Eleven years of Toxoplasma gondii serological follow-up in a goat herd and association of toxoplasmosis with reproductive losses Steffen, K.D.; Gos, Maria Laura; Gortari Castillo, Lihuel; Arias, R.O.; Venturini, M.C.; Moré, Gastón Andrés Toxoplasmosis is considered one of the most important causes of abortion in small ruminants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between Toxoplasma gondii antibody titres and reproductive losses over an 11 year period in a goat farm located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Blood samples were obtained from 85 goats, representing three breeds, during the last third of gestation (n = 165 gestations), in consecutive pregnancies (2008–2019), and from 51 goats during kidding to analyze seroconversion. Serum was evaluated by IFAT with T. gondii antigen, using 1:100 dilution as the cut-off titre and processed to end titre. An overall reproductive loss of 31% (51/165) was detected, including 16.4% (27/165) abortions and 14.6% (24/165) perinatal deaths. The seropositivity to T. gondii was 100% (85/85) with all animals positive in successive samplings and, therefore, considered chronically infected. Antibody titres showed average values greater than 1100 in each year and breed group. Differences in antibody levels were associated with breed and were lower in those that were predominately Creole and higher in those that were predominately Saanen. Seroconversion was detected in 16.2% (6/37) and 57.1% (8/14) of goats from the Creole and Sannen breed groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the antibody titre average between goats with reproductive losses and those with healthy kids, although the goats with perinatal deaths had a significantly higher titre average. These results suggest reinfection or reactivation, although no association with reproductive losses was observed. Higher antibody titres were associated with perinatal deaths. The high T. gondii antibody titres in a farm with 100% seroprevalence did not allow for association with reproductive losses, particularly abortion, to be assessed.

Santonian-Campanian continentalization in the Austral-Magallanes basin: regional correlation, provenance and geodynamic setting Ghiglione, Matias; Rocha, Emilio; Raggio, Maria Fernanda; Ramos, Miguel Esteban; Ronda, Gonzalo; Moyano Paz, Damián; Varela, Augusto Nicolas; Valencia, Victor A key event in the paleogeographic evolution of the Austral-Magallanes foreland basin was the Santonian–Maastrichtian continentalization, marked by the appearance of deltaic, fluvial and wetland sequences stacked on top of deep marine deposits. The expanding ecological niche was exploited by theropods and influenced the evolutionary history of dinosaurs. We present new detrital zircon U–Pb geochronological data across this littoral to continental depocenter, in order to provide insights of its age, geographical extension, source regions and geodynamic setting. Littoral sandstones from La Anita Formation yield Maximum Depositional Ages (MDA) between ~86–80 Ma (weighted mean ages), and ~79–78 Ma youngest zircons. Our results are in accordance with a Santonian–Campanian depositional age. The sequence continues with badlands and fluvial systems (Cerro Fortaleza and La Irene Formations), followed by meandering fluvial and lacustrine deposits (Chorrillo Formation). Transgressive marine facies topping the sequence (Calafate Formation) yield a preferred Maastrichtian 69 ± 2 Ma MDA from the youngest zircon. The provenance and tectonic analyses indicate that basin shallowing during Santonian–Campanian times was driven by advance of the orogenic front, which produced the shift from a foredeep setting to a wedge-top depozone. The unroofing of progressively deeper structural levels is registered in the basin fill, which suggests exhumation in the Basement domain during the Santonian–Maastrichtian.

