Retrieving shallow shear-wave velocity profiles from 2D seismic-reflection data with severely aliased surface waves Onnis, Luciano Emanuel; Osella, Ana Maria; Carcione, Jose M. The inversion of surface-wave phase-velocity dispersion curves provides a reliable method to derive near-surface shear-wave velocity profiles. In this work, we invert phase-velocity dispersion curves estimated from 2D seismic-reflection data. These data cannot be used to image the first 50 m with seismic-reflection processing techniques due to the presence of indistinct first breaks and significant NMO-stretching of the shallow reflections. A surface-wave analysis was proposed to derive information about the near surface in order to complement the seismic-reflection stacked sections, which are satisfactory for depths between 50 and 700 m. In order to perform the analysis, we had to overcome some problems, such as the short acquisition time and the large receiver spacing, which resulted in severe spatial aliasing. The analysis consists of spatial partitioning of each line in segments, picking of the phase-velocity dispersion curves for each segment in the f-k domain, and inversion of the picked curves using the neighborhood algorithm. The spatial aliasing is successfully circumvented by continuously tracking the surface-wave modal curves in the f-k domain. This enables us to sample the curves up to a frequency of 40 Hz, even though most components beyond 10 Hz are spatially aliased. The inverted 2D VS sections feature smooth horizontal layers, and a sensitivity analysis yields a penetration depth of 20–25 m. The results suggest that long profiles may be more efficiently surveyed by using a large receiver separation and dealing with the spatial aliasing in the described way, rather than ensuring that no spatially aliased surface waves are acquired.

Long-term changes on estuarine ciliates linked with modifications on wind patterns and water turbidity López Abbate, María Celeste; Molinero, Juan Carlos; Perillo, Gerardo Miguel E.; Barria, Maria Sonia; Pettigrosso, Rosa Elsa; Guinder, Valeria Ana; Uibrig, Román Armando; Berasategui, Anabela Anhi; Vitale, Alejandro José; Marcovecchio, Jorge Eduardo; Hoffmeyer, Monica Susana Planktonic ciliates constitute a fundamental component among microzooplankton and play a prominent role in carbon transport at the base of marine food webs. How these organisms respond to shifting environmental regimes is unclear and constitutes a current challenge under global ocean changes. Here we examine a multiannual field survey covering 25 years in the Bahía Blanca Estuary (Argentina), a shallow, flood-plain system dominated by wind and tidal energy. We found that the estuary experienced marked changes in wind dominant regimes and an increase in water turbidity driven from the joint effect of persistent long-fetch winds and the indirect effect of the Southern Annular Mode. Along with these changes, we found that zooplankton components, i.e. ciliates and the dominant estuarine copepod Acartia tonsa, showed a negative trend during the period 1986–2011. We showed that the combined effects of wind and turbidity with other environmental variables (chlorophyll, salinity and nutrients) consistently explained the variability of observed shifts. Tintinnids were more vulnerable to wind patterns and turbidity while showed a loss of synchrony with primary productivity. Water turbidity produced a dome-like pattern on tintinnids, oligotrichs and A. tonsa, implying that the highest abundance of organisms occurred under moderate values (∼50 NTU) of turbidity. In contrast, the response to wind patterns was not generalizable probably owing to species-specific traits. Observed trends denote that wind-induced processes in shallow ecosystems with internal sources of suspended sediments, are essential on ciliate dynamics and that such effects can propagate trough the interannual variability of copepods.

Optimization of bromelain isolation from pineapple byproducts by polysaccharide complex formation Campos, Débora A.; Coscueta, Ezequiel Ricardo; Woitovich Valetti, Nadia; Pastrana Castro, Lorenzo M.; Domínguez Teixeira, José Mario; Picó, Guillermo Alfredo; Pintado, Maria Manuela A simple method for bromelain extraction from industrial pineapple residues (stems and peels) was developed and optimized through factorial experimental design. The developed methodology, based on precipitation with carrageenan, represents an alternative to the use of organic solvents and inorganic salts (common industrial precipitation) and allows achieving extracts with high bromelain purity. High recovery yield – 80–90% - of active bromelain was obtained for both crude juices (stems and peels) making possible to obtain ca. 0.3 g of bromelain from 100 g of pineapple byproducts using a low polysaccharide concentration (0.2–0.3% w/v).

