The Influence of oral environment on diet choices in goats: a focus on saliva protein composition

There is ample evidence that ruminants are capable of making choices between different foods that provide a more balanced diet that would be obtained by eating at random. In the particular case of goats, they occupy a diversity of habitats and different breeds present variability of feeding behaviors resultant from adaptations to the existent plant species. In their food search activity, individuals are faced with variable amounts of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs), which may present some toxic and anti-nutritional effects depending on the individual’s ability to deal with it. The oral cavity has a key role in the recognition and decision processes of ingestion or rejection. In this chapter we will first consider how goats identify foods and behave according to the food items available. Focus will be done on the importance of taste sense in this process and the information available on the main structures involved in taste detection and perception in goats will be reviewed. In a second section we will focus on the characteristics of goat’s saliva, particularly in terms of their protein composition, presenting results obtained by our research team

Effect of dithiocarbamate thiram on Wistar rat growth plate and articular cartilage

Avaliou-se o efeito do tirame, ditiocarbamato largamente utilizado na agricultura como antifúngico e repelente de roedores, na ossificação endocondral de mamíferos, usando, como modelo, ratos Wistar. Não foram observadas lesões na cartilagem articular, nem nas placas de crescimento, o que pode ser atribuído à dose utilizada e à duração do ensaio. A diminuição da altura da placa de crescimento nos animais aos quais foi administrado o tirame parece traduzir o atraso verificado no crescimento em geral, e não um efeito específico na cartilagem, uma vez que as diferentes zonas da placa epifisária mantiveram as proporções dos animais do grupo-controle. Embora não tenham sido verificados, no presente trabalho, os efeitos registrados para outras espécies nos tecidos cartilaginosos, sugere-se a avaliação dos efeitos crónicos do tirame no crescimento e no desenvolvimento dos ossos longos em mamíferos

Evaluation of the greenhouse gas balance in the Eucalyptus globulus sector in Portugal

Este estudio evalúa el balance de gas invernadero en el sector del E. globulus en Portugal. Las eliminaciones y las emisiones de dióxido de carbono (CO2) y el metano (CH4) fueron calculadas a lo largo en todo el sector forestal, incluyendo el ecosistema forestal, el tratamiento industrial de madera y las etapas de empleo y la disposición final de productos forestales. El balance de gas invernadero fue calculado restándose la eliminación de carbono neto a las emisiones de carbono fósil y sumándose las emisiones de carbono como el CH4. El balance global de gas invernadero fue una eliminación neta de carbono que varió entre 401 y 1033 Gg Ceq yr-1, respectivamente con el cambio de reservas y los accesos de flujo atmosférico. La diferencia entre las dos estimaciones es equivalente al carbón exportado en productos de madera y forestales. Tanto productos forestales como forestales eran sumideros de carbono, como sus reservas han estado aumentando. Aproximadamente el 94 % del cambio total de reservas de carbono en el sector era debido al bosque, mientras que el papel era el producto forestal con la contribución principal al aumento de reservas de carbono. Emisiones de carbono de fósil consideradas para el 13 % de las emisiones totales de carbono en el sector y disminuido el retiro neto de carbono por 18 y el 34 %, respectivamente con el flujo atmosférico y los cambio de reservas. El carbón emitido como CH4 tuvo la importancia menor y, por consiguiente, era responsable de una disminución en el retiro neto de carbón de sólo 4 y el 8 %, respectivamente con el flujo atmosférico y los accesos de cambio de reservas.____________________________________This study evaluates the greenhouse gas balance in the E. globulus sector in Portugal. Removals and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) were calculated along the whole forest sector, including the forest ecosystem, the industrial processing of wood and the stages of use and final disposal of forest products. The greenhouse gas balance was calculated by subtracting to the net carbon removal, the fossil carbon emissions and the additional emissions of carbon as CH4. Two different approaches were applied for estimating the net carbon removal in the sector: the stock-change and the atmospheric-flow approach. The global greenhouse gas balance was a net removal of carbon that varied between 401 and 1033 Gg Ceq yr-1, respectively with the stock-change and the atmospheric-flow approaches. The difference between the two estimates is equivalent to the carbon exported in wood and forest products. Both forest and forest products were carbon sinks, as their stocks have been increasing. About 94% of the total change in carbon stocks in the sector was due to forest, whereas paper was the forest product with the major contribution to the increase of carbon stocks. Fossil carbon emissions accounted for 13% of the total carbon emissions in the sector and decreased the net carbon removal by 18 and 34%, respectively with the atmospheric-flow and the stock-change approaches. Carbon emitted as CH4 was of minor importance and, consequently, was responsible for a decrease in the net carbon removal of only 4 and 8%, respectively with the atmospheric-flow and the stock-change approaches

