The Pine Wood Nematode: a personal view

The first report of the disease (“pine wilt disease”) associated with the pinewood nematode, goes back to 1905, when Yano reported an unusual decline of pines from Nagasaki. For a long time thereafter, the cause of he disease was sought, but without success. Because of the large number of insect species that were usually seen around and on infected trees, it had always been assumed that the causal agent would prove to be one of these. However, in 1971, Kiyohara and Tokushike found a nematode of the genus Bursaphelenchus in infected trees. The nematode found was multiplied on fungal culture, inoculated into healthy trees and then re-isolated from the resulting wilted trees. The subsequent published reports were impressive: this Bursaphelenchus species could kill fully-grown trees within a few months in the warmer areas of Japan, and could destroy complete forests of susceptible pine species within a few years. Pinus densiflora, P. thunbergii und P. luchuensis were particularly affected. In 1972, Mamiya and Kiyohara described the new species of nematode extracted from the wood of diseased pines; it was a named Bursaphelenchus lignicolus. Since 1975, the species has spread to the north of Japan, with the exception of the most northerly prefectures. In 1977, the loss of wood in the west of the country reached 80%. Probably as a result of unusually high summer temperatures and reduced rainfall in the years 1978 and 1979, the losses were more than 2 million m3 per year. From the beginning, B. lignicolus was always considered by Japanese scientists to be an exotic pest. But where did it come from? That this nematode could also cause damage in the USA became clear in 1979 when B. lignicolus was isolated in great numbers from wood of a 39 year-old pine tree (Pinus nigra) in Missouri which had suddenly died after the colour of its needles changed to a reddish-brown colour (Dropkin und Foudin, 2 1979). In 1981, B. lignicolus was synonymised by Nickle et al. with B. xylophilus which had been found for the first time in the USA as far back as 1929, and reported by Steiner and Buhrer in 1934. It had originally been named Aphelenchoides xylophilus, the wood-inhabiting Aphelenchoides but was recognised by Nickle, in 1970,to belong in the genus Bursaphelenchus. Its common name in the USA was the "pine wood nematode" (PWN. After its detection in Missouri, it became known that B. xylophilus was widespread throughout the USA and Canada. It occurred there on native species of conifers where, as a rule, it did not show the symptoms of pine wilt disease unless susceptible species were stressed eg., by high temperature. This fact was an illuminating piece of evidence that North America could be the homeland of PWN. Dwinell (1993) later reported the presence of B. xylophilus in Mexico. The main vector of the PWN in Japan was shown to be the long-horned beetle Monochamus alternatus, belonging to the family Cerambycidae. This beetle lays its eggs in dead or dying trees where the developing larvae then feed in the cambium layer. It was already known in Japan in the 19th century but in the 1930s, it was said to be present in most areas of Japan, but was generally uncommon. However, with the spread of the pine wilt disease, and the resulting increase of weakened trees that could act as breeding sites for beetles, the populations of Monochamus spp. increased significantly In North America, other Monochamus species transmit PWN, and the main vector is M. carolinensis. In Japan, there are also other, less efficient vectors in the genus Monochamus. Possibly, all Monochamus species that breed in conifers can transmit the PWN. The occasional transmission by less efficient species of Monochamus or by some of the many other beetle genera in the bark or wood is of little significance. In Europe, M. galloprovincialis and M. sutor transmits the closely related species B. mucronatus. Some speculate that these two insect species are “standing by” and waiting for the arrival of B. xylophilus. In 1982, the nematode was detected and China. It was first found in dead pines near the Zhongshan Monument of Nanjing (CHENG et. al. 1983); 265 trees were then killed by pine wilt disease. Despite great efforts at eradication in China, the nematode spread further and pine wilt disease has been 3 reported from parts of the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Guangdong, Shandong, Zhejiang and Hubei (YANG, 2003). In 1986, the spread of the PWN to Taiwan was discovered and in 1989, the nematode was reported to be present in the Republic of Korea where it had first been detected in Pinus thunbergii and P. densiflora. It was though to have been introduced with packing material from Japan. PWN was advancing. In 1984, B. xylophilus was found in wood chips imported into Finland from the USA and Canada, and this was the impetus to establish phytosanitary measures to prevent any possible spread into Europe. Finland prohibited the import of coniferous wood chips from these sources, and the other Nordic countries soon followed suit. EPPO (the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization) made a recommendation to its member countries in 1986 to refuse wood imports from infested countries. With its Directive of 1989 (77/93 EEC), the European Community (later called the European Union or EU) recognised the potential danger of B. xylophilus for European forests and imposed restrictions on imports into the Europe. PWN was placed on the quarantine list of the EU and also of other European countries. Later, in 1991, a dispensation was allowed by the Commission of the EU(92/13 EEC) for coniferous wood from North America provided that certain specified requirements were fulfilled that would prevent introduction.

