Interrogating pollution sources in a mangrove food web using multiple stable isotopes Souza, Iara da C.; Arrivabene, Hiulana P.; Craig, Carol-Ann; Midwood, Andrew J.; Thornton, Barry; Matsumoto, Silvia T.; Elliott, Michael; Wunderlin, Daniel Alberto; Monferran, Magdalena Victoria; Fernandes, Marisa N. Anthropogenic activities including metal contamination create well-known problems in coastal mangrove ecosystems but understanding and linking specific pollution sources to distinct trophic levels within these environments is challenging. This study evaluated anthropogenic impacts on two contrasting mangrove food webs, by using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, 87Sr/86Sr, 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb) measured in sediments, mangrove trees (Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, Avicennia schaueriana), plankton, shrimps (Macrobranchium sp.), crabs (Aratus sp.), oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) and fish (Centropomus parallelus) from both areas. Strontium and Pb isotopes were also analysed in water and atmospheric particulate matter (PM). δ15N indicated that crab, shrimp and oyster are at intermediate levels within the local food web and fish, in this case C. parallelus, was confirmed at the highest trophic level. δ15N also indicates different anthropogenic pressures between both estuaries; Vitória Bay, close to intensive human activities, showed higher δ15N across the food web, apparently influenced by sewage. The ratio87Sr/86Sr showed the primary influence of marine water throughout the entire food web. Pb isotope ratios suggest that PM is primarily influenced by metallurgical activities, with some secondary influence on mangrove plants and crabs sampled in the area adjacent to the smelting works. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the effect of anthropogenic pollution (probable sewage pollution) on the isotopic fingerprint of estuarine-mangrove systems located close to a city compared to less impacted estuarine mangroves. The influence of industrial metallurgical activity detected using Pb isotopic analysis of PM and mangrove plants close to such an impacted area is also notable and illustrates the value of isotopic analysis in tracing the impact and species affected by atmospheric pollution.

Biogeographic shell shape variation in trophon Geversianus (gastropoda: muricidae) along the Southwestern Atlantic coast Malvé, Mariano Ezequiel; Rivadeneira Valenzuela, Marcelo Michel; Gordillo, Sandra Broad-scale latitudinal morphological trends in gastropods along the southwestern Atlantic coast are scant, since the majority of studies have focused on local scales. Here, we evaluate biogeographic shell shape variation in the marine gastropod Trophon geversianus across most of its distributional range, covering 14 degrees of latitude. Samples come from death assemblages which have the potential to unveil biogeographic patterns along spatio-temporal scales and are not affected by short-term volatility in comparison with living assemblages. We performed morphometric analyses on shells from death assemblages, and compared shape variation between mid-Holocene and modern shells from one southern site. Multivariate analyses identified two morphotypes matching the biogeographic regions of the Argentine Sea that segregates a warm-temperate from a cold-temperate zone. The Magellan province morphotype is characterized by a larger shell, lower spire height, and higher aperture length than the Argentinean province morphotype. This change in shell shape is significantly correlated to sea surface temperature, even after accounting for spatial autocorrelation, which could be indirectly influencing intraspecific morphoclines via shifts in growth rates. On the other side, shell size and shape variations were also detected (size increase over recent geological time) between mid-Holocene and modern specimens at the Beagle Channel, which could be attributed to paleoenvironmental changes and to shifts in predator-prey relationships. Our study illustrates the usefulness of death assemblages for revealing large-scale patterns of shell-shape variability in mollusk species, and highlights the spatial coincidence of intraspecific morphological differentiation with the transition zone between biogeographic provinces of the Argentine Sea.

