514 research outputs found

    The Pleistocene Glyptodontidae Gray, 1869 (Xenarthra: Cingulata) of Colombia and some considerations about the South American Glyptodontinae

    Get PDF
    Until recently, one well-characterized Pleistocene genus of the subfamily Glyptodontinae (Glyptodon ca. 1.08-0.0011 My) was recognized in South America. In recent times, some authors have demonstrated, through the re-analysis of material originally classified as Glyptodon Owen and Hoplophorus Lund, the presence of a second species belonging to the North American glyptodontine Glyptotherium Osborn (ca. 58-12 ky BP), currently known from in Venezuela and Brazil. This situation implies the need for a new study, with modern taxonomical criteria, of those materials belonging to the Glyptodontinae, particularly in those territories where the knowledge of these taxa is scarce. Presented here is a new analysis of the Pleistocene Glyptodontidae from Colombia, including some taxonomic and paleobiogeographic remarks. The results show that the only reported Glyptodontidae specimens in Colombia belong to Glyptodon sp. In turn, the evidence suggests that only one single species of Glyptotherium is present in South America, currently assigned to Glyptotherium cf. Gl. cylindricum. However, a more accurate analysis is necessary to confirm or refute this taxonomic identification. To date, Glyptotherium present has been found only in an area parallel to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean (northern Venezuela and eastern Brazil), up to 20°S, and is always linked to lowlands. This geographic distribution agrees with the proposition of an eastern corridor during the Great American Biotic Interchange. Below this latitude, the only recorded glyptodontine corresponds to Glyptodon, which is also recorded in a strip parallel to the Cordillera de Los Andes reaching Colombia and Venezuela. Taking into account this distribution, the presence of this genus in Central America cannot be discardedAté pouco tempo, um único gênero endêmico do Pleistoceno pertencente à subfamília Glyptodontinae (Glyptodon ca. 1.08- 0.0011 Ma) era reconhecido para a América do Sul. Recentemente, alguns autores têm demonstrado, através de novas análises do material originalmente classificado como Glyptodon Owen e Hoplophorus Lund, a presença de uma segunda espécie de Glyptodontinae pertencente ao gênero norte-americano Glyptotherium (ca. 58-12 ka AP), atualmente presente na Venezuela e Brasil. Essa situação implica na necessidade de uma nova análise do material referente à Glyptodontinae, com um critério taxonômico mais moderno, especialmente em localidades onde o conhecimento desse grupo é escasso. Na presente contribuição, é apresentada uma nova análise taxonômica dos Glyptodontidae encontrados na Colômbia, incluindo algumas observações taxonômicas e paleobiogeográficas. Os resultados demonstram que o único relato de Glyptodontidae para a Colômbia pertence à Glyptodon sp. Porém, a evidência sugere que somente uma única espécie de Glyptotherium Osborn está presente na América do Sul, atualmente atribuída a Glyptotherium cf. Gl. cylindricum. Uma análise mais precisa é necessária para confirmar sua identificação taxonômica. Até agora, Glyptotherium está presente em uma faixa paralela ao Mar Caribenho e Oceano Atlântico (Norte da Venezuela e região oriental do Brasil), até 20°S, e sempre vinculado à terras baixas. Essa distribuição geográfica concorda com a proposição de um corredor oriental durante o Grande Intercâmbio Biótico Americano. Abaixo dessa latitude, o único registro de Glyptodontinae corresponde a Glyptodon, o qual também é registrado em uma faixa paralela a Cordilheira dos Andes, alcançando Colômbia e Venezuela. Levando em consideração essa distribuição, a presença desse gênero na América Central não deveria ser descartada.Fil: Zurita, Alfredo Eduardo. 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: Miño Boilini, Ángel Ramón. 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: Francia, Analia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arenas Mosqueras, José E.. Museo Geológico Nacional José Royo y Gómez; Colombi

    Nasopupillary Asymmetry

    Get PDF
    Purpose. To establish the prevalence of nasopupillary asymmetry (difference in nasopupillary distances) in the population and its relation with the interpupillary distance. Methods. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted by reviewing of 1262 medical records. The values of nasopupillary asymmetry and the interpupillary distance were obtained. A statistical analysis was made and the correlation between these variables was established. Results. Seventy-nine percent of the population presented some degree of nasopupillary asymmetry. The interpupillary distance had a very low correlation with the nasopupillary asymmetry (r=0.074, P=0.0). Conclusion. It is advisable to use the nasopupillary distance of each eye as a standard measurement

    Hablando de Ictiólogos Argentinos… Hugo Luis López.

