Invasion success of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a sub-antarctic insular ecosystem (Isla Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) Gallo, Jorge Alberto; Fasola, Laura; Abba, Agustin Manuel The large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) was introduced to the Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego almost 35 years ago. Previous studies described the armadillo’s distribution relative to heated oil pipelines. The present study updates this distribution, and evaluates associations with additional environmental variables to better explain the dispersion process and to propose areas for the control/eradication of this invasive species. We conducted 52 random transects looking for indirect evidence of the presence of C. villosus such as burrows and “foraging pits”. We looked for associations between the presence/habitat use of armadillos with local environmental characteristics and landscape features. We also gathered information about the invasion process through interviews with rural settlers. The species’ distribution was calculated with the Minimum Convex Polygon method, and a linear invasion rate was calculated. Finally, a map with priority areas for eradication was developed. Armadillos occur in areas with tall and medium-height vegetation and avoid low and floodable terrains. Signs of armadillo presence were more abundant in areas with humic soils but were not associated with any landscape features. The distribution of C. villosus increased by 4735.92 km2 in 12 years with an average linear expansion rate of 10.91 km/year. Humans seem to have facilitated the spread of armadillos towards the south. Implementation of any control measures should be focused on two areas of the island: namely those with high terrains, medium/high vegetation height and humic soils. This invasion represents a socio-ecological problem that needs full and urgent attention while eradication is still feasible.

Notas para un estudio de las agendas y los discursos sobre la pobreza en la prensa local argentina Sánchez, María del Rosario; London, Silvia La pobreza constituye una problemática estructural y coyuntural en Argentina. Más allá de las controversias en torno a su delimitación conceptual y su medición, esta realidad se evidencia desde diversos enfoques teórico metodológicos que estudian el fenómeno. Partiendo de esta premisa, el presente trabajo reúne algunas reflexiones que buscan aportar a la explicación de esta agenda urgente desde el análisis de la representación mediática de la problemática. Se trata de una primera aproximación al problema, en la que se reseñan antecedentes sobre el tema y se exponen pautas metodológicas de un estudio en curso acerca de la prensa de la ciudad de Bahía Blanca, Argentina. La literatura indica que la temática se instala en los medios del país de manera definitiva a partir de la crisis de 2001; la información ingresa en forma sesgada, no aparece como tópico principal ni explica sus causas estructurales. La descripción del método construido para el abordaje del caso presenta claves para un estudio interdisciplinario del fenómeno, en la búsqueda de contribuir al conocimiento sobre el tema.

Lignocellulosic nanofibers for the reinforcement of brown line paper in industrial water systems Tarres, Quim; Area, Maria Cristina; Vallejos, María Evangelina; Ehman, Nanci Vanesa; Delgado Aguilar, Marc; Mutjé, Pere The addition of nanofibrillated cellulose in paper production requires attention to its dispersion and retention during the paper forming process, and this is commonly facilitated by the use of retention agents. The performance of retention agents, which commonly have a cationic charge, is affected by the presence of dissolved and colloidal substances in the process water. In the process of paper production at an industrial level, especially when using recycled paper, there are a large amount of dissolved and colloidal substances in the water. A high proportion of these substances are negatively charged and are commonly referred to as anionic trash. Its presence increases the conductivity and charge density of the water, and this has a negative influence on the retention of cellulose nanofibers. In brown line paper production, some fibers have already been refined in at least one previous papermaking cycle. In this sense, recycled fibers have a reduced capacity to benefit from refining as they have suffered morphological damage. On the other hand, the addition of lignocellulosic nanofibers in the production of brown line paper has been found helpful to improve its properties and extend its lifespan. In this work the influence on the retention of nanofibers of different anionic trash levels in the water has been evaluated. The results showed its viability as a reinforcing agent in waters with high anionic trash content, through the addition of an anionic trash catching system

