An empirical comparison of feature selection methods in problem transformation multi-label classification Rodriguez, Juan Manuel; Godoy, Daniela Lis; Zunino Suarez, Alejandro Octavio Multi-label classification (MLC) is a supervised learning problem in which a particular example can be associated with a set of labels instead of a single one as in traditional classification. Many real-world applications, such as Web page classification or resource tagging on the Social Web, are challenging for existing MLC algorithms, because the label space grows exponentially as instance space increases. Under the problem transformation approach, the most common alternative for MLC, multi-label problems are transformed into several single label problems, whose outputs are then aggregated into a prediction to the whole classification problem. Feature selection techniques become crucial in large-scale MLC problems to help reducing dimensionality. However, the impact of feature selection in multi-label setting has not been as extensively studied as in the case of single-label data. In this paper, we present an empirical evaluation of feature selection techniques in the context of the three main problem transformation MLC methods: Binary Relevance, Pair-wise and Label power-set. Experimentation was performed across a number of benchmark datasets for multi-label classification exhibiting varied characteristics, which allows observing the behavior of techniques and assessing their impact according to multiple metrics.

“La Natura que cría todas las crïaturas”: una nota sobre la figura de Naturaleza en el Libro de Alexandre; "La Natura que cría todas las crïaturas": A Note on the Figure of Nature in the Libro de Alexandre Fuentes, Juan Héctor Las estrofas 2324-2333 del Libro de Alexandre nos ofrecen una traducción, o mejor, una adaptación de los versos 6-30 del libro 10 del Alexandreis de Gautier de Châtillon, en los que se nos presenta a Natura, personificación de la naturaleza, encolerizada por la soberbia de Alejandro. En el presente trabajo estudiamos el tratamiento del personaje que presenta el libro castellano en relación con su modelo latino y con el concepto de "naturaleza" elaborado por los autores del "Renacimiento del siglo XII".; Stanzas 2324-2333 of Libro de Alexandre offer a translation, or rather, an adaptation of verses 6-30, Book 10, of Gautier de Châtillon’s Alexandreis, in which Natura is presented as a personification of nature, angry at the pride of Alexander. In this paper we study the treatment of this character present in the Castilian poem in relation to its Latin model and the concept of "nature" developed by the authors of the 12th-Century Renaissance.

Microplate assay for the determination of carboxypeptidase A inhibitory activity in Andean potatoes Tellechea, Mariana Edith; Garcia Pardo Javier; Cotabarren, Juliana; Lufrano, Daniela; Avilés, Francesc Xavier; Obregon, Walter David; Lorenzo, Julia; Tanco, Sebastian Metallocarboxypeptidases (MCPs) are zinc-dependent exopeptidases that catalyze the hydrolysis of C-terminal amide bonds in proteins and peptides. MCPs are involved in a wide range of physiological processes and have recently emerged as relevant drug targets in biomedicine (Arolas et. al., 2007). In higher plants, small proteinaceous protease inhibitors are wound-induced molecules produced as a part of its defense system against insect attack (Graham et. al., 1981; Villanueva et. al. 1998). Among such inhibitors, only two are specific for MCPs, i.e. the potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor (PCI) and its close homologue found in tomato plants. In humans, MCP action is exquisitely regulated and dysregulation of their function might lead to disease or even to cell death (Arolas et. al., 2007). In this context, the discovery and characterization of new MCPs inhibitors constitute a valuable approach for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Over the last few decades, the presence of MCPs inhibitors in Solanaceae has been extensively reported, revealing potato (Solanum tuberosum) as one of the most important sources of MCPs inhibitors (Hass et. al.,1979; Lufrano et. al., 2015). In this context, potatos are native from the Andean region of South America, where thousands of different potato varieties coexist, constituting a natural reservoir for the discovery of novel MCP inhibitors (Figure 1). In this protocol, we describe an optimized, simple and accessible microplate method for the measure of the specific and dose-response carboxypeptidase A inhibitory activities present in Andean potatoes tubers.