Consequences of Lockdown During COVID-19 Pandemic in Lifestyle and Emotional State of Children in Argentina Fasano, Maria Victoria; Padula, Marcela; Azrak, María Ángeles; Avico, Ana Julia; Sala, Marisa; Andreoli, Maria Florencia The implications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown measurements and social isolation in children and their parents are still unknown. The aims of this study were to examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on emotional state, feelings and lifestyle of children and their parents, to explore the association between parental characteristics and child well-being and to examine whether the impact of lockdown depends on socio-economic status. Parents completed an online survey including data about socio-demographic information, parent and child feelings and lifestyle during lockdown. Logistic regression and correlation analysis were used to establish associations between variables. In total, 814 parents with children between 4 and 11 were included in the study. According to parents, 69.5% of the children showed changes in their emotional state, 55.3% altered their routine and 62.6% showed sleep disorders. Families with lower socio-economic status were more worried about health, shortage of food and household income (p < 0.01). Parent and children concern about food/essential items were highly associated [OR (CI 95%) 13.0 (6.81, 26.5), p < 0.01]. Adverse children’s emotional state was associated with parental feeling of loneliness (r = 0.35) and inversely associated with keeping a routine (r = −0.11). Sleep changes were inversely associated with keeping a routine and having a balcony/garden (r = −0.53 and −0.16). We conclude that lockdown affected emotional state and lifestyle of children and parents, which were strongly related. Routine and positive parental attitude supported children’s well-being. Economic issues were an important concern in families with lower socio-economic status. Our findings can help to promote child health during lockdown.

El trabajo de cuidado no remunerado en Salud en el contexto de América Latina: La centralidad durante la crisis de COVID-19; The unpaid care job in Health in the Latin America context: Its importance during the COVID-19 crisis Pautassi, Laura Cecilia El cuidado en salud asume características específicas, complejas y de alta demanda, que forman parte de un tratamiento médico, de un acto posquirúrgico o del acompañamiento en enfermedades crónicas, discapacidad o afecciones a la salud mental. Estos cuidados, principalmente a cargo de las mujeres, se encuentran invisibilizados y no han sido incorporados por las políticas y acciones estratégicas de salud. La evidencia empírica muestra que brindar cuidados en salud impacta directamente en la autonomía y calidad de vida de las cuidadoras, dado que afecta su salud física y psicológica. En el contexto de la pandemia provocada por la COVID-19, el artículo recorre las principales definiciones del trabajo no remunerado en salud (TnRS). Si bien dicho relevamiento en torno al TnRS es mas amplio (período 2000-2020), el artículo se concentra en el tratamiento de la pandemia en América Latina. La metodología utilizada es de tipo cualitativo, en base a un enfoque de género y de derechos, que permite identificar la estructura de poder asimétrica que requiere ser transformada mediante acciones transversales y en base a la interdependencia de derechos humanos. Las conclusiones presentan aprendizajes y propuestas de políticas públicas para el reconocimiento del TnRS y su necesaria distribución.

Optimal Segmentation of Electrical Distribution Networks Bonetti, Carlos Alberto; Bianchotti, J.D.; Vega, Jorge Ruben; Puccini, Gabriel Darío New ways of generating electricity make possible decentralization of energy sources. This scenario of distributed generation allows efficient management of smaller electricity networks, so called microgrids. Additional advantages include a large reliability and the capability to provide a high quality of service. A strategy to design these microgrids consists on taking advantage of existing distribution network by sectoring the system into a set of microgrids with optimal autonomy. This paper presents a one-step methodology for the optimal design of microgrids based on the virtual segmentation of a distribution system. The proposed method focuses on the optimal allocation and sizing of the distributed generation together with the determination of the virtual cut-set lines to form an optimized set of microgrids. The design methodology was implemented on IEEE 119-bus system, and was also applied to Bella Italia distribution system, a real network located in Santa Fe province, Argentina.

Whey protein hydrolysis with microbial proteases: Determination of kinetic parameters and bioactive properties for different reaction conditions Eberhardt, Agustina; López, Emilse Camila; Marino, Fernanda; Mammarella, Enrique José; Manzo, Ricardo Martín; Sihufe, Guillermo Adrian Whey protein concentrate was enzymatically hydrolysed with the microbial proteases Alcalase® and Flavourzyme® under different experimental conditions. The effect of the reaction variables on the properties of the hydrolysates was evaluated. The pH had a significant effect both on the degree of hydrolysis and on the kinetic parameters. The initial substrate concentration and the enzyme/substrate (E/S) ratio had an influence both on the degree of hydrolysis and on the hydrophobicity index, but not on the bioactive properties of the hydrolysates. The products of hydrolysis obtained with Alcalase® presented the highest degree of hydrolysis, the lowest hydrophobicity index and the best bioactive properties.

