Solid Waste In Municipalities of Agreste Pernambucano: Environmental Education Issue

The homo sapiens that dominates occupying actions on earth should be a citizen with socio-environmental responsibility; their omission and neglect reverberate throughout the ecosystem. To achieve the balance between different ecological systems there is a global consensus for sustainable development, it is strongly anchored in environmental education with government support. The objective of this research was to evaluate the knowledge and actions about the A3P and the significance of the 5Rs of sustainability, together with 20 public managers from two municipalities in the Agreste region of Pernambuco, using questionnaires with closed questions. From a total of respondents 100% (n20), they reported that they did not know information about the A3P Environmental Agenda. 70% (n14) reported that cities are not adequately prepared for solid waste to dispose. These information obtained in the research demonstrates that although there is a figure of the environmental manager, it is often not able to fulfill the goals in the governmental sphere.

Agricultura de Precisão: Programas Tecnológicos no Brasil

Precision agriculture (AP) is recognized as a technological innovation tool because when applied in a preventive way during agricultural production, it improves the economic and management aspects, minimizing losses of agricultural inputs and environmental risks in relation to conventional agriculture. This article describes government incentive and free trade programs for assessing productivity, analyzing fertility deficiencies, soil and plant physical and chemical characteristics, as well as evaluating the development of pests and diseases that may occur during production

Toxoplasma gondii Infection Reveals a Novel Regulatory Role for Galectin-3 in the Interface of Innate and Adaptive Immunity

In attempts to investigate the role of galectin-3 in innate immunity, we studied galectin-3-deficient (gal3(−/−)) mice with regard to their response to Toxoplasma gondii infection, which is characterized by inflammation in affected organs, Th-1-polarized immune response, and accumulation of cysts in the central nervous system. In wild-type (gal3(+/+)) mice, infected orally, galectin-3 was highly expressed in the leukocytes infiltrating the intestines, liver, lungs, and brain. Compared with gal3(+/+), infected gal3(−/−) mice developed reduced inflammatory response in all of these organs but the lungs. Brain of gal3(−/−) mice displayed a significantly reduced number of infiltrating monocytes/macrophages and CD8(+) cells and a higher parasite burden. Furthermore, gal3(−/−) mice mounted a higher Th1-polarized response and had comparable survival rates on peroral T. gondii infection, even though they were more susceptible to intraperitoneal infection. Interestingly, splenic cells and purified CD11c(+) dendritic cells from gal3(−/−) mice produced higher amounts of interleukin-12 than cells from gal3(+/+) mice, possibly explaining the higher Th1 response verified in the gal3(−/−) mice. We conclude that galectin-3 exerts an important role in innate immunity, including not only a pro-inflammatory effect but also a regulatory role on dendritic cells, capable of interfering in the adaptive immune response

Characterization of antennal sensilla, larvae morphology and olfactory genes of Melipona scutellaris stingless bee

There is growing evidence in the literature suggesting that caste differentiation in the stingless bee, Melipona scutellaris, and other bees in the genus Melipona, is triggered by environmental signals, particularly a primer pheromone. With the proper amount of food and a chemical stimulus, 25% of females emerge as queens, in agreement with a long-standing "two loci/two alleles model" proposed in the 1950s. We surmised that these larvae must be equipped with an olfactory system for reception of these chemical signals. Here we describe for the first time the diversity of antennal sensilla in adults and the morphology of larvae of M. scutellaris. Having found evidence for putative olfactory sensilla in larvae, we next asked whether olfactory proteins were expressed in larvae. Since the molecular basis of M. scutellaris is still unknown, we cloned olfactory genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSP) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) using M. scutellaris cDNA template and primers designed on the basis CSPs and OBPs previously reported from the European honeybee, Apis mellifera. We cloned two CSP and two OBP genes and then attempted to express the proteins encoded by these genes. With a recombinant OBP, MscuOBP8, and a combinatorial single-chain variable fragment antibody library, we generated anti-MscuOBP8 monoclonal antibody. By immunohistochemistry we demonstrated that the anti-MscuOBP8 binds specifically to the MscuOBP8. Next, we found evidence that MscuOBP8 is expressed in M. scutellaris larvae and it is located in the mandibular region, thus further supporting the hypothesis of olfactory function in immature stages. Lastly, molecular modeling suggests that MscuOBP8 may function as a carrier of primer pheromones or other ligands

Differential regulation of atrial contraction by P1 and P2 purinoceptors in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats

In the normotensive rat atrium, adenosine-5'-triphosphate and uridine-5'-triphosphate exert a biphasic effect consisting of an initial negative inotropic effect (NIE) followed by a subsequent positive inotropic effect (PIE). We comparatively studied these responses in normotensive Wistar rats (NWRs) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Compared with NWRs, the NIE responses in the atria were lower and the PIE responses were higher in SHRs. the P1 purinoceptor antagonist, D 8-cyclopentyl-1,3- dipropylxanthine, partially blocked the NIE responses of both ATP and UTP and mildly enhanced the PIE responses in both NWRs and SHRs. Furthermore, the P2 purinoceptor blockers suramin and pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid tetrasodium salt induced a pronounced block of the PIE responses in both atria types. the PIE responses to ATP were inhibited more efficiently by nifedipine. These responses were depressed by ryanodine and, to a lesser extent, carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone in SHR atria compared with NWR atria. the higher responses in SHR rats suggest the existence of an augmented endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store and faster mitochondrial Ca2+ cycling in SHR atria compared with NWR atria. These data support the hypothesis that a dysfunction of purinergic neurotransmission and enhanced sympathetic activity are contributing factors in the pathogenesis of hypertension.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Autonoma Madrid, Inst Teofilo Hernando, Madrid, SpainFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Pharmacol, BR-04044020 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc