Drought impacts assessment in Brazil - a remote sensing approach

Climate extremes are becoming more frequent in Brazil; studies project an increase in drought occurrences in many regions of the country. In the south, drought events lead to crop yield losses affecting the value chain and, therefore, the local economy. In the northeast, extended periods of drought lead to potential land degradation, affecting the livelihood and hindering local development. In the southern Amazon, an area that experienced intense land use change (LUC) in the last, the impacts are even more complex, ranging from crop yield loss and forest resilience loss, affecting ecosystem health and putting a threat on the native population traditional way of living. In the studies here we analyzed the drought impacts in these regions during the 2000s, which vary in nature and outcomes. We addressed some of the key problems in each of the three regions: i) for the southern agriculture, we tackled the problem of predicting soybean yield based on within-season remote sensing (RS) data, ii) in the northeast we mapped areas presenting trends of land degradation in the wake of an extended drought and, iii) in southern Amazon, we characterized a complex degradation cycle encompassing LUC, fire occurrence, forest resilience loss, carbon balance, and the interconnectedness of these factors impacting the local climate. Advisor: Brian D. Wardlo

A new reconstruction method in the Fourier domain for 3D positron emission tomography

International audienc

Flow features and micro-particle deposition in a human respiratory system during sniffing

As we inhale, the air drawn through our nose undergoes successive accelerations and decelerations as it is turned, split and recombined before splitting again at the end of the trachea as it enters the bronchi. Fully describing the dynamic behaviour of the airflow and how it transports inhaled particles poses a severe challenge to computational simulations. In this paper we explore two aspects: the dynamic behaviour of airflow during a rapid inhalation (or sniff) and the transport of inhaled aerosols. The development of flow unsteadiness from a laminar state at entry to the nose through to the turbulent character of tracheal flow is resolved using accurate numerical models with high performance computing-based large scale simulations. Combining the flow solution with a Lagrangian computation reveals the effects of flow behaviour and airway geometry on the deposition of inhaled microparticles. Improved modelling of airflow and delivery of therapeutic aerosols could be applied to improve diagnosis and treatment

Antagonism of Bacillus safensis strain against phytopathogenic bacteria

Citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), is a bacterial disease which affects all the citrics. One alternative to manage it is the use of antagonist bacteria. The aim of this work was to investigate the antagonist activity of Bacillus safensis (S9) against Xcc. The activity was tested by diffusion assays. Xcc and S9 were grown overnight in Luria Bertani (LB) and potato dextrose (PD) medium, respectively, with continuous agitation at 28°C and then, were diluted to a concentration of 108 CFU/mL. Petri dishes were covered with 15 mL of LB-agar containing 100 μL of the Xcc dilution. Once the medium was solidified, 4 μL drops of S9 were inoculated 3 times in each Petri dish, and the experiment was made by triplicate. After 48 hours of incubation at 28°C, the inhibition zone was measured, and the average inhibition area was calculated as IA = average area of the inhibition zone - average area of the colony. A significant inhibition area of 5.18 cm2 was obtained (one-sample t- test, p<0.05). At the same time, diffusion assays with the supernatant were made to prove its inhibitory ability. Petri dishes were prepared as described above. The supernatant was obtained by centrifugation of the S9 culture grown in PD medium, and then by bacteria filtration. Three filter paper discs embedded with the supernatant were placed per Petri dish, by triplicate. The inhibition zone was measured after 48 hours and calculated the IA. A significant inhibition area of 2.29 cm2 was obtained (one-sample t-test, p<0.05). Besides, a study at genomic level comparing S9 with ten Bacillus strains was made. Different clusters of secondary metabolite synthesis pathways were detected, three common with B. velezensis strains (surfactin, basilicin and bacilibactin). These strains were tested as inhibitors of Xcc and they did not show inhibition (Bacillus sp and B. megaterium) or showed less inhibition (B. velezensis). The difference might be on the expression level of the clusters. These results suggest the potential use of S9 as a canker control agent and further studies will be necessary to identify the Xcc- inhibitor metabolite.Fil: Olivella, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Gaido, Jimena Daiana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral. - Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Ciencias Agropecuarias del Litoral.; ArgentinaFil: Torres Manno, Mariano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Petitti, Tomás Denis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Espariz, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Daurelio, Lucas Damian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaLVII Annual Meeting of the Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research; XVI Annual Meeting of the Argentinean Society for General MicrobiologyBuenos AiresArgentinaSociedad Argentina de Bioquímica y Biología MolecularSociedad Argentina de Microbiología Genera

MAP6-F is a temperature sensor that directly binds to and protects microtubules from cold-induced depolymerization.: Microtubule stabilization by MAP6

