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Phosphate Mediated Adsorption and Electron Transfer of Cytochrome C. A Time-Resolved SERR Spectroelectrochemical Study

Phosphate Mediated Adsorption and Electron Transfer of Cytochrome C. A Time-Resolved SERR Spectroelectrochemical Study Capdevila, Daiana Andrea; Marmisollé, Waldemar Alejandro; Williams, Federico Jose; Murgida, Daniel Horacio The study of proteins immobilized on biomimetic or biocompatible electrodes represents an active field of research as it pursues both fundamental and technological interests. In this context, adsorption and redox properties of cytochrome c (Cyt) on different electrode surfaces have been extensively reported, although in some cases with contradictory results. Here we report a SERR spectroelectrochemical study of the adsorption and electron transfer behaviour of the basic protein Cyt on electrodes coated with amino-terminated monolayers. The obtained results show that inorganic phosphate (Pi) and ATP anions are able to mediate high affinity binding of the protein with preservation of the native structure and rendering an average orientation that guarantees efficient pathways for direct electron transfer. These findings aid the design of Cyt-based bioelectronic devices and understanding the modulation by Pi and ATP of physiological functions of Cyt.

Linoleic acid stimulates neutral lipid accumulation in lipid droplets of maturing bovine oocytes

Linoleic acid stimulates neutral lipid accumulation in lipid droplets of maturing bovine oocytes Carro, Maria de Las Mercedes; Buschiazzo, Jorgelina; Rios, Glenda Laura; Oresti, Gerardo Martin; Alberio, R. H. Linoleic acid (LA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid present in high concentrations in bovine follicular fluid; when added to maturation culture media, it affects oocyte competence (depending on the type and concentration of LA used). To date, little is known about the effective level of incorporation of LA and there is apparently no information regarding its esterification into various lipid fractions of the oocyte and its effect on neutral lipid storage. Therefore, the objective was to assess the uptake and subcellular lipid distribution of LA by analyzing incorporation of radiolabeled LA into oocyte polar and neutral lipid classes. The effects of various concentrations of LA on the nuclear status and cytoplasmic lipid content of bovine oocytes matured in vitro was also analyzed, with particular emphasis on intermediate concentrations of LA. Neutral lipids stored in lipid droplets were quantified with a fluorescence approach. Linoleic acid at 9 and 43 μM did not affect the nuclear status of oocytes matured in vitro, and 100 μM LA inhibited germinal vesicle breakdown, resulting in a higher percentage of oocytes arrested at the germinal state (43.5 vs. 3.0 in controls; P < 0.05). Bovine oocytes actively incorporated LA from the maturation medium (83.4 pmol LA per 100 oocytes at 22 hours of incubation; P < 0.05) and metabolized it mainly into major lipid classes, e.g., triacylglycerols and phospholipids (61.1% and 29.3%, respectively). Supplementation of the maturation medium with LA increased triacylglycerol accumulation in cytoplasmic lipid droplets at all concentrations assayed (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LA added to a defined maturation medium at concentrations that did not alter the nuclear status of bovine oocytes matured in vitro (9 and 43 μM) improved their quality by increasing the content of neutral lipids stored in lipid droplets. By directing the free fatty acid (LA) to triacylglycerol synthesis pathways and increasing the degree of unsaturation of membrane phospholipids, the oocyte was protected from lipotoxic effects (with an expectation of improved cryotolerance).

Spectroscopic Characterization and Constitutional and Rotational Isomerism of ClC(O)SCN and ClC(O)NCS

