Psychological Treatment for Headache : A Pilot Study on the Efficacy of Joint Psychoeducational Group and Relaxation Training

Headache is a severe and disabling chronic condition. Literature shows that psycho-educational interventions may be useful for several chronic pain disorders. We tested an integrated psycho-educational and relaxation intervention addressed to patients suffering from headache. The outcome indicators are a direct measure of headache (headache days per month) and two indirect measures (disability due to headache and medications used). At the end of the intervention patients also filled in a satisfaction questionnaire. Forty-seven subjects participated to the study. The treatment significantly reduced frequency of headache attacks (Wilcoxon p<0.01) and disability caused by headache (Wilcoxon p<0.001). There was also a sensible reduction in medication use. Almost all patients judged the intervention positively. An integrated approach may be very useful to ameliorate the burden of headache, to discontinue medication and to improve quality of lif

Disipación de los insecticidas pirimifós-metil y diclorvós en granos de maíz (Zea mays L.) almacenados

The aim of this work was to analyze the dissipation dynamics of the insecticides pirimi-phos-methyl and dichlorvos in maize (Zea mays L.) grains after post-harvest spray applications. The recommendations for their use for Argentina and the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established by local and international pesticide regulations were considered. Supervised experimental trials were conducted in stored maize grains treated with 10 cc.t-1 of pirimiphos-methyl and 20 cc.t-1 of dichlorvos. Samples were monitored 2, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days after application. The pesticides were extracted from the maize grains using the QuEChERS technique and the residues were determined using high-resolution gas chromatography with mass detector. Residue dissipation percentages and daily dissipation rates differed between active ingredients. At 48 hours after application, pirimiphos-methyl residues were 5.1±0.42 μg.g-1, i.e. below the MRLs established by the Argentine Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (10 μg.g-1), the USA (8 μg.g-1) and the Codex Alimentarius (7 μg.g-1), and close to the MRLs established by the EU (5 μg.g-1). Dichlorvos residues reached 2.97±0.27 μg.g-1, and required at least a 90-day withholding period to be lower than the MRLs of the EU.El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la dinámica de disipación de los insecticidas pirimifós-metil y diclorvós aplicados durante el almacenamiento de granos de maíz (Zea mays L.). Se compararon los niveles de residuos recomendados para Argentina con el Límite Máximo de Residuos (LMR) establecido internacionalmente. Los ensayos fueron realizados en un ambiente controlado. Se aplicaron dosis de 10 cm3.t-1 de pirimifós-metil y 20 cm3.t-1 de diclorvós sobre granos de maíz almacenados. Las muestras se tomaron a los 2, 30, 60, 90 y 120 días desde la aplicación. La extracción de plaguicidas del tejido vegetal se realizó mediante la técnica QuEChERS y la determinación de residuos por cromatografía gaseosa de alta resolución con detector de masa. El porcentaje de disipación de residuos y la tasa diaria de disipación fue diferente para ambos principios activos. Los residuos de pirimifós-metil a las 48 horas de la aplicación fueron de 5,1±0,42 μg.g-1, i.e., estuvieron por debajo de los LMR establecidos por SENASA (10 μg.g-1), EUA (8 μg.g-1), Codex Alimentarius (7 μg.g-1) y cercanos a los LMR de UE (5 μg.g-1). Para diclorvós los residuos a los 30 días alcanzaron valores de 2,97±0,27 μg.g-1 y se requirieron al menos 90 días para alcanzar valores menores a los LMR de la UE.publishedVersionFil: Strada, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Argentina.Fil: Strada, Julieta. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi; Argentina.Fil: Bruno, Cecilia Inés. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Cátedra de Estadística y Biometría; Argentina.Fil: Bruno, Cecilia Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT Córdoba); Argentina.Fil: Rojas, Dante E. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria (CNIA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos (ITA). Laboratorio de Contaminantes Químicos; Argentina.Fil: Cristos, Diego S. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria (CNIA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos (ITA). Laboratorio de Contaminantes Químicos; Argentina.Fil: Nasetta, Mirtha María. Gobierno de la Provincia de Córdoba. Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (MINCyT). Centro de Excelencia en Productos y Procesos (CEPROCOR); Argentina.Fil: Balzarini, Mónica Graciela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Cátedra de Estadística y Biometría; Argentina.Fil: Balzarini, Mónica Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Centro Científico Tecnológico (CCT Córdoba); Argentina.Fil: Conles, Martha Yolanda. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Ricca, Alejandra P. Instituto de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires; Argentina.Fil: Martínez, María José. Instituto de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Laboratorio Calidad Nutricional de Granos; Argentina

Utilização de chuveiros na sala pré-ordenha e sua influência na produtividade de búfalas da raça Murrah (Bubalus bubalis).

