CHEYLETIELLA PARVOSITIVORAX: PRIMEIRO REGISTO DE UMA INFESTAÇÃO EM COELHOS EM MOÇAMBIQUE

Introdução: Os ácaros do género Cheyletiella pertencem à Ordem Prostigmata, Família Cheyletidae. Três espécies são descritas nos animais domésticos nomeadamente, C.yasguri em cães, C. blakei em gatos e C. parasitivorax em coelhos (Taylor et al., 2007). Estas têm distribuição mundial e são consideradas zoonóticas, podendo infectar humanos quando em contacto directo com algum portador (Soulsby, 1982). Os ácaros deste género vivem permanentemente nos pelos, aproximando-se da pele apenas para se alimentarem. As fêmeas durante a ovopostura colam os aos pêlos. Destes eclodem as larvas, que passam por dois estádios ninfais antes de atingirem a fase adulta. O ciclo completo dura aproximadamente duas semanas Objectivos: O presente poster tem como objectivos reportar a ocorrência da Cheyletiella parasitivorax em Moçambique, contribuir com elementos que permitam o correcto diagnóstico deste ácaro e alertar para a importância zoonótica deste parasita. Materiais e Métodos: Foram colhidas amostras de pelo e raspagens cutâneas de coelhos com sinais de alopécia, descamação e prurido. As amostras foram processadas pelo método de clarificação com lactofenol de Amman Resultados: Foram observados ácaros que apresentavam como principais características morfológicas: forma oval, tamanho aproximado de 400 m, patas grandes, palpos com artículos terminais em forma de garra. As características morfológicas e morfométricas conduziram à sua classificação como Cheyletiella parasitivorax. Discussão: É a primeira vez que um caso de um coelho parasitado com C. parasitovorax é reportado em Moçambique. Por este facto, é necessário chamar a atenção de todos profissionais de veterinária para o correcto diagnóstico e consequentemente tratamento eficaz desta zoonose

Efficiency comparison of different DC-DC converter architectures for a power supply of a LiDAR system

LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is a technology used to meas-ure distances to objects. Internally, a LiDAR system is constituted by several components, including a power supply, which is responsible to provide the dis-tinct voltage levels necessary for all the components. In this context, this paper presents an efficiency comparison of three different DC-DC converter architec-tures for a LiDAR system, each one composed of three DC-DC converters: in parallel; in cascade; and hybrid (mix of parallel and cascade). The topology of the adopted integrated DC-DC converters is the synchronous buck Switched-Mode Power Supply (SMPS), which is a modified version of the basic buck SMPS topology. Three distinct SMPSs were considered: LM5146-Q1, LM5116, and TPS548A20RVER. These SMPSs were selected according to the require-ments of voltage levels, namely, 12 V, 5 V, and 3.3 V. Along the paper, the prin-ciple of operation of the SMPSs is presented, as well as the evaluation results obtained for different operating powers, allowing to establish a comprehensive efficiency comparison.This work has been supported by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020, and also European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER component, through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) [Project nº 037902; Funding Reference: POCI-01-0247-FEDER-037902]

Symptom evolution following the emergence of maize streak virus

For pathogens infecting single host species evolutionary trade-offs have previously been demonstrated between pathogen-induced mortality rates and transmission rates. It remains unclear, however, how such trade-offs impact sub-lethal pathogen-inflicted damage, and whether these trade-offs even occur in broad host-range pathogens. Here, we examine changes over the past 110 years in symptoms induced in maize by the broad host-range pathogen, maize streak virus (MSV). Specifically, we use the quantified symptom intensities of cloned MSV isolates in differentially resistant maize genotypes to phylogenetically infer ancestral symptom intensities and check for phylogenetic signal associated with these symptom intensities. We show that whereas symptoms reflecting harm to the host have remained constant or decreased, there has been an increase in how extensively MSV colonizes the cells upon which transmission vectors feed

Thermographic imaging in sports and exercise medicine: a Delphi study and consensus statement on the measurement of human skin temperature

