Deficiency of CD73 activity promotes protective cardiac immunity against Trypanosoma cruzi infection but permissive environment in visceral adipose tissue Eberhardt, Natalia; Sanmarco, Liliana Maria; Bergero, Gastón; Theumer, Martín Gustavo; García, Mónica Cristina; Ponce, Nicolás Eric; Cano, Roxana Carolina; Aoki, Maria del Pilar Damaged cells release the pro-inflammatory signal ATP, which is degraded by the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 to the anti-inflammatory mediator adenosine (ADO). The balance between ATP/ADO is known to determine the outcome of inflammation/infection. However, modulation of the local immune response in different tissues due to changes in the balance of purinergic metabolites has yet to be investigated. Here, we explored the contribution of CD73-derived ADO on the acute immune response against Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, which invades and proliferates within different target tissues. Deficiency of CD73 activity led to an enhanced cardiac microbicidal immune response with an augmented frequency of macrophages with inflammatory phenotype and increased CD8+ T cell effector functions. The increment of local inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS)+ macrophages and the consequent rise of myocardial NO production in association with reduced ADO levels induced protection against T. cruzi infection as observed by the diminished cardiac parasite burden compared to their wild-type (WT) counterpart. Unexpectedly, parasitemia was substantially raised in CD73KO mice in comparison with WT mice, suggesting the existence of tissue reservoir/s outside myocardium. Indeed, CD73KO liver and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) showed increased parasite burden associated with a reduced ATP/ADO ratio and the lack of substantial microbicidal immune response. These data reveal that the purinergic system has a tissue-dependent impact on the host immune response against T. cruzi infection.

Exploring the use of nuclear alterations, motility and ecological guilds in epipelic diatoms as biomonitoring tools for water quality improvement in urban impacted lowland streams Nicolosi Gelis, María Mercedes; Cochero, Joaquin; Donadelli, Jorge Luis; Gomez, Nora In this study we explored the use of less conventional diatom metrics (motility, nuclear abnormalities and ecological guilds) to measure changes in diatom assemblages related to the transfer of epipelic communities from urban impacted streams to less impacted sites. Three lowland streams in the Argentine Pampean plain were selected, and two sites were established per stream for a total of six sites. Three sites were referenced as low urban impact (LI), as they run through peri-urban areas, and three downstream sites were referenced as high impact sites (HI), since they run through a dense urban area. Six germination trays filled with stream sediment were placed at each HI site, and three at each LI site, and left to be colonized for 30 days before transferring three trays from the HI sites to their respective LI site upstream. Samples were collected at days 0, 15, 30 and 45 days from each tray, and diatom species were identified and classified into ecological guilds. Motility variables were measure per individual of the genera Nitzschia (path length, velocity and maximum velocity) through video recording. Also, the frequency of abnormal nuclear locations and nuclear membrane breakage were determined. Results showed that there were no significant differences in any motility metrics, while the nuclei variables exhibited higher proportion of abnormally positioned nuclei and nuclear membrane breakage at the HI sites. The proportion of nuclear membrane breakage decreased over time in the translocated assemblage, indicating that it could be a sensitive indicator of water quality improvement, while the ecological guilds showed significant differences on the proportion of high profile and motile diatoms. The improvement in water quality produced a significative increase in the proportion of the high profile guild in the translocated biofilm. Despite the motile forms being the dominant group, the water quality improvement allowed the high profile forms, to colonize the substrate. These results emphasize the possible use of the ecological guilds as a suitable indicator of water quality improvement in Pampean streams, especially in nutrient rich environment. These tools can provide a rapid assessment of diatom condition and could be considered supplementary to biomonitoring protocols in lowland streams.

