Summer diet of cattle grazing in lenga forests (Nothofagus pumilio) and flood meadows of Chubut, Argentina

Se determinó la composición de la dieta de verano de bovinos pastoreando en sistemas formados por bosques de Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) y mallines, del noroeste del Chubut. Se estimó la disponibilidad forrajera de los mallines y del sotobosque mediante cortes de biomasa aérea, y se determinó la composición dietaria mediante análisis microhistológico de heces. La dieta está integrada principalmente por especies de gramíneas y graminoides, que disminuyeron su frecuencia al final del verano, mientras que los renovales de lenga y otras especies leñosas la aumentaron. El ganado selecciona gramíneas en ambos períodos, y al final del verano también los renovales de lenga. La ganadería constituye una importante y creciente forma de subsistencia para los pobladores rurales del noroeste del Chubut. Este trabajo aporta elementos para avanzar en la búsqueda de herramientas que permitan la sustentabilidad de los bosques de lenga.Summer diet composition of cattle grazing in systems formed by Nothofagus pumilio forests (lenga) and flood meadows, in Northwest of Chubut, was determined. Forage availability in flood meadows and understory were estimated by cutting aboveground biomass. Cattle diet composition was assessed using faeces microhistological analysis. Diet consisted mainly of Poaceae and Cyperaceae species, which decreased in frequency at the end of summer grazing, on the other hand, frequency of woody species including lenga saplings, increased at the same period. Cattle selected grass species in both periods, and also lenga saplings in the end of summer. Livestock is an important economic activity for the inhabitants of the region. This paper provides information that can be for the elaboration of guideline for sustainable coexistence of forest and cattle.Fil: Quinteros, Claudia P.. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (Chubut, Argentina)Fil: Feijóo, Sandra M.. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Departamento de BiologíaFil: Arias, Nadia S.. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Departamento de BiologíaFil: López Bernal, Pablo M.. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (Chubut, Argentina)Fil: Bava, José O.. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (Chubut, Argentina

Development of a mechanism and an accurate and simple mathematical model for the description of drug release: Application to a relevant example of acetazolamide-controlled release from a bio-inspired elastin-based hydrogel

Producción CientíficaTransversality between mathematical modeling, pharmacology, and materials science is essential in order to achieve controlled-release systems with advanced properties. In this regard, the area of biomaterials provides a platform for the development of depots that are able to achieve controlled release of a drug, whereas pharmacology strives to find new therapeutic molecules and mathematical models have a connecting function, providing a rational understanding by modeling the parameters that influence the release observed. Herein we present a mechanism which, based on reasonable assumptions, explains the experimental data obtained very well. In addition, we have developed a simple and accurate “lumped” kinetics model to correctly fit the experimentally observed drug release behavior. This lumped model allows us to have simple analytic solutions for the mass and rate of drug release as a function of time without limitations of time or mass of drug released, which represents an important step-forward in the area of in vitro drug delivery when compared to the current state of the art in mathematical modeling. As an example, we applied the mechanism and model to the release data for acetazolamide from a recombinant polymer. Both materials were selected because of a need to develop a suitable ophthalmic formulation for the treatment of glaucoma. The in vitro release model proposed herein provides a valuable predictive tool for ensuring product performance and batch-to-batch reproducibility, thus paving the way for the development of further pharmaceutical devices.Este trabajo forma parte de los Proyectos de Investigación financiados por la Comisión Europea a través del Fondo Social Europeo (FSE) y de la Consejería de Educación mediante el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (ERDF), el MINECO (Proyectos MAT2013-41723-R, MAT2013-42473-R, PRI−PIBAR-2011-1403 y MAT2012-38043), la Junta de Castilla y León (Proyectos VA155A12, VA152A12, and VA244U13), el CIBER-BBN y el Instituto de Salud Carlos III mediante el Centro de Medicina Regenerativa y Terapia Celular de Castilla y León

Multiparametric determination of genes and their point mutations for identification of beta-lactamases

More than half of all currently used antibiotics belong to the beta-lactam group, but their clinical effectiveness is severely limited by antibiotic resistance of microorganisms that are the causative agents of infectious diseases. Several mechanisms for the resistance of Enterobacteriaceae have been established, but the main one is the enzymatic hydrolysis of the antibiotic by specific enzymes called beta-lactamases. Beta-lactamases represent a large group of genetically and functionally different enzymes of which extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) pose the greatest threat. Due to the plasmid localization of the encoded genes, the distribution of these enzymes among the pathogens increases every year. Among ESBLs the most widespread and clinically relevant are class A ESBLs of TEM, SHV, and CTX-M types. TEM and SHV type ESBLs are derived from penicillinases TEM-1, TEM-2, and SHV-1 and are characterized by several single amino acid substitutions. The extended spectrum of substrate specificity for CTX-M beta-lactamases is also associated with the emergence of single mutations in the coding genes. The present review describes various molecular-biological methods used to identify determinants of antibiotic resistance. Particular attention is given to the method of hybridization analysis on microarrays, which allows simultaneous multiparametric determination of many genes and point mutations in them. A separate chapter deals with the use of hybridization analysis on microarrays for genotyping of the major clinically significant ESBLs. Specificity of mutation detection by means of hybridization analysis with different detection techniques is compared