Lipoteichoic acid is involved in the ability of the immunobiotic strain lactobacillus plantarum CRL1506 to modulate the intestinal antiviral innate immunity triggered by TLR3 activation Mizuno, Hiroya; Arce, Lorena Paola; Tomotsune, Kae; Albarracín, Leonardo Miguel; Funabashi, Ryutaro; Vera, María Daniela; Islam, Md Aminul; Vizoso Pinto, María Guadalupe; Takahashi, Hideki; Sasaki, Yasuko; Kitazawa, Haruki; Villena, Julio Cesar Studies have demonstrated that lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is involved in the immunomodulatory properties of some immunobiotic lactobacilli. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether LTA contributes to the capacity of Lactobacillus plantarum CRL1506 in modulating the intestinal innate antiviral immune response. A D-alanyl-lipoteichoic acid biosynthesis protein (dltD) knockout CRL1506 strain (L. plantarumΔdltD) was obtained, and its ability to modulate Toll-like receptor (TLR)-3-mediated immune response was evaluated in vitro in porcine intestinal epithelial (PIE) cells and in vivo in Balb/c mice. Wild-type (WT) CRL1506 (L. plantarum WT) was used as positive control. The challenge of PIE cells with the TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) significantly increased interferon (IFN)-β, interleukin (IL)-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 expressions. PIE cells pretreated with L. plantarumΔdltD or L. plantarum WT showed higher levels of IFN-β while only L. plantarum WT significantly reduced the expression of IL-6 and MCP-1 when compared with poly(I:C)-treated control cells. The oral administration of L. plantarum WT to mice prior the intraperitoneal injection of poly(I:C) significantly increased IFN-β and IL-10 and reduced intraepithelial lymphocytes (CD3+NK1.1+CD8αα+) and pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-15) in the intestinal mucosa. Similar to the WT strain, L. plantarumΔdltD-treated mice showed enhanced levels of IFN-β after poly(I:C) challenge. However, treatment of mice with L. plantarumΔdltD was not able to increase IL-10 or reduce CD3+NK1.1+CD8αα+ cells, TNF-α, IL-6, or IL-15 in the intestine. These results indicate that LTA would be a key molecule in the anti-inflammatory effect induced by the CRL1506 strain in the context of TLR3-mediated inflammation.

Postglacial migration shaped the genomic diversity and global distribution of the wild ancestor of lager-brewing hybrids Langdon, Quinn K.; Peris, David; Eizaguirre, Juan Ignacio; Opulente, Dana A.; Buh, Kelly V.; Sylvester, Kayla; Jarzyna, Martin; Rodríguez, María Eugenia; Lopes, Christian Ariel; Libkind Frati, Diego; Hittinger, Chris The wild, cold-adapted parent of hybrid lager-brewing yeasts, Saccharomyces eubayanus, has a complex and understudied natural history. The exploration of this diversity can be used both to develop new brewing applications and to enlighten our understanding of the dynamics of yeast evolution in the wild. Here, we integrate whole genome sequence and phenotypic data of 200 S. eubayanus strains, the largest collection known to date. S. eubayanus has a multilayered population structure, consisting of two major populations that are further structured into six subpopulations. Four of these subpopulations are found exclusively in the Patagonian region of South America; one is found predominantly in Patagonia and sparsely in Oceania and North America; and one is specific to the Holarctic ecozone. Plant host associations differed between subpopulations and between S. eubayanus and its sister species, Saccharomyces uvarum. S. eubayanus is most abundant and genetically diverse in northern Patagonia, where some locations harbor more genetic diversity than is found outside of South America, suggesting that northern Patagonia east of the Andes was a glacial refugium for this species. All but one subpopulation shows isolation-by-distance, and gene flow between subpopulations is low. However, there are strong signals of ancient and recent outcrossing, including two admixed lineages, one that is sympatric with and one that is mostly isolated from its parental populations. Using our extensive biogeographical data, we build a robust model that predicts all known and a handful of additional regions of the globe that are climatically suitable for S. eubayanus, including Europe where host accessibility and competitive exclusion by other Saccharomyces species may explain its continued elusiveness. We conclude that this industrially relevant species has rich natural diversity with many factors contributing to its complex distribution and natural history.

