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To identify DNA of the main tick-borne pathogens in dogs from Recife (Brazil), polymerase chain reactions were carried out on blood samples of dogs treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco from March 2007 to June 2008. The detection of DNA was performed using specific primers. Amplicons were analyzed through electrophoresis and sequencing. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the UPGMA method, revealing that the sequences were closely related to those of strains from other geographic regions. Among the 205 blood samples analyzed, 48.78% was positive for Anaplasma platys; 38.04% was positive for Ehrlichia canis; 7.31% was positive for Babesia canis vogeli; and 0.49% was positive for Hepatozoon canis and Mycoplasma haemocanis. Coinfection of two or three pathogens was found in 23.9% (49/205) of the dogs. The subspecies B. canis vogeli was identified. Infection by H. canis and M. haemocanis is reported for the first time in dogs in the state of Pernambuco (Brazil). The data indicate that the main tick-borne pathogens in dogs in this region are E. canis and/or A. platys, followed by B. canis vogeli.

In future power systems, in the smart grid and microgrids operation paradigms, consumers can be seen as an energy resource with decentralized and autonomous decisions in the energy management. It is expected that each consumer will manage not only the loads, but also small generation units, heat-ing systems, storage systems, and electric vehicles. Each consumer can participate in different demand response events promoted by system operators or aggregation entities. This paper proposes an innovative method to manage the appliances on a house during a demand response event. The main contribution of this work is to include time constraints in resources management, and the context evaluation in order to ensure the required comfort levels. The dynamic resources management methodology allows a better resources' management in a demand response event, mainly the ones of long duration, by changing the priorities of loads during the event. A case study with two scenarios is presented considering a demand response with 30 min duration, and another with 240 min (4 h). In both simulations, the demand response event proposes the power consumption reduction during the event. A total of 18 loads are used, including real and virtual ones, controlled by the presented house management system.

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In the present study, a nested-PCR system, targeting the TbD1 region, involving the performance of conventional PCR followed by real-time PCR, was developed to detect Mycobacterium bovis in bovine/bubaline tissue homogenates. The sensitivity and specificity of the reactions were assessed with DNA samples extracted from tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria, as well as other actinomycetales species and DNA samples extracted directly from bovine and bubaline tissue homogenates. In terms of analytical sensitivity, the DNA of M. bovis AN5 was detected up to 1.56 ng with conventional PCR, 97.6 pg with real-time PCR, and 1.53 pg with nested-PCR in the reaction mixture. The nested-PCR exhibited 100% analytical specificity for M. bovis when tested with the DNA of reference strains of environmental mycobacteria and closely-related Actinomycetales. A clinical sensitivity value of 76.0% was detected with tissue samples from animals that exhibited positive results in the comparative intradermal tuberculin test (CITT), as well as from those with lesions compatible with tuberculosis (LCT) that rendered positive cultures. A clinical specificity value of 100% was detected with tissue samples from animals with CITT- results, with no visible lesions (NVL) and negative cultures. No significant differences were found between the nested-PCR and culture in terms of detecting CITT+ animals with LCT or with NVL. No significant differences were recorded in the detection of CITT- animals with NVL. However, nested-PCR detected a significantly higher number of positive animals than the culture in the group of animals exhibiting LCT with no previous records of CITT. The use of the nested-PCR assay to detect M. bovis in tissue homogenates provided a rapid diagnosis of bovine and bubaline tuberculosis.

This paper presents a new methodology for the creation and management of coalitions in Electricity Markets. This approach is tested using the multi-agent market simulator MASCEM, taking advantage of its ability to provide the means to model and simulate VPP (Virtual Power Producers). VPPs are repre-sented as coalitions of agents, with the capability of negotiating both in the market, and internally, with their members, in order to combine and manage their individual specific characteristics and goals, with the strategy and objectives of the VPP itself.The new features include the development of particular individual facilitators to manage the communications amongst the members of each coalition independently from the rest of the simulation, and also the mechanisms for the classification of the agents that are candidates to join the coalition.In addition, a global study on the results of the Iberian Electricity Market is performed, to compare and analyze different approaches for defining consistent and adequate strategies to integrate into the agents of MASCEM. This, combined with the application of learning and prediction techniques provide the agents with the ability to learn and adapt themselves, by adjusting their actions to the continued evolving states of the world they are playing in.K e y w o r d s :