Spectroscopic Characterization and Constitutional and Rotational Isomerism of ClC(O)SCN and ClC(O)NCS Ramos, Luis A.; Ulic, Sonia Elizabeth; Romano, Rosana Mariel; Erben, Mauricio Federico; Vishnevskiy, Yuri V.; Reuter, Christian G.; Mitzel, Norbert W.; Beckers, Helmut; Willner, Helge; Zeng, Xiaoqing; Bernhardt, Eduard; Ge, Maofa; Tong, Shengrui; Della Védova, Carlos Omar Chlorocarbonylthio- and isothiocyanate (ClC(O)SCN and ClC(O)- NCS) have been isolated and characterized by IR (Ar matrix, gas), Raman (liquid), 13C NMR and UV−visible spectroscopies. Vibrational and quantum chemical studies suggest the presence of the syn and anti conformers (SCN group with respect to the CO bond) in the gas phase for both constitutional isomers. syn-ClC(O)SCN is preferred by ΔH° (anti/syn) = 1.3(0.3) kcal mol−1 . The solid-state structure of ClC(O)SCN has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis at low temperature. The crystalline solid consists exclusively of molecules in the syn conformation. On the other hand, the anti form is more stable for the ClC(O)NCS isomer. The structure of ClC(O)NCS and its conformational composition were determined by gas electron diffraction. An unusual low syn → anti interconversion energy barrier of 0.98 (0.15) kcal mol−1 was detected for ClC(O)NCS at cryogenic temperatures. The photochemistry of both constitutional isomers isolated in solid argon at 15 K was studied. Rearrangement of ClC(O)SCN to ClC(O)NCS was observed in the neat liquid and under UV−vis irradiation of ClC(O)SCN isolated in solid argon. Properties have been discussed in terms of the valence electronic structure, including the analysis of the He(I) photoelectron spectrum of ClC(O)SCN

Targeting of insect epicuticular lipids by entomopathogenic fungi: hydrocarbon oxidation within the context of a host-pathogen interaction

Targeting of insect epicuticular lipids by entomopathogenic fungi: hydrocarbon oxidation within the context of a host-pathogen interaction Pedrini, Nicolás; Ortiz Urquiza, Almudena; Huarte Bonnet, Carla; Zhang, Shizhu; Keyhani, Nemat O. Broad host range entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana attack insect hosts via attachment to cuticular substrata and the production of enzymes for the degradation and penetration of insect cuticle. The outermost epicuticular layer consists of a complex mixture of non-polar lipids including hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and wax esters. Long chain hydrocarbons are major components of the outer waxy layer of diverse insect species, where they serve to protect against desiccation and microbial parasites, and as recognition molecules or as a platform for semiochemicals. Insect pathogenic fungi have evolved mechanisms for overcoming this barrier, likely with sets of lipid degrading enzymes with overlapping substrate specificities. Alkanes and fatty acids are substrates for a specific subset of fungal cytochrome P450 monooxygenases involved in insect hydrocarbon degradation. These enzymes activate alkanes by terminal oxidation to alcohols, which are further oxidized by alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, whose products can enter β-oxidation pathways. B. bassiana contains at least 83 genes coding for cytochrome P450s (CYP), a subset of which are involved in hydrocarbon oxidation, and several of which represent new CYP subfamilies/families. Expression data indicated differential induction by alkanes and insect lipids and four CYP proteins have been partially characterized after heterologous expression in yeast. Gene knockouts revealed a phenotype for only one (cyp52X1) out of six genes examined to date. CYP52X1 oxidizes long chain fatty acids and participates in the degradation of specific epicuticular lipid components needed for breaching the insect waxy layer. Examining the hydrocarbon oxidizing CYP repertoire of pathogens involved in insect epicuticle degradation can lead to the characterization of enzymes with novel substrate specificities. Pathogen targeting may also represent an important co-evolutionary process regarding insect cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis.

Changes in secondary structure of gluten proteins due to emulsifiers

Changes in secondary structure of gluten proteins due to emulsifiers Gómez, Analía Verónica; Ferrer, Evelina Gloria; Añon, Maria Cristina; Puppo, Maria Cecilia Changes in the secondary structure of gluten proteins due to emulsifiers were analyzed by Raman Spectroscopy. The protein folding induced by 0.25% SSL (Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate) (GS0.25, Gluten + 0.25% SSL) included an increase in alfa-helix conformation and a decrease in beta-sheet, turns and random coil. The same behavior, although in a less degree, was observed for 0.5% gluten?DATEM (Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Monoglycerides) system. The low burial of Tryptophan residues to a more hydrophobic environment and the low percentage area of the C?H stretching band for GS0.25 (Gluten + 0.25% SSL), could be related to the increased in a-helix conformation. This behavior was also confirmed by changes in stretching vibrational modes of disulfide bridges (S?S) and the low exposure of Tyrosine residues. High levels of SSL (0.5% and 1.0%) and DATEM (1.0%) led to more disordered protein structures, with different gluten networks. SSL (1.0%) formed a more disordered and opened gluten matrix than DATEM, the last one being laminar and homogeneous.