    Get PDF
    Este es un homenaje realizado bajo mi entera responsabilidad. En mi opinión no puede cerrarse la edición de ProBiota sin publicar un número sobre quien fue su alma mater. En lo personal, hacedor de un humor irónico increíble, aunque melancólico, con tendencia al abatimiento y a hacerse responsable por todo. Mediador, proclive a “poner la oreja”, con actitud democrática hacia sus laderos, otorgando una prudente libertad de acción a quienes trabajaron o trabajan bajo su jefatura. Fiel simpatizante de River Plate, fan de Clint Eastwood y admirador incondicional de Raúl A. Ringuelet a quien estará eternamente agradecido. Si tuviera que definirlo profesionalmente, al margen de su labor académica formal, diría que es un promotor, un luchador y un historiador innato. Generador de ideas, siempre intentó reunir a aquellos científicos de trayectoria con los jóvenes iniciados en el camino de las ciencias, impulsando el trabajo en equipo. Además de su producción a nivel de su especialidad, promocionó el rescate de trabajos ya editados digitalizándolos con el fin de ponerlos a disposición de todo interesado y despertar el interés de quienes no los conocían, especialmente las publicaciones “incunables” como él las denomina. Poseedor de un espíritu inquieto y motivador, en su camino quedaron algunos intentos frustrados por circunstancias ajenas, pero a su vez, muchísimos logros con aire renovador e integrador y con una marcada originalidad. Sería interesante y necesario que alguien más con parecida inquietud, continuara gran parte de esos logros para que no quedaran truncos desperdiciando en parte tanto esfuerzo y constancia. Sólo resta comentar que aunque a veces estuvimos en veredas opuestas siempre nos tendimos la mano en apoyo mutuo. Fuiste mi mejor jefe. Gracias Hugo! Justina Ponte Góme

    Enfermería y sexualidad en el Síndrome de Down

    Get PDF
    El síndrome de Down es una alteración genética resultante de la trisomía del par 21 la cual genera unos rasgos y características fenotípicas comunes. Aunque la calidad y las condiciones de vida han mejorado con el paso del tiempo aumentando así la esperanza de vida de estas personas, su sexualidad sigue siendo un tema “tabú” para gran parte de la población. A su vez, existen diversos prejuicios y mitos que rodean este ámbito generando la errónea idea de que las personas con síndrome de Down presentan una sexualidad diferente al resto de personas. Las funciones de enfermería hacia el colectivo SD acompañarán tanto a la persona como a su familia a lo largo de su vida. La educación sexual a realizar adquiere gran importancia en términos de información y prevención, con el fin de mejorar su sexualidad y la visión de esta hacia el resto de la sociedad.Grado en Enfermerí

    The right of access to healthcare : tracing solidarity in the United Nations, Inter-American and European human Rights systems

    Get PDF
    The purpose of this contribution is to trace a solidaristic conceptualisation of the human right of access to healthcare and to contrast it with the minimalistic conceptualisation which is predominant in international human rights law. For the purposes of this work, a solidaristic conceptualisation of this human right is one based on de-commodification, a path that questions the public and private law divide in the context of the provision of healthcare services. This perspective is different from minimalism, an approach according to which this human right should be limited to healthcare treatments necessary for subsistence or survival. The research is carried out within adjudications and country assessments emerged in the context of the UN and the Inter-American and European human rights systems: Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, together with decisions from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the European Committee of Social Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. This assessment sheds light on whether any of these bodies take an approach different to the official minimalistic perspective and gets closer to solidarity. If a solidaristic perspective based on de-commodification could lead to maximize the effectiveness and universality of social rights, solidarity could start to be considered as necessary from the point of view of human rights protection

