A Novel Liposome-Based Nanocarrier Loaded with an LPS-dsRNA Cocktail for Fish Innate Immune System Stimulation

Development of novel systems of vaccine delivery is a growing demand of the aquaculture industry. Nano- and micro- encapsulation systems are promising tools to achieve efficient vaccines against orphan vaccine fish diseases. In this context, the use of liposomal based-nanocarriers has been poorly explored in fish; although liposomal nanocarriers have successfully been used in other species. Here, we report a new ~125 nm-in-diameter unilamellar liposome-encapsulated immunostimulant cocktail containing crude lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)], a synthetic analog of dsRNA virus, aiming to be used as a non-specific vaccine nanocarrier in different fish species. This liposomal carrier showed high encapsulation efficiencies and low toxicity not only in vitro using three different cellular models but also in vivo using zebrafish embryos and larvae. We showed that such liposomal LPS-dsRNA cocktail is able to enter into contact with zebrafish hepatocytes (ZFL cell line) and trout macrophage plasma membranes, being preferentially internalized through caveolae-dependent endocytosis, although clathrin-mediated endocytosis in ZFL cells and macropinocytocis in macrophages also contribute to liposome uptake. Importantly, we also demonstrated that this liposomal LPS-dsRNA cocktail elicits a specific pro-inflammatory and anti-viral response in both zebrafish hepatocytes and trout macrophages. The design of a unique delivery system with the ability to stimulate two potent innate immunity pathways virtually present in all fish species represents a completely new approach in fish health

Allergic hypersensitivity to cannabis in patients with allergy and illicit drug users

Producción Científica: Cannabis is the illicit drug most widely used by young people in high-income countries. Allergy symptoms have only occasionally been reported as one of the adverse health effects of cannabis use. Objectives: To study IgE-mediated response to cannabis in drug users, atopic patients, and healthy controls. Methods: Asthmatic patients sensitised to pollen, and all patients sensitised to tobacco, tomato and latex, considered as cross-reacting allergens, were selected from a data base of 21,582 patients. Drug users attending a drug-rehabilitation clinic were also included. Controls were 200 non-atopic blood donors. Specific IgE determination, prick tests and specific challenge with cannabis extracts were performed in patients and controls

Stellar activity in barium stars .1. Analysis of H-lines and K-lines CA-II-lines in 10 barium stars

High dispersion spectra have been obtained in order to study the activity level of ten barium stars by means of the Ca II H and K emission flux, looking for a relation between barium intensity index and activity. Absolute magnitudes obtained from the Wilson-Bappu relationship disagree, in some cases, with the magnitudes computed from parallaxes, but this fact is not due to barium nature. Total emission fluxes, F(H + K) or R_HK index, plotted versus effective temperature show a distribution similar to that of cool giant stars. The asymmetry of K emission line, [F(K_2ν)/F(K_2r)], has been analyzed in relation with effective temperature, in this sense barium stars behave as expected of late-type giants with the only exception of two stars

Perfil sociodemográfico del Partido de Gral. Alvarado : Un aporte al análisis de la sustentabilidad ambiental

La presente ponencia forma parte de un proyecto de investigación mayor, el cual tiene como objetivo propiciar instancias diagnósticas socioterritoriales del Partido de Gral. Alvarado en perspectiva ambiental, como base para ulteriores estudios de sustentabilidad ambiental. El diagnóstico requiere la identificación y análisis de configuraciones y organizaciones socioterritoriales desde un análisis que plantee la relación demanda socioambiental, referida a la población y sus actividades con la oferta biofísica del medio natural y las tecnoestructuras. Esferas, entre las que se plantean desajustes desde tales relaciones, desde lo que se procurará explicar e interpretar las problemáticas socioambientales emergentes, enfatizando en la riqueza de aportes de los actores sociales mediante abordajes teórico-metodológicos ad hoc (Bryant y Bayley, 1997).Evento también conocido bajo el nombre de "II Jornadas Platenses de Geografía"Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Identification and molecular characterization of allergenic nsLTP from durum wheat (Triticum turgidum)