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing in clinically relevant non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli: recommendations from the Antimicrobial Agents Subcommittee of the Sociedad Argentina de Bacteriología, Micología y Parasitología Clínicas, Asociación Argentina de Microbiología

En este documento se dan a conocer una serie de recomendaciones para el ensayo, la lectura, la interpretación y el informe de las pruebas de sensibilidad a los antimicrobianos para los bacilos gram negativos no fermentadores (BGNNF) que se aíslan en humanos. Se adoptaron como base las recomendaciones internacionales, las de la Subcomisión de Antimicrobianos de la Sociedad Argentina de Bacteriología, Micología y Parasitología Clínicas y las de un grupo de expertos invitados. Se incluye, además, la nomenclatura actualizada de los BGNNF y la descripción de algunas de sus características individuales, de sus resistencias naturales o habituales a los antimicrobianos de uso clínico y de los mecanismos responsables de tales resistencias. También se indican los agentes antimicrobianos que se deberían ensayar frente a las distintas especies, con la especificación de cuáles deberían ser informados, y su ubicación estratégica en las placas de cultivo para poder detectar los mecanismos de resistencia más frecuentes y relevantes. Por último, se detallan los métodos de detección y de confirmación fenotípica de la presencia de b-lactamasas emergentes en Argentina, como las carbapenemasas clases A y B.This document contains the recommendations for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the clinically relevant non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB), adopted after conforming those from international committees to the experience of the Antimicrobial Agents Subcommittee members and invited experts. This document includes an update on NFGNB classification and description, as well as some specific descriptions regarding natural or frequent antimicrobial resistance and a brief account of associated resistance mechanisms. These recommendations not only suggest the antimicrobial drugs to be evaluated in each case, but also provide an optimization of the disk diffusion layout and a selection of results to be reported. Finally, this document also includes a summary of the different methodological approaches that may be used for detection and confirmation of emerging b-lactamases, such as class A and B carbapenemases.Fil: Radice, Marcela Alejandra. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Marin, Marcelo. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Giovanakis, Marta. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Vay, Carlos.Fil: Almuzara, Marisa.Fil: Limansky, Adriana.Fil: Casellas, José M.. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Famiglietti, Angela. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Quinteros, Mirta. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Bantar, Carlos. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Galas, Marcelo.Fil: Kovensky Pupko, Jaime. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Nicola, Federico. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Pasteran, Fernando. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Soloaga, Rolando. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Gutkind, Gabriel Osvaldo. Asociación Argentina de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentin

Crecimiento de renuevos y expansión de copas en claros del dosel de bosques de Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) en Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina

In the province of Chubut in Patagonia, Argentina, Nothofagus pumilio forests (locally known as lenga), are managed through selective cuts, which imply the opening of canopy gaps. This management scheme is carried out without taking into consideration the sapling requirements changes through neither a cutting cycle nor the precipitation gradient in which these forests thrive. To analyze these changes, we inferred the facilitation-competition balance between the canopy and regeneration studying the effects of precipitation levels, gap size and gap age on saplings growth in height on 45 canopy gaps artificially created between 1960 and 1993. Results shown that during the first 20 years since the gap opening, the regeneration growth is determined by light availability in mesic sites and by water availability in dry sites. However, the difference due to the precipitation levels gradually decreases over time. Moreover, in the period between 20 and 35 years after gap opening, in both mesic and xeric sites, light is the limiting factor to growth. This means that in xeric sites, saplings shift from a water-dependent to a light-dependent growth. The average closing rate of gaps due to lateral growth of trees bordering the gap is high enough so that within the proposed gap size range, the gap healing can occur before regeneration reaches the upper stratum. Consequently, in mesic sites the gap opening can be done by a single operation that generates gaps with diameters of approximately twice the average height of the canopy (D/H). While in xeric environments, lenga seedling establishment and initial growth require the cover of small gaps, but advanced regeneration requires bigger gaps to reach the canopy. For this reason, gaps should be opened in two stages: the first gaps should be opened with a D/H between 0.8 and 1, and after a cutting cycle of 35 years, these openings should be enlarged to a D/H between 1.5 and 2. The close relationship is maintained between the new cohort and the upper strata require special considerations regarding the evolution of the balance between positive and negative interactions during development. Our work highlights the need to adjust management practices to these spatial and temporal variations so as to achieve an optimal growth along the entire production cycle.En la provincia del Chubut, Patagonia Argentina, los bosques de Nothofagus pumilio (lenga) son manejados mediante cortas de selección, que implican la apertura de claros en el dosel. Este esquema de manejo es implementado sin tener en cuenta los requerimientos de los renuevos a lo largo de todo el ciclo de cortas ni el gradiente de precipitaciones presente en su distribución. Para analizar estos aspectos estimamos el balance facilitación-competencia entre el dosel y la regeneración, considerando los efectos de los niveles de precipitación, el tamaño de los claros y la antigüedad de los mismos, en 45 claros creados artificialmente entre los años 1960 y 1993. Los resultados muestran que durante los primeros 20 años desde la apertura del claro, el crecimiento de la regeneración está determinado por la disponibilidad de luz en los sitios mésicos y por la disponibilidad de agua en los sitios xéricos. Sin embargo, la diferencias entre los distintos niveles de precipitación decrece gradualmente a lo largo del tiempo y entre los 20 a 35 años luego de la apertura de los claros, tanto en los sitios mésicos como xéricos el factor limitante es la luz. Esto implica que en los sitios xéricos el crecimiento de los renuevos pasa de ser dependiente del agua a dependiente de la luz. Por otro lado, la tasa de cierre de los claros debida al crecimiento lateral de la copa de los árboles límite es lo suficientemente grande como para que pueda ocurrir el cierre antes de que los renuevos alcancen el estrato superior. Por lo tanto, en los sitios mésicos la apertura de los claros puede realizarse en una única operación que genere claros con un diámetro de aproximadamente el doble de la altura dominante del bosque (D/H ≈ 2). Por el contrario, en los sitios xéricos, el establecimiento y crecimiento inicial de los renuevos requiere la apertura de claros pequeños (D/H entre 0,8 y 1) que luego deberán ser ampliados para maximizar el crecimiento avanzado (D/H entre 1,5 y 2). La estrecha relación entre la regeneración y el dosel del bosque requiere la consideración de los posibles cambios en el balance entre los apsectos positivos y negativos de la misma a lo largo de todo su desarrollo. Nuestro trabajo resalta la necesidad de ajustar las prácticas de manejo a estas variaciones espaciales y temporales para alcanzar un desarrollo óptimo a lo largo del todo el ciclo productivo

