Tecnología, territorio y sociedad: Producción de biodiesel a partir de aceites usados; Technology,Territory and Society: Biodiesel Production Based on Waste Oil Garrido, Santiago Manuel Desde el año 2002, se desarrollaron en Argentina distintas experiencias vinculadas a la producción de biodiésel a partir de aceites vegetales usados. El desarrollo de estas experiencias puede ser interpretadas como una trayectoria socio-técnica en la que se articularon diferentes grupos sociales, técnicas y condiciones socio-demográficas generando distintos estilos socio-técnicos.La reconstrucción de esta trayectoria permite entender cómo se desarrollan los procesos de co-construcción de tecnologías, regulaciones, dinámicas económicas y prácticas sociales; más,cuando en el caso analizado, el aprovechamiento de desechos puede resolver problemas tanto ambientales como económicos y sociales.; Since 2002, a number of experiences have developed in Argentina related to biodiesel production based on waste vegetable oils. The development of these experiences can be interpreted as a socio-technical trajectory in which different social and technical, and different socio-demographic conditions were articulated, generating distinct socio-technical styles. The reconstruction of this trajectory makes possible an understanding of how processes of co-construction of technologies, regulations, economic dynamics and social practices develop. In the case analyzed, this reconstruction will permit observation of how the use of waste material can resolve environmental as well as economic and social problems.

Marcuse y una mirada desde la cultura digital Murolo, Norberto Leonardo Uno de los autores más influyentes de la Escuela de Frankfurt es, sin dudas, Herbert Marcuse. Sus conceptualizaciones expresan una crítica aguda al modo en que la sociedad occidental reconfiguró el espacio público durante la segunda posguerra, donde hubo ganadores y perdedores. De allí que sus conceptos centrales adviertan un uso ideologizado del lenguaje para entender la historia, la sexualidad y la autoridad. Claro está que en esta concepción, como en varias de las propuestas de la Escuela de Frankfurt, se parte de conceptualizaciones marxistas y freudianas. Sin embargo, en Marcuse, como en ningún otro de sus exponentes, el psicoanálisis se erige como la teoría esencial para el entendimiento de la vida en sociedad. El lenguaje unidimensional al que se refiere Marcuse es aquel que emplea los opuestos como construcciones válidas, que genera contradicciones desapercibidas, sentencias carentes de base; es un lenguaje que, por definición, no estimula la criticidad y la reflexión, y no releva más lecturas que la propuesta. El conformismo conceptual alcanzado mediante relaciones asentadas en la economía, es el punto central de una sociedad semantizada mediante un lenguaje cosificado. Producción y reproducción del lenguaje ilimitan el alcance del poder. La autoridad se vale de esta arma para dictar, mediante fórmulas míticas y estereotipadas, un modo de vida válido para ser incluido en el engranaje de la ciudadanía.

Sensitivity of different taxonomic levels of soil Gamasina to land use and anthropogenic disturbances Bedano, José Camilo; Ruf, Andrea The effect of taxonomic level on the sensitivity of bioindicators has been widely investigated in aquatic ecosystems and, to a lesser extent, in terrestrial ecosystems. However, no studies have been conducted on the sensitivity of the different taxonomic levels of soil mites, especially Gamasina, to human activities. The present study aimed to assess the sensitivity of different taxonomic levels of soil Gamasina mites to anthropogenic disturbances in Europe and Argentina. We arranged the data from previous projects in a hierarchical system and conducted a study to identify the critical taxonomical levels that had the highest discriminative potential between sites (Europe and Argentina) or management types (forests, grasslands, fallows, succession, recultivation and agricultural sites). For the Gamasina community, geographical location was by far more important than the influence of any land use type. The analysis including only the European sites demonstrated that communities belonging to sites subjected to different land uses were also significantly different. The species data set provided a clearer separation of sites according to both the geographical and the land-use gradients than the genus and family data sets. The genus and, to a lesser extent, the family approach may be sufficient to elucidate the influence of great geographical differences and also of certain land uses (e.g. grasslands from the forests and arable sites).5 Species presence/absence data provided valuable information in our analyses, although the use of quantitative data yielded a clearer separation of sites.