O estudo foi realizado com 64 búfalas, em dois tratamentos (1 e 2), durante seis dias. No primeiro, antes da ordenha, os animais permaneceram 1h em sala de espera com acesso ao chuveiro No segundo, os animais não tiveram acesso ao chuveiro. Foram registrados Índice de Temperatura de Globo e Umidade (ITGU) e a Umidade Relativa (UR) das salas de ordenha e de espera, Temperatura de Corpo (TC), Frequência Respiratória (FR), Reatividade (REAT), Nível de Estresse (NEST) e a Produção Diária de Leite (PL). Os dados foram analisados com o auxílio do programa SAS. O efeito da FR não foi significativo (P>0,57) sobre a PL. Não houve diferença significativa na PL para a REAT. O NEST foi o mesmo nos dois tratamentos. As regressões da característica (PL_AJ) sobre ITGU Interno (ITGU_I), ITGU Externo (ITGU_E), TC e UR não foram significativas (P>0,12). No tratamento 2 foram observados maior número de animais em classes de estresse, verificou-se que o tratamento 1 possibilitou a mudança ( alguns animais) da zona de alerta ou estresse para a zona de conforto térmico em relação ao ITGU_I. No tratamento 2, todos os animais estavam em estresse térmico. Os animais submetidos ao estresse calórico em ambas as situações utilizaram com eficiência o seu sistema termorregulador, sem interferir na produção de leite

Afforestation impact on soil temperature in regional climate model simulations over Europe

In the context of the first phase of the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment in the European domain (EURO-CORDEX) flagship plot study on Land Use and Climate Across Scales (LUCAS), we investigate the biophysical impact of afforestation on the seasonal cycle of soil temperature over the European continent with an ensemble of 10 regional climate models. For this purpose, each ensemble member performed two idealized land cover experiments in which Europe is covered either by forests or grasslands. The multi-model mean exhibits a reduction of the annual amplitude of soil temperature (AAST) due to afforestation over all European regions, although this is not a robust feature among the models. In the Mediterranean, the spread of simulated AAST response to afforestation is between −4 and +2 ∘C at 1 m below the ground, while in Scandinavia the inter-model spread ranges from −7 to +1 ∘C. We show that the large range in the simulated AAST response is due to the representation of the summertime climate processes and is largely explained by inter-model differences in leaf area index (LAI), surface albedo, cloud fraction and soil moisture, when all combined into a multiple linear regression. The changes in these drivers essentially determine the ratio between the increased radiative energy at surface (due to lower albedo in forests) and the increased sum of turbulent heat fluxes (due to mixing-facilitating characteristics of forests), and consequently decide the changes in soil heating with afforestation in each model. Finally, we pair FLUXNET sites to compare the simulated results with observation-based evidence of the impact of forest on soil temperature. In line with models, observations indicate a summer ground cooling in forested areas compared to open lands. The vast majority of models agree with the sign of the observed reduction in AAST, although with a large variation in the magnitude of changes. Overall, we aspire to emphasize the biophysical effects of afforestation on soil temperature profile with this study, given that changes in the seasonal cycle of soil temperature potentially perturb crucial biochemical processes. Robust knowledge on biophysical impacts of afforestation on soil conditions and its feedbacks on local and regional climate is needed in support of effective land-based climate mitigation and adaption policies

Short-term economic impact of the Zika virus outbreak

Summary Zika virus (ZIKV) is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes bites. However, transmission by sexual contacts has been reported in 11 non endemic countries. The rapid spread of ZIKV in Latin American and Caribbean Countries (LCR), person-to-person transmission and perceived risk on people’s well being can affect the emerging economies of LCR which historically dependent on truism. Here we present an analysis on economic outputs for assessing the current impact of ZIKV on markets. Our analysis show an unexpected resilience of LCR markets to international alerts. This positive response represents an opportunity to scale-up interventions for preventing the further spreading of the ZIKV epidemic