Sympathetic Innervation of the Mammalian Pineal Gland: Its Involvement in Ontogeny and Physiology, and in Pineal Dysfunction

In mammals, the melatonin-producing pineal gland (PG) receives sympathetic innervation from the superior cervical ganglia (SCG). This chapter describes the role of this innervation on the PG’s ontogeny and rhythmic function, along with consequences to physiology when this regulation is disrupted. The PG and the SCG are components of the circadian timing system (CTS). Therefore, the overall CTS is described, including its oscillatory basis, its synchronization to the light: dark (L:D) cycles, and the dissemination of timing cues to all cells throughout the body. Pineal cellular composition and heterogeneity, cell-cell interactions, and the molecular mechanisms involved in the circadian rhythm of melatonin (MEL), are discussed. The SCG’s bilateral placement among surrounding anatomical landmarks, as well as their afferent and efferent connections, are described and illustrated. In addition, the SCG-related surgical models and the state-of-the art technology used to investigate the connection between SCG and PG are presented. Perspectives and gaps in our understanding are also discussed. We hope this chapter inspires readers to delve deeper into the field of the pineal gland and its main messenger, melatonin, as well as MEL’s impact in health and disease, including as a remedial therapy

Bootstrapped-ensemble-based Sensitivity Analysis of a trace thermal-hydraulic model based on a limited number of PWR large break loca simulations

[EN] The safety verification of nuclear systems can be done by analyzing the outputs of Best-Estimate Thermal-Hydraulic (BE-TH) codes, which allow predicting the system response under safe and accidental conditions with greater realism as compared to conservative TH codes. In this case, it is necessary to quantify and control the uncertainties in the analysis, which affect the estimated safety margins. This can be achieved by Sensitivity Analysis (SA) and Uncertainty Analysis (UA) techniques tailored to handle the large computational costs of TH codes. This work presents an Ensemble-Based Sensitivity Analysis (EBSA) based on Finite Mixture Model (FMM) as an effective solution to keep low the code runs and handle the uncertainty in the SA methods. The approach proposed is challenged against a situation of a very low number of code runs: the Bootstrap method is, then, used in support. Three different strategies based on EBSA and Bootstrap are set forth (i.e., bottom-up, all-out and filter strategies). An application is provided with respect to a Large Break Loss of Coolant Accident (LBLOCA) simulated by a TRACE model of the Zion 1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).Di Maio, F.; Bandini, A.; Zio, E.; Carlos Alberola, S.; Sanchez Saez, F.; Martorell Alsina, SS. (2016). Bootstrapped-ensemble-based Sensitivity Analysis of a trace thermal-hydraulic model based on a limited number of PWR large break loca simulations. Reliability Engineering & System Safety. 153:122-134. doi:10.1016/j.ress.2016.04.013S12213415

Monitoreo de servicios ecosistémicos en un observatorio de cafetales agroforestales. Recomendaciones para el sector cafetalero

Ocho años de estudio de la ecofisiología del café, a través de experimentación y de modelación y el monitoreo de los servicios del ecosistema (SE) en una gran finca cafetalera en Costa Rica, revelaron varias recomendaciones prácticas para los agricultores y los formuladores de políticas. El sistema de cultivo estudiado dentro de nuestro observatorio colaborativo (Coffee-Flux), corresponde a un sistema agroforestal (SAF) a base de café bajo la sombra de grandes árboles de Erythrina poeppigiana (16% de la cubierta del dosel). Una gran cantidad de SE y limitantes dependen de las propiedades locales del suelo (en este caso Andisoles), especialmente de la erosión/infiltración, el agua/carbono y la capacidad de almacenamiento de nutrientes. Por lo tanto, para la evaluación de SE, el tipo de suelo es crucial. Una densidad adecuada de árboles de sombra (bastante baja aquí por la condición de libre crecimiento), redujo la severidad de las enfermedades de las hojas con la posibilidad de reducir el uso de plaguicidas y fungicidas. Un inventario simple del área basal en el collar de las plantas de café permitió estimar la biomasa subterránea y la edad promedio de la plantación, para juzgar su valor de mercado y decidir cuándo reemplazarla. Las fincas de café probablemente estén mucho más cerca de la neutralidad de C que lo indicado en el protocolo actual de C-neutralidad, que solo considera árboles de sombra, no los cafetos ni el suelo. Se proponen evaluaciones más completas, que ncluyen árboles, café, hojarasca, suelo y raíces en el balance C del SAF. Los árboles de sombra ofrecen muchos SE si se gestionan adecuadamente en el contexto local. En comparación con las condiciones a pleno sol, los árboles de sombra pueden (i) reducir la erosión laminar en un factor de 2; (ii) aumentar la fijación de N y el % de N reciclado en el sistema, reduciendo así los requisitos de fertilizantes; (iii) reducir la severidad de enfermedades de las hojas; (iv) aumentar el secuestro de C; (v) mejorar el microclima y (vi) reducir sustancialmente los efectos del cambio climático. En nuestro estudio de caso, no se encontró ningún efecto negativo sobre el rendimiento del café

Glutamatergic ionotropic blockade within accumbens disrupts working memory and might alter the endocytic machinery in rat accumbens and prefrontal cortex