Photo-double-ionization of water at 20 eV above threshold Randazzo, Juan Martin; Turri, G.; Bolognesi, P.; Mathis, J.; Ancarani, L. U.; Avaldi, L. The photodouble ionization of the water molecule is studied at 20 eV excess energy in a combined experimental and theoretical investigation. In the experiments, two photoelectrons of equal kinetic energy are detected in coincidence after energy and angular selection. On the theoretical side, a generalized Sturmian function approach is implemented to describe accurately the correlated two-electron continuum, while separable products of Moccia orbitals [J. Chem. Phys. 40, 2164 (1964)JCPSA60021-960610.1063/1.1725489] are used for the initial electronic state of the water molecule. The theoretical triple-differential cross sections (TDCSs) are averaged over all possible molecular orientations in order to be compared with the experiments. The measured TDCSs display rich angular distributions that are in large part well reproduced by the adopted first-order treatment of the interaction with a two-active-electron target.

Geo-climatic hazards in the eastern subtropical Andes: Distribution, Climate Drivers and Trends Vergara Dal Pont, Iván Pablo; Moreiras, Stella Maris; Araneo, Diego Christian; Garreaud, René Detecting and understanding historical changes in the frequency of geo-climatic hazards (G-CHs) is crucial for the quantification of current hazards and project them into the future. Here we focus in the eastern subtropical Andes (32-33° S), using meteorological data and a century-long inventory of 553 G-CHs triggered by rainfall or snowfall. We first analyse their spatio-temporal distributions and the role of climate variability on the year-to-year changes in the number of days per season with G-CHs. Precipitation is positively correlated with the number of G-CHs across the region and year-round; mean temperature is negatively correlated with snowfall-driven hazards in the western (higher) half of the study region during winter and with rainfall-driven hazards in the eastern zone during summer. The trends of the G-CHs frequency since the mid-20th century were calculated taking cautions for their non-systematic monitoring. The G-CHs series for the different triggers, zones and seasons were generally stationary. Nonetheless, there is a small positive trend in rainfall-driven G-CHs in the eastern zone during summer congruent with a rainfall increase there. We also found a decrease in snowfall-driven G-CHs in the western zone since the late 1990?s onwards, most likely due to a reduction in winter precipitation rather than to an increase in temperature.

Trophic interactions and isotopic niche of octopuses and sea stars in North Patagonia Storero, Lorena Pia; Ocampo Reinaldo, Matías; Narvarte, Maite Andrea; Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo; Botto, Florencia Coexistence of species is associated with differentiation of niches and partitioning of resources, which lessen niche overlap and the intensity of competition. Here, we used stable isotope analysis to evaluate and compare the trophic relationships and isotopic niche of two coexisting predators, the small octopus Octopus tehuelchus (d’Orbigny 1834) and the brooding sea star Anasterias antarctica (Lütken 1857), in the rocky intertidal community of northern Patagonia (Argentina). Our results show differences in the proportional contribution of sources between octopuses and sea stars. Octopuses consume mainly sessile filter-feeders, and sea stars show intra-specific diet differences, changing its preference with size and sex. Small and medium sea stars feed on sessile filter-feeders, such as small mussels, while large sea stars consume more frequently grazer gastropods and scavenger crustaceans. In the food web of the rocky north Patagonian ecosystem, differences in the isotopic niche space and the degree of dietary specialization between octopuses and sea stars indicate differential use of resources and trophic niche partitioning, possibly by limiting inter- and intra-specific competition.

Expression of IL-33 Receptor Is Significantly Up-Regulated in B Cells During Pregnancy and in the Acute Phase of Preterm Birth in Mice Valeff, Natalin Jimena; Juriol, Lorena Vanesa; Quadrana, Florencia; Muzzio, Damián Oscar; Zygmunt, Marek; Quiroga, María Florencia; Ventimiglia, María Silvia; Jensen, Cristian Federico Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a mucosal alarmin belonging to the IL-1 cytokine family and is now recognized to have a key role in innate and adaptive immunity, contributing to tissue homeostasis and response to environmental stresses. In addition, IL-33 has also been shown to work as a positive regulator that initiates and maintains a Th2 immune response. In the context of pregnancy, it has been recently demonstrated that upon certain stress conditions, such as an infection induced inflammation, IL-33 is released from the uterine mucosa and triggers decidual B cells to produce anti-inflammatory molecules, which in turn restore immune homeostasis and prevents the development of preterm birth. In this study we therefore performed a detailed characterization of IL-33 receptor (Il1rl1 or ST2) expression in B cells during normal pregnancy, as well as in a mouse model of preterm birth. We observed that splenic B cells significantly up-regulate the expression of Il1rl1 during pregnancy and identified the B1 B cell population as the main ST2-expressing B cell subset. A further kinetic analysis showed that percentages of ST2-expressing B1 B cells are significantly augmented on days 12 and 14 of pregnancy, both in the spleen and peritoneal cavity of pregnant mice, and then drop toward the end of pregnancy to the levels observed in non-pregnant animals. Furthermore, using a mouse model of LPS-induced preterm birth, we demonstrated that not only are the percentages of ST2-expressing B1 B cells significantly enlarged in the spleen during the acute phase of preterm birth, but decidual B cells also significantly up-regulate ST2 expression as compared to term-pregnant mice. Overall, our results suggest a functional role of ST2 expression in B cells during pregnancy and reinforce the importance of the IL-33/ST2 axis in B cells as a critical mechanism to control inflammation-induced preterm birth.