International audienceMicrotubules are dynamic structures that present the peculiar characteristic to be ice-cold labile in vitro. In vivo, microtubules are protected from ice-cold induced depolymerization by the widely expressed MAP6/STOP family of proteins. However, the mechanism by which MAP6 stabilizes microtubules at 4 °C has not been identified. Moreover, the microtubule cold sensitivity and therefore the needs for microtubule stabilization in the wide range of temperatures between 4 and 37 °C are unknown. This is of importance as body temperatures of animals can drop during hibernation or torpor covering a large range of temperatures. Here, we show that in the absence of MAP6, microtubules in cells below 20 °C rapidly depolymerize in a temperature-dependent manner whereas they are stabilized in the presence of MAP6. We further show that in cells, MAP6-F binding to and stabilization of microtubules is temperature- dependent and very dynamic, suggesting a direct effect of the temperature on the formation of microtubule/MAP6 complex. We also demonstrate using purified proteins that MAP6-F binds directly to microtubules through its Mc domain. This binding is temperature-dependent and coincides with progressive conformational changes of the Mc domain as revealed by circular dichroism. Thus, MAP6 might serve as a temperature sensor adapting its conformation according to the temperature to maintain the cellular microtubule network in organisms exposed to temperature decrease

ATPe dynamics in protozoan parasites. Adapt or Perish

In most animals, transient increases of extracellular ATP (ATPe) are used for physiological signaling or as a danger signal in pathological conditions. ATPe dynamics are controlled by ATP release from viable cells and cell lysis, ATPe degradation and interconversion by ecto-nucleotidases, and interaction of ATPe and byproducts with cell surface purinergic receptors and purine salvage mechanisms. Infection by protozoan parasites may alter at least one of the mechanisms controlling ATPe concentration. Protozoan parasites display their own set of proteins directly altering ATPe dynamics, or control the activity of host proteins. Parasite dependent activation of ATPe conduits of the host may promote infection and systemic responses that are beneficial or detrimental to the parasite. For instance, activation of organic solute permeability at the host membrane can support the elevated metabolism of the parasite. On the other hand ecto-nucleotidases of protozoan parasites, by promoting ATPe degradation and purine/pyrimidine salvage, may be involved in parasite growth, infectivity, and virulence. In this review, we will describe the complex dynamics of ATPe regulation in the context of protozoan parasite–host interactions. Particular focus will be given to features of parasite membrane proteins strongly controlling ATPe dynamics. This includes evolutionary, genetic and cellular mechanisms, as well as structural-functional relationships.Fil: Lauri, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bazzi, Zaher. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, Cora Lilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Leal Denis, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Química Analítica y Fisicoquímica; ArgentinaFil: Schachter, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Herlax, Vanesa Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Ostuni, Mariano. Inserm; Francia. Universite Paris D. Diderot - Paris 7. French National Institute Of Blood Transfusion.; FranciaFil: Schwarzbaum, Pablo Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Guía básica para el muestreo y preparado de huesos actuales y fósiles para estudios histológicos

The study of bone microstructure of fossil vertebrates (i.e., paleohistology) has demonstrated to be a very important source of paleobiological information. Paleohistological studies are based on the standardized analysis of petrographic thin sections. Although the development of new technologies (e.g., microtomography) have provided non-destructive procedures for the study the fossil tissues, thin sections are still the main source of information in paleohistology. In this contribution, we provide a detailed protocol for sampling and thin-sectioning preparation of bone tissue from both fossil and extant vertebrates. We describe the most common procedures for sampling and also some particularities related to variations in equipment and sampling techniques. The main goal of this contribution is to offer an alternative protocol for research teams of recent formation and/or with limited funding.El estudio de la microestructura ósea de vertebrados fósiles (i.e., paleohistología) ha demostrado ser una importante fuente de información paleobiológica. Los estudios paleohistológicos están basados en análisis estandarizados de secciones delgadas petrográficas. A pesar de que el desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías (e.g., microtomografía) ha proporcionado procedimientos no destructivos para el estudio de tejidos fósiles, las secciones delgadas continúan siendo la principal fuente de información paleohistológica. En esta contribución, proporcionamos un protocolo detallado para el muestreo y preparación de secciones delgadas de huesos de vertebrados tanto fósiles como vivientes. Se describen los procedimientos más comunes para la obtención de las muestras y se plantean diferencias particulares, las cuales están relacionadas con las variaciones del equipamiento y las técnicas de muestreo. El objetivo principal de esta contribución es proveer un protocolo alternativo para laboratorios en formación y/o con financiamiento limitado.Fil: Cerda, Ignacio Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Maria Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Garrone, Mariana Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geología. Instituto Geológico del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Ponce, Denis Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Navarro, Tamara Giselle. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Negro. Sede Alto Valle. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: González, Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Militello, Mariano. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Luna, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Jannello, Juan. University of Cape Town; Sudáfric

Large-scale CFD simulations of the transitional and turbulent regime for the large human airways during rapid inhalation

