Lo artesanal como mediación técnica y simbólica : Cultura, identidad local y aprendizaje en la cerveza artesanal de Bariloche, Argentina; Craft and Artisanal as Technical and Simbolic Mediators. Culture, local identity and Learning in Craft Beer in Bariloche, Argentina Kaderian, Santiago La ciudad de San Carlos de Bariloche (Río Negro, Argentina) es conocida por sus paisajes e instituciones tecnológicas, pero también por su cultura de cerveza artesanal. En la ciudad, la producción comercial de cerveza artesanal comienza a principios de los 90. Hoy en día la cerveza se articula con diversos registros y narrativas sobre lo artesanal. En este artículo se aborda la cerveza artesanal como instancia local de amplios procesos espacio temporales y como indicador material y cultural de la relación entre diversos registros y narrativas. Se analiza la relación de la cerveza artesanal con las narrativas turísticas y gastronómicas, la identidad local y geografía de la ciudad, las materias primas y aprendizajes de elaboración; como resultado se muestran algunos de los efectos de los mediadores simbólicos y técnicos en la circulación de la cerveza artesanal. Las fuentes utilizadas son entrevistas, registros de observación y guías gastronómicas de cerveza.; The city of San Carlos de Bariloche (Río Negro, Argentina) is well-known for its landscapes and technological institutions, but also for its craft-beer culture. The commercial production of craft beer starts in the city in the 90’s. Today the craftbeer has an articulation with diverse registers and narratives about the craft. The approach of this article takes craft beer as a local instance of large scale process and as a cultural and material marker between diverse registers and narratives. The article analyzes how the craft beer is related with touristic and gastronomic narratives, local identity and city geography, the raw materials and beer elaboration learning. As a result the article reveals some effects of symbolic and technical mediators in circulation, production and consumption. Primary and secondary sources include interviews with brewers, observational registers and gastronomic-beer guides.

Search for an intrinsic metallicity spread in old globular clusters of the Large Magellanic Cloud Piatti, Andres Eduardo; Koch, Andreas We report for the first time on the magnitude of the intrinsic [Fe/H] spread among ten old globular clusters (GCs) of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Such spreads are merely observed in approximately five per cent of the Milky Way GCs and recently gained more attention in theoretical models of GC evolution. We derived metallicities with a typical precision of 0.05 dex ≤ σ[Fe/H] ≤ 0.20 dex for an average of 14 red giant branch stars per GC from Str¨omgren photometry. The respective, metallicity-sensitive indices have been calibrated to precise and accurate high-dispersion spectroscopy. For all clusters we found null [Fe/H] spreads with a typical uncertainty of 0.04 dex, with the possible exception of NGC 1786 that shows an intrinsic dispersion of 0.07±0.04 dex. The mean, observed standard deviation of the derived metallicities for nearly 40 per cent of our GC sample amounted to smaller than 0.05 dex. At present, we cannot exclude that the remaining GCs also have intrinsic Fe abundance variations in excess of 0.05 dex, but in order to significantly detect those, the measurement errors on individual [Fe/H]-values would need to be lowered to the 0.03–0.07 dex level. These findings suggest, along with those from ages and light-element abundances, that the LMC GCs studied here are alike to the majority of Galactic GCs.