Gallinetita amarilla (Poliolimnas flaviventer) en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Pagano, Luis Gerardo; Chiale, Maria Cecilia La Gallinetita Amarilla o Burrito Amarillo (Poliolimnas flaviventer) muestra una distribución discontinua en gran parte de Centroamérica, Antillas y Sudamérica. El 7 de noviembre de 2015, a las 13:30 h, observamos una Gallinetita Amarilla en la Laguna de Los Coipos (34°36'16"S, 58°21'36"O), Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (RECS), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Esta Gallinetita no fue mencionada previamente para la RECS (Babarskas & Zelaya 1994, Pugnali & Chamorro 2006). Si bien pudiese suponerse la presencia de esta especie en la RECS como un único individuo extra-limital o divagante, creemos que al igual que otros pequeños Rallidae pampeanos, se trata de una especie subobservada y quizá frecuente, tal como lo demuestra el hallazgo de cuatro ejemplares capturados por Halcones Peregrinos (Falco peregrinus) en un periodo de 181 días de muestreo en la ciudad de La Plata.

Wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis familiaris) differ in following human gaze into distant space but respond similar to their packmates' gaze Werhahn, Geraldine; Virányi, Zsófia; Barrera, Gabriela Luciana; Sommese, Andrea; Range, Friederike Gaze following into distant space is defined as visual co-orientation with another individual's head direction allowing the gaze follower to gain information on its environment. Human and nonhuman animals share this basic gaze following behavior, suggested to rely on a simple reflexive mechanism and believed to be an important prerequisite for complex forms of social cognition. Pet dogs differ from other species in that they follow only communicative human gaze clearly addressed to them. However, in an earlier experiment we showed that wolves follow human gaze into distant space. Here we set out to investigate whether domestication has affected gaze following in dogs by comparing pack-living dogs and wolves raised and kept under the same conditions. In Study 1 we found that in contrast to the wolves, these dogs did not follow minimally communicative human gaze into distant space in the same test paradigm. In the observational Study 2 we found that pack-living dogs and wolves, similarly vigilant to environmental stimuli, follow the spontaneous gaze of their conspecifics similarly often. Our findings suggest that domestication did not affect the gaze following ability of dogs itself. The results raise hypotheses about which other dog skills might have been altered through domestication that may have influenced their performance in Study 1. Because following human gaze in dogs might be influenced by special evolutionary as well as developmental adaptations to interactions with humans, we suggest that comparing dogs to other animal species might be more informative when done in intraspecific social contexts.

A new and consistent parameter for measuring the quality of multivariate analytical methods: Generalized analytical sensitivity Fragoso, Wallace; Allegrini, Franco; Olivieri, Alejandro Cesar Generalized analytical sensitivity (γ) is proposed as a new figure of merit, which can be estimated from a multivariate calibration data set. It can be confidently applied to compare different calibration methodologies, and helps to solve literature inconsistencies on the relationship between classical sensitivity and prediction error. In contrast to the classical plain sensitivity, γ incorporates the noise properties in its definition, and its inverse is well correlated with root mean square errors of prediction in the presence of general noise structures. The proposal is supported by studying simulated and experimental first-order multivariate calibration systems with various models, namely multiple linear regression, principal component regression (PCR) and maximum likelihood PCR (MLPCR). The simulations included instrumental noise of different types: independently and identically distributed (iid), correlated (pink) and proportional noise, while the experimental data carried noise which is clearly non-iid.

