Momentos, espacios y temporalidades en la entrevista virtual: reflexiones desde el estudio de las políticas sociales; Moments, spaces and temporalities in the virtual interview: reflections from the study of social policies Sordini, María Victoria; Dettano, Andrea El objetivo de este escrito es re-visitar algunos aspectos de la entrevista virtual en la plataforma Facebook, realizada en el marco de dos proyectos de investigación que indagan a personas que reciben programas sociales y que organizan y gestionan comedores y merenderos comunitarios, en el contexto de pandemia por COVID-19 durante 2020 y 2021. Este trabajo se apoya en la revisión y reflexión de las notas de campo que acompañaron el proceso de indagación mediante las entrevistas virtuales. La sistematización de la experiencia de entrevista virtual permite delinear que el momento de apertura de la entrevista implica negociaciones en torno al ritmo de la conversación y la plataforma de realización, a la vez que emerge la desconfianza por parte de las personas entrevistadas. En el durante, se observa la intermitencia de la comunicación y su desarrollo en diferentes temporalidades. El cierre puede darse de manera acordada o intempestiva por cansancio o desconfianza de la persona entrevistada. Se concluye que las diferentes formas de digitalización de la vida, implican observar los emplazamientos donde las interacciones cobran forma, independientemente de si son medios físicos o virtuales.; The aim of this paper is to revisit some aspects of the virtual interview on the Facebook platform, carried out within the framework of two research projects that investigate social programs recipients who organize and manage soup kitchens and picnic areas, in the pandemic context by COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021. This work is based on the review and reflection of the field notes that accompanied the virtual interviews. The systematization of the virtual interview experience makes it possible to delineate that the “opening moment” of the interview involves negotiations around the rhythm of the conversation and the platform for conducting it, while distrust emerges from the interviewees. In the “meantime”, the intermittence of communication and its development in different temporalities is observed. “The closure” can occur in an agreed or untimely manner due to the fatigue or mistrust of the interviewed. It is concluded that the different forms of digitalization of life imply observing the locations where interactions take shape, regardless of whether they are physical or virtual media.

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans Pérez Iglesias, Juan Manuel; Franco Belussi, Lilian; Ruiz de Arcaute, Celeste; Bach, Nadia Carla; Soloneski, Sonia Maria Elsa; Gonzalez, Silvia Patricia; Almeida, César Américo; Brodeur, Celine Marie Julie The new questions in ecotoxicology highlight the importance of applying a battery of biomarkers, as this results in ecotoxicological predictions that improve not only the interpretation of the effects of environmental stressors on organisms but also the determination of their possible impact. It is well known that the use of ecotoxicological biomarkers at different levels of organization allows for the prediction of the biological responses of organisms to environmental stressors, which is useful in environmental risk assessment. Nevertheless, it is necessary to consider the optimization of basic procedures, to generate historical data in control groups, and to employ specific bioassays to evaluate responses in organs and tissues in order to elucidate the nature and variation of the effects observed. Therefore, the present work aims to describe several ecotoxicological methodologies employed in all stages of neotropical anurans at different ecological levels and to validate them as useful biomarkers to be used both in wildlife and in laboratory conditions. In this work, these biomarkers were applied at the individual/organismic level (body condition index), histological/physiological level (histopathology, histometric, and pigmentary analyses), biochemical level (oxidative stress enzymes), and genetic level (direct and oxidative damage in DNA by comet assay). Although these methodologies have small variations or modifications depending on the species, these techniques provide effective biomarkers for evaluating the effect of xenobiotics on anurans, which possess certain characteristics that make them useful indicator species of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In conclusion, the battery of biomarkers employed in the present study has proven to be adequate for estimating toxic responses in Neotropical anurans and can be further recommended as bioindicators for identifying the impact of pollutants on the aquatic ecosystems of the region. Finally, it is recommended to achieve the standardization of these important biomarkers for anurans in specific regions as well as to possibly include them in risk assessments and decision-making.

