Quercetin alleviates acute kidney injury by inhibiting ferroptosis Wang, Yuemin; Quan, Fei; Cao, Qiuhua; Lin, Yanting; Yue, Chongxiu; Bi, Ran; Cui, Xinmeng; Yang, Hongbao; Yang, Yong; Birnbaumer, Lutz; Li, Xianjing; Gao, Xinghua Introduction: Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulated necrosis and has been proven to contribute to the progress of acute kidney injury (AKI). Quercetin (QCT), a natural flavonoid which is commonly found in numerous fruits and vegetables, has extensive pharmacological effects, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-senescence effects. Objectives: This study aims to explain whether ferroptosis is a therapeutic strategy to AKI, and to explore the effect of QCT on AKI ferroptosis. Methods: NRK-52E cells and HK-2 cells were used for in vitro ferroptosis studies. Morphology of cells was detected by transmission electron microscopy. Lipid ROS was assayed using flow cytometry. In vivo, AKI was induced by ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) or folic acid (FA). To explore the molecular mechanisms, RNA-sequence analysis was performed. Transwell was used to detect macrophage migration. Results: We discovered that quercetin (QCT), a natural flavonoid, inhibited ferroptosis in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells. QCT blocked the typical morphologic changes of ferroptotic cells by reducing the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid ROS and increasing the levels of glutathione (GSH). Moreover, QCT ameliorated AKI induced by I/R or FA. RNA-sequence analysis highlighted activation transcription factor 3 (ATF3), as it was the dominant one among all the 299 down-regulated genes by QCT. Knockdown of ATF3 could significantly increase the levels of SLC7A11, GPX4 and increased the cell viability. In addition, ferroptotic cells were found to be extremely pro-inflammatory by recruiting macrophages through CCL2, while QCT inhibited the chemotaxis of macrophages induced by ferroptosis in AKI. Conclusions: Collectively, these results identify QCT as a ferroptosis inhibitor and provide new therapeutic strategies for diseases related to ferroptosis.

Biopesticidal silo bag prepared by co-extrusion process Herrera, Jimena María; Zygadlo, Julio Alberto; Strumia, Miriam Cristina; Peralta, Elisabeth Silo bag technology is used for storing grains in a hermetic plastic structure. The major limitation of this structure is resistance to improper handling and external aggression, thus promoting pest incidence due to alterations in its internal atmosphere. In this study, we developed a biopesticidal silo bag consisting of a co-extruded three-layer film made of polyethylene and essential oil of Mentha piperita (7% w/w) in the inner layer. A film with the same structure but without essential oil was produced to be used as a control. The presence of the biopesticide in the silo bag was confirmed by FTIR-spectroscopy. Thus, mechanical, optical and chemical properties were evaluated. Diffusion coefficient of biopesticide from silo bag at 15, 25 and 35 °C was estimated as 6.4 ± 0.1 × 10-11, 1.45 ± 0.17 × 10-10 and 1.30 ± 0.2 × 10-10 cm2/s, respectively. Finally, the biopesticide silo bag was tested against Rhyzopertha dominica, primary pest of stored grain, showing 100 % of mortality during the time assayed (7 days). Hence, the incorporation of biopesticide by co-extrusion technology (low-cost and efficient machinery) into the inner layer of a silo bag could help to replace synthetic pesticides and avoid manipulation of these in the field, preventing biotic infestation.

Examining Neanderthal and carnivore occupations of Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain) using archaeostratigraphic and intra-site spatial analysis Zilio, Leandro; Hammond, Heidi; Karampaglidis, Theodoros; Sánchez Romero, Laura; Blasco, Ruth; Rivals, Florent; Rufà, Anna; Picin, Andrea; Gema Chacón, M.; Demuro, Martina; Arnold, Lee J.; Rosell, Jordi Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Spain) is a reference site for Middle Palaeolithic studies of the Iberian Peninsula. The cave preserves an extensive stratigraphic sequence made up of eight units, which is presented in depth in this work. The main goal of this study is to undertake an initial spatial examination of Unit III, formed during Marine Isotope Stage 3, with the aim of understanding spatial organization and past activities developed by Neanderthals and carnivores (bears, hyenas and smaller carnivores). The total sample analysed includes 38,244 archaeological items and 5888 limestone blocks. The application of GIS tools allows us to clearly distinguish three geologically-defined stratigraphic subunits. Unit III has been previously interpreted as a palimpsest resulting from alternating occupation of the cave by human groups and carnivores. The distribution study shows that faunal specimens, lithic artefacts, hearths and charcoal fragments are significantly concentrated at the entrance of the cave where, it is inferred, hominins carried out different activities, while carnivores preferred the sheltered zones in the inner areas of the cave. The results obtained reveal a spatial pattern characterized by fire use related zones, and show that the site was occupied by Neanderthals in a similar and consistent way throughout the ˃ 7000 years range covered by the analysed subunits. This spatial pattern is interpreted as resulting from repeated short-term human occupations.

