Angiosperm pollen grains from the Cuayuca Formation (Late Eocene to Early Oligocene), Puebla, Mexico

Systematic descriptions and illustrations of the best preserved angiosperm pollen grains (Monocotyledonae or Liliopsida: n= 7 and Dicotyledonae or Magnoliopsida: n= 41) recovered from Cuayuca Formation (late Eocene-early Oligocene), Puebla State, Mexico are provided, some of them of chronostratigraphic importance (Aglaoreidia pristina, Armeria, Bombacacidites, Corsinipollenites, Eucommia, Favitricolporites, Intratriporopollenites, Lymingtonia, Magnaperiporites, Malvacipollis spinulosa, Margocolporites aff. vanwijhei, Momipites coryloides, Momipites tenuipolus, Mutisiapollis, Ranunculacidites operculatus, and Thomsonipollis sabinetownensis). Taxa identified from the Cuayuca Formation suggest local semiarid vegetation such as tropical deciduous forest, chaparral, grassland, and arid tropical scrub, in which angiosperms are one of the main representatives. Nevertheless, temperate taxa from Pinus forest and cloud forest were also registered from regional vegetation. It is noticeable that at the present time, such taxa are well represented in the vegetation of the Balsas River Basin, which would suggest the existence of this type of flora in the Cuayuca region since the Oligocene.Fil: Ramirez Arriaga, Elia. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Instituto de Geología. Departamento de Paleontología; MéxicoFil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Martínez Hernández, Enrique. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Instituto de Geología. Departamento de Paleontología; Méxic

First palynologic record of the Cretaceous La Yesera Formation (Salta Group), northwestern Argentina

Thirty-four taxa were documented from six palynologically productive samples of the La Yesera Formation (Brealito and Don Bartolo Members) in the Pucará locality (Salta Province, northwestern Argentina). In the Brealito Member, aquatic species (mainly freshwater algae) dominate the palynofl ora, while terrestrial species are represented by trilete spores (mainly Anemiaceae) and gymnosperm pollen grains. In the Don Bartolo Member, Classopollis spp. dominate most of the assemblages, trilete Anemiaceae spores constitute half of the total counts in one of the assemblages and a unique angiosperm species (Tricolpites variabilis) was found in two assemblages. Ephedra-type pollen grains (three genera and six species) appear in both members, although in low abundance. The results support previous sedimentology studies that indicate a perennial lake environment at the time of deposition of the Brealito Member, with evidence for dry seasonality in the Don Bartolo Member. The inferred regional paleoclimate is subtropical with arid conditions. Considering the stratigraphic ranges of selected species and the sedimentology data, an Albian/Cenomanian age is suggested for the unit.Trinta e quatro táxons foram registrados a partir de seis amostras palinológicas provenientes da Formação La Yesera (membros Brealito e Don Bartolo), na localidade Pucará, Província de Salta, noroeste da Argentina. No Membro Brealito, predominam as espécies aquáticas, principalmente de algas de água doce; as espécies terrestres estão representadas por esporos triletes, principalmente de Anemiaceae e por grãos de pólen de gimnospermas. No Membro Don Bartolo, os grãos de pólen Classopollis spp. dominam a maioria das assembleias, embora numa das amostras, metade das contagens totais é constituída por esporos triletes de Anemiaceae e, uma única espécie de angiospermas (Tricolpites variabilis) foi encontrada em duas assembleias. Grãos de pólen do tipo Ephedra, com três gêneros e seis espécies, aparecem em baixa abundância em ambos os membros. Estes resultados corroboram estudos sedimentológicos anteriores e indicam ambiente lacustre perene, no momento da deposição do Membro Brealito, com evidência de sazonalidade seca para a Membro Don Bartolo. O paleoclima regional inferido é subtropical árido. Considerando os intervalos estratigráfi cos de espécies selecionadas e os dados sedimentológicos, é sugerida idade Albiano/Cenomaniano para a unidade estudada.Fil: Narvaez, Paula Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Sabino García, Ignacio Federico. Tecpetrol S. A.; Argentin

Methodology for predicting oily mixture properties in the mathematical modeling of molecular distillation

A methodology for predicting the thermodynamic and transport properties of a multi-component oily mixture, in which the different mixture components are grouped into a small number of pseudo components is shown. This prediction of properties is used in the mathematical modeling of molecular distillation, which consists of a system of differential equations in partial derivatives, according to the principles of the Transport Phenomena and is solved by an implicit finite difference method using a computer code. The mathematical model was validated with experimental data, specifically the molecular distillation of a deodorizer distillate (DD) of sunflower oil. The results obtained were satisfactory, with errors less than 10% with respect to the experimental data in a temperature range in which it is possible to apply the proposed method.Fil: Gayol, Maria Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Tecnología Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Pramparo, Maria del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Tecnología Química; ArgentinaFil: Miro Erdmann, Silvia M.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentin

The ASD Living Biology: from cell proliferation to clinical phenotype.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has captured the attention of scientists, clinicians and the lay public because of its uncertain origins and striking and unexplained clinical heterogeneity. Here we review genetic, genomic, cellular, postmortem, animal model, and cell model evidence that shows ASD begins in the womb. This evidence leads to a new theory that ASD is a multistage, progressive disorder of brain development, spanning nearly all of prenatal life. ASD can begin as early as the 1st and 2nd trimester with disruption of cell proliferation and differentiation. It continues with disruption of neural migration, laminar disorganization, altered neuron maturation and neurite outgrowth, disruption of synaptogenesis and reduced neural network functioning. Among the most commonly reported high-confidence ASD (hcASD) genes, 94% express during prenatal life and affect these fetal processes in neocortex, amygdala, hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum. A majority of hcASD genes are pleiotropic, and affect proliferation/differentiation and/or synapse development. Proliferation and subsequent fetal stages can also be disrupted by maternal immune activation in the 1st trimester. Commonly implicated pathways, PI3K/AKT and RAS/ERK, are also pleiotropic and affect multiple fetal processes from proliferation through synapse and neural functional development. In different ASD individuals, variation in how and when these pleiotropic pathways are dysregulated, will lead to different, even opposing effects, producing prenatal as well as later neural and clinical heterogeneity. Thus, the pathogenesis of ASD is not set at one point in time and does not reside in one process, but rather is a cascade of prenatal pathogenic processes in the vast majority of ASD toddlers. Despite this new knowledge and theory that ASD biology begins in the womb, current research methods have not provided individualized information: What are the fetal processes and early-age molecular and cellular differences that underlie ASD in each individual child? Without such individualized knowledge, rapid advances in biological-based diagnostic, prognostic, and precision medicine treatments cannot occur. Missing, therefore, is what we call ASD Living Biology. This is a conceptual and paradigm shift towards a focus on the abnormal prenatal processes underlying ASD within each living individual. The concept emphasizes the specific need for foundational knowledge of a living child's development from abnormal prenatal beginnings to early clinical stages. The ASD Living Biology paradigm seeks this knowledge by linking genetic and in vitro prenatal molecular, cellular and neural measurements with in vivo post-natal molecular, neural and clinical presentation and progression in each ASD child. We review the first such study, which confirms the multistage fetal nature of ASD and provides the first in vitro fetal-stage explanation for in vivo early brain overgrowth. Within-child ASD Living Biology is a novel research concept we coin here that advocates the integration of in vitro prenatal and in vivo early post-natal information to generate individualized and group-level explanations, clinically useful prognoses, and precision medicine approaches that are truly beneficial for the individual infant and toddler with ASD

Large-scale associations between the leukocyte transcriptome and BOLD responses to speech differ in autism early language outcome subtypes.

Heterogeneity in early language development in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is clinically important and may reflect neurobiologically distinct subtypes. Here, we identified a large-scale association between multiple coordinated blood leukocyte gene coexpression modules and the multivariate functional neuroimaging (fMRI) response to speech. Gene coexpression modules associated with the multivariate fMRI response to speech were different for all pairwise comparisons between typically developing toddlers and toddlers with ASD and poor versus good early language outcome. Associated coexpression modules were enriched in genes that are broadly expressed in the brain and many other tissues. These coexpression modules were also enriched in ASD-associated, prenatal, human-specific, and language-relevant genes. This work highlights distinctive neurobiology in ASD subtypes with different early language outcomes that is present well before such outcomes are known. Associations between neuroimaging measures and gene expression levels in blood leukocytes may offer a unique in vivo window into identifying brain-relevant molecular mechanisms in ASD

