Plants causing poisoning outbreaks of livestock in South America: A review.

This paper reviews toxic plants for livestock in South America. We included 219 plants in this review, considering only the plants that caused at least one demonstrated outbreak of poisoning. Plants reported as toxic in other regions and present in South America, but with no confirmed outbreaks of poisoning in this region, are not included. We report the main aspects of the epidemiology, clinical signs, pathology and economical importance of the poisonings. Initially, the toxic plants are described based on their toxic compounds, but because the toxic compound is unknown in 92 (42%) of the plants we also classify them according to the affected system. This review highlights the great diversity of toxic plants capable of affecting livestock in South America, and for this reason studies in this regard should be intensified.

Social metabolism and material flow analysis applied to waste management: A study case of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Waste Management in megacities is one of the most relevant issues around the world due to its environmental impacts and economic costs. In this work, we evaluate the application of the theoretical-methodological framework provided by Social Metabolism and Material Flow Analysis to analyze the Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (Argentina). The quantitative results evidence that 46% of the city's waste was disposed of in landfills outside its geographical limits, transferring environmental costs to the population on the outskirts of the city and other administrative jurisdictions. The city recycled the other 54% of the waste using different strategies like green centers for recyclable domestic waste (operated by 5500 registered Urban Recyclers/waste pickers recover), a Plant for treatment of pruning activities waste, a Plant for the treatment of construction and demolition waste, and a Mechanical-Biological Treatment Plant. Also in the city work, approximately 5000 informal waste pickers contributing to recycling waste. The approach shows the importance of the inclusion of waste pickers in the formal recycling system, and the failures of costly and inefficient large-scale technologies, as the Mechanical-Biological Treatment Plant. Also, the application of Social Metabolism and MFA allowed a characterization of the flows and processes that make up Municipal Solid Waste management in the area of study, despite the lack of systematized quantitative information. It facilitates a holistic visualization of waste management in the city for decision-makers.

Identification and quantification of main anthropogenic stocks and flows of potassium in Brazil.

Potassium (K), along with nitrogen and phosphorus, is an essential resource to ensure agricultural productivity and, therefore, food security around the world. However, diminishing physical reserves of potash salts and high-price volatility of potassium chloride, the main source of K to agricultural soils, has raised concerns about a K scarcity scenario, mainly in countries that depend on fertilizer imports to sustain its production. In this context, Brazil is one of the main agricultural producers in the world, having a major role in the global K flows, since the country sustains its production by a high consumption of imported K fertilizers. In order to seek opportunities to contribute to a more sustainable management of K resources, tools such as the material flow analysis (MFA) can be used to highlight the main K stocks and flows in a country scale, and identify options for reuse and recycle. This study proposed a MFA of K for Brazil, considering the base-year 2013. A total of forty-four flows and seven stocks were identified and quantified considering nine main processes related to human activity. According to the results, for the year of study, the main inputs of K in Brazil were in the form of fertilizers (4.1 × 103 Gg of K per year), and the main outputs were in the form of grain exports (9.1 × 102 Gg of K per year). Agricultural soils were the main stock for K in the country, and from the total flow of 7.3 × 103 Gg of K per year applied to soils, 67% came out as agricultural products, 13% was lost through erosion and leaching, and 20% remained in the soils. The flow of K actually consumed by the Brazilian population was 3.5 × 102 Gg of K per year, just 8.4% of the total food produced in the country. About 1.9 × 103 Gg of K per year has been lost to the environment in sewage streams and solid landfill waste. Prospects for more sustainable K management in the country are identified and discussed.

Human urine fertiliser in the Brazilian semi-arid: Environmental assessment and water-energy-nutrient nexus.

This manuscript aimed to identify the energy demand, and environmental aspects and impacts of crop fertilisation with human urine when compared to using mineral fertilisers. The Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment methods were adopted covering the options from "cradle to grave". The fertilisation with human urine included the collection, storage, transportation, application and field emissions, while the fertilisation with mineral fertilisers included primary production of fertilisers, transportation, application and field emissions. The reference flows were based on the fertilisation of 1 ha of maize with 225 kg of nitrogen, 29 kg of phosphorus and 48 kg of potassium oxide. We analysed the environmental aspects such as nitrogen and phosphorus mass balance, energy demand and water depletion, as well as environmental impacts such as global warming, human toxicity, photochemical ozone formation, acidification, eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, water scarcity and resource depletion. The agricultural fertilisation with full volume of human urine closer to the source presented smaller energy demand and environmental impact indicator values when compared to solid mineral fertiliser, despite the uncertainties. The fertilisation with human urine was more advantageous with transportation distances up to 134 km (energy demand) and 84 km (environmental categories) by truck compared to 1841 km of mineral fertiliser. Ammonia volatilisation control was key to reduce acidification and eutrophication indicator values. When considering additional gains such as the reduction of water demand and wastewater generation from a waterless collection of human urine, the indicator values of environmental aspects and impacts of fertilisation with human urine were smaller than those with mineral fertiliser and reached a break-even point of 193 km (energy demand) and 185 km (environmental categories). The nutrient cycling through resource-based sanitation offers an opportunity to expand sanitation access with smaller environmental impacts and more efficient water-energy-nutrient nexus.

