Records and distribution of the Afro Asian species Digitonthophagus gazella (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in Argentina

Se cita por primera vez el escarabajo coprófago Digitonthophagus gazella Fabricius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) para Argentina, por lo que se amplía su área de distribución geográfica en Sudamérica. Esta especie de origen afro-asiático fue capturada mediante colecta manual en estiércol de ganado bovino y equino, con trampas de luz y trampas de caída cebadas con estiércol en seis provincias del centro y norte argentino entre los años 2006 y 2009.The occurrence of the dung beetle Digitonthophagus gazella Fabricius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is reported for the first time for Argentina. The record of this species represents an extension of its geographical range in South America. This species of Afro Asian origin was captured by manual collection in cattle dung, light traps, and dung baited pitfall traps in six provinces of Northern and Central Argentina between 2006 and 2009.Fil: Alvarez Bohle, María Celeste. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agrimensura. Laboratorio de Biología de los Artrópodos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Damborsky, Miryam Pieri. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agrimensura. Laboratorio de Biología de los Artrópodos; ArgentinaFil: Bar, María E.. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Agrimensura. Laboratorio de Biología de los Artrópodos; ArgentinaFil: Ocampo, Federico Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Relaxation behavior of semiflexible polymers at very low frequencies

[EN] The dielectric activity of poly(monocyclohexylmethylene itaconate) (PMCI) and poly(dicyclohexylmethylene itaconate) (PDCI) in the glassy region and in the glass-rubber transition is studied by thermostimulated discharge current (TSDC) techniques. The spectra obtained by global TSDC experiments show a prominent alpha-glass-rubber relaxation peak with maxima located at 97 and 55 degrees C for PMCI and PDCI, respectively, following in decreasing order of temperature for a well developed beta absorption and a comparatively low intensity relaxation. Better resolution of the relaxation behavior of these polymers in the glassy region is obtained by calculating the components of the complex dielectric permittivity epsilon* at extremely low frequencies from partial TSDC experiments. The ac spectra thus obtained suggest that the beta absorption is composed by two relaxations, each of them presumably associated with the motions of a side group. The differences observed in these spectra with those reported for the beta mechanical relaxation reported for these polymers in the literature are interpreted in terms of the restrictions that the side groups produce in the conformational space of phase of the backbone. These restrictions also explain the small changes in enthalpy in the glass-rubber transition which preclude the possibility of obtaining the glass-rubber transition temperature of these polymers by differential scanning calorimetric techniques. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.Díaz Calleja, R.; Sanchis Sánchez, MJ.; Alvarez, C.; Riande, E. (1997). Relaxation behavior of semiflexible polymers at very low frequencies. Journal of Applied Physics. 81(8):3685-3691. doi:10.1063/1.364743S3685369181

Diuretic activity of aqueous extract and betulin from Colliguaja integerrima in rats

Five known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Colliguaja integerrima Gillies & Hook (Euphorbiaceae). A pharmacological evaluation of the diuretic activity of the plant was carried out in isotonic saline-loaded rats. The data reported in the present work indicate that the aqueous extract of the aerial parts from C. integerrima showed a moderate diuretic activity. The urinary levels of sodium and potassium are increased by treatment with C. integerima aqueous extract. This activity could be due, in part, to the presence of betulin isolated as the major metabolite of C. integerrima.Fil: Alvarez, María E.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Gil, Raul Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Maria Gimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Química de San Luis. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Química de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Saad, José Roberto. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Química. Area de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Borkowski, Eduardo Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; ArgentinaFil: María, Alejandra O. M.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Departamento de Química. Area de Química Orgánica; Argentin

Performance of the reconstruction algorithms of the FIRST experiment pixel sensors vertex detector

Hadrontherapy treatments use charged particles (e.g. protons and carbon ions) to treat tumors. During a therapeutic treatment with carbon ions, the beam undergoes nuclear fragmentation processes giving rise to significant yields of secondary charged particles. An accurate prediction of these production rates is necessary to estimate precisely the dose deposited into the tumours and the surrounding healthy tissues. Nowadays, a limited set of double differential carbon fragmentation cross-section is available. Experimental data are necessary to benchmark Monte Carlo simulations for their use in hadrontherapy. The purpose of the FIRST experiment is to study nuclear fragmentation processes of ions with kinetic energy in the range from 100 to 1000 MeV/u. Tracks are reconstructed using information from a pixel silicon detector based on the CMOS technology. The performances achieved using this device for hadrontherapy purpose are discussed. For each reconstruction step (clustering, tracking and vertexing), different methods are implemented. The algorithm performances and the accuracy on reconstructed observables are evaluated on the basis of simulated and experimental data

Kernel weight in maize: genetic control of its physiological and compositional determinants in a dent × flint-caribbean RIL population