The effect of factor interactions in Plackett-Burman experimental designs: Comparison of Bayesian-Gibbs analysis and genetic algorithms Magallanes, Jorge Federico; Olivieri, Alejandro Cesar A genetic algorithm has been developed in order to estimate not only the main effects but also the association of terms when analyzing the influence of experimental factors through a Plackett-Burman design of experiments. The results for a series of simulated systems as well as experimental examples show excellent agreement with a Bayesian-Gibbs approach. The Plackett-Burman design is usually employed for screening, but its performance depends on the assumption that the interaction effects are negligible. Simulations allow one to analyze the effect of increasing interactions on the significance of main factors when Plackett-Burman designs are processed by neglecting factor associations.

Nota sobre la dieta del pato cuchara: Anas platalea (Aves: Anatidae) en Santa Fe, Argentina Beltzer, Adolfo Hector; Quiroga, Martin Anibal; Medrano, J. J. Se presenta el resultado del análisis del contenido estomacal de Anas platalea (Vieillot, 1816). El espectro estuvo compuesto de efipios, semillas, insectos y moluscos. Los primeros utilizan su resistencia a los jugos gástricos como una estrategia de dispersión en el grupoAnas platalea (Vieillot, 1816). El espectro estuvo compuesto de efipios, semillas, insectos y moluscos. Los primeros utilizan su resistencia a los jugos gástricos como una estrategia de dispersión en el grupo

Size of precipitation pulses controls nitrogen transformation and losses in an arid Patagonian ecosystem Yahdjian, María Laura; Sala, Osvaldo Esteban Arid ecosystems receive precipitation pulses of different sizes that may differentially affect nitrogen (N) losses and N turnover during the growing season. We designed a rainfall manipulation experiment in the Patagonian steppe, southern Argentina, where we simulated different precipitation patterns by adding the same amount of water in evenly spaced three-small rainfall events or in one-single large rainfall event, three times during a growing season. We measured the effect of the size of rainfall pulses on N mineralization and N losses by denitrification, ammonia volatilization, and nitrate and ammonia leaching. Irrigation pulses stimulated N mineralization (P < 0.05), with small and frequent pulses showing higher responses than large pulses (P < 0.10). Irrigation effects were transient and did not result in changes in seasonal net N mineralization suggesting a long-term substrate limitation. Water pulses stimulated gaseous N losses by denitrification, with large pulses showing higher responses than small pulses (P < 0.05), but did not stimulate ammonia volatilization. Nitrate leaching also was higher after large than after small precipitation events (P < 0.05). Small events produced higher N transformations and lower N losses by denitrification and nitrate leaching than large events, which would produce higher N availability for plant growth. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme precipitation events and the proportion of large to small rainfall events. Our results suggest that these changes would result in reduced N availability and a competitive advantage for deep-rooted species that prefer nitrate over ammonia. Similarly, the ammonium:nitrate ratio might decrease because large events foster nitrate losses but not ammonium losses. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