Techniques for prevention and control of poisoning by sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants in ruminants / Técnicas para prevenção e controle da intoxicação em ruminantes por plantas que contém monofluoroacetato de sódio

Monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants cause sudden death associated with exercise in ruminants, and are responsible for significant losses in Brazilian livestock, estimated at 500,000 bovine deaths annually. Most of the times, the control and treatment of this type of poisoning are not efficient, because disease evolution is superacute, usually causing the death of the animal. Due to the difficulty in controlling this intoxication, several studies have suggested alternatives to prevent it, mainly by making animals resistant to the MFA present in these plants or by avoiding their consumption. This literature review addresses the techniques used experimentally to control the poisoning of ruminants by plants containing MFA. The first studies carried out in Brazil demonstrated that goats and sheep that continuously receive non-toxic doses of plant containing MFA show greater resistance to poisoning than untreated animals, and that this resistance can be transmitted by ruminal fluid transfaunation, suggesting that poisoning occurs due to the presence of bacteria that hydrolyze MFA in the rumen. Based on this hypothesis, several MFA-hydrolyzing bacteria were isolated (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobacter sp., Ralstonia sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae, and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). When some of these bacteria were administered intraruminally, they provided the animal with a different level of protection against poisoning. However, it was observed that protection is gradually lost when the bacterium administration is interrupted. Consequently, to obtain more efficient protection, these bacteria should be administered continuously, probably in the form of probiotics. In another assay, MFA was administered to sheep at non-toxic doses to test the hypothesis that this substance could induce the multiplication of bacteria that hydrolyze it in the rumen. There was no increase in resistance to poisoning after administration of MFA; however, no signs of poisoning were observed when animals received trifluoroacetate and no clinical signs were verified when they were challenged with toxic doses of MFA; in contrast, all control animals presented clinical signs. These results suggest that trifluoroacetate induces the proliferation of MFA-degrading bacteria, and can be used in intoxication prophylaxis. The conditioned food aversion technique, using lithium chloride, has been successfully used experimentally to prevent ruminants from ingesting plants that contain MFA. Another alternative tested was the spraying of Amorimia septentrionalis with the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae, which degrades MFA, resulting in decreased concentration of this compound in the plants. In conclusion, several experimental techniques have been proved efficient in the control and prophylaxis of MFA-containing plant poisoning; however, none of these techniques are available commercially. Further experiments, mainly in the field, should be carried out to adapt some of these techniques to the conditions of extensive breeding in the numerous areas where MFA-containing plants occur.(AU)

As plantas que contém monofluoroacetato (MFA) causam morte súbita associada ao exercício em ruminantes, e são responsáveis por grandes perdas na pecuária brasileira, estimadas em 500.000 mortes de bovinos anualmente. O controle e tratamento desse tipo de intoxicação, na maioria das vezes, não apresenta eficiência, visto que a evolução da doença é superaguda, e geralmente ocasiona a morte do animal. Devido à dificuldade no controle dessa intoxicação, diversos estudos sugerem alternativas para preveni-la, principalmente tornando os animais resistentes ao MFA presente nessas plantas ou evitando seu consumo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é fazer uma revisão bibliográfica das técnicas utilizadas experimentalmente para controlar a intoxicação de ruminantes por plantas que contém MFA. Nos primeiros trabalhos realizados no Brasil, foi determinado que caprinos e ovinos que recebem continuadamente doses não tóxicas de planta que contém MFA apresentam maior resistência a intoxicação que animais não tratados e que essa resistência pode ser transmitida por transfaunação de fluído ruminal, sugerindo que a mesma ocorre devido a presença de bactérias que hidrolisam MFA no rúmen. Com base nessa hipótese foram isoladas diversas bactérias que hidrolisam MFA (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobactersp., Ralstoniasp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae e Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). Quando algumas dessas bactérias foram administradas intraruminalmente conferiram diferentes graus de proteção contra a intoxicação. No entanto foi observado que a proteção se perde gradualmente quando se deixa de administrar a(s) bactéria(s). Em consequência, para obter uma proteção mais eficiente essas bactérias deveriam ser administradas continuadamente, provavelmente na forma de probiótico. Em outro ensaio administrou-se MFA a ovinos em doses não tóxicas para testar a hipótese de que esta substância poderia induzir a multiplicação de bactérias que hidrolisam o mesmo no rúmen. Não houve um aumento da resistência a intoxicação após a administração de MFA; no entanto quando foi administrado trifluoroacetato, os animais não desenvolveram nenhum sinal de intoxicação e quando desafiados com doses tóxicas de MFA não apresentaram sinais clínicos, pelo contrário todos os animais controles apresentaram sinais clínicos. Esses resultados sugerem que o trifluoroacetato induz a proliferação de bactérias que degradam MFA e pode ser utilizado para a profilaxia da intoxicação. A técnica da aversão alimentar condicionada, utilizando cloreto de lítio, tem sido empregada experimentalmente, com sucesso, para evitar que ruminantes ingiram plantas que contém MFA. Outra alternativa testada foi a pulverização de Amorimia septentrionalis com a bactéria endofítica Herbaspirullum seropedicae, que degrada MFA, resultando na diminuição da concentração deste composto na planta. Conclui-se que há diversas técnicas que experimentalmente tem demonstrado eficiência no controle e profilaxia das intoxicações por plantas que contém MFA; no entanto, nenhuma dessas técnicas está disponível comercialmente. Futuros experimentos, principalmente, a campo, deverão ser realizados para adaptar alguma(s) dessas técnicas as condições de criação extensiva nas numerosas áreas onde ocorrem plantas que contém MFA.(AU)

