The fourteen books of Palladius Rutilius Taurus Æmilianus, on agriculture,

Mode of access: Internet.

Palladius on husbondrie : from the unique MS. of about 1420 A.D. in Colchester Castle /

Mode of access: Internet.

Scriptores rei rusticae veteres latini Cato, Varro, Columella, Palladius quibus nunc accedit Vegetius De mulomedicina et Gargilii Martialis fragmentum cum editionibus prope omnibus et mss. pluribus collati. Adjectae notae virorum clariss. integrae tum editae tum ineditae et lexicon rei rusticae curante Io. Matthia Gesnero ...

Gesner's edition (1735) rev. by J. A. Ernesti.

Síntese, caracterização e investigação da atividade biológica de complexos de cobre e paládio contendo ligantes N,S doadores

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Síntese e caracterização de estruturas supramoleculares organizadas a partir de sistemas de paládio(II)/ácidos dicarboxílicos/ligantes lineares nitrogenados

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Novas alternativas quimioterápicas para o tratamento do câncer através de compostos organometálicos de paládio

O câncer, manifestação originada pelo crescimento descontrolado de células, afeta milhões de indivíduos. Os macrófagos são as primeiras células a serem ativadas para participar de uma resposta imunológica propriamente dita, são células capazes de secretar mais de cem produtos biologicamente ativos, entre esses, espécies reativas de nitrogênio e citocinas que atuam no contexto da resposta imunológica e/ou inflamatória. Sabendo que compostos de paládio (II) podem apresentar potenciais atividades antitumorais, neste trabalho foram testado os compostos de fórmula geral PdI2 (tdmPz) e Pd (SCN)2 (tdmPz), quanto a atividade anti-inflamatória e antitumoral. Como droga padrão das reações realizadas foi utilizada a cisplatina. Foi determinada a ação destes compostos frente ao sistema imunológico através, de ensaios de determinação de índice de citotoxicidade mediano (IC50) pela técnica de MTT, óxido nítrico (NO) e determinação das citocinas pró-inflamatórias TNF- e IL-12. Além disso, foi determinada a atividade antitumoral dos compostos frente à célula tumoral de Ehrlich. Os resultados não mostraram produção de NO e das citocinas IL-12 e TNF- pelos macrófagos peritoneais de animais normais e animais portadores do tumor de Ehrlich na sua forma sólida. No que se referem à atividade tóxica dos compostos testados, estes mostraram efeito citotóxico sobre os macrófagos e sobre a linhagem tumoral testada. Sendo assim mesmo não havendo a produção de mediadores próinflamatórios, os compostos apresentaram uma considerável citotoxicidade frente às células tumorais de Ehrlich e macrófagos peritoneais

Palladii Rutilii Tauri Aemiliani viri inlustris Opus agriculturae /

Includes footnotes.

A magia em um texto técnico agronômico da antiguidade romana: o 'Opus agriculturae', de Paládio

This work analyses the chapter 35, book I, of the agricultural treatise Opus agriculturæ, written by Rutilius Taurus Aemilianus Palladius (V C.E.). In that chapter the author presents some recipes, called remedia, to protect the farm and the garden against weeds and weather phenomena, as blight and fogs. The magical practices are identified according to both the fundamental principles of magic (similarity, contiguity, contrariety), which rule magical thought, and some elements of magical symbology. As the author seems not to distinguish magic and science, for he brings together both kinds of recipes, the analysis of some remedia emphasizes a specific study on the materials and substances employed in those recipes and their value in Science today. This leads to the discussions of how magical thought works, what are the limits (if they actually exist) between Magic and Science and between Magic and Religion. This work covers the subjects above and it has the following pourposes: demonstrate the characteristics that authorize the remedia described by Palladius to be classified as folk magic; identify the relations between this kind of practice with more complex forms of magic, as with religion, with science; demonstrate the contribution of the folk magic in ancient Rome farming for the formulation of more apropriated criteria of evaluating magic in comparison to religious and scientific thought.

Les agronomes latins : Caton, Varron, Columelle, Palladius : avec la traduction en français /

Texto a dos col.