Thymol supplementation effects on adrenocortical, immune and biochemical variables recovery in Japanese quail after exposure to chronic heat stress Nazar, Franco Nicolas; Videla, Emiliano Ariel; Marin, Raul Hector Chronic heat stress (CHS) exposure negatively impairs avian' immunoneuroendocrine interplay. Thymol has shown several bioactive properties including antioxidant, bactericidal, antifungal and gamma-aminobutyric acid modulator activities. Indeed, supplementation with thymol has been used with positive effects on poultry production and immune-related variables. This study evaluates whether a thymol dietary supplementation can be used as a new functional feed strategy to mitigate CHS deleterious effects on endocrine, biochemical and immune-related variables. Starting at 100 days of age, 24 fully adult Japanese quail were fed with a diet supplemented with thymol (≈80 mg/quail per day) and other 24 quail remained non-supplemented (control diet). Between 119 and 127 days of age, half of the quail within those groups were submitted to a CHS by increasing environmental temperature from 24°C to 34°C during the light phase and the other half remained at 24°C (non-stressed controls). A period of 3 days after CHS ended (during the recovery period), corticosterone, albumin, total proteins and globulins and glucose concentrations, inflammatory response, antibody production and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio were assessed. No differences between groups were found in basal corticosterone concentrations. Total proteins, total globulins and glucose concentrations were found elevated in the previously CHS group compared with their control counterparts. Regardless of the previous CHS exposure, thymol supplementation increased albumin concentrations and inflammatory responses and decreased antibody titers. An interaction between thymol supplementation and prior CHS exposure was found on the H/L ratio. Quail previously exposed to CHS and supplemented with thymol showed similar H/L values than their control non-stressed counterparts, suggesting that thymol has a stress preventive effect on this variable. The present findings together with the already reported thymol bioactive properties, suggest that feed supplementation with this compound could be a useful strategy to help overcoming some of the CHS induced alterations.

The effect of a saturated kink on the dynamics of tungsten impurities in the plasma core Ferrari, Hugo Emilio; Farengo, Ricardo; Clauser, Cesar Fernando We studied the effect of saturated kink like instabilities on the redistribution of W impurities. A numerical code that follows the exact trajectories of the impurity ions in the total fields and includes collisions was employed. The code is written in CUDA C and runs in graphical processing units, allowing simulations with a large number of particles with modest resources.The total electric and magnetic fields are calculated as the sum of a simple analytical equilibrium (large aspect ratio, circular cross section) plus the fields of the kink mode. Our simulations show that when the W ions have a thermal velocity distribution, with zero mean velocity, the kink hasno effect on the W density. However, when we include the plasma rotation and the drag on the impurities, the kink can affect the W density. When the average passing frequency of the W ions is similar to the frequency of the kink mode, the expulsion of W ions from the plasma core is maximum and the W density profile shows a hollow structure. This could have implications for the mitigation of W accumulation.

Vertical dispersion of Lagrangian tracers in fully developed stably stratified turbulence Sujovolsky, Nicolás Eduardo; Mininni, Pablo Daniel We study the effect of different forcing functions and of the local gradient Richardson number Rig on the vertical transport of Lagrangian tracers in stably stratified turbulence under the Boussinesq approximation and present a wave and continuous-time random-walk model for single- and two-particle vertical dispersion. The model consists of a random superposition of linear waves with their amplitude, based on the observed Lagrangian spectrum of vertical velocity, and a random-walk process to capture overturning that depends on the statistics of Rig among other Eulerian quantities. The model is in good agreement with direct numerical simulations of stratified turbulence, where single- and two-particle dispersion differ from the homogeneous and isotropic case. Moreover, the model gives insight into the mixture of linear and nonlinear physics in the problem, as well as on the different processes responsible for vertical turbulent dispersion.

Electronic and magnetic properties of the adsorption of As harmful species on zero-valent Fe surfaces, clusters and nanoparticules Alfonso Tobón, Leslie Lissette; Fuente, Silvia Andrea; Branda, Maria Marta A systematic theoretical study of the adsorption of H3AsO3 and H3AsO4 acids on Fe nanoparticles was carried out using the Density Functional Theory (DFT). Different sizes of zero-valent iron particles and also the two most stable surfaces of Fe, (1 1 1) and (1 1 0), were studied by characterizing the type of interaction present between the substrates and the adsorbates. Arsenic acid (H3AsO4) is spontaneously reduced in both extended surfaces of iron, producing arsenious acid and oxidizing the metal surface. Arsenious acid (H3AsO3) completely decomposes into (AsOH)(OH)(OH) fragments on the smallest particles, Fe32 and Fe59, but also on the (1 1 1) surface. However, on greater particles (NP80 and NP113) and on the (1 1 0) surface, H3AsO3 retains its initial free configuration and is joined to the surface through both atoms, As and O. Large dispersion components of the adsorption energy were observed when the acids interact with the substrates without decomposition. From a Bader analysis of the atomic charges, important charge transfers were found. Both the As and the interacting Fe atom are slightly reduced on the (1 1 0) surface and NP80. However, the four nearest neighboring irons are oxidized because of the interaction with H3AsO3. In the case of the Fe32 cluster, where this acid is totally broken, all the interacting Fe atoms are oxidized. A significant decrease of the magnetic moment was found for the Fe atom that interacts with H3AsO3. This fact was confirmed with the diminution of the spin up population and the increase of the spin down population observed in the PDOS of d states after the acid was bond to the iron substrates. Besides, important changes in the PDOS have point out the central role of the iron d orbitals on the reactivity of the surface and nanoparticles, but also an important participation of the p ones in the case of the cluster Fe32.

Maternally inherited Leigh syndrome detected by Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification Mayorga, Lía; Cueto, Juan Agustin; Correa, Adriana P.; Guillamondegui, María J.; Loos, Mariana; Araoz, Verónica H.; Laurito, Sergio Roberto; Roqué, María Leigh syndrome (LS) is a mitochondrial progressive encephalopathy characterized by bilateral symmetric necrotic lesions of the central nervous system. Maternally inherited Leigh Syndrome (MILS) represents 10–20% of LS. Mutations in MT-ATP6 are the most common, being m.8993T > C/G the classical mutations. Molecular diagnosis for mitochondrial diseases is always a challenge and Multiplex ligationdependent probe amplification (MLPA) of mitochondrial DNA can be an initial test for molecular diagnosis, although it is not widely used. We present a MILS patient in which MLPA was able to detect the common m.8993 T > G mutation and serve as a first approach for the definite molecular diagnosis.

Exploring soybean management options for environments with contrasting water availability Di Mauro, Guido; Borras, Lucas; Rugeroni, Pablo; Rotundo, José Luis Soybean is commonly cultivated under rainfed conditions being water availability the main constraint. We evaluated the performance of different managements under contrasting water availability to test possible trade-offs among managements, and to determine physiological variables explaining these yield differences. Four treatments were designed through specific combinations of cultivar, row spacing and stand density. They were classified as stress tolerance or yield potential strategies and were evaluated under two contrasting water availability treatments. Treatments ranged from 349 to 954 mm total water availability. Water stress treatments yielded 72% and 59% of the well-watered treatment each year, similar to frequent soybean water stress levels for our production region. Management treatments showed significant yield differences (p < 0.05), but the management × water availability interaction did not (p = 0.42). No management option helped reduce negative water stress effects. Highest yields were achieved using 0.25 m row spacing, a stand density of 60 pl per m 2 , and a high yield potential genotype. Yield variations were explained by differences in harvested seeds per unit area (R 2  = 0.75; p < 0.001) and total N uptake at maturity (R 2  = 0.93; p < 0.001) across environments. Because management strategies specifically tailored to cope with water shortages showed limited value, farmers need to target yield potential management options.