En busca del nicho apropiado: Lógicas de acción de las escuelas y el surgimiento de un escenario institucional diversificado; Finding the right niche. Schools logics of action and the emergence of diversified institutional landscape Gottau, Verónica; Mayer, Liliana Judith Este trabajo parte de la hipótesis de que las escuelas primarias y los colegios secundarios despliegan diferentes estrategias para determinar su perfil y proyecto institucional para definir los públicos que desean albergar. A partir del marco conceptual de las lógicas de acción propuesto por Ball y Maroy (2009) y Van Zanten (2009), realizamos un análisis de las lógicas de acción que implementan las 14 escuelas no subvencionadas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires ubicadas en la Comuna 13 para determinar su posicionamiento dentro del espectro educativo. Entre los principales resultados, destacamos cuatro tipos de lógicas de acción predominantes, aunque no excluyentes, que tienden a determinar el perfil de los alumnos de la escuela y su posicionamiento social: (a) lógicas customizadas —escuelas a la carta—; (b) lógicas de ensamblaje —escuelas de largo plazo—; (c) lógicas vanguardistas —escuelas de punta—, y (d) lógicas globales —escuelas que se internacionalizan. Concluimos que las escuelas no son actores pasivos o meros receptores de las elecciones de los padres. A través de sus lógicas de acción y estrategias de posicionamiento, intentan proyectar una imagen en línea con el proyecto institucional y el perfil de los alumnos o, más precisamente, el perfil de los padres que desean capturar. El análisis hasta aquí expuesto permite comprender los procesos de diversificación de instituciones dentro de circuitos homologables entre sí.; This work relies on the hypothesis that primary and secondary schools develop strategies to determine the social position of the school in the local area and the profile of the enrolment they try to capture. We draw in the conceptual framework proposed by Ball y Maroy (2009) y Van Zanten (2009) to analyse the logics of action implemented by 14 non-subsidized schools located in the borough ‘Comuna 13’ in the City of Buenos Aires. The results show that there are four mainstream though not exclusive logics of action: (a) Customized logics of actions: school a la carte; (b) Assembly logics: in the long run schools; (c) Avant-garde logics: cutting edge schools and (d) Worldwide Logics: schools that go global. We conclude that schools are not passive receivers of students or parents’ schools choice. They develop strategies and implement different logics of action to position themselves in the local area and determine school enrolment, or more specifically, the profile of the families they aim at. This work sheds some light on the processes of diversification of schools with similar characteristics located in the same neighbourhood.

Síndrome de Cushing en un paciente canino con carcinoma cortical adrenal: Reporte de un caso; Cushing syndrome in a canine patient with adrenal cortical carcinoma: A case report Maurenzig, Nelson Damian; Cainzos, Romina Paola El objetivo de este trabajo fue resaltar la importancia del diagnóstico de la causa del síndrome de Cushing, en un paciente canino macho, de 12 años de edad, con carcinoma cortical adrenal, que llega a la consulta por presentar signos clínicos compatibles con Síndrome de Cushing. Los resultados de la estimulación con ACTH sintética (Synacthen 0.25 mg®) arrojaron un aumento en el cortisol basal (10.8 µg/dl) y pos-estimulación (28.4µg/dl). La ecografía abdominal reveló la glándula adrenal izquierda de forma redondeada y aumentado de tamaño (3.3 x 3.4 cm), compatible con neoplasia adrenal. El tratamiento de elección fue la adrenalectomía de la glándula adrenal izquierda por abordaje abdominal en la línea media y posterior envío a histopatología para su evaluación, el cual confirmó un carcinoma cortical adrenal. La adrenalectomía en estos casos aumenta la supervivencia, mejorando así la calidad de vida del paciente.; The aim of this work was to highlight the importance of diagnosing the cause of Cushing's syndrome in a 12-year-old male canine patient with adrenal cortical carcinoma, who came to the clinic for presenting clinical signs compatible with Cushing's syndrome. The results of stimulation with synthetic ACTH (Synacthen 0.25 mg®) showed an increase in basal cortisol (10.8 μg/dl) and post-stimulation (28.4 μg/dl). Abdominal ultrasound revealed a rounded and enlarged left adrenal gland (3.3 x 3.4 cm), compatible with adrenal neoplasia. The treatment of choice was adrenalectomy of the left adrenal gland due to a midline abdominal approach and subsequent referral to histopathology for evaluation, which confirmed adrenal cortical carcinoma. Adrenalectomy in these cases increases survival, thus improving the quality of life of the patient.

