Impact of the Placental Cytokine-Chemokine Balance on Regulation of Cell-Cell Contact-Induced Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Translocation across a Trophoblastic Barrier In Vitro Derrien, Muriel; Faye, Albert; Dolcini, Guillermina Laura; Chaouat, Gérard; Barré Sinoussi, Françoise; Menu, Elisabeth Cells constituting the placental barrier secrete soluble factors that may participate in controlling human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission from the mother to the fetus. In this study, we asked whether placental soluble factors (PSF) could limit cell-cell contact inducing HIV-1 production that occurs after inoculation of HIV-1-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (HIV-1+ PBMCs) onto trophoblast-derived BeWo cells grown as tight and polarized barriers in a two-chamber system. The activity of recombinant chemokines and cytokines expressed by placental tissue and of factors secreted by either early or term placentae of HIV-1-negative women, was analyzed. We identified chemokines (RANTES and MIP-1beta) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-8) that decreased and increased, respectively, viral production in trophoblast barrier cells inoculated with HIV-1+ PBMCs. Unexpectedly, factors secreted by either early or term placentae of HIV-1-negative women enhanced viral production. Nevertheless, the same PSF did not favor infection of trophoblastic barriers with cell-free HIV-1 and strongly reduced viral production in PBMCs infected with cell-free HIV-1. Moreover, PSF contained chemokines (RANTES and MIP-1beta) and a cytokine, leukemia inhibitory factor, exhibiting a strong anti-HIV-1 activity in our model of cell-to-cell infection. Together these data suggested that at the maternal interface the global activity of PSF is related to the synergistic action of several soluble factors with a balance in favor of an enhancing activity on the passage of viruses across the trophoblast barrier. This could explain the presence of viral sequences in trophoblasts in all placentae of HIV-1-infected women.

The effect of different slurry compositions and solvents upon the properties of ZSM5-washcoated cordierite honeycombs for the SCR of NO x with methane Zamaro, Juan Manuel; Ulla, Maria Alicia del H.; Miro, Eduardo Ernesto ZSM5-washcoated monoliths were prepared using different slurry compositions and the following solvents: water, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, butyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, and acetone. The effect of the different solvents on the coating characteristics was studied and two of their properties, viscosity and volatility, were used to analyze the results obtained. The solvents giving rise to high-viscosity slurries - butyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, and acetone - were not effective for the washcoating process. In the case of the other solvents, when viscosity and vapor pressure increased the load obtained was higher, probably due to a combined effect of viscosity and partial evaporation during the blowing step. Water yielded zeolite coatings with the best mechanical stability, measured by ultrasonic test. When water was used as solvent, the zeolite load increased linearly with the square root of viscosity. Finally, an In/HZSM5-coated honeycomb was tested for NOx reduction with methane under excess oxygen. It showed a behavior very similar to that of the powder catalyst, which is one of the main objectives pursued when coating monoliths.

Time’s arrow and irreversibility in time-asymmetric quantum mechanics Castagnino, Mario Alberto G. J.; Gadella, Manuel; Lombardi, Olimpia Iris The aim of this paper is to analyze time‐asymmetric quantum mechanics with respect to the problems of irreversibility and of time’s arrow. We begin with arguing that both problems are conceptually different. Then, we show that, contrary to a common opinion, the theory’s ability to describe irreversible quantum processes is not a consequence of the semigroup evolution laws expressing the non‐time‐reversal invariance of the theory. Finally, we argue that time‐asymmetric quantum mechanics, either in Prigogine’s version or in Bohm’s version, does not solve the problem of the arrow of time because it does not supply a substantial and theoretically founded criterion for distinguishing between the two directions of time.

Las aporías de la democracia recobrada: la construcción del ciudadano en Argentina Cernadas, Mabel Nelida El proceso de democratización en la Argentina de las últimas décadas se produjo en medio de los cambios del contexto internacional y de una crisis intensa y sostenida que han condicionado su consolidación. Conspiran contra el mismo entre otras cuestiones, la erosión del orden estatal, los desajustes económicos, el endeudamiento externo, la desintegración y exclusión social así como también las marcadas tendencias de fragmentación cultural. A todo esto se suma la profunda crisis de legitimidad y representación política. El presente artículo realiza una breve reflexión respecto a los profundos cambios que se advierten en la sociedad argentina en las últimas décadas y la manera que ellos han transformado los ejes en torno a los cuales se articulan la participación y el ejercicio de la ciudadanía, entendidas ambas como prácticas culturales que varían de acuerdo a los contextos en que se insertan. Se repasa la historia de la democracia argentina desde el período de la ilusión democrática, inaugurado en 1983, hasta la crisis que sacudió las instituciones y la vida política del país, prestando especial atención a la participación de los nuevos movimientos sociales.