Affecting factors and recent improvements of the photochemical reflectance index (pri) for remotely sensing foliar, canopy and ecosystemic radiation-use efficiencies Zhang, Chao; Filella, Iolanda; Garbulsky, Martín Fabio; Peñuelas, Josep Accurately assessing terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) is crucial for characterizing the climate-carbon cycle. Remotely sensing the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) across vegetation functional types and spatiotemporal scales has received increasing attention for monitoring photosynthetic performance and simulating GPP over the last two decades. The factors confounding PRI variation, especially on long timescales, however, require the improvement of PRI understanding to generalize its use for estimating carbon uptake. In this review, we summarize the most recent publications that have reported the factors affecting PRI variation across diurnal and seasonal scales at foliar, canopy and ecosystemic levels; synthesize the reported correlations between PRI and ecophysiological variables, particularly with radiation-use efficiency (RUE) and net carbon uptake; and analyze the improvements in PRI implementation. Long-term variation of PRI could be attributed to changes in the size of constitutive pigment pools instead of xanthophyll de-epoxidation, which controls the facultative short-term changes in PRI. Structural changes at canopy and ecosystemic levels can also affect PRI variation. Our review of the scientific literature on PRI suggests that PRI is a good proxy of photosynthetic efficiency at different spatial and temporal scales. Correcting PRI by decreasing the influence of physical or physiological factors on PRI greatly strengthens the relationships between PRI and RUE and GPP. Combining PRI with solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) and optical indices for green biomass offers additional prospects.

Galaxy clusters, type Ia supernovae and the fine structure constant Holanda, R. F. L.; Busti, V. C.; Colaco, R. L.; Alcaniz, J. S.; Landau, Susana Judith As is well known, measurements of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect can be combined with observations of the X-ray surface brightness of galaxy clusters to estimate the angular diameter distance to these structures. In this paper, we show that this technique depends on the fine structure constant, α. Therefore, if α is a time-dependent quantity, e.g., α = α0φ(z), where φ is a function of redshift, we argue that current data do not provide the real angular diameter distance, DA(z), to the cluster, but instead DA data(z) = φ(z)2 DA(z). We use this result to derive constraints on a possible variation of α for a class of dilaton runaway models considering a sample of 25 measurements of DA data(z) in redshift range 0.023 < z < 0.784 and estimates of DA(z) from current type Ia supernovae observations. We find no significant indication of variation of α with the present data.

Drosophila melanogaster, an emerging animal model for the study of human cardiac diseases; Drosophila melanogaster, un modelo animal emergente en el estudio de enfermedades cardíacas humanas Santalla, Manuela; Portiansky, Enrique Leo; Ferrero, Paola Viviana The need to work with model organisms in medical research has revealed the usefulness of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, considering its advantages to perform classic genetic studies and modern techniques of genome edition. Several human genes are similar to those of the fruit fly. We have developed for the first time in the country a cardiovascular line of research to study the genetics of aging, addictions and chronic consumption of substances in humans like caffeine.; La necesidad de trabajar con modelos de organismos en la investigación sobre salud ha revelado las utilidades de la mosca de la fruta Drosophila melanogaster considerando sus ventajas para realizar genética clásica y modernas técnicas de edición del genoma. Muchos genes humanos son homólogos a los genes de la mosca. Hemos desarrollado por primera vez en el país una línea de investigación cardiovascular para estudiar la genética del envejecimiento, las adicciones y sustancias de consumo crónico en el humano como la cafeína.

Genome analysis of a clinical isolate of Shewanella sp. uncovered an active hybrid integrative and conjugative element carrying an integron platform inserted in a novel genomic locus Parmeciano Di Noto, Gisela Paula; Jara, Eugenio; Iriarte Odini, Andrés; Centron, Daniela; Quiroga, Cecilia Shewanella spp. are currently considered emerging pathogens that can code for a blaOXA carbapenemase in their chromosome. Complete genome analysis of the clinical isolate Shewanella sp. Sh95 revealed that this strain is a novel species that shares a lineage with marine isolates. Characterization of its resistome showed that it codes for genes drfA15, qacH and blaOXA-48. We propose that Shewanella sp. Sh95 acts as reservoir of blaOXA-48. Moreover, mobilome analysis showed that it contains a novel ICE, named ICESh95. Comparative analysis between the close relatives ICESpuPO1 from Shewanella sp. W3-18-1 and ICE SXTMO10 from Vibrio cholerae showed that ICESh95 encompassed two new regions, a type III restriction modification system and a multidrug resistance integron. The integron platform contained a novel arrangement formed by gene cassettes drfA15 and qacH and a class C-attC group II intron. Furthermore, insertion of ICESh95 occurred at a unique target site, which correlates with the presence of a different xis/int module. Mobility of ICESh95 was assessed showing its ability to self-transfer at high levels to different bacteria species. The presence of a highly adaptable element capable of acquiring antibiotic resistance determinants, combined with its efficient activity to self-transfer makes this element a clear threat for the control of the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance; a troublesome scenario when natural bacteria from water ecosystems, such as Shewanella, act as vector in its propagation.

