The antenna DSA 3 and its potential use for Radio Astronomy

The European Space Agency (ESA) will inaugurate its third Deep Space Antenna (DSA 3) by the end of 2012. DSA 3 will be located in Argentina near the city of Malarg"ue in the Mendoza province. While the instrument will be primarily dedicated to communications with interplanetary missions, the characteristics of its antenna and receivers will also enable standalone leading scientific contributions, with a high scientific-technological return. We outline here scientific proposals for a radio astronomical use of DSA 3.Comment: 4 pages, submitted as Proceedings for the BAA

Importancia de Melophagus ovinus como vector de enfermedades en varias partes del mundo

Melophagus ovinus es un parásito hematófago distribuido a nivel mundial, que tiene una actuación fundamental como vector, por facilitar la entrada de agentes patógenos a los animales. Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos en la base de datos de Pubmed relacionados con el tema a investigar. El objetivo de esta revisión se basa en establecer la importancia del parásito como transmisor de enfermedades y describir el efecto patógeno en el ámbito veterinario, así como enumerar los principales agentes relacionados a M. ovinus tales como Trypanosoma melophagium, Anaplasma sp, Rickettsia sp, Bartonella melophagi, Theileria sp, virus de la lengua azul y Borrelia burgdorferi, así como los efectos generados en la salud animal. En conclusión, se estableció la importancia de M. ovinus como vector de enfermedades en varios países del mundo (Australia, China, India, Etiopia, Canadá, Estados Unidos, países del Medio Oriente y América del Sur) y de esa manera, el futuro efecto zoonótico de los patógenos relacionados con M. ovinus y su impacto en la producción animal

Resolución de una necrosis lingual por leptospirosis canina

The present study describes the clinical resolution of a tongue necrosis associated whit an acute renal failure due to leptospirosis. A 4 year old male Boston terrier canine was present with a tongue that showed changes of color, consistency, sensibility and lack of pulse. Regarding the renal profile urea (183 mg/ dl) and creatinine (1,8 mg/dl), values were increased and micro agglutination technique gave titers 1/3200 of Leptospira interrogans serovars, Ballum castellonis y Canicola canicola. Increased antibody titles and clinical manifestations, confirmed the diagnosis of acute kidney damage. The treatment began with fluid therapy using Ringer lactato and dextrose 5%. As leptospirosis was possible, antibiotic treatment was applied (penicillin combined with estreptomicina). Once the patient was stable, partial glosectomy was realized. Nevertheless, necrosis continued, so it was decided to use 1 mg/kg of dexametasona parenteraly during three days an then a lower dosis. Eight days later, the patient was recovered, although isostenuric urine density continued, urea (87 mg/dl) and creatinine (0,8 mg/dl) values decreased and the patient was stable. Despite corticosteroids are not recommended in acute renal failure in this case were used to control vasculitis. Considering the immune origin of vascular injury, treating the initial cause isn´t enough, reason why immunosuppressive drugs are recommended.Se describe la resolución clínica de una necrosis lingual asociada a insuficiencia renal aguda por leptospirosis. Un canino Boston terrier, macho entero de 4 años, a la exploración de la cavidad oral presentó alteraciones de la coloración, consistencia, sensibilidad y temperatura, así como ausencia de pulso en la punta de la lengua. En el perfil renal se observaron valores elevados de urea (183 mg/dl) y creatinina (1,8 mg/dl). Las pruebas de Ehrlichia y Leishmania fueron negativas, en tanto la prueba de microaglutinación microscópica, arrojó títulos de 1/3200 de los serovares Ballum castellonis y Canicola canicola de Leptospira interrogans. Los títulos elevados de anticuerpos y las manifestaciones clínicas compatibles, confirmaron el diagnóstico de daño renal agudo. Para el tratamiento se realizó fluidoterapia con Ringer lactato y dextosa al 5%. Ante la sospecha de leptospirosis se administró penicilina con estreptomicina. Una vez estabilizada, se realizó una glosectomía parcial. Sin embargo, como la necrosis continuó avanzando, se decidió administrar 1 mg/kg de dexametasona por vía parenteral cada 12 horas, durante 3 días, y luego dosis decreciente. A los 8 días, el paciente estaba recuperado, aunque todavía poseía densidad urinaria isostenúrica. El valor de urea fue de 87 mg/dl y el de creatinina 0,8 mg/ dl, con un paciente recuperado. Si bien, los corticoides no se recomiendan ante un daño renal agudo, el uso de dexametasona estaría indicado para resolver el daño vascular

More Urbanization, Fewer Bats: The Importance of Forest Conservation in Honduras

Urbanization is a phenomenon that results in fragmentation and eventual destruction of forests. Suburbanization is a subset of that same phenomenon in which fragmentation has resulted in the retention of small patches of the original forest and surviving old growth trees. Alternatively, the area surrounding the central city had been cleared for agricultural use and the suburban residents have planted many trees in parks and private property. This fragmentation will of course affect many species of bats, including species of the family Phyllostomidae. In this work, we estimate and compare the diversity of phyllostomid bats in three landscapes in Honduras: forests, suburban, and urban areas, from 2015 to 2018. Concurrently, we compared bat activity patterns based on the hour and percentage of moonlight at the time they were captured, and we compared external measurements, forearm and ear length. Urban areas are the least diverse and exhibited the lowest abundance. The forearm and ear length were significantly different only between forests and urban areas. The degree of lunar phobia also differed among those landscapes, but the time of capture did not differ. This is the first attempt to describe the activity patterns of phyllostomids in these studied areas and the effect of urbanization on Honduran bats. As expected, we found that from forests to cities, the diversity and abundance of phyllostomids decreased. However, there are many gaps in our knowledge of how totally or partially urbanized areas are affecting phyllostomid bats in Honduras

