Acelerando el secado de girasol mediante desecantes químicos

El girasol (Helianthus annuus) es el segundo cultivo oleaginoso en importancia en el país, después de la soja. El retraso en la cosecha de girasol produce pérdidas económicas, tanto de productividad como de calidad. La madurez fisiológica ocurre con 38% de humedad de los granos. La consiguiente pérdida de verdor y humedad del cultivo, permite alcanzar la madurez adecuada para la cosecha.Fil: Rondanini, Deborah Paola. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, F. A.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Aguirre, M.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Marco, L.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Mazo, C.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Renteria, S.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Cantamutto, Miguel Angel. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Szemruch, C.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; Argentin

A study to explore mothers' and fathers' shared and individual experiences of premature birth : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

This qualitative research project using some of the methodologies of Grounded Theory looked at five couples' experiences of premature birth, in particular comparing and contrasting the experiences of mothers and fathers. Significant themes that were identified were: helplessness, related to parents' belief that they were unable to alter outcomes for their baby; issues of control around the care of the newborn baby; communication and relationships with healthcare staff and the impact on parents' perceptions of inclusiveness in the care of their infants; and for fathers in particular, feeling that they missed out on aspects of the parenting of their newborn. The conclusions were that, due to a number of factors within the NICU environment in conjunction with gender specific methods of coping, fathers tend to be marginalised and excluded from the care of their babies. As a result of this, fathers then distance themselves from contact with their newborns, leading to the cyclic exacerbation of the issues of control and helplessness, which further reinforces their disengagement from the situation. Mothers struggled with the same issues, but not to the extent that they withdrew emotionally and physically from the care of their babies

Remote booting in a hostile world: to whom am I speaking? [Computer security]

“This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder." “Copyright IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.”Today's networked computer systems are very vulnerable to attack: terminal software, like that used by the X Window System, is frequently passed across a network, and a trojan horse can easily be inserted while it is in transit. Many other software products, including operating systems, load parts of themselves from a server across a network. Although users may be confident that their workstation is physically secure, some part of the network to which they are attached almost certainly is not secure. Most proposals that recommend cryptographic means to protect remotely loaded software also eliminate the advantages of remote loading-for example, ease of reconfiguration, upgrade distribution, and maintenance. For this reason, they have largely been abandoned before finding their way into commercial products. The article shows that, contrary to intuition, it is no more difficult to protect a workstation that loads its software across an insecure network than to protect a stand-alone workstation. In contrast to prevailing practice, the authors make essential use of a collision-rich hash function to ensure that an exhaustive off-line search by the opponent will produce not one, but many candidate pass words. This strategy forces the opponent into an open, on-line guessing attack and offers the user a defensive strategy unavailable in the case of an off-line attack.Peer reviewe

An antibody that prevents serpin polymerisation acts by inducing a novel allosteric behavior

Serpins are important regulators of proteolytic pathways with an antiprotease activity that involves a conformational transition from a metastable to a hyperstable state. Certain mutations permit the transition to occur in the absence of a protease; when associated with an intermolecular interaction, this yields linear polymers of hyperstable serpin molecules, which accumulate at the site of synthesis. This is the basis of many pathologies termed the serpinopathies. We have previously identified a monoclonal antibody (mAb4B12) that, in single-chain form, blocks α1-Antitrypsin (α1-AT) polymerisation in cells. Here, we describe the structural basis for this activity. The mAb4B12 epitope was found to encompass residues Glu32, Glu39 and His43 on helix A and Leu306 on helix I. This is not a region typically associated with the serpin mechanism of conformational change, and correspondingly the epitope was present in all tested structural forms of the protein. Antibody binding rendered β-sheet A - on the opposite face of the molecule - more liable to adopt an 'open' state, mediated by changes distal to the breach region and proximal to helix F. The allosteric propagation of induced changes through the molecule was evidenced by an increased rate of peptide incorporation and destabilisation of a preformed serpin-enzyme complex following mAb4B12 binding. These data suggest that prematurely shifting the β-sheet A equilibrium towards the 'open' state out of sequence with other changes suppresses polymer formation. This work identifies a region potentially exploitable for a rational design of ligands that is able to dynamically influence α1-AT polymerisation

Impacto del ambiente materno y la cosecha anticipada en la calidad de semillas de girasol

La calidad de semillas de girasol en Argentina puede optimizarse mediante la correcta elección de prácticas de manejo, como el adelanto en las fechas de siembra y/o la cosecha anticipada. El avance de las investigaciones en ese sentido, contribuirá a aumentar las capacidades técnicas del sector productivo de semillas híbridas de girasol, promoviendo su desarrollo competitivo.Fil: Szemruch, C.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Rondanini, Deborah Paola. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Renteria, S.. PANNAR Seeds; ArgentinaFil: Ferrari, L.. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; ArgentinaFil: Cantamutto, Miguel Ángel. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora; Argentin