A synthesis route of gold nanoparticles without using a reducing agent Vargas-Hernandez, C.; Mariscal, Marcelo; Esparza, R.; Yacaman, M. J. In the present work we show that synthesis of gold nanoparticles (NPs) could be performed by microwave-assisted technique without the need of adding any reducing agent. Only water and the gold salt precursor are necessary to generate the NPs under the influence of microwaves. The produced NPs have been characterized by state-of-art microscopy techniques, like high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray. Theoretical calculations have been performed to support the experimental findings. It is expected that the present work opens routes for synthesis of NPs using green, fast, and safe methods. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Revisiting the Intertropical Brazilian Species Hoplophorus euphractus (Cingulata, Glyptodontoidea) and the Phylogenetic Affinities of Hoplophorus Porpino, Kleberson de O.; Fernicola, Juan Carlos; Bergqvist, Lílian P. The genus Hoplophorus is one of the most distinctive glyptodonts from the Quaternary deposits of the intertropical area of Brazil. In this paper, we redescribe cranial and postcranial elements and describe some new tarsal elements belonging to the species Hoplophorus euphractus from caves from Minas Gerais state, southern Brazil, in order to provide a better diagnosis for the genus. The material examined shows several striking, distinctive characters relative to Neosclerocalyptus, besides those previously reported, reinforcing the validity of Hoplophorus. On the other hand, we find that the postcrania of Hoplophorus presents striking, unreported resemblances with Panochthus (e.g., more lateromedially elongated cuboid facet of navicular and caudal tube with large lateral figures separated from the terminal ones by a wide space). In order to infer the relationships of Hoplophorus and to reevaluate the monophyly of the tribe Hoplophorini and the subfamily Hoplophorinae (in which Hoplophorus was previously allocated), we carried out a cladistic analysis of 18 taxa, including 13 glyptodont genera and five cingulate outgroups, scored for 151 cranial, dental, and postcranial characters. The most parsimonious tree shows that Hoplophorinae and Hoplophorini are both paraphyletic and has Hoplophorus as the sister group to Panochthus based mostly on synapomorphies of the caudal tube. We propose: (1) restricting the definition of the tribe Hoplophorini to the lineage represented by Hoplophorus, making it the sister group to Panochthini within Panochthinae (= Hoplophorus + Panochthus); and (2) a new subfamily, Neosclerocalyptinae, represented by Neosclerocalyptus, the sister group to Panochthinae.

Brood parasitism increases mortality of Bay-winged cowbird nests de Marsico, Maria Cecilia; Reboreda, Juan Carlos Los tordos parásitos de cría (Molothrus spp.) pueden causar el fracaso total del nido directamente al inducir el abandono de los nidos o destruir la puesta del hospedador, o indirectamente, a través de facilitar la depredación del nido. Examinamos la relación entre el parasitismo de cría y la supervivencia de nidos en Agelaioides badius, el principal hospedero de M. rufoaxillaris y un hospedero secundario de M. bonariensis. Usamos el programa MARK para modelar la supervivencia diaria de los nidos incluyendo efectos hipotéticos de la intensidad de parasitismo, la pérdida de huevos causada por los tordos y el tamaño total de la puesta. El respaldo para cada modelo fue evaluado usando una aproximación basada en la teoría de la información. Más del 50% de los nidos fracasaron antes de completar la incubación, debido principalmente al rechazo o abandono de las puestas parasitadas. El modelo de supervivencia diaria de nidos que tuvo mayor respaldo incluyó el efecto aditivo de la intensidad de parasitismo y el número de huevos picados, que estuvieron relacionados negativamente con la supervivencia del nido. El modelo que incluyó el efecto del tamaño de la puesta no tuvo respaldo. La probabilidad estimada de que un nido sobreviva todo el ciclo de nidificación fue del 35% para nidos no parasitados sin pérdida de huevos. Sin embargo, bajo los niveles de parasitismo observados durante este estudio, la probabilidad de supervivencia varió entre el 0 y 32%. La depredación de nidos durante las etapas de huevo y pichón estuvo relacionada positivamente con el número de huevos y pichones parásitos, respectivamente, lo que sugiere que el parasitismo de M. rufoaxillaris y M. bonariensis también podría facilitar la depredación de nidos de A. badius.; Brood-parasitic cowbirds (Molothrus spp.) can cause total nest failure directly by inducing nest desertion or by destroying the host's clutch or indirectly by facilitating nest predation. We examined the relationship between brood parasitism and nest survival in the Bay-winged Cowbird (Agelaioides badius), the primary host of the Screaming Cowbird (M. rufoaxillaris) and a secondary host of the Shiny Cowbird (M. bonariensis). We used the program MARK to model daily nest-survival rates, including hypothesized effects of intensity of parasitism, egg losses caused by cowbirds, and total clutch size. Support for each model was evaluated by an informationtheoretic approach. More than 50% of the nests failed before incubation was completed, mainly because of the ejection or desertion of parasitized clutches. The model of daily nest survival with best support included the additive effects of intensity of parasitism and number of eggs lost, which were negatively related to nest survival. The model including the effect of clutch size did not receive support. The predicted probability of a nest surviving the entire nesting cycle was 35% for unparasitized nests without egg loss, whereas under the levels of parasitism observed during this study the probability of nest survival varied between 0 and 32%. Nest predation during the egg and nestling stages was positively related to the number of cowbird eggs and chicks, respectively, suggesting that parasitism by Screaming and Shiny Cowbirds may also facilitate depredation of Bay-winged Cowbird nests.