Successful field performance in dry-warm environments of soybean expressing the sunflower transcription factor HaHB4 Ribichich, Karina Fabiana; Chiozza, Mariana; Ávalos-Britez, Selva; Cabello, Julieta Virginia; Arce, Agustín Lucas; Watson, Geronimo; Arias, Claudia Vanina; Portapila, Margarita Isabel; Trucco, Federico; Otegui, Maria Elena; Chan, Raquel Lia Soybean yield is limited primarily by abiotic constraints. No transgenic soybean with improved abiotic-stress tolerance is available in the market. We transformed soybean plants with genetic constructs able to express the sunflower transcription factor HaHB4, which confers drought tolerance to Arabidopsis and wheat plants. One line (b10H) carrying the sunflower promoter was chosen among three independent lines because it exhibited the best performance in seed yield (SY). Such line was evaluated in the greenhouse and in twenty-seven field trials developed in different environments of Argentina. In greenhouse experiments, transgenic plants showed increased SY under stress conditions together with wider epycotyl diameter, enlarged xylem area and enhanced water use efficiency than controls. They also exhibited enhanced SY in warm-dry field conditions. This response was accompanied by the increased in seed number that was not compensated by the decreased in individual seed weight. The transcriptome analysis of plants from a field trial with maximum SY difference between genotypes indicated an induction of genes encoding redox and heat shock proteins in b10H. Collectively, our results indicate that soybeans transformed with HaHB4 are expected to have reduced SY penalization when cropped in warm-dry conditions, which constitute the best target environments for this technology.

Multiorbital electronic correlation effects of Co adatoms on graphene: An ionic Hamiltonian approach Tacca, Marcos Sebastian; Jacob, T.; Goldberg, Edith Catalina In the present work, we propose an ionic Hamiltonian for describing the interaction of graphene with an adsorbed Co atom. In this approach, the electronic correlation effects, related to the many d orbitals involved in the interaction, are taken into account by selecting appropriate electronic configurations of the adsorbed atom. The Hamiltonian parameters are calculated considering the localized and extended features of the atom-surface interacting system. The physical quantities of interest are calculated by using a Green functions formalism, solved by means of the equations of motion method closed up to a second order in the atom-band coupling term. The charge and spin fluctuations in the adsorbed Co atom are inferred from density functional theory calculations and assuming that the lower energy configurations obey Hund?s rules. The calculated spectral densities and the occurrence probabilities of the different atomic configurations are analyzed as a function of the Co energy level positions and the surface temperature. In addition, the conductance spectra are calculated by using the Keldysh formalism and compared with existing measurements. We analyze the behavior, under variable bias and gate potentials, of resonancelike features in the conductance spectra which can be related to transitions between atomic configurations of low occurrence probability.

Morfometría y morfogénesis de tafoni en la Brecha Cerro Colorado, Sierras Australes de la provincia de Buenos Aires: su vinculación con la distribución de espeleotemas silíceos; Morphometry and morphogenesis of tafoni in the Brecha Cerro Colorado, Sierras Australes of the Buenos Aires Province: its relationship with the distribution of siliceous speleothems Lebinson, Fernando Oscar; Grill, Silvia Cristina; Fernandez, Ana Laura; Venega, Enzo Con la finalidad de efectuar un aporte al proceso de tafonización de la Brecha Cerro Colorado (Sierras Australes de Buenos Aires, Argentina) se realizó el análisis morfométrico y morfogenético de 56 tafoni mediante técnicas estadísticas. El estudio incluyó: ancho (x), profundidad (z), altura (y), orientación de los tafoni (o) y presencia / ausencia de espeleotemas silíceos (e). El análisis cluster permitió agruparlos en seis clases: A, B, C, D, E y F. Los tafoni clases A, B, C y D (27), ubicados en sectores más sombríos y húmedos del cerro, presentan el mayor tamaño, formas elipsoidales y una relación x > z > y, donde el 63% de ellos desarrollaron espeleotemas silíceos. Los tafoni más pequeños, clase E (28), registraron una relación x > z ≈ y con una distribución aleatoria en el cerro, donde solamente el 18% de ellos presentó espeleotemas. Un único tafone, clase F, situado en el sector O del cerro, presentó una relación z > x > y, y no se registró espeleotema. El análisis de Componentes Principales ratificó la diferenciación por tamaño de los tafoni (CP1), y vinculo las orientaciones preferenciales de los mismos con la presencia o ausencia de espeleotemas (CP2 y CP3). Los tafoni relevados estuvieron asociados a algún tipo de fractura presente en el cerro, las orientaciones más recurrentes fueron NO-SE, NE-SO, N-S y en menor medida O-E. Este fracturamiento y la disposición del cerro, la estratificación y las características petrológicas de la brecha, habrían favorecido el desarrollo de los tafoni.; The aim of this article is to contribute to the knowledge of the tafoni weathering process of the Brecha Cerro Colorado (Sierras Australes of Buenos Aires Province), throughout a morphometric and morphogenetic analysis of 56 tafoni using statistical techniques. The study included: width (x), depth (z), height (y), tafoni orientation (o) and presence/absence of siliceous speleothems (e). A cluster analysis allowed grouping them into six classes: A, B, C, D, E and F. The tafoni classes A, B, C and D (27) are located in the most humid and shady areas of the hill. They have the largest size, ellipsoidal forms with a relation x> z> y and 63% of them developed siliceous speleothems. The smallest tafoni, class E (28), showed a relationship x> z ≈ y with a random distribution on the hill, and an 18 % of them have speleothems. A single tafone without speleothem formation (class F) located in the western sector of the hill, presented a relation z> x> y. The principal components analysis allowed to differentiate the tafoni by size (1PC), and to relate preferential tafoni orientations with the presence or absence of speleothems (2PC and 3PC). Most of the tafoni surveyed in the breccia were associated with some type of fractures present in the hill, with the most recurrent fractures being the NW-SE, NE-SW, N-S and to a lesser extent W-E. This fracturing, the arrangement of the hill, and the bedding and petrological characteristics of the Brecha Cerro Colorado, would have favoured the development of tafoni.

Evaluación de la capacidad de sellado de MTA,IVyOZE en retrobturación apical; Evaluation of the sealing capacity of MTA, IV and OZE in apical retrobturation Dones, Valentina; Mohn, Claudia Ester; Gualtieri, Ariel Félix; Pinasco, Laura E,; Sierra, Liliana Gloria; Rodriguez, Pablo A.; Casadoumecq, Ana Clara En el presente trabajo, se evaluó la capacidad de sellado del mineral de trióxido agregado (MTA), ionómero vitreo (IV) y oxido zinc eugenol (OZE) en retrobturaciones apicales. Cien piezas dentales unirradiculares, fueron divididas en 5 grupos (n=20): 1- control positivo, ápice sin sellar; 2-control negativo, ápice impermeabilizado con esmalte de uñas; 3- retrobturado con MTA; 4- retrobturado con OZE; 5- retrobturado con IV. Al finalizar los tratamientos ex vivo, las piezas fueron sometidas a la prueba de penetración de tinte, mediante sumersión en azul de metileno 2% durante 48 hs. A continuación, se realizó un corte transversal a 1 mm del extremo apical y se midió el porcentaje de tinción como medida de la capacidad de sellado de los materiales de obturación empleados. Los resultados fueron analizados con la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis, seguida por comparaciones de a pares. El porcentaje de tinción no difirió significativamente entre los tratamientos con MTA e IV, pero éstos mostraron un porcentaje significativamente menor con respecto al tratamiento con OZE. Además, no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre el tratamiento con OZE y el control positivo. Estos resultados demuestran que el IV y el MTA tienen similar capacidad de sellado en retrobturación in vitro, y que a su vez, constituyen mejores selladores que el OZE, que no demostró ser un sellador efectivo, al menos en las condiciones estudiadas.; In the present work, the sealing capacity of the aggregate trioxide ore (MTA), vitreous ionomer (IV) and zinc oxide eugenol (OZE) in apical retrobturations was evaluated. One hundred unirradicular dental pieces were divided into 5 groups (n = 20): 1- positive control, unsealed apex; 2-negative control, apex waterproofed with nail polish; 3- retrobturado with MTA; 4- retrobturado with OZE; 5- retrobturado with IV. At the end of the ex vivo treatments, the pieces were subjected to the dye penetration test, by submerging in 2% methylene blue for 48 hours. Next, a cross section was made 1 mm from the apical end and the percentage of staining was measured as a measure of the sealing capacity of the sealing materials used. The results were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by pairwise comparisons. The percentage of staining did not differ significantly between treatments with MTA and IV, but these showed a significantly lower percentage compared to treatment with OZE. In addition, no significant differences were found between the treatment with OZE and the positive control. These results demonstrate that IV and MTA have similar sealing capacity in retrobturation in vitro, and that in turn they constitute better sealants than OZE, which did not prove to be an effective sealant, at least under the conditions studied.

Predicting key educational outcomes in academic trajectories: a machine-learning approach Musso, Mariel Fernanda; Rodríguez Hernández, Carlos Felipe; Cascallar, Eduardo C. Predicting and understanding different key outcomes in a student's academic trajectory such as grade point average, academic retention, and degree completion would allow targeted intervention programs in higher education. Most of the predictive models developed for those key outcomes have been based on traditional methodological approaches. However, these models assume linear relationships between variables and do not always yield accurate predictive classifications. On the other hand, the use of machine-learning approaches such as artificial neural networks has been very effective in the classification of various educational outcomes, overcoming the limitations of traditional methodological approaches. In this study, multilayer perceptron artificial neural network models, with a backpropagation algorithm, were developed to classify levels of grade point average, academic retention, and degree completion outcomes in a sample of 655 students from a private university. Findings showed a high level of accuracy for all the classifications. Among the predictors, learning strategies had the greatest contribution for the prediction of grade point average. Coping strategies were the best predictors for degree completion, and background information had the largest predictive weight for the identification of students who will drop out or not from the university programs.

Evaluation of the influence of synthesis conditions on the morphology of nanostructured anodic aluminum oxide coatings on Al 1050 Bruera, Florencia Alejandra; Kramer, Gustavo Raul; Vera, Maria Laura; Ares, Alicia Esther Currently, the use of nanostructured films of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) arouses great interest for a variety of nanotechnological applications. Previous studies have shown that the most important parameters in the anodic synthesis of nanoporous AAO films are the pretreatment of the substrate, the anodization voltage, and the nature, concentration and temperature of the electrolyte. To advance the development of nanomaterials, which are increasingly specific according to their functionality, in a simple and inexpensive way, it is essential to study the combined effect of the synthesis variables on the morphological properties of the coatings. The objective of this work was to study and predict the combined effect of the concentration and temperature of oxalic acid and the anodization voltage in the ordering, the pore diameter, the interpore distance, the pore density and the thickness of nanostructured films of AAO synthesized at 20, 30, 40 and 60 V and 20, 30 and 40 °C in 0.3 and 0.9 M oxalic acid, from the Al 1050 alloy. For this, surface images were obtained by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the latter being processed through the Fast Fourier Transform, and non-linear regressions were performed with the data obtained. The results proved which anodic synthesis conditions have the greatest influence on the ordering and each of the morphological parameters of the AAO films. The optimum voltage and temperature of the self-ordering regime for both oxalic acid concentrations tested were 40 V and 20 °C. The combined effect of the synthesis variables allowed obtaining coatings with a pore diameter of 27–150 nm, an interpore distance of 51–160 nm, a pore density of 35 × 108 –390 × 108 and a thickness of 10–130 μm.

Mechanisms involved in the contraceptive effects of ulipristal acetate Munuce, María José; Gómez Elías, Matías Daniel; Caille, Adriana María; Bahamondes, Luis; Cuasnicu, Patricia Sara; Cohen, Débora J. The use of emergency contraception (EC) methods is increasing worldwide as it constitutes an effective way to prevent unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. During the last decade, ulipristal acetate (UPA), a selective progesterone receptor modulator, has emerged as the most effective EC pill, and it is now recommended as first-line hormonal treatment for EC in several countries. Its principal mechanism of action involves inhibition or delay of follicular rupture, but only when administered during the follicular phase before the luteinizing hormone (LH) peak. However, considering the high efficacy of UPA, it is possible that it also exerts contraceptive effects besides ovulation. In the present review, we summarize and discuss the existing evidence obtained on the effect of UPA on sperm function and post-ovulatory events as potential additional mechanisms to prevent pregnancy. The bulk of evidence collected so far indicates that UPA would not affect gamete function; however, it could impair embryo?uterine interaction. Thus, besides the described effects on ovarian function, UPA contraceptive effectiveness might also be attributed to post-ovulatory effects, depending on the moment of the female cycle in which the drug is administered.

Upstream logistic transport planning in the oil-industry: a case study Rossit, Diego Gabriel; Gonzalez, Mauro Ehulech; Tohmé, Fernando Abel; Frutos, Mariano Nowadays, oil companies have to deal with an increasingly competitive environment. In this sense, the optimization of operational processes to enhance efficiency is crucial. This article addresses the design of a decision support tool for the inland upstream transport logistics in the oil industry based on a case of study in Argentina. This problem is traditionally difficult to solve for managers due to the large number of demand facilities scattered on a large geographic area that have to be served and the consideration of several operational requirements, such as maximum allowable travel times for vehicles, availability of a limited fleet size with a small number of drivers, plus the usual demand constraints as well as those arising from security risks derived from the incompatibility of chemical products. A novel mathematical formulation and a constructive heuristic are proposed in order to address this problem. The results allow to reduce the time that the company spends for obtaining a feasible distribution plan that minimizes the time horizon of the distribution schedule provided to the clients and enhances customer satisfaction.

Accelerated particle swarm optimization with explicit consideration of model constraints Damiani, Lucía; Diaz, Ivan Ariel; Iparraguirre, Javier; Blanco, Anibal Manuel Population based metaheuristic can benefit from explicit parallelization in order to address complex numerical optimization problems. Typical realistic problems usually involve non-linear functions and many constraints, making the identification of global optimal solutions mathematically challenging and computationally expensive. In this work, a GPU based parallelized version of the Particle Swarm Optimization technique is proposed. The main contribution is the explicit consideration of equality and inequality constraints of general type, rather than addressing only box constrained models as typically done in acceleration studies of optimization algorithms. The implementation is tested on a set of optimization problems that serve as benchmark. Speedups averaging 299x were obtained with a single GPU on a standard PC using the PyCUDA technology. Satisfactory feasibility and optimality rates are also achieved, although a standard parameterization was adopted for all the experiments. Additional results are reported on a small set of difficult problems involving bilinear non-linearities.

Tectonic and geomorphic controls on the lacustrine deposits of the Neogene Vinchina basin, northwestern Argentina Marenssi, Sergio Alfredo; Limarino, Carlos Oscar; Schencman, Laura Jazmín; Ciccioli, Patricia Lucia Two episodes of lacustrine sedimentation, separated by an erosional surface and fluvial sedimentation, took place in the southern part of the broken foreland Vinchina basin (NW Argentina) between 11 and 5 Ma. The lacustrine deposits, 768 and 740 meters thick, are recorded in the upper part of the Vinchina Formation (''Vinchina lake'') and the lower part of the Toro Formation (''Toro Negro lake'') respectively. According to sedimentological features, four sedimentary facies associations (FAs) are recognized in the lacustrine deposits: 1) thinly laminated mudstones facies association (FA 1), 2) coarsening- and thickening-upward muddy to sandy cycles (FA 2), 3) medium-to coarse-grained sandstones (FA 3), and 4) mudstones, sandstones, and oolitic limestones (FA 4). Altogether, these facies correspond to ephemeral, shallow, lacustrine systems including saline mudflats. The total thickness of each lacustrine interval, the thickness of the individual cycles and their lithology, and the overall aggradational facies arrangement suggest that both lakes developed during underfilled stages of the basin. The coarsening-upward cycles can be regarded as lacustrine parasequences representing cyclic episodes of expansion and contraction of the lake, but unlike marine parasequences these cycles do not correlate to water depth. The development of lacustrine conditions and continuous base-level rise, together with the coeval southward-directed paleoflow indicators, suggest axial drainages and that the basin was externally closed (endorheic) at that time. The large thicknesses of each lacustrine interval also points to high accommodation in the southern part of the Vinchina basin during these times. Lake filling cycles are one order of magnitude thicker than lake depth, so we postulate that subsidence (tectonic) and rise of the spill point (geomorphology) increased accommodation but not water depth. Thus, unlike marine parasequences, the analyzed coarsening-upward cycles do not correlate to water depth, but rather they are controlled by more complex basinal accommodation processes. We hypothesize that the coeval uplift of the Umango and Espinal basement block to the south, coupled with the initial doming of the Sierra de Los Colorados to the east, may have generated the damming of the southward-directed drainage and a zone of maximum accommodation, then controlling the location of the two lakes and the preservation of their thick sedimentary records. Therefore, localized accommodation was enhanced by a combination of tectonic subsidence and topographic growth. The two lacustrine intervals and the intervening fluvial deposits record changing contributions from axial to transverse drainages and different cycles of closed and open conditions in the basin. A low-frequency, closed to open and back to closed (axial to transverse and return to axial drainage) basin evolution, is envisaged by the development of the two lakes (closed stages) and the erosional surface followed by the interval of fluvial sedimentation that separates them (open stage). In addition, several high-frequency lake fluctuations (expansion-contraction) are represented by the coarsening-upward cycles within each lacustrine interval. The thick lacustrine intervals and their intermediate incision surfaces record cyclic filling and re-excavation stages and localized episodes of increased subsidence in the Vinchina basin, which seem to be a common feature of tectonically active broken foreland basins.

Development of dried functional foods: Stabilization of orange pulp powder by addition of biopolymers Pacheco, Consuelo; García Martínez, Eva; Moraga, Gemma; Piña, Juliana; Nazareno, Mónica Azucena; Martínez Navarrete, Nuria The production of powdered food is an increasingly industry due to the high stability and easy handling of those products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the addition of gum Arabic (GA) in combination with bamboo fiber (BF) or cactus cladode mucilage (CM) on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of orange pulp powder obtained by freeze drying. Additionally, the stability of the powders after 10 months of storage at 20 °C was evaluated. The results showed that the inclusion of GA with BF or CM to the orange puree previous to freeze drying improved their chemical and physical stability. The addition of solutes increased the glass transition temperature and made the samples more stable, without problems of collapse or caking during the storage. Functionally, the combination GA-BF resulted a better option since this formulation maintained better its antioxidant and antiradical properties over time.

The triad macrosomia, obesity, and hypertriglyceridemia in gestational diabetes Gorban de Lapertosa, Silvia Beatriz; Alvariñas, Jorge; Elgart, Jorge Federico; Salzberg, Susana; Gagliardino, Juan Jose Aims: Offspring of women with gestational diabetes (GD) have more macrosomia than newborns of normal mothers. We studied macrosomia frequency, possible pathogenesis, and main predictors of its appearance at different gestational ages. Materials and Methods: A total of 1870 pregnant women with GD were recruited in primary care centres and maternity hospitals in the Argentine provinces of Corrientes, Chaco, Buenos Aires, and in Buenos Aires City; 1088 completed gestation and delivered an infant. We collected clinical and metabolic data, personal and obstetric history, and gestational and delivery characteristics. Presence of macrosomia was analysed in the whole population, the entire pregnancy, and in each trimester of gestation. Data were statistically analysed and values were expressed as mean ± SD and percentages. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee and all participants signed informed consent. Results: Macrosomia was found in 12.9% of newborns and obesity in all mothers with no significant differences between mothers with/without macrosomic offspring. In early pregnancy, the main significant indicators of macrosomia were: history of dyslipidaemia (5.6% vs 1.2%, respectively) and macrosomia in previous pregnancies (27% vs 13%, respectively). However, the third trimester showed a significant combination of higher BMI, FBG, and triglycerides. Conclusions: Offspring of women with GD presented macrosomia in 12.9% of cases, maternal history of dyslipidaemia and macrosomia in previous pregnancies being early predictors. The combination of maternal obesity, FBG, and hypertriglyceridemia became significant during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Aporphinoid Akaloids Derivatives as Selective Cholinesterases Inhibitors: Biological Evaluation and Docking Study Cavallaro, Valeria; Murray, Ana Paula; Pungitore, Carlos Rodolfo; Gutierrez, Lucas Joel Alzheimer´s dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the elderly population and causes memory impairment and cognitive deficit. Manifestation ofthis disease is associated to acetylcholine decrease; thus, cholinesterase inhibition is the main therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer?s disease.In the present study, a series of aporphinoid alkaloids were tested as potential acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitors in vitro. Alkaloids liriodenine (3) and cassythicine (10) were the best inhibitorsof both cholinesterases with IC50 values lower than 10 μM. In addition, these alkaloids demonstrated better inhibition of BChE than reference drug galantamine.In addition, some alkaloids showed selective inhibition. Laurotetatine clorhydrate (13) selectively inhibit AChE over BChE. On the contrary, pachyconfine (7) interacted more efficiently with BChE active site.Molecular modelling studies were performed in order to illustrate key interactions between most active compounds and the enzymes and to explain their selectivity. These studies reveal that the benzodioxole moiety exhibits stronginteractions due to hydrogen bonds that form with the Glu201 (AChE) and Tyr440 (BChE) residues, which is reflected in the IC50 values.

Synthesis and characterization of alumina-embedded SrCo0.95V0.05O3 nanostructured perovskite: An attractive material for supercapacitor devices Salguero Salas, Marcelo Alexander; de Paoli, Juan Martin; Linarez Pérez, Omar Ezequiel; Bajales Luna, Noelia; Fuertes, Valeria Cintia Cobalt-based perovskite exhibit fascinating physical properties at the nanoscale. Better oxygen transport, higher ionic/electronic mixed conductivity and enhanced electrocatalytic activity are some of the most important highlighted properties compared to bulk perovskites. Such materials have proved to be excellent candidates for applications in solid oxide fuel cells and supercapacitors. In this work, a technological approach using highly ordered porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as a template for the synthesis of low dimensional SrCo0.95V0.05O3 cubic perovskite is introduced. Thus, the impregnation of AAO membranes in two different mixed oxide precursor solutions, citric acid, on the one hand, and tartaric acid on the another hand, followed by thermal treatments and alumina dissolution, led to the successful synthesis of alumina-embedded SrCo0.95V0.05O3 nanostructured perovskite. By means of the Rietveld method refinement of the XRD data, the perovskite crystallization in a Pm-3m cubic system, as well as some crystalline phases of alumina were identified. FT-IR results showed the presence of a band at ~580 cm−1 for the nanostructured perovskites, attributed to the asymmetric stretching of the (Co/V)–O bonds, in good agreement with those exhibited by bulk perovskites. In addition, the capacitive behavior of composite electrodes prepared with low dimensional perovskites and lubricating graphite was monitored by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles. Our results show an improved supercapacitive performance of the nanostructured perovskite respect to that obtained for the bulk configuration, indicating that nanostructured SrCo0.95V0.05O3 perovskite arises as a promising candidate material for supercapacitor devices.