Archivo y performance: reflexiones a partir de dos amerindios no descubiertos en buenos aires, de Coco Fusco y Guillermo Gómez-Peña; Archive and performance: reflections on two undiscovered amerindians in buenos aires, by Coco Fusco and Guillermo Gómez-Peña Silva Cantoni, Marcelo Ricardo En el siguiente artículo, proponemos un análisis de la exposición del Malba Dos amerindios no descubiertos en Buenos Aires de Guillermo Gómez-Peña y Coco Fusco1 . Esta exposición fue realizada de manera virtual en el año 2020 (y continúa hasta septiembre de este año) como parte del programa llamado La historia como rumor. El fin del programa es recuperar distintas performances icónicas de América y el Caribe a partir de registros (en fotos, videos o textos), testimonios y comentarios de los distintos participantes y asistentes de la obra artística. En ese marco, Gabriela Rangel (Malba), en colaboración con Sol Henaro (Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporáneo), realizó la curaduría de una exposición de registros y testimonios de la que fue una performance paradigmática, La pareja en la jaula, presentada en la Fundación Banco Patricios en agosto de 1994. Para el análisis que sigue, prestamos especial atención algunas estrategias discursivas desplegadas por los artistas y al procedimiento de montaje que propone la exhibición del Malba, en el cual se busca contraponer la obra de Fusco y Gómez-Peña a nuestra propia historia de colonialismo y zoológicos humanos. Si bien este artículo se inscribe en un proyecto mayor de doctorado, en esta instancia nos enfocamos especialmente en el análisis de algunos de los materiales presentados en la exposición, pero al mismo tiempo recurrimos a un archivo más amplio que reúne ensayos, entrevistas de los artistas y registros audiovisuales de la presentación en Buenos Aires en particular, y de la gira en general. Nuestra investigación apunta a responder qué lecturas de la obra se pueden desplegar en la actualidad en el contexto argentino y cómo interviene en un orden del archivo que responde, a nuestro entender, a regímenes coloniales de poder.; In the following paper, we propose a review and analysis of the Malba exhibition Two undiscovered Amerindians in Buenos Aires by Guillermo Gómez-Peña and Coco Fusco. This exhibition was held virtually in 2020 as part of the program called History as Rumor. The purpose of the program is to recover different iconic performances of Latin America and the Caribbean from records (in photos, videos, or texts), testimonies, and comments of the different participants and assistants of the artistic work. Within this framework, they recovered and mounted an exhibition of one paradigmatic performance, also known as “The couple in the cage”. This action sought to present itself as a critical response to the celebratory context of the so-called “discovery of America”. For the following analysis, we pay special attention to the mounting procedure proposed by the Malba exhibition, which seeks to contrast the work of Fusco and Gómez-Peña with our own history of colonialism and human zoos. Although this work is part of a larger Ph.D. project, in this instance we focus especially on the analysis of some of the materials presented in the exhibition, but at the same time, we draw on a broader archive that brings together essays, interviews with the artists and audiovisual records of the work. Our research aims to answer what readings of the work can be deployed today in the Argentine context and how it intervenes in the order of the archive linked to dominant imaginaries and narratives of the nation.

Learning latent jet structure Dillon, Barry M.; Faroughy, Darius A.; Kamenik, Jernej F.; Szewc, Manuel We summarize our recent work on how to infer on jet formation processes directly from substructure data using generative statistical models. We recount in detail how to cast jet substructure observables’ measurements in terms of Bayesian mixed membership models, in particular Latent Dirichlet Allocation. Using a mixed sample of QCD and boosted tt jet events and focusing on the primary Lund plane observable basis for event measurements, we show how using educated priors on the latent distributions allows to infer on the underlying physical processes in a semi-supervised way.