Parabolic megadunes in a subtropical Quaternary inland dune field, southwestern Pampas, Argentina Tripaldi, Alfonsina; Mehl, Adriana Ester; Zárate, Marcelo Arístides The Utracán paleo-dune field (La Pampa Province, Argentina, southern South America) was examined by remote sensing, morphometric analyses and field surveys as a case study of complex megadunes of inland deserts. The paleo-dune field is within the Utracán-Argentino valley, one of the transverse valleys of La Pampa Province excavated into a regional structural plain. Similar paleo-dune fields occur within these valleys. Utracán dunes are mostly stabilized by grasses, deeply disturbed by cattle grazing and agriculture. The paleo-dune field is formed by complex parabolic megadunes with superimposed dunes. Parabolic megadunes present lengths of trailing arms of 3.3–12.9 km, widths between them of 2–2.9 km and heights of 7–38 m. The position of the dune noses at the northeastern tip of the bedform and measured SW-NE orientation of arms indicate a mean transport direction to azimuth 68.2°. Above the parabolic arms, and isolated in the paleo-dune field, there are compound blowout dunes (clusters of several blowouts forming a larger bedform). They show the depositional lobes to the NE, with a measured mean transport direction to azimuth 58.1°. The SW-NE longitudinal length varies between 324 and 1302 m and the NW-SE transverse length between 114 and 622 m. Other parabolic arms show low (<3 m) barchanoid dunes, with crest lengths of 48–811 m, a mean crest spacing of 74 m and a transport direction to azimuth 28.2°. The paleo-dune field also shows smaller, simple parabolic and blowout dunes. We hypothesize that the parabolic and blowout dunes are the basic bedforms that emerged under the boundary conditions of the Utracán dune field, related to a high sediment supply coupled with a partial vegetation cover, in a valley that provided accommodation space by means of well-defined depression and wind deceleration due to a change in the longitudinal valley slope direction. The west-to-east spatial progression of dune morphologies along the Utracán-Argentino valley, the general transport direction of dunes to the NE, and the petrographic sand composition allow us the infer that the transverse valleys of La Pampa Province worked as sand transport pathways. These pathways transferred fine to very fine sand from the eastern Andean piedmont to the Pampean plain, likely during the Quaternary.

Neuroprotective effects of Flaveria bidentis and Lippia salsa extracts on SH-SY5Y cells Cavallaro, Valeria; Baier, Carlos Javier; Murray, María Gabriela; Estevez Braun, Ana; Murray, Ana Paula Halophyte plants have to survive in a hostile environment by developing adaptive responses. One of these strategies is the production of several protective molecules which make these plants an interesting source of bioactive compounds. Significant acetylcholinesterase inhibition was observed for ethanolic extracts obtained from Lippia salsa Griseb. (Verbenaceae) and Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze (Asteraceae), two plants that are widely distributed in the salt marsh Salitral de la Vidriera. These results encouraged us to further study the active constituents and the potential neuroprotective properties of these plants. The flavonoids luteolin (1) and apigenin (2) were identified as the active components of L. salsa, while 6-methoxykaempferol-3-sulfate (3) was obtained from F. bidentis. In addition, we investigated the cytotoxicity, cellular protection against K+-depolarization and antioxidant activity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells for these extracts and compound 3. Results demonstrated that beyond acting as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, they also exhibited neuroprotective effects against KCl-induced-Ca2 + overload and oxidative stress.

Iodine-Catalyzed Iso-Nazarov Cyclization of Conjugated Dienals for the Synthesis of 2-Cyclopentenones Marsili, Lucía A.; Pergomet, Jorgelina Leonor; Gandon, Vincent; Riveira, Martín Jorge Molecular iodine was identified as an efficient catalyst for the cycloisomerization of conjugated dienals to substituted 2-cyclopentenones. DFT calculations suggested an unexpected concerted character for this cyclization.

Online third-order liquid chromatographic data with native and photoinduced fluorescence detection for the quantitation of organic pollutants in environmental water Pellegrino Vidal, Rocio; Olivieri, Alejandro Cesar; Ibañez, Gabriela Alejandra; Escandar, Graciela Monica Third-order liquid chromatographic data were generated online for the simultaneous quantitation of six organic environmental pollutants. The employed strategy consists in reducing the linear flow rate at the column outlet. A postcolumn UV reactor and a fluorimetric detector allowed to properly record both photoinduced and native excitation-emission fluorescence matrices (EEPIFMs and EEFMs, respectively). The obtained third-order liquid chromatography data were chemometrically processed with the multivariate curve resolution-alternating least-squares model. The sensitivity of the overall analytical method was enhanced by a very simple solid-phase extraction with C18 membranes, to be able to successfully apply it to natural water samples tested as real matrices. Favorable detection limits for the investigated pollutants, ranging from 0.02 to 0.27 ng mL-1, were attained, with relative prediction errors between 2 and 7%. Since the studied samples contain uncalibrated interferents, the applied strategy achieves the second-order advantage. Implications regarding the potential achievement of the third-order advantage are discussed.