Sequencing of two Sunflower chlorotic mottle virus isolates obtained from different natural hosts shed light on its evolutionary history

Sequencing of two Sunflower chlorotic mottle virus isolates obtained from different natural hosts shed light on its evolutionary history Bejerman, Nicolas; Giolitti, Fabián José; de Breuil, Soledad; Lenardon, Sergio Luis Sunflower chlorotic mottle virus (SuCMoV), the most prevalent virus of sunflower in Argentina, was reported naturally infecting not only sunflower but also weeds. To understand SuCMoV evolution and improve the knowledge on its variability, the complete genomic sequences of two SuCMoV isolates collected from Dipsacus fullonum (-dip) and Ibicella lutea (-ibi) were determined from three overlapping cDNA clones and subjected to phylogenetic and recombination analyses. SuCMoV-dip and -ibi genomes were 9,953-nucleotides (nt) long; their sequences contained an open reading frame of 9,561 nucleotides, which encoded a polyprotein of 3,187 amino acids flanked by a 5′-noncoding region (NCR) of 135 nt and a 3′-NCR of 257 nt. SuCMoV-dip and -ibi genome nucleotide sequences were 90.9 identical and displayed 90 and 94.6 % identity to that of SuCMoV-C, and 90.8 and 91.4 % identity to that of SuCMoV-CRS, respectively. P1 of SuCMoV-dip and -ibi was 3-nt longer than that of SuCMoV-CRS, but 12-nt shorter than that of SuCMoV-C. Two recombination events were detected in SuCMoV genome and the analysis of dN/dS ratio among SuCMoV complete sequences showed that the genomic regions are under different evolutionary constraints, suggesting that SuCMoV evolution would be conservative. Our findings provide evidence that mutation and recombination would have played important roles in the evolutionary history of SuCMoV.

Search for supersymmetry in events with photons, bottom quarks, and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Search for supersymmetry in events with photons, bottom quarks, and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; Abdel Khalek, S.; Abdelalim, A.A.; González Silva, María Laura; Otero y Garzon, Gustavo Javier; Piegaia, Ricardo Nestor; Romeo, Gaston Leonardo; Anduaga, Xabier Sebastian; Dova, Maria Teresa; Monticelli, Fernando Gabriel; Tripiana, Martin Fernando; Zhu, Y.; Zhuang, X. .; Zhuravlov, V.; Zieminska, D.; Zimine, N. I.; Zimmermann, R.; Zimmermann, C.; Zimmermann, S.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zitoun, R.; Živković, L.; Zmouchko, V. V.; Zobernig, G.; Zoccoli, A.; Nedden, M. zur; Zutshi, V.; Zwalinski, L.; The ATLAS Collaboration The integrated and differential fiducial cross sections for the production of a W or Z boson in association with a high-energy photon are measured using pp collisions at ffiffi s p ¼ 7 TeV. The analyses use a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 4:6 fb 1 collected by the ATLAS detector during the 2011 LHC data-taking period. Events are selected using leptonic decays of the W and Z bosons [Wðe ; Þ and Zðeþe ; þ ; Þ] with the requirement of an associated isolated photon. The data are used to test the electroweak sector of the Standard Model and search for evidence for new phenomena. The measurements are used to probe the anomalous WW, ZZ, and Z triple-gauge-boson couplings and to search for the production of vector resonances decaying to Z and W. No deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed and limits are placed on anomalous triple-gauge-boson couplings and on the production of new vector meson resonances.

Measurements of Wgamma and Zgamma production in pp collisions at sqrt{s}= 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements of Wgamma and Zgamma production in pp collisions at sqrt{s}= 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC Aad, G.; Abajyan, T.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; Abdel Khalek, S.; González Silva, María Laura; Otero y Garzon, Gustavo Javier; Piegaia, Ricardo Nestor; Romeo, Gaston Leonardo; Alonso, Francisco; Anduaga, Xabier Sebastian; Dova, Maria Teresa; Monticelli, Fernando Gabriel; Tripiana, Martin Fernando; Zhu, Y.; Zhuang, X.; Zhuravlov, V.; Zieminska, D.; Zimine, N. I.; Zimmermann, R.; Zimmermann, C.; Zimmermann, S.; Ziolkowski, M.; Zitoun, R.; Živković, L.; Zmouchko, V. V.; Zobernig, G.; Zoccoli, A.; Nedden, M. zur; Zutshi, V.; Zwalinski, L.; The ATLAS Collaboration The integrated and differential fiducial cross sections for the production of a W or Z boson in association with a high-energy photon are measured using pp collisions at sqrt{s} = 7 TeV. The analyses use a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb^{-1} collected by the ATLAS detector during the 2011 LHC data-taking period. Events are selected using leptonic decays of the W and Z bosons (W(e nu,mu nu) and Z(e+ e-, mu+ mu-, nu nubar)) with the requirement of an associated isolated photon. The data are used to test the electroweak sector of the Standard Model and search for evidence for new phenomena. The measurements are used to probe the anomalous WWgamma, ZZgamma and Zgammagamma triple-gauge-boson couplings and to search for the production of vector resonances decaying to Zgamma and Wgamma. No deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed and limits are placed on anomalous triple-gauge-boson couplings and on the production of new vector meson resonances.