    An independent determination of the local Hubble constant

    Get PDF
    The relationship between the integrated Hβ\beta line luminosity and the velocity dispersion of the ionized gas of HII galaxies and giant HII regions represents an exciting standard candle that presently can be used up to redshifts z ~ 4. Locally it is used to obtain precise measurements of the Hubble constant by combining the slope of the relation obtained from nearby (zz \leq 0.2) HII galaxies with the zero point determined from giant HII regions belonging to an `anchor sample' of galaxies for which accurate redshift-independent distance moduli are available. We present new data for 36 giant HII regions in 13 galaxies of the anchor sample that includes the megamaser galaxy NGC 4258. Our data is the result of the first four years of observation of our primary sample of 130 giant HII regions in 73 galaxies with Cepheid determined distances. Our best estimate of the Hubble parameter is 71.0±2.8(random)±2.1(systematic)71.0\pm2.8(random)\pm2.1(systematic) km /s Mpc This result is the product of an independent approach and, although at present less precise than the latest SNIa results, it is amenable to substantial improvement.Comment: 30 pages, 28 figures, Accepted to be published in MNRA

    Sustainable production of β-Xanthophylls in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

    Get PDF
    Xanthophylls are a group of C40 pigments that belong to the carotenoids family. β-Xanthophylls, such as zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and neoxanthin are derived from β-carotene metabolism, and play a central role in the protection of photo-oxidative damage in plants and algae. These molecules have interesting applications as precursors of commercially relevant natural aromas, like safranal and damascenone. Furthermore, zeaxanthin is also widely used as a nutraceutical to improve ocular health. In this study, we engineered the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to biosynthesize zeaxanthin and violaxanthin from glucose. We used integrative vectors to construct a genetic stable β-xanthophylls pathway in a β-carotenogenic yeast strain. To find an effective zeaxanthin biosynthetic enzyme, we compared the titers achieved by bacterial, plant and algal β-carotene hydroxylases. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of the chloroplast transit peptide of plant and algal enzymes on zeaxanthin biosynthesis. The strain that expressed truncated version of Solanum lycopersicum β-carotene hydroxylase showed the best performance, reaching up to 4.7 mg/g DCW of zeaxanthin after 72 h cultivation in shake-flasks. Zeaxanthin producing strains were transformed with zeaxanthin epoxidase genes to further extend the pathway to violaxanthin, which was measured by UPLC-MS. To the best of our knowledge, this work presents the highest titer of zeaxanthin in S. cerevisiae reported to date, the first zeaxanthin cell factory using β-carotene hydroxylase from plants, and the first heterologous biosynthesis of violaxanthin. Financial support of FONDECYT grant No.1170745 is greatly acknowledged. Vicente F. Cataldo acknowledges CONICYT for receiving graduate scholarship

    A New Surgical Approach for the Treatment of Conjunctivochalasis: Reduction of the Conjunctival Fold with Bipolar Electrocautery Forceps

    Get PDF
    Aim. To report a new surgical technique for the treatment of conjunctivochalasis. Methods. A new surgical technique in which specially designed bipolar electrocautery forceps facilitate the complete reduction of the conjunctival folds without creating lesions near the corneoscleral limbus was designed. A retrospective revision of the medical records of patients treated with this technique between the years 2011 and 2013 was made, and eighteen eyes of sixteen patients with conjunctivochalasis treated with this new technique were included. Results. All the eyes treated showed a significant improvement with no evidence of scar lesions after a mean follow-up time of 10 months. Conclusions. The surgical technique presented here could be a good alternative for the management of conjunctivochalasis

    Application of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems for Monitoring Cylindrical Buildings

    Get PDF
    Inspection of cracks on the surface of tall structures including chimneys, towers, containment buildings, and other cylindrical shapes is executed by visual monitoring to some extent, for which skilled field crews often climb up the cylindrical structures and special equipment such as cranes are used, preventing frequent monitoring and being in many cases a time consuming, expensive and dangerous practice. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) may be a solution for visual inspection and recognition of cracks on the surface of structures in comparison with traditional methods, taking into consideration their use in other non-military fields such as agriculture, engineering and construction. These devices can be controlled manually or autonomously with computer applications. Manual control has some challenges related to the necessity of flying the SUAS very close to the structure and maintaining their line of sight, and for that reason, autonomous missions may be a convenient option in order to use those devices for the inspection and recognition of cracks in structures. This work assesses the possibility of using autonomous missions in SUAS for the visual inspection of cylindrical structures. A series of computer applications were developed in order to control the SUAS and their flight around a simple cylindrical building while taking pictures. This study also tests the applications to see if they are working properly with a certain level of tolerance. This research gives a clear idea as to how accurately one can autonomously control the position of SUAS for cylindrical structures’ monitoring, which will be used to develop more sophisticated applications in the future
    corecore