Fossil snake preserving three trophic levels and evidence for an ontogenetic dietary shift Smith, Krister; Scanferla, Carlos Agustín We report a fossil snake from the middle Eocene (48 Ma) Messel Pit, in whose stomach is a lizard, in whose stomach is an insect. This is the second known vertebrate fossil containing direct evidence of three trophic levels. The snake is identified as a juvenile of Palaeopython fischeri on the basis of new characters of the skull; the lizard is identified as Geiseltaliellus maarius, a stem-basilisk; and the insect, despite preserved structural colouration, could not be identified more precisely. G. maarius is thought to have been an arboreal species, but like its extant relatives may have foraged occasionally on the ground. Another, larger specimen of G. maarius preserves plant remains in the digestive tract, suggesting that omnivory in this species may have been common in larger individuals, as in extant Basiliscus and Polychrus. A general picture of the trophic ecology of P. fischeri is not yet possible, although the presence of a lizard in the stomach of a juvenile individual suggests that this snake could have undergone a dietary shift, as in many extant boines.

The effects of land management (grazing intensity) vs. the effects of topography, soil properties, vegetation type, and climate on soil carbon concentration in Southern Patagonia Peri, Pablo Luis; Ladd, B.; Lasagno, R. G.; Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José Grazing is an economically important activity in Southern Patagonia?s steppe and woodland ecosystems. In the past, emphasis has been on maximizing the provisioning capacity of these ecosystems with little concern for the longer term conservation of the ecosystem services related to climate regulation, likecarbon sequestration. This is changing rapidly as livestock producers in the region work to develop a certification scheme for sustainable land management for Patagonians rangelands. This study is a scientific contribution towards this broader social objective in which we test whether soil C concentrationin topsoil (10 cm depth) can be used as an indicator of rangeland condition. Data on climate, soil chemistry, topography, ecosystem type and stocking rates were obtained from the PEBANPA network of permanent plots database for 145 sites across Southern Patagonia. These variables were used as independent variables in a partial least squares regression in which top soil C was the dependent variable. The effects of land use (stocking rate) on top soil C were barely detectable at the regional scale in Patagonia. Top soil C was however strongly associated with other independent variables, notably soil chemistry and climate variables and also vegetation type. Thus, changes in land use management may not have a significant impact on soil carbon sequestration in these types of ecosystems. This may be because many factors interact to determine top soil C such that the footprint of overgrazing on top soil C is drowned out at the regional scale by other variables. This highlights the need for further work todevelop indicators for sustainable land management in the region.

Essential function of the transcription factor Rax in the early patterning of the mammalian hypothalamus Orquera, Daniela Paula; Nasif, Sofia; Low, Malcolm J.; Rubinstein, Marcelo; Silva Junqueira de Souza, Flavio The hypothalamus is a region of the anterior forebrain that controls basic aspects of vertebrate physiology, but the genes involved in its development are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate the function of the homeobox gene Rax/Rx in early hypothalamic development using a conditional targeted inactivation strategy in the mouse. We found that lack of Rax expression prior to embryonic day 8.5 (E8.5) caused a general underdevelopment of the hypothalamic neuroepithelium, while inactivation at later timepoints had little effect. The early absence of Rax impaired neurogenesis and prevented the expression of molecular markers of the dorsomedial hypothalamus, including neuropeptides Proopiomelanocortin and Somatostatin. Interestingly, the expression domains of genes expressed in the ventromedial hypothalamus and infundibulum invaded dorsal hypothalamic territory, showing that Rax is needed for the proper dorsoventral patterning of the developing medial hypothalamus. The phenotypes caused by the early loss of Rax are similar to those of eliminating the expression of the morphogen Sonic hedgehog (Shh) specifically from the hypothalamus. Consistent with this similarity in phenotypes, we observed that Shh and Rax are coexpressed in the rostral forebrain at late head fold stages and that loss of Rax caused a downregulation of Shh expression in the dorsomedial portion of the hypothalamus.