Aspectos erotéticos del «hibridismo» de Mendel

Aspectos erotéticos del «hibridismo» de Mendel; Erotetic aspects of Mendel’s «hibrydism» Lorenzano, Pablo Julio El objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar, en la línea sugerida por Nickles (1980, 1981) y desarrollada por Sintonen (1985, 1996), no sólo que el «enfoque de resolución de problemas» y el «enfoque de teorías» no son contrapuestos, sino que este último, mediante la versión de la concepción semántica de las teorías conocida bajo el nombre de «estructuralismo metateórico», puede ser utilizado para aportar precisión al enfoque de resolución de problemas, a través de la caracterización más precisa del contexto teórico en el que se plantean los problemas y, de este modo, de su individuación e historia, pudiéndose así distinguir dos tipos de «cambio problemático»: «cambio en un problema» y «cambio de problema». Para ello, se presentará dicha propuesta y luego será aplicada al caso del «hibridismo» de Mendel.; The aim of this paper is to show, in the line suggested by Nickles (1980, 1981) and developed by Sintonen (1985, 1996), not just that the «problem-solving approach» and the «theory approach» are not incompatible, but also that the latter, in the version of the semantic conception of theories known as «structuralist view», can be used to give precision to the problem-solving approach, by a more precise characterization of the theoretical context in which problems arise and, in this way, to their individuation and history, distinguishing two types of «problem change»: «change in a problem» and «change of a problem». In order to do this, it will be presented a proposal that will be applied to Mendel’s «hybridism».

Paleoenvironment of the Toropí Formation (Upper Pleistocene), Corrientes province (Mesopotamian region, Argentina): A phytolith approach

Paleoenvironment of the Toropí Formation (Upper Pleistocene), Corrientes province (Mesopotamian region, Argentina): A phytolith approach Erra, Georgina; Osterrieth, Margarita Luisa; Zurita, Alfredo Eduardo; Francia, Analia; Carlini, Alfredo Armando Two Pleistocene sedimentary units are recognized in the Corrientes province, Argentina: the Toropí and Yupoí formations. These sediments have proven productive for fossil vertebrates, but few macrofossils have been recovered. To remedy this situation, plant silica (phytoliths) were extracted from the sediments, enabling a direct comparison of paleovegetation data and information based on previous study of vertebrates. The studied samples (n = 28) come from two profiles from the Toropí Stream (28°36'S; 59°02'W), near Bella Vista, Corrientes, from which two Quaternary mammals, Lestodon (Xenarthra) and Hippocamelus (Artiodactyla), have previously been excavated. All samples were productive and contained both non-plant biogenic silica (diatoms, sponge spicular, chrysophyte cysts) and phytoliths. Phytolith assemblages were dominated by morphotypes diagnostic of grasses, in particular C 3 pooids, C 4 chloridoids, and C 3 or C 4 panicoids (or related grasses in the PACMAD clade). Rare phytoliths of palms and other woody or herbaceous dicotyledonous angiosperms were also present. This combination of C 3 and C 4 grasses, and rare palms and other forest indicators, indicates grass-dominated habitats with groves with palms and other trees/shrubs along rivers, growing under a relatively warm and dry climate. This mixed plant community reflects shifting biogeographic affinity with the Chaco-Pampean plain and inter-tropical regions, respectively, linked to the frequent climatic-environmental fluctuations during the Late Pleistocene. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

The exotic shrub Rosa rubiginosa as a nurse plant. Implications for the restoration of disturbed temperate forests in Patagonia, Argentina