Obstrução Intestinal de Causa Rara e Ecografia Point-of-Care - Em que Ponto nos Encontramos?

Malignant neoplasms of the small bowel, especially from the jejunum, are among the rarest types of cancer. Given its location, a delayed diagnosis is frequent and sometimes only made in an emergency context. The authors present a case of intestinal obstruction, where ultrasonography was pivotal in establishing a diagnosis. Point-of-care ultrasonography seems to be particularly sensitive in assessing emergency patients with abdominal pain, allowing effective orientation and saving human and technical resources.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Treatment of dairy wastewater in UASB reactors inoculated with flocculent biomass

This work assesses the possibility of using flocculent sludge in UASB reactors applied to the treatment of dairy wastewater and studies the effect of hydraulic retention time (6, 8, 12 and 16 h) on the performance of the reactors. The results show that the performance of flocculent sludge is similar to what has been reported in literature for granular sludge. It was observed that by raising the HRT from 6 to 12 h the performance of the system is improved concerning the maximum applicable load, the COD removal efficiency and methane production, but by raising the HRT from 12 to 16 h the differences are not meaningful. To attain soluble COD removals, VFA removals and protein mineralisation near 80% and fat removals above 60% it is necessary to operate the UASB reactors at an HRT of at least 12 h. In addition to this the reactors must be operated at loads under 2.5 g COD/ℓ•d in order to attain a conversion to methane of the removed COD above 70%. Keywords: UASB, hydraulic retention time, optimum load, flocculent biomass, dairy wastewater Water SA Vol. 31(4) 2005: 603-60

Efeitos da semicarbazida no esqueleto de ratos Wistar em crescimento.

The effects of semicarbazide hydrochloride on skeletal tissues were evaluated using Wistar rats. In the animals submitted to the administration of semicarbazide, radiological examination showed bone and articular alterations with growth plates enlargement. Histological exams showed irregular patterns and proliferation of chondrocytes and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. Immunohistochemical exams showed PCNA positive reaction in pre- and hypertrofic chondrocytes. These results confirm that semicarbazide induces important changes in skeletal tissues and that has potential utility in experimental osteolathryrism

Biodegradation kinetics of winery wastewater from Port Wine production

Winery wastewaters are characterised by seasonality and variable volume and organic load. This fact together with their high content of biodegradable compounds often results in problems in the operation of biological systems as they may lead to poor sludge settleability, floc disintegration and increased presence of solids in the treated effluent. Biodegradation of winery wastewater from a Port Wine production industry was studied in aerobic batch assays, varying substrate and biomass concentrations. More than 90 % of COD was removed in all cases, in a short period when biomass concentration was higher than 3 g VSS L–1. Data was correlated to several kinetic models, and Haldane model best fitted the experimental data, particularly for lower biomass concentrations. Therefore, an initial high biomass concentration should be present in aerobic treatment of winery wastewater, in order to cope with the large fluctuations in their organic loads. These batch assays are valuable for winery wastewater treatment, as they may simulate typical start-ups after short and long shutdown periods often observed in the winery industry.publishe

Estudo histopatológico de lesões ateroscleróticas em suínos de raça Alentejana.