IDENTIFICATION OF FATTY ACIDS IN SACHA INCHI OIL (CURSIVE PLUKENETIA VOLUBILIS L.) FROM ECUADOR

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify fatty acids in a sacha inchi oil sample.Methods: Sacha inchi oil was obtained of sacha inchi seeds using the cold pressing method. Fatty acids analysis was carried out using the gas chromatography with a mass selective detector and using the database Library NIST14.L to identify the compounds.Results: Sacha inchi seeds have a high content of unsaturated fatty acids with 34.98% of ɷ6 α- Linoleic and 47.04% of ɷ3 α- Linolenic. Sacha inchi seeds only have 3.98% of palmitic acid.Conclusions: Sacha inchi seed is a good source of fatty acids ɷ3 and ɷ6, being ɷ3 and ɷ6 in a good proportion. Sacha inchi oil can be used to elaborate functional foods

Narrative Review on the Therapeutic Approach to Violence against Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latin America

Violence against women during the pandemic has become a problem that has affected the world and to date has caused the death of many women. Although mental health has shown a growing interest in research, it is still very susceptible to being affected. This research described the scientific literature on the challenges in the psychotherapeutic approach in victims of violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. A narrative review was carried out with a search of documents in the Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases, using descriptors for women, violence against women, COVID-19 and Latin America. As a result, 12 studies were included, which reported that the use of helplines, digital platforms of care and teletherapy were advantageous in several Latin American countries during the pandemic; difficulties were found in the accessibility of care for cases, collapse of telephone lines, technical problems of the system and the need for training for health professionals and service providers. It can be concluded that the coping strategies most used during the pandemic were the help services, through telephone and virtual care; there was difficulty in following up and monitoring the case in the medium and long terms, so further studies could focus on it. The main limitation of this work is methodological, since a number of studies could have been excluded from the searches for not including some of the terms in the search equation

Electroretinography: A biopotential to assess the function / dysfunction of the retina

Fil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Secretaría de Ciencia y Tecnología. Becaria Doctoral; Argentina.Fil: Benedetto, M. M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Maldonado, A. C. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Maldonado, A. C. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Matemática. ; Argentina.Fil: Vera de Payer, E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Contin, M. A. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.The Electroretinography (ERG) is a noninvasive technique that allows the assessment of functional integrity of the retina. The ERG recordings are biopotencials acquired in the corneal surface as a response of retinal tissue against controlled light stimuli. In clinical ophthalmology ERG is not commonly used but nowadays, because of the high incidence of degenerative diseases of the retina (RD), its use should be increased. Like other biopotentials as electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG), ERG is a low amplitude signal, in this case a few hundred of microvolts (µV), which must be fitted and processed. The ERG signals are affected in morphology in the presence of pathologies that affects the integrity of the different retinal cell groups, for example due to some RD. In advanced cases of RD recordings can be abolished in the time domain; and yet in them it is believed that there is relevant clinical information making the ERG a great potential diagnostic tool.http://www.sabi2015.gadib.com.ar/actas/actas.pdfFil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Quinteros Quintana, M. L. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Secretaría de Ciencia y Tecnología. Becaria Doctoral; Argentina.Fil: Benedetto, M. M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Maldonado, A. C. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Maldonado, A. C. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios de Matemática. ; Argentina.Fil: Vera de Payer, E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Contin, M. A. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba; Argentina.Otras Ingeniería Médic