Optimization of Probiotic Lactobacilli Production for In-Feed Supplementation to Feedlot Cattle Aristimuño Ficoseco, Maria Cecilia; Mansilla, Flavia Ivana; Vignolo, Graciela Margarita; Nader, Maria Elena Fatima The selection of probiotic bacteria based on their beneficial characteristics does not necessarily mean they can be later scaled up and used for technological applications and formula design. Three probiotic strains—Lactobacillus acidophilus CRL2074, Limosilactobacillus fermentum CRL2085, and Limosolactobacillus mucosae CRL2069, originally isolated from feedlot cattle feces—have demonstrated beneficial characteristics when used as in-feed probiotics. Therefore, the current study was conducted to develop a low-cost culture medium to optimize growth conditions to enhance biomass production. The study also sought to identify appropriate cryoprotective agents to sustain high functional cell numbers after freeze drying. A central composite design was applied to determine the optimal medium composition. This yielded a simplified, low-cost effective medium containing 3% molasses and industrial yeast extracts (0.5 to 2.5%) as carbon and nitrogen sources, which were added to a basal medium for each strain. Established production conditions at 37 °C, without agitation, and pH-controlled for the CRL2085 and CRL2069 strains, and free pH for the CRL2074 strain, allowed us to obtain biomass yields of 12.95, 18.20, and 12.25 g, respectively, at 24-h incubation, compared with the MRS medium. In addition, the cryoprotective effect of the selected agents was demonstrated to be strain-dependent. Thus, the highest viability (109–1010 CFU/g), stability during 30-d storage, and survival rate (88–99%) were achieved when 10% MSG (monosodium glutamate), sucrose + fructose + trehalose + WPC (whey protein concentrate) + 10% MSG, and 1.2% WPC + 10% trehalose, were used for freeze drying CRL2074, CRL2085, and CRL2069, respectively. Moreover, the probiotic strains retained their probiotic functionality when hydrophobic characteristics were evaluated. These results highlight the need to perform strain-specific evaluation of the critical factors involved in the large-scale production of probiotic lactobacilli to sustain viability and stability after the freeze drying and storage processes.

Datos de nivel freático en campo experimental Las Magnolias, UNNOBA-Junin Datos de presión barométrica del pozo del campo experimental UNNOBA (Las Magnolias), tiene una profundidad de 11 m en Sedimentos Pampeanos y alcanza el nivel freático.

Respuestas al Cuestionario para Docentes. Niveles inicial, primario y secundario de la ciudad de Mar del Plata Respuestas de docentes de nivel inicial, primario y secundario de instituciones educativas de la ciudad de Mar del Plata, a un cuestionario diseñado para indagar aspectos de su labor durante las medidas de aislamiento social, preventivo y obligatorio tomadas en contexto de pandemia por COVID-19, y las dificultades encontradas en el retorno a las clases presenciales. Se incluyen ítems de un inventario de emociones para docentes (Chen, 2016) Referencia Chen, J. (2016). Understanding teacher emotions: The development of a teacher emotion inventory. Teaching and Teacher Education, 55, 68-77.

