and optimized in terms of physicochemical properties, long-term stability, integrity under gastric simulated conditions and in vitro interaction with NIH 3T3, HEK 293T and Caco-2 cells. An optimized formulation of LNP containing CB13 was obtained from a wide range of conditions assayed and analyzed. The selection of the lipid core, production conditions and the inclusion of lecithin proved to be key factors for the final properties of encapsulation, integrity and performance of the carriers. The LNP formulation proposed proved to be a promising carrier for the oral delivery of CB13, a cannabinoid with high therapeutic potential in chronic pain states that currently lack a valid oral treatment.

Storage of orbital angular momenta of light via coherent population oscillation.

We report on the storage of orbital angular momenta (OAM) of light via the phenomenon of coherent population oscillation (CPO) in cold cesium atoms. The experiment is performed using a delayed four wave mixing configuration, where the transverse optical information of a probe field carrying OAM associated with its azimuthal phase dependence is stored in the CPO of Zeeman sublevels of the hyperfine transition F=3→F'=2 of the cesium D2 line. We also demonstrate experimentally the simultaneous storage and retrieval of different OAM states propagating along different directions in space, leading to algebraic operations with OAM and, therefore, opening the possibility of multiplexing OAM states.

The rs5743836 polymorphism in TLR9 confers a population-based increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been associated with immunological defects, chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Given the link between immune dysfunction and NHL, genetic variants in toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been regarded as potential predictive factors of susceptibility to NHL. Adequate anti-tumoral responses are known to depend on TLR9 function, such that the use of its synthetic ligand is being targeted as a therapeutic strategy. We investigated the association between the functional rs5743836 polymorphism in the TLR9 promoter and risk for B-cell NHL and its major subtypes in three independent case-control association studies from Portugal (1160 controls, 797 patients), Italy (468 controls, 494 patients) and the US (972 controls, 868 patients). We found that the rs5743836 polymorphism was significantly overtransmitted in both Portuguese (odds ratio (OR), 1.85; P=7.3E-9) and Italian (OR, 1.84; P=6.0E-5) and not in the US cohort of NHL patients. Moreover, the increased transcriptional activity of TLR9 in mononuclear cells from patients harboring rs5743836 further supports a functional effect of this polymorphism on NHL susceptibility in a population-dependent manner.

Exchange-coupled donor dimers in nanocrystal quantum dots.

Doping of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) is expected to enable the control of key NC properties, yet its practical exploitation requires an understanding of exchange interactions when multiple dopants are incorporated in a single NC. Here, we experimentally probe the exchange of donor dimers in NCs via a deviation of their triplet-state magnetic resonance from Curie paramagnetism. We show that the exchange coupling of the closely spaced donors can be well described by effective mass theory, which allows the consideration of statistical effects crucial in NC ensembles. While a dimer induces discrete states in a NC, their energy splitting differs by up to 3 orders of magnitude for randomly placed dimers in a NC ensemble, due to an enormous dependence of the exchange energy on the dimer configuration.

Gene expression during activation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis conidia.

This study focuses on gene expression during crucial biological phenomena of the dimorphic fungal human pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the conidia-to-yeast (C-Y) transition and the conidia-to-mycelia (C-M) germination. We studied 10 genes involved in different cellular functions: oxidative stress response (alternative oxidase (AOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), flavodoxin, conserved hypothetical protein (Y20)); cell metabolism (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH), cholestenol Delta-isomerase (ChDI), glycine dehydrogenase (GDh)) and heat shock response (Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)), and cell synthesis and wall structure (glucan synthase-1 (GS-1), α-1,3-glucan synthase (αGS), and mannosyltransferase (MT)). Gene expression was measured during the first 72 h and 96 h of C-Y and C-M, respectively, previously shown to be a fundamental time frame for the consolidation of these cellular processes. The gene expression of AOX, GAPDH, HSP90, MT, αGS, and GDh was significantly increased during the C-Y transition, while SOD, ChDI, GAPDH, MT, GDh, and GS-1 were increased during C-M germination. Additionally, some were highly expressed in each process: AOX, HSP90, and αGS during C-Y; SOD, ChDI, and GS-1 during C-M. Altogether, these data add new information regarding gene expression during the C-Y and C-M processes. Future research will be targeted to further characterize the true relevance of the studied genes during the morphological transition, either during adaptation to the environment or to the infected host.