A comparison of the excretion rate of endogenous purine derivatives in the urine of Bos indicus and Bos taurus steers

Estimates of microbial crude protein (MCP) production by ruminants, using a method based on the excretion of purine derivatives in urine, require an estimate of the excretion of endogenous purine derivatives (PD) by the animal. Current methods allocate a single value to all cattle. An experiment was carried out to compare the endogenous PD excretion in Bos taurus and high-content B. indicus (hereafter, B. indicus) cattle. Five Holstein–Friesian (B. taurus) and 5 Brahman (> 75% B. indicus) steers (mean liveweight 326 ± 3.0 kg) were used in a fasting study. Steers were fed a low-quality buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris; 59.4 g crude protein/kg dry matter) hay at estimated maintenance requirements for 19 days, after which hay intake was incrementally reduced for 2 days and the steers were fasted for 7 days. The excretion of PD in urine was measured daily for the last 6 days of the fasting period and the mean represented the daily endogenous PD excretion. Excretion of endogenous PD in the urine of B. indicus steers was less than half that of the B. taurus steers (190 µmol/kg W0.75.day v. 414 µmol/kg W0.75.day; combined s.e. 37.2 µmol/kg W0.75.day; P < 0.001). It was concluded that the use of a single value for endogenous PD excretion is inappropriate for use in MCP estimations and that subspecies-specific values would improve precision.

Identification of genes involved with tick infestation in Bos taurus and Bos indicus

Tick resistant cattle could provide a potentially sustainable and environmentally sound method of controlling cattle ticks. Advances in genomics and the availability of the bovine genome sequence open up opportunities to identify useful and selectable genes controlling cattle tick resistance. Using quantitative real-time PCR and the Affymetrix bovine array platform, differences in gene expression of skin biopsies from tick resistant Bos indicus (Brahman) and tick susceptible Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian) cattle following tick challenge were examined. We identified 138 significant differentially-expressed genes, including several immunological/host defence genes, extracellular matrix proteins, and transcription factors as well as genes involved in lipid metabolism. Three key pathways, represented by genes differentially expressed in resistant Brahmans, were identified; the development of the cell-mediated immune response, structural integrity of the dermis and intracellular Ca 2+ levels. Ca2+, which is implicated in host responses to microbial stimuli, may be required for the enhancement or fine-tuning of transcriptional activation of Ca2+- dependant host defence signalling pathways. Animal Genomics for Animal Health International Symposium, Paris, October 2007: (Proceedings)

Gene expression in the skin of Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle infested with the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus (formerly Boophilus microplus) is responsible for severe production losses to the cattle industry worldwide. It has long been known that different breeds of cattle can resist tick infestation to varying degrees; however, the mechanisms by which resistant cattle prevent heavy infestation are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether gene expression varied significantly between skin sampling sites (neck, chest and tail region), and whether changes in gene expression could be detected in samples taken at tick attachment sites (tick attached to skin sample) compared with samples taken from non-attachment sites (no tick attachment). We present here the results of an experiment examining the expression of a panel of forty-four genes in skin sections taken from Bos indicus (Brahman) cattle of known high resistance, and Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian) cattle of known low resistance to the cattle tick. The forty-four genes chosen for this study included genes known to be involved in several immune processes, some structural genes, and some genes previously suggested to be of importance in tick resistance by other researchers. The expression of fifteen gene transcripts increased significantly in Holstein-Friesian skin samples at tick attachment sites. The higher expression of many genes involved in innate inflammatory processes in the Holstein-Friesian animals at tick attachment sites suggests this breed is exhibiting a non-directed pathological response to infestation. Of the forty-four genes analysed, no transcripts were detected in higher abundance at tick attachment sites in the Brahman cattle compared with similar samples from the Holstein-Friesian group, nor difference between attachment site and non-attachment site samples within the Brahman group. The results presented here suggest that the means by which these two cattle breeds respond to tick infestation differ and warrant further investigation.