Cross-Cultural Comparison of Compassion: An In-Depth Analysis of Cultural Differences in Compassion Using the Compassion of Others’ Lives (COOL) Scale Chang, Jyh Hann; Detrick, Sarah M.; Maas, Zoë; Ço?kun, Halise; Klos, María Carolina; Zeifert, Heather; Parmer, Edward; Sule, Julia Compassion has been touted as a primal element that assists in both the recognition and alleviation of another’s grief, pain, or misfortune. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the Compassion of Others’ Lives (COOL) Scale across cultures, as well as identify differences in compassion between individuals in the U.S., Latin America, and Turkey. Importantly, the COOL Scale was found to be sufficiently valid after being translated from English into Turkish and Spanish. The 3 groups of data collected consisted of samples from the U.S., 10 South American countries, and Turkey, respectively, with a total of 1,602 participants. A Welch ANOVA test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences at (p <.05) between the data collected from these 3 cultures. Findings concluded significant differences at (p ≤.03) for each subset; empathy (F = 27.47) and behavior alleviating suffering scores (F = 3.54) as well as the total level of compassion (5.31). Further analysis using a Games Howell Post Hoc showed where the specific differences were for empathy, alleviating suffering, and total score for each culture. The U.S. sample had a significantly higher total COOL score than the Turkish sample. Latin America scored higher for empathy than the U.S., and the U.S. scored significantly higher for empathy than Turkey.

Sexual aggression in mammals Cassini, Marcelo Hernan In non-human mammals, sexual conflict should be particularly intense because males rarely provide parental care. An expected consequence of sexual conflict is male aggression towards mates. Considering how complex measurements and interpretations of behaviours such as sexual aggression and sexual coercion are, I preferred to define operationally, as ‘sexual disturbance’, any male behaviour towards females during the pericopulatory period that can be costly for females. The objectives in this review were as follows: 1) to estimate how widespread sexual disturbance is among mammals, 2) to analyse the types of female response to sexual disturbance, and 3) to characterise the costs of sexual disturbance to females. I conducted a systematic review by searching the literature in the Web of Knowledge database using the search tools available for 19 main journals, and I conducted a qualitative review via a taxon-by-taxon analysis. Sexual disturbance was frequent in four of the 32 mammalian orders: Primates, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, and Cetacea, which all include highly polygynous taxa. The most common expression of sexual conflict around copulation is seen in behaviours associated with female retention attempts that cause minor harm. Research suggests that the most common response of females to sexual disturbance comprises female grouping around a dominant male.