Nesting biology of two sympatric species of Megachile (Chrysosarus) (Megachilidae) in Argentina Torretta, Juan Pablo; Basilio, Alicia Mabel; Marrero, Hugo Javier Leaf cutter bees (genus Megachile) are a diverse group of pollinators of wild and cultivated plants. Many species nest in pre-existing cavities and use diverse building materials to construct their brood cells. For instance, species of subgenus Chrysosarus add a mud layer between two layers of leaves or petals. We studied similarities and differences in their nesting biology from 13 nests of Megachile (Chrysosarus) concava and 72 nests of Megachile (C.) diversa (Megachilidae) obtained in trap nests in northern Argentina. Females of M. concava used trap nests with higher diameters, shorter length, and built a lower number of brood cells per nest compared to females of M. diversa. In the latter species, the sex ratio was female-biased, but we observed male-biased progeny in shorter trap nests, thus the sex ratio of M. diversa could be context-dependent. Reproductive success was different between species: 40.5% for M. concava and 75.8% for M. diversa, desiccation and/or mold being the principal factor of mortality of immature stages. The attack from parasitic species represented 10.8% for M. concava and only 1.2% for M. diversa. Megachile concava, based on observations of a few nests collected during autumn, could be a bivoltine species and oligolectic of Faboideae, while M. diversa is a partially bivoltine or multivoltine, and polylectic species, with a marked turnover of pollen resource throughout its extensive reproductive season. Differences in the trophic niche and, to a lesser extent, in the inner diameter of trap nests used could allow their coexistence in the studied forests.

Are populations of Polylepis australis locally adapted along their elevation gradient? Marcora, Paula Inés; Tecco, Paula Andrea; Ferrero, María Cecilia; Ferreras, Ana Elisa; Zeballos, Sebastián Rodolfo; Funes, Guillermo; Gurvich, Diego Ezequiel; Arias, Gonzalo; Cáceres, Yolanda; Hensen, Isabell Mountain ecosystems are characterized by steep environmental gradients. Species with broad elevation distribution are exposed to contrasting climatic conditions along their gradients. In response to those changes, species might develop ecotypes adapted to the local climate. Early regeneration is the most critical stage for plant populations and, therefore, withstands strong selection pressures. Previous studies showed a unimodal pattern of intraspecific variability in fitness components among Polylepis australis populations along their elevation gradient in the mountains of central Argentina. Whether this variability is the result of local populations’ adjustments to their respective site remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that P. australis populations from different elevations would be locally adapted to their local environments, where they would perform better than populations from other elevations (origins). We applied an experimental approach by establishing common gardens at three contrasting elevations. Seeds and saplings of P. australis populations from the low, mid- and high elevation belts of the species distribution gradient (i.e. three origins) were reciprocally sown and transplanted in three elevation sites (low, mid- and high). Seed germination success, sapling growth and mortality were monitored for three years. Our main results show that the origin of populations influenced germination success and sapling growth, whereas sapling mortality was marginally affected. Populations of both elevation extremes seem to be more adjusted to local conditions than the population from the intermediate elevation, probably due to the harsher environmental conditions for plant regeneration typical of the lower and upper elevation belts of semiarid mountains. Finally, our results strongly suggest that temperature rise due to climate change in this mountain area might have negative effects on the regeneration of P. australis populations.

Spaser and optical amplification conditions in graphene-coated active wires Prélat, Leila; Cuevas, Mauro; Passarelli, Nicolás; Bustos Marun, Raul Alberto; Depine, Ricardo Angel This work analyzes the optical properties of a localized surface plasmon (LSP) spaser made of a dielectric active wire coated with a graphene monolayer. Our theoretical results, obtained by using rigorous electromagnetic methods, illustrate the non-radiative transfer between the active medium and the LSPs of graphene. In particular, we focus on the lasing conditions and the tunability of the LSP spaser in two cases: when the wire is made of an infrared/terahertz transparent dielectric material and when it is made of a metal-like material. We analyze the results by comparing them with analytical expressions obtained by using the quasistatic approximation. We show that the studied systems present a high tunability of the spaser resonances with the geometrical parameters as well as with the chemical potential of graphene.