El trabajo asalariado agropecuario en la región yerbatera argentina. Imágenes de situación en datos cuantitativos; The farmwork in the yerba mate region from Argentina. Images of situation in quantitative data Rau, Victor Horacio El estudio describe la situación estructural de los trabajadores agropecuarios en la región argentina productora de yerba mate, dando cuenta de sus distribuciones territoriales, sus ámbitos de residencia,las estructuras socioproductivas en que se insertan, y de sus condiciones de vida y empleo en diferentes contextos. Se basa en el análisis de datos cuantitativos provenientes de diversas fuentes. Caracteriza ala región yerbatera en el contexto nacional y del NEA, y describe sus heterogeneidades internas.Advierte sobre la importancia que conserva la residencia rural, el vínculo de la pobreza con el trabajo agropecuario, y de la informalidad con la transitoriedad del empleo.; The study describes the structural situation of farmworkers in argentine region producer of yerba mate, indicating their territorial distribution, their areas of residence, the socio-productive structures in which are inserted, and their conditions of life and employment in different contexts. It is based on the analysis of quantitative data from different sources. It characterizes the yerba mate region in the national context and the NEA, and describes their internal heterogeneities. It warns about the importance that preserves the rural residence, the link poverty with farmwork, and the informality with the seasonal employment.

Efectos de la estacionalidad, el sexo y el grupo etario sobre la dieta de Homonota fasciata (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) en una región del Monte de Argentina; Effects of season, sex and age on the diet of Homonota fasciata (Squamata, Phyllodactylidae) from Monte region of Argentina Nieva Cocilio, Rodrigo Alfredo; Blanco, Graciela M.; Acosta, Juan C. El objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer y describir la dieta de Homonota fasciata (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) en una población del Monte de la provincia de San Juan Argentina, analizando posibles variaciones temporales, sexuales y ontogenéticas en la alimentación. Para examinar la dieta, se determinó volumen, numerosidad y frecuencia de ocurrencia para cada ítem-presa, y se calculó el Índice de Importancia Relativa (IRI). Se evaluaron diversidad y equidad trófica, además de variaciones estacionales, sexuales y etarias del espectro trófico. La dieta de H. fasciata es generalista, diversa, basada en artrópodos, incluyendo insectos y arácnidos. La estrategia de forrajeo exhibida fue pasiva ("sit and wait"). Se encontraron variaciones estacionales, sexuales y ontogénicas en la alimentación. Este estudio permite una valiosa contribución al conocimiento de la biología de esta especie, útil a la hora de fijar pautas de manejo para la misma, como así también para los ambientes que habita.; This study aimed to investigate the diet of the gecko Homonota fasciata (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) in a population from Monte of San Juan Province, Argentina, and to analyze possible temporal, sexual, and ontogenetic variations in feeding behavior. We determined the total volume, number, and occurrence frequency of each prey item and calculated the relative importance indexes. We also assessed trophic diversity and trophic equity. Homonota fasciata had a generalist and diverse diet based on arthropods, including insects and arachnids. Individuals adopted a passive 'sit and wait' foraging strategy. There were seasonal-, sex-, and age-related variations in the trophic spectra. The results of this study provide a valuable contribution to our understanding of the biology of this species, with implications for the establishment of management guidelines both for the species and its habitat.