Adaptación del Inventario de cociente emocional para su uso con estudiantes de Psicología; Adaptation of the Emotional Quotient Inventory for its Use with Psychology Students Tisocco, Franco; Bruno, Flavia; Stover, Juliana Beatriz El objetivo del presente trabajo fue la adaptación del Inventario decociente emocional a estudiantes de nivel universitario de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó con 299 estudiantes (81.6% Mujeres y 18.4% Hombres; M edad = 25.32, DE edad = 7.05). Se recolectaron datos con una encuesta de datos sociodemográficos, el instrumento Symptom Check List 90-R y el Inventario de cociente emocional. Mediante un análisis de componentes principal con rotación Varimax normalizada se aisló una estructura de once dimensiones (KMO = .87; Bartlett: X 2 =19655.4; 2415 gl) que explicó el 53.58% de la varianza total. Se estimó la consistencia interna a partir del cálculo de alfas de Cronbach, y se hallaron valores de excelentes a aceptables (entre α = .91 y α =.65) para las once dimensiones. Subsecuentemente, se hallaron evidencias de validez de criterio con relación a sintomatología psicopatológica. En conclusión, se ha logrado elaborar un instrumento apto para la evaluación de estudiantes en un contexto local. Futuras investigaciones deberán continuar examinando su estructura factorial, dado que ésta difiere de la propuesta en la versión original. Asimismo, trabajos futuros deberán abordar el estudio de la consistencia temporal de las puntuaciones del instrumento.; The objective of the present study was the adaptation of the Emotional Quotient Inventory in university-level students of Buenos Aires (81.6% Female, 18.4% Male; Mage = 25.32, SDage = 7.05). Data were collected with a socio-demographic questionaire, the Symptom Check List 90-R, and the Emotional Quotient Inventory. A principal component analysis with a normalized Varimax rotation was conducted, which isolated an 11-factor structure (KMO = .87; Bartlett: X2= 19655.4; 2415 df), accounting for 53.58% of the explained variance. Internal consistency indexes were estimated via the calculation of Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients, and excellent to acceptable values were found (between a = .91 and a = .65) for the eleven dimensions. Subsequently, criterion-validity evidence was found in relation to psychological symptomatology. In conclusion, a well suited instrument has been elaborated for its use in psychological assessment within students in the local context. Future studies must continue to examine the instrument’s factorial structure, given that it differs from the one proposed in its original version. Moreover, future studies must assess the instrument scores’ temporal consistency.

New constraints on elemental and Pb and Nd isotope compositions of South American and Southern African aerosol sources to the South Atlantic Ocean Khondoker, Roulin; Weiss, Dominik; van de Flierdt, Tina; Rehkämper, Mark; Kreissig, Katharina; Coles, B.J.; Strekopytov, S.; Humphreys Williams, Emma; Dong, S.; Bory, A.; Bout Roumazeilles, Viviane; Smichowski, Patricia Nora; Cid Agüero, P.; Babinski, Marly; Losno, R.; Monna, Fabrice Improving the geochemical database available for characterising potential natural and anthropogenic aerosol sources from South America and Southern Africa is a critical precondition for studies aimed at understanding trace metal controls on the marine biogeochemical cycles of the South Atlantic Ocean. We here present new elemental and isotopic data for a wide range of sample types from South America and Southern Africa that are potentially important aerosol sources. This includes road dust from Buenos Aires and lichen samples from Johannesburg, soil dust from Patagonia, volcanic ash from the Andean volcanic belt, and aerosol samples from São Paulo. All samples were investigated for major (Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, K, Mn) and trace element (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, REE, Sc, Th, Y, V, Zn) concentrations and Nd and Pb isotopic compositions. We show that diagrams of 208Pb/207Pb vs. εNd, 208Pb/207Pb vs. Pb/Al, 1/[Pb], Zn/Al, Cd/Al, Cu/Al, and εNd vs. Pb/Al, and 1/[Nd] are best suited to separate South American and South African source regions as well as natural and anthropogenic sources. A subset of samples from Patagonia and the Andes was additionally subjected to separation of a fine (<5 μm) fraction and compared to the composition of the bulk sample. We show that differences in the geochemical signature of bulk samples between individual regions and source types are significantly larger than between grain sizes. Jointly, these findings present an important step forward towards a quantitative assessment of aeolian trace metal inputs to the South Atlantic Ocean.

Angiosperm leaves and cuticles from the uppermost Cretaceous of Patagonia, biogeographic implications and atmospheric paleo-CO2 estimates Martínez, Camila; Gandolfo, Maria Alejandra; Cúneo, Néstor Rubén The study of plant material from localities of Late Cretaceous age from southern latitudes is fundamental to improve our understanding of global patterns of angiosperm evolution, diversity, paleoecology, and biogeography. Herein, angiosperm leaf fossils of the recently discovered Cañadón del Loro locality, from the Maastrichtian portion of the Lefipán Formation, Patagonia, Argentina are studied. Leaf architecture was used to differentiate morphotypes, to describe them, and to make comparisons with other southern latitudes floras of similar age. Six angiosperm leaf morphotypes were described from 132 collected specimens; one of them, with exceptional preservation, was named Lefipania padillae gen. et sp. nov. and its cuticle anatomy and insect damage were also described. The Cañadón del Loro fossils represent a local assemblage of low diversity deposited in an upper delta plain. Biogeographically, L. padillae was widespread throughout the southern hemisphere during the Late Cretaceous, possibly favored by a warm climate and the geographical proximity of these southern landmasses. The morphotype with well-preserved cuticles clearly shows four insect damage types attributed to feeding. This morphotype was also used for estimating paleo-atmospheric CO2 concentration (pCO2), using a stomatal-proxy gas exchange model, which resulted in approximately 464 ppm. The estimated pCO2 is in agreement with previous estimations for this time interval and supports the hypothesis of a decrease of pCO2 towards end of the Cretaceous.