Alterações do comportamento em adolescentes: uma abordagem em enfermagem

Com este trabalho pretende-se realçar que os adolescentes passam por determinadas fases ou estádios da sua vida, em que se deparam com determinadas dificuldades ou até mesmo, incapacidades para levar a cabo a realização de determinadas necessidades; e que por isso mesmo, estes momentos podem vir a representar a oportunidade de crescimento da personalidade, mas ao mesmo tempo, o perigo de crescente vulnerabilidade ao distúrbio mental. Este relatório, expressa a preocupação com a problemática, analisa reflexivamente e descreve o trabalho desenvolvido na área da saúde mental e psiquiátrica por um enfermeiro, na Clínica da Juventude ao longo de seis meses, através da implementação do que se preconiza ser um Processo de Cuidados em Enfermagem (i.e., avaliação, diagnóstico, planeamento, intervenção e avaliação final), no acompanhamento de adolescentes com alterações do comportamento. O instrumento usado para avaliação diagnóstica foi a entrevista semiestrutura e semidireccionada, o planeamento e as intervenções variaram de acordo com a individualidade de cada adolescente e as suas necessidades particulares. Os resultados de uma forma geral demonstraram que o acompanhamento dos jovens com alterações do comportamento deve iniciar-se o mais precocemente possível, deve incidir na identificação das principais dificuldades ou necessidades e não nos diagnósticos médicos. O adolescente, deve também, ser abordado o mais holísticamente possível e nos diferentes setores onde se mobiliza. Conclui-se que a intencionalidade terapêutica deve recair no acompanhamento do adolescente, no sentido, de o tornar mais autónomo, capaz de assumir responsabilidades, tomar decisões, que cresça e se transforme num adulto autoconfiante e realizado; ABSTRACT: This work aims to emphasize that teenagers go through certain phases or stages of its life, when faced with certain difficulties and even disabilities to carry out the execution of particular needs, and that therefore, these moments may come to represent the opportunity for growth of personality, but at the same time, the danger of increasing vulnerability to mental disorder. This report expresses concern with the issue, reflective analysis and describes the work in the area of mental health and psychiatric care by a nurse in the Youth Clinic for six months, by implementing what it calls a procedure to be Care Nursing (ie, assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention and final assessment), monitoring of adolescents with behavioral changes. The results generally showed that the monitoring of young people with behavioral changes should be initiated as early as possible, should focus on identifying the main difficulties or needs and not on medical diagnostics. The teen should also be approached holistically as possible and in different sectors where it is mobilized. We conclude that the intention must lie in therapeutic monitoring of the adolescent, in order, making it more autonomous, able to take responsibility, make decisions, to grow and become an adult self-confident and accomplished.

Metformin adsorption onto activated carbons prepared by hydrothermal carbonization and activation

The hydrothermal carbonization can be considered an environmental friendly process for the production of carbon materials with tailored properties, such as regular porous structure and specific surface chemistry. This process is easy to perform and uses mild temperatures without the use of solvents or gases, which results in a positive environmental balance when compared with the usual pyrolysis process [1]. Diabetes affects more than 152 million people in Europe and is on the rise all over the World. Metformin is one of the most used drugs to treat type 2 diabetes. This drug is an endocrine disruptor with a potential negative impact in the environment due to the fact that metformin is almost not metabolized in the human body and the incorrect disposal into the domestic garbage. Another relevant aspect is the danger of overdose intake of the drug that can lead to lactic acidosis, which in extreme cases can be lethal. The work now reported study the in vitro adsorption of metformin onto activated carbons using simulated gastric and intestinal fluids.

O ensino tipo “e-learning”: alguns comentários

The scientific and technological development, has brought the possibility of people having access to a large volume of information, especially via the Internet. However, this information has to be filtered, due to danger of assimilating wrong and unreliable information. The so-called teaching type "e-learning" adopted by some schools, seems to have solved these problems. This paper focuses on some problems associated with the teaching system of "e-learning" and the difficulty to adapt it to certain areas of knowledge. The advantages of the courses in "bi-learning" are presented as well as some of the drawbacks associated with this type of education.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora Mãe dos Homens (Avis): da história e memória do lugar à sua salvaguarda e valorização

A Igreja de Nossa Senhora Mãe dos Homens constituiu-se como o principal centro de romaria e peregrinação do concelho de Avis. No seu auge, nos inícios do século XX, as festividades ocuparam as primeiras páginas de jornais locais e distritais e abarcavam eventos como torneios de futebol, fanfarras, distribuição de enxovais a crianças carenciadas, entre outros, organizados pela Confraria com o mesmo nome, o que espelha a importância do culto. Porém, a construção da barragem do Maranhão, na década de 50 do século XX, veio isolar o local, aumentando as distâncias do mesmo à vila e aldeias mais próximas, diminuindo consequentemente a afluência de peregrinos e colocando o local em perigo do ponto de vista material e imaterial. Neste sentido, é imperativo que seja feito o seu levantamento histórico, arquitetónico, cultural e patrimonial, e que se lancem as bases para uma proposta de salvaguarda do património, em termos materiais e imateriais; Church of Nossa Senhora Mãe dos Homens (Avis): From the history and memory of the place to its safeguarding and enhancement ABSTRACT: The Church of Nossa Senhora Mãe dos Homens was established as the main pilgrimage center of the municipality of Avis. At its peak, in the early twentieth century, its festivities occupied the front pages of local and districtal newspapers and events such as football tournaments, fanfares, distribution of textiles to children in need, among others, were organized by the Confraternity of the same name, which reflects the importance of this investigation. However, the construction of the Dam of Maranhão, in the 50's of the twentieth century, came to isolate the site, increasing the distances to the nearby villages, thereby decreasing the influx of pilgrims and putting the local in danger from a material and immaterial point of view. Therefore, a historical, architectural and cultural survey of this site is imperative, as well as a proposal to the material and immaterial safeguard of this heritage.