Parámetros ambientales en experimentos con sedimentos con y sin historia previa de contaminación por hidrocarburos (golfo San Jorge, Chubut) Los datos cargados corresponden a las muestras tomadas en el marco del proyecto PICT 2015-3549. El objetivo de este proyecto, de carácter interdisciplinario, fue analizar los efectos del petróleo crudo sobre la fauna bentónica en sedimentos con y sin historia previa de contaminación con hidrocarburos (CHC y SHC) localizados en zonas costeras del golfo San Jorge (GSJ). En este golfo se concentra una importante actividad de extracción de petróleo crudo cuyo transporte se efectúa vía marítima desde los puntos de concentración de la producción (Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur, Santa Cruz y Chubut) hacia las refinerías ubicadas en el centro-norte del país. Estudios previos demostraron la existencia de contaminación petrogénica en varios puntos de la costa, en especial en zonas cercanas a Comodoro Rivadavia. Por otra parte, una extensa zona del GSJ ha sido incluida en la designada Reserva de la Biósfera Patagonia Azul (UNESCO, 2015). Asimismo, en su zona norte se halla el Parque Interjurisdiccional Marino-Costero “Patagonia Austral”, designaciones relacionadas con la protección de su biodiversidad y valor paisajístico. Particularmente, los organismos bentónicos de la zona intermareal coexisten en un delicado equilibrio y constituyen un eslabón trófico fundamental para las aves y otros organismos marinos. Factores extrínsecos, como el aporte de petróleo crudo de forma crónica o masiva, pueden afectar la actividad y estructura de la comunidad bentónica e indirectamente a sus predadores. La respuesta de los diferentes organismos del bentos ante la presencia de petróleo es relevante considerando su rol en la columna sedimentaria (bioturbación) y en los procesos de intemperización del petróleo crudo, en particular, la biodegradación de los hidrocarburos. En los sitios de estudio CHC y SHC se registró una respuesta diferente de los organismos y una distribución y biodegradación diferencial de los hidrocarburos en la columna sedimentaria. Un aporte valioso de este proyecto fue que la experimentación ecotoxicológica se realizó ex situ a fin de no contaminar los sitios en evaluación. La superposición de actividades antrópicas de importancia económica a nivel regional (petróleo, pesca, turismo, etc.) y de zonas protegidas a diferente nivel de acuerdo a su vulnerabilidad y biodiversidad, implica una necesidad y compromiso de conocer y prevenir las respuestas del ecosistema a la contaminación. La generación de conocimiento científico interdisciplinario sirve de fundamento para implementar el manejo sustentable de los recursos marinos.

Colonization of cigarette butts, a toxic waste, by white rot fungi; Colonización de colillas de cigarrillo, un residuo tóxico, por hongos de pudrición blanca Núñez, María del Pilar; Butler, Matias; Majul, Leonardo Matias; Diorio, Luis Alberto; Levin, Laura Noemí; Rosenfeldt, Sonia Cigarette butts (CBs) are complex pollutants, consisting of a filter made of non biodegradable acetate cellulose fibers, and a paper wrapping. After smoking, part of the toxic chemicals from burnt tobacco (nicotine, nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, among others) are retained in the filter and may be leached when in contact with water, contaminating aquatic environments2. Since currently there is no treatment for this residue, our project aims to employ white rot fungi as an alternative for detoxifying CBs. After selecting fungal strains for their effectiveness in detoxifying the material (unpublished results), further research on the colonization of the CBs was carried out. Wet CBs were inoculated with 2 different fungal strains isolated from Argentinean rainforest (Trametes sp. BAFC4767 and Irpex lacteus BAFC4766). They were grown in humid conditions, at 28 °C in the darkness for 6 weeks. A CB sample of each treatment was air dried, cut longitudinally and transversely, and coated with gold/palladium for scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation. Non treated CBs (Fig. 1) showed a more compact fiber structure than the treated ones. Fungal growth both on the outside and the inside of the CBs was observed for all treatments (Figure 2, Figure 3). Most of the mycelium developed around the paper wrapper (PW), which displayed signs of deterioration and is supposed to be the fungus food source. It was noteworthy to observe such a degree of fungal invasion on the inside of the CBs, since this part is where most of the toxic chemicals are concentrated. These results support the detoxifying capacity observed for the selected fungi. White rot fungi are known for their ability to degrade and detoxify xenobiotics such as phenolic compounds and aromatic hydrocarbons1. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first visual report of CBs fungal colonization.