Las Emociones en la Antigüedad: indignación y envidia en Aristóteles y Aristófanes; Emotions in Antiquity: Indignation and Envy in Aristotle and Aristophanes Fernandez, Claudia Nelida El estudio de las emociones en la Antigüedad ha tenido en las última décadas una gran eclosión. En su desarrollo, la propuesta aristotélica de los afectos (páthe) ha recibido una atención especial. En ese marco, se ha observado que la emoción de la ´indignación´, tal como la define el Estagirita (un sentimiento doloroso producido por la percepción de una inmerecida prosperidad, Rh. 1387a8-9) no habría recibido por parte los griegos el nombre que este le asigna (tò nemesân). La objeción se funda, sobre todo, en los testimonios de las oraciones forenses (s. IV a.C.). Nuestra propuesta incorpora el testimonio de la comedia aristofánica a la discusión, ya que la indignación ha sido considerada por muchos (Cooper, Golden, Rosenbloom, entre otros) la emoción típica de la comedia.; The study of emotions in Antiquity has burst in the last decades. In its development, the Aristotelian systematization of affections (πάθη) (“Book II” of his Rhetoric) has received special attention. In this context, it has been noticed that the emotion of ‘indignation’, as it is defined by the Stagirite (a painful feeling produced by the perception of undeserved prosperity, Rhetoric 1387a8-9) would not have been named by the Greeks as he did it (τὸ νεμεσᾶν). The objection is founded, above all, on the testimonies of forensic speeches (4th century BC). Our proposal incorporates the testimony of Aristophanic comedy into the discussion, since indignation has been considered by many (Cooper, Golden, Rosenbloom, among others) the typical emotion of comedy.

Vibrational spectroscopy in catalysis: The power of synergy between theory and experiment Ganduglia Pirovano, M. V.; Lustemberg, Pablo German; Busnengo, Heriberto Fabio; Bosco, Marta Verónica; Bonivardi, Adrian Lionel The complexity of real (powder) catalysts hinders the fundamental understanding of their structure, which is essential to establish the relationship between structure and reactivity. Moreover, the possibility of understanding the mechanism of catalytic reactions depends very much on the chances of isolating intermediates in the study of each step in the catalytic cycle. Understanding catalyst structure and reaction mechanism can be obtained by a reductionist approach consisting in creating and evaluating experimental and theoretical model catalysts that mimic the real ones in their complexity. The feasibility of such an approach to date is undoubtedly due to recent advancements in characterization techniques and theoretical methods. In-situ vibrational spectroscopy offers a very powerful experimental tool box, allowing investigation of catalysts surfaces at the molecular level and reaction intermediates on both real and model catalysts than can help bridge the gap between them. Yet, the interpretation of vibrational spectra is far from trivial and the synergy between theory and experiment is essential to it.

Polymer informatics: Expert-in-the-loop in QSPR modeling of refractive index Schustik, Santiago; Cravero, Fiorella; Ponzoni, Ignacio; Diaz, Monica Fatima Refractive index (RI) is a highly relevant property for the design of new polymeric materials for very specific applications in the telecommunications industry, medicine, and analytical chemistry, among many others. A particular case is that of plastic optical fibers, in which the information is transmitted by photons and then RI takes center stage. Therefore, the modeling and prediction of this property play a key role when characterizing and designing materials for these important industries. Over the last decades, the use of Machine Learning (ML) algorithms in the modeling of properties for the design of new materials has been consolidated thanks to the gradual increase in the available databases. In particular, the development of Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship (QSPR) models has benefited from these emerging technologies, providing the possibility of generating in silico testing strategies applicable to the early stages of the design of new materials. However, in many cases, it has been observed that using ML algorithms in a fully automatic way, without human intervention in the QSPR model design process, tend to generate black-box models that have a difficult interpretation and can lose sight about relevant aspects that require both criteria and an expert's knowledge in the chemical domain. For this reason, interactive ML methodologies that combine computational outputs with experts’ knowledge, usually known as expert-in-the-loop strategies, are becoming more frequent. In this article, we present the design of QSPR models for RI modeling following two different approaches, a black-box ML methodology and an Interactive Machine Learning (IML) methodology with expert-in-the-loop, from a database whose curation is also described in the present work. In this regard, visual analytics strategies were used to capture the expert's knowledge, facilitating an effective and rapid interaction between the outputs provided by ML and the chemical analyst. In addition, we contrast the best models obtained by both approaches against two other predictive models for RI estimation reported in the literature, achieving promising performances in terms of cardinality and accuracy when the expert interacts during modeling. In summary, the obtained results allow us to claim that the expert-in-the-loop approach provides QSPR models with better generalizability properties and more interpretable from a physicochemical point of view, without losing accuracy. Finally, in addition to providing high quality QSPR models to predict the RI of polymeric materials, the present work lays the foundation for defining an effective methodology to incorporate experts’ knowledge in the design of other material properties.