Evaluation of differential cross sections using classical two-active electron models for He Bachi, Nicolás; Otranto, Sebastián Differential cross sections for charge-exchange and single and double electronic emission in collisions of protons with He atoms at intermediate impact energies are theoretically evaluated by means of two classical trajectory Monte Carlo methods. These models incorporate momentum-dependent terms to the Hamiltonian in order to avoid the classical autoionization of He. The theoretical results for single capture and single ionization are compared to available experimental data. The role of the electron–electron correlation effects in double ionization processes is analyzed by inspecting the angular and energetic dependence of the electronic emission spectra at different impact energies.

Identification of the tension force in cables with insulators Rango, Bruno Javier; Serralunga, Fernando J.; Piovan, Marcelo Tulio; Ballaben, Jorge Sebastian; Rosales, Marta Beatriz The present paper explores two approaches which, based on the measurement of the two first natural frequencies, allow the identification of the tension force in cables with insulators. For this purpose, the nonlinear mathematical model of the mechanical system and its Finite Element discretization are firstly stated. Besides, free-vibrations experiments on both a laboratory and a real-scale simulated configuration of cables with insulators are performed in order to derive their frequency response. During the laboratory experiments, a vision-based methodology is implemented for the register of the time series displacements of the cable. On this basis, a Bayesian approach is first addressed. In this framework, the cable tension is regarded as a random variable and the Bayes rule is applied to combine the experimental natural frequencies with the prior information about the random variable to derive the posterior distribution of the tension force. The Markov Chain Monte CarloMetropolis Hastings algorithm is implemented for the evaluation of the posterior distribution. On the other hand, a heuristic approach is proposed through the implementation of an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) as an inverse model between the parameters of the cable—including the natural frequencies—and its tension force. The training patterns are obtained from computational simulations of different cable configurations. The experimental natural frequencies are then applied to the trained ANNs to infer the tension force of the laboratory and real-scale configurations. Both approaches provide estimates of the tension force within admissible error margins.

Early-warning signals of individual tree mortality based on annual radial growth Cailleret, Maxime; Dakos, Vasilis; Jansen, Steven; Robert, Elisabeth M. R.; Aakala, Tuomas; Amoroso, Mariano Martin; Antos, Joe A.; Bigler, Christof; Bugmann, Harald; Caccianaga, Marco; Camarero, Jesus Julio; Cherubini, Paolo; Coyea, Marie R.; Cufar, Katarina; Das, Adrian J.; Davi, Hendrik; Gea Izquierdo, Guillermo; Gillner, Sten; Haavik, Laurel J.; Hartmann, Henrik; Heres, Ana Maria; Hultine, Kevin R.; Janda, Pavel; Kane, Jeffrey M.; Kharuk, Viachelsav I.; Kitzberger, Thomas; Klein, Tamir; Levanic, Tom; Linares, Juan Carlos; Lombardi, Fabio; Mäkinen, Harri; Mészáros, Ilona; Metsaranta, Juha M.; Oberhuber, Walter; Papadopoulos, Andreas; Petritan, Any Mary; Rohner, Brigitte; Sangüesa Barreda, Gabriel; Smith, Jeremy M.; Stan, Amanda B.; Stojanovic, Dejan B.; Suarez, Maria Laura; Svoboda, Miroslav; Trotsiuk, Volodymyr; Villalba, Ricardo; Westwood, Alana R.; Wyckoff, Peter H.; Martínez Vilalta, Jordi Tree mortality is a key driver of forest dynamics and its occurrence is projected to increase in the future due to climate change. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the physiological mechanisms leading to death, we still lack robust indicators of mortality risk that could be applied at the individual tree scale. Here, we build on a previous contribution exploring the differences in growth level between trees that died and survived a given mortality event to assess whether changes in temporal autocorrelation, variance, and synchrony in time-series of annual radial growth data can be used as early warning signals of mortality risk. Taking advantage of a unique global ring-width database of 3065 dead trees and 4389 living trees growing together at 198 sites (belonging to 36 gymnosperm and angiosperm species), we analyzed temporal changes in autocorrelation, variance, and synchrony before tree death (diachronic analysis), and also compared these metrics between trees that died and trees that survived a given mortality event (synchronic analysis). Changes in autocorrelation were a poor indicator of mortality risk. However, we found a gradual increase in inter-annual growth variability and a decrease in growth synchrony in the last ∼20 years before mortality of gymnosperms, irrespective of the cause of mortality. These changes could be associated with drought-induced alterations in carbon economy and allocation patterns. In angiosperms, we did not find any consistent changes in any metric. Such lack of any signal might be explained by the relatively high capacity of angiosperms to recover after a stress-induced growth decline. Our analysis provides a robust method for estimating early-warning signals of tree mortality based on annual growth data. In addition to the frequently reported decrease in growth rates, an increase in inter-annual growth variability and a decrease in growth synchrony may be powerful predictors of gymnosperm mortality risk, but not necessarily so for angiosperms.