Interactions between N-linked glycosylation and polymerisation of neuroserpin within the endoplasmic reticulum

The neuronal serpin neuroserpin undergoes polymerisation as a consequence of point mutations that alter its conformational stability, leading to a neurodegenerative dementia called familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB). Neuroserpin is a glycoprotein with predicted glycosylation sites at asparagines 157, 321 and 401. We used site-directed mutagenesis, transient transfection, western blot, metabolic labelling and ELISA to probe the relationship between glycosylation, folding, polymerisation and degradation of neuroserpin in validated cell models of health and disease. Our data show that glycosylation at N157 and N321 plays an important role in maintaining the monomeric state of neuroserpin, and we propose this is the result of steric hindrance or effects on local conformational dynamics that can contribute to polymerisation. Asparagine residue 401 is not glycosylated in wild type neuroserpin and in several polymerogenic variants that cause FENIB, but partial glycosylation was observed in the G392E mutant of neuroserpin that causes severe, early-onset dementia. Our findings indicate that N401 glycosylation reports lability of the C-terminal end of neuroserpin in its native state. This C-terminal lability is not required for neuroserpin polymerisation in the endoplasmic reticulum, but the additional glycan facilitates degradation of the mutant protein during proteasomal impairment. In summary, our results indicate how normal and variant-specific N-linked glycosylation events relate to intracellular folding, misfolding, degradation and polymerisation of neuroserpin

Does the engagement of clinicians and organisations in research improve healthcare performance: a three-stage review

Objective: There is a widely held assumption that engagement by clinicians and healthcare organisations in research improves healthcare performance at various levels, but little direct empirical evidence has previously been collated. The objective of this study was to address the question: Does research engagement (by clinicians and organizations) improve healthcare performance? Methods: An hourglass-shaped review was developed, consisting of three stages: (1) a planning and mapping stage; (2) a focused review concentrating on the core question of whether or not research engagement improves healthcare performance; and (3) a wider (but less systematic) review of papers identified during the two earlier stages, focusing on mechanisms. Results: Of the 33 papers included in the focused review, 28 identified improvements in health services performance. Seven out of these papers reported some improvement in health outcomes, with others reporting improved processes of care. The wider review demonstrated that mechanisms such as collaborative and action research can encourage some progress along the pathway from research engagement towards improved healthcare performance. Organisations that have deliberately integrated the research function into organisational structures demonstrate how research engagement can, among other factors, contribute to improved healthcare performance. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that there is an association between the engagement of individuals and healthcare organisations in research and improvements in healthcare performance. The mechanisms through which research engagement might improve healthcare performance overlap and rarely act in isolation, and their effectiveness often depends on the context in which they operate. Strengths and limitations of this study • This review brings together for the first time a diverse body of literature addressing whether engaging clinicians and healthcare organisations in research is the likely to improve healthcare performance • It also explores the mechanisms through which improvement is achieved to try and understand how any improvements might come about • However, it relies on the quality and coverage of the existing literature • It is an extremely complex topic, but nonetheless one worthy of further exploration, particularly given the pressure to justify research spending in healthcare systems, and to encourage its implementation.UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Service Delivery and Organisation (SDO) programme ( project number HS&DR- 10/1012/09

An antibody raised against a pathogenic serpin variant induces mutant-like behaviour in the wild-type protein.

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds to a transient intermediate may act as a catalyst for the corresponding reaction; here we show this principle can extend on a macro-molecular scale to the induction of mutant-like oligomerisation in a wild-type protein. Using the common, pathogenic Glu342Lys (Z) variant of α1-antitrypsin as antigen - whose native state is susceptible to the formation of a proto-oligomeric intermediate - we have produced a mAb (5E3) that increases the rate of oligomerisation of the wild-type (M) variant. Employing ELISA, gel shift, thermal stability and FRET time-course experiments, we show that mAb5E3 does not bind to the native state of α1-antitrypsin, but recognises a cryptic epitope in the vicinity of the post-helix A loop and strand 4C that is revealed upon transition to the polymerisation intermediate, and which persists in the ensuing oligomer. This epitope is not shared by loop-inserted monomeric conformations. We show the increased amenity to polymerisation by either the pathogenic Glu342Lys mutation or the binding of mAb5E3 occurs without affecting energetic barrier to polymerisation. As mAb5E3 also does not alter the relative stability of the monomer to intermediate, it acts in a manner similar to the Glu342Lys mutation, by facilitating the conformational interchange between these two states

Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke

Background  Aphasia is an acquired language impairment following brain damage that affects some or all language modalities: expression and understanding of speech, reading, and writing. Approximately one third of people who have a stroke experience aphasia.  Objectives  To assess the effects of speech and language therapy (SLT) for aphasia following stroke.  Search methods  We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched 9 September 2015), CENTRAL (2015, Issue 5) and other Cochrane Library Databases (CDSR, DARE, HTA, to 22 September 2015), MEDLINE (1946 to September 2015), EMBASE (1980 to September 2015), CINAHL (1982 to September 2015), AMED (1985 to September 2015), LLBA (1973 to September 2015), and SpeechBITE (2008 to September 2015). We also searched major trials registers for ongoing trials including ClinicalTrials.gov (to 21 September 2015), the Stroke Trials Registry (to 21 September 2015), Current Controlled Trials (to 22 September 2015), and WHO ICTRP (to 22 September 2015). In an effort to identify further published, unpublished, and ongoing trials we also handsearched theInternational Journal of Language and Communication Disorders(1969 to 2005) and reference lists of relevant articles, and we contacted academic institutions and other researchers. There were no language restrictions.  Selection criteria  Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SLT (a formal intervention that aims to improve language and communication abilities, activity and participation) versus no SLT; social support or stimulation (an intervention that provides social support and communication stimulation but does not include targeted therapeutic interventions); or another SLT intervention (differing in duration, intensity, frequency, intervention methodology or theoretical approach).  Data collection and analysis  We independently extracted the data and assessed the quality of included trials. We sought missing data from investigators.  Main results  We included 57 RCTs (74 randomised comparisons) involving 3002 participants in this review (some appearing in more than one comparison). Twenty-seven randomised comparisons (1620 participants) assessed SLT versus no SLT; SLT resulted in clinically and statistically significant benefits to patients' functional communication (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06 to 0.49, P = 0.01), reading, writing, and expressive language, but (based on smaller numbers) benefits were not evident at follow-up. Nine randomised comparisons (447 participants) assessed SLT with social support and stimulation; meta-analyses found no evidence of a difference in functional communication, but more participants withdrew from social support interventions than SLT. Thirty-eight randomised comparisons (1242 participants) assessed two approaches to SLT. Functional communication was significantly better in people with aphasia that received therapy at a high intensity, high dose, or over a long duration compared to those that received therapy at a lower intensity, lower dose, or over a shorter period of time. The benefits of a high intensity or a high dose of SLT were confounded by a significantly higher dropout rate in these intervention groups. Generally, trials randomised small numbers of participants across a range of characteristics (age, time since stroke, and severity profiles), interventions, and outcomes.  Authors' conclusions  Our review provides evidence of the effectiveness of SLT for people with aphasia following stroke in terms of improved functional communication, reading, writing, and expressive language compared with no therapy. There is some indication that therapy at high intensity, high dose or over a longer period may be beneficial. HIgh-intensity and high dose interventions may not be acceptable to all

The Protection and Management of the Sargasso Sea

The Sargasso Sea is a fundamentally important part of the world's ocean, located within the North Atlantic sub-tropical gyre with its boundaries defined by the surrounding currents. It is the only sea without land boundaries with water depths ranging from the surface coral reefs of Bermuda to abyssal plains at 4500 m. The Sargasso Sea's importance derives from the interdependent mix of its physical structure and properties, its ecosystems, its role in global scale ocean and earth system processes, its socio-economic and cultural values, and its role in global scientific research. Despite this, the Sargasso Sea is threatened by a range of human activities that either directly adversely impact it or have the potential to do so. Being Open Ocean, the Sargasso Sea is part of the High Seas, the area of ocean that covers nearly 50%of the earth's surface but which is beyond the jurisdiction and responsibility of any national government, and as such it enjoys little protection. To promote the importance of the Sargasso Sea, the Sargasso Sea Alliance was created under the leadership of the Government of Bermudian 2010. This report provides a summary of the scientific and other supporting evidence for the importance of the Sargasso Sea and is intended to develop international recognition of this; to start the process of establishing appropriate management and precautionary regimes within existing agreements; and to stimulate a wider debate on appropriate management and protection for the High Seas. Nine reasons why the Sargasso Sea is important are described and discussed. It is a place of legend with a rich history of great importance to Bermuda; it has an iconic ecosystem based upon floating Sargassum, the world's only holopelagic seaweed, hosting a rich and diverse community including ten endemic species; it provides essential habitat for nurturing a wide diversity of species many of which are endangered or threatened; it is the only breeding location for the threatened European and American eels; it lies within a large ocean gyre which concentrates pollutants and which has a variety of oceanographic processes that impact its productivity and species diversity; it plays a disproportionately large role in global ocean processes of carbon sequestration; it is of major importance for global scientific research and monitoring and is home to the world's longest ocean time series of measurements; it has significant values to local and world-wide economies; and it is threatened by activities including over-fishing, pollution, shipping, and Sargassum harvesting. Apart from over-fishing many of the threats are potential, with few direct causal relationships between specific activities and adverse impacts. But there is accumulative evidence that the Sargasso Sea is being adversely impacted by human activities, and with the possibility of new uses for Sargassum in the future, the lack of direct scientific evidence does not preclude international action through the established precautionary approach. The opportunity to recognize the importance of the Sargasso Sea and to develop and implement procedures to protect this iconic region and the wider High Seas should be taken before it is too late