Antagonismo, clases y grupos de poder: dominación y hegemonía como procesos de consolidación social Galafassi, Guido Pascual De esta manera mi breve presentación versará sobre incorporar la categoría grupos de poder al pensamiento de la conflictividad y el antagonismo. Es que desde nuestro equipo de investigación, el GEACH-UNQ (Grupo de estudio sobreacumulación, conflictividad y hegemonía) el antagonismo social en su complejo entramado de múltiples dimensiones constituye el eje de nuestro trabajo, sin que hasta el momento los grupos de poder/clases dominantes hayan tenido un lugar privilegiado en los estudios. Por lo tanto intentaré pensar y presentaren estas jornadas algunas reflexiones de lo que implicaría pensar el antagonismo y la conflictividad con eje o una particular atención a los grupos de poder.

Do soil carbon sequestration and soil fertility increase by including a gramineous cover crop in continuous soybean? Beltrán, Marcelo; Galantini, Juan Alberto; Salvagiotti, Fernando; Tognetti, Pedro Maximiliano; Bacigaluppo, Silvina; Sainz Rozas, Hernan Rene; Barraco, Miriam; Barbieri, Pablo Andres Cover cropping is a farming practice that may improve C sequestration and soil fertility, but these effects can vary under different edaphoclimatic conditions. The effects of including a winter gramineous cover crop (CC) in continuous soybeans were evaluated in three long-term experiments (8 yr) on one coarse-textured soil and two fine-textured soils in the Pampas region of Argentina. The impacts of CC on soil C sequestration, soil nutrient availability, soil organic C (SOC), and N contents of soil particle size fractions were also determined. The inclusion of CC only increased SOC stock by 3.1 Mg ha-1 in the coarse-textured soil (CTS). The labile C fraction in the 0–5-cm depth increased in both the CTS and the fine-textured soils (FTS) by 263% and 93%, respectively. Soil N also increased in the labile fraction by 119% and 112% when a CC was used in the CTS and FTS soils, respectively. Moreover, the inclusion of a CC decreased soil P availability in one experiment (4.9 kg ha-1) and increased soil manganese in two experiments (11 kg ha-1 on average). The inclusion of a gramineous CC in a soybean monoculture increased the C balance, particularly in coarse-textured soils. Considering that soil N was similarly affected, the C/N ratio was not impacted.

Ethical dilemmas posed by surplus frozen embryos in Argentinean fertility centers Lima, Natacha Salomé; Ramos Martínez, Gustavo Antonio In Argentina, access to ART treatments has been regulated since 2013, but the law fails to define a number of important issues, including embryo disposition decisions (EDD) and national registries. Disputes regarding the legal status of cryopreserved embryos are a multifactorial problem that, in Latin-American countries, is also associated with the influence of the Catholic tradition on policy makers, and a clear resolution of embryo disposition remains a difficult topic. Also, improvements in IVF laboratory procedures, such as single embryo transfer (eSET), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), and the freeze-all strategy, have led to an increase in the number of frozen embryos being stored. Yet, little is known of how these enhanced procedures might influence EDD. To collect data on storage content, an online survey was sent to all reproductive facilities, during 2017 and 2020. Based on the survey results, we found a tendency that shows an exponential increase in the number of frozen embryos being stored (by 68.5%). This is a consequence of the improvements in cryopreservation techniques (vitrification) and the development of more efficient ovarian stimulation protocols that have facilitated a rise in elective single embryo transfer (eSET). This paper focuses on three strategies that could be implemented to facilitate EDD under this particular setting. First, counseling sessions at different treatment stages should be encouraged and would be conducted by trained mental health professionals. Second, once storage content is labeled, aneuploid embryos and embryos which were cryopreserved more than 10 years ago, could form part of a national bank for research purposes. Third, promote effective regulation that includes EDD and explicit storage limits.