Improvement in poly(ɛ-caprolactone) bio-activity: Structural characterization and in vitro assessment Ninago, Mario Daniel; Ciolino, Andrés Eduardo; Villar, Marcelo Armando Model PCL homopolymers (anionic polymerization) were synthetized and chemically functionalized with anhydrides to improve their bio-activity. Modified polyesters were used to fabricate highly porous PCL membranes by leaching technique, reaching porosities values up to 86.1%. Microstructural characterization revealed that chemical modification did not affect thermal properties and mechanical stabilities of PCL membranes. In vitro assays were carried out by soaking samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. By SEM-EDX and TGA analyses, it was observed thatmodified polyesters exhibited a hydroxyapatite layer over polymeric surfaces, with calcium/phosphorous ratio of 1.58, close to the value reported by literature for hard tissue.

High density lipoprotein is an inappropiate substrate for hepatic lipase in postmenopausal women Zago, Valeria; Miksztowicz, Verónica Julieta; Cacciagiú, Leonardo D.; Basilio, Francisco; Berg, Gabriela Alicia; Schreier, Laura Ester Background HDL antiatherogenic effects would not only depend on its concentration but also on its biological quality. Hepatic lipase (HL) action on HDL acts in one of the last steps of reverse cholesterol transport. Cardiovascular risk increases after menopause, however HDL does not decrease even when HL is increased. We evaluated HDL capacity as a substrate of HL in healthy postmenopausal women (PMW). Methods We studied 20 PMW (51–60 y) and 20 premenopausal (PreMW) (26–40 y). In fasting serum, lipid–lipoprotein profile and HDL composition were assessed. Optimal assay conditions for HDL/HL ex vivo incubation were established. Increasing HDL–triglyceride concentrations (0.015 to 0.20 mmol/l) were incubated with post-heparin plasma obtained from a single healthy donor as a source of HL. Free fatty acids were measured and kinetic parameters calculated: Km(app), inverse to enzyme affinity, and Vmax. Results HDL composition in PMW exhibits triglyceride enrichment (p < 0.001). Kinetic analysis revealed higher Km(app) in PMW [130 (40–380) vs 45 (20–91) mmol/l, p < 0.0001)] correlating directly with HDL–triglycerides (r = 0.7, p = 0.0001). Catalytic efficiency, Vmax/Km(app) was reduced when compared to controls (p = 0.0001). Conclusion Triglyceride-enriched HDL from PMW constitutes a poor substrate for HL suggesting that this particle may not exert efficiently its antiatherogenic function, regardless of plasma concentration.