Burocracias paralelas y liderazgo político: duplicación y expropiación de funciones en el centro presidencial argentino (1916-2016) Chaia de Bellis, Jonás Ariel Más allá de las burocracias utilizadas para gestionar las relaciones rutinarias con su entorno, quienes lideran el Poder Ejecutivo pueden em¬plear el centro presidencial como un recurso de gobierno para enfrentar situaciones no rutinarias y centralizar la formulación de políticas. Este recurso es la creación de lo que denomino agencias directoriales, es decir, agencias que duplican o expropian funciones y roles hasta entonces asignadas a otras agencias, ministerios y personal del Poder Ejecutivo. Mediante un análisis de regresiones estadísticas para el período 1916-2016 en la Argentina, se concluye aquí que la incertidumbre económica y política, el neocorporativismo y el tipo de régimen afectan el uso y la creación de agencias directoriales en el centro presidencial.; Beyond bureaucracies used to manage routine relationships with their environment, Executive Branch leaders can use the center of government as a political resource to face non-routine situations and centralize policy formulation. This resource is the creation of what I call “director agencies”, i. e.: agencies that duplicate or expropriate functions and roles until then assigned to other agencies, departments, and personnel of the Executive. Through a statistical regression analysis for the period 1916-2016 in Argentina, it is concluded here that economic and political uncertainty, neo-corporatism, and regime type, affect the use and creation of “director agencies” in the center of government.

Structural, electronic and hyperfine properties on Sm2O3, Eu2O3 and Gd2O3 phases Richard, Diego; Errico, Leonardo Antonio; Rentería, Mario We present a detailed first-principles study of three rare-earth lanthanide sesquioxides (Ln2O3, Ln = Sm, Eu, and Gd) in the hexagonal A, the monoclinic B, and the cubic C phases. The calculations were performed with the Density Functional Theory (DFT)-based Augmented Plane Wave plus local orbital (APW + lo) method, using the local spin density approximation (LSDA) and the LSDA + U approach to take into account the strongly correlated Ln-4f electrons. We calculated the equilibrium structures and the effect of hydrostatic pressure on them, the density of states (DOS), the energy band-gaps and, finally, the electric-field-gradient (EFG) tensor at the different cationic sites. The obtained predictions reveal that for the three considered Ln2O3 sesquioxides, the C phase is the stable one, with a transition pressure to the A phase of about 1–2 GPa. For each Ln2O3, the predicted properties were compared with those obtained by means of different experimental techniques. We found that the crystal equilibrium volume, bulk modulus and its first pressure derivative obtained with LSDA are in good agreement with previous experimental results. On the other hand, the inclusion of the U term gives a correct description of the insulating ground state of these systems. Concerning the EFG tensor, LSDA and LSDA + U predict similar values for the EFG at each cationic site in all cases. These results are consistent with the hyperfine interactions experiments reported for the B and C phases of Gd2O3. Finally, we analyze the origin of the EFG at Ln sites, by considering the contributions of the different Ln orbitals to it, and its relation with the local structure.

Nicotine affects ethanol-conditioned taste, but not place, aversion in a simultaneous conditioning procedure Loney, Gregory C.; Pautassi, Ricardo Marcos; Kapadia, Delna; Meyer, Paul J. The conditioned taste aversion (CTA) induced by ethanol is a key factor limiting ethanol intake. Nicotine, a drug co-consumed with ethanol, may decrease this aversion by modulating the unconditioned effects of ethanol or by disrupting the association between ethanol and its associated cues. This study analyzed ethanol-induced CTA and conditioned place aversion (CPA) in Long-Evans rats with subchronic exposure to nicotine. The rats were treated with nicotine (0.0 or 0.4 mg/kg) three times before conditioning (on lickometer training sessions 3, 4, and 5) and across conditioning days. During the conditioning the rats were given ethanol (1.3 g/kg) preceded and followed by presentation of a taste (NaCl) and tactile (rod or hole floors) conditioned stimulus (CS+), respectively. On CS− conditioning days, the rats were given vehicle and exposed to alternative stimuli. Three CTA and CPA testing sessions were then conducted. It was found that nicotine reduced ethanol-induced CTA and enhanced locomotor activity, but did not significantly modify the magnitude of ethanol-induced CPA. The effects of nicotine on CTA were observed during both conditioning and testing sessions, and were specific to the NaCl CS+, having no effect on reactivity to water. The dissociation between the effect of nicotine on ethanol-induced CTA and CPA suggests that nicotine does not alter ethanol's motivational properties by generally increasing its positive rewarding effects, nor does it blunt all aversive-like responses to this drug. Instead, nicotine may impede ethanol-induced CTA induced by ethanol by disrupting the neural underpinnings of this specific form of associative learning.