Optimizing household energy planning in Smart cities: a multiobjective approach; Optimización de la planificación energética en hogares inteligentes: Un enfoque multi-objetivo Nesmachnow, Sergio; Colacurcio, Giovanni; Rossit, Diego Gabriel; Toutouh, Jamal; Luna, Francisco This article presents the advances in the design and implementation of a recommendation system for planning the use of household appliances, focused on improving energy efficiency from the point of view of both energy companies and end-users. The system proposes using historical information and data from sensors to define instances of the planning problem considering user preferences, which in turn are proposed to be solved using a multiobjective evolutionary approach, in order to minimize energy consumption and maximize quality of service offered to users. Promising results are reported on realistic instances of the problem, compared with situations where no intelligent energy planning are used (i.e., ?Bussiness as Usual? model) and also with a greedy algorithm developed in the framework of the reference project. The proposed evolutionary approach was able to improve up to 29.0% in energy utilization and up to 65.3% in user preferences over the reference methods.; Este artículo presenta los avances en el diseño e implementación de un sistemade recomendación para planificar el uso de electrodomésticos, enfocado en mejorarla eficiencia energética desde el punto de vista tanto de las compañías de energíacomo de los usuarios finales. El sistema propone el uso de información histórica ydatos de sensores para definir instancias del problema de planificación considerandolas preferencias del usuario, que a su vez se proponen resolver mediante un enfoqueevolutivo multiobjetivo, para minimizar el consumo de energía y maximizar la calidaddel servicio ofrecido a los usuarios. Se informan resultados prometedores en casosrealistas del problema, en comparación con situaciones en las que no se utiliza unaplanificación energética inteligente (es decir, modelo ‘Bussiness as Usual’) y tambiéncon un algoritmo goloso desarrollado en el marco del proyecto de referencia. El enfoqueevolutivo propuesto fue capaz de mejorar hasta el 29.0 % en la utilización de energía yhasta el 65,3 % en las preferencias del usuario sobre los métodos de referencia.

Dewatering, stabilization and final disposal of waste activated sludge in constructed wetlands; Deshidratación, estabilización y disposición final de descarte de lodos activados en humedales construidos Mariñelarena, Alejandro Jorge; Di Giorgi, Hugo Daniel; Donadelli, Jorge Luis Objetivo: esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar la deshidratación y estabilización de biosólidos excedentes de una planta de tratamiento de lodos activados mediante humedales construidos, en el Parque Nacional Iguazú (Misiones, Argentina). Materiales y métodos: se construyó un sistema de lechos vegetados para tratamiento de lodos de 12 celdas y se operó durante cuatro años. Posteriormente, los sedimentos acumulados se analizaron para determinar la concentración de sólidos totales (ST), la reducción de sólidos volátiles (SV), la tasa específica de absorción de oxígeno (SOUR) y las concentraciones de metales pesados y patógenos. Resultados y discusión: la concentración de ST aumentó de 0,55 % a 14,3 %, la de SV se redujo un 33,3 % y la SOUR a 1,09 mg de O2gTS-1 h -1 . Estas cifras y las concentraciones finales de metales pesados y microorganismos patógenos (102 MPN E.coli.gTS–1 ) indicaron un grado de estabilización y saneamiento que permitió clasificar esos biosólidos como clase A, que, de acuerdo con las directrices argentinas Resolución nacional 410/18, habilita su reutilización para la enmienda de suelos en usos paisajísticos y otros fines agronómicos. Conclusión: la tecnología utilizada mostró buenos resultados bajo un clima tropical, con temperaturas anuales entre 17 y 27 °C, precipitaciones de 1870 mm y-1 y plantadas con vegetación autóctona. Además, permitió la reutilización de 221 t (144 m3 ) de un producto inofensivo de una manera ambientalmente sostenible.; Objective: This research aimed to assay the dehydration and stabilization of surplus biosolids from a wastewater activated sludge treatment plant, with sludge-treatment wetlands, at the Iguazú National Park (Misiones, Argentina). Materials and Methods: A 12-cell sludge-treatment reed beds (STRB) system was built and operated for four years. Afterwards, the accumulated sediments were analyzed for total solids (TS) concentration, volatile solids (VS) reduction, specific oxygen-uptake rate (SOUR), and heavy metals and pathogens concentrations. Results and Discussion: TS concentration increased from 0.55% to 14.3%, VS were reduced by 33.3%, and SOUR lowered to 1.09 mg O2gTS-1 h-1. These figures and the final concentrations of heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms (102 MPN E.coli.gTS-1) indicated a degree of stabilization and sanitation that allowed classifying these biosolids as Class A, according to the Argentine guidelines, National Resolution 410/18, and enabled their reuse for soil amendment in landscapes and other agronomic purposes. Conclusion: The technology tested showed good results applied under a tropical climate, with annual temperatures between 17 and 27 °C, rainfall of 1870 mm y-1, and planted with autochthonous vegetation. Furthermore, it allowed the reuse of 221 t (144 m3) of a harmless product in an environmentally sustainable way.