Application of flow cytometry for the identification of Staphylococcus epidermidis by peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) in blood samples.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is considered to be one of the most common causes of nosocomial bloodstream infections, particularly in immune-compromised individuals. Here, we report the development and application of a novel peptide nucleic acid probe for the specific detection of S. epidermidis by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The theoretical estimates of probe matching specificity and sensitivity were 89 and 87%, respectively. More importantly, the probe was shown not to hybridize with closely related species such as Staphylococcus aureus. The method was subsequently successfully adapted for the detection of S. epidermidis in mixed-species blood cultures both by microscopy and flow cytometry.

Monitoring the feeding and parental care behavior of a pair of free-living owls (Tyto furcata) in the nest during the reproductive period in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) lives in urban, periurban and wild environments and feeds mainly on small rodents, meaning it has great importance in the biological control of pests. The aim of this work was to describe the reproductive, parental and eating habits of a pair of American barn owls naturally living outside a residence in the urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A wood box was installed on an outside wall of the home, monitored by a video camera. A spreadsheet was created to keep track of the observations recorded. The female laid four eggs, and after an incubation period of 30-32 days all the eggs hatched, but only two chicks survived after cannibalism among the chicks. Initially, the male provided the food to the chicks and the female remained in the nest caring for the brood. After approximately a month, the female also began to leave the nest and return with prey, which was offered to the chicks, with the male also continuing this behavior. The chicks left the nest in September, 2017. The data obtained show the existence of cooperation and division of tasks between male and female owls during the reproductive period.

Incorporation of tocopherol acetate-containing particles in acrylic bone cement.

Acrylic bone cement (BC) is used in orthopaedic surgery to anchor cemented prostheses to bone. Association of antioxidant molecules to BC may suppress reactive species injury which contributes to implant failure. Tocopherol acetate (ATA)-loaded polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles (ATA(PMMA)) were prepared by single emulsion solvent evaporation technique and were incorporated into BC. An encapsulation efficiency of 84% (w/w) was obtained and drug release studies showed distinct ATA release profiles and mechanisms before and after particle incorporation into BC. Experimental data, analysed using first-order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models revealed that ATA was released from particles by a Fickian diffusion mechanism while a non-Fickian transport was observed upon particle incorporation in BC. There were no changes in the mechanical properties of BC specimens containing ATA(PMMA) particles, in contrast to what was observed when ATA was loaded directly into BC. Overall, ATA(PMMA) particles are potential carriers for the incorporation of an antioxidant drug into BC.

Cdc42p controls yeast-cell shape and virulence of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis is characterized by a multiple budding phenotype and a polymorphic cell growth, leading to the formation of cells with extreme variations in shape and size. Since Cdc42 is a pivotal molecule in establishing and maintaining polarized growth for diverse cell types, as well as during pathogenesis of certain fungi, we evaluated its role during cell growth and virulence of the yeast-form of P. brasiliensis. We used antisense technology to knock-down PbCDC42's expression in P. brasiliensis yeast cells, promoting a decrease in cell size and more homogenous cell growth, altering the typical polymorphism of wild-type cells. Reduced expression levels also lead to increased phagocytosis and decreased virulence in a mouse model of infection. We provide genetic evidences underlying Pbcdc42p as an important protein during host-pathogen interaction and the relevance of the polymorphic nature and cell size in the pathogenesis of P. brasiliensis.

Monitoring the feeding and parental care behavior of a pair of free-living owls (Tyto furcata) in the nest during the reproductive period in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract The American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) lives in urban, periurban and wild environments and feeds mainly on small rodents, meaning it has great importance in the biological control of pests. The aim of this work was to describe the reproductive, parental and eating habits of a pair of American barn owls naturally living outside a residence in the urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A wood box was installed on an outside wall of the home, monitored by a video camera. A spreadsheet was created to keep track of the observations recorded. The female laid four eggs, and after an incubation period of 30-32 days all the eggs hatched, but only two chicks survived after cannibalism among the chicks. Initially, the male provided the food to the chicks and the female remained in the nest caring for the brood. After approximately a month, the female also began to leave the nest and return with prey, which was offered to the chicks, with the male also continuing this behavior. The chicks left the nest in September, 2017. The data obtained show the existence of cooperation and division of tasks between male and female owls during the reproductive period.