Bifunctional GM-CSF-derived peptides as tools for O-glycoengineering and protein tagging Sales, María de Los Milagros; Kratje, Ricardo Bertoldo; Oggero Eberhardt, Marcos Rafael; Ceaglio, Natalia Analia Rapid development of effective biotherapeutics has been a concern during the last couple decades. In our work we designed two novel peptide tags, GMOP and mGMOP, derived from the N-terminal region of human granulocyte and macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF), which contain four and six potential O-glycosylation sites, respectively. These peptide tags were fused to the N-terminus of human interferon-α2b (hIFN-α2b), a therapeutic antiviral and antiproliferative protein rapidly cleared from circulation. Two new molecules were obtained which, consistently with the presence of O-glycans, showed higher molecular masses, more negatively charged isoforms, and higher sialic acid content compared to wild-type IFN. In vitro bioactivity of purified chimeras revealed a similar antiviral specific biological activity (SBA) compared to unmodified IFN. A reduction of antiproliferative SBA was only observed for mGMOP-IFN. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed a notable improvement in terminal half-life (t1/2elim) (3.3 and 2.8 times-longer) and a marked reduction of the apparent clearance (CLapp, 3.7 and 4.1-fold lower for GMOP-IFN and mGMOP-IFN in comparison with native IFN, respectively). Furthermore, the in vitro thermal and plasma stability of both proteins was improved. Finally, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes an N-terminal GM-CSF epitope was able to bind both chimeras in western blots and ELISAs. This demonstrates the potential of both peptides to behave as bifunctional tags to create novel long-acting biotherapeutics and to facilitate detection and purification.

La irrupción del tractor en los caminos de la pampa bonaerense a finales de la década de 1950 y principios de la de 1960: significados, usos y conflictos; The Irruption of the Tractor on the Roads of the Buenos Aires Pampas in the Late Fifties and Early Sixties: Meanings, Uses and Conflicts; O advento do trator nos caminhos da pampa bonaerense no final dos anos 1950 e início dos anos de 1960: significados, usos e conflitos Salomón, Alejandra Laura Dentro de los recientes estudios rurales la movilidad ha cobrado creciente interés académico, pero la historia de la misma mantiene enormes vacíos, a pesar de encontrase atravesada por significados, experiencias y conflictos que trascienden el tiempo presente. Frente a tal vacancia, la propuesta del artículo consiste en examinar las implicancias socio-políticas de la irrupción del tractor en la pampa bonaerense a fines de los años cincuenta y principios de los sesenta, considerando al mismo menos como elemento de trabajo y más como instrumento de transporte. En particular, se incursionará, por un lado, en sus valores ambivalentes (progreso versus destrucción) y su utilización como vehículo no convencional de desplazamiento de personas y productos. Y, por otro, en la acción estatal punitiva y educativa frente al deterioro de caminos rurales que tales prácticas de movilidad generaron. Por medio de un corpus diverso de fuentes primarias textuales y visuales se demostrará que la mecanización ocurrida en el agro bonaerense trascendió el ámbito meramente productivo, motivando perjuicios viales y desafiando el ordenamiento normativo de tránsito.; Within recent rural studies, mobility has gained increasing academic interest, but its history maintains enormous gaps, despite being crossed by meanings, experiences and conflicts that go beyond the present time. Faced with such a void, the aim of the article is to examine the socio-political implications of the diffusion of the tractor in the Buenos Aires Pampa region in the late fifties and early sixties, considering it less as a work item and more as an instrument of transportation. Specifically, it will explore, firstly, its ambivalent values —progress in contrast to destruction— and its use as an unconventional vehicle for the transportation of people and products. Secondly, it will research the state action –punitive and educational– against the deterioration of rural roads that such mobility practices generated. By means of a diverse corpus of primary textual and visual sources, it will be shown that the mechanization that occurred in the agricultural area of Buenos Aires transcended the merely productive sphere, motivating road damage and challenging the regulatory ordering of traffic.; Dentro dos recentes estudos rurais, a mobilidade tem tido um crescente interesse acadêmico, mas a história sobre a mesma mantém enormes vazios, apesar de se encontrar atravessada por significados, experiências e conflitos que transcendem o tempo presente. Frente a tal ausência, a proposta do artigo consiste em examinar as implicações sóciopolíticas do advento do trator na pampa bonaerense, no final dos anos cinquenta e início dos anos sessenta, o considerando menos como elemento de trabalho e mais como um meio de transporte. Em particular, se discutirá, por um lado, os seus valores ambíguos —progresso versus destruição— e a sua utilização como veículo não convencional de transporte de pessoas e produtos. E por outro lado, será discutida a ação estatal – punitiva e educativa – frente à deterioração dos caminhos rurais que tais práticas de mobilidade geraram. Por meio de um conjunto diversificado de fontes primárias textuais e visuais se demonstrará que a mecanização ocorrida no agro bonaerense transcendeu o âmbito meramente produtivo, motivando inconvenientes viários e desafiando o ordenamento normativo do trânsito.