Las "chicas de psicología" llegan al hospital Briolotti, Ana Soledad A comienzos de la década de 1960 egresaron las primeras psicólogas argentinas. Las carreras universitarias se habían creado pocos años antes y carecieron en sus inicios de un perfil profesional claramente definido, a lo cual se sumó la falta de una legislación específica, que se sancionaría recién en 1985. Así, los primeros psicólogos debieron avanzar en el logro de cierto reconocimiento social y de un marco legal que contemplara prácticas como la psicoterapia, reservada exclusivamente a los médicos. En ese escenario, estos nuevos profesionales comenzaron a trabajar en múltiples instituciones y ámbitos, entre ellos el de la salud materno-infantil, del cual nos ocuparemos aquí a través del análisis de la incorporación de las primeras psicólogas a la Residencia en Psicología Clínica del Hospital de Niños de Buenos Aires, creada a mediados de la década de 1960. Teniendo en cuenta que, desde sus inicios, el campo de la psicología exhibió una composición mayormente femenina, este capítulo intenta dialogar con trabajos que han procurado dilucidar los modos en que las mujeres de diversas profesiones sociosanitarias lograron insertarse en el mercado laboral y alcanzar un lugar dentro de una jerarquía médica que las ubicaba en roles subordinados. Interesa en ese sentido indagar qué grado de autonomía pudieron alcanzar las psicólogas y en qué medida eso se vinculó con la especificidad de su formación y de los conocimientos que aportaron. En esa dirección, el capítulo aborda un corpus de fuentes con el fin de analizar las continuidades y rupturas que supuso laaparición de estas nuevas profesionales en campos como la salud pública materno-infantil, que hasta los años sesenta eran privativos de la medicina y deotras profesiones sociosanitarias. Si bien los médicos, las enfermeras y lasvisitadoras de higiene recibían cierta formación en temas de psicología, laspsicólogas contaban con un mayor dominio en áreas como la evaluación y eldiagnóstico. Así, las tareas desempeñadas por estas jóvenes profesionalesestuvieron en la mayoría de los casos vinculadas con la administración dediferentes tipos de "tests", algunos elaborados en el extranjero y otros deconfección local. Este dominio de técnicas psicológicas otorgaba a las psicólogas un estatus diferente al de otras profesiones, al dotarlas de herramientas específicas de intervención.

Una farmacia en el monte Pimentel Betancurt, Diana Carolina; Reinoso, Elina Beatríz; Carezzano, Maria Evangelina; Menis Candela, Florencia; Pavicich, Gladys; Sotelo, Jesica Paola; Marioli, Juan Miguel; Paletti Rovey, María Fernanda; Sabini, Maria Carola; Oliva, Maria de Las Mercedes; Moliva, Melina Vanesa; Beoletto, Viviana Graciela Argentina, gracias a su amplia extensión geográfica, alberga un amplio número de es­pecies vegetales, estimado en unas 9.000, muchas de ellas exclusivas de nuestro país.Se calcula que existen por lo menos 1.200 plantas que crecen en territorio argentino y que poseen alguna propiedad medicinal. Por lo tanto, los vegetales en nuestro país constituyen una fuente importante de productos naturales de relevancia farmacéutica. La provincia de Córdoba se destaca como una de las principales proveedoras de especies aromáticas y medicinales autóctonas al mercado nacional, las que provienen fundamental­mente de los Departamentos del Oeste de la provincia. La región de Traslasierra, por ser un área con una alta variedad de estos vegetales, desarrolla distintas actividades relacionadas a las plantas autóctonas tradicionales. Los colegios de nivel secundario de esta región desde hace unos años están trabajando en el aprendizaje y preservación de la flora de la zona, estudiando las variedades, cultivos, propiedades y usos populares. Todos estos conocimientos han sido plasmados en un evento que involucra a la comunidad de la región en el Festival "Mate Serrano" que se realiza desde el año 2011 en la ciudad de Villa de las Rosas. El mismo ha sido reconocido como festival provincial por la Agencia Córdoba Turismo y tiene un reconocimiento de interés cultural patrimonial por el Congreso de la Nación 2016...

