from in uterus to elderly

Immune system recognize and fight back foreign microorganisms and inner modifications that lead to deficient cell and tissue functions. During a dog's life, the immune system needs to adapt to different physiological conditions, assuring surveillance and protection in a careful and controlled way. Pregnancy alters normal homeostasis, requiring a balance between immunity and tolerance. The embryos and fetus should be protected from infections, while the female dog must tolerate the growing of semi-allografts in her uterus. After birth, newborn puppies are at great risk of developing infectious diseases, because their immune system is in development and immune memory is absent. Passive transfer of immunity through colostrum is fundamental for puppy survival in the first weeks of life, but hampers the development of an active immune response to vaccination. At the end of life, dogs experience a decline in the structure and functional competence of the immune system, compromising the immune responses to novel antigenic challenges, such as infections and vaccines. Therefore, the current article reviews the general processes related to the development of the dog´s immune system, providing an overview of immune activity throughout the dog's life and its implications in canine health, and highlighting priority research goals.publishersversionpublishe

Energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis of modern coloured glasses from Marinha Grande (Portugal)

X-Ray Spectrom. 2003; 32: 396–401The elemental composition (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Ba, Nd and Pb) of modern coloured glasses was obtained by energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry. This nondestructive technique is frequently used in the analysis of historical glass objects. Two reference glasses were also measured to assess the overall accuracy of the EDXRF method. Reference and unknown glasses were analysed without any preparation. The coloured glass samples studied belong to the Glass Museum of Marinha Grande and were chosen from two distinct collections, which were characterized by the different concentrations of some elements (K, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ba and Pb). The determined major elements allowed the identification of two raw materials used in glass manufacture, sand and lime. Multivariate statistical analysis, namely principal component extraction, simplified the identification of some of the colouring chemical elements, associating them with the different colours of the glass objects

Novas ferramentas de apoio na limitação da praga Tuta absoluta na cultura de tomate para indústria

traça do tomateiro, Tuta absoluta, é, atualmente, praga-chave de tomate para indústria, no Ribatejo. Detetou-se a sua presença nesta cultura em 2010, tendo causado prejuízos significativos na campanha de 2011. Durante o ano 2013 efetuaram-se, semanalmente, monitorização de adultos com armadilhas com feromona sexual e observações visuais em 25 a 50 plantas, de acordo com o estado fenológico da cultura. Efetuaram-se colheitas de amostras de material entomológico que foram analisadas em laboratório. Além do acompanhamento técnico no campo, identificaram-se factores de risco prévio, base para a construção de mapas de risco para apoio à tomada de decisão. Este trabalho foi realizado no âmbito do “Protomate" - Desenvolvimento de uma nova ferramenta de apoio à gestão da cultura do tomate para garantia da qualidade do produto final”, financiado pela medida 4.1 do programa Proder, Cooperação para a Inovação que tem como objetivo central contribuir para o cumprimento das metas que envolvem compromissos europeus e conta com um conjunto de entidades e técnicos. Desta rede de trabalho resulta um diálogo permanente e partilha de conhecimento, resultados e experiência, em tempo útil. É formada pelo COTHN, ESAS/IPS, ISA/UL, UE, FNOP e Agromais. Participam ainda 15 organizações de produtores com o envolvimento de 18 técnicos, a Sugalidal e Italagro que representam a indústria, e a empresa Lusosem.-----Tomato moth, Tuta absoluta, is presently an important pest on processing tomato crop in the Ribatejo region. This species was detected in 2010 In this crop and caused significant losses in 2011. The goal of this project is to develop decision-making tools to improve crop protection. During 2013, monitoring of the adults with sexual pheromone traps and the incidence on sampled plants, according to the crop phonologic stage was carried out weekly. Samples of entomological material were analysed in the laboratory to detect parasitism. In addition to this technical monitoring in the field, risk factors have been identified in order to build risk maps for decision-making support. This work was developed by “Protomate" - Desenvolvimento de uma nova ferramenta de apoio à gestão da cultura do tomate para garantia da qualidade do produto final” with financial support of the Proder program that aims to contribute to the accomplishment of the central goals involving European commitments. This network allows a constant sharing of knowledge, experience, and results in a timely manner. It is organised by COTHN, ESAS/IPS, ISA/UL, UE, FNOP and Agromais. Additionally, 15 growers' groups with 18 technicians, Sugalidal and Italagro, representing the processing industry, and the company Lusosem

Apoio à decisão para a proteção integrada no combate a Tuta absoluta em tomate hortoindustrial