Parasitic fauna of the invasive house sparrow (Passer domesticus) from Ñuble region, Chile: An example of co-introduced parasites; Fauna parasítica do pardal invasor (Passer domesticus) da região de Ñuble, Chile: Um exemplo de parasitas co-introduzidos Oyarzún Ruiz, Pablo; Cárdenas, Guissel; Silva De la Fuente, María Carolina; Martin, Nicolás; Mironov, Sergey; Cicchino, Armando Conrado; Kinsella, John Mike; Moreno, Lucila; González Acuña, Daniel Invasive species impact native wildlife in several ways, as they compete for resources and may transmit their specific pathogens. However, the potential consequences of co-introduced parasites are not fully understood. While the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) was introduced in Chile about a century ago, no data are available regarding its parasites. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the parasitic fauna of this avian invader and to determine whether there are co-introduced/co-invasive parasites shared with native birds. One hundred and eight birds were collected from three different localities in the Ñuble region of Chile, and a complete parasitic necropsy was performed in the laboratory. Twenty-three (21.3%) were parasitized by six arthropod species and four (3.7%) were parasitized by two helminth species. Four out of eight taxa are reported for the first time in Chile; among them, three arthropod parasites and the tapeworm, Anonchotaenia globata, are considered as co-introduced parasites. Only A. globata is a potential co-invasive parasite given its low degree specificity in terms of its definitive hosts. Future research should examine whether additional co-introduced/co-invasive parasites have been brought by the house sparrow, and what their potential consequences might be on the health of native birds in Chile.; As espécies invasoras de vertebrados competem com espécies nativas no uso de recursos e transmitem patógenos. Contudo as consequências da co-introdução de parasitos permanecem pouco estudadas. O pardal (Passer domesticus) foi introduzido há um século no Chile, porém não existem dados sobre seus parasitos. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar a fauna parasitária e avaliar se existem espécies co-introduzidas/co-invasivas compartilhadas com as espécies de aves nativas do Chile. Um total de 108 aves foram coletadas em diferentes localidades da região de Ñuble. Seis espécies de artrópodes parasitos foram coletadas de 23 (21,3%) aves. Quatro aves (3,7%) estavam parasitadas por duas espécies de helmintos. Quatro de um total de oito espécies de parasitos correspondem aos primeiros relatos para o Chile. Três artrópodes parasitos e o helminto Anonchotaenia globata são considerados parasitos co-introduzidos no país. Apenas A. globata possui potencial para ser considerada uma espécie co-invasiva, pois pode parasitar Passeriformes em geral. Pesquisas futuras devem investigar se os demais parasitos identificados neste estudo correspondem a espécies co-introduzidas ou co-invasoras e avaliar as possíveis consequências na saúde das aves nativas do país.