The genetic control of maize kernel weight (KW) determination could be studied through its physiological and/ or compositional determinants. Our objective was to dissect the genetic control of maize KW by analyzing its physiological (KGR: kernel growth rate; KFD: kernel filling duration) and compositional (protein, oil, starch) determinants in a dent×flint Caribbean RIL population, which combines a broad genetic background with grains of high added value for industry. An additional objective was to determine the stability of the genetic control under contrasting growing conditions, for which soil nitrogen offer was modified across experiments. Heritability (H2) values were high for KW (H2 = 0.74) and intermediate for the other traits (from 0.62 to 0.42). Kernel weight had a strong correlation with KFD (r = 0.69), KGR (r = 0.60) and protein concentration (r = 0.56). Ten joint QTL with inconsistent effects across years and seven epistatic interactions were detected. Despite changes in effect size, most QTL were significant under both environments. Nine QTL were associated with variations in potential KW (KW ), mean KW, KGR and oil concentration, eight with variations in protein and starch concentration and seven with KFD. Epistatic interactions were related to regions with significant main effects. The most important finding was the existence of a common QTL for KW , KGR and KFD on chromosome 5, for which there was no previous report. Results increased our knowledge on the genetic control of KW through its phenotypic and genetic correlation with KFD, confirming the need to explore different physiological strategies in different genetic backgrounds

AB0690 Antiphospholipid antibodies and spondyloarthritis. Truth or myth? Our results in a third level hospital

[EN] The importance of antiphospholipid antibodies and their clinical involvement in thrombotic phenomena, isolated or associated with certain autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, is known. However, in spondyloarthritis (SpA) there is little published data about it.S

Left ventricular thrombus mimicking primary cardiac tumor in a patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome and recurrent systemic embolism

Primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a well-defined entity characterized by spontaneous and recurrent abortion, thrombocytopenia and recurrent vascular thromboses (arterial and venous). Left ventricular thrombus mimicking primary cardiac tumor with recurrent systemic embolism has not been previously reported. In this report we describe a 39 year-old man admitted to hospital presenting with left hemiparesis and a peripheral embolism. He had no history of thrombotic events. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a large, polypoid and mobile mass (4.0 × 1.2 cm) attached to the apex of the left ventricle, highly suggestive of primary cardiac tumor. The patient subsequently underwent open heart surgery. The histological examination showed an older thrombus and a fresh thrombus. Post-operative laboratory tests showed lupus anticoagulant activity, confirming the primary APS diagnosis. The patient initiated treatment with oral anticoagulation (INR levels between 2 and 3) and was discharged 29 days after surgery. At ten month follow-up, he was symptom-free with long-term anticoagulation therapy. No evidence of intracardiac mass recurrence on two-dimensional echocardiography was seen. Intracardiac thrombus has been rarely reported as a complication of primary APS. Left ventricular mass mimicking primary cardiac tumor with recurrent systemic embolism has not been previously reported. Pre-operative investigations could not distinguish such a thrombus from a cardiac tumor and the diagnosis was made post-operatively

Influencia de herbicidas preemergentes sobre el desarrollo de dermatofitos geofílicos en suelos agrícolas

El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer la acción ejercida por concentraciones crecientes de herbicidas de presiembra (Metrlbuzin, .Atrazina y Alachlor) sobre el crecimiento y la capacidad germinativa de Microsporum fulvum, Microsporum gypseum y Keratinomyces ajello

Deciphering predictive factors for choice of thrombopoietin receptor agonist, treatment free responses, and thrombotic events in immune thrombocytopenia

Malalties hematològiques; Trastorns immunològicsEnfermedades hematológicas; Trastornos inmunológicosHaematological diseases; Immunological disordersVery few data exist on when a particular thrombopoietin-receptor agonist (TPO-RA) is favored in clinical practice for the treatment of patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), about novel risk factors for vascular events (VE) with these drugs, nor about predictive factors for therapy free responses (TFR). We conducted an observational, retrospective, long-term follow-up multicenter study from November 2016 to January 2018 of 121 adult ITP patients initiating TPO-RA between January 2012 to December 2014. Data reflected that a platelet count ≤25 × 109/l at the time when the TPO-RA was initiated was associated with a 2.8 higher probability of receiving romiplostim vs. eltrombopag (P = 0.010). VE on TPO-RA was related to previous neoplasia in patients over 65 years (50% vs. 2.2%, P < 0.001), and to previous splenectomy in younger patients (100% vs. 33%, P = 0.001). Receiving romiplostim as first TPO-RA with no subsequent TPO-RA switching was associated with a 50% likelihood of TFR after 2.9 years of therapy (3.3 years in chronic ITP patients). These real-world data help deciphering some areas of uncertainty, and offer insight into some of the most relevant challenges of ITP which may help clinicians make appropriate treatment decisions in the management of adult ITP patients with TPO-RA