The dynamics of unsteady flow in the human large airways during a rapid inhalation were investigated using highly detailed large-scale computational fluid dynamics on a subject-specific geometry. The simulations were performed to resolve all the spatial and temporal scales of the flow, thanks to the use of massive computational resources. A highly parallel finite element code was used, running on two supercomputers, solving the transient incompressible Navier–Stokes equations on unstructured meshes. Given that the finest mesh contained 350 million elements, the study sets a precedent for large-scale simulations of the respiratory system, proposing an analysis strategy for mean flow, fluctuations and wall shear stresses on a rapid and short inhalation (a so-called sniff). The geometry used encompasses the exterior face and the airways from the nasal cavity, through the trachea and up to the third lung bifurcation; it was derived from a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan of a 48-year-old male. The transient inflow produces complex flows over a wide range of Reynolds numbers (Re). Thanks to the high fidelity simulations, many features involving the flow transition were observed, with the level of turbulence clearly higher in the throat than in the nose. Spectral analysis revealed turbulent characteristics persisting downstream of the glottis, and were captured even with a medium mesh resolution. However a fine mesh resolution was found necessary in the nasal cavity to observe transitional features. This work indicates the potential of large-scale simulations to further understanding of airway physiological mechanics, which is essential to guide clinical diagnosis; better understanding of the flow also has implications for the design of interventions such as aerosol drug delivery.We acknowledge PRACE for awarding us access to resource FERMI based in Italy at Bologna hosted by Cineca. This work was financially supported by the PRACE project Pra04 693 (2011050693 to the Fourth PRACE regular call). The second author gratefully acknowledges support from project ‘MatComPhys’ under the European Research Executive Agency FP7-PEOPLE-2011- IEF framework. The third author was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [grant number EP/ M506345/1].Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Dynamic regulation of extracellular ATP in <i>Escherichia coli</i>

We studied the kinetics of extracellular ATP (ATPe) in Escherichia coli and their outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) stimulated with amphipatic peptides melittin (MEL) and mas-toparan 7 (MST7). Real-time luminometry was used to measure ATPe kinetics, ATP release, and ATPase activity. The latter was also determined by following [32P]Pi released from [γ-32P]ATP. E. coli was studied alone, co-incubated with Caco-2 cells, or in rat jejunum segments. In E. coli, the addition of [γ-32P]ATP led to the uptake and subsequent hydrolysis of ATPe. Exposure to peptides caused an acute 3-fold (MST7) and 7-fold (MEL) increase in [ATPe]. In OMVs, ATPase activity increased linearly with [ATPe] (0.1-1 mM). Exposure to MST7 and MEL enhanced ATP release by 3-7 fold, with similar kinetics to that of bacteria. In Caco-2 cells, the addition of ATP to the apical domain led to a steep [ATPe] increase to a maximum, with subsequent ATPase activity. The addition of bacterial suspensions led to a 6-7 fold increase in [ATPe], followed by an acute decrease. In perfused jejunum segments, exposure to E. coli increased luminal ATP 2 fold. ATPe regulation of E. coli depends on the balance between ATPase activity and ATP release. This balance can be altered by OMVs, which display their own capacity to regulate ATPe. E. coli can activate ATP release from Caco-2 cells and intestinal segments, a response which in vivo might lead to intestinal release of ATP from the gut lumen.Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y FisiopatológicosInstituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La PlataFacultad de Ciencias MédicasConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnica

Dynamic regulation of extracellular ATP in Escherichia coli

We studied the kinetics of extracellular ATP (ATPe) in Escherichia coli and their outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) stimulated with amphipatic peptides melittin (MEL) and mas-toparan 7 (MST7). Real-time luminometry was used to measure ATPe kinetics, ATP release, and ATPase activity. The latter was also determined by following [32P]Pi released from [γ-32P]ATP. E. coli was studied alone, co-incubated with Caco-2 cells, or in rat jejunum segments. In E. coli, the addition of [γ-32P]ATP led to the uptake and subsequent hydrolysis of ATPe. Exposure to peptides caused an acute 3-fold (MST7) and 7-fold (MEL) increase in [ATPe]. In OMVs, ATPase activity increased linearly with [ATPe] (0.1-1 mM). Exposure to MST7 and MEL enhanced ATP release by 3-7 fold, with similar kinetics to that of bacteria. In Caco-2 cells, the addition of ATP to the apical domain led to a steep [ATPe] increase to a maximum, with subsequent ATPase activity. The addition of bacterial suspensions led to a 6-7 fold increase in [ATPe], followed by an acute decrease. In perfused jejunum segments, exposure to E. coli increased luminal ATP 2 fold. ATPe regulation of E. coli depends on the balance between ATPase activity and ATP release. This balance can be altered by OMVs, which display their own capacity to regulate ATPe. E. coli can activate ATP release from Caco-2 cells and intestinal segments, a response which in vivo might lead to intestinal release of ATP from the gut lumen.Fil: Alvarez, Cora Lilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Corradi, Gerardo Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Lauri, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Marginedas Freixa, Irene. Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7; FranciaFil: Leal Denis, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Enrique, Nicolás Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; ArgentinaFil: Maté, Sabina María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata ; ArgentinaFil: Milesi, Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Estudios Inmunológicos y Fisiopatológicos; ArgentinaFil: Ostuni, Mariano Anibal. Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7; FranciaFil: Herlax, Vanesa Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata ; ArgentinaFil: Schwarzbaum, Pablo Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas "Prof. Alejandro C. Paladini". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas; Argentin