Techniques for prevention and control of poisoning by sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants in ruminants / Técnicas para prevenção e controle da intoxicação em ruminantes por plantas que contém monofluoroacetato de sódio

Monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants cause sudden death associated with exercise in ruminants, and are responsible for significant losses in Brazilian livestock, estimated at 500,000 bovine deaths annually. Most of the times, the control and treatment of this type of poisoning are not efficient, because disease evolution is superacute, usually causing the death of the animal. Due to the difficulty in controlling this intoxication, several studies have suggested alternatives to prevent it, mainly by making animals resistant to the MFA present in these plants or by avoiding their consumption. This literature review addresses the techniques used experimentally to control the poisoning of ruminants by plants containing MFA. The first studies carried out in Brazil demonstrated that goats and sheep that continuously receive non-toxic doses of plant containing MFA show greater resistance to poisoning than untreated animals, and that this resistance can be transmitted by ruminal fluid transfaunation, suggesting that poisoning occurs due to the presence of bacteria that hydrolyze MFA in the rumen. Based on this hypothesis, several MFA-hydrolyzing bacteria were isolated (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobacter sp., Ralstonia sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae, and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). When some of these bacteria were administered intraruminally, they provided the animal with a different level of protection against poisoning. However, it was observed that protection is gradually lost when the bacterium administration is interrupted. Consequently, to obtain more efficient protection, these bacteria should be administered continuously, probably in the form of probiotics. In another assay, MFA was administered to sheep at non-toxic doses to test the hypothesis that this substance could induce the multiplication of bacteria that hydrolyze it in the rumen...(AU)

As plantas que contém monofluoroacetato (MFA) causam morte súbita associada ao exercício em ruminantes, e são responsáveis por grandes perdas na pecuária brasileira, estimadas em 500.000 mortes de bovinos anualmente. O controle e tratamento desse tipo de intoxicação, na maioria das vezes, não apresenta eficiência, visto que a evolução da doença é superaguda, e geralmente ocasiona a morte do animal. Devido à dificuldade no controle dessa intoxicação, diversos estudos sugerem alternativas para preveni-la, principalmente tornando os animais resistentes ao MFA presente nessas plantas ou evitando seu consumo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é fazer uma revisão bibliográfica das técnicas utilizadas experimentalmente para controlar a intoxicação de ruminantes por plantas que contém MFA. Nos primeiros trabalhos realizados no Brasil, foi determinado que caprinos e ovinos que recebem continuadamente doses não tóxicas de planta que contém MFA apresentam maior resistência a intoxicação que animais não tratados e que essa resistência pode ser transmitida por transfaunação de fluído ruminal, sugerindo que a mesma ocorre devido a presença de bactérias que hidrolisam MFA no rúmen. Com base nessa hipótese foram isoladas diversas bactérias que hidrolisam MFA (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobactersp., Ralstoniasp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae e Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). Quando algumas dessas bactérias foram administradas intraruminalmente conferiram diferentes graus de proteção contra a intoxicação. No entanto foi observado que a proteção se perde gradualmente quando se deixa de administrar a(s) bactéria(s). Em consequência, para obter uma proteção mais eficiente essas bactérias deveriam ser administradas continuadamente, provavelmente na forma de probiótico...(AU)

Metabolic flux analysis for metabolome data validation of naturally xylose-fermenting yeasts.

