Soil salinization in marshes : study case: Samborombón Bay wetland, Argentina

En el sector sur de la Bahía de Samborombón (Buenos Aires, Argentina) se desarrolla una extensa marisma que forma un humedal intermareal. En ella se realizaron distintas obras de ingeniería con el fin de evitar el ingreso del flujo mareal y lograr una mayor extensión del área de pastoreo. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar si la regulación de los flujos mareales ocasiona una modificación en el contenido de cloruros en los sedimentos superficiales, afectando la salinidad de los suelos del humedal. Se realizaron interpretaciones de imágenes satelitales, relevamientos de campo, muestreos de sedimentos y mediciones de niveles y conductividad eléctrica del agua superficial y subterránea. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron reconocer cómo las obras de ingeniería (terraplenes de contención y caminos internos) alteran el comportamiento hidrológico natural y en consecuencia el contenido de cloruros en el sedimento. Problemas de salinización de suelos se reconocen en sectores donde el agua mareal se acumula y luego se evapora formando precipitados de halita. Las futuras obras deberán planificarse de forma tal de minimizar la alteración de los flujos de agua con el fin de lograr un manejo sustentable de los recursos naturales en el humedal.The southern sector of the Samborombón Bay (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an extensive marsh that is associated with an intertidal wetland environment. Different engineering works were built to avoid tidal inflow and to increase the livestock grazing areas. The objective of this work is to assess if the regulation of tidal inflow causes a chloride content change in the surface sediments, affecting the soil salinity of the wetland. Interpretation of satellite images, field surveys, sampling of sediments, and electrical conductivity and levels measurements of surface and groundwater were carried out. The results allowed us to recognize how engineering works (embankments and internal roads) alter the natural hydrological behavior, and, therefore the chloride content in the sediment. Soil salinization problems are recognized in areas where the tidal water accumulates and then evaporates forming halite precipitates. Future engineering works should be planned so as to minimize the alteration of the water flow in order to achieve a sustainable management of natural resources in the wetland.Fil: Carol, Eleonora S.. Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Kruse, Eduardo E.. Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Cellone, Francisco A.. Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Effect of Butoconazole Nitrate 2% Vaginal Cream and Miconazole Nitrate 2% Vaginal Cream Treatments in Patients with Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

In a multicenter, randomized, invesgtigator-blind, parallel study, 398 patients were dispensed topical butoconazole nitrate 2% cream for 3 days (n = 199) or miconazole nitrate 2% cream for 7 days (n = 199) for vaginal use. Efficacy analyses included 254 patients with culture-confirmed Candida (119 butoconazole and 135 miconazole users). Of the 398 patients issued study medication, 9 were lost to follow-up. Therefore, safety analyses included 389 patients (197 butoconazole and 192 miconazole users). Evaluations upon admission and approximately 8 and 30 days post-treatment included Candida cultures, potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mounts, and vulvovaginal examinations, with rating of vulvovaginal signs and symptoms using a 4-point scale. Rates of clinical cure (based on sign/symptom scores), microbiologic cure (based on cultures and wet mounts), and therapeutic cure (both clinical and microbiologic cures) were assessed and were to be similar between the regimens. Therapeutic cure rates were 57.8% and 61.4% for butoconazole and miconazole, respectively. Three-day butoconazole treatment was as safe and effective as 7-day miconazole therapy in treating vulvovaginal candidiasis

Salinización de suelos en marismas

En el sector sur de la Bahía de Samborombón (Buenos Aires, Argentina) se desarrolla una extensa marisma que forma un humedal intermareal. En ella se realizaron distintas obras de ingeniería con el fin de evitar el ingreso del flujo mareal y lograr una mayor extensión del área de pastoreo. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar si la regulación de los flujos mareales ocasiona una modificación en el contenido de cloruros en los sedimentos superficiales, afectando la salinidad de los suelos del humedal. Se realizaron interpre- taciones de imágenes satelitales, relevamientos de campo, muestreos de sedimentos y mediciones de niveles y conductividad eléctrica del agua superficial y subterránea. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron reconocer cómo las obras de ingeniería (terraplenes de contención y caminos internos) alteran el comportamiento hidrológico natural y en consecuencia el contenido de cloruros en el sedimento. Problemas de salinización de suelos se reconocen en sectores donde el agua mareal se acumula y luego se evapora formando precipitados de halita. Las futuras obras deberán planificarse de forma tal de minimizar la alteración de los flujos de agua con el fin de lograr un manejo sustentable de los recursos naturales en el humedal.The southern sector of the Samborombón Bay (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an extensive marsh that is associated with an intertidal wetland environment. Different engineering works were built to avoid tidal inflow and to increase the livestock grazing areas. The objective of this work is to assess if the regulation of tidal inflow causes a chloride content change in the surface sediments, affecting the soil salinity of the wetland. Interpretation of satellite images, field surveys, sampling of sediments, and electrical conductivity and levels measurements of surface and groundwater were carried out. The results allowed us to recognize how engineering works (embankments and internal roads) alter the natural hydrological behavior, and, therefore the chloride content in the sediment. Soil salinization problems are recognized in areas where the tidal water accumulates and then evaporates forming halite precipitates. Future engineering works should be planned so as to minimize the alteration of the water flow in order to achieve a sustainable management of natural resources in the wetland