A traça-do-tomateiro é atualmente uma praga-chave do tomate para indústria, na região do Ribatejo. A sua presença foi detectada em 2010, tendo causado prejuízos significativos na campanha de 2011. O objetivo deste projeto é criar ferramentas para a tomada de decisão no âmbito da proteção desta cultura contra esta praga. Durante o ano de 2013, procedeu-se à monitorização semanal de adultos de T. absoluta com recurso a armadilhas com feromona sexual, e à observação visual em 25 a 50 plantas, de acordo com o estado fenológico da cultura. O material entomológico foram analisadas, posteriormente, em laboratório para deteção de parasitismo. Além de avaliar a intensidade de ataque, identificaram-se fatores de risco prévio, para construção de mapas de risco de apoio à tomada de decisão para a limitação da praga como culturas vizinhas e respetivas datas de colheita. Os dados preliminares não apresentaram uma correlação entre o número de machos adultos capturados e o número de larvas presentes na cultura, pelo que a estimativa de risco baseada apenas na contagem de machos adultos não parece ser suficiente para a tomada de decisão. Verificaram-se dificuldades no combate à praga devido a razões de ordem estrutural (e.g. posse da terra, hospedeiros alternativos na vizinhança) e a lacunas no conhecimento da sua bioecologia.The South American tomato moth is presently an important pest on processing tomato crop in the Ribatejo region. This species was detected in 2010 and caused significant losses in 2011. The goal of this project is to develop decision-making tools to improve crop protection. During 2013, the adults were monitored weekly by sexual pheromone traps and the pest incidence was evaluated by sampling 25 to 50 plants, according to the crop age. Entomological samples were analysed in the laboratory to detect parasitism. In addition to the monitoring in the field, risk factors were also identified in order to define risk maps for decision-making support as neighbouring crops and harvest dates. The preliminary data did not reveal a correlation between the number of adult males present in the traps and the number of larvae present on the crop, so the risk assessment based only on adult monitoring is unsatisfactory for decision-making. At this stage, some difficulties were found related to structural aspects (e.g. land ownership, alternative hosts in the neighbourhood) and to a significant knowledge gap on the pest bioecology.PRODERinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Impacto das práticas culturais na flora infestante das culturas hortoindustriais: validação por inquérito

O aumento dos prejuízos associados a uma flora infestante e parasita é um problema real das culturas hortoindustriais da região do Vale do Tejo. Os resultados de um inquérito aos produtores confirmaram que a escolha das práticas culturais condiciona o aparecimento e o controlo dessa flora.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

immune activation of canine hepatic spheroids exposed to leishmania infantum

The application of innovative three-dimensional (3D) spheroids cell culture strategy to Parasitology offers the opportunity to closely explore host–parasite interactions. Here we present a first report on the application of 3D hepatic spheroids to unravel the immune response of canine hepatocytes exposed to Leishmania infantum. The liver, usually considered a major metabolic organ, also performs several important immunological functions and constitutes a target organ for L. infantum infection, the etiological agent of canine leishmaniasis (CanL), and a parasitic disease of major veterinary and public health concern. 3D hepatic spheroids were able to sense and immunologically react to L. infantum parasites, generating an innate immune response by increasing nitric oxide (NO) production and enhancing toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and interleukin-10 gene expression. The immune response orchestrated by canine hepatocytes also lead to the impairment of several cytochrome P450 (CYP450) with possible implications for liver natural xenobiotic metabolization capacity. The application of meglumine antimoniate (MgA) increased the inflammatory response of 3D hepatic spheroids by inducing the expression of Nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors 1 and NOD2 and TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 and enhancing gene expression of tumour necrosis factor α. It is therefore suggested that hepatocytes are key effector cells and can activate and orchestrate the immune response to L. infantum parasites.publishersversionpublishe

Investigação em Arqueometalurgia em Portugal, resultados recentes e perspectivas futuras de uma equipa multidisciplinar

Nos últimos anos, uma equipa de investigadores tem-se dedicado à Arqueometalurgia do território hoje português,em colaboração com institutos públicos, universidades, museus ou empresas de arqueologia. Recentemente,foi aprovado pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia o projecto EARLYMETAL, que estuda a evolução metalúrgica nesse território desde os seus primórdios, no Calcolítico, até ao período Orientalizante. Os autores sintetizam os objectivos, os equipamentose as infraestruturas utilizadas, e apresentam alguns dos resultados já obtidos

Production of drinking water using a multi-barrier approach integrating nanofiltration: a pilot scale study