Luciérnagas en el desierto: Sobre la plataforma "Ejercicios de aridez" de Celeste Rojas Mugica Triquell, Agustina En el medio del desierto de Atacama, el de las noches más cerradas y oscuras, ideales para ver las estrellas (probablemente, lo que más sabemos de este desierto es que posee esta virtud), a fines de 2011, una dirigente de la agrupación de ejecutados políticos de Calama recibió un sobre anónimo bajo su puerta con la imagen de un sable corvo trazado sobre esa tierra seca, a unos kilómetros de la ciudad. Esta es la primera pista, la puerta que se nos abre al comenzar el recorrido por la plataforma interactiva Ejercicios de aridez 2 de la artista Celeste Rojas Mugica (Chile, 1987).

El sesgo de género en la política de austeridad de Argentina, 2015-2019: Una mirada desde la Economía Feminista; The gender bias in Argentina’s austerity policy, 2015-2019: A view from the Feminist Economics Laterra, Patricia Anahí; Eliosoff, María Julia; Costantino, María Agostina El Gobierno que asume en Argentina en diciembre de 2015 configura un modo de desarrollo orientado a las finanzas y el extractivismo, la liberalización comercial y de capitales y las políticas de austeridad. Buscó disminuir el déficit fiscal y bajar los costos de producción nacionales para aumentar la competitividad internacional. Se llevaron a cabo una serie de medidas que impactaron de manera diferencial y negativa sobre las mujeres y personas LGBT.La reforma previsional del año 2017, las dinámicas en el mundo del trabajo, los recortes presupuestarios en áreas sensibles al género y el cambio en la naturaleza de las políticas sociales son algunos de los ejemplos que analizamos en este trabajo. El objetivo es analizarla incidencia que este programa de austeridad tuvo con respecto a las mujeres y, en los casos en que se pueda analizar, a las personas LGBT.; The government that took office in Argentina in December 2015 configures a mode of development oriented to finance and extractivism, trade and capital liberalization and austerity policies. It looked to reduce the fiscal deficit and lower national production costs in order to increase intenational competitiveness. So, a series of measures were carried out that negatively impacted on women and LGBT people. The pension reform of 2017, the dynamics in the world of work, budget cuts in gender-sensitive areas and the change in the nature of social policies are some of the examples that we analyze in this paper. The objective is to analyze the incidence that this austerity program had on women and, where it can be analyzed, on LGBT people in Argentina.

De los fichines a los estadios y el streaming: Indagaciones sobre la exhibición y espectacularización de la práctica de videojuegos; From arcades to stadiums and streaming: Inquiries into the exhibition and spectacularization of video game practice Kopp, Julian Ignacio Este trabajo busca recomponer un recorrido histórico de la práctica de videojuegos atendiendoa las diferentes formas de exhibición que paralelamente han surgido. Se indagaráespecialmente en las nuevas formas de espectacularización vinculadas al desarrollo de lacompetición en videojuegos (deportes electrónicos o esports) proponiendo como hipótesisque la ampliación en la escala de participación y competencia de videojuegos ha contribuido auna deportivización de la actividad, convirtiendo la práctica competitiva de videojuegos en unaforma de performance similar a la de los megaeventos deportivos como los mundiales defútbol o los juegos olímpicos. Para ello se desarrollarán algunas de las formas en las que se haconstituido esta relación entre videojuegos, competencia y performance a través de unesquema de tres momentos en la historia de los videojuegos.; This study seeks to recompose a historical itinerary of the practice of video games, taking into account the different forms of exhibition that have emerged in the same time. It will especially examine the new forms of spectacularization associated with the development of competition in video games (electronic sports or esports), proposing as a hypothesis that the expansion in the scale of participation and competition in video games has contributed to a sportivization of the activity, transforming the competitive practice of video games into a form of performance similar to that of mega sports events such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games. To this end, some of the ways in which this relationship between video games, competition and performance has been constituted will be developed through a scheme of three moments in the history of video games.

A structural study and its relation to dynamic heterogeneity in a polymer glass former Balbuena, Cristian; Gianetti, Melisa Mariel; Soulé, Ezequiel Rodolfo The relationship between structure and dynamical behavior (super-Arrhenius temperature dependence of relaxation time accompanied by heterogeneous dynamics) in glassy materials remains an open issue in the physics of condensed matter. The question of whether this dynamic phenomena have a thermodynamic origin or not still remains unanswered. In this work we analyze several dynamic and structural parameters in a polymer glass-former by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The results obtained in this work indicate that the structure does affect dynamic behavior, whereas structural conditioning becomes noticeable below the temperature at which the non-Arrhenius behavior manifests and increases as the system approaches the glass transition temperature. Moreover, we observed that the short-range order parameters are related to local dynamics at the single-particle level. These results reinforce the idea of a connection between the structure and dynamics and that could indicate the thermodynamic nature of glass transition.

Learning feature representation of Iberian ceramics with automatic classification models Navarro, Jose Pablo; Cintas, Celia; Lucena, Manuel; Fuertes, José Manuel; Delrieux, Claudio Augusto; Molinos, Manuel In Cultural Heritage inquiries, a common requirement is to establish time-based trends between archaeological artifacts belonging to different periods of a given culture, enabling among other things to determine chronological inferences with higher accuracy and precision. Among these, pottery vessels are significantly useful, given their relative abundance in most archaeological sites. However, this very abundance makes difficult and complex an accurate representation, since no two of these vessels are identical, and therefore classification criteria must be justified and applied. For this purpose, we propose the use of deep learning architectures to extract automatically learned features without prior knowledge or engineered features. By means of transfer learning, we retrained a Residual Neural Network with a binary image database of Iberian wheel-made pottery vessels? profiles. These vessels pertain to archaeological sites located in the upper valley of the Guadalquivir River (Spain). The resulting model can provide an accurate feature representation space, which can automatically classify profile images, achieving a mean accuracy of 0.96 with an f-measure of 0.96. This accuracy is remarkably higher than other state-of-the-art machine learning approaches, where several feature extraction techniques were applied together with multiple classifier models. These results provide novel strategies to current research in automatic feature representation and classification of different objects of study within the Archaeology domain.

Sirtuin 1 and 2 inhibitors enhance the inhibitory effect of sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells Ceballos Mancini, María Paula; Angel, Antonella; Delprato, Carla Beatriz; Livore, Veronica Ines; Ferretti, Anabela; Lucci, Alvaro; Comanzo, Carla Gabriela; Alvarez, María de Luján; Quiroga, Ariel Dario; Mottino, Aldo Domingo; Carrillo, Maria Cristina Multidrug resistance (MDR) counteracts the efficiency of sorafenib, an important first-line therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Sirtuins (SIRTs) 1 and 2 are associated with tumor progression and MDR. We treated 2D and 3D cultures (which mimic the features of in vivo tumors) from HCC cells with sorafenib alone or in the presence of SIRTs 1 and 2 inhibitors (cambinol or EX-527; combined treatments). Cultures subjected to combined treatments showed a greater fall in cellular viability, proliferation (PCNA, cyclin D1 and Ki-67 expression and cell cycle analysis), migration and invasion when compared with cultures treated only with sorafenib. Similarly, combined treatments produced more apoptosis (annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7 activity) than sorafenib alone. Since cell cycle dysregulation and apoptotic blockage are reported mechanisms of MDR, the modulation found in PCNA, cyclin D1, Ki-67 and caspase-3/7 proteins by cambinol and EX-527 are probably playing a role in enhancing the sensitivity of HCC cell lines to sorafenib. EX-527 reduced MRP3 and BCRP expression in sorafenib-treated HCC cells. Since ABC transporters contribute to MDR, MRP3 and BCRP could be also influencing in the response of HCC cells to sorafenib. Overall, 2D and 3D cultures behave similarly except that 3D cultures were less sensitive to treatments, reinforcing the clinical relevance of the current study. Findings presented in this manuscript support a potential application for SIRTs 1 and 2 inhibitors since we demonstrated that these compounds enhance the inhibitory effect of sorafenib upon treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma cells lines.