Proteómica comparativa de factores solubles secretados por tejido adiposo humano de mama tumoral y normal Tumor progression depends on the tumor-stroma interaction. In the breast, adipose tissue is the predominant stromal type. We have previously demonstrated that conditioned media (CMs) from explants of human adipose tissue of tumor breasts (hATT) increase proliferation and migration of breast cancer epithelial cells when compared to human adipose tissue from normal breasts (hATN). In this work, we aim to identify specific proteins and molecular/biological pathways associated with the secretion profile of hATT and hATN explants. hATT-CMs and hATN-CMs were separated by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by means of two-dimensional nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The data was analyzed using ProteoIQ and FunRich software. In addition, 42 cytokines from hATTCMs and hATN-CMs were assayed by a protein antibody assay. Compared to hATNCMs, hATT-CMs showed greater protein diversity. We found that hATT-CMs presented a greater amount of proteins related to complement system activity, metabolism and immune system, as well as proteins involved in a variety of biological processes such as signal transduction and cell communication. Specifically, apolipoprotein AI and AII, complement component 3, and vimentin and desmin were significantly increased in hATT-CMs versus hATN-CMs. Moreover, a multivariate discriminant analysis of the cytokines detected by the array showed that IL-6, MCP-2 and GRO cytokines were sufficient and necessary to differentiate hATT-CMs from hATN-CMs. This analysis also showed that the levels of these three cytokines, taken together, correlated with stage and histological grade of the tumor in the hATT-CMs group, and with body mass index in the hATN-CMs group.

Propiedades medicinales del género Prosopis Secondary plant metabolites are regarded as promising sources of plant-protecting substances and they are one of the most important lines of plant defense against pests. The range of cellular targets for these substances is very wide and covers metabolic pathways, macromolecules and organelles. In consequence, the plant derivatives study represents a critical situation in which toxic effects against other organisms need to be evaluated in relation to its biological benefits. The genus Prosopis (Fabaceae) include 44 species and is considered among the world’s most damaging invasive species. The genus had been found in 129 countries globally and many more countries are climatically suitable. Prosopis physiology evidences a wide range of adaptability, shows the capability to growth in several adverse conditions, accumulates heavy metals and synthetizes chemical defences. Curiously, since antiquity, some Prosopis species around the world were described as important source of ethnopharmacological treatments for several illnesses. Toxicity against prokaryote microorganisms, fungus, parasites, mosquitoes, vertebrate animals and humans is revised in the current work. In accordance to the reviewed literature, it is possible to conclude that more specific research could make Prosopis species an important source of nutraceuticals and phytopharmaceutical compounds. Moreover, by its selective toxic effects, plant derivatives can be used as important source of new and successful bioactive molecules.

Espécimenes consultados en herbarios y fotografías tomadas en el campo Currently, in Argentina 368 species of true ferns (i.e. Polypodiopsida class) are distributed throughout the country, however, only four of them have been mentioned until now as weeds and ruderal species. The goal of this work was to generate an update of weedy ferns from Argentina, including morphology, distribution, and type of weed according to their impact on natural habitats and/or human activities. All Argentinian fern species were analyzed based on references, herbarium specimens, and field trips. As a result of our study 25 species were recorded from Argentina and classified as segetal, ecological, or aquatic weeds, and ruderal and/or toxic species. Current taxonomic identity, diagnostic characters, origins, habitats, geographical distribution, common names, and impact and potential risks were indicated by species. In addition, we provide a dichotomous key to species, presence of these species in southern South American countries, as well as and photographs in natural habitat. This work represents the first review on native and exotic ferns from Argentina that cause an impact on human activities or disturbe native habitats. The results provide information for the development of weed management tools and priority areas to implement them.

Honeys from the Argentine Phytogeographic Provinces Chaqueña and Monte in Catamarca and La Rioja Poliero, Aimará Ayelen; Aubone, Ines; Amadei Enghelmayer, Marisa; Rosso, Valeria Soledad; Fuselli, Sandra Rosa; Alonso Salces, Rosa Maria The characterization of Argentinean honeys from the vegetation units (VUs) of the phytogeographical provinces located in Catamarca and La Rioja was performed with the analysis used for honey quality control: sugar profile, free acidity, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), color and contents of moisture, ash, total soluble solids, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Honeys were authentic and traceable, and complied with the specifications of national and/or international standards, verifying their blossom origin, high quality, good maturity, and freshness. Honeys from VU-9 and VU-23 presented significantly distinctive physicochemical parameters, evidencing the influence of the flora and pedoclimatic conditions of these VUs. Honeys from VU-23 presented significantly higher contents of glucose and total reducing sugars (F + G), and lower EC, ash contents, fructose/glucose ratio, and concentrations of turanose and maltose than those from VU-9. Honeys from VU-23 in La Rioja also exhibited characteristic lighter colors and lower pH and ºBrix values and turanose amounts; and honeys from VU-9 in La Rioja exhibited highest pH values. Catamarca honeys were characterized by high free acidity and high amounts of turanose, regardless of the VUs. The contents of sugars and total soluble solids, moisture, pH, EC, and color of honeys from Catamarca and La Rioja are published here for the first time. This study contributes to the typification of honeys from these provinces, which will provide them an added value and allow them to access newer markets.