Sol-gel coatings on carbon steel: Electrochemical evaluation Pepe, Andrés; Galliano, Pablo German; Aparicio, Mario; Duran, Hebe Alicia; Ceré, Silvia Degradation of carbon steel has always been a concern. The use of coatings is especially recommended in aggressive atmospheres at moderate temperatures. Ceramic films can be used to improve the resistance against high temperature oxidation and corrosion of metals. Amid the different options, a sol-gel process provides a low cost, simple and non-hazardous method for processing ceramic coating with controllable composition and microstructure. This work evaluates the electrochemical behaviour of carbon steel coated by sol-gel method. Hybrid organic-inorganic silica sol-gel coatings were obtained by dip coating of planar samples in an organically modified silica sol made from hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetra-orthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxisilane (MTES) by acidic catalysis. Coatings free of defects were obtained at a sintering temperature of 400 °C. The coated samples were inspected by optical and electron microscopy and coating thickness was measured by using a Talystep surface roughness tester. Electrochemical evaluation was made by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization curves. A comparison of the corrosion resistance of the coated metal with the uncoated one is presented. The measurements show the improvement of the corrosion resistance of the coated carbon steel.

The influence of dehydroepiandrosterone on early pregnancy in mice Sander, Valeria Analía; Solano, Maria Emilia; Elia, Evelin Mariel; Luchetti, Carolina Griselda; Di Girolamo, Guillermo; Gonzalez, Claudio; Motta, Alicia Beatriz The aim of the present report was to study the role of high levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on the ovarian function and embryonic resorption during early pregnancy in BALB/c mice. Pregnant animals were injected with DHEA following both the post-implantatory (DHEA-2) and peri-implantatory (DHEA-6) models. Morphological studies of implantation sites showed 40% of embryonic resorption in the DHEA-2 group while 100% of resorption was observed in the DHEA-6 group. Serum samples of both DHEA-2 and DHEA-6 groups showed higher estradiol levels and a lower progesterone concentration than those of control groups. Ovarian prostaglandin E levels after both DHEA-2 and DHEA-6 treatments increased when compared to control groups. The antioxidant metabolite glutathione diminished during both DHEA treatments. In summary, the data presented here suggest that DHEA treatment during early pregnancy modulates the ovarian function and is responsible for embryonic resorption with different degrees depending on when it is administered.

Galaxy groups in the third data release of the sloan digital sky survey Merchan, Manuel Enrique; Zandivarez, Arnaldo Ariel We present a new sample of galaxy groups identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 3. Following previous works, we use the well-tested friends-of-friends algorithm developed by Huchra and Geller, which takes into account the number density variation due to the apparent magnitude limit of the galaxy catalog. To improve the identification, we implement a procedure to avoid the artificial merging of small systems in high-density regions and then apply an iterative method to recompute the group centers position. As a result, we obtain a new catalog with 10,864 galaxy groups with at least four members. The final group sample has a mean redshift of 0.1 and a median velocity dispersion of 230 km s-1.

Development of an electroanalytical method for the quantification of zearalenone (ZEA) in maize samples Ramírez, Eduardo Alejandro; Molina, Patricia Gabriela; Zón, María Alicia; Fernández, Héctor The application of electroanalytical techniques to detect and quantify zearalenone (ZEA) mycotoxin that frequently contaminates maize and foodstuff is studied in this work. Rice and maize grains were inoculated with Fusarium fungus to obtain ZEA in artificially infected samples. The electro-oxidation of ZEA adsorbed on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrodes in 20% acetonitrile (ACN) + 80% 1 M HClO4 (aqueous solution) reaction medium was studied by using square-wave voltammetry (SWV). Studies were conducted to find the most favorable accumulation potential (Eacc) and accumulation time (t acc) to perform the ZEA preconcentration on the electrode surface. It was found that Eacc was any value in the range from 0.00-0.90 V and the best tacc was 120 s, respectively, for ZEA separated from extracting solution by TLC (ZEATLC) while Eacc = 0.90 V corresponded to ZEA in non separated matrix solution (ZEAmatrix). The ZEA quantitative determination was performed by SWV combined with the standard addition method. Linear plots were obtained from the net peak current (I p, n) vs c*ZEA in the concentration range from 20 to 3184 ppb. Detection limit of 30 ppb at a signal to noise ratio of 3:1 was obtained. On the other hand, recovery experiments were performed on uncontaminated maize samples spiked with ZEA.