Resumo A coruja-das-torres americana (Tyto furcata) vive em ambientes urbanos e se alimenta principalmente de pequenos roedores, sendo de grande importância no controle biológico de pragas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os hábitos alimentares, parentais e reprodutivos de um casal de corujas-das-torres americanas, naturalmente vivendo fora de uma residência na zona urbana do município de Campos dos Goytacazes, estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Uma caixa de madeira foi instalada em uma parede externa da casa, monitorada por uma câmera de vídeo. Uma planilha foi criada para manter o controle das observações registradas. A fêmea pôs quatro ovos, e após período de incubação de 30-32 dias todos os ovos eclodiram, mas apenas dois filhotes sobreviveram após o canibalismo entre os filhotes. Inicialmente, o macho fornecia a comida aos filhotes e a fêmea permanecia no ninho cuidando da ninhada. Depois de cerca de um mês, a fêmea também começou a sair do ninho e voltar com a presa, que era oferecida aos filhotes, com o macho também continuando com esse comportamento. Os filhotes deixaram o ninho em setembro de 2017. Os dados obtidos mostram a existência de cooperação e divisão de tarefas entre corujas machos e fêmeas durante o período reprodutivo.

Monitoring the feeding and parental care behavior of a pair of free-living owls (Tyto furcata) in the nest during the reproductive period in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Monitoramento do comportamento alimentar e cuidado parental de um casal de corujas de vida livre (Tyto furcata) no ninho durante o período reprodutivo no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Abstract The American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) lives in urban, periurban and wild environments and feeds mainly on small rodents, meaning it has great importance in the biological control of pests. The aim of this work was to describe the reproductive, parental and eating habits of a pair of American barn owls naturally living outside a residence in the urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. A wood box was installed on an outside wall of the home, monitored by a video camera. A spreadsheet was created to keep track of the observations recorded. The female laid four eggs, and after an incubation period of 30-32 days all the eggs hatched, but only two chicks survived after cannibalism among the chicks. Initially, the male provided the food to the chicks and the female remained in the nest caring for the brood. After approximately a month, the female also began to leave the nest and return with prey, which was offered to the chicks, with the male also continuing this behavior. The chicks left the nest in September, 2017. The data obtained show the existence of cooperation and division of tasks between male and female owls during the reproductive period.

Resumo A coruja-das-torres americana (Tyto furcata) vive em ambientes urbanos e se alimenta principalmente de pequenos roedores, sendo de grande importância no controle biológico de pragas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os hábitos alimentares, parentais e reprodutivos de um casal de corujas-das-torres americanas, naturalmente vivendo fora de uma residência na zona urbana do município de Campos dos Goytacazes, estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Uma caixa de madeira foi instalada em uma parede externa da casa, monitorada por uma câmera de vídeo. Uma planilha foi criada para manter o controle das observações registradas. A fêmea pôs quatro ovos, e após período de incubação de 30-32 dias todos os ovos eclodiram, mas apenas dois filhotes sobreviveram após o canibalismo entre os filhotes. Inicialmente, o macho fornecia a comida aos filhotes e a fêmea permanecia no ninho cuidando da ninhada. Depois de cerca de um mês, a fêmea também começou a sair do ninho e voltar com a presa, que era oferecida aos filhotes, com o macho também continuando com esse comportamento. Os filhotes deixaram o ninho em setembro de 2017. Os dados obtidos mostram a existência de cooperação e divisão de tarefas entre corujas machos e fêmeas durante o período reprodutivo.

Changes in hepatitis A virus seroepidemiology in HIV-infected Brazilian patients.

Shifting of hepatitis A virus (HAV) epidemiology from a high towards an intermediate endemicity pattern and use of antiretroviral therapy increased the risk of HIV/HAV coinfection in developing countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of HAV markers in a cohort of HIV-infected patients from 1988 to 2004. The presence of serum anti-HAV antibodies and HAV-RNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction was investigated in 581 patients. Total anti-HAV antibodies was found in 464/581 (79.8%) patients, however, a changing epidemiologic pattern of hepatitis A among HIV-infected patients from 1988 to 2004 was observed. Among patients susceptible to HAV (n = 117), 5 (4.2%) were coinfected with HAV, all of them had IgM anti-HAV antibodies and were serum HAV-RNA-positive. The high prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in HIV-infected patients suggests that screening tests for anti-HAV antibodies should be performed before implementation of hepatitis A vaccination, especially in those patients from endemic countries.

Starch nanocapsules containing a novel neutrophil elastase inhibitor with improved pharmaceutical performance.

Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis patients show an excessive amount of elastase in peripheral blood neutrophils due to an imbalance between this proteolytic enzyme and its endogenous inhibitors, the search for new human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitors are required. The HNE is an attractive therapeutic target and inhibitors with new molecular architectures have been extensively investigated. In this context a promising novel synthetic human neutrophil elastase inhibitor (ER143) was associated to a starch-based nanoparticulate system (StNC) with improved pharmaceutical performance, using a quality by design approach to support product development and optimization. The resulting formulation was characterized in terms of and in vitro release, permeation and retention studies in newborn pig skin, using Franz diffusion cells revealing the StNC have the ability to control the drug release rate and contribute to a high skin retention and/or permeation profiles. The anti-inflammatory activity accessed in vivo using the croton oil-induced ear inflammation model in mice showed that erythema and edema were attenuated in 98% following local application. These observations suggest the association of ER143 to the StNC promotes a deeper skin penetration and retention, also confirming StNC as a potential topical delivery system.

Small mammals in the diet of Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) in an urban area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum (Cryptonanus) / Pequenos mamíferos na dieta da coruja-suindara (Tyto furcata) em uma região urbana do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, com um novo registro da catita do gênero Cryptonanus

Several studies emphasize the use of owl pellets in small mammal inventories in natural areas harboring high richness of rare species, but few Brazilian Atlantic forest localities have been surveyed by this method. The present study documents the species composition and abundance of small mammals in the diet of Tyto furcata in an urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, remarking on a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum genus Cryptonanus in the Atlantic forest. We analyzed 265 pellets regurgitated by a pair of T. furcata from November 2016 to September 2017 found in a nesting box. Analysis of the samples enabled finding a total of 596 individuals of four small mammal species. Mus musculus was predominant among the prey items (98.3%), while the native rodents Necromys lasiurus (1.3%) and Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) were much rarer. A single specimen of Cryptonanus sp. was identified among the diet items based on distinctive dental characters. The identification of this genus in the present study represents the second record in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the sixth in the Atlantic Forest biome, suggesting that this marsupial occupies a wider ecological and biogeographic range. The present study underscores the relevance of owl pellets for small mammal surveys, even in urban and highly disturbed areas.

Vários estudos enfatizam o uso de pelotas de coruja em inventários de pequenos mamíferos em áreas naturais com elevada riqueza de espécies raras, mas poucas localidades da Mata Atlântica brasileira têm sido inventariadas por esse método. O presente estudo documenta a composição de espécies e abundância de pequenos mamíferos na dieta de Tyto furcata em uma área urbana do município de Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, discutindo a relevância de um novo registro de um raro marsupial do gênero Cryptonanus na Mata Atlântica. Foram analisadas 265 pelotas regurgitadas por um casal de T. furcata entre novembro de 2016 e setembro de 2017, encontradas abaixo de uma caixa de nidificação. A análise das amostras permitiu encontrar o total de 596 indivíduos de quatro espécies pequenas de mamíferos. O roedor exótico Mus musculus foi predominante entre os itens alimentares (98,3%), enquanto os roedores nativos Necromys lasiurus (1,3%) e Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) foram bem mais raros. Um único espécime de Cryptonanus sp. foi identificado entre os itens com base em caracteres dentários. A identificação desse gênero no presente estudo representa o segundo registro no estado do Rio de Janeiro e o sexto no bioma Mata Atlântica, sugerindo que este marsupial ocupa uma ampla faixa ecológica e biogeográfica. O presente estudo destaca a relevância dos pellets de coruja para pesquisas com pequenos mamíferos, mesmo em áreas urbanas e altamente perturbadas.

Small mammals in the diet of Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) in an urban area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum (Cryptonanus)

Abstract Several studies emphasize the use of owl pellets in small mammal inventories in natural areas harboring high richness of rare species, but few Brazilian Atlantic forest localities have been surveyed by this method. The present study documents the species composition and abundance of small mammals in the diet of Tyto furcata in an urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, remarking on a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum genus Cryptonanus in the Atlantic forest. We analyzed 265 pellets regurgitated by a pair of T. furcata from November 2016 to September 2017 found in a nesting box. Analysis of the samples enabled finding a total of 596 individuals of four small mammal species. Mus musculus was predominant among the prey items (98.3%), while the native rodents Necromys lasiurus (1.3%) and Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) were much rarer. A single specimen of Cryptonanus sp. was identified among the diet items based on distinctive dental characters. The identification of this genus in the present study represents the second record in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the sixth in the Atlantic Forest biome, suggesting that this marsupial occupies a wider ecological and biogeographic range. The present study underscores the relevance of owl pellets for small mammal surveys, even in urban and highly disturbed areas.