Inactivación fotocatalítica de Escherichia coli, mediante el empleo de una película de TiO2-Riboflavina fosfato Gambetta, Carolina; Possetto, David Ivan; Oliva, María de las Mercedes; Montaña, Maria Paulina; Massad, Walter; Natera, Jose Eduardo La contaminación de las fuentes de agua superficiales y subterráneas, ocurre con alarmante frecuencia y es debida al vaciado accidental o intencional de una gran variedad de efluentes provenientes de la actividad industrial, agrícola y urbana. Dichos efluentes son de composición compleja y pueden contener una gran variedad de contaminantes químicos y biológicos [ ]. Escherichia coli es una bacteria gramnegativa con forma de bacilo y se encuentra en el tracto gastrointestinal de humanos y animales de sangre caliente. E. coli es la bacteria comensal más abundante de la microbiota habitual; así mismo es uno de los microorganismos patógenos más relevantes para el ser humano. Por su ubicuidad y patogenia, esta bacteria es empleada como microorganismo indicador de contaminación fecal en cursos de agua [ ].La fotodegradación sensibilizada constituye una alternativa probable para la inactivación de microorganismos y otros agentes contaminantes. La presencia de fotosensiblizadores permite ampliar el rango de absorción de luz visible del ambiente acuático y la posterior generación de especies reactivas del oxígeno capaces de generar el daño celular suficiente para inactivar microorganismos [ ].La principal desventaja del empleo de colorantes hidrosolubles para la fotodegradación sensibilizada subyace en la dificultad o imposibilidad de remover dicho sensibilizador una vez completado el proceso. Esta problemática puede ser superada mediante el uso de sistemas heterogéneos removibles [ ]. Resultados: En el presente trabajo se empleó un film de nanopatículas de dióxido de titanio adsorbido con el derivado fosfato de la riboflavina. Dicha película, previamente caracterizado y probado como capaz de degradar contaminantes de origen químico, fue empleado en la foto-inactivación de una cepa de E. coli aislada en agua. La presencia simultánea luz visible y del film de TiO2/RFPO4 produjo un efecto antibacterial estadísticamente significativo. A su vez, el efecto en la disminución de la viabilidad de E. coli se incrementó sensiblemente con el agregado de la enzima superóxido dismutasa (SOD) al medio de reacción. Este resultado sugiere que el peróxido de hidrógeno es la especie reactiva del oxígeno más efectiva en esta cepa, entre todas las generadas.Conclusión: Nuestra investigación ha logrado demostrar que la pelicula de TiO2/RFPO4 es un sistema efectivo para la inactivación de este microorganismo modelo, mediante el empleo de luz visible como fuente de energía y con la posibilidad de ser removidos completamente una vez aplicado el tratamiento.

Características fisicoquímicas, microbiológicas y sensoriales de queso tipo cheddar elaborado con extracto vegetal de la flor de alcachofa Colombo, Maria Laura; Fernández, Agustina; Hugo, Ayelen Amelia; Liggieri, Constanza Silvina; Bruno, Mariela Anahí; Cimino, Cecilia; Vairo Cavalli, Sandra Elizabeth Características fisicoquímicas, microbiológicas y sensoriales de queso tipo cheddar elaborado con extracto vegetal de la flor de alcachofaM. Laura Colomboa, Agustina Fernándeza,b, Ayelen Hugod,b, Constanza Liggieria,c, Mariela Brunoa,b, Cecilia Ciminoa, Sandra Vairo Cavallia,b.aCentro de Investigación en Proteínas Vegetales (CIProVe), Departamento de Cs. Biológicas, Fac. de Cs. Exactas, UNLP ? Centro Asociado CIC-PBA; bCONICET; cCIC-PBA, d Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos (CIDCA-CONICET)palabras claves: Peptidasa aspártica, coagulante vegetal, Cynara scolymus L .;Tradicionalmente, los quesos se producen utilizando quimosina; una peptidasa aspártica considerada el mejor agente coagulante debido a su alta especificidad sobre κ-caseína. Factores como cuestiones religiosas referidas a la preparación de alimentos con certificación Kosher o Halal, dieta (lacto-vegetariana) o demanda delosconsumidores por evitar alimentos que contengan ingredientes provenientes de OGMs alentaron la búsqueda de fuentes alternativas de coagulación de leche con propiedades similares a quimosina. Los cuajos producidos a partir de fitoproteasas constituyen una alternativa debido a su capacidad de coagulación y actividad proteolítica que conduce a mayor degradación de las caseínas en la matriz del queso. Flores de C. scolymus fueron trituradas hasta obtener un polvo fino, al cual se le adicionó buffer cítrico-citrato y se agitó en baño de hielo, luego se filtró ycentrifugó, la solución resultante fue denominada extracto enzimático (Cs). La manufactura demini-quesos tipo Cheddar se realizóempleando Cs y quimosina recombinante como control (Q), se utilizó leche vacuna con el agregado de CaCl2 y cultivo starter mesófilo. Los mini-quesos se separaron del suero por centrifugación y luego fueron salados, envasados al vacío y madurados a 4C durante 1 mes. Se evaluaron parámetros fisicoquímicos,atributos sensoriales, actividad antioxidante hidrosoluble in vitroy evolución de la flora microbiana. Se obtuvo unrendimientoequivalente, mayor humedady una mayor relación materia húmeda/peso seco en los quesos producidos con el coagulante vegetal, esta variación podría relacionarse con la mayor actividad proteolítica de las peptidasas del cuajo vegetal. El parámetro de color de Hunter a* fue menos negativo para los quesos Cs (con + a * siendo la dirección roja y −a * verde), podría atribuirse al color del extracto floral. El resto de los parámetros fisicoquímicos y atributos sensoriales medidos no mostraron diferencias significativas entre quesos. Ambos tuvieron muy buena aceptabilidad general.La evolución de la microbiota mostró un decrecimiento en los niveles de microrganismos viables, excepto para los hongos y levaduras. Las bacterias ácido lácticas, constituyentes del starter, fueron el grupo dominante de microorganismos manteniéndose en alto número de viables al finalizar la maduración. Los coliformes decrecieron a niveles indetectables luego de los 28 días de maduración, mientras que hongos y levaduras, responsables del biodeterioro de los quesos, aumentaron significativamente su concentración especialmente en los quesos Q.Los quesos Csmostraronmayor actividad antioxidante que el control por los métodos del ABTS y del DPPH. Este incremento podría relacionarse con la presencia de antioxidantes naturales en el extracto Cso con la liberación de péptidos antioxidantes por la acción de las enzimas proteolíticas presentes en el extracto a partir de las proteínas de la leche o la interacción de ambos efectos. El extracto de flores de alcachofa constituiría un sustituto alternativo para reemplazar el rennet animal en la elaboración de quesos tipo Cheddar. Los quesos Cs mostraron propiedades similares (rendimiento, parámetros sensoriales y fisicoquímicos), una actividad antioxidanteligeramente mayor y sin aumento significativo de los microorganismos responsables del biodetioro durante la maduración respecto a los quesos controldando características especiales al producto final.