The exotic shrub Rosa rubiginosa as a nurse plant. Implications for the restoration of disturbed temperate forests in Patagonia, Argentina Svriz, Maya; Damascos, Maria Angélica; Schaumberg, Heike; Hensen, Isabell Facilitation of forest native species under exotic nurse plants may differ between climatic regions and microsites. Recruitment of other exotic species should be taken into account when areas invaded by exotic shrubs are considered for forest restoration. Natural regeneration of native and exotic species and survival of planted native saplings under the deciduous exotic Rosa rubiginosa (shrub microsite = SM) and in open microsites (OM) were studied in preexisting shrublands of mesic and wet regions in North Patagonia. Light levels, soil chemical composition and seasonal variation of soil moisture were analyzed in SM and OM and the content of N and C was compared between mature and senescent R. rubiginosa leaves. In the SM, native species received less light and soils had higher C:N rate and moisture in spring than in the OM. R. rubiginosa reabsorbs this nutrient before leaves fall. Natural native forest species recruitment occurred only in the SM. In shrublands of the mesic region native species richness and abundance increased under bigger nurse plants. In the wet region, where herbivory was higher, moderate climatic conditions allowed greater species richness and abundance than in the mesic region, independently of the nurse plant volume. The height of the exotic shrub and the protected species showed a positive and negative relationship in the mesic and wet region, respectively. Exotic species grew under 5-15% of the nurse plants (n= 60). Survival of planted saplings, shoot resprouting and herbivore-related mortality were highest in the SM and in wet regions. Sapling mortality due to drying out was highest in the OM of the mesic region. It is possible for forest restoration in areas previously invaded by R. rubiginosa to achieve highly positive results in mesic regions where plants are protected from desiccation. In areas with moderate climatic conditions, facilitation against herbivores has beneficial initial effects, but as the nurse plant competes with taller native individuals, forest restoration would depend on effective control of the nurse plant biomass. In both areas other exotic species would be well represented in the long term. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

The “soy-ization” of Argentina: The dynamics of the “globalized” privatization regime in a peripheral context

The “soy-ization” of Argentina: The dynamics of the “globalized” privatization regime in a peripheral context Delvenne, Pierre; Vasen, Federico; Vara, Ana María Based on extensive fieldwork conducted with actors from public, private and associative sectors, we explore the expansion of genetically modified soy in Argentina and we aim to figure out how the neoliberal “globalized privatization regime” unfolded in a peripheral location. Our case points at two inherent contradictions with such a regime's main tenets, namely that it needs a weak antitrust policy (thus leading to a market situation dominated by a monopoly of transnational companies) and a hyper-restrictive system of intellectual property. We highlight the participation of two groups of local actors in the regime. The first group is aligned with the globalized privatization regime agendas, while the second is involved in protest and regulatory actions focusing on the health, environment and safety issues related to the GM soy complex. To a different extent, both groups share a local agenda of resistance and an anti-imperialist imaginary. Both have national development objectives of Argentina in their ideological roots, although their conceptions of “development” are different (industrial development vs. protection of peasants' life and the environment). We conclude that it is not enough to postulate that the neoliberal globalized privatization regime will just expand to the South as it did in Northern countries. Rather, combined with the commercialization of science, peripherality creates protest, activism and local regulation.

What risks and for whom? Argentina’s regulatory policies and global commercial interests in GMOs

What risks and for whom? Argentina’s regulatory policies and global commercial interests in GMOs Pellegrini, Pablo Ariel Regulatory frameworks on genetically modified crops present several differences, according to the specific procedures they take to deal with what they consider to be risks. Some of these differences have been studied between the United States and Europe, but there are other scenarios and subjects that may also be involved. Argentina not only has one of the major land areas devoted to transgenic agriculture, but it also has one of the first regulatory agencies in the region. Nevertheless, its regulatory policies towards genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have several differences with some international regulatory policies, such as the precautionary approach, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the labeling of food derived from GM crops. In order to understand this position, we analyze the development and function of GMOs' regulatory framework in Argentina, comparing it with Europe and showing how commercial interests in agriculture may explain each regulatory approach.