Risk Factors for West Nile Virus Neuroinvasive Disease, California, 2005

In 2005, 880 West Nile virus cases were reported in California; 305 case-patients exhibited neuroinvasive disease, including meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis. Risk factors independently associated with developing neuroinvasive disease rather than West Nile fever included older age, male sex, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus

Salinización de suelos en marismas. Caso de estudio: Humedal de la Bahía Samborombón, Argentina

The southern sector of the Samborombón Bay (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an extensive marsh that is associated with an intertidal wetland environment. Different engineering works were built to avoid tidal inflow and to increase the livestock grazing areas. The objective of this work is to assess if the regulation of tidal inflow causes a chloride content change in the surface sediments, affecting the soil salinity of the wetland. Interpretation of satellite images, field surveys, sampling of sediments, and electrical conductivity and levels measurements of surface and groundwater were carried out. The results allowed us to recognize how engineering works (embankments and internal roads) alter the natural hydrological behavior, and, therefore the chloride content in the sediment. Soil salinization problems are recognized in areas where the tidal water accumulates and then evaporates forming halite precipitates. Future engineering works should be planned so as to minimize the alteration of the water flow in order to achieve a sustainable management of natural resources in the wetland.En el sector sur de la Bahía de Samborombón (Buenos Aires, Argentina) se desarrolla una extensa marisma que forma un humedal intermareal. En ella se realizaron distintas obras de ingeniería con el fin de evitar el ingreso del flujo mareal y lograr una mayor extensión del área de pastoreo. El objetivo del trabajo es evaluar si la regulación de los flujos mareales ocasiona una modificación en el contenido de cloruros en los sedimentos superficiales, afectando la salinidad de los suelos del humedal. Se realizaron interpretaciones de imágenes satelitales, relevamientos de campo, muestreos de sedimentos y mediciones de niveles y conductividad eléctrica del agua superficial y subterránea. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron reconocer cómo las obras de ingeniería (terraplenes de contención y caminos internos) alteran el comportamiento hidrológico natural y en consecuencia el contenido de cloruros en el sedimento. Problemas de salinización de suelos se reconocen en sectores donde el agua mareal se acumula y luego se evapora formando precipitados de halita. Las futuras obras deberán planificarse de forma tal de minimizar la alteración de los flujos de agua con el fin de lograr un manejo sustentable de los recursos naturales en el humedal

Draft genome sequence of chloride-tolerant Leptospirillum ferriphilum Sp-Cl from industrial bioleaching operations in northern Chile

Indexación: Web of Science; PubMedLeptospirillum ferriphilum Sp-Cl is a Gram negative, thermotolerant, curved, rod- shaped bacterium, isolated from an industrial bioleaching operation in northern Chile, where chalcocite is the major copper mineral and copper hydroxychloride atacamite is present in variable proportions in the ore. This strain has unique features as compared to the other members of the species, namely resistance to elevated concentrations of chloride, sulfate and metals. Basic microbiological features and genomic properties of this biotechnologically relevant strain are described in this work. The 2,475,669 bp draft genome is arranged into 74 scaffolds of 74 contigs. A total of 48 RNA genes and 2,834 protein coding genes were predicted from its annotation; 55 % of these were assigned a putative function. Release of the genome sequence of this strain will provide further understanding of the mechanisms used by acidophilic bacteria to endure high osmotic stress and high chloride levels and of the role of chloride-tolerant iron-oxidizers in industrial bioleaching operations.https://standardsingenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40793-016-0142-

A microfluidic study to investigate the effect of magnetic iron core-carbon shell nanoparticles on displacement mechanisms of crude oil for chemical enhanced oil recovery