BACKGROUND: Efficient xylose fermentation still demands knowledge regarding xylose catabolism. In this study, metabolic flux analysis (MFA) and metabolomics were used to improve our understanding of xylose metabolism. Thus, a stoichiometric model was constructed to simulate the intracellular carbon flux and used to validate the metabolome data collected within xylose catabolic pathways of non-Saccharomyces xylose utilizing yeasts. RESULTS: A metabolic flux model was constructed using xylose fermentation data from yeasts Scheffersomyces stipitis, Spathaspora arborariae, and Spathaspora passalidarum. In total, 39 intracellular metabolic reactions rates were utilized validating the measurements of 11 intracellular metabolites, acquired by mass spectrometry. Among them, 80% of total metabolites were confirmed with a correlation above 90% when compared to the stoichiometric model. Among the intracellular metabolites, fructose-6-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, ribulose-5-phosphate, and malate are validated in the three studied yeasts. However, the metabolites phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate could not be confirmed in any yeast. Finally, the three yeasts had the metabolic fluxes from xylose to ethanol compared. Xylose catabolism occurs at twice-higher flux rates in S. stipitis than S. passalidarum and S. arborariae. Besides, S. passalidarum present 1.5 times high flux rate in the xylose reductase reaction NADH-dependent than other two yeasts. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a novel strategy for metabolome data validation and brought insights about naturally xylose-fermenting yeasts. S. stipitis and S. passalidarum showed respectively three and twice higher flux rates of XR with NADH cofactor, reducing the xylitol production when compared to S. arborariae. Besides then, the higher flux rates directed to pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and glycolysis pathways resulted in better ethanol production in S. stipitis and S. passalidarum when compared to S. arborariae.

Mapping Salmonella typhimurium pathways using 13C metabolic flux analysis.

In the last years, Salmonella has been extensively studied not only due to its importance as a pathogen, but also as a host to produce pharmaceutical compounds. However, the full exploitation of Salmonella as a platform for bioproduct delivery has been hampered by the lack of information about its metabolism. Genome-scale metabolic models can be valuable tools to delineate metabolic engineering strategies as long as they closely represent the actual metabolism of the target organism. In the present study, a 13C-MFA approach was applied to map the fluxes at the central carbon pathways of S. typhimurium LT2 growing at glucose-limited chemostat cultures. The experiments were carried out in a 2L bioreactor, using defined medium enriched with 20% 13C-labeled glucose. Metabolic flux distributions in central carbon pathways of S. typhimurium LT2 were estimated using OpenFLUX2 based on the labeling pattern of biomass protein hydrolysates together with biomass composition. The results suggested that pentose phosphate is used to catabolize glucose, with minor fluxes through glycolysis. In silico simulations, using Optflux and pFBA as simulation method, allowed to study the performance of the genome-scale metabolic model. In general, the accuracy of in silico simulations was improved by the superimposition of estimated intracellular fluxes to the existing genome-scale metabolic model, showing a better fitting to the experimental extracellular fluxes, whereas the intracellular fluxes of pentose phosphate and anaplerotic reactions were poorly described.

Techniques for prevention and control of poisoning by sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants in ruminants

ABSTRACT: Monofluoroacetate (MFA)-containing plants cause sudden death associated with exercise in ruminants, and are responsible for significant losses in Brazilian livestock, estimated at 500,000 bovine deaths annually. Most of the times, the control and treatment of this type of poisoning are not efficient, because disease evolution is superacute, usually causing the death of the animal. Due to the difficulty in controlling this intoxication, several studies have suggested alternatives to prevent it, mainly by making animals resistant to the MFA present in these plants or by avoiding their consumption. This literature review addresses the techniques used experimentally to control the poisoning of ruminants by plants containing MFA. The first studies carried out in Brazil demonstrated that goats and sheep that continuously receive non-toxic doses of plant containing MFA show greater resistance to poisoning than untreated animals, and that this resistance can be transmitted by ruminal fluid transfaunation, suggesting that poisoning occurs due to the presence of bacteria that hydrolyze MFA in the rumen. Based on this hypothesis, several MFA-hydrolyzing bacteria were isolated (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobacter sp., Ralstonia sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae, and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). When some of these bacteria were administered intraruminally, they provided the animal with a different level of protection against poisoning. However, it was observed that protection is gradually lost when the bacterium administration is interrupted. Consequently, to obtain more efficient protection, these bacteria should be administered continuously, probably in the form of probiotics. In another assay, MFA was administered to sheep at non-toxic doses to test the hypothesis that this substance could induce the multiplication of bacteria that hydrolyze it in the rumen. There was no increase in resistance to poisoning after administration of MFA; however, no signs of poisoning were observed when animals received trifluoroacetate and no clinical signs were verified when they were challenged with toxic doses of MFA; in contrast, all control animals presented clinical signs. These results suggest that trifluoroacetate induces the proliferation of MFA-degrading bacteria, and can be used in intoxication prophylaxis. The conditioned food aversion technique, using lithium chloride, has been successfully used experimentally to prevent ruminants from ingesting plants that contain MFA. Another alternative tested was the spraying of Amorimia septentrionalis with the endophytic bacterium Herbaspirillum seropedicae, which degrades MFA, resulting in decreased concentration of this compound in the plants. In conclusion, several experimental techniques have been proved efficient in the control and prophylaxis of MFA-containing plant poisoning; however, none of these techniques are available commercially. Further experiments, mainly in the field, should be carried out to adapt some of these techniques to the conditions of extensive breeding in the numerous areas where MFA-containing plants occur.