Libros de texto de Química: ¿fuentes de comunicación o incomunicación? Ali, Salvador; Di Giacomo, María A.; Galagovsky, Lydia Raquel; Gemelli, María E.; Giudice, Jimena; Lacolla, Liliana; Pepa, Lorena; Porcel de Peralta, Cecilia La adquisición del conocimiento en el área de la química requiere la comprensión de lenguajes específicos. En el marco de la carrera del Profesorado Universitario en Química de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA), en la materia Didáctica Especial y Práctica de la Enseñanza I, se trabaja sobre el análisis de textos disciplinares con el objetivo de analizar dificultades en la interpretación de los diferentes lenguajes utilizados en química y de diferenciar la mirada de expertos y novatos al respecto. La reflexión metacognitiva derivada de esta actividad conduce a tomar conciencia sobre cómo los distintos niveles de representación y los lenguajes utilizados en los textos son origen probable de dificultades en la comprensión de los estudiantes.

2-C-Methyluridine modified hammerhead ribozyme against the estrogen receptor Pontiggia, Rodrigo Martin; Pontiggia, Osvaldo Alejandro; Simian, Marina; Montserrat, Javier Marcelo; Engels, Joachim W.; Iribarren, Adolfo Marcelo A new synthesis of 2′-C-methyluridine phosphoramidite is presented. Special emphasis is dedicated to the improvement of the protection of the tertiary 2′-hydroxyl group. Comparison to previous protecting strategies and analysis of stability under 5′-DMTr removing conditions are discussed. The synthetic incorporation of this modified nucleoside into the catalytic core of a hammerhead ribozyme against the estrogen receptor α protein (ER-α), and transfection experiments in MCF-7 cell line are also presented. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indigo production by Pseudomonas sp. J26, a marine naphthalene-degrading strain Riva Mercadal, Juan Pablo; Isaac, Paula; Siñeriz, Faustino; Ferrero, Marcela Alejandra A technique developed to determine naphthalene dioxygenase (NDO) activity was optimized and used to study the biotransformation of indole to indigo by Pseudomonas sp. J26 whole cells. The maximum production of indigo was achieved at 25 °C using 2.5 mM indole when J26 was grown in the complex medium JPP, while indole concentrations higher than 4 mM proved toxic for cells. The maximum rate of indigo production was 0.56 nmol min–1 mg dry biomass–1, obtaining 75.5 μM of indigo after 8 h of incubation, while a maximal concentration (138.1 μM) of indigo was obtained after 20 h.