Sustainable and Bio-Based Food Packaging: A Review on Past and Current Design Innovations Versino, Florencia; Ortega, Florencia; Monroy, Yuliana; Rivero, Sandra G. M.; Lopez, Olivia Valeria; Garcia, Maria Alejandra Food loss and waste occur for many reasons, from crop processing to household leftovers. Even though some waste generation is unavoidable, a considerable amount is due to supply chain inefficiencies and damage during transport and handling. Packaging design and materials innovations represent real opportunities to reduce food waste within the supply chain. Besides, changes in people’s lifestyles have increased the demand for high-quality, fresh, minimally processed, and ready-to-eat food products with extended shelf-life, that need to meet strict and constantly renewed food safety regulations. In this regard, accurate monitoring of food quality and spoilage is necessary to diminish both health hazards and food waste. Thus, this work provides an overview of the most recent advances in the investigation and development of food packaging materials and design with the aim to improve food chain sustainability. Enhanced barrier and surface properties as well as active materials for food conservation are reviewed. Likewise, the function, importance, current availability, and future trends of intelligent and smart packaging systems are presented, especially considering biobased sensor development by 3D printing technology. In addition, driving factors affecting fully biobased packaging design and materials development and production are discussed, considering byproducts and waste minimization and revalorization, recyclability, biodegradability, and other possible ends-of-life and their impact on product/package system sustainability

Smearing and unsmearing KKLT AdS vacua Graña, Mariana; Kovensky, Nicolas; Toulikas, Dimitrios Gaugino condensation on D-branes wrapping internal cycles gives a mechanism to stabilize the associated moduli. According to the effective field theory, this gives rise, when combined with fluxes, to supersymmetric AdS4 solutions. In this paper we provide a ten-dimensional description of these vacua. We first find the supersymmetry equations for type II AdS4 vacua with gaugino condensates on D-branes, in the framework of generalized complex geometry. We then solve them for type IIB compactifications with gaugino condensates on smeared D7-branes. We show that supersymmetry requires a (conformal) Calabi-Yau manifold and imaginary self-dual three-form fluxes with an additional (0,3) component. The latter is proportional to the cosmological constant, whose magnitude is determined by the expectation value of the gaugino condensate and the stabilized volume of the cycle wrapped by the branes. This confirms, qualitatively and quantitatively, the results obtained using effective field theory. We find that exponential separation between the AdS and the KK scales seems possible as long as the three-form fluxes are such that their (0,3) component is exponentially suppressed. As for the localized solution, it requires going beyond SU(3)-structure internal manifolds. Nevertheless, we show that the action can be evaluated on-shell without relying on the details of such complicated configuration. We find that no “perfect square” structure occurs, and the result is divergent. We compute the four-fermion contributions, including a counterterm, needed to cancel these divergences.