RESUMO: As plantas que contém monofluoroacetato (MFA) causam morte súbita associada ao exercício em ruminantes, e são responsáveis por grandes perdas na pecuária brasileira, estimadas em 500.000 mortes de bovinos anualmente. O controle e tratamento desse tipo de intoxicação, na maioria das vezes, não apresenta eficiência, visto que a evolução da doença é superaguda, e geralmente ocasiona a morte do animal. Devido à dificuldade no controle dessa intoxicação, diversos estudos sugerem alternativas para preveni-la, principalmente tornando os animais resistentes ao MFA presente nessas plantas ou evitando seu consumo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é fazer uma revisão bibliográfica das técnicas utilizadas experimentalmente para controlar a intoxicação de ruminantes por plantas que contém MFA. Nos primeiros trabalhos realizados no Brasil, foi determinado que caprinos e ovinos que recebem continuadamente doses não tóxicas de planta que contém MFA apresentam maior resistência a intoxicação que animais não tratados e que essa resistência pode ser transmitida por transfaunação de fluído ruminal, sugerindo que a mesma ocorre devido a presença de bactérias que hidrolisam MFA no rúmen. Com base nessa hipótese foram isoladas diversas bactérias que hidrolisam MFA (Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Ancylobactersp., Ralstoniasp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Pigmentiphaga kullae e Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus). Quando algumas dessas bactérias foram administradas intraruminalmente conferiram diferentes graus de proteção contra a intoxicação. No entanto foi observado que a proteção se perde gradualmente quando se deixa de administrar a(s) bactéria(s). Em consequência, para obter uma proteção mais eficiente essas bactérias deveriam ser administradas continuadamente, provavelmente na forma de probiótico. Em outro ensaio administrou-se MFA a ovinos em doses não tóxicas para testar a hipótese de que esta substância poderia induzir a multiplicação de bactérias que hidrolisam o mesmo no rúmen. Não houve um aumento da resistência a intoxicação após a administração de MFA; no entanto quando foi administrado trifluoroacetato, os animais não desenvolveram nenhum sinal de intoxicação e quando desafiados com doses tóxicas de MFA não apresentaram sinais clínicos, pelo contrário todos os animais controles apresentaram sinais clínicos. Esses resultados sugerem que o trifluoroacetato induz a proliferação de bactérias que degradam MFA e pode ser utilizado para a profilaxia da intoxicação. A técnica da aversão alimentar condicionada, utilizando cloreto de lítio, tem sido empregada experimentalmente, com sucesso, para evitar que ruminantes ingiram plantas que contém MFA. Outra alternativa testada foi a pulverização de Amorimia septentrionalis com a bactéria endofítica Herbaspirullum seropedicae, que degrada MFA, resultando na diminuição da concentração deste composto na planta. Conclui-se que há diversas técnicas que experimentalmente tem demonstrado eficiência no controle e profilaxia das intoxicações por plantas que contém MFA; no entanto, nenhuma dessas técnicas está disponível comercialmente. Futuros experimentos, principalmente, a campo, deverão ser realizados para adaptar alguma(s) dessas técnicas as condições de criação extensiva nas numerosas áreas onde ocorrem plantas que contém MFA.

Evaluation of resistance to natural poisoning by Amorimia septentrionalis in goats which had received sodium monofluoroacetate degrading bacteria / Avaliação da resistência à intoxicação natural por Amorimia septentrionalis em caprinos que receberam bactérias degradadoras de monofluoroacetato de sódio

Amorimia septentrionalis is an important sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA) containing plant that causes sudden death in ruminants in northeastern Brazil. MFA degrading bacteria are being used in the prevention against poisoning by this plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate if goats which had per os received MFA degrading bacteria remained resistant when exposed to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis. Eighteen goats were randomly distributed into three groups: the goats of Group 1 previously received, during 40 days, a solution containing the bacteria Ralstonia sp. and Burkholderia sp., those goats in the Group 2 received the bacteria Paenibacillus sp. and Cupriavidus sp. and goats from Group 3 did not receive any bacteria. After the administration period, during 60 days, the animals of all groups were released to graze on a one hectare paddock, with significant amount of A. septentrionalis. They were observed daily for the spontaneous consumption of A. septentrionalis leaves and the occurrence of clinical signs of poisoning or sudden death. Goats from all groups consumed significant amounts of A. septentrionalis during the experimental period. Goats that did not receive MFA-degrading bacteria (Group 3) became sick and died from the 25th to the 27th day of the experiment, whereas the goats of the groups that received MFA-degrading bacteria showed only clinical sings when A. septentrionalis regrowth after the 55th day of the experiment. The days elapsed from field observation to death of Group 3 goats (25.5±0.9 days) were significantly lower (p<0.05) than Group 1 (58.6±1.3 days) and Group 2 (57.8±1.5 days). Thus, it can be concluded that administration of MFA degrading bacteria increases the resistance to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis.(AU)