Evacuation Supporting System Based on IoT Components Eggly, Gabriel Martin; Finochietto, Mariano; Micheletto, Matías Javier; Roger Pueyo Centelles; Santos, Rodrigo Martin; Ochoa, Sergio; Meseguer, Roc The response to natural disasters usually requires evacuation procedures that should be followed in a quick and orderly fashion. While census data provide information on the population distribution during sleeping hours, the evacuation procedure may arrive at any moment of the day, even when people are not at home; e.g., in their daily activities. This particular situation causes preparedness plans based on census information to become minimally effective; therefore, more dynamic and context-aware strategies are required to properly address these evacuation processes. In this paper, an evacuation supporting system, based on IoT-networked devices, is proposed to guide people to safe places or shelters once the alert of an extreme event has been issued. The system is interactive and support crowd-sensing; this allows people to upload information on the state of the routes and the shelters, thus keep an updated status of the evacuation routes. The contribution of the paper is twofold. On one side, an evolutionary algorithm is proposed to provide coverage in a breadcrumb deployment of information posts called witness units. On the other, an application based on geographical information system is presented as an intermediary between the witness units and the users; this application guides people towards safe places or shelters.

Jerarquización de la información y representaciones mentales de discurso narrativo en pacientes con esquizofrenia Martínez, Gisela Paola; de Benedictis, Carla; Fioramonti, Mauro Bruno; Guinjoan, Salvador Martín; Abusamra, Valeria Comprender un texto implica construir una representación mental. Para lograr esto, es necesario llevar a cabo distintos procesos cognitivos que nos permitan distinguir entre la información relevante y la irrelevante. De esta manera, la representación mental se construye sobre la información importante del texto, a partir de establecer lazos entre la información provista por el texto y el conocimiento del mundo del lector. Los pacientes con esquizofrenia presentan alteraciones lingüísticas a nivel de la producción y la comprensión. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el rendimiento de esta población en una tarea de comprensión de discurso narrativo.