The Assembly of Bacteria Living in Natural Environments Shapes Neuronal Integrity and Behavioral Outputs in Caenorhabditis elegans Urquiza Zurich, Sebastian; García Angulo, Víctor Antonio; Burdisso, Paula; Fernanda Palominos, M.; Fernandez Hubeid, Lucia Eugenia; Harcha, Paloma A.; Castillo, Juan P.; Calixto, Andrea Bacterivore nematodes are the most abundant animals in the biosphere, largely contributing to global biogeochemistry. Thus, the effects of environmental microbes on the nematodes’ life-history traits are likely to contribute to the general health of the biosphere. Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model to study the behavioral and physiological outputs of microbial diets. However, the effects of complex natural bacterial assemblies have only recently been reported, as most studies have been carried out with monoxenic cultures of laboratory-reared bacteria. Here, we quantified the physiological, phenotypic, and behavioral traits of C. elegans feeding on two bacteria that were coisolated with wild nematodes from a soil sample. These bacteria were identified as a putative novel species of Stenotrophomonas named Stenotrophomonas sp. strain Iso1 and a strain of Bacillus pumilus designated Iso2. The distinctive behaviors and developmental patterns observed in animals fed with individual isolates changed when bacteria were mixed. We studied in more depth the degeneration rate of the touch circuit of C. elegans and show that B. pumilus alone is protective, while the mix with Stenotrophomonas sp. is degenerative. The analysis of the metabolite contents of each isolate and their combination identified NAD1 as being potentially neuroprotective. In vivo supplementation shows that NAD1 restores neuroprotection to the mixes and also to individual nonprotective bacteria. Our results highlight the distinctive physiological effects of bacteria resembling native diets in a multicomponent scenario rather than using single isolates on nematodes. IMPORTANCE: Do behavioral choices depend on animals’ microbiota? To answer this question, we studied how different bacterial assemblies impact the life-history traits of the bacterivore nematode C. elegans using isolated bacteria found in association with wild nematodes in Chilean soil. We identified the first isolate, Iso1, as a novel species of Stenotrophomonas and isolate Iso2 as Bacillus pumilus. We find that worm traits such as food choice, pharyngeal pumping, and neuroprotection, among others, are dependent on the biota composition. For example, the neurodegeneration of the touch circuit needed to sense and escape from predators in the wild decreases when nematodes are fed on B. pumilus, while its coculture with Stenotrophomonas sp. eliminates neuroprotection. Using metabolomics analysis, we identify metabolites such as NAD1, present in B. pumilus yet lost in the mix, as being neuroprotective and validated their protective effects using in vivo experiments.

Sustainable Refining of Vegetable Oil Made Easy with a Designer Phospholipase C Enzyme Val, Diego Sebastian; Marchisio, Fiorela; Di Nardo, Luisina; Peirú, Salvador; Aguirre, Andres; Abriata, Luciano Andres; Palacios, Luis E.; Rasia, Rodolfo Maximiliano; Castelli, Maria Eugenia; Menzella, Hugo Gabriel The increasing demand pressures the vegetable oil industry to develop novel refining methods. Degumming with type C phospholipases (PLCs) is a green technology and provides extra oil. However, natural PLCs are not active under the harsh conditions used in oil refining plants, requiring additional unit operations. These upfront capital expenditures and the associated operational costs hinder the adoption of this method. Here, we present a process based on ChPLC, a synthetic PLC obtained by consensus sequence design, possessing superior thermal stability and catalytic properties. Using ChPLC, crude soybean oil degumming was completed at 80 °C in 30 min, the temperature and residence time imposed by the design of existing oil refining plants. Remarkably, an extra yield of oil of 2% was obtained using 60% of the dose recommended for PLCs marketed today, saving upfront investments and reducing the operational cost of degumming. A techno-economic analysis indicates that, for medium size plants, ChPLC reduces the overall cost of soybean oil enzymatic degumming by 58%. The process presented here facilitates the implementation of enzymatic technologies to oil producers, regardless of their processing capacity, bringing potential annual benefits in the billion-dollar range for the global economy.