Estudiantes brasileños en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de Rosario (Argentina): implicancias interlingüísticas; Brazilian students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Rosario (Argentina): interlinguistic implications Camargo Angelucci, Thalita; Pozzo, María Isabel Rita Globalmente, la migración estudiantil universitaria aumenta. En Latinoamérica, Argentina se destaca como epicentro de los intereses de extranjeros, especialmente en las carreras de Medicina. Brasil restringe el acceso a la universidad vía examen de ingreso. En los últimos años, el número de inscritos brasileños en la Facultad de Ciencias Médicas de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario (Santa Fe/Argentina) ha aumentado significativamente. Este fenómeno se presenta en la agenda de los medios de comunicación; sin embargo, los estudios académicos al respecto son escasos. Por esto, el objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las implicancias lingüísticas del fenómeno en relación a: a) la reciente política lingüística universitaria (exigencia de certificación en idioma español a ingresantes no hispanohablantes); b) la formación de comunidades lingüísticas cerradas; y c) el posicionamiento en un paradigma médico, que usa jerga propia. Partimos del marco teórico de la Sociolingüística (ROTAETXE AMUSATEGI, 1990), específicamente de las Políticas Lingüísticas (CALVET, 2007; ARNOUX, 2000), y adoptamos conceptos teórico-metodológicos del Análisis de Discurso (ORLANDI, 2015, 2011; PÊCHEUX, 1975/2016) para construir y analizar el siguiente corpus: documentos institucionales, noticias periodísticas y entrevistas semiestructuradas. De acuerdo a los tres objetivos propuestos, el análisis señala que: a) la aprobación en el examen de lengua española no garantiza el desarrollo expresivo en el contexto áulico, b) el fortalecimiento de la comunidad de brasileños interfiere en su apropiación del idioma español y c) no se constata dificultades lingüísticas sustanciales respecto a la apropiación de la jerga médica. A modo de conclusión, consideramos apremiante fortalecer las políticas lingüísticas e interculturales universitarias volcadas al acogimiento de estudiantes extranjeros, sobretodo en el campo de la formación en Medicina.; Globally, university migration increases. In Latin America, Argentina stands out as the epicenter of the interests of foreigners, especially in medical careers. Brazil restricts access to the university through an entrance examination. In recent years, the number of Brazilian students in the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the National University of Rosario has increased significantly. This phenomenon is presented in the media agenda; however, academic studies are scarce. Therefore, it is aimed to analyze the linguistic implications of this phenomenon in relation to: a) the recent university language policy (require certification in Spanish to non-Spanish speakers); b) the formation of closed linguistic communities; and c) the positioning in a medical paradigm, which uses its own jargon. The study is based on the theoretical framework of Sociolinguistics (ROTAETXE AMUSATEGI, 1990), specifically on Linguistic Policies (CALVET, 2007; ARNOUX, 2000), and on theoreticalmethodological concepts of Discourse Analysis (ORLANDI, 2015, 2011; PÊCHEUX, 1975/2016) to build and analyze the following linguistic corpus: institutional documents, online news and semi-structured interviews. According to the three proposed objectives, the analysis indicates that: a) the approval in the Spanish language test does not guarantee the expressive development in the academic context, b) the strengthening of the Brazilian community interferes with its appropriation of the Spanish language and c) there are no substantial linguistic difficulties regarding the appropriation of medical jargon. It advocates strengthening university linguistic and intercultural policies aimed at fostering foreign students, especially in the field of medical training.

Una cuña marina dominada por mareas en la base de la Formación Lecho en el extremo noroeste argentino Astini, Ricardo Alfredo; Coppa Vigliocco, Ariadna; Gomez, Fernando Javier En el marco de la discusión sobre transgresiones marinas que afectaron durante el Cretácico Tardío al noroeste argentino, se da a conocer un intervalo influenciado por mareas dentro del denominado depocentro de Tres Cruces, asociado a la cuenca del Grupo Salta. El mismo, se encuentra interpuesto entre depósitos rojos asignados indiferenciadamente al Subgrupo Pirgua y eolianitas blanquecinas reconocidas regionalmente y asignadas a la Formación Lecho. Este desarrollo estratigráfico sólo abarca el extremo noroeste argentino en la serranía de los Siete Hermanos (Yavi), próxima al límite con Bolivia, no estando registrado en los asomos ubicados a la latitud de Tres Cruces. Estratificación sigmoidal con notables pantallas de fango y acumulación de intraclastos pelíticos concentrados hacia la base de los conjuntos de estratificación cruzada, junto con facies heterolíticas rítmicas constituyen evidencias sedimentológicas diagnósticas de estructuras y estratofábricas indicativas de procesos y periodicidades mareales que asociadas con otras características estratigráficas como color, continuidad lateral y apilamiento estratigráfico permiten documentar una primera incursión marina para esta región. La localización regional de estos depósitos junto a sus características sedimentológicas y estrati-gráficas permiten interpretarlo como un registro estuarino. Esto permite, por un lado, reafirmar la presencia de transgresiones marinas influyendo durante el Cretácico en el noroeste argentino y, por el otro, especular sobre consideraciones de estratigrafía secuencial aplicadas al marco de mares someros epicontinentales. Bajo estas condiciones, un registro marino transgresivo-regresivo puede permitir discriminar y entender modificaciones paleogeograficas y ordenamientos estratigráficos en función de la disponibilidad de espacio de acumulación (acomodación) y discutir sus controles.