Neste trabalho experimental procedeu-se à medição da espessura e à caracterização histológica de lesões ateroscleróticas, em suínos de raça Alentejana, procurando-se estabelecer uma relação entre estas e os valores dos parâmetros sanguíneos associados ao desenvolvimento deste processo patológico. As concentrações plasmáticas de triacilgliceróis, fosfolípidos, colesterol total, colesterol livre, LDLc e HDLc foram determinadas por métodos enzimáticos. Foram também feitas análises histopatológicas a amostras da artéria coronária esquerda. Os animais foram divididos em 2 grupos de 6 indivíduos cada: Grupo I, com elevada colesterolémia (4,25 mmol/L) e Grupo II, com níveis normais (2,53 mmol/L). Os valores do ganho médio diário (GMD) dos dois grupos foram semelhantes. Os animais do Grupo apresentaram valores significativamente mais elevados (P≤0,001) para: colesterol total, colesterol livre, colesterol esterificado e LDLc. A área de lesão foi significativamente superior (P≤0,05) no Grupo I. Verificou-se uma relação linear entre a área de lesão (fases iniciais do tipo I e II) e os teores plasmáticos de colesterol total, de LDLc e de colesterol livre, o que sugere a influência destes parâmetros na dimensão da área de lesão. Os resultados deste trabalho sugerem que os suínos de raça Alentejana podem desenvolver lesões ateroscleróticas ao longo do seu ciclo de vida, tal como o observado em humanos e outras raças de suínos. Estas lesões estão associadas a hipercolesterolemia que poderão ser devidas a mutações genéticas em apolipoproteínas, sistemas enzimáticos ou receptores. São necessários estudos futuros, quer a nível histológico quer a nível de biologia molecular, para um maior aprofundamento do conhecimento das lesões ateroscleróticas em suínos de raça Alentejana. The present study aimed to assess the histopathological characterization of atherosclerotic lesions in Alentejano pigs, and to evaluate the relationship between several blood parameters and lesions development. Histomorphometric determinations of atherosclerotic lesions were performed on the left coronary artery and plasmatic levels of triacylglycerols, phospholipids, and of total, free, LDL and HDL cholesterol were measured by enzymatic methods. Pigs were assigned to two groups (n=6): Group I, with hypercholesterolemic pigs (4,25 mmol/L), and Group II, with normocholesterolemic ones (2,53 mmol/L). Average daily gain was similar in both groups. Plasmatic levels of total, free, esterified and LDL cholesterol were significantly higher (P≤0,001) in Group I. The atherosclerotic lesion area was significantly higher (P≤0,05) in the same group. Linear correlations between atherosclerotic lesion area (in initial Phases I and II) and plasmatic levels of total, free and LDL cholesterol were observed. The results of this study suggest that the Alentejano pig, like humans and other swine, may develop atherosclerotic lesions during its life cycle. Such lesions, associated with hypercholesterolemia, may be due to genetic mutations in apolipoproteins, lipid enzymes or receptor genes. Further studies on molecular genetics and on hysthopathology of this type of atherosclerostic lesion, in Alentejano pigs are required

Factores Biomecânicos no Desenvolvimento de Patologias nos Membros Pélvicos em Avicultura Industrial

O crescente aparecimento de patologias nos membros pélvicos nos efectivos de frangos de carne e de perus, especialmente nas estirpes de crescimento rápido e de peso adulto elevado, que se traduzem em perdas económicas significativas, faz do estudo da biologia do osso, em particular das questões relacionadas com aspectos biomecânicos, uma área de primordial importância na indústria avícola. Pretende-se com a presente revisão evidenciar a associação que existe, em avicultura industrial, muito particularmente no sector da produção de carne, entre factores biomecânicos e o desenvolvimento de algumas patologias nos membros pélvicos

Processing and classification of biological images: Application to histology

This article deals with a histological problem by using image processing and feature extraction in images of renal tissues of rats and their classification through various methods such as: Bayesian inference, decision trees and support vector machines