Procedures for microstructurally conditioning an Fe-22Mn-0.6C-1.5Al TWIP steel for optimal mechanical behaviour Sklate Boja, Maria Florencia; Giordana, María Florencia; Malarria, Jorge Alberto; Druker, Ana Velia In this work, we investigate the development of microstructures during thermomechanical processing of an Fe-22Mn-0.6C-1.5Al TWIP steel designed and manufactured in the laboratory, using optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The effect of rolling at room temperature, 600 °C and 1000 °C followed by annealing at intermediate and high temperatures was related to the mechanical properties measured with tensile tests. We found that the selected chemical composition controlled the value of the stacking fault energy, so that the main deformation mechanism was twinning together with dislocation glide, for all sheet-processing conditions. The addition of aluminium eliminated serrations in the stress-strain curves, guaranteeing stable plastic flow of the material during deformation processes. The accumulation of stacking faults during rolling facilitated the formation of an abundance of twins in subsequent anneals. Twin boundaries appear distorted due to dislocation interactions, and these distortions provided nucleation sites for nanometric mechanical twins. This microstructure reduced the mean free path of dislocations, increasing the hardening rate during deformation, which resulted in excellent mechanical properties. Among the thermo-mechanical processes studied, we found that the sheets rolled at 20 °C and annealed at 750 °C gave a total deformation close to 50% and a maximum strength >1100 MPa, with a yield strength of 350 MPa. This process also produced a small grain size of 7 μm, which is capable of developing a high number of twins during heat treatments and load application. Finally, such a process is a simple and economic procedure, easily adapted to industrial practice.

First genetic analysis of Euschistus heros F. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Argentina and its relative abundance in a newly invaded soybean region Balbi, Emilia Inés; Flores, Fernando Miguel; Arneodo Larochette, Joel Demián The Neotropical brown stink bug Euschistus heros F. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is the main soybean pest in Brazil, for which two major lineages (i. e. “Northern” and “Southern”) were identified. First recorded in Argentina in 2001, up to now no molecular studies have been performed on E. heros specimens occurring within the country. Here, partial sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cytb) genes revealed that brown stink bugs collected both in central and northern Argentina belonged to the “Southern” lineage and exhibited high genetic variability. This emerging pest has been detected recently in Marcos Juárez county, at the core of the Argentinian soybean producing region. The species composition of the soybean stink bug complex was investigated in this area during 2016, 2018 and 2020. The cosmopolitan Nezara viridula L. was the most abundant pentatomid along the whole study, accounting for 83–93% of the total captures in each season. The other members of the complex were Piezodorus guildinii West., Dichelops furcatus F., Edessa meditabunda F. (all of which were found during the three years of survey) and E. heros (recorded in 2018 and 2020). Though E. heros constituted a small share of the daily total stink bug catches (0—1.6%), this incipient pest invasion should be monitored in order to adopt adequate control measures for preventing eventual outbreaks.

Antiviral effect of natural and semisynthetic diterpenoids against adenovirus infection in vitro Bidart, Juan Esteban; Pertino, Mariano; Schmeda Hirschmann, Guillermo; Alche, Laura Edith; Petrera, Erina The emergence and re-emergence of viruses has highlighted the need to develop new broad spectrum antivirals to mitigate human infections. Pursuing our search for new bioactive plant-derived molecules, we studied several diterpene derivatives synthesized from jatropholones A and B and carnosic acid isolated from Jatropha isabellei and Rosmarinus officinalis, respectively. Here, we investigated the antiviral effect of the diterpenes against human adenovirus (HAdV-5) that causes several infections for which there is no approved antiviral therapy yet. Ten compounds were evaluated and none of them presented cytotoxicity in A549 cells. Only compounds 2, 5 and 9 inhibited HAdV-5 replication in a concentration-dependent manner, without virucidal activity, whereas the antiviral action took place after virus internalization. The expression of viral proteins E1A and Hexon was strongly inhibited by compounds 2 and 5 and, in a lesser degree, by compound 9. Since compounds 2, 5 and 9 prevent ERK activation, they might exert their antiviral action by interfering host cell functions required for virus replication. Besides, the compounds had an anti-inflammatory profile since they significantly inhibited the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 produced by THP-1 cells infected with HAdV-5 or with an adenoviral vector. In conclusion, diterpenes 2, 5 and 9 not only exerted antiviral activity against adenovirus but also are able to restrain pro-inflammatory cytokines induced by the virus.