Non-marine Cretaceous palynomorph biostratigraphy of Argentina: A brief summary

摘 要: 通过总结已发表的含有孢粉的地质体的资料, 评价了阿根廷白垩纪的孢粉地层序列。在阿根廷由北向南 的 7 个白垩纪盆地中确立了正式与非正式的生物带框架。这些盆地从北至南分别是: 萨尔塔群盆地, 圣路易斯盆 地, 内乌肯盆地, 南方盆地, 德赛多地块盆地, 圣豪尔赫湾盆地, 泛安第巴塔戈尼亚盆地。阿根廷早白垩世的孢粉 组合相对被人熟知, 但描述和讨论晚白垩世的微古植物群的文献则很少。在凡兰吟期至阿普特期的所有孢粉植物 群中, 松柏类裸子植物的花粉组合 Cyclusphaera-Balmeiopsis-Classopollis 占主导。Celyphus rallus（丝状蓝菌）与 Cyclusphaera 一起出现, 但是在巴列姆期时, 它们在整个巴塔戈尼亚盆地全部消失。早期被子植物的花粉化石是阿 普特期和更年轻地层的重要标志 , 它们已被用于定义孢粉化石带。在阿根廷与山龙眼科的首现相当的 Peninsulapollis gillii 是出现于所有晚坎潘期至马斯特里赫特期的孢粉组合中的少数物种之一, 有时也与 Grapnelispora loncochensis 一起出现。这些物种的出现可能是一个孢粉化石带的标志。本文提供了孢粉化石带和 白垩纪主要地层单位的初步对比表。An evaluation of the Cretaceous palynostratigraphy of Argentina has been undertaken, by reviewing published data of the geological units with palynomorphs. Formal and informal biozonation schemes were compiled from seven Cretaceous Argentinean basins presented from north to south: the Salta Group Basin, San Luis Basin, Neuquen Basin, Austral Basin, Deseado Massif, San Jorge Gulf Basin, and extra-andean Patagonia. The Early Cretaceous palynological associations are relatively well-known in Argentina; however there is sparse published literature describing and discussing Late Cretaceous miofloras. The association of gymnosperm pollen grains, with conifer affinity Cyclusphaera-Balmeiopsis-Classopollis dominates in all the palynofloras from the Valanginian to the Aptian. Celyphus rallus (filamentous cyanobacteria) appears together with Cyclusphaera but disappears in the Barremian in all the Patagonian basins. Pollen grains belonging to basal angiosperms are important stratigraphic markers in Aptian sediments and younger, and have been used to define palynozones. Peninsulapollis gillii which corresponds to the first record of the Proteaceae family in Argentina is one of the few species, which occurs in all the late Campanian−Maastrichtian associations, sometimes together with Grapnelispora loncochensis. Their presence could be indicative of a provisional palynozone. A preliminary correlation chart of the palynozones is presented together with a chart of the main Cretaceous stratigraphic units.Fil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentin

Study of a torus bioreactor for the enzymatic elimination of phenol

Phenols are priority pollutants that are commonly found in a large number of industrial wastewaters. Different processes are currently available for the elimination of phenol from wastewater but present some disadvantages like low efficiency, high energy-consumption, the necessity of acclimatisation of the sludges or the limitation of the treatment capacity. The need to find alternatives has made the enzymatic processes a good option. In the last two decades, several processes were implemented with different enzymes from plants and microorganisms, including peroxidases from several sources, as the horseradish peroxidase.Also, different enzyme configurations, free or immobilised enzyme and different supports for immobilisation have been studied. Substantial attention has been devoted to the covalent immobilisation of enzymes on porous insoluble supports such as glass, alumina, silica, and chitosan.The main novelty of this work is the utilisation of a torus reactor for the removal of organic contaminants from wastewaters. This reactor, which can be considered as a loop reactor, presents some advantages over other stirred tank reactors.The goal of this work is the study of the hydrodynamics of a torus reactor for its further application in the enzymatic elimination of phenol and the coupling of the kinetics and the modelisation.In a first step, the enzymatic elimination of phenol was experimentally studied in the torus reactor. In order to compare the performances, several assays were also carried out with a stirred reactor. A high degree of conversion was obtained for the enzymatic elimination of phenol in both reactors with the tested quantities of phenol. It was concluded that, keeping a ratio of 1:1 between the phenol and the H2O2 initial molar quantities, the highest final reaction conversion was obtained. Using the torus reactor was obtained 97% of phenol conversion when the optimal concentrations of substrates were usedIn order to improve economically the process, the enzyme should be used in a continuous regime over a long time period to exploit it completely. For this reason it was necessary to immobilise the enzyme. This work presents a new configuration that has never been tested: the horseradish peroxidase supported on Eupergit.In a second step, the characterisation using the CFD of the flow-field in a torus reactor of 100 ml, similar to the experimental reactor, was carried out for two different configurations, batch and continuous operating modes. Moreover, the scale-up of the volume of the torus reactor was carried out using CFD for a 300 ml reactor.Finally, the enzymatic reaction of phenol with the HRP was modelled using the CFD coupled to the kinetic model of the enzymatic reaction to the flow simulation. These results allowed the possibility of optimising and scaling-up the process using the CFD modelisation.Los compuestos fenólicos son contaminantes prioritarios que se encuentran comúnmente en una gran cantidad de efluentes industriales. Diferentes procesos están disponibles actualmente para la eliminación de fenol desde dicho efluentes pero los mismos presentan algunas desventajas como pueden ser una baja eficiencia, un mayor consumo de energía, la producción de lodos conteniendo hierro o limitaciones en la capacidad de tratamiento. La necesidad de encontrar alternativas a estos problemas ha hecho del proceso enzimático una buena opción. En las últimas dos décadas, varios procesos han sido implementados utilizando diferentes enzimas extraídas de plantas y microorganismos como pueden ser las peroxidasas de diversas fuentes, incluyendo la horseradish peroxidasa.Diferentes configuraciones de enzimas, libre e inmovilizada y diferentes soportes para la inmovilización han sido también estudiados. Sustancial atención ha sido dedicada a la inmovilización de enzimas por enlace covalente sobre soportes porosos insolubles tales como vidrio, aluminio, sílice y chitosan. El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de la hidrodinámica dentro de un reactor tórico para su posterior aplicación en la eliminación enzimática de fenol y el acople entre las cinéticas y la modelización.En una primera etapa, la eliminación enzimática de fenol es estudiada experimentalmente en el reactor tórico. Con el objetivo de comparar el rendimiento de dicho reactor, varios ensayos se realizaron en un reactor agitado tradicional. Un alto grado de conversión de fenol ha sido obtenido para la eliminación enzimática de fenol en ambos reactores para las cantidades estudiadas de fenol. Ha sido observado que es necesario mantener una relación de 1:1 entre la concentración inicial de fenol y la de peróxido de hidrógeno para lograr la mayor conversión de fenol. Usando el reactor tórico ha sido obtenido un 97% de conversión de fenol cuando las concentraciones óptimas de substratos y enzimas fueron utilizados. Con el objetivo de mejorar económicamente el proceso y hacerlo factible para su uso a escala industrial, la enzima debería ser utilizada en un proceso en continuo sobre un largo período de tiempo para explotarla completamente. Por esta razón, ha sido necesario inmovilizar la enzima. Este trabajo muestra una nueva configuración que no ha sido aún probada: la horseradish peroxidase soportada en Eupergit. Asimismo, la caracterización usando CFD del campo de flujo de un reactor tórico similar al experimental de 100 ml ha sido realizada para un reactor trabajando de forma batch y continua. Un escalado en el volumen del reactor tórico ha sido realizado utilizando CFD para un reactor de 300 ml. Finalmente, la reacción enzimática de fenol con HRP has sido modelada acoplando el modelo cinético obtenido experimentalmente con las simulaciones del campo de flujo dentro del reactor. Estos resultados permitirán la optimización y el escalado del proceso usando CFD

Use of Native Microorganisms as an Alternative for Biological Removal of Organic Matter in Wastewater from the Pharmaceutical Industry

The impact of non-domestic wastewater (nDWW) on water bodies every day is increased, considering the different pollutants that are entering and these are not regulated, also that the effects of these are not known in the ecosystems. In the case of the pharmaceutical industry, the various products they generate can contribute from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics (NSAIDs), antihypertensives, hormones, antibiotics, among others; they are being detected in surface waters and it is necessary to create strategies to improve treatment systems and thus reduce their effects on water systems. In this work, the native microorganisms from nDWW of the pharmaceutical industry were used to evaluate their ability to influence the removal of organic matter, working in mixed culture, where it was evidenced that in a 24 hours they could remove 45.82 % of the organic matter measured by the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and at 48 hours 90.59 % removal. The above shows that the use of microorganisms can contribute to the reduction of COD and pollutants in an effective, environmentally friendly and, more efficient way than conventional methods. Besides, the qualities of tolerance to four NSAIDs by 16 morphotypes are evidenced, and how they can be profiled in the future to be potentialized and reach the mineralization of these emerging pharmaceutical pollutants

Angiosperm association from the Río Turbio Formation (Eocene–?Oligocene) Santa Cruz, Argentina: revision of Hünicken’s (1955) fossil leaves collection

The Río Turbio Formation (Eocene–?Oligocene) is of particular paleobotanical interest owing to its combination of high fossil plant diversity associated with the coexistence of warm-temperate and cool-temperate components. As the first suite of fossils related to a documented stratigraphic section, Hünicken’s fossil plant collection is one of the most important from the Paleogene of South America. A total of 34 angiosperm species from the collection were reviewed and taxonomically updated, with Nothofagus as the dominant genus. The taxa identified indicate a warm and humid climate with the development of some elements of a cool-temperate climate marked by a transitional climate change to cooler conditions. The comparison of angiosperms from different paleofloras from the southernmost of South America confirms that the assemblage of Río Turbio Formation was similar to that of the Río Pichileufú area, both from Patagonia, Argentina.Fil: Vento, Barbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Pramparo, Mercedes Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales; Argentin