How much leaf area do insects eat? A data set of insect herbivory sampled globally with a standardized protocol Mendes, Gisele M.; Silveira, Fernando A.O.; Oliveira, Carolina; Dáttilo, Wesley; Guevara, Roger; Ruiz Guerra, Betsabe; Boaventura, Maria Gabriela; Sershen, null; Ramdhani, Syd; Phartyal, Shyam S.; Ribeiro, Sérvio P.; Pinto, Victor Diniz; Vasconcelos, Heraldo; Tito, Richard; Pereira, Cássio Cardoso; Carvalho, Bárbara; Carvalho, Gabriel M.; del Val, Ek.; Buisson, Elise; Arruda, Andre; Toth, Jean Baptiste; Roque, Fabio; Souza, Allan Henrique; Bolzan, Fabio; Neves, Frederico; Kuchenbecker, Juliana; Ramos Demetrio, Guilherme; Seixas, Luziene; Romero, Gustavo; de Omena, Paula Munhoz; Silva, Jhonathan O.; Paolucci, Lucas; Queiroz, Elenir; Ooi, Mark K. J.; Mills, Charlotte H.; Gerhold, Pille; Merzin, Anne; Massante, Jhonny C.; Aguilar, Ramiro; Carbone, Lucas Manuel; Campos, Ricardo; Gomes, Inácio; Zorzal, Gabriela; Solar, Ricardo; Ramos, Letícia; Sobrinho, Tathiana; Sanders, Pedro; Cornelissen, Tatiana Herbivory is ubiquitous. Despite being a potential driver of plant distribution and performance, herbivory remains largely undocumented. Some early attempts have been made to review, globally, how much leaf area is removed through insect feeding. Kozlov et al. (2015), in one of the most comprehensive reviews regarding global patterns of herbivory, have compiled published studies regarding foliar removal and sampled data on global herbivory levels using a standardized protocol. However, in the review by Kozlov et al. (2015), only 15 sampling sites, comprising 33 plant species, were evaluated in tropical areas around the globe. In Brazil, which ranks first in terms of plant biodiversity, with a total of 46,097 species, almost half (43%) being endemic, a single data point was sampled, covering only two plant species. In an attempt to increase knowledge regarding herbivory in tropical plant species and to provide the raw data needed to test general hypotheses related to plant?herbivore interactions across large spatial scales, we proposed a joint, collaborative network to evaluate tropical herbivory. This network allowed us to update and expand the data on insect herbivory in tropical and temperate plant species. Our data set, collected with a standardized protocol, covers 45 sampling sites from nine countries and includes leaf herbivory measurements of 57,239 leaves from 209 species of vascular plants belonging to 65 families from tropical and temperate regions. They expand previous data sets by including a total of 32 sampling sites from tropical areas around the globe, comprising 152 species, 146 of them being sampled in Brazil. For temperate areas, it includes 13 sampling sites, comprising 59 species. Thus, when compared to the most recent comprehensive review of insect herbivory (Kozlov et al. 2015), our data set has increased the base of available data for the tropical plants in more than 460% (from 33 to 152 species) and the Brazilian sampling was increased in 7,300% (from 2 to 146 species). Data on precise levels of herbivory are presented for more than 57,000 leaves worldwide.