Direct power compensation in AC distribution networks with SCES systems via PI-PBC approach Gil González, Walter; Serra, Federico Martin; Montoya Giraldo, Oscar Danilo; Ramírez, Carlos Alberto; Orozco Henao, Cesar Here, we explore the possibility of employing proportional-integral passivity-based control (PI-PBC) to support active and reactive power in alternating current (AC) distribution networks by using a supercapacitor energy storage system. A direct power control approach is proposed by taking advantage of the Park?s reference frame transform direct and quadrature currents ( id and iq ) into active and reactive powers (p and q). Based on the open-loop Hamiltonian model of the system, we propose a closed-loop PI-PBC controller that takes advantage of Lyapunov?s stability to design a global tracking controller. Numerical simulations in MATLAB/Simulink demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed controller, especially for parametric uncertainties.

Argentina y Brasil: La alianza necesaria Merke, Mario Federico; Stuenkel, Oliver Desde el regreso de la democracia, la relación entre Argentina y Brasil nunca se percibió tan deteriorada como ahora que sufre las presiones sumadas de factores mundiales, regionales e internos. Si miramos el cuadro más amplio, el papel expansionista de China en la región y su creciente rivalidad con Estados Unidos colocan a Sudamérica en general, y a Argentina y Brasil en particular, ante un dilema que pone en riesgo la asociación estratégica. La contracción del comercio mundial y la incertidumbre que genera incrementa la aversión al riesgo en los negocios y reduce los márgenes de inserción internacional de Brasilia y Buenos Aires. El acuerdo comercial del Mercado Común del Sur (Mercosur) con la Unión Europea y otras opciones de acuerdos comerciales que se barajan abren la posibilidad de que se deteriore aún más esa relación. A este escenario se suma la inestabilidad política en Sudamérica y las reacciones dispares que genera en Argentina y Brasil en términos de cómo abordar los desafíos de la gobernanza regional. Mientras Brasil se muestra crítico del gobierno venezolano de Nicolás Maduro y distante de los foros regionales, Argentina intenta navegar por una ruta intermedia entre Maduro y Juan Guaidó, y trata de reconstruir de algún modo la concertación regional...

Lenguaje denso y apertura: Otra vindicación de la poesía como órgano del conocimiento; Dense language and opening: Another vindication of poetry as an organ of knowledge Blanco Ilari, Juan Ignacio Este trabajo se enmarca dentro de las innumerables vindicaciones de la poesía. Comienza con el desarrollo de las cuatro características del “lenguaje poético” en tanto “lenguaje denso”. La figuratividad o metaforicidad, su alusividad, la identidad forma-contenido y el realismo poético. En el segundo apartado se analizan estas características a la luz de las categorías de “significatividad” y de “interpretante”. La ontología heideggeriana y la semiótica peirceana enriquecen el concepto de lenguaje denso y aclaran su poder epistémico. Finalmente, analizo algunos aspectos que Nietzsche, en su período retórico (1869-1874), elabora sobre el lenguaje, y que prefiguran y amplían la noción de lenguaje denso. Me centro allí en la idea que todo lenguaje es, en su origen, retórica, y en el modo en que el proceso comunicativo atenta contra dicho origen. Me interesan, en particular, las nociones de “fijación”, “olvido” y “restauración”.; This work is framed within the innumerable vindications of poetry. It begins with the development of the four characteristics of “poetic language” as “dense language”. Figurativity or metaphoricity, its allusiveness, form-content identity, and poetic realism. In the second section, these characteristics are analyzed in the light of the categories of “significance” and “interpretant”. The heideggerian ontology and the peircean semiotics enrich the concept of dense language and clarify its epistemic power. Finally, I analyze some aspects that Nietzsche, is his rhetorical period (1869-1874), elaborates on language, aspects that prefigure and expand the notion of dense language. I focus there on the idea that all language is, in its origin, rhetoric, and in the way in which the communicative process attacks that origin. I am particularly interested in the notions of “fixation”, “forgetting” and “restoration”.