Influencia de la madurez sexual y la castracion sobre la actividad electrica cardiaca en conejos machos y hembras; Influence of sexual maturity and gonadectomy on cardiac electrical activity in male and female rabbits Eizikovits, Gabriela Yael; Casal, Carolina; Arini, Pedro David; Bertran, Guillermo Claudio Es bien conocida la existencia de diferencias en la actividad eléctrica cardíaca asociadas al sexo. Si bien estas diferencias habitualmente se relacionan al efecto de la madurez y de las hormonas sexuales gonadales, todavía existen controversias al respecto. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto que la madurez sexual y la castración producen sobre los distintos parámetros del electrocardiograma de superficie y de la duración de los potenciales de acción (DPA). Se utilizaron conejos jóvenes (menores de un mes de edad) y adultos (mayores de seis meses de edad). Las diferencias obtenidas en las hembras se observan en la repolarización tardía, mientras que en los machos ocurren en la repolarización temprana. Existiría una relación entre las diferencias observadas en la duración desde el pico máximo hasta el fin de la onda T (Ttpf) y las observadas en la DPA al 90% de la repolarización (DPA90) en las hembras, mientras que en los machos la relación existe entre la duración desde el punto J hasta el pico máximo de la onda T (JTp) y la DPA al 30 y 50% de la repolarización (DPA30 y DPA50). Si bien existen diferencias que podrían ser debidas a factores hormonales otras serían debidas a factores no hormonales.; Sex-associated differences in cardiac electrical activity have already been documented. Even though these differences are usually associated with the effect of maturity and sex hormones, there are still some controversial points to this respect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of maturity and gonadectomy on the different parameters of surface electrocardiogram and the duration of the action potential in young and adult rabbits. The differences obtained in females were observed in late repolarization, whereas in males took place in early repolarization. There was a relationship between the differences observed in the duration from the peak to the end of the T wave and those observed in the duration of the action potential to 90% of repolarization in females, whereas in males the relationship exists between the duration from the point J to the peak of the T wave and the duration of the action potential at 30 and 50% of repolarization. Differences could be related to hormonal or non-hormonal factors.

Sedimentología y paleoambientes del Patagoniano y su transición a la Formación Santa Cruz al sur del Lago Argentino, Patagonia Austral; Sedimentology and paleoenvironments of the Patagoniano and the transition to the Santa Cruz Formation south of Lago Argentino, Southern Patagonia Cuitiño, José Ignacio; Scasso, Roberto Adrian El Patagoniano aflorante al sur del Lago Argentino en este sector de la cuenca Austral fue formalmente llamado como Formación Centinela, y en este trabajo se propone el nuevo nombre de Formación Estancia 25 de Mayo. Consiste de aproximadamente 180 metros de areniscas fosilíferas. Sobre la base de sus características litológicas (textura, composición, estructuras sedimentarias) y su contenido fosilífero (abundancia, diversidad, orientación y alteración de bioclastos) se describieron 12 litofacies, 9 de ellas epiclásticas y las 3 restantes bioclásticas. El análisis vertical de facies permitió agrupar las facies en tres asociaciones. Las asociaciones de facies I y II en la Formación Estancia 25 de Mayo, se corresponden con dos miembros formales: el Miembro Quién Sabe, dominado por areniscas sin estructuras sedimentarias mecánicas, muy bioturbadas y fosilíferas; y el Miembro Bandurrias, dominado por ciclos granodecrecientes de areniscas con estratificación entrecruzada y facies heterolíticas. La asociación de facies III representa las facies basales de la Formación Santa Cruz, con abundantes lags conglomerádicos y facies pelíticas ricas en fragmentos vegetales, con evidencias de pedogénesis. Se interpreta al Miembro Quién Sabe como producto de una transgresión marina, que instauró un mar somero, en donde se generaron acumulaciones biogénicas de ostras, y que culmina con facies de planicie costera. Una nueva transgresión produce una discontinuidad sobre la que descansa el Miembro Bandurrias, el cual representa la progradación de un sistema estuarial. Finalmente, la progradación continúa con los depósitos fluviales meandriformes de la Formación Santa Cruz.; Sedimentology and paleoenvironments of the Patagonian and the transition to the Santa Cruz Formation south of Lago Argentino, Southern Patagonia. The Patagoniano exposed to the south of Lago Argentino is formally known as Centinela Formation in this part of the Austral Basin, and the new name Estancia 25 de Mayo Formation is proposed here. It consists of approximately 180 m of fossiliferous sandstones divided in twelve lithofacies (nine epiclastic and the remaining three bioclastic), on the basis of their lithologic characteristics (texture, composition, sedimentary structures) and fossiliferous content (bioclast abundance, diversity, orientation and degradation). The vertical facies analysis allowed grouping the twelve lithofacies into three facies associations. Facies associations I and II correspond to two new formal members: the Quién Sabe Member, dominated by fossiliferous, highly bioturbated sandstones, mostly lacking physical sedimentary structures; and the Bandurrias Member, dominated by fining upward cycles of cross stratified sandstones and heterolithic facies. Facies association III represents the basal facies of Santa Cruz Formation, rich in conglomeratic lags and mudstones whit plant remains and soil modification. The Quién Sabe Member was deposited in a shallow sea resulting from a marine transgression, with common biogenic oyster accumulations, capped by coastal plain facies. The Bandurrias Member rests on a discontinuity formed during a new marine transgression and represents the progradation of an estuarine system. Continuous progradation led to the accumulation of the fluvial meandering continental sediments of the Santa Cruz Formation.