Amorimia septentrionalis que contém monofluoroacetato de sódio (MFA) é responsável pela ocorrência de mortes súbitas em ruminantes no nordeste do Brasil. Bactérias degradadoras desse composto estão sendo utilizadas na prevenção contra a intoxicação por essa planta. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se caprinos que receberam, via oral, bactérias degradadoras de MFA permaneciam resistentes quando expostos a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis. Dezoito caprinos foram divididos em três grupos, os caprinos do Grupo 1 receberam anteriormente, durante 40 dias, uma solução contendo as bactérias Ralstonia sp. e Burkholderia sp., os do Grupo 2 receberam, também por 40 dias as bactérias Paenibacillus sp. e Cupriavidus sp. e os do Grupo 3 não receberam nenhuma bactéria. Após o período de administração, durante 60 dias, os animais de todos os grupos foram soltos para pastar em um piquete de um hectare, que apresentava uma quantidade significativa da planta. Diariamente eles foram observados quanto ao consumo espontâneo das folhas de A. septentrionalis e quanto à presença de sinais clínicos de intoxicação ou morte. Os caprinos de todos os grupos consumiram quantidades significantes da planta durante o período experimental. Os caprinos que não receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 3) adoeceram e morreram entre o 25º e o 27º dia de experimento, enquanto que os que receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 1 e 2) só apresentaram sinais clínicos no 55º dia de experimento, o que coincidiu com a rebrota da planta. Os dias transcorridos desde a observação a campo até a morte dos caprinos do Grupo 3 (25,5±0,9 dias) foram significativamente menores (p<0,05) que os do Grupo 1 (58,6±1,3 dias) e do Grupo 2 (57,8±1,5 dias). Com isso pode-se concluir que a administração de bactérias degradadoras de MFA aumenta à resistência a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis.(AU)

Evaluation of resistance to natural poisoning by Amorimia septentrionalis in goats which had received sodium monofluoroacetate degrading bacteria / Avaliação da resistência à intoxicação natural por Amorimia septentrionalis em caprinos que receberam bactérias degradadoras de monofluoroacetato de sódio

Amorimia septentrionalis is an important sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA) containing plant that causes sudden death in ruminants in northeastern Brazil. MFA degrading bacteria are being used in the prevention against poisoning by this plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate if goats which had per os received MFA degrading bacteria remained resistant when exposed to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis. Eighteen goats were randomly distributed into three groups: the goats of Group 1 previously received, during 40 days, a solution containing the bacteria Ralstonia sp. and Burkholderia sp., those goats in the Group 2 received the bacteria Paenibacillus sp. and Cupriavidus sp. and goats from Group 3 did not receive any bacteria. After the administration period, during 60 days, the animals of all groups were released to graze on a one hectare paddock, with significant amount of A. septentrionalis. They were observed daily for the spontaneous consumption of A. septentrionalis leaves and the occurrence of clinical signs of poisoning or sudden death. Goats from all groups consumed significant amounts of A. septentrionalis during the experimental period. Goats that did not receive MFA-degrading bacteria (Group 3) became sick and died from the 25th to the 27th day of the experiment, whereas the goats of the groups that received MFA-degrading bacteria showed only clinical sings when A. septentrionalis regrowth after the 55th day of the experiment. The days elapsed from field observation to death of Group 3 goats (25.5±0.9 days) were significantly lower (p<0.05) than Group 1 (58.6±1.3 days) and Group 2 (57.8±1.5 days). Thus, it can be concluded that administration of MFA degrading bacteria increases the resistance to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis.(AU)

Amorimia septentrionalis que contém monofluoroacetato de sódio (MFA) é responsável pela ocorrência de mortes súbitas em ruminantes no nordeste do Brasil. Bactérias degradadoras desse composto estão sendo utilizadas na prevenção contra a intoxicação por essa planta. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se caprinos que receberam, via oral, bactérias degradadoras de MFA permaneciam resistentes quando expostos a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis. Dezoito caprinos foram divididos em três grupos, os caprinos do Grupo 1 receberam anteriormente, durante 40 dias, uma solução contendo as bactérias Ralstonia sp. e Burkholderia sp., os do Grupo 2 receberam, também por 40 dias as bactérias Paenibacillus sp. e Cupriavidus sp. e os do Grupo 3 não receberam nenhuma bactéria. Após o período de administração, durante 60 dias, os animais de todos os grupos foram soltos para pastar em um piquete de um hectare, que apresentava uma quantidade significativa da planta. Diariamente eles foram observados quanto ao consumo espontâneo das folhas de A. septentrionalis e quanto à presença de sinais clínicos de intoxicação ou morte. Os caprinos de todos os grupos consumiram quantidades significantes da planta durante o período experimental. Os caprinos que não receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 3) adoeceram e morreram entre o 25º e o 27º dia de experimento, enquanto que os que receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 1 e 2) só apresentaram sinais clínicos no 55º dia de experimento, o que coincidiu com a rebrota da planta. Os dias transcorridos desde a observação a campo até a morte dos caprinos do Grupo 3 (25,5±0,9 dias) foram significativamente menores (p<0,05) que os do Grupo 1 (58,6±1,3 dias) e do Grupo 2 (57,8±1,5 dias). Com isso pode-se concluir que a administração de bactérias degradadoras de MFA aumenta à resistência a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis.(AU)

First principle-based models in plant suspension cell cultures: a review.