El acontecimiento Sanders Plot, Martin Fernando Bernie Sanders no es solamente el nombre de un candidato y dirigente político estadounidense. Bernie Sanders es el nombre de un acontecimiento —y ese acontecimiento es, además, el reverso del anverso de otro acontecimiento, uno que también tiene nombre propio y se llama Donald Trump. Ambos acontecimientos irrumpieron en la vida política norteamericana en las elecciones primarias de los partidos demócrata y republicano de 2016 y aún no han cesado de generar consecuencias de relevancia.

Sobre los inicios de un revisionismo filosófico en Argentina y sus derivas políticas: Homero Guglielmini, Saúl Taborda y Carlos Astrada; On the beginnings of a philosophical revisionism in Argentina and its political commitments: Homero Guglielmini, Saúl Taborda, and Carlos Astrada Domínguez Rubio, Lucas Manuel El presente artículo analiza los principales textos que con distintos intereses ideológicos funcionaron como iniciadores de un particular ensayismo filosófico organizacionista y anti-liberal en la Argentina desde espacios académicos y universitarios. Sus autores, Saúl Taborda (1885-1943), Homero Guglielmini (1903-1968) y Carlos Astrada (1894-1971) tuvieron una trayectoria teórica y política en buena medida común. Primero desarrollaron sus textos en términos nietzscheanos y soreleanos. Más tarde se interesaron en el romanticismo alemán y la obra de Heidegger. En este arco, desde la década de 1920 cuando estuvieron a cargo de incipientes revistas filosóficas y vanguardistas hasta el momento en que Astrada y Guglielmini se convirtieron de en dos de las más importantes plumas oficialistas del gobierno de Juan Domingo Perón, estos autores mantuvieron sus intereses anti-iluministas y anti-liberales, con los cuales se opusieron a los estudios históricos como modo de indagación. Frente a ellos, desarrollaron un ensayismo filosófico no histórico que el presente artículo periodiza y caracteriza en oposición al más estudiado revisionismo histórico. A diferencia de estos últimos, los filósofos no reaccionaron frente a las continuas olas inmigratorias, sino más bien a los proyectos políticos foráneos. Se enfocaron principalmente en la figura del gaucho, y no en la de Rosas, y propusieron una reivindicación nocatólica del hispanismo. Pero, principalmente, ellos argumentaron contra el individualismo liberal y buscaron pensar herramientas teóricas a favor de un sujeto político colectivo.; This article analyzes the theoretical and ideological interests of the first philosophical essays in Argentina from an intellectual-history perspective. Saúl Taborda (1885-1943), Homero Guglielmini (1903-1968) and Carlos Astrada (1894-1971) had similar theoretical and political trajectories. From the 1920s, when they were in charge of incipient philosophical and avant-garde magazines, they were influenced by the writings of Nietzsche and Sorel. Later, they were interested in German romanticism and Heidegger's work, in the moment when Astrada and Guglielmini became two of the most important intellectuals of Juan Domingo Perón's government. While the so-called historical revisionism has received a remarkable attention, we only have a few works on this philosophical revisionism in Argentina. It is necessary, thus, to differentiate these early revisionist writings from their counterparts dedicated to history. The philosophers did not react to the continuous waves of immigration but rather to liberal political innovations taken as "foreign ideas". They focused especially on the figure of the gaucho and proposed a non-Catholic reading of Hispanicism. In a nutshell, they argued against individualism and forth theoretical tools to think a collective subject. Therefore, this work describes a theoretical trajectory that is well known at the European level, ranging from vitalist and aestheticist irrationalism to nationalist and strongly anti-individualist organisationalist positions.

