Efecto de la pudrición húmeda del capítulo de girasol [Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary] sobre el contenido de impurezas del producto cosechado, y el contenido y la acidez del aceite.

The effect of sunflower head rot on impurities in the harvested product (HP), oil content (OC) and oil acidity (OA) was studied. Levels of 0,10, 20, 30, 40, 50,80 and 100% of disease incidence (Dl) were analyzed. The HP was either weighed and left untouched or it was divided into three fractions: seeds, sclerotia and other impurities. For OC and OA measurement, we analyzed samples from each Dl level composed of seeds (S), seeds and scleratia (S+Sci), seeds and other impurities (S+Ol), and untouched original samples (S+Sct+Ol). Disease incidence significantly affected the composition of the harvested product. At greater Dl levels, seed percentage went down and impurities rose. Sclerotia were the most abundant impurities. With 100% Dl, seed represented 65% and sclerotia 25% of the HP. At greater Dl ievels, OC went down and OA rose. Content of seeds in the HP defined OC. Sclerotia content was the main reason for the increase in OA. At 100% Dl, S+Scl samples yielded 31% Jess OC and 53% more OA than the S samples. Key words: sunflower, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, oil content, oil aciditySe estudió et efecto de la pudrición húmeda del capítulo de girasol sobre el contenido de impurezas del producto cosechado (PC), el contenido de aceite (CA) y la acidez del aceite (AA). Se analizaron partidas de girasol con 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 80 y 100% de incidencia de enfermedad (IE). El PC se pesó y mantuvo intacto o se separó en tres fracciones: semillas, esclerocios y otras impurezas, para las cuales se calculó el porcentaje con respecto al peso total del PC. Para la determinación del CA y la AA se usaron muestras originales intactas (S+E+Ol) y muestras compuestas por: semillas (S); semillas y esclerocios (S+E); semillas y otras impurezas (S+Ol). La IE afectó significativamente ia composición del producto cosechado. A mayor IE el porcentaje de semillas disminuyó y las impurezas aumentaron. Los esclerocios fueron el componente más abundante de las impurezas. Con 100% de IE las semillas representaron el 65% y los esclerocios el 25% del producto cosechado. A mayor IE el CA disminuyó y la AA aumentó. El contenido de semillas en el producto cosechado definió el CA. El contenido de esclerocios fue la principal razón dei incremento de la A A. Con 100% de IE las muestras de S+E disminuyeron en 31% el CA y aumentaron en 53% la AA con respecto a muestras de S

Benefits in cardiac function by CD38 suppression: Improvement in NAD+ levels, exercise capacity, heart rate variability and protection against catecholamine-induced ventricular arrhythmias

CD38 enzymatic activity regulates NAD+ and cADPR levels in mammalian tissues, and therefore has a prominent role in cellular metabolism and calcium homeostasis. Consequently, it is reasonable to hypothesize about its involvement in cardiovascular physiology as well as in heart related pathological conditions. Aim: To investigate the role of CD38 in cardiovascular performance, and its involvement in cardiac electrophysiology and calcium-handling. Methods and results: When submitted to a treadmill exhaustion test, a way of evaluating cardiovascular performance, adult male CD38KO mice showed better exercise capacity. This benefit was also obtained in genetically modified mice with catalytically inactive (CI) CD38 and in WT mice treated with antibody 68 (Ab68) which blocks CD38 activity. Hearts from these 3 groups (CD38KO, CD38CI and Ab68) showed increased NAD+ levels. When CD38KO mice were treated with FK866 which inhibits NAD+ biosynthesis, exercise capacity as well as NAD+ in heart tissue decreased to WT levels. Electrocardiograms of conscious unrestrained CD38KO and CD38CI mice showed lower basal heart rates and higher heart rate variability than WT mice. Although inactivation of CD38 in mice resulted in increased SERCA2a expression in the heart, the frequency of spontaneous calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum under stressful conditions (high extracellular calcium concentration) was lower in CD38KO ventricular myocytes. When mice were challenged with caffeine-epinephrine, CD38KO mice had a lower incidence of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia when compared to WT ones. Conclusion: CD38 inhibition improves exercise performance by regulating NAD+ homeostasis. CD38 is involved in cardiovascular function since its genetic ablation decreases basal heart rate, increases heart rate variability and alters calcium handling in a way that protects mice from developing catecholamine induced ventricular arrhythmias.Fil: Agorrody, Guillermo. Universidad de la Republica. Facultad de Medicina; UruguayFil: Peclat, Thais R.. Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Peluso, Gonzalo. Universidad de la Republica. Facultad de Medicina; UruguayFil: Gonano, Luis Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares "Dr. Horacio Eugenio Cingolani". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares "Dr. Horacio Eugenio Cingolani"; ArgentinaFil: Santos, Leonardo. Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo; UruguayFil: van Schooten, Wim. Teneobio; Estados UnidosFil: Chini, Claudia C. S.. Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Escande, Carlos. Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo; UruguayFil: Chini, Eduardo N.. Mayo Clinic College Of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Contreras, Paola. Universidad de la Republica. Facultad de Medicina; Urugua

Internal and external electron transport barriers in the RFX-mod reversed field pinch

An interesting result of magnetic chaos reduction in RFX-mod high current discharges is the development of strong electron transport barriers. An internal heat and particle transport barrier is formed when a bifurcation process changes the magnetic configuration into a helical equilibrium and chaos reduction follows, together with the formation of a null in the q shear. Strong temperature gradients develop, corresponding to a decreased thermal and particle transport. Turbulence analysis shows that the large electron temperature gradients are limited by the onset of micro-tearing modes, in addition to residual magnetic chaos. A new type of electron transport barrier with strong temperature gradients develops more externally (r/a = 0.8) accompanied by a 30% improvement of the global confinement time. The mechanism responsible for the formation of such a barrier is still unknown but it is likely associated with a local reduction of magnetic chaos. These external barriers develop primarily in situations of well-conditioned walls so that they might be regarded as attempts towards an L-H transition. Both types of barriers occur in high-current low-collisionality regimes. Analogies with tokamak and stellarators are discussed

Overview of the RFX-mod fusion science activity

This paper reports the main recent results of the RFX-mod fusion science activity. The RFX-mod device is characterized by a unique exibility in terms of accessible magnetic con gurations. Axisymmetric and helically shaped reversed- eld pinch equilibria have been studied, along with tokamak plasmas in a wide range of q(a) regimes (spanning from 4 down to 1.2 values). The full range of magnetic con gurations in between the two, the so-called ultra-low q ones, has been explored, with the aim of studying speci c physical issues common to all equilibria, such as, for example, the density limit phenomenon. The powerful RFX-mod feedback control system has been exploited for MHD control, which allowed us to extend the range of experimental parameters, as well as to induce speci c magnetic perturbations for the study of 3D effects. In particular, transport, edge and isotope effects in 3D equilibria have been investigated, along with runaway mitigations through induced magnetic perturbations. The rst transitions to an improved con nement scenario in circular and D-shaped tokamak plasmas have been obtained thanks to an active modi cation of the edge electric eld through a polarized electrode. The experiments are supported by intense modeling with 3D MHD, gyrokinetic, guiding center and transport codes. Proposed modi cations to the RFX-mod device, which will enable further contributions to the solution of key issues in the roadmap to ITER and DEMO, are also brie y presented