Human footprint defining conservation strategies in Patagonian landscapes: Where we are and where we want to go? Rosas, Yamina Micaela; Peri, Pablo Luis; Pidgeon, Anna Michle; Politi, Natalia; Pedrana, Julieta; Díaz Delgado, Ricardo; Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José Understanding human influence on ecosystems and their services is crucial to achieve sustainable development and ensure the conservation of biodiversity. In this context, the human footprint index (HFI) represents the anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and the natural environment. Our objective was to characterize the HFI in Southern Patagonia (Argentina) across the landscape, qualifying the differences among the main ecological areas and especially the forested landscapes. We also assessed the potential utility of HFI to identify priority conservation areas according to their wilderness quality and potential biodiversity values. We created a HFI map (scores varied from 0 representing high wilderness quality to 1 representing maximum human impact) using variables related to direct (e.g. infrastructure) and indirect (e.g. derived from economic activities) human impacts, including settlements, accessibility, oil industry, and sheep production. HFI varied significantly across the natural landscapes, being lower (0.07−0.11) in remote ecosystems close to the Andes Mountains and higher (0.38−0.40) in southern areas close to the provincial capital city. Forested landscapes presented different impact values, which were directly related to the economical values of the different forest types. We determined that the current protected area network is not equally distributed across the different ecological areas and forest types. Priority conservation areas were also identified using the fragmentation produced by the human impact, the patch size, and the potential biodiversity values. HFI can present high compatibility with other land-use management decision making tools, acting as a complement to the existing tools for conservation planning or management.

Temporal regulation of tumor growth in nocturnal mammals: In vivo studies and chemotherapeutical potential Wagner, Paula Micaela; Prucca, Cesar German; Velazquez, Fabiola Noelia; Sosa Alderete, Lucas Gastón; Caputto, Beatriz Leonor; Guido, Mario Eduardo Tumors of the nervous system including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most frequent and aggressive form of brain tumors; however, little is known about the impact of the circadian timing system on the formation, growth, and treatment of these tumors. We investigated day/night differences in tumor growth after injection of A530 glioma cells isolated from malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNSTs) of NPcis (Trp53+/−; Nf1+/−) mice. Synchronized A530 cell cultures expressing typical glial markers were injected at the beginning of the day or night into the sciatic nerve zone of C57BL/6 mice subject to a 12:12 hours light/dark (LD) cycle or after being released to constant darkness (DD). Tumors generated in animals injected early at night in the LD cycle or in DD showed higher growth rates than in animals injected diurnally. No differences were found when animals were injected at the same time with cultures synchronized 12 hours apart. Similar experiments performed with B16 melanoma cells showed higher tumor growth rates in animals injected at the beginning of the night compared to those injected in the daytime. A higher tumor growth rate than that in controls was observed when mice were injected with knocked-down clock gene Bmal1 cells. Finally, when we compared day/night administration of different doses of the proteasome inhibitor Bortezomib (0.5-1.5 mg/kg) in tumor-bearing animals, we found that low-dose chemotherapy displayed higher efficacy when administered at night. Results suggest the existence of a precise temporal control of tumor growth and of drug efficacy in which the host state and susceptibility are critical.

Recurrent volcanic activity recorded in araucarian wood from the Lower Cretaceous Springhill Formation, Patagonia, Argentina: Palaeoenvironmental interpretations del Fueyo, Georgina Marisa; Carrizo, Martin Alejandro; Poire, Daniel Gustavo; Lafuente Diaz, Maiten Amalia This paper describes a petrified trunk collected from a conglomerate bed of the Springhill Formation (Berriasian?Valanginian) in the Estancia El Álamo locality, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The fossil trunk is classified within the ubiquitous genus Agathoxylon and the wood anatomy shows a close affinity to that of Araucariaceae. This Patagonian wood has a distinct combination of anatomical characteristics unique among all known species from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Western Gondwana allowing to diagnose a new fossil taxon Agathoxylon mendezii sp. nov. Sedimentological and megafloristic proxies of the Springhill Formation suggest that Agathoxylon mendezii sp. nov. grew under a warm and wet climate, which indicates a subtropical to temperate palaeoenvironment. However, the large number of frost rings in the earlywood of this araucarian tree suggests that the palaeoenvironment at Estancia El Álamo was subjected to recurrent disturbances, most likely caused by regional continuous volcanic activity originating from volcanoes located far away to the west. This activity would have produced periodic stratospheric veils that promoted rapid decreases in surface air temperature; the wood response to such stressful conditions would have been the formation of numerous (at least five) frost rings. Although recurrent eruptions in Patagonia during the Early Cretaceous are well recorded, this study is the first to register eruptions recorded in a coniferous wood.