Online self-powered Cr(VI) monitoring with autochthonous Pseudomonas and a bio-inspired redox polymer Lazzarini Behrmann, Irene Constanza; Grattieri, Matteo; Minteer, Shelley D.; Ramirez, Silvana A.; Vullo, Diana Lia The assessment of water quality is critical to implement preventive and emergency interventions aimed to limit/avoid environmental contamination and human exposure to toxic compounds. While established high-resolution techniques allow quantitative and qualitative determination of contaminants, their widespread application is not feasible due to cost, time, and need for trained personnel. In this context, the development of easy-to-implement approaches for preliminary detection of contaminants is of the utmost importance. Herein, a portable self-powered microbial electrochemical sensor enabling online monitoring of Cr(VI) is reported. The biosensor employs a bio-inspired redox mediating system to allow extracellular electron transfer between a bacterial isolate from chromium-contaminated environments and the electrode, providing a clear response to Cr(VI) presence. The biosensor shows good linearity (R2 = 0.983) and a limit of detection of 2.4 mg L−1 Cr(VI), with a sensitivity of 0.31 ± 0.02 μA cm−2 mgCr(VI)−1 L. The presented microbial bioanode architecture enhanced biosensor performance thanks to the improved “electrical wiring” between biological entities and the abiotic electrode surface. This approach could be easily implemented in engineered electrode surfaces, such as paper-based multi-anodes that maximize bacterial colonization, further improving biosensor response.

On the behavior of rainfall maxima at the eastern Andes Hierro, Rodrigo Federico; Burgos Fonseca, Yuditsabet; Ramezani Ziarani, M.; Llamedo Soria, Pablo Martin; Schmidt, T.; de la Torre, Alejandro; Alexander, Pedro Manfredo In this study, we detect high percentile rainfall events in the eastern central Andes, based on Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) with a spatial resolution of 0.25 × 0.25°, a temporal resolution of 3 h, and for the duration from 2001 to 2018. We identify three areas with high mean accumulated rainfall and analyze their atmospheric behaviour and rainfall characteristics with specific focus on extreme events. Extreme events are defined by events above the 95th percentile of their daily mean accumulated rainfall. Austral summer (DJF) is the period of the year presenting the most frequent extreme events over these three regions. Daily statistics show that the spatial maxima, as well as their associated extreme events, are produced during the night. For the considered period, ERA-Interim reanalysis data, provided by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) with 0.75° x0.75° spatial and 6-hourly temporal resolutions, were used for the analysis of the meso- and synoptic-scale atmospheric patterns. Night- and day-time differences indicate a nocturnal overload of northerly and northeasterly low-level humidity flows arriving from tropical South America. Under these conditions, cooling descending air from the mountains may find unstable air at the surface, giving place to the development of strong local convection. Another possible mechanism is presented here: a forced ascent of the low-level flow due to the mountains, disrupting the atmospheric stratification and generating vertical displacement of air trajectories. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in T-mode is applied to day- and night-time data during the maximum and extreme events. The results show strong correlation areas over each subregion under study during night-time, whereas during day-time no defined patterns are found. This confirms the observed nocturnal behavior of rainfall within these three hotspots.

The role of environmental, geographical, morphometric and spatial variables on plankton communities in lakes of the arid Patagonian plateaus Porcel, Elisa María Sol; Chaparro, Griselda Noemí; Marinone, María Cristina; Saad, Juan Francisco; Lancelotti, Julio Lucio; Izaguirre, Irina Species diversity is one of the most informative community metrics and is influenced by regional and local factors. We studied the spatial patterns of taxonomic and functional phyto- and zooplankton diversity in 33 lakes from two basaltic plateaus of the arid Patagonia. The aims of our study were to evaluate α, β and γ taxonomic diversity of phyto- and zooplankton; to assess the influence of environmental, spatial, geographical and morphometric factors on phyto- and zooplankton communities and to compare the influence of these variables on the taxonomic and functional composition. β1-diversity (within plateaus) was the major component for phytoplankton, rotifers andmicrocrustaceans taxonomic regional diversities. Planktonic communities were mainly constrained by macrophytes, fish, conductivity, dissolved organic carbon, altitude and spatial factors. The high dispersion of small individuals within plateaus tends to homogenize these communities, as indicated by null model results and the high explanation of fine-scale spatial factors in variation partitioning. This knowledge contributes to explaining the diversity patterns of planktonic communities of these valuable environments and to develop conservation strategies, considering both environmental heterogeneity and spatial effects.