Cloud point preconcentration prior to capillary zone electrophoresis: Simultaneous determination of platinum and palladium at trace levels Cerutti, Estela Soledad; Silva, María Fernanda; Gasquez, José Antonio; Olsina, Roberto Antonio; Martinez, Luis Dante The incorporation of a cloud point extraction (CPE) step prior to capillary electrophoresis (CE) for simultaneously determining platinum and palladium at sub-μg/L levels is presented and evaluated. The analytes were extracted as 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol complexes, at pH 2.0, mediated by micelles of the nonionic surfactant polyethyleneglycolmono-p-nonylphenyl ether (PONPE 7.5). The separation-determination step was developed from 150 μL of the extracted surfactant-rich phase diluted with 50 μL of acetonitrile (ACN). An exhaustive study of the variables affecting the cloud point extraction with PONPE 7.5 and the CZE step was done. The type and composition of the background electrolytes (BGEs) were investigated with respect to separation selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. A BGE of 50 mM monobasic sodium phosphate containing 30% ACN, pH 4.53 was found to be optimal for the separation of metal chelates. Detection was performed at 576 nm. An enrichment factor of 250 was obtained for the preconcentration of 50 mL of sample solution. The detection limits for the preconcentration of 50 mL of sample were 0.04 μg/L for Pt and 0.08 μg/L for Pd. As an analytical demonstration, ultratrace concentrations of platinum and palladium were conveniently quantitated in spiked water and urine samples. © 2005 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multichannel radiometer calibration: A new approach Diaz, Susana Beatriz; Booth, Charles R.; Armstrong, Roy; Brunat, Claudio; Cabrera, Sergio; Camilion, Carolina; Casiccia, Claudio; Deferrari, Guillermo Alejandro; Fuenzalida, Humberto; Lovengreen, Charlotte; Paladini, Alejandro Alberto; Pedroni, Jorge; Rosales, Alejandro; Zagarese, Horacio Ernesto; Vernet, Maria The error in irradiance measured with Sun-calibrated multichannel radiometers may be large when the solar zenith angle (SZA) increases. This could be particularly detrimental in radiometers installed at mid and high latitudes, where SZAs at noon are larger than 50° during part of the year. When a multi-regressive methodology, including the total ozone column and SZA, was applied in the calculation of the calibration constant, an important improvement was observed. By combining two different equations, an improvement was obtained at almost all the SZAs in the calibration. An independent test that compared the irradiance of a multichannel instrument and a spectroradiometer installed in Ushuaia, Argentina, was used to confirm the results.

NMR Relaxometry analysis of lubricant oils degradation Ballari, Maria de Los Milagros; Bonetto, Fernando Jose; Anoardo, Esteban The present work was undertaken in order to investigate lubricant oil degradation at the molecular level. Ageing effects, as reflected on the proton spin-lattice relaxation rate (T −1 1 ) dispersion, were studied in two different lubricant engine oils. The proton field cycling technique was used to scan relaxation of new and aged samples of monograde and multigrade oils. Relaxation dispersions were interpreted in terms of self-diffusion and molecular rotations. Our study shows that proton T −1 1 could be very sensitive to degradation processes, especially at low Larmor frequencies. The analysis reveals a noticeable sensitivity of the involved correlation times. The pros and cons of the technique are also discussed.

Light-intensity dependence of the steady-state photoconductivity used to estimate the density of states in the gap of intrinsic semiconductors Schmidt, Javier Alejandro; Longeaud, C.; Kleider, J. We present a method to obtain the density of states of photoconductive semiconductors based on the light-intensity dependence of the steadystate photoconductivity. A simple expression—relating the density of states at the electron quasi-Fermi level to measurable quantities—is deduced by performing suitable approximations from the analytical solution of the generalized equations that describe the photoconductivity of semiconductors. The validity of the approximations and the applicability of the final expression are verified from numerical simulations of the process. The usefulness of the method is demonstrated by performing measurements on a standard hydrogenated amorphous silicon sample.