Regrouping unfamiliar animals in the weeks prior to slaughter has few effects on physiology and meat quality in Bos taurus feedlot steers

The response of cattle to alterations in social groupings can lead to physiological changes that affect meat quality. Feedlot practices frequently lead to a proportion of cattle in a pen being drafted for slaughter with the balance retained for a further period until they meet market specifications. An ability to regroup such retained cattle for short periods without consequences for meat quality would facilitate efficient use of feedlot pen space. The current experiment examined the impact on physiological variables and meat quality of regrouped British breed steers 4, 2 or 1 week before dispatch for slaughter. There was little effect of regrouping cattle on physiological variables associated with stress responses. Physical assessment of meat quality indicated that regrouping steers 1 week before slaughter led to higher compression and a tendency for higher peak force values in animals from one genotype than in their respective controls (1.89 v. 1.71 ± 0.05 kg, P = 0.017); however, these assessments were not matched by changes in sensory perception of meat quality. Average daily gain during feedlot finishing was negatively related to the temperament measure and flight time. It was also associated with breed, white cell count, plasma cortisol and haemoglobin at the midpoint of the 70-day finishing period. The results confirm the impact of flight time on growth rate during feedlot finishing and that regrouping cattle less than 2 weeks before slaughter may reduce meat quality.

Local immune response against larvae of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in Bos taurus indicus and Bos taurus taurus cattle.

Bos taurus indicus cattle are less susceptible to infestation with Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus than Bos taurus taurus cattle but the immunological basis of this difference is not understood. We compared the dynamics of leukocyte infiltrations (T cell subsets, B cells, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-expressing cells, granulocytes) in the skin near the mouthparts of larvae of R. microplus in B. t. indicus and B. t. taurus cattle. Previously naïve cattle were infested with 50,000 larvae (B. t. indicus) or 10,000 larvae (B. t. taurus) weekly for 6 weeks. One week after the last infestation all of the animals were infested with 20,000 larvae of R. microplus. Skin punch biopsies were taken from all animals on the day before the primary infestation and from sites of larval attachment on the day after the first, second, fourth and final infestations. Infiltrations with CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and [gamma][delta] T cells followed the same pattern in both breeds, showing relatively little change during the first four weekly infestations, followed by substantial increases at 7 weeks post-primary infestation. There was a tendency for more of all cell types except granulocytes to be observed in the skin of B. t. indicus cattle but the differences between the two breeds were consistently significant only for [gamma][delta] T cells. Granulocyte infiltrations increased more rapidly from the day after infestation and were higher in B. t. taurus cattle than in B. t. indicus. Granulocytes and MHC class II-expressing cells infiltrated the areas closest to the mouthparts of larvae. A large volume of granulocyte antigens was seen in the gut of attached, feeding larvae.

Effect of sorghum ergot (Claviceps africana) on the performance of steers (Bos taurus) in a feedlot.

The effect of ergot (Claviceps africana) in naturally infected sorghum was assessed in feedlot rations. Thirty-two Hereford steers (Bos taurus) in individual pens with access to shade were adapted to feedlot conditions and then offered one of four rations containing 0, 4.4, 8.8 or 17.6 mg/kg of ergot alkaloids (84% dihydroergosine, 10% dihydroelymoclavine and 6% festuclavine), equivalent to ~0, 10, 20 or 40 g/kg ergot (sclerotia/sphacelia) in the rations. These rations were withdrawn at noon on the second day because of severe hyperthermia and almost complete feed refusal in ergot-fed steers. After recovery on ergot-free rations for 5 days, treatment groups were incrementally introduced, over a further 3–12 days, to rations containing 0, 1.1, 2.2 or 4.4 mg/kg of alkaloids (~0, 2.5, 5 or 10 g/kg ergot, respectively). Relative exposure to ergot was maintained, so that the zero- (control), low-, medium- and high-ergot groups remained so. Steers were individually fed ad libitum, and water was freely available. Steers in all ergot-fed groups had significantly elevated rectal temperatures at 0800–1000 hours, even when the temperature–humidity index was only moderate (~70), and displayed other signs of hyperthermia (increased respiration rate, mouth breathing, excessive salivation and urination), as the temperature–humidity index increased to 73–79 during the day. Plasma prolactin was significantly reduced in ergot-fed groups. Voluntary feed intakes (liveweight basis) of the ergot-fed groups were significantly reduced, averaging 94, 86 and 86%, respectively, of the feed intakes of the control group. Hair coats were rough. While the control steers grew from a mean initial liveweight of 275 kg to a suitable slaughter weight of 455 kg in 17 weeks (growth rate 1.45 kg/day), ergot-fed groups gained only 0.77–1.10 kg/day and took at least 5 weeks longer to reach the slaughter weight, despite removal of ergot at the same time as control steers were sent to slaughter. Sorghum ergot, even at low concentrations (1.1 mg alkaloids/kg feed) is severely detrimental to the performance of steers in the feedlot.