In this work, the development and application of published models for describing the behavior of plant cell cultures is reviewed. The structure of each type of model is analyzed and the new tendencies for the modeling of biotechnological processes that can be applied in plant cell cultures are presented. This review is a tool for clarifying the main features that characterize each type of model in the field of plant cell cultures and can be used as a support on the selection of the more suitable model type, taking into account the purpose of specific research.

A Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Method for the Detection and Quantitation of Monofluoroacetate in Plants Toxic to Livestock.

Monofluoroacetate (MFA) is a potent toxin that occurs in over 50 plant species in Africa, Australia, and South America and is responsible for significant livestock deaths in these regions. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the analysis of MFA in plants based on the derivatization of MFA with n-propanol in the presence of sulfuric acid to form propyl fluoroacetate was developed. This method compared favorably to a currently employed high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method for the analysis of MFA in plants. The GC-MS method was applied to the analysis of MFA in herbarium specimens of Fridericia elegans, Niedenzuella stannea, N. multiglandulosa, N. acutifolia, and Aenigmatanthera lasiandra. This is the first report of MFA being detected in F. elegans, N. multiglandulosa, N. acutifolia, and A. lasiandra, some of which have been reported to cause sudden death or that are toxic to livestock.

Resource Use in Small Island States: Material Flows in Iceland and Trinidad and Tobago, 1961-2008.

Iceland and Trinidad and Tobago are small open, high-income island economies with very specific resource-use patterns. This article presents a material flow analysis (MFA) for the two countries covering a time period of nearly five decades. Both countries have a narrow domestic resource base, their economy being largely based on the exploitation of one or two key resources for export production. In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the physical economy is dominated by oil and natural gas extraction and petrochemical industries, whereas Iceland's economy for centuries has been based on fisheries. More recently, abundant hydropower and geothermal heat were the basis for the establishment of large export-oriented metal processing industries, which fully depend on imported raw materials and make use of domestic renewable electricity. Both countries are highly dependent on these natural resources and vulnerable to overexploitation and price developments. We show how the export-oriented industries lead to high and growing levels of per capita material and energy use and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from large amounts of processing wastes and energy consumption in production processes. The example of small open economies with an industrial production system focused on few, but abundant, key resources and of comparatively low complexity provides interesting insights of how resource endowment paired with availability or absence of infrastructure and specific institutional arrangements drives domestic resource-use patterns. This also contributes to a better understanding and interpretation of MFA indicators, such as domestic material consumption.

Fibrose cardíaca associada à intoxicação por Amorimia septentrionalis em bovinos / Cardiac fibrosis associated to the poisoning by Amorimia septentrionalis in cattle

Amorimia septentrionalis contém monofluoracetato de sódio e quando consumida por ruminantes provoca morte súbita. Este estudo teve o objetivo de relatar a epidemiologia, os sinais clínicos e patológicos de surtos de morte súbita em bovinos provocadas por Amorimia septentrionalis nos Estados de Pernambuco e Paraíba. Para isso, realizaram-se visitas técnicas em diversas propriedades nas Microrregiões do Médio Capibaribe/PE e Itabaiana/PB. Oito bovinos foram necropsiados. Coletaram-se tecidos das cavidades abdominal e torácica, além do encéfalo e medula espinhal. As alterações clínicas consistiram em lentidão, decúbito esternal prolongado, relutância em se movimentar quando em estação, cansaço, taquipneia, taquicardia e pulso venoso positivo. Os bovinos que foram forçados a se movimentar apresentaram instabilidade, tremores musculares e queda repentina seguida de vocalizações, movimentos de pedalagem e morte súbita em cerca de 5 a 7 minutos. As principais alterações macroscópicas consistiram em edema pulmonar, coração com aspecto globular com áreas esbranquiçadas, petéquias e equimoses no epicárdio, miocárdio e músculos papilares. À microscopia observou-se aumento da eosinofilia do citoplasma dos cardiomiócitos, núcleos picnóticos, cariorrexia, cariólise, perda das estriações, edema intersticial, infiltrado inflamatório intersticial mononuclear e áreas multifocais de fibrose cardíaca. Nos rins, constatou-se degeneração hidrópico vacuolar e necrose das células epiteliais em túbulos contorcidos. Os sinais clínicos foram semelhantes aos sinais clínicos já descritos em bovinos por plantas que contém MFA. As lesões macro e microscópicas descritas no coração e rins são de grande valor diagnóstico. A. septentrionalis é a principal planta tóxica de interesse pecuário nas microrregiões do Médio Capibaribe e Itabaiana devido às perdas econômicas diretas e indiretas que provoca na pecuária dessas regiões.