Resumo Vários estudos enfatizam o uso de pelotas de coruja em inventários de pequenos mamíferos em áreas naturais com elevada riqueza de espécies raras, mas poucas localidades da Mata Atlântica brasileira têm sido inventariadas por esse método. O presente estudo documenta a composição de espécies e abundância de pequenos mamíferos na dieta de Tyto furcata em uma área urbana do município de Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, discutindo a relevância de um novo registro de um raro marsupial do gênero Cryptonanus na Mata Atlântica. Foram analisadas 265 pelotas regurgitadas por um casal de T. furcata entre novembro de 2016 e setembro de 2017, encontradas abaixo de uma caixa de nidificação. A análise das amostras permitiu encontrar o total de 596 indivíduos de quatro espécies pequenas de mamíferos. O roedor exótico Mus musculus foi predominante entre os itens alimentares (98,3%), enquanto os roedores nativos Necromys lasiurus (1,3%) e Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) foram bem mais raros. Um único espécime de Cryptonanus sp. foi identificado entre os itens com base em caracteres dentários. A identificação desse gênero no presente estudo representa o segundo registro no estado do Rio de Janeiro e o sexto no bioma Mata Atlântica, sugerindo que este marsupial ocupa uma ampla faixa ecológica e biogeográfica. O presente estudo destaca a relevância dos pellets de coruja para pesquisas com pequenos mamíferos, mesmo em áreas urbanas e altamente perturbadas.

Small mammals in the diet of Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) in an urban area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum (Cryptonanus) / Pequenos mamíferos na dieta da coruja-suindara (Tyto furcata) em uma região urbana do estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, com um novo registro da catita do gênero Cryptonanus

Several studies emphasize the use of owl pellets in small mammal inventories in natural areas harboring high richness of rare species, but few Brazilian Atlantic forest localities have been surveyed by this method. The present study documents the species composition and abundance of small mammals in the diet of Tyto furcata in an urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, remarking on a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum genus Cryptonanus in the Atlantic forest. We analyzed 265 pellets regurgitated by a pair of T. furcata from November 2016 to September 2017 found in a nesting box. Analysis of the samples enabled finding a total of 596 individuals of four small mammal species. Mus musculus was predominant among the prey items (98.3%), while the native rodents Necromys lasiurus (1.3%) and Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) were much rarer. A single specimen of Cryptonanus sp. was identified among the diet items based on distinctive dental characters. The identification of this genus in the present study represents the second record in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the sixth in the Atlantic Forest biome, suggesting that this marsupial occupies a wider ecological and biogeographic range. The present study underscores the relevance of owl pellets for small mammal surveys, even in urban and highly disturbed areas.

Vários estudos enfatizam o uso de pelotas de coruja em inventários de pequenos mamíferos em áreas naturais com elevada riqueza de espécies raras, mas poucas localidades da Mata Atlântica brasileira têm sido inventariadas por esse método. O presente estudo documenta a composição de espécies e abundância de pequenos mamíferos na dieta de Tyto furcata em uma área urbana do município de Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, discutindo a relevância de um novo registro de um raro marsupial do gênero Cryptonanus na Mata Atlântica. Foram analisadas 265 pelotas regurgitadas por um casal de T. furcata entre novembro de 2016 e setembro de 2017, encontradas abaixo de uma caixa de nidificação. A análise das amostras permitiu encontrar o total de 596 indivíduos de quatro espécies pequenas de mamíferos. O roedor exótico Mus musculus foi predominante entre os itens alimentares (98,3%), enquanto os roedores nativos Necromys lasiurus (1,3%) e Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) foram bem mais raros. Um único espécime de Cryptonanus sp. foi identificado entre os itens com base em caracteres dentários. A identificação desse gênero no presente estudo representa o segundo registro no estado do Rio de Janeiro e o sexto no bioma Mata Atlântica, sugerindo que este marsupial ocupa uma ampla faixa ecológica e biogeográfica. O presente estudo destaca a relevância dos pellets de coruja para pesquisas com pequenos mamíferos, mesmo em áreas urbanas e altamente perturbadas.