An improved DNA isolation technique for PCR detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in stool samples

An improved DNA isolation technique for PCR detection of Strongyloides stercoralis in stool samples Repetto, S. A.; Alba Soto, Catalina Dirney; Cazorla, Silvia Ines; Tayeldin, Maria Lia; Cuello Pagnone, Marina Soledad; Lasala, M. B.; Tekiel, Valeria Sonia; González Cappa, S. M. Strongyloides stercoralis is a nematode that causes severe infections in immunocompromised patients. The low parasitic burden of chronically infected patients makes diagnosis difficult to achieve by conventional methods. Here, an in-house (IH) method for the isolation of parasite DNA from stools and a PCR assay for the molecular diagnosis of S. stercoralis were optimized. DNA yield and purity improved with the IH method which included a step of incubation of stool samples with a glycine–SDS buffer and mechanical disruption prior to DNA extraction. For the PCR assay, the addition of bovine serum albumin was required to neutralize inhibitors present in stool. The analytical sensitivity of the PCR using DNA as template, isolated with the IH method, was superior to the commercial one. This study demonstrates that a combined method that adds the step of glycine–SDS buffer incubation plus mechanical disruption prior to DNA isolation with the commercial kit increased PCR sensitivity to levels of the IH method. Finally, our assay was tested on 17 clinical samples. With the IH method for DNA isolation, a S. stercoralis specific band was detected by PCR in the first stool sample in all patients (17/17), while with the commercial kit, our S. stercoralis-specific band was only observed in 7 samples. The superior efficiency of the IH and combined methods over the commercial kit was demonstrated when applied to clinical samples with low parasitic burden. These results show that the DNA extraction procedure is a key to increase sensitivity of the S. stercoralis PCR assay in stool samples. The method developed here could help to improve the molecular diagnosis of S. stercoralis.

High resolution para-hydrogen induced polarization in inhomogeneous magnetic fields

High resolution para-hydrogen induced polarization in inhomogeneous magnetic fields Buljubasich Gentiletti, Lisandro; Prina, Ignacio; Franzoni, Maria Belen; Münnemann, K.; Spiess, H. W.; Acosta, Rodolfo Héctor The application of parahydrogen for the generation of hyperpolarization has increased continuously during the last years. When the chemical reaction is carried out at the same field as the NMR experiment (PASADENA protocol) an antiphase signal is obtained, with a separation of the resonance lines of a few Hz. This imposes a stringent limit to the homogeneity of the magnetic field in order to avoid signal cancellation. In this work we detect the signal arising from hyperpolarized Hexene by means of a CPMG pulse train. After Fourier transformation the obtained J-spectra not only presents an enhanced spectral resolution but also avoids partial peak cancellation.

Dynamic heterogeneity in the glass-like monoclinic phases of some halogen methane compounds

Dynamic heterogeneity in the glass-like monoclinic phases of some halogen methane compounds Zuriaga, Mariano Jose; Perez, S. C.; Pardo, L. C.; Tamarit, J. L. In this work we study the heterogeneity of the dynamics on the low-temperature monoclinic phases of the simple molecular glassy systems CBrnCl4−nCBrnCl4−n, n = 0, 1, 2. In these systems the disorder comes exclusively from reorientational jumps mainly around the C3 molecular axes. The different time scales are determined by means of the analysis of the spin-lattice relaxation time obtained through Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance (NQR) technique. Results are compared with those obtained from dielectric spectroscopy, from which two α- and β-relaxation times appear. NQR results enable us to ascribe with no doubt that the existence of two relaxations is due to dynamical heterogeneities which are the consequence of the different molecular surroundings of the molecules in the asymmetric unit cell of systems here studied.

NMR-SSC magnetic field profiler applied to magnetic field shimming

NMR-SSC magnetic field profiler applied to magnetic field shimming Segnorile, Hector Hugo; Forte, Guillermo Omar; Farrher, German David; Anoardo, Esteban A new methodology aimed to control the spatial dependence of a magnetic field within a volume of interest is described. The designed hardware uses Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to sense the magnetic field. A modified version of the Statistical Signal Characterization (SSC) method was used to analyze the NMR signal, providing a dynamical definition of the characterization parameters. The information is used to control the currents driving a set of coils that introduce corrections in the spatial dependence of the main field generated by an independent unit (magnet or electromagnet). As a practical matter, we deal with the particular case of magnetic field shimming.