Amorimia (Mascagnia) septentrionalis contains sodium monofluoracetate and when consumed by ruminants cause outbreaks of sudden death. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology, clinical and pathological signs of outbreaks of sudden deaths in cattle caused by A. septentrionalis in the states of Pernambuco and Paraíba. For this, technical visits where made on various properties in the regions of Médio Capibaribe/PE and Itabaiana/PB. Eight cattle were necropsied. Tissues were collected from abdominal and thoracic cavities, besides brain and spinal cord. The clinical changes consisted in apathy, prolonged sternal recumbency, reluctance to move, fatigue, tachypnea, tachycardia and positive venous pulse. The animals that were forced to move showed instability, muscular tremors and then a single fall followed by vocalizations, paddling and death in 5-7 minutes. Macroscopic changes consisted in pulmonary edema, globular heart with whitish areas, petechiae and ecchymosis in the epicardium, myocardium and papillary muscles. Microscopically there was an increase of eosinophilia of cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes, picnosis, cariorrexia, karyolysis, loss of striations and multifocal areas of cardiac fibrosis. In the kidney, there was hydropic vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of epithelial cells in convoluted tubules. The clinical signs presented by the cattle poisoned were similar to those previously described by plants containing MFA. The macroscopic and microscopic lesions described in the heart and kidneys are of great diagnostic value. A septentrionalis is the main toxic plant of livestock interests in the studied regions due to direct and indirect economic losses in livestock that causes.

Fibrose cardíaca associada à intoxicação por Amorimia septentrionalis em bovinos / Cardiac fibrosis associated to the poisoning by Amorimia septentrionalis in cattle

Amorimia septentrionalis contém monofluoracetato de sódio e quando consumida por ruminantes provoca morte súbita. Este estudo teve o objetivo de relatar a epidemiologia, os sinais clínicos e patológicos de surtos de morte súbita em bovinos provocadas por Amorimia septentrionalis nos Estados de Pernambuco e Paraíba. Para isso, realizaram-se visitas técnicas em diversas propriedades nas Microrregiões do Médio Capibaribe/PE e Itabaiana/PB. Oito bovinos foram necropsiados. Coletaram-se tecidos das cavidades abdominal e torácica, além do encéfalo e medula espinhal. As alterações clínicas consistiram em lentidão, decúbito esternal prolongado, relutância em se movimentar quando em estação, cansaço, taquipneia, taquicardia e pulso venoso positivo. Os bovinos que foram forçados a se movimentar apresentaram instabilidade, tremores musculares e queda repentina seguida de vocalizações, movimentos de pedalagem e morte súbita em cerca de 5 a 7 minutos. As principais alterações macroscópicas consistiram em edema pulmonar, coração com aspecto globular com áreas esbranquiçadas, petéquias e equimoses no epicárdio, miocárdio e músculos papilares. À microscopia observou-se aumento da eosinofilia do citoplasma dos cardiomiócitos, núcleos picnóticos, cariorrexia, cariólise, perda das estriações, edema intersticial, infiltrado inflamatório intersticial mononuclear e áreas multifocais de fibrose cardíaca. Nos rins, constatou-se degeneração hidrópico vacuolar e necrose das células epiteliais em túbulos contorcidos. Os sinais clínicos foram semelhantes aos sinais clínicos já descritos em bovinos por plantas que contém MFA. As lesões macro e microscópicas descritas no coração e rins são de grande valor diagnóstico. A. septentrionalis é a principal planta tóxica de interesse pecuário nas microrregiões do Médio Capibaribe e Itabaiana devido às perdas econômicas diretas e indiretas que provoca na pecuária dessas regiões.(AU)

Amorimia (Mascagnia) septentrionalis contains sodium monofluoracetate and when consumed by ruminants cause outbreaks of sudden death. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology, clinical and pathological signs of outbreaks of sudden deaths in cattle caused by A. septentrionalis in the states of Pernambuco and Paraíba. For this, technical visits where made on various properties in the regions of Médio Capibaribe/PE and Itabaiana/PB. Eight cattle were necropsied. Tissues were collected from abdominal and thoracic cavities, besides brain and spinal cord. The clinical changes consisted in apathy, prolonged sternal recumbency, reluctance to move, fatigue, tachypnea, tachycardia and positive venous pulse. The animals that were forced to move showed instability, muscular tremors and then a single fall followed by vocalizations, paddling and death in 5-7 minutes. Macroscopic changes consisted in pulmonary edema, globular heart with whitish areas, petechiae and ecchymosis in the epicardium, myocardium and papillary muscles. Microscopically there was an increase of eosinophilia of cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes, picnosis, cariorrexia, karyolysis, loss of striations and multifocal areas of cardiac fibrosis. In the kidney, there was hydropic vacuolar degeneration and necrosis of epithelial cells in convoluted tubules. The clinical signs presented by the cattle poisoned were similar to those previously described by plants containing MFA. The macroscopic and microscopic lesions described in the heart and kidneys are of great diagnostic value. A. septentrionalis is the main toxic plant of livestock interests in the studied regions due to direct and indirect economic losses in livestock that causes.(AU)