Propiedades poliméricas de cadenas de κ-carragenano a diferentes temperaturas; Polymeric properties of κ-carrageenan chains at diferents temperatures Villegas, M.; Guidugli, S.; Esteban, C.; Fernandez Gauna, María Cecilia; Pantano, S.; Paoletti, S.; Benegas, Julio Ciro Este trabajo describe la dependencia con la temperatura de la longitud de persistencia y el cociente característico de cadenas del polisacárido iónico κ-carragenano. Estas propiedades poliméricas fueron calculadas en una asamblea estadística de cadenas largas (n=900) construidas con un algoritmo de Monte Carlo que utiliza resultados de dinámica molecular para asignar probabilidades para la agregación de unidades poliméricas a una cadena en construcción. Los resultados muestran que al bajar la temperatura de la solución de 363K a 282K la longitud de persistencia de las cadenas casi se duplica, obteniéndose a 282K un valor de 7 nm, muy cercano al valor experimental. Este comportamiento indica que al bajar la temperatura las cadenas se ordenan y vuelven más rígidas, condiciones esenciales para la formación de los geles termoreversibles y mesofases ordenadas que caracterizan a este polisacárido iónico en solución acuosa.; This work describes the temperature dependence of persistence lengths and characteristic ratios of 900 residues long κ−carrageenans chains. These polymeric properties were calculated on an appropriate ensemble of calculated long chains (n=900), which were built with a Monte Carlo algorithm that assigned conformational probabilities based on the results of previously run molecular dynamics simulations. In very good agreement with experimental results, a value of 7nm is obtained for the calculated persistence length at 282K, which almost double the value calculated at 363K. This behavior indicates that the κ−carrageenans chains become more rigid and ordered at low temperatures, the basic condition for chain association leading to the formation of the thermo reversible gels and ordered mesophases that characterize this polysaccharide in aqueous solutions.

Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and HIV coinfection among people living with HIV/AIDS in Buenos Aires, Argentina Laufer, Natalia Lorna; Quarleri, Jorge Fabian; Bouzas, María B.; Juncos, Gerardo; Cabrini, Mercedes; Moretti, Franco; Bolcic, Federico Martin; Fernández Giuliano, Silvina; Mammana, Lilia; Salomon, Horacio Eduardo; Cahn, Pedro The HIV epidemic in Argentina has changed since the first case was reported in 1982. Since the beginning of the 1990s, a decrease in the number parenterally acquired infections has been observed, with a marked increase in transmission through unprotected sexual contact (heterosexual and homosexual), and in the number of women living with HIV/AIDS.

Largevolumeinjection of water in gaschromatography–massspectrometry using the Through Oven TransferAdsorptionDesorption interface: Application to multiresidueanalysis of pesticides Toledano, Rosa; Cortés, José; Andini, Juan Carlos; Villén, Jesús; Vázquez, Ana In the present work, the potential of the Through Oven Transfer Adsorption Desorption (TOTAD) interface for the large volume injection (LVI) of aqueous samples in gas chromatography (GC) using a mass spectrometry (MS) detector is demonstrated. To this end, a new method for the determination of pesticides in water is presented, being the first developed method in which injection of large amounts of polar solvents using the TOTAD interface and an MS detector are combined, is applied to the determination of pesticides in water. Water samples, as large as 5 ml, were directly injected into a capillary GC. No sample pre-treatment step other than simple filtration was needed. The TOTAD interface allows the introduction of several millilitres of water, while maintaining good chromatographic characteristics. The water is almost entirely eliminated, so that LVI of aqueous samples and an MS detector can be used without problems. Organophosphorus, organochlorine, and triazine pesticides were determined in one run. Calibration curves were linear in the range tested and the sensitivity achieved injecting 5 ml of water sample was sufficient for most of the target pesticides but not for all of them. Sensitivity of the analysis can be improved by increasing the sample volume. No variability was observed in the retention times and relative standard deviations from absolute peak areas were good, considering that they corresponded to the overall analysis. The method was applied to the analysis of pesticide residues in real water samples.