Influence of temperature on liquid - liquid equilibrium of methanol + toluene + hexane ternary system at atmospheric pressure Veliz, Jonatan Hernan; Cases, Alicia Marta; Varas Gutierrez, Constanza Geraldine; Gramajo, Monica Beatriz Abstract Liquid-liquid equilibrium of methanol + toluene+ hexane ternary system at 278.15,283.15, 288.15 and 293.15 K are reported. The effect of the temperature on liquid-liquidequilibrium is discussed. All chemicals were quantified by gas chromatography using athermal conductivity detector. Experimental data for the ternary system are compared withvalues calculated by the NRTL and UNIQUAC equations. It is found that the UNIQUACequation fitted to the experimental data is more accurate than the NRTL model for thisternary system for all temperatures studied.

Rubbish dumps as invasive plant epicentres Plaza, Pablo; Speziale, Karina Lilian; Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin It is widely known that disturbed areas favour plant species invasion. However, the presence and impacts of introduced plants at rubbish dumps and landfills are less clear. We conducted a literature review to evaluate current knowledge on introduced plants species at these sites to assess their potential role as invasion epicentres. Most of the studies we found (91%) were observational and only described plant species presence in multiple landscapes, including rubbish dumps or landfills. A minority of studies (< 20%) specifically focused on plant species at these sites but did not evaluate their potential as invasion epicentres. The 215 introduced plant species belonging to 57 families recorded at rubbish dumps or landfills underestimates true numbers given that most studies do not report the full list of species. Most species are invasive (> 95%) and included in the Global Invasive Species Database or the DAISIE list. One species, Arundo donax, is among the 100 worst invasive species in the world and eight more are listed among the 100 worst invasive species in Europe. Invasive species present at these sites may alter fire regimens, produce toxic and allergen effects, outcompete native species, act as agricultural pests, and lead to economic losses. Our results are a first step to include rubbish dumps and landfills in the agenda of ecologists and managers that study invasive species, especially since compost from these sites are now being used in agricultural practices, thus possibly spreading invasive species propagules to distant locations.

First record of a macroraptorial sperm whale (Cetacea, physeteroidea) from the miocene of Argentina Piazza, David Sebastián; Agnolin, Federico Lisandro; Lucero, Sergio Raptorial sperm whales of the genus Livyatan were described from the Miocene of Peru and Chile. Revision of paleontological collections resulted in the finding of isolated teeth belonging to aff. Livyatan sp. coming from Early-Middle Miocene strata from Bajo del Gualicho area, Río Negro Province, Argentina. These specimens represent the first finding of this genus in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and indicate that Livyatan-like forms were more widespread than previously thought. The reasons of the extinction of such predatory whales are still uncertain, but it is not improbable that it may be correlated with competition for food resources with globicephaline delphinids. This hypothesis still rests on weak evidence and should be evaluated through findings of new specimens, as well as detailed analysis of the fossil record.