The first mammal assemblages from the Malargüe Group: Implications for the Paleogene evolution of the northern Neuquén Basin (Argentina) Vera, Bárbara Soledad; Tunik, Maisa Andrea; Cerdeño Serrano, Maria Esperanza We present two new Paleogene fossiliferous sites that provide the first mammal remains for the Malargüe Group in the Neuquén basin of southeastern Mendoza Province, Argentina. Identified taxa from Agua de Flores-Agua de Isaac: Kibenikhoria sp., Oldfieldthomasiidae indet., Henricosborniidae indet., and a large Notoungulata probably related to the Isotemnidae. Taxa from Liu Malal: cf. Kibenikhoria and Notopithecidae gen. et sp. nov. Based on facies composition and geological distribution, we consider that the Cenozoic deposits from these fossiliferous localities correspond to the already defined Puesto Fortunata Formation. This unit is correlated to the Coihueco Formation, the top of the Malargüe Group in the northern Neuquén basin, and its mammal content supports the proposed hiatus between the ~40 Ma and 20 Ma based on chronostratigraphy. The presence of Kibenikhoria in the local faunas of southeastern Mendoza extends the geographic range of this genus so far known in Patagonia to central-west areas of Argentina and supports an early-middle Eocene age for the fossil-bearing levels of the Puesto Fortunata Formation.

Albendazole solid dispersions against alveolar echinococcosis: a pharmacotechnical strategy to improve the efficacy of the drug Fabbri, Julia; Pensel, Patricia Eugenia; Albani, Clara Maria; Lopez, Lurdes Milagros; Simonazzi, Analía; Bermudez, José María; Palma, Santiago Daniel; Elissondo, María Celina Alveolar echinococcosis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis. The pharmacological treatment is based on albendazole (ABZ). However, the low water solubility of the drug produces a limited dissolution rate, with the consequent failure in the treatment of the disease. Solid dispersions are a successful pharmacotechnical strategy to improve the dissolution profile of poorly water-soluble drugs. The aim of this work was to determine the in vivo efficacy of ABZ solid dispersions using poloxamer 407 as a carrier (ABZ:P407 solid dispersions (SDs)) in the murine intraperitoneal infection model for secondary alveolar echinococcosis. In the chemoprophylactic efficacy study, the ABZ suspension, the ABZ:P407 SDs and the physical mixture of ABZ and poloxamer 407 showed a tendency to decrease the development of murine cysts, causing damage to the germinal layer. In the clinical efficacy study, the ABZ:P407 SDs produced a significant decrease in the weight of murine cysts. In addition, the SDs produced extensive damage to the germinal layer. The increase in the efficacy of ABZ could be due to the improvement of water solubility and wettability of the drug due to the surfactant nature of poloxamer 407. In conclusion, this study is the basis for further research. This pharmacotechnical strategy might in the future offer novel treatment alternatives for human alveolar echinococcosis.

An experimental approach to study the red blood cell dynamics in a capillary tube by biospeckle laser Toderi Cicchini, Martín Alejandro; Riquelme, Bibiana Doris; Galizzi, Gustavo Ernesto In this study we investigated the human red blood cell (RBC) dynamics by means of biospeckle laser analysis. Blood samples from healthy donors were introduced in a 0.8 mm internal diameter capillary tube, and illuminated with a He-Ne laser in order to obtain the biospeckle pattern from both side and forward scattered light. Experiments were carried out for different concentrations of red blood cells in plasma, from 25% to 50%. Biospeckle parameters such as Correlation Coefficient and Inertia Moment, were calculated for different frequency bandwidths in order to assess their sensitivity and versatility. A filter based on the Discrete Wavelet Transform was used to decompose the registered sample activity. A relation between Inertia Moment and the RBCs to plasma volume ratio was observed. The Correlation Index that measures the level of correlation of biospeckle images was defined and analyzed. This work inquires in a technique that is suitable for the development of novel non-invasive optical tools for clinical diagnosis in vascular pathologies.