Características produtivas e qualitativas de pastagem de braquiária em monocultivo e consorciada com estilosantes

The objective of this work was to evaluate the forage mass and botanical composition of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf pasture in monoculture and associated with Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. var. vulgaris cv. Mineirão in various months along the year. The samples from January and May were rumen incubated. Three paddocks (replications) were divided in two plots (monoculture and associated pastures). After the evaluations forage was grazed by dried cows. The forage mass of B. decumbens did not vary with the pasture system; in October it was lower (291 kg/ha) and maintained stable along the other months (1,571 kg/ha). A decrease tendency of legume forage mass was observed during the experimental period. The proportion of S. guianensis in the pasture was higher in October/2001 and lower in January/2002. The total forage mass of associated pasture (2,158 kg/ha) was higher than the monoculture pasture (1,481 kg/ha). The degradation rates and effective degradability of S. guianensis and B. decumbens were respectively 6.8%/h and 61.5% and 5.3%/h and 49.2%. The legume contribute for higher quantity and better quality forage available in associated pasture.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a massa de forragem e a composição botânica de pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens Stapf em monocultivo e consorciada com Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) Sw. var. vulgaris cv. Mineirão, em diferentes meses do ano. As amostras obtidas em janeiro e maio foram submetidas a ensaio de degradabilidade in situ da matéria seca. Foram utilizados três piquetes (repetições), cada um dividido em duas parcelas (monocultura e consorciação). Após cada amostragem, o pasto foi submetido a pastejo com vacas secas. A massa de forragem de B. decumbens não variou com o sistema de cultivo; foi menor no mês de outubro (291 kg/ha) e não diferiu entre os demais meses (1.571 kg/ha). A massa de forragem da leguminosa decresceu ao longo do ano e sua porcentagem na pastagem foi maior em outubro/2001 e menor em janeiro/2002. A massa de forragem total na pastagem consorciada (2.158 kg/ha) foi maior que a do monocultivo (1.481 kg/ha). A taxa de degradação e a degradabilidade efetiva média de S. guianensis foram, respectivamente, de 6,8%/h e 61,5%, e de B. decumbens foram de 5,3%/h e 49,2%. A leguminosa contribui no aumento da quantidade e na melhoria da qualidade da forragem disponível na pastagem

Fatores nutricionais limitantes ao crescimento de forrageiras tropicais em dois solos da Zona da Mata, MG. II. Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo

Two pot experiments were carried out in a glasshouse to identify the nutritional factors which limit the growth of forage species in a Red-yellow podzolic. Molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) and Centrosema pubescens Benth were used as test plants. The omission of P, N, S, Zn, Cu, B, Mo or Co and the addition of Mn, Fe or K to a complete nutrient control were used to assess the effect of these nutrients on forage growth, and nodulation and N2 fixation of the legume. Molasses grass was harvested twice. The most serious limitation to the grass growth and to nodulation and growth of the legume was determined by P deficiency. In the absence of P, nodule dry weight was considerably more reduced than root dry weight. After the first harvest the grass growth was limited by N and S deficiencies. Sulphur deficiency also reduced the dry weight of tops and total N yield of the legume. In the absence of Mo, there was a tendency for the N Concentration in the tops of the legume to decrease. Other nutrients tested had no significant effect on forage growth or nodulation and N2 fixation of the legume.Dois experimentos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação para verificar quais os fatores nutricionais que limitam o crescimento do capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora Beauv.) e da Centrosema pubescens Benth em um Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo. Estudou-se o efeito da omissão de P, N, S, Zn, Cu, B, Mo ou Co, ou da adição de Mn, Fe ou K a um tratamento completo (contendo os elementos a serem omitidos) sobre o crescimento das duas forrageiras e a nodulação e fixação de N2 da leguminosa. O capim-gordura recebeu dois cortes. A mais séria limitação ao crescimento inicial do capim-gordura e à nodulação e crescimento da Centrosema nesse solo foi determinada por deficiência de P. Essa deficiência reduziu mais o peso seco dos nódulos da  Centrosema (90% em relação ao tratamento completo) do que o peso seco das raízes (39%). O crescimento do capim-gordura no segundo período de crescimento, foi limitado por deficiências de N e S. A deficiência de S manifestou-se também na Centrosema, reduzindo o crescimento da parte aérea e o N total produzido. Na ausência de Mo, a concentração de N na parte aérea da Centrosema tendeu a decrescer. Não foram observadas deficiências dos outros micronutrientes ou de K

Effect of lime, potassium, sulfur and micronutrients on the growth of Centrosema pubescens in acid soil