Educación en tiempos de la Confederación Argentina; Education in times of the Argentine Confederation Bustamante Vismara, José Manuel Laureano Este análisis indaga en dos facetas de la política educativa desarrollada bajo el gobierno de la Confederación Argentina en la década de 1850. Por un lado se recuperan rasgos del proyecto alberdiano, sus modulaciones al formularse el artículo quinto de la constitución de 1853, así como las notas introducidas por la reforma de 1860. Luego se estudian aspectos fiscales y educativos de ese gobierno. Con este propósito se atiende a legajos de órdenes de pago del Departamento de Justicia, Culto e Instrucción Pública durante el período comprendido entre 1856 y 1860.; This paper searches two facets of the educational policy developed under the government of the Argentine Confederation in the 1850s. On one hand, traces of the Alberdian project are recovered, their modulations in the formulation of the fifth article of the constitution of 1853, as well as the notes introduced by the reform of 1860. Later we study fiscal and educational aspects of that government; the payment orders of the Department of Justicia, Culto e Instrucción Pública during the period between 1856 and 1860 are analyzed for that purpose.

Ni-based catalysts obtained from perovskites oxides for ethanol steam reforming Aguero, Fabiola Nerina; Alonso, José Antonio; Fernández Díaz, Maria Teresa; Cadus, Luis Eduardo Perovskites as host structures of cations were used in order to generate in situ active and stable catalysts for ethanol steam reforming. For this purpose, La1-xMgxAl1-yNiyO3 (x = 0.1; y= 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) perovskites were synthetized by the citrate method. Ni segregation is evident for a substitution level higher than 0.2. The segregation of Ni as NiO generated species interacts with different metal-support after the reduction step. The y= 0.1 catalyst presents the highest H2 yield value about 85% during reaction time, with low mean values of CH4 and CO selectivities of 3.4% and 11%, respectively and a low carbon formation. The better performance of y= 0.1 catalyst could be attributed to the minor proportion of segregated phases, thus a controlled expulsion of Ni is successfully reached.

Approaches for phosphorus removal with calcium hydroxide and floating macrophytes in a mesocosm experiment: impacts on plankton structure Frau, Diego; Spies, Mariana; Battauz, Yamila Soledad; Medrano, Jonathan; Sinistro, Rodrigo Cultural eutrophication has promoted theapplication of several mitigation strategies in the last50 years. In this study we tested the combined effectsof two techniques: calcium hydroxide [(Ca(OH)2),lime] and a free-floating macrophyte (Salvinia rotundifoliaWilld) to examine the soluble reactive phosphorusremoval capability and the effects on plankton(phytoplankton and zooplankton) structure in a in situlake mesocosms experiment. The experiment lasted10 days (n = 12, 500 l each) with a control and threetreatments (lime (CH), plants (FM), and thecombination of both (CH ? FM)). Samples of severalphysical and chemical variables (including nutrients)and phytoplankton were taken at the beginning, 2 daysafter, 4 days, and 10 days (end of the experiment).Zooplankton was sampled at the beginning and at theend. The highest depletion effect of soluble reactivephosphorus (SRP) was observed in presence of lime.Phytoplankton biovolume was highly and negativelyaffected in lime treatments (CH and CH ? FM).Zooplankton changed from Rotifera to Cladocera andCopepoda in presence of macrophytes. We concludethat lime ? plants reduces more effectively SRP,phytoplankton biovolume and promotes herbivorouszooplankton development; becoming by this way, in asuitable mitigation strategy to be explored in futurefield manipulation studies.