Forest recovery of areas deforested by fire increases with elevation in the tropical Andes

Forest recovery of areas deforested by fire increases with elevation in the tropical Andes Lippok, Denis; Beck, Stephan G.; Renison, Daniel; Gallegos, Silvia C.; Saavedra, Francisco V.; Hensen, Isabell; Schleuning, Matthias In the tropical Andes, many montane forests have been destroyed, often through human-induced fires. To facilitate the recovery of these forests, it is important to understand the processes that drive secondary succession at deforested sites, yet studies are rare. Two important filters potentially causing a delay in the recovery of tropical forests are decreasing seed rain with distance to forest edge (seed dispersal limitation) and harsher environmental conditions at deforested sites. Moreover, successional pathways along elevation gradients can differ, yet the factors driving elevation differences are poorly understood. In the Bolivian Andes, we compared soil properties, microclimate and light availability at deforested sites with conditions in the adjacent forests and sampled woody secondary vegetation near (at 20 m distance) and away (at 80 m) from the forest edge at eight sites that had been deforested by fires ranging from 1950 m to 2500 m asl. We tested the effects of distance to forest edge and elevation on environmental conditions and on basal area, density, species richness and species composition of forest and non-forest species. Environmental conditions differed between forest interiors and deforested areas in most of the measured parameters. Woody secondary vegetation comprised more non-forest (80%) than forest species (20%), indicating that montane forest recovery was strongly hampered. Unexpectedly, basal area and species richness of both forest and non-forest species were higher away than near the forest edge. Density increased with increasing elevation in both forest and non-forest species, while species richness increased with increasing elevation only in forest species. Species composition did not change with distance to forest edge, but changed significantly with elevation. Our findings reject the hypothesis of a strong effect of seed dispersal limitation on forest recovery, but provide evidence that harsh environmental conditions, i.e., hot and dry microclimates and frequent fires, inhibit forest recovery at deforested sites. With increasing elevation, forest recovery increased, probably due to milder environmental conditions at high elevations and a different species source pool. We conclude that abiotic and biotic changes with elevation are crucial for understanding capabilities of forest recovery in mountain ecosystems and highlight that forest recovery may be further reduced in the future if maximum temperatures are going to increase in the tropical Andes. From a management perspective, we propose Myrsine coriacea, the most abundant forest species at deforested sites, to be a suitable species for montane forest restoration, due to its ability for long-distance dispersal and resprouting after fire.

The wave equation on the extreme Reissner-Nordstrom black hole

The wave equation on the extreme Reissner-Nordstrom black hole Dain, Sergio Alejandro; Dotti, Gustavo Daniel We study the scalar wave equation on the open exterior region of an extreme Reissner–Nordström black hole and prove that, given compactly supported data on a Cauchy surface orthogonal to the timelike Killing vector field, the solution, together with its (t, s, θ, phgr) derivatives of arbitrary order, s a tortoise radial coordinate, is bounded by a constant that depends only on the initial data. Our technique does not allow studying transverse derivatives at the horizon, which is outside the coordinate patch that we use. However, using previous results that show that second and higher transverse derivatives at the horizon of a generic solution grow unbounded along horizon generators, we show that any such divergence, if present, would be milder for solutions with compact initial data.

Do not worry, be mindful: Effects of induced worry and mindfulness on respiratory variability in a nonanxious population

Do not worry, be mindful: Effects of induced worry and mindfulness on respiratory variability in a nonanxious population Vlemincx, Elke; Vigo, Daniel Eduardo; Vansteenwegen, Debora; Van den Bergh, Omer; Van Diest, Ilse Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by chronic worry. Mindfulness-based stress reduction is thought to remediate excessive worry, because it counteracts a permanent defense state of enhanced vigilance to potential threats. The present study aimed to compare respiratory variability (RV) during worry and mindfulness. Following an 8-minute baseline, 37 healthy participants underwent 11-min worry and mindfulness inductions, in randomized order, using auditory scripts. Respiration was measured by chest and abdominal inductance belts. RV was quantified by (1) autocorrelation to assess linear breathing variability, (2) sample entropy to assess nonlinear breathing variability. Compared to baseline and mindfulness, worry showed decreased autocorrelation in all respiratory parameters and compared to mindfulness, worry showed decreased entropy in respiratory rate. These results suggest that, in contrast to mindfulness, worry is characterized by decreased respiratory stability and flexibility, and therefore worry and mindfulness seem to have countering effects on RV and respiratory regulation.

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