Um experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação para verificar o efeito do calcário, K, S, Zn, Cu, B e Mo, aplicados em dois níveis em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo, sobre o crescimento, nodulação e fixação de N2 de Centrosema pubescens Benth. Os níveis utilizados foram os seguintes (em kg.ha-1,correspondente): calcário, 0 e 4.000; K; 0 e 100; S, 0 e 30; Zn, 0 e 4,5; Cu, 0 e 2,5; B, 0 e 1,0;Mo, 0 e 0,38. O efeito mais pronunciado foi obtido com a aplicação de calcário, que aumentou o peso seco da parte aérea e raízes, o número e peso de nódulos e a concentração de N na parte aérea. Houve efeito significativo da interação calagem x K, sendo que, na ausência da calagem, a aplicação de K reduziu significativamente o peso das raízes, mas, na presença da calagem, aumentou o número e peso de nódulos. A aplicação de Mo aumentou a fixação simbiótica de N2. Os resultados sugerem que o centrosema poderá responder à aplicação de Zn nesse solo, principalmente na presença da calagem As aplicações de S, Cu e B não afetaram o crescimento da centrosema e nem a fixação simbiótica de N2.An experiment was undertaken in a glasshouse to study the effect of lime, K, S, Zn, Cu, B and Mo, at two levels, on the growth nodulation and nitrogen fixation of Centrosema pubescens Benth in a Red-Yellow Latosol. Rates of lime and nutrients in kg.ha-1 were: lime, o and 4,000; K, 0 and 100; S, 0 and 30; Zn, 0 and 4.5; Cu, 0 and 2.5; B, 0 and 1.0; Mo, 0 and 0.38. Liming had a large effect in increasing dry weight of tops and roots, nodule number and dry weight and N concentration in the tops. There was a significant lime x K interaction, so that in the absence of lime, K depressed root dry weight, but in the presence of lime, K increased nodule number and dry weight. Molybdenum increased symbiotic N2 fixation. Results suggest that centrosema would respond to Zn, especially in the presence of lime. The application of S, Cu and B had no effect on the centrosema growth or symbiotic N2 fixation

A model of peer-led sex education in portuguese schools

This article presents the National Peer Education Program, a sex education model which is being implemented by the Fundação Portuguesa A Comunidade Contra a Sida (Portuguese Foundation The Community Against AIDS) in Portuguese schools. Based on the epidemiological data and a review on the theoretical and empirical background to peer education, this text presents and discusses the main stages of intervention, and raises topical and controversial issues in the area of Sex Education, which continue to present a challenge for contemporary Education

The impact of IL-10 dynamic modulation on host immune response against visceral leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasites from the genus Leishmania. The most severe form of disease is visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is fatal if left untreated. It has been demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-10, is associated with disease progression and susceptibility. In this work, we took advantage of a transgenic mouse model that expresses high levels of IL-10 upon zinc sulfate administration (pMT-10). We addressed the role of IL-10 during the initial stages of L. donovani infection by analyzing the parasite burden in the spleen and liver of the infected pMT-10 and WT mice as well as the histopathological alterations upon IL-10 induction. Furthermore, the profile of cytokines expressed by T cells was assessed. Our results demonstrate that an increase in IL-10 production has an impact early but not later after infection. This specific temporal role for IL-10-mediated susceptibility to VL is of interest.Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013) and the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (contracts SFRH/BD/120127/2016 to IM, PD/BDE/127830/2016 to CF, SFRH/BD/120371/2016 to AMB, IF/01147/2013 to RDO, IF/01390/2014 to ET, IF/00735/2014 to AC, SFRH/BPD/96176/2013 to CC and IF/00021/2014 to RS), and Infect-Era (project INLEISH). JE also thanks the Canada Research Chair program for financial assistanceinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IL-10 overexpression predisposes to invasive aspergillosis by suppressing antifungal immunity

© 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & ImmunologyProinflammatory immune responses are critically required for antimicrobial host defenses; however, excessive inflammation has the potential to damage host tissues thereby paradoxically contributing to the progression of infection. A central negative regulator of inflammatory responses is IL-10, an immunosuppressive cytokine with a wide variety of functions across multiple cell types. Although the role of IL-10 during infection appears to vary for different microorganisms, a largely detrimental role has been attributed to this cytokine during fungal disease. Given the variable risk of infection and its outcome among patients with comparable predisposing factors, susceptibility to invasive aspergillosis (IA) is thought to rely largely on genetic predisposition. The initial investigation of genetic variability at the IL10 locus led to the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influencing its transcriptional activity; thus, IL-10 may be a reasonable candidate for the genetic regulation of susceptibility to IA in high-risk patients.Supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013), the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (contracts IF/00735/2014 to A.C., IF/01390/2014 to E.T., IF/00021/2014 to R.S., and SFRH/BPD/96176/2013 to C.C.), the Conselho de Reitores das Universidades Portuguesas (CRUP), Portugal (Ações Integradas Luso-Alemãs A-43/16), the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) (project-ID 57212690), the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (Madrid, Spain) (grant #PI12/02688) and the ERA-NET PathoGenoMics (grant #0315900A).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Purification and Crystal Growth of the Bismuth (III) Iodide-influence of Trace Impurities on the Crystal Quality

This work describes the experimental procedure of purification and preparation of BiI3 crystals by Repeated Vertical Bridgman technique, aiming a future application of this semiconductor crystal as a room temperature radiation detector. The BiI3 powder used as raw material was purified three times and, at each purification, the crystal was evaluated by systematic measurements of the reduction of the impurities, crystalline structure, stoichiometry and surface morphology. The reduction of the trace metal impurities in the BiI3, at each purification, was analyzed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), in order to evaluate the efficiency of the purification technique established in this work. It was demonstrated that the Repeated Bridgman technique is effective to reduce the concentration of many impurities in BiI3, such as Ag, As, Br, Cr, K, Mo, Na and Sb. The crystalline structure of the BiI3 crystal purified twice and three times was similar to BiI3 pattern. However, for BiI3 powder and purified once, an intensity contribution of the BiOI was observed in the diffractograms. Improvement in the stoichiometric ratio was observed at each purification step, as well as the crystal surface morphology