A multi-barrier system was studied for the production of drinking water with high chemical and microbiological quality. The integration of nanofiltration (NF) and ultraviolet (UV) photolysis was tested at pilot scale in a surface water treatment plant. The NF membranes tested, Desal DK and NF270, allow for the production of permeates with high quality standards, although the membrane with higher molecular weight cut-off (NF270) revealed to be the best option for surface water treatment due to its higher permeability. The NF270 membrane was also efficient to deliver high quality water, even under high pollutant concentrations, making possible to operate with water recovery rates as high as 98%. Extensive studies were performed in the water treatment plant where the proposed system was tested at three locations of the drinking water production line. Seeking to achieve the best compromise between high recovery rate, high retention of chemicals and microorganisms as well as preventing operational problems (flux decline and fouling), it was found that the integrated system should be placed after the conventional sand filtration, operating at a 91% recovery rate. Under the selected conditions – TMP of 8 bar and recovery rate of 91% – it is possible to operate at constant permeability without flux decline for a period of 15 days, after which a gentle CIP procedure is recommended. Membrane fouling was also investigated and the major foulant classes identified were proteins, polysaccharides and humic acids. A cleaning protocol was also tested and the impact of each cleaning step on the recovery of permeability evaluated

Protecção biológica de conservação e gestão de largadas de auxiliares

Os complexos de espécies de parasitóides e predadores que limitam as populações das principais pragas de culturas hortícolas protegidas, mosquinhas brancas, larvas mineiras, lagartas, afídeos e tripes, têm vindo a ser estudados na região Oeste desde há mais de 25 anos. A riqueza específica encontrada nestes complexos é elevada. Algumas das espécies identificadas são comercializadas para largadas. Estas largadas podem afectar as populações dos agentes de luta biológica presentes nas culturas, ao nível da composição específica dos complexos, da abundância populacional de cada espécie e na proporção relativa dos vários genótipos presentes nas populações. Está a decorrer uma operação/projecto ProDeR, medida 4.1, promovida por duas empresas agrícolas e três instituições de ensino superior público, que pretende definir regras de actuação no combate às pragas destas culturas face à intensidade de ataque observada e aos auxiliares autóctones presentes e sua abundância, com o objectivo de definir regras para eventuais tratamentos biológicos e analisar as consequências destes, de forma a melhor adequar as estratégias de protecção a adoptar.-------The species complexes of parasitoids and predators which control populations of the main pests of vegetable protected crops have been studied for the last 25 years in the Oeste region. Species richness found in the complexes which prey or parasitize the main pests found in these crops, such as whiteflies, leafminers, caterpillars, aphids and thrips is high. Some of the identified species are commercialized for biological control releases. These releases can affect populations of the naturally occurring biological control agents, regarding species composition of the complexes, species abundance and representativeness of the genotypes present in the populations. A ProDeR - measure 4.1 operation/project promoted by two enterprises and three higher education institutions is ongoing. The aim of this project is to define decision rules to control pests of protected crops taking into account pest attack severity, beneficial arthropod species present and their abundance, and through this to define rules for eventual commercial releases of beneficial arthropods and to analyse their consequences. This will lead to the adoption of more adequate plant protection control measures

Meiotic chromosomes and nucleolar behavior in testicular cells of the grassland spittlebugs Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha)

Spittlebugs annually infest pastures and cause severe damage, representing a serious problem for the tropical American beef cattle industry. Spittlebugs are an important biotic constraint to forage production and there is a lack of cytogenetic data for this group of insects. For these reasons, we conducted this work, in which the spermatogenesis and nucleolar behavior of Deois flavopicta, Mahanarva fimbriolata and Notozulia entreriana were studied. The males possessed testes in the shape of a “bunch of grapes”; a variable number of testicular lobes per individual and polyploid nuclei composed of several heteropycnotic bodies. A heteropycnotic area was located in the periphery of the nucleus (prophase I); the chiasmata were terminal or interstitial; metaphases I were circular or linear and anaphase showed late migration of the sex chromosome. The chromosome complement had 2n = 19, except for N. entreriana (2n = 15); the spermatids were round with heteropycnotic material in the center and elongated with conspicuos chromatin. The analysis of testes after silver nitrate staining showed polyploid nuclei with three large and three smaller nucleolar bodies. Early prophase cells had an intensely stained nucleolar body located close to the chromatin and another less evident body located away from the chromatin. The nucleolar bodies disintegrated during diplotene. Silver staining occurred in two autosomes, in terminal and subterminal locations, the latter probably corresponding to the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs). The spermatids were round with a round nucleolar body and silver staining was observed in the medial and posterior region of the elongated part of the spermatid head