"Time sweet time": circadian characterization of galectin-1 null mice Casiraghi, Leandro Pablo; Croci Russo, Diego Omar; Poirier, Francoise; Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrian; Golombek, Diego Andres Recent evidence suggests a two-way interaction between the immune and circadian systems. Circadian control of immune factors, as well as the effect of immunological variables on circadian rhythms, might be key elements in both physiological and pathological responses to the environment. Among these relevant factors, galectin-1 is a member of a family of evolutionarily-conserved glycan-binding proteins with both extracellular and intracellular effects, playing important roles in immune cell processes and inflammatory responses. Many of these actions have been studied through the use of mice with a null mutation in the galectin-1 (Lgals1) gene. To further analyze the role of endogenous galectin-1 in vivo, we aimed to characterize the circadian behavior of galectin-1 null (Lgals1-/-) mice.

The role of glycosides in the light-stabilization of 3-hydroxyflavone (flavonol) dyes as revealed by HPLC Zhang, Xian; Cardon, Dominique; Cabrera, Jose Luis; Laursen, Richard Before the advent of synthetic dyes, textiles were colored primarily with extracts of plants, many of which, in the case of yellow colors, were flavonoids. One important Asian yellow dye source was buds from the pagoda tree (Sophora japonica). Using reversed phase HPLC to separate the flavonoid components of plants and of dyed textiles, and UV/Visible and mass spectrometry to detect and identify them, we have shown that the buds of pagoda trees (Sophora japonica) contain an enzyme that converts light-stable rutin, the 3-O-rutinoside of quercetin, to light-unstable quercetin. This work provides an explanation for why 3-O-substituted, rather than unsubstituted, 3-hydroxyflavones, are generally, in our experience, found in extracts of historical textiles; it also shows how, i.e., by heat inactivation of glycosidases, 3-O-substituted hydroxyflavones could have been selected for. Some other dye-producing plants, e.g., Reseda luteola and Flaveria haumanii, also appear to contain glycosidases. The need for proper processing of dyestuffs, e. g., by heat treatment, was probably recognized by dyers in ancient times, even if the processes were not understood.

Setting priorities in clinical and health services research: Properties of an adapted and updated method Berra, Silvina del Valle; Sánchez, Emília; Pons, Joan M. V.; Tebé, Cristian; Alonso, Jordi; Aymerich, Marta Objectives: The objectives of this study is to review the set of criteria of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for priority-setting in research with addition of new criteria if necessary, and to develop and evaluate the reliability and validity of the final priority score. Methods: Based on the evaluation of 199 research topics, forty-five experts identified additional criteria for priority-setting, rated their relevance, and ranked and weighted them in a three-round modified Delphi technique. A final priority score was developed and evaluated. Internal consistency, test–retest and inter-rater reliability were assessed. Correlation with experts’ overall qualitative topic ratings were assessed as an approximation to validity. Results: All seven original IOM criteria were considered relevant and two new criteria were added (“potential for translation into practice”, and “need for knowledge”). Final ranks and relative weights differed from those of the original IOM criteria: “research impact on health outcomes” was considered the most important criterion (4.23), as opposed to “burden of disease” (3.92). Cronbach's alpha (0.75) and test–retest stability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.66) for the final set of criteria were acceptable. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for overall assessment of priority was 0.66. Conclusions: A reliable instrument for prioritizing topics in clinical and health services research has been developed. Further evaluation of its validity and impact on selecting research topics is required.