Los xenartros de Honduras: nuevos registros, principales amenazas y comentarios sobre su estado de conservación

The Xenarthra are one of the least studied mammalian groups in Honduras. Their ecology, natural history, and distribution in the country are poorly known. Here we compile and discuss, for the first time, the available information about the seven species of Xenarthra that occur in Honduras. We also present new distribution records and comment on their main threats. The lack of specific scientific studies, poaching, illegal traffic, cultural beliefs, and deforestation are among the main threats to xenarthrans in Honduras.Xenarthra es uno de los grupos de mamíferos menos estudiados en Honduras, y de los que menos se sabe sobre su ecología, historia natural y distribución en el país. Aquí recopilamos y discutimos, por primera vez, la información disponible de cada una de las siete especies de Xenarthra que ocurren en Honduras. También presentamos nuevos registros de distribución y comentamos sobre las principales amenazas. La falta de estudios científicos, la cacería y el tráfico ilegal, creencias culturales y la deforestación están entre algunas de las principales amenazas para los xenartros en Honduras.Fil: Turcios Casco, Manfredo A.. Instituto Nacional de Conservación y Desarrollo Foresta; HondurasFil: Ávila Palma, Hefer D.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras; HondurasFil: Martínez, Marcio. Instituto Nacional de Conservación y Desarrollo Foresta; HondurasFil: Trejo Ordoñez, Eduardo J.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras; HondurasFil: Meza Flores, David E.. Asociación de Investigación para el Desarrollo Ecológico y Socioeconómico; HondurasFil: Castañeda, Franklin. Panthera; HondurasFil: King, Travis. Washington State University; Estados UnidosFil: Thornton, Daniel. Washington State University; Estados UnidosFil: Superina, Mariella. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

Muscle transcriptome analysis reveals molecular pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation, antioxidant defense, fatness and growth in Mangalitsa and Moravka pigs

This work was aimed at evaluating loin transcriptome and metabolic pathway differences between the two main Serbian local pig breeds with divergent characteristics regarding muscle growth and fatness, as well as exploring nutrigenomic effects of tannin supplementation in Mangalitsa (MA) pigs. The study comprised 24 Mangalitsa and 10 Moravka (MO) males, which were kept under identical management conditions. Mangalitsa animals were divided in two nutritional groups (n = 12) receiving a standard (control) or tannin–supplemented diet (1.5%; MAT). Moravka pigs were fed the standard mixture. All animals were slaughtered at a similar age; 120 kg of average live weight (LW) and loin tissue was used for RNA‐seq analysis. Results showed 306 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) according to breed, enriched in genes involved in growth, lipid metabolism, protein metabolism and muscle development, such as PDK4, FABP4, MYOD1 and STAT3, as well as a relevant number of genes involved in mitochondrial respiratory activity (MT‐NDs, NDUFAs among others). Oxidative phosphorylation was the most significantly affected pathway, activated in Mangalitsa muscle, revealing the basis of a different muscle metabolism. Also, many other relevant pathways were affected by breed and involved in oxidative stress response, fat accumulation and development of skeletal muscle. Results also allowed the identification of potential regulators and causal networks such as those controlled by FLCN, PPARGC1A or PRKAB1 with relevant regulatory roles on DEGs involved in mitochondrial and lipid metabolism, or IL3 and TRAF2 potentially controlling DEGs involved in muscle development. The Tannin effect on transcriptome was small, with only 23 DEGs, but included interesting ones involved in lipid deposition such as PPARGC1B. The results indicate a significant effect of the breed on muscle tissue gene expression, affecting relevant biological pathways and allowing the identification of strong regulatory candidate genes to underlie the gene expression and phenotypic differences between the compared groups

Unusual flexibility of mesophase pitch-derived carbon materials:an approach to the synthesis of graphene

Structural flexibility in a petroleum pitch-derived carbon material has been indirectly evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), immersion calorimetry and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements. Exposure of the carbon material to an organic solvent (e.g., n-nonane) gives rise to a large internal rearrangement, associated with a drastic re-ordering of the graphitic microdomains. These structural changes are also associated with a high flexibility of the internal porous network, as observed by inelastic neutron scattering measurements. The internal rearrangement and the structural flexibility could be responsible for the excellent performance of this kind of activated carbons in a wide variety of adsorption processes. Last but not least, the structural characteristics of these carbon materials composed of graphitic microdomains has been used to synthesize graphene “egg-like” flakes following a simple procedure based on exfoliation with organic solvents

Sistema de valoración del control postural de bajo costo

El control postural es la capacidad de mantenerse estable y mantener una alineación correcta del cuerpo, coordinando las articulaciones y músculos para evitar la caída en condiciones tanto estáticas como dinámicas.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Calculating the QED correction to the hadronic vacuum polarisation on the lattice

Isospin-breaking corrections to the hadron vacuum polarization component of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon are needed to ensure the theoretical precision of gμ - 2 is below the experimental precision. We describe the status of our work calculating, using lattice QCD, the QED correction to the light and strange connected hadronic vacuum polarization in a Dashen scheme. We report results using physical N f = 2 + 1 + 1 HISQ ensembles at three lattice spacings and three heavier-than-light valence quark masses