On the a.s. convergence of certain random series to a fractional random field in D'(Rd) Medina, Juan Miguel; Cernuschi Frias, Bruno We prove the almost sure convergence in the sense of Schwartz distributions of certain random series. This result is useful to construct some type of fracional random fields. These series resemble the Karhunen-Loéve expansions.

Dissection of two distinct defense-related responses to agar oligosaccharides in Gracilaria chilensis (Rhodophyta) and Gracilaria conferta (Rhodophyta) Weinberger, Florian; Leonardi, Patricia Ines; Miravalles, Alicia Beatriz; Correa, Juan A.; Lion, Ulrich; Kloareg, Bernard; Potin, Philippe The two agar-producing red algae, Gracilaria chilensis C. J. Bird, McLachlan & E. C. Oliveira and Gracilaria conferta (Schousboe ex Montagne) Montagne, responded with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) release when agar oligosaccharides were added to the medium. In G. conferta, a transient release was observed, followed by a refractory state of 6 h. This response was sensitive to chemical inhibitors of NADPH oxidase, protein kinases, protein phosphatases, and calcium translocation in the cell, whereas it was insensitive to inhibitors of metalloenzymes. Transmission electron microscopic observations of the H2O2-dependent formation of cerium peroxide from cerium chloride indicated oxygen activation at the plasma membrane of G. conferta. A putative system, consisting of a receptor specific to agar oligosaccharides and a plasma membrane-located NADPH oxidase, appears to be responsible for the release of H2O2 in G. conferta. Subcellular examination of G. chilensis showed that the H2O 2 release was located in the cell wall. It was sensitive to inhibitors of metalloenzymes and flavoenzymes, and no refractory state was observed. The release was correlated with accumulation of an aldehyde in the algal medium, suggesting that an agar oligosaccharide oxidase is present in the apoplast of G. chilensis. The presence of this enzyme could also be demonstrated by polyacrylamide electrophoresis under nondenaturating conditions and proven to be variable. Cultivation of G. chilensis at 16 to 17°C resulted in significantly stronger expression of agar oligosaccharide oxidase than cultivation at 12°C, which indicates that the enzyme is used under conditions that generally favor microbial agar macerating activity.

A novel α-conotoxin, PeIA, cloned from Conus pergrandis, discriminates between Rat α9α10 and α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptors McIntosh, J. Michael; Plazas, Paola Viviana; Watkins, Maren; Gomez Casati, Maria Eugenia; Olivera, Baldomero M.; Elgoyhen, Ana Belen The α9 and α10 nicotinic cholinergic subunits assemble to form the receptor believed to mediate synaptic transmission between efferent olivocochlear fibers and hair cells of the cochlea, one of the few examples of postsynaptic function for a non-muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). However, it has been suggested that the expression profile of α9 and α10 overlaps with that of α7 in the cochlea and in sites such as dorsal root ganglion neurons, peripheral blood lymphocytes, developing thymocytes, and skin. We now report the cloning, total synthesis, and characterization of a novel toxin α-conotoxin PeIA that discriminates between α9α10 and α7 nAChRs. This is the first toxin to be identified from Conus pergrandis, a species found in deep waters of the Western Pacific. α-Conotoxin PeIA displayed a 260-fold higher selectivity for α-bungarotoxin-sensitive α9α10 nAChRs compared with α-bungarotoxin-sensitive α7 receptors. The IC50 of the toxin was 6.9 ± 0.5 nM and 4.4 ± 0.5 nM for recombinant α9α10 and wild-type hair cell nAChRs, respectively. α-Conotoxin PeIA bears high resemblance to α-conotoxins MII and GIC isolated from Conus magus and Conus geographus, respectively. However, neither α-conotoxin MII nor α-conotoxin GIC at concentrations of 10 μM blocked acetylcholine responses elicited in Xenopus oocytes injected with the α9 and α10 subunits. Among neuronal non-α-bungarotoxin- sensitive receptors, α-conotoxin PeIA was also active at α3β2 receptors and chimeric α6/α3β2β3 receptors. α-Conotoxin PeIA represents a novel probe to differentiate responses mediated either through α9α10 or α7 nAChRs in those tissues where both receptors are expressed.