Signaling network involved in the GPC3-induced inhibition of breast cancer progression: role of canonical Wnt pathway Fernández, Dolores; Guereño, Macarena; Lago Huvelle, María Amparo; Cercato, Magalí Cecilia; Peters, María Giselle Purpose: We have shown that GPC3 overexpression in breast cancer cells inhibits in vivo tumor progression, by acting as a metastatic suppressor. GPC3-overexpressing cells are less clonogenic, viable and motile, while their homotypic adhesion is increased. We have presented evidences indicating that GPC3 inhibits canonical Wnt and Akt pathways, while non-canonical Wnt and p38MAPK cascades are activated. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether GPC3-induced Wnt signaling inhibition modulates breast cancer cell properties as well as to describe the interactions among pathways modulated by GPC3. Methods: Fluorescence microscopy, qRT-PCR microarray, gene reporter assay and Western blotting were performed to determine gene expression levels, signaling pathway activities and molecule localization. Lithium was employed to activate canonical Wnt pathway and treated LM3-GPC3 cell viability, migration, cytoskeleton organization and homotypic adhesion were assessed using MTS, wound healing, phalloidin staining and suspension growth assays, respectively. Results: We provide new data demonstrating that GPC3 blocks—also at a transcriptional level—both autocrine and paracrine canonical Wnt activities, and that this inhibition is required for GPC3 to modulate migration and homotypic adhesion. Our results indicate that GPC3 is secreted into the extracellular media, suggesting that secreted GPC3 competes with Wnt factors or interacts with them and thus prevents Wnt binding to Fz receptors. We also describe the complex network of interactions among GPC3-modulated signaling pathways. Conclusion: GPC3 is operating through an intricate molecular signaling network. From the balance of these interactions, the inhibition of breast metastatic spread induced by GPC3 emerges.

The Ammonium Channel NOD26 is the Evolutionary Innovation that Drives the Emergence, Consolidation, and Dissemination of Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis in Angiosperms Frare, Romina Alejandra; Ayub, Nicolás Daniel; Alleva, Karina Edith; Soto, Gabriela Cynthia Increasing evidence indicates that N-fixing symbiosis has evolved several times in the N-fixing clade of angiosperms and that this evolution is driven by a single evolutionary innovation. However, the genetics of this ancestral predisposition to N-fixing symbiosis remains unclear. A natural candidate for such molecular innovation is the ammonium channel NOD26, the main protein component of the symbiosome membrane, which facilitates the plant uptake of the nitrogen fixed by symbiotic bacteria. Here, in concordance with the emergence of N-fixing symbiosis in angiosperms but not in ancestral plants, phylogenetic analysis showed that NOD26 belongs to an angiosperm-exclusive subgroup of aquaporins. Integrated genomic, phylogenetic, and gene expression analyses supported NOD26 occurrence in the N-fixing clade, the increase in the NOD26 copy number by block and tandem duplications in legumes, and the low-copy number or even the loss of NOD26 in non-legume species of the N-fixing clade, which correlated with the possibility to lose N-fixing symbiosis in legume and non-legume lineages. Metabolic reconstructions showed that retention of NOD26 in N-fixing precursor could represent an adaptive mechanism to bypass energy crisis during anaerobic stress by ammonium detoxification. Finally, we discuss the potential use of NOD26 to transfer N-fixation to non-N-fixing crops as cereals.

Impact of Ibrutinib in Quality of Life (QoL) in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL): Preliminary Results of Real-World Experience Mela Osorio, Maria Jose; Pavlovsky, Carolina; Pavlovsky, Astrid; Fernandez, Isolda; Massa, Federico Sackmann; Ferrari, Luciana; Juni, Mariana; Riddick, Maximiliano Luis; Pavlovsky, Miguel A. Context: Clinical data from controlled trials report an improvement in QoL in patients with CLL in ibrutinib monotherapy. Reallife evidence is necessary to confirm this data. Objective: The disease control when treatment is initiated could lead to decreasedfatigue. It is likely that treatment with ibrutinib could result in animprovement in QoL in our real-world population. Primaryobjective: evaluate impact of ibrutinib treatment in QoL. Wedefined a clinically meaningful improvement 3 points in FACITfatigue score. Secondary Endpoints: Detect a 10% improvement byEQ5D VAS. Correlate baseline and follow-up hemoglobin levels(meaningful improvement 1g/dL). Design: This is a prospective,longitudinal, single arm study enrolling consecutive CLL patientsunder ibrutinib monotherapy either as first or further line oftreatment. Median follow-up was 7 months (range 1-28). Setting:Patients are recruited in an academic referral center in BuenosAires. Interventions: QoL was explored with FACIT-fatigue andEQ5D visual-analogue-scale (VAS) questionnaires (with copyrightpermission). Assessment by results reported by patient questionnaires are completed on months 0-1-3-6 and 12 since the beginningof treatment. Main Outcomes Measures: We are reporting preliminary results after 3 months of treatment compared to baseline.Statistical Analysis: data was analyzed with the Sign Test (BinomialTest). Results: A total of 21 CLL patients who started ibrutinibbetween 2016 and 2018 were included. Median age was 75 years(range 57-84); 12 patients (57%) were males. Ibrutinib was first-linetherapy in 7 patients (33%), second-line in 7 patients (33%) and 7patients (33%) received 3 previous lines. After 3 months oftreatment, the median change in FACIT-fatigue score 3 pointswas reached in 13 patients (62%) as compared to baseline(p=0.024). After 3 months of treatment there was no evidence of amedian change >10% on the EQ5D VAS (p=0.593) nor a significant improvement on hemoglobin level (p=0.105).Conclusions: These results suggest an early improvement of fatiguewithin the first 3 months of treatment with ibrutinib. Longerfollow-up and larger number of patient are necessary to confirm thisdata and determine the further improvements of QoL withcontinuous treatment and correlation with hemoglobin changes.

