The optimisation of legacy water treatment works to produce a more consistent final water quality

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Adaptive responses by mouse early embryos to maternal diet protect fetal growth but predispose to adult onset disease

Poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy can alter postnatal phenotype and increase susceptibility to adult cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that maternal low protein diet (LPD), fed exclusively during mouse preimplantation development, leads to offspring with increased weight from birth, sustained hypertension, and abnormal anxiety-related behavior, especially in females. These adverse outcomes were interrelated with increased perinatal weight being predictive of later adult overweight and hypertension. Embryo transfer experiments revealed that the increase in perinatal weight was induced within blastocysts responding to preimplantation LPD, independent of subsequent maternal environment during later pregnancy. We further identified the embryo-derived visceral yolk sac endoderm (VYSE) as one mediator of this response. VYSE contributes to fetal growth through endocytosis of maternal proteins, mainly via the multiligand megalin (LRP2) receptor and supply of liberated amino acids. Thus, LPD maintained throughout gestation stimulated VYSE nutrient transport capacity and megalin expression in late pregnancy, with enhanced megalin expression evident even when LPD was limited to the preimplantation period. Our results demonstrate that in a nutrient-restricted environment, the preimplantation embryo activates physiological mechanisms of developmental plasticity to stablize conceptus growth and enhance postnatal fitness. However, activation of such responses may also lead to adult excess growth and cardiovascular and behavioral diseases. © 2008 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Small pelagics in a changing ocean : Biological responses of sardine early stages to warming

Small pelagic fishes are known to respond rapidly to changes in ocean climate. In this study, we evaluate the effects of future environmental warming (+2°C) during the early ontogeny of the European sardine, Sardina pilchardus. Warming reduced the survival of 30-day-old larvae by half. Length at hatching increased with temperature as expected, but no significant effect was observed on the length and growth at 30 days post-hatching. Warming did not significantly affect the thermal tolerance of sardine larvae, even though the mean lethal temperature increased by 1°C. In the warm conditions, sardine larvae showed signs of thermal stress, indicated by a pronounced increase in larval metabolism (Q 10 = 7.9) and a 45% increase in the heat shock response. Lipid peroxidation was not significantly affected by the higher temperature, even though the mean value doubled. Warming did not affect the time larvae spent swimming, but decreased by 36% the frequency of prey attacks. Given the key role of these small pelagics in the trophic dynamics off the Western Iberian upwelling ecosystem, the negative effects of warming on the early stages may have important implications for fish recruitment and ecosystem structure.

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Services account for more than 70 percent of GDP in the OECD countries and 50 percent of developing and transition countries. Standardization works to impose common norms on highly differentiated current practice as to availability, provision, and use of services. Some rely on public services, others provide consumer protection or relate to security matters involving liability issues for users and providers alike. Service standards reflect the development of a transnational hybrid authority which exercises a distinct form of market power in the reorganisation of the global capitalist economy towards services.

Uso de imunomoduladores nas enfermidades infecciosas dos animais domésticos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro Anthelmintic effect of Melia azedarach L. and Triclinia claussenii C. against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes

The control of parasitic diseases in small ruminants is mainly done with the use of synthetic anthelmintics. However, incorrect and indiscriminate use of these products has caused the emergence of parasite resistance. Plants with anthelmintic activity are used in folk veterinary medicine, but it is necessary to investigate and scientifically validate low-cost phytotherapeutic alternatives for future use to control gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants by family farmers. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effect of plant extracts from Melia azedarach and Trichilia claussenii by the egg hatch test (EHT) and larval development test (LDT) against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes. The hexane extract of M. azedarach fruits was extracted through cold percolation and the methanol extract of T. claussenii leaves was obtained by extraction at room temperature in solvents in order of increasing polarity. The efficacy results were analyzed using the Probit program of SAS. The M. azedarach extract showed a LC50 of 572.2 mu g/mL and LC99 of 1137.8 mu g/mL in the EHT, and LC50 of 0.7 mu g/mL and LC99 of 60.81 mu g/mL in the LDT. In turn, the T. claussenii extract presented a LC50 of 263.8 mu g/mL and LC99 of 522.5 mu g/mL in the EHTand LC50 of 1.11 mu g/mL and LC99 of 26.4 mu g/mL in the LDT. Comparing the extracts of the species from the Meliaceae family, T. claussenii showed greater anti-parasite potential in vitro than M. azedarach. However, studies on the isolated compounds, toxicity and administration forms to animals are also needed to validate low-cost alternative herbal remedies for use to control gastrointestinal nematodes by family farmers. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Avaliação da função glomerular de cães sadios e nefropatas sob estimulação dopaminérgica

Dopamine is an endogenous compound widely used in intensive care. It has a broad spectrum of action, on the cardiovascular system and urinary tract. Increased glomerular filtration rate, renal blood flow and fractional excretion of sodium and phosphorus are expected renal effects in normal individuals, but are poorly explored in veterinary medicine. This study was conducted to evaluate the glomerular function of dogs with renal disease submitted to continuous infusion of dopamine. Different doses of dopamine were administered in healthy and nephropathic dogs. Laboratory evaluations of creatinine clearance and urinary protein/creatinine ratio were performed during and after treatments. Creatinine clearance showed dose-dependent increase in healthy dogs. In dogs with renal disease, the dose of 1μg/kg/min GFR increased slightly, without changing the urine P/C and blood pressure, while the dose of 3μg/kg/min increased urinary protein excretion.

A diplomacia dos petrodólares: relações do Brasil com o mundo árabe (1973-1985)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Salmonela em carcaça de aves

The genus Salmonella was characterized in 1885. It is divided into two species and six subspecies or subgenera. Belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae is composed of Gram-negative rods, usually producing mobile gas from glucose, except in those serovars S. gallinarum and S. Pullorum. Salmonela is one of the biggest problems in public health for its wide occurrence in humans and in animals, where they occupy the center of the epidemiology of enteric salmonelosis. These are responsible for significant rates of morbidity and mortality. Several outbreaks of food transmitted diseases are described involving meat birds. Sources of salmonela in broiler chicks infected stem, feed and farm environment. Currently, S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium are the two most prevalent serovars. In this context, the sum is increased resistance to antimicrobial drugs is including the latest generation of its indiscriminate use in veterinary medicine. This fact represents risk to human and animal health. New strategies have been adopted by the Brazilian poultry industry to control salmonela in broilers, but the contamination by this pathogen is still present in slaughterhouses putting public health at risk