Comportamiento de la floración y sistema de apareamiento de los híbridos de algarrobo Cordoba, Ana Andrea; Verga, Aníbal; Mottura, Martín; López Lauenstein, Diego Alejandro; Gailing, Oliver; Finkeldey, Reiner La recuperación de los bosques de algarrobos de Prosopis flexuosa y P. chilensis en la región fitogeográfica del Chaco Árido puede llevarse a cabo, en parte, mediante planes de reforestación y enriquecimiento de bosques. Para ello es necesario conocer la variabilidad existente en las poblaciones locales y sus características particulares en cuanto a fenología, comportamiento reproductivo y descendencia, producción diferencial de frutos y crecimiento, entre otros. Para ello se realizan estudios a campo y desarrollan marcadores moleculares específicos.

Fréchet differentiability of the solutions of a semilinear abstract Cauchy problem Herdman, Terry; Spies, Ruben Daniel Sufficient conditions are found under which the solutions z(t; q) of a semilinear abstract Cauchy problem of the form d/dt z(t) = A(q)z(t) + F(q, t, z(t)) are Fréchet differentiable with respect to the parameter q. An explicit form is provided for the sensitivity equation satisfied by the Fréchet derivative Dqz(t; q).

Changes in the composition of phospholipid fatty acids and sterols of maize root in response to monoterpenes Zunino, María Paula; Zygadlo, Julio Alberto Terpenes are thought to be important in plantYplant interactions because of their phytotoxic action on seed germination and growth. Herein, the effects of five volatile monoterpenes on root sterols and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition have been studied during maize seedling germination. The investigated monoterpenes (camphor, 1Y8 cineole, geraniol, menthol, and thymol) were applied at their respective IC80 (concentration causing 80% inhibition). They quantitatively affected free sterols and PLFA composition, thus producing an increase in the percentage of unsaturated PLFAs, stigmasterol of the free sterol fraction, and saturated steryl ester fatty acids. Alcoholic and nonalcoholic monoterpenes appeared to have different modes of action. The former affected unsaturated fatty acid and stigmasterol to a greater extent, and accordingly they could interfere in seedling growth by changes in the membrane lipids.

Los límites a la democratización política: Las elecciones de 1919 en Corrientes, ¿triunfo conservador o derrota radical? Solís Carnicer, María del Mar Este trabajo describe el proceso electoral llevado a cabo en Corrientes en el año 1919, luego de una larga intervención federal decretada por el presidente Hipólito Yrigoyen que finalizó con el retorno de los conservadores al gobierno de la provincia. Esta elección constituye un interesante objeto de análisis para revisar ciertas cuestiones relativas a la política de la época. Por un lado, marcó el reinicio de la actividad electoral en la provincia, luego de la intervención federal, por otro, fue la primera vez que el partido radical participó en una elección de gobernador en Corrientes y finalmente, los conservadores lograron recuperar al poder, más allá de las condiciones adversas a las que debieron enfrentarse. En el artículo, se reconstruyen las prácticas políticas que entraron en juego, las diferentes visiones sobre la política que tenían las distintas fuerzas actuantes y se pretende analizar las causas de su resolución a la luz de la cultura política predominante. Asimismo, se buscan las interacciones entre las instituciones, los valores y los actores, para explicar el complejo desarrollo de la puesta en práctica de la política del acuerdo, que permitió a los conservadores correntinos presentarse ante el país como verdaderos custodios del conservadurismo y representantes del antiyrigoyenismo.

Gravity wave drag estimation from global analyses using variational data assimilation principles. I: Theory and implementation Pulido, Manuel Arturo; Thuburn, J. A novel technique to estimate gravity wave drag from global-scale analyses is presented. It is based on the principles of four-dimensional variational data assimilation, using a dynamical model of the middle atmosphere and its adjoint. The global analyses are treated as observations. A cost function that measures the mismatch between the model state and observations is defined. The control variables are the components of the three-dimensional gravity wave drag field, so that minimization of the cost function gives the optimal gravity wave drag field. The minimization is performed using a conjugate gradient method, with the adjoint model used to calculate the gradient of the cost function. In this work, we present the theory behind the new technique and evaluate extensively the ability of the technique to estimate the gravity wave drag using so-called twin experiments, in which the ‘observations’ are given by the evolution of the dynamical model with a prescribed gravity wave drag. The results show that the technique can estimate accurately the prescribed gravity wave drag. When the cost function is suitably defined, there is good convergence of the minimization scheme under realistic atmospheric conditions. We also show that the cost function gradient is well approximated taking into account only adiabatic processes. We note some limitations of the technique for estimating gravity wave drag in tropical regions if satellite temperature measurements are the only observational information available.