Wikipedia como recurso para la enseñanza de la Historia en educación secundaria; Wikipedia as a resource for teaching History in secondary education Cuello, Esteban Andres; Alvarez, Guadalupe Objetivo: Explorar las posibilidades que brinda Wikipedia para la enseñanza de la Historia y la alfabetización digital. Metodología: Se recurrió al diseño de una Investigación-acción (IA) llevada adelante en el marco del dictado de la asignatura Historia Reciente en la Escuela Secundaria N°8, Villa de Mayo, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se efectuó un minucioso registro de clases, entrevistas a los estudiantes y relevamiento de producciones. Se realizaron análisis desde un enfoque cualitativo. Resultados: Los estudiantes mostraron inicialmente conocimientos muy básicos de Wikipedia y usos superficiales y acríticos. La propuesta educativa implementada les permitió adquirir conocimientos sobre aspectos y funcionalidades pedagógicamente relevantes de Wikipedia para lograr usos más críticos, activos y reflexivos, e incluso procesos de escritura colaborativa. Conclusiones: Wikipedia, si es utilizada educativamente bajo sólidos criterios pedagógicos y didácticos, constituye un recurso poderoso para andamiar las investigaciones en Historia de los estudiantes secundarios. A su vez, queda en evidencia que la enseñanza de la Historia constituye una oportunidad para promover procesos de alfabetización digital a través del uso de Wikipedia.; Aim: To explore the possibilities of Wikipedia for teaching history and digital literacy. Methodology: An action-research (AR) was conducted within the framework of the subject Recent History at Secondary School 8, in Villa de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Data were collected through observations, interviews and student productions. Qualitative data analysis were carried out. Results: The students initially showed basic knowledge, and superficial and uncritical uses of Wikipedia. The educational proposal implemented led students to learn about relevant aspects and functionalities of the online encyclopedia, which allow them to achieve more critical, active and reflective uses, and collaborative writing processes. Conclusions: When Wikipedia is used educationally under solid pedagogical criteria, it constitutes a powerful resource to scaffold history research at secondary school. At the same time, teaching history is an opportunity to promote digital literacy processes by using Wikipedia.

Technical note: Angular dependence in fiber optic dosimetry using YVO4:Eu3+ Martínez Clemente, Nahuel Facundo; Fernández, Johanna; Machello, Soledad; Molina, Pablo Fernando; Massa, José María; Santiago, Martin Alejo Background: Fiber optic dosimetry (FOD) has emerged as a useful technique that can be used in those cases when intracavitary, real time, high spatial resolution dose assessment is required. Among the several factors characterizing a dosimeter, angular response of FOD probes has to be assessed in order to consider possible clinical application. Purpose: The objective of this study was to characterize the angular response of a FOD probe based on a cylindrical shaped YVO4:Eu3+ scintillator under irradiation with a 6 MV photon beam generated by a linear accelerator (LINAC). Methods: A FOD probe was irradiated inside a plastic phantom using a 6 MV LINAC photon beam at different azimuthal angles (0◦ to 360◦,15◦ steps).Scintillation output was measured with a photomultiplier tube. Similar measurements were performed with a second FOD probe having an optical filter interposed between the scintillator and the fiber.Monte Carlo simulations using PENELOPE were carried out in order to interpret the observed results. Results: The FOD output was symmetrical with respect to the scintillator axis. For the unfiltered probe, the signal was maximum at rear incidence (0◦) and steadily decreased down to its minimum value at frontal incidence (180◦) having a signal ratio of 37%. The output of the filtered probe showed a plateau from 15◦ up to 115◦. The signal was maximum at 60◦ and minimum at 180◦ having a signal ratio of 16%. Monte Carlo simulations predicted symmetry of the deposited dose about 0◦ and 90◦,which contrasts with experimental findings. Conclusions: Photoluminescence (PL) of the scintillator induced by the Cherenkov light increases the angular dependence.Radiation attenuation inside the scintillator and partial light collection of the scintillation yield by the optical fiber (OF) are responsible for asymmetrical response. Results from this study should be considered in order to minimize angular dependence in FOD.