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Introduction: dental caries is an infectious disease of multifactorial character and for its great impact on modern society, is regarded today as a public health problem. Objective: this paper aims to present concepts about the caries disease, its focus, the influence of tooth decay in people's self-esteem, its immunological and microbiological factors, as well as the promotion of its prevention. Method: the sutudy was done through a bibliographical review. Results and Discussion: various aspects raised during this study shows that, despite being widely studied and they had been postulated since 1960 on the caries disease, it is still necessary to work greater for its incidence decrease, mainly in poorer countries and regions. This article is a completely bibliographical research and seeks to bring to the odontology scholars, a tool for the study of the knowledge of dental caries. Conclusion: knowledge about caries is important for the dental planning of its treatment, which will help students, dental surgeons and other members of the community, in the search for the prevention of this pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immunity in the mammary gland can be, as in other systems, classified in innate or adaptive immunity. The innate immunity is the predominant defense during the initial periods of infection. The non-specifics answers are present or are quickly activated in the infection's site by numerous stimulations, and these answers are not enhanced by repeated exposure to the same agent. The first obstacle to be faced by the agent is the barrier represented by the teat sphincter and the keratin plug. When the pathogenic agent crosses the teat canal and reaches the teat cistern, starts to act the humoral factors and the phagocytic cells starts do act. Among the humoral mediators there are the lactoperoxidase, complement, cytokines, lactoferrin, lysozyme and NAGase. The non-specific cellular defenses are represented by neutrophils, macrophages and natural killer cells. If these mechanisms have been functioning adequately, the majority of pathogens will be eliminated in a short time, before the specific immune system be activated. The fast elimination of the microorganisms will not allow these alterations in the amount or quality of produced milk. The best understanding of the defense mechanisms of the mammary gland and its alterations during the critical periods of infection, is an useful tool in devising and developing methods to control the mastitis, the major illness of dairy ruminants. This paper overviewed the most important aspects of the innate immunity of bovine mammary gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to review Human Histocompatibility Antigens (HLA) structure and function, its detection methods, nomenclature and pathogenic mechanisms associated with pregnancy physiology and obstetrics diseases. Immunological equilibrium between mother and con ceptus is indispensable for the maintenance of pregnancy. Molecules from the HLA — mainly HLA-G expressed in the mother-fetus interface — fulfill an important function in maternal immune tolerance, contributing to avoid fetal rejection and obste-trical complications. In addition, HL4 influences different stages of fetal development, such as embryonic cleavage, trophoblast, formation and implantation. For this review, were surveyed in the MEDLINE and LILACS databases, using the following keywords: "HLA antigens", "pregnancy", "embryonic development ", "pregnancy complication ", "abortion, habitual", "pre-eclampsia". Knowledge of the HL4 role in pregnancy is necessary to improve pregnancy management and autoimmune obstetrical illnesses, by allowing early interventions and specific therapeutics to reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]