The Dengue Virus NS5 Protein Intrudes in the Cellular Spliceosome and Modulates Splicing de Maio, Federico Andres; Risso, Guillermo; Iglesias, Nestor Gabriel; Shah, Priya; Pozzi, María Berta; Gebhard, Leopoldo German; Mammi, Pablo Andrés; Mancini, Estefania; Yanovsky, Marcelo Javier; Andino, Raul; Krogan, Nevan; Srebrow, Anabella; Gamarnik, Andrea Vanesa Dengue virus NS5 protein plays multiple functions in the cytoplasm of infected cells, enabling viral RNA replication and counteracting host antiviral responses. Here, we demonstrate a novel function of NS5 in the nucleus where it interferes with cellular splicing. Using global proteomic analysis of infected cells together with functional studies, we found that NS5 binds spliceosome complexes and modulates endogenous splicing as well as minigene-derived alternative splicing patterns. In particular, we show that NS5 alone, or in the context of viral infection, interacts with core components of the U5 snRNP particle, CD2BP2 and DDX23, alters the inclusion/exclusion ratio of alternative splicing events, and changes mRNA isoform abundance of known antiviral factors. Interestingly, a genome wide transcriptome analysis, using recently developed bioinformatics tools, revealed an increase of intron retention upon dengue virus infection, and viral replication was improved by silencing specific U5 components. Different mechanistic studies indicate that binding of NS5 to the spliceosome reduces the efficiency of pre-mRNA processing, independently of NS5 enzymatic activities. We propose that NS5 binding to U5 snRNP proteins hijacks the splicing machinery resulting in a less restrictive environment for viral replication.

Does type of substratum affects chironomid larvae assemblage composition? A study in a river catchment in Northern Patagonia, Argentina Mauad, Melina; Siri, Augusto; Donato, Mariano Humberto Chironomid larvae assemblages were investigated at seven sampling stations in relation to stream habitat type in the Challhuaco-Ñireco river system located in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, in the North-Western part of Rio Negro Province, Argentina. A total of 2229 individuals were sampled and 43 Chironomidae taxa were recorded with Orthocladiinae (29) being the best represented subfamily, followed by Diamesinae (5), Tanypodinae (3), Podonominae (3) and Chironominae (3). Stictocladius spF, Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) sp6, Cricotopus sp2, Cricotopus sp3 and Parapsectrocladius sp2 were the most abundant taxa. Sites near the source of the river system were dominated by Podonomus sp, Limnophyes sp, Parapsectrocladius sp and Stictocladius spF; whereas sites close to the river mouth were dominated by Diamesinae sp5 and Cricotopus sp. Rank/abundance plots show that all the analyzed sites displayed dominance of some species. Stictocladius spF, Cricotopus sp2, Cricotopus sp3, Cricotopus (Paratrichocladius) sp6, Parapsectrocladius sp and Limnophyes sp resulted as dominant species, or being part of a group of dominant species, at least in one sample. Eleven taxa were associated with habitats related with riffle areas and stable substrates with filamentous algae. Species environment relationships were examined using Ordination Analysis. Elevation was the most significant environmental variable that explained 22% of the total variability of the chironomid assemblages, showing stronger relationships among sites within an altitudinal gradient than among habitat type. Abundance of chironomids increased from headwaters to the outflow in Nahuel Huapi Lake responding to an altitude gradient as well as some environmental factors such as coarse matter and nutrient concentrations.