Harnessing tumor necrosis factor alpha to achieve effective cancer immunotherapy Mercogliano, María Florencia; Bruni, Sofia; Mauro, Florencia; Elizalde, Patricia Virginia; Schillaci, Roxana Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a pleiotropic cytokine known to have contradictory roles in oncoimmunology. Indeed, TNFα has a central role in the onset of the immune response, inducing both activation and the effector function of macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and B and T lymphocytes. Within the tumor microenvironment, however, TNFα is one of the main mediators of cancer-related inflammation. It is involved in the recruitment and differentiation of immune suppressor cells, leading to evasion of tumor immune surveillance. These characteristics turn TNFα into an attractive target to overcome therapy resistance and tackle cancer. This review focuses on the diverse molecular mechanisms that place TNFα as a source of resistance to immunotherapy such as monoclonal antibodies against cancer cells or immune checkpoints and adoptive cell therapy. We also expose the benefits of TNFα blocking strategies in combination with immunotherapy to improve the antitumor effect and prevent or treat adverse immune-related effects.

Genetic insights into the globally invasive and taxonomically problematic tree genus Prosopis Castillo, María L.; Schaffner, Urs; Van Wilgen, Brian W.; Montaño, Noé Manuel; Bustamante, Ramiro O.; Cosacov Martinez, Andrea; Mathese, Megan J.; Le Roux, Johannes Accurate taxonomic identification of alien species is crucial to detect new incursions, prevent or reduce the arrival of new invaders and implement management options such as biological control. Globally, the taxonomy of non-native Prosopis species is problematic due to misidentification and extensive hybridization. We performed a genetic analysis on several Prosopis species, and their putative hybrids, including both native and non-native populations, with a special focus on Prosopis invasions in Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania). We aimed to clarify the taxonomic placement of non-native populations and to infer the introduction histories of Prosopis in Eastern Africa. DNA sequencing data from nuclear and chloroplast markers showed high homology (almost 100 %) between most species analysed. Analyses based on seven nuclear microsatellites confirmed weak population genetic structure among Prosopis species. Hybrids and polyploid individuals were recorded in both native and non-native populations. Invasive genotypes of Prosopis juliflora in Kenya and Ethiopia could have a similar native Mexican origin, while Tanzanian genotypes likely are from a different source. Native Peruvian Prosopis pallida genotypes showed high similarity with non-invasive genotypes from Kenya. Levels of introduced genetic diversity, relative to native populations, suggest that multiple introductions of P. juliflora and P. pallida occurred in Eastern Africa. Polyploidy may explain the successful invasion of P. juliflora in Eastern Africa. The polyploid P. juliflora was highly differentiated from the rest of the (diploid) species within the genus. The lack of genetic differentiation between most diploid species in their native ranges supports the notion that hybridization between allopatric species may occur frequently when they are co-introduced into non-native areas. For regulatory purposes, we propose to treat diploid Prosopis taxa from the Americas as a single taxonomic unit in non-native ranges.

Alianza Terapéutica en tiempos de COVID-19: Perspectiva de Pacientes de Argentina; Therapeutic Alliance in times of COVID-19: Patient´s perspectives of Argentina Casari, Leandro Martín; Stefanini, Facundo Daniel El objetivo del presente trabajo es explorar la perspectiva de pacientes en telepsicología, que antes consultaban de manera presencial, y analizar si hay relación entre sus percepciones de telepsicología, con la alianza terapéutica. Para ello se trabajó con 143 pacientes de Argentina, que venían de un proceso terapéutico presencial, y ahora continúan de manera remota. Se aplicó una encuesta ad hoc y el Cuestionario de Alianza de Ayuda Revisado. Como resultado se observó mayores niveles de alianza terapéutica en quienes no percibían diferencias entre psicoterapia presencial y no presencial, en los pacientes que continuarían en telepsicología después de la pandemia, y en quienes manifestaron mayor grado de satisfacción. Se discute la importancia de evaluar alianza terapéutica durante la adaptación a un nuevo formato de pscioterapia, y la importancia de la actitud hacia las nuevas tecnologías.; The aim of this paper is to explore patient´s perspective of telepsychology experience, and to explore the relation between client´s perception and therapeutic Alliance. The sample is composed for 143 Argentinian patients, that was attending to psychotherapy in face-to-face format, and after the pandemic declaration, start with telepsychology. An ad hoc survey and the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire were applied. As a result, we find higher levels of therapeutic Alliance in those clients that: didn´t note differences between telepsychology and face-to-face psychotherapy, will continue with telepsychology after the pandemic is over, and are more satisfied with telepsychology. We discuss the importance of assess therapeutic alliance when the patient changes to a different setting of psychotherapy, and the importance of new technology of communication´s attitudes.