Background: Common wheat (Triticum aestivum) and durum wheat (T. turgidum) are both involved in Baker's asthma (BA) and food allergy (FA) including wheat-dependent exercise-induced asthma (WDEIA). However, allergens in durum wheat have not been described, and the over-expression of T. turgidum non-specific lipid-transfer protein (nsLTPs) is considered to increase resistance to phytopathogens. Objective: To identify and assess the allergenicity of nsLTP from T. turgidum. Methods: Recombinant T. turgidum nsLTP Tri tu 14 was generated and tested for structural integrity (circular dichroism-spectroscopy) and purity (SDS-PAGE). Thirty-two wheat allergic patients were enrolled: 20 Spanish patients (BA) with positive bronchial challenge to wheat flour, and 12 Italian patients (wheat FA/WDEIA) with positive double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge/open food challenge (OFC) to pasta. IgE values to wheat, Tri tu 14, Tri a 14 (T. aestivum) and Pru p 3 (P. persica) were determined by ImmunoCAP testing. Allergenic potency (in vitro mediator release) and IgE cross-reactivity were investigated. Results: Tri tu 14 was found to share 49% and 52% amino acid identity with Tri a 14 and Pru p 3, respectively. Among 25 Tri a 14 CAP positive sera, 23 (92%) were reactive to wheat extract, 22 (88%) to Tri tu 14 and 20 (80%) to Pru p 3. The correlation between Tri a 14 and Tri tu 14 specific IgE levels was r = 0.97 (BA) and r = 0.93 (FA/WDEIA), respectively. FA/WDEIA patients showed higher specific IgE values to Tri tu 14 and Pru p 3 than BA patients. Tri tu 14 displayed allergenic activity by mediator release from effector cells and IgE cross-reactivity with Pru p 3. The degree of IgE cross-reactivity between the two wheat nsLTPs varied between individual patients. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Sensitization to Tri tu 14 likely appears to be more important in wheat FA/WDEIA than in BA. Over-expression of Tri tu 14 in wheat would represent a risk for patients with nsLTP-mediated FA

Estado, conflictos y pronóstico del complejo de humedales costeros de Punta Mogotes, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A wetland and lagoon complex is located southwards Mar del Plata city (38º 02´40´´ S and 57º 32´00´´ O, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study area limits Northwards with oil storages for harbor purposes and with fish processing plants, Northwestwards with a palaeocliff developed during Holocene marine entry, on palaeo and cainozoic grounds. Southeastwards, with the Punta Cantera outpoint. Its northern borderline corresponds to the Natural Reserve from the Mar del Plata harbor. These are freshwater lagoons although their proximity to the sea. The main environmental problem within these wetlands and lagoons are due to human pressure (tourism, municipal, domestic and industrial sewage dumping, storage of illegal solid residues). This is accompanied by the lack of environmental planning. Moreover, information from this complex ecosystem is scarce, punctual and unpublished in the scientific literature. The present work includes the compilation and review of available flori-faunistic and environmental information -unpublished within the scientific literature-, the analysis of these wetlands´ historic evolution, and evaluates the physicochemical condition of their waters. Within this framework, a plannification and management project is proposed, which includes the study and monitoring of these wetlands, which also promotes both educational and transference activities, in order to reinforce their natural resources valorisation.A wetland and lagoon complex is located southwards Mar del Plata city (38º 02' 40'' S and 57º 32' 00'' ´O, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study area limits Northwards with oil storages for harbor purposes and with fish processing plants, Northwestwards with a palaeocliff developed during Holocene marine entry, on palaeo and cainozoic grounds. Southeastwards, with the Punta Cantera outpoint. Its northern borderline corresponds to the Natural Reserve from the Mar del Plata harbor. These are freshwater lagoons although their proximity to the sea. The main environmental problem within these wetlands and lagoons are due to human pressure (tourism, municipal, domestic and industrial sewage dumping, storage of illegal solid residues). This is accompanied by the lack of environmental planning. Moreover, information from this complex ecosystem is scarce, punctual and unpublished in the scientific literature. The present work includes the compilation and review of available flori-faunistic and environmental information -unpublished within the scientific literature-, the analysis of these wetlands´ historic evolution, and evaluates the physicochemical condition of their waters. Within this framework, a plannification and management project is proposed, which includes the study and monitoring of these wetlands, which also promotes both educational and transference activities, in order to reinforce their natural resources valorisation