The importance of using infrared thermography (IRT) to assess skin temperature (tsk) is increasing in clinical settings. Recently, its use has been increasing in sports and exercise medicine; however, no consensus guideline exists to address the methods for collecting data in such situations. The aim of this study was to develop a checklist for the collection of tsk using IRT in sports and exercise medicine. We carried out a Delphi study to set a checklist based on consensus agreement from leading experts in the field. Panelists (n = 24) representing the areas of sport science (n = 8; 33%), physiology (n = 7; 29%), physiotherapy (n = 3; 13%) and medicine (n = 6; 25%), from 13 different countries completed the Delphi process. An initial list of 16 points was proposed which was rated and commented on by panelists in three rounds of anonymous surveys following a standard Delphi procedure. The panel reached consensus on 15 items which encompassed the participants’ demographic information, camera/room or environment setup and recording/analysis of tsk using IRT. The results of the Delphi produced the checklist entitled “Thermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM)” which is a proposal to standardize the collection and analysis of tsk data using IRT. It is intended that the TISEM can also be applied to evaluate bias in thermographic studies and to guide practitioners in the use of this technique

Performance evaluation of a hybrid thermal-photovoltaic panel

A theoretical and experimental analysis of a thermal-photovoltaic panel, whose purpose is to produce both electrical and thermal energy, has been performed. In order to achieve the main objective, the different components that constitute the thermal-photovoltaic panel have been studied and a simulation model of the proposed thermal-photovoltaic panel has been developed; then, the simulated values, based on the solar irradiance, the ambient temperature and the wind speed, have been compared with experimental data. The results are analyzed and discussed in the paper. In particular, such a validated model can be used to establish if and when it is more convenient to use a hybrid structure rather than two separate devices (PV only and thermal collector only)

Management of advanced sinonasal non-malignant oncocytic papilloma with endoscopic resection and volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAR). Case report

Oncocytic papiloma (OP) is a rare neoplasm of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. It is the least common histological subtype of sinonasal papilloma. OP is regarded as a benign tumor like inverted papilloma (IP), but its biological behavior is not so benign due to its aggressive local growth, the high rate of recurrences and the risk of malignant transformation with associated carcinoma. Endoscopic resection is the treatment of choice for OP. No relevant reports on the use of radiotherapy are known in patients with OP with advanced disease or extrasinonasal extension without associated malignancy, although its application in advanced IP has been successfull. We report a case of unilateral left OP with advanced disease that involved lateral nasal wall, maxillary, ethmoidal and frontal sinus on the same side, treated with volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy

Trigeneration system driven by the geothermal and solar sources

In this study, a novel trigeneration system is conceived to produce heat and electricity and to provide cooling for the health treatments and touristic facilities of a spa, based on the natural hot water and solar sources. The power generation components, individually considered, are commercially available ones, but their novel combination and the complex power flow management represented a challenge. The proposed system is composed of a low‐temperature driven adsorption chiller, thermally activated by a low enthalpy geothermal source, and by hybrid photovoltaic/thermal panels. In this way, multiple objectives are achieved: produce electricity and thermal energy by renewable sources; optimise the use of different renewable sources (geothermal and solar); use the energy available for free from a geothermal source also during summer (otherwise wasted) to produce a cooling effect, and in so doing, avoiding the huge electricity consumption of conventional air conditioning units in summer; reduce the temperature of the fluids released to the environment (in a natural reserve); reduce the CO2 emissions by 45% with respect to the present configuration, limiting the global warming. The mathematical models were experimentally validated using a pilot plant built on purpose, and the performance of the whole system was analysed and discussed

Successful application of FTA Classic Card technology and use of bacteriophage phi29 DNA polymerase for large-scale field sampling and cloning of complete maize streak virus genomes

Leaf samples from 155 maize streak virus (MSV)-infected maize plants were collected from 155 farmers’ fields in 23 districts in Uganda in May/June 2005 by leaf-pressing infected samples onto FTA® Classic Cards. Viral DNA was successfully extracted from cards stored at room temperature for 9 months. The diversity of 127 MSV isolates was analysed by PCR-generated RFLPs. Six representative isolates having different RFLP patterns and causing either severe, moderate or mild disease symptoms, were chosen for amplification from FTA cards by bacteriophage 29 DNA polymerase using the TempliPhiTM system. Full-length genomes were inserted into a cloning vector using a unique restriction enzyme site, and sequenced. The 1.3-kb PCR product amplified directly from FTA-eluted DNA and used for RFLP analysis was also cloned and sequenced. Comparison of cloned whole genome sequences with those of the original PCR products indicated that the correct virus genome had been cloned and that no errors were introduced by the 29 polymerase. This is the first successful large-scale application of FTA card technology to the field, and illustrates the ease with which large numbers of infected samples can be collected and stored for downstream molecular applications such as diversity analysis and cloning of potentially new virus genomes