Encapsulation of cactus ( Opuntia megacantha ) betaxanthins by ionic gelation and spray drying: A comparative study Otalora Rodriguez, Maria Carolina; Carriazo, José G.; Osorio, Coralia; Nazareno, Mónica Azucena The encapsulation of betaxanthins from orange Opuntia megacantha fruits was performed as a stabilisation strategy for these natural pigments. Betaxanthin-rich extract (BE) was encapsulated by two methodologies, spray drying (SD) and ionic gelation (IG). Encapsulates were obtained by using two encapsulating agents (EA), a mixture of maltodextrin-cactus cladode mucilage and sodium alginate (SA) for SD and IG, respectively. Their properties were compared with the freeze-dried cactus fruit pulp (CP) as control. Total betaxanthin content, moisture content, water activity (aw), particle size, morphology by SEM, colour parameters (CIELab), and thermogravimetric properties were analysed in the encapsulates. Additionally, the antioxidant activity, total dietary fibre content, and pigment stability of encapsulates under two relative humidity conditions were also evaluated. The results showed that the encapsulation technique, EA concentration, and the BE/EA ratio affected the particle size and morphology, the glass transition temperature, and the mass loss of encapsulated materials. The best pigment stabilisation was obtained for the SD capsules, although both encapsulation techniques allowed improving the pigment stability in comparison with the CP taken as control. These results provided evidence that betaxanthins from Opuntia megacantha have the potential to be used as natural pigments, soluble in water, with functional properties for the food industry.

Hybrid mineral@silsesquioxane particles for water remediation: synthesis, characterization and application as adsorbent of As(V) and other water pollutants Waiman, Carolina Vanesa; Dell'Erba, Ignacio Esteban; Chesta, Carlos Alberto; Gomez, María Lorena Mineral-coated silsesquioxane particles of approximately 600 nm diameter were synthesized from the hydrolytic co-condensation of N-[3-trimethoxysilyl]-propyl]ethylenediamine (DAS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The hybrid particles involve nanocomposites with a mineral core (montmorillonite—MMT—or goethite—Gt—nanoparticles) and coated with a silsesquioxane shell containing hydroxyl and amine groups. These particles were specially designed (exposing amino groups) to be highly efficient for the removal of As(V) and to enhance the adsorption properties of the minerals employed in this work. They were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and thermogravimetric techniques such as dynamic scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The characteristics found in the composite particles compared with pure organosilane DAS/TEOS or with the unmodified minerals proved the effectiveness of the silanization process. As result, hybrid nanocomposite materials were obtained, denoting versatility in their adsorption properties of different types of pollutants. Moreover, all synthesized particles showed a high arsenic retention capacity; experimental results demonstrated that superficial modification of the minerals is the preponderant factor that determines their adsorbent properties, favoring the versatility of these materials making them suitable for the removal of pollutants of diverse charge and nature.

Chemically modified alginate bead matrix for efficient adsorptive recovery of trypsin from fresh bovine pancreas Aravena, Pilar; Brassesco, Maria Emilia; Bosio, Bárbara; Picó, Guillermo Alfredo; Woitovich Valetti, Nadia The adsorption of commercial trypsin (Try) onto epichlorohydrin cross-linked alginate–guar gum matrix has been studied at equilibrium in batch and in fixed bed column. Experiments were conducted to study the effect of ionic strength, temperature and to obtain a thermodynamic characterization of the adsorption process. The resulting adsorption isotherm fitted the Hill equation. Experimental breakthrough curve profiles were compared with the theoretical breakthrough profiles obtained from the mathematical model, bed depth service time. At pH 5.0, 1.0 g hydrated matrix adsorbed 480.0 milligram of Try per gram of dried bed. The desorption process showed 80% of Try recovery in 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.00—500 mM NaCl—20% propylene glycol. The obtained results were applied to an adsorption/washing/desorption process with fresh pancreas homogenate yielded 20% of recovery and 5.7 purification factor of Try. The matrix remained functional until the fifth cycle of repeated batch enzyme adsorption.