Conseqüències fisiológiques d'una activació del sistema immunitari sobre la reproducción i el creixement en peixos d'interés en aqüicultura

En peixos teleostis, una activació del sistema immunitari comporta la producció de factors immunitaris que ajuden a combatre una infecció i estableixen una comunicació entre la resposta immunitària innata i l'adaptativa. A part d'aquesta funció estrictament immunitària, els factors immunitaris poden afectar el funcionament d'altres cèl·lules i teixits no immunitaris. Dos processos particularment importants, tant per l'estat biològic d'una població de peixos, com per aspectes més relacionats amb la productivitat d'espècies en cultiu, són la reproducció i el creixement. En aquest treball es descriuen estudis encaminats a investigar els efectes d'una activació del sistema immunitari, i dels factors produïts, sobre la reproducció i el creixement en peixos teleostis.In teleost fish, an activation of the immune system entails the production of immune factors that are key to fighting an infeccion and establish a bridge between the innate and the adaptive immune responses. In addition to this strictly immune function, immune factors can also affect the function of other non-immune cells and tissues. Reproduction and growth are two processes that are particularly important for the biological condition of a population of fish as well as for aspects more related to productivity of cultured species. In this paper, we describe studies designed to investigate the effects of an activation of the immune system, as well as of the factors produced, on reproduction and growth in teleost fish

Estado, conflictos y pronóstico del complejo de humedales costeros de Punta Mogotes, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A wetland and lagoon complex is located southwards Mar del Plata city (38º 02´40´´ S and 57º 32´00´´ O, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study area limits Northwards with oil storages for harbor purposes and with fish processing plants, Northwestwards with a palaeocliff developed during Holocene marine entry, on palaeo and cainozoic grounds. Southeastwards, with the Punta Cantera outpoint. Its northern borderline corresponds to the Natural Reserve from the Mar del Plata harbor. These are freshwater lagoons although their proximity to the sea. The main environmental problem within these wetlands and lagoons are due to human pressure (tourism, municipal, domestic and industrial sewage dumping, storage of illegal solid residues). This is accompanied by the lack of environmental planning. Moreover, information from this complex ecosystem is scarce, punctual and unpublished in the scientific literature. The present work includes the compilation and review of available flori-faunistic and environmental information -unpublished within the scientific literature-, the analysis of these wetlands´ historic evolution, and evaluates the physicochemical condition of their waters. Within this framework, a plannification and management project is proposed, which includes the study and monitoring of these wetlands, which also promotes both educational and transference activities, in order to reinforce their natural resources valorisation.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet" (ILPLA

Estado, conflictos y pronóstico del complejo de humedales costeros de Punta Mogotes, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A wetland and lagoon complex is located southwards Mar del Plata city (38º 02´40´´ S and 57º 32´00´´ O, Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study area limits Northwards with oil storages for harbor purposes and with fish processing plants, Northwestwards with a palaeocliff developed during Holocene marine entry, on palaeo and cainozoic grounds. Southeastwards, with the Punta Cantera outpoint. Its northern borderline corresponds to the Natural Reserve from the Mar del Plata harbor. These are freshwater lagoons although their proximity to the sea. The main environmental problem within these wetlands and lagoons are due to human pressure (tourism, municipal, domestic and industrial sewage dumping, storage of illegal solid residues). This is accompanied by the lack of environmental planning. Moreover, information from this complex ecosystem is scarce, punctual and unpublished in the scientific literature. The present work includes the compilation and review of available flori-faunistic and environmental information -unpublished within the scientific literature-, the analysis of these wetlands´ historic evolution, and evaluates the physicochemical condition of their waters. Within this framework, a plannification and management project is proposed, which includes the study and monitoring of these wetlands, which also promotes both educational and transference activities, in order to reinforce their natural resources valorisation.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet" (ILPLA