Regulation of eosinophilia and allergic airway inflammation by the glycan-binding protein galectin-1 Ge, Xiao Na; Ha, Sung Gil; Greenberg, Yana G.; Rao, Amrita; Bastan, Idil; Blidner, Ada Gabriela; Rao, Savita P.; Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrián; Sriramarao, P. Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a glycan-binding protein with broad antiinflammatory activities, functions as a proresolving mediator in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory disorders. However, its role in allergic airway inflammation has not yet been elucidated. We evaluated the effects of Gal-1 on eosinophil function and its role in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Allergen exposure resulted in airway recruitment of Gal-1-expressing inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, as well as increased Gal-1 in extracellular spaces in the lungs. In vitro, extracellular Gal-1 exerted divergent effects on eosinophils that were N-glycan- And dose-dependent. At concentrations ≤0.25 μM, Gal-1 increased eosinophil adhesion to vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, caused redistribution of integrin CD49d to the periphery and cell clustering, but inhibited ERK(1/2) activation and eotaxin-1-induced migration. Exposure to concentrations ≥1 μM resulted in ERK(1/2)- dependent apoptosis and disruption of the F- Actin cytoskeleton. At lower concentrations, Gal-1 did not alter expression of adhesion molecules (CD49d, CD18, CD11a, CD11b, L-selectin) or of the chemokine receptor CCR3, but decreased CD49d and CCR3 was observed in eosinophils treated with higher concentrations of this lectin. In vivo, allergen-challenged Gal-1-deficient mice exhibited increased recruitment of eosinophils and CD3+ T lymphocytes in the airways as well as elevated peripheral blood and bone marrow eosinophils relative to corresponding WT mice. Further, these mice had an increased propensity to develop airway hyperresponsiveness and displayed significantly elevated levels of TNF-α in lung tissue. This study suggests that Gal-1 can limit eosinophil recruitment to allergic airways and suppresses airway inflammation by inhibiting cell migration and promoting eosinophil apoptosis.

Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties of Polyacrylamide Nanoparticles as Photosensitizer Carriers Gualdesi, María Soledad; Alvarez Igarzabal, Cecilia Ines; Vara, Jimena; Ortiz, Cristina Susana At present, polyacrylamide nanoparticles are attractive to drug delivery. However, some physicochemical characteristics of these nanoparticles still need to be further improved in practice. Polyacrylamide nanoparticles with an average size of 80 nm and a zeta potential of 30 mV were synthesized and used as photosensitizer carriers. The new monobrominated derivatives and parent compounds were the photosensitizers for the photodynamic therapy loaded in the nanocarrier. The physicochemical characterization of the prepared nanoparticles, drug loading, the ability to generate singlet oxygen and chemical stability were investigated. The novel tested nanoparticles exhibited a loading percentage of between 80 and 99%, higher generation of singlet oxygen and good stability in comparison with the corresponding starting reagent. According to these results, the novel polyacrylamide nanoparticles are excellent candidates for drug vehiculization.

Influence of pejerrey Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835) broodstock age on gamete quality, reproductive performance and plasma sex steroid levels during the spawning season Chalde, Tomás; Garriz, Angela; Sanches, Eduardo A.; Miranda, Leandro Andres This study evaluated the effect of pejerrey Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835) broodstock age on gamete and spawning quality and its relationship with sex steroid plasma levels. Sperm was analysed using a computer-assisted sperm analysis CASA) developed for pejerrey. Semen samples were taken from all fish from mid age groups (5- and 7-year fish), but it was not possible to obtain stripped semen samples from all fish of younger (3-year) or older (10-year) groups. The highest relative sperm weight and sperm concentration were recorded in 5- and 7-year groups respectively, while viability was not different between age groups. It was not possible to identify an effect of age on sperm quality by CASA. Nonviable spawned eggs were obtained in the 3-year group and, the relative fecundity and the relative number of fertilized eggs decreased with age in other groups. Fertilization and hatching rates showed the highest values in the 10-year group. However, the estimated number of hatched larvae was similar in 5-, 7- and 10-year fish. A clear effect of age on 11 ketotestosterone (11-KT) and estradiol (E2) levels was identified, with the highest values in the 5- and 7-year groups. These results might be related to the onset of puberty in the 3- year group and ageing in the 10-year group. Considering that the estimated number of larvae obtained was similar among age groups, the results of this study suggest that broodstock maintenancecost could be reduced by using mid-age fish rather than older fish in pejerrey hatcheries.