First report of chrysodeixis includens nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChinNPV) infecting chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Argentina Arneodo Larochette, Joel Demián; Dami, Luciana Cecilia; Jakubowicz, Violeta; Alzogaray, Raúl Adolfo; Taibo, Catalina Beatriz Summary Typical baculovirus infection symptoms were observed in Chrysodeixis includens Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae from a laboratory rearing in Tucumán, Argentina. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the occurrence of polyhedral occlusion bodies displaying a heterogeneous morphology. Amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of conserved polyhedrin, lef-8 and lef-9 genes identified the pathogen, for the first time in Argentina, as a variant of Chrysodeixis includens nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChinNPV). The biocontrol potential of this new isolate is worthy of future research.

A katG S315T or an ahpC promoter mutation mediate Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to 2-thiophen carboxylic acid hydrazide, an inhibitor resembling the anti-tubercular drugs Isoniazid and Ethionamide Franceschelli, Jorgelina Judith; Belardinelli, Juan Manuel; Tong, Ping; Loftus, Brendan; Recio Balsells, Alejandro Iván; Labadie, Guillermo Roberto; Gordon, Stephen V.; Morbidoni, Héctor Ricardo Clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis are differentially susceptible to 2-Thiophen Hydrazide (TCH); however its mechanism of action or the reasons for that difference are unknown. We report herein that under our experimental conditions, TCH inhibits M. tuberculosis in solid but not in liquid medium, and that in spite of resembling Isoniazid and Ethionamide, it does not affect mycolic acid synthesis. To understand the mechanisms of action of TCH we isolated M. tuberculosis TCH resistant mutants which fell into two groups; one resistant to TCH and Isoniazid but not to Ethionamide or Triclosan, and the other resistant only to TCH with no, or marginal, cross resistance to Isoniazid. A S315T katG mutation conferred resistance to TCH while katG expression from a plasmid reduced M. tuberculosis MIC to this drug, suggesting a possible involvement of KatG in TCH activation. Whole genome sequencing of mutants from this second group revealed a single mutation in the alkylhydroperoxide reductase ahpC promoter locus in half of the mutants, while the remaining contained mutations in dispensable genes. This is the first report of the genetics underlying the action of TCH and of the involvement of ahpC as the sole basis for resistance to an anti-tubercular compound.

Association between levels of synovial anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies and neutrophil response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis Gorlino, Carolina Virginia; Dave, Mabel Noemí; Blas, Rodrigo; Crespo, Maria Ines; Lavanchy, Alicia; Tamashiro, Héctor; Pardo Hildalgo, Rodolfo; Pistoresi, Maria Cristina; Di Genaro, Maria Silvia Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the presence of anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPAs) and neutrophils infiltrating the synovial fluid (SF) of the affected joints. The aim of this work was to analyze whether the presence of ACPAs in SF is associated with neutrophil infiltration and with their phenotype in the inflamed joints of RA patients. We found that in the presence of ACPAs, the number of synovial neutrophils correlated with severe disease activity. The SF were divided according to synovial ACPA levels in negative- (<25 U/mL), low- (25–200 U/mL) and high level (˃200 U/mL; ACPA high ). We observed that IL-6, IL-17, and IL-8 were significantly elevated in ACPA high SF and that IL-8 levels correlated positively with neutrophil counts and with worse clinical manifestations. Additionally, in vitro incubation of neutrophils with ACPA high SF resulted in an increased ROS production and extracellular DNA release compared to neutrophils incubated with ACPA-negative SF. These exacerbated effector functions were associated with a fraction of ICAM-1-positive neutrophils, which were induced by ACPA high SF. Likewise, in in vivo, we could also detect this subset among neutrophils present in ACPA high SF. In conclusion, the data presented here shed light on the role of SF-ACPAs as inductors of a proinflammatory profile in neutrophils.