Effects of blocking N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamatergic receptors on performance in the hole board test was studied in male rats bilaterally cannulated into the nucleus accumbens (Acc). Rats, divided into 5 groups, received either 1 μl injections of saline, (±) 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (AP-7) (0.5 or 1 μg) or 2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-1,2,3,4,tetrahydrobenzo-(f)quinoxaline-7-sulphonamide disodium (NBQX, 0.5 or 1 μg) 10 min before testing. An increase by AP-7 was observed in ambulatory movements (0.5 μg; p < 0.05), non-ambulatory movements and number of movements (1 μg; p < 0.05); sniffing and total exploration (1 μg; p < 0.01). When holes were considered in order from the first to the fifth by the number of explorations, the most visited holes (first and second) of the AP-7 group were significantly higher than the corresponding holes of saline group (p < 0.05 for 0.5 μg and p < 0.001 for 1 μg). When the second hole was compared with the first of his group, a difference was only observed in the AP-7 1 μg group (p < 0.001). Increasing differences between the other holes and the first were observed by drug treatment. At molecular level, it was observed that AP-7 induced an increase of the coat protein AP-2 expression in Acc, but not AP-180 neither the synaptic protein synaptophysin. The increase of AP-2 was also observed in the medial prefrontal cortex by the action of AP-7 but not NBQX. We conclude that NMDA glutamatergic blockade might induce an activation of the endocytic machinery into the Acc, leading to stereotypies and perseverations, lacking cortical intentional direction.Fil: Baiardi, Gustavo Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Ruiz, A. M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Beling, A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Borgonovo, J.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, G.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Landa, A. I.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Sosa Escudero, Miguel Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Gargiulo, Pascual Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

Generation of human iPS cell line ihFib3.2 from dermal fibroblasts

The human ihFib3.2 iPS cell line was generated from dermal fibroblasts obtained from a healthy donor. Lentiviral particles were produced with the polycistronic hSTEMCCA vector with Oct4, Sox2, cMyc and Klf4 as reprogramming factors

Linguistic acceptability in the comprehension of health services assessment questionnaires in Ibero-America

Data de publicació electrònica: 09-07-2020La utilización de cuestionarios como instrumentos de medición implica el uso de procesos lingüísticos. La variedad intralingüística del español conlleva diferentes modos de percibir, analizar y actuar en el mundo que deben considerarse al diseñar o adaptar cuestionarios. La armonización de los cuestionarios IA-PCAT (Primary Care Assessment Tools para Iberoamérica) difiere de los escenarios de adaptación transcultural descritos en la literatura porque intenta obtener un único producto en español adecuado para numerosas poblaciones meta a partir la armonización de cuestionarios provenientes de diversas poblaciones fuente hispanohablantes, por lo que requiere innovaciones en las categorías de análisis que se utilizan. El objetivo de este trabajo es proponer definiciones discriminantes de equivalencia conceptual, equivalencia práctica y aceptabilidad lingüística como categorías de análisis para la comprensión de cuestionarios, y ofrecer ejemplos de pruebas de comprensión realizadas mediante entrevistas cognitivas con profesionales y personas usuarias de servicios de salud.The use of questionnaires as measuring tools involves the use of language. Spanish intralinguistic variation entails differences in the ways of perceiving the world, analyzing events and behaving, which must be taken into account when designing and adapting questionnaires. The IA-PCAT (Primary Care Assessment Tools for Iberomerica) harmonization process differs from the cross-cultural adaptation scenarios described in the scientific literature, since it intends to obtain a single Spanish product suitable for multiple target populations, that emanates from questionnaires previously adapted in several populations. Hence, this work requires the use of new analysis categories. The aim of this methodological note is to propose discriminant definitions of conceptual equivalence, practical equivalence and linguistic acceptability as analysis categories of the data collected during cognitive interviews to assess the questionnaires' comprehension, carried out with health professionals and users of healthcare services

Measuring and modelling energy partitioning in canopies of varying complexity using MAESPA model

Evapotranspiration and energy partitioning are complex to estimate because they result from the interaction of many different processes, especially in multi-species and multi-strata ecosystems. We used MAESPA model, a mechanistic, 3D model of coupled radiative transfer, photosynthesis, and balances of energy and water, to simulate the partitioning of energy and evapotranspiration in homogeneous tree plantations, as well as in heterogeneous multi-species, multi-strata agroforests with diverse spatial scales and management schemes. The MAESPA model was modified to add (1) calculation of foliage surface water evaporation at the voxel scale; (2) computation of an average within-canopy air temperature and vapour pressure; and (3) use of (1) and (2) in iterative calculations of soil and leaf temperatures to close ecosystem-level energy balances. We tested MAESPA model simulations on a simple monospecific Eucalyptus stand in Brazil, and also in two complex, heterogeneous Coffea agroforests in Costa Rica. MAESPA satisfactorily simulated the daily and seasonal dynamics of net radiation (RMSE = 29.6 and 28.4 W m−2; R2 = 0.99 and 0.99 for Eucalyptus and Coffea sites respectively) and its partitioning between latent-(RMSE = 68.1 and 37.2 W m−2; R2 = 0.87 and 0.85) and sensible-energy (RMSE = 54.6 and 45.8 W m−2; R2 = 0.57 and 0.88) over a one-year simulation at half-hourly time-step. After validation, we use the modified MAESPA to calculate partitioning of evapotranspiration and energy between plants and soil in the above-mentioned agro-ecosystems. In the Eucalyptus plantation, 95% of the outgoing energy was emitted as latent-heat, while the Coffea agroforestry system’s partitioning between sensible and latent-heat fluxes was roughly equal. We conclude that MAESPA process-based model has an appropriate balance of detail, accuracy, and computational speed to be applicable to simple or complex forest ecosystems and at different scales for energy and evapotranspiration partitioning