Socio-environmental patterns associated with cancer mortality: A study based on a quality of life approach Pou, Sonia Alejandra; Diaz, Maria del Pilar; Velázquez, Guillermo Ángel Background: With 18.6% of total deaths due to malignant tumors in 2016, cancer is the second leading death cause in Argentina. While there is a broad consensus on common risk factors at the individual cancer level, those operating at a contextual level have been poorly studied in developing countries. The objective of our study was to identify socio-environmental patterns in Argentina (2010), emphasizing quality of life, and to explore their associations with the spatial distribution of cancer mortality in the country. Methods: The study was conducted in 525 geographical divisions nested into 24 provinces. Sex-specific crude and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR) for cancer (2009-2011 period) were calculated. Empirically derived socio-environmental patterns were identified through principal-component factor analysis on a selected set of variables: an urban scale and 29 indicators of a quality of life index in Argentina for 2010. Two-level Poisson regression models were used to estimate associations between the ASMR and the continuous factor scores for socio-environmental patterns as covariates. A random intercept was included to account for spatial variability in the ASMR distribution using Stata software. Results: Four socio-environmental patterns were identified, termed "Contexts with urban-related resources or cultural capital", "Socioeconomically prosperous contexts", "Environments with anthropic exposures" and "Plains region" (cumulative explained variance=57%). High mortality rates were found in counties characterized by socioeconomically prosperous contexts (RR=1.025 in women; 1.088 in men) and plain landscapes (RR=1.057 and 1.117, respectively). Counties featuring urban or cultural resources demonstrated increased mortality in women (RR=1.015, 95%CI=1.005-1.025), whereas rising rates associated with environments having anthropic exposures (RR=1.008, 95%CI=1.001-1.016) were observed only for men. Conclusion: This study identified four characteristic socio-environmental patterns in Argentina which incorporate features of quality of life, accounting to some extent for the differential burden of cancer mortality in this country.

Metabolic stress and shell thinning in Pomacea canaliculata (Caenogastropoda, Ampullaridae) in rice agroecosystems of Argentina Attademo, Andres Maximiliano; Tamburi, Nicolas Eduardo; Peltzer, Paola; Lajmanovich, Rafael Carlos; Martinuzzi, Candela Soledad Pomacea canaliculata is a freshwater snail native to South America that has become a serious pest of rice crops. Insecticides are used to control other pests in paddy fields and P. canaliculata is collaterally exposed. Here a P. canaliculata population from a rice field (RF) where the insecticides bifenthrin and imidacloprid (IMC) were applied was compared with a reference site (RS). The activities of three metabolic endpoints, namely acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CbE) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were measured to test metabolic stress. Intestine and midgut-gland of snails after 7 and 30 days of insecticide application were studied. A possible effect of IMC on shell thickness was also explored. The results indicate an inhibition of CbE and GST activities in the intestine of RF snails relative to RS snails at 7 days, while AChE and GST increased in the intestine after 30 days of IMC exposure. GST in the midgut-gland of RF snails was inhibited with respect to RS snails at 7 and 30 days, whereas CbE increased at 30 days in RF snails. Thinner shells with lower proportion of ash content were observed in snails from RF. Exposure to pesticides exerts neurotoxic resistance and oxidative stress in P. canaliculata and is probably responsible for the alteration in the shell development.

Formalin-ethyl acetate concentration, FLOTAC Pellet and anal swab techniques for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites Cociancic, Paola; Rinaldi, Laura; Zonta, Maria Lorena; Navone, Graciela Teresa The aim of this study was to compare formalin-ethyl acetate concentration and FLOTAC Pellet techniques for the diagnosis of intestinal parasites in human stool samples. The anal swab method was used for the specific detection of Enterobius vermicularis. The study was performed in children and youth from Puerto Madryn (South Argentina). A total of 174 individuals were examined using the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique (FECT), the FLOTAC Pellet technique with saturated sodium chloride and zinc sulphate flotation solutions and anal swabs. The performance of copromicroscopic techniques was evaluated according to sensitivity, negative predictive value and Kappa index. Overall, 39.1% of the individuals were parasitised. The most prevalent species was Blastocystis sp. (19%) followed by E. vermicularis (17.8%), Giardia lamblia (6.3%), Entamoeba coli (5.7%), Hymenolepis nana and Endolimax nana (1.1%). The FECT was the most sensitive technique for Blastocystis sp., G. lamblia and E. coli infections, whereas FLOTAC Pellet techniques were the most sensitive for H. nana diagnosis. Anal swabs detected the highest percentage of E. vermicularis infection. This was the first time that the FLOTAC Pellet technique was used to detect intestinal parasites in humans. The FECT continues to be a reliable method for detecting protozoa and the FLOTAC Pellet technique gains importance in the diagnosis of helminths. Anal swab test remains the method of choice for the detection of E. vermicularis. However, when comparing techniques, key factors as preservation methods, preservation times and flotation solutions should be taken into account.

Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic metabolites from native plants of northwest Argentina: isolation, identification and potential for control of Aspergillus species Gómez, Analia de Los Angeles; Terán Baptista, Zareath Pamela; Mandova ,Tzvetelina; Barouti,Angeliki; Kritsanida, Marina; Grougnet Raphael; Vattuone, Marta Amelia; Sampietro, Diego Alejandro Extracts from aerial parts of Prosopis ruscifolia, Bidens pilosa, Cercidium praecox and Phoradendron liga were assayed against toxigenic Aspergillus species. They were obtained by sequential extraction of the aerial parts with hexane (fHex), dichloromethane (fDCM), ethyl acetate (fEtOAc) and methanol (fMeOH). The fMeOH from P. ruscifolia showed the highest antifungal spectrum (MIC = 750–1500 µg mL−1; MID = 50–200 µg; DI = 1.7–3.0 mm). Indolizidine alkaloids (juliflorine and juliprosine) and tryptamine were identified with strong (MIC = 188 µg mL−1) and moderate antifungal activities (MIC = 750 µg mL−1), respectively, towards A. parasiticus and A. flavus. The fMeOH, the indolizidine alkaloids and tryptamine synergized the fungitoxic effect of potassium sorbate and propiconazole. They completely suppressed the biosynthesis of aflatoxins at concentrations of 47, 94 and 375 µg mL−1, respectively. Our results indicate that fMeOH and its identified alkaloids are promisory additives of commercial antifungals and are antiaflatoxigenic agents at concentrations below of those required for complete suppression of fungal growth.

Intraplate seismicity recorded by a local network in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina Correa Otto, Sebastian Ariel; Nacif Suvire, Silvina Valeria; Pesce, Agustina; Nacif, Andres Antonio; Gianni, Guido Martin; Furlani, Renzo; Gimenez, Mario Ernesto; Ruiz, Juan Francisco Intraplate seismicity in the Southern Central Andes has been mostly documented to the north of 35°S, while similar phenomenon south of these latitudes is not known so far. In order to contribute to this issue, we analysed seismicity in the Andean back-arc region between 38°S and 39°S through a seismological experiment using a local broadband seismic network in the Neuquén Basin. In this study, we aim to determine the background (base) seismicity of the region, and integrate the results with gravimetric data and previous geological knowledge to identify potential sources of the seismic activity. In addition to low-grade seismicity we recorded a Ml = 3.78 strike-slip earthquake ∼ 100 km west of Neuquén city on November 19, 2015. Seismicity location could be controlled by thermo-mechanical properties of the lithosphere linked to the previous tectonic evolution. On the other hand, the triggering factor could be related to E-W Andean stress-field or to human-induced activity.

El Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) anuncia los resultados del proceso de adjudicación para la convocatoria PCE Richmond mediante Resolución N°081/18.

El Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) anuncia los resultados del proceso de adjudicación para la convocatoria PICT 2017 Max Planck mediante Resolución N°080/18.

El Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) anuncia los resultados del proceso de admisibilidad para la convocatoria PICT CABBIO mediante Resolución N°005/18.

El Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) anuncia los resultados del proceso de adjudicación para la convocatoria PICTO 2018 UNLA mediante Resolución N°083/18.

El Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) anuncia los resultados del proceso de adjudicación para la convocatoria PCE Sinergium Biotech mediante Resolución N°068/18.

Different nest predator guild associated with egg size in the Patagonian temperate forest Vazquez, Miriam Soledad; Rodriguez Cabal, Mariano Alberto; Gonzalez, Daniela Vanesa; Pacheco, Gabriel S.; Amico, Guillermo Cesar Capsule: Studies of nest predation using artificial nests need to consider the effect of egg size on the types of predator that are detected. Aims: To estimate the nest predation rate in the Patagonian temperate forest and evaluate the influence of egg size on predator guild. Methods: On different plant species, we placed 108 nests each containing eggs of either Atlantic Canary Serinus canaria or Common Quail Coturnix coturnix, and a model clay egg of equal size to the real egg. Nest predators were identified from the marks left on the clay eggs or by videos recorded using camera traps. Results: 86% of the nests were predated. Birds, mainly Chimango Caracara Milvago chimango, were the main nest predators. A marsupial, the Monito del Monte Dromiciops gliroides, and rodents also contributed to nest predation. Nest predation rates were similar for both egg sizes but the nest predator guild was different. Birds and rodents preyed on both eggs but the Monito del Monte consumed mainly small eggs. Conclusion: Egg size did not influence the rate of nest predation but, instead, affected the nest predator guild. Consequently, in order to avoid underestimating the impacts of small predators, egg size should be considered in studies of nest predation.