The main objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of the simultaneous use of a surfactant mixture and magnetic iron core-carbon shell nanoparticles on oil recovery via a microfluidic study based on the rock-on-a-chip technology. The surfactant solution used for all experiments was prepared based on a field formulation and consisted of a mixture of a hydrophilic and a lipophilic surfactant. Magnetic iron core-carbon shell nanoparticles with a mean particle size of 60 nm and a surface area of 123 m2 g−1 were employed. The displacement experiments consisted of waterflooding, surfactant flooding and nanoparticle-surfactant flooding and were performed using PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane)-glass microdevices type random network. The characteristics and design of the microfluidic device allowed to emulate a mixed wettability of a porous medium. Then, the oil was displaced by injecting the solution at a constant injection rate, until steady-state conditions were obtained. Furthermore, the effect of three injection rates corresponding to 0.1 ft day−1, 1 ft day−1, and 10 ft day−1 was investigated. The increase in the injection rate favored the oil recovery percentage. In addition, for all injection rates, the oil recovery decreased in the following order: nanoparticle-surfactant flooding > surfactant flooding > waterflooding. The nanoparticle-surfactant system at the injection rate of 1.9 μL min−1 presented the highest oil recovery (i.e., 84%). Likewise, nanoparticle-surfactant flooding showed a more stable displacement front and consequently, the highest capillary number among the injection fluids. Oil recovery by waterflooding was the lowest among the evaluated systems due to the viscous fingering phenomena under different injection rates. In addition, it can be observed that for all injection rates, the presence of the surfactant mixture and nanoparticles reduce the viscous fingering effect. The results can be used to visually and quantitatively analyze the role of the simultaneous use of nanoparticles with surfactants in enhanced oil recovery processes.Fil: Betancur, Stefanía. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellín; Colombia. Universidad de Granada; EspañaFil: Olmos Carreno, Carol Maritza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellín; Colombia. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Haedo; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Maximiliano Sebastian. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Haedo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lerner, Betiana. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Haedo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Franco, Camilo A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellin; ColombiaFil: Riazi, Masoud. Shiraz University; IránFil: Gallego, Jaime. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellin; Colombia. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Carrasco Marín, Francisco. Universidad de Granada; EspañaFil: Cortés, Farid B.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Medellin; Colombi

Efficacy, safety, and dose of Pafuramidine, a new oral drug for treatment of first stage sleeping sickness, in a phase 2a clinical study and phase 2b randomized clinical studies

Sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis [HAT]) is caused by protozoan parasites and characterized by a chronic progressive course, which may last up to several years before death. We conducted two Phase 2 studies to determine the efficacy and safety of oral pafuramidine in African patients with first stage HAT.; The Phase 2a study was an open-label, non-controlled, proof-of-concept study where 32 patients were treated with 100 mg of pafuramidine orally twice a day (BID) for 5 days at two trypanosomiasis reference centers (Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC]) between August 2001 and November 2004. The Phase 2b study compared pafuramidine in 41 patients versus standard pentamidine therapy in 40 patients. The Phase 2b study was open-label, parallel-group, controlled, randomized, and conducted at two sites in the DRC between April 2003 and February 2007. The Phase 2b study was then amended to add an open-label sequence (Phase 2b-2), where 30 patients received pafuramidine for 10 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was parasitologic cure at 24 hours (Phase 2a) or 3 months (Phase 2b) after treatment completion. The primary safety outcome was the rate of occurrence of World Health Organization Toxicity Scale Grade 3 or higher adverse events. All subjects provided written informed consent.; Pafuramidine for the treatment of first stage HAT was comparable in efficacy to pentamidine after 10 days of dosing. The cure rates 3 months post-treatment were 79% in the 5-day pafuramidine, 100% in the 7-day pentamidine, and 93% in the 10-day pafuramidine groups. In Phase 2b, the percentage of patients with at least 1 treatment-emergent adverse event was notably higher after pentamidine treatment (93%) than pafuramidine treatment for 5 days (25%) and 10 days (57%). These results support continuation of the development program for pafuramidine into Phase 3

Screening for Gynecologic Conditions With Pelvic Examination US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

IMPORTANCE Many conditions that can affect women\u27s health are often evaluated through pelvic examination. Although the pelvic examination is a common part of the physical examination, it is unclear whether performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic women has a significant effect on disease morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE To issue a new US Preventive Services Task Force(USPSTF) recommendation on screening for gynecologic conditions with pelvic examination for conditions other than cervical cancer, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, for which the USPSTF has already made specific recommendations. EVIDENCE REVIEW The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the accuracy, benefits, and potential harms of performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women 18 years and older who are not at increased risk for any specific gynecologic condition. FINDINGS Overall, the USPSTF found inadequate evidence on screening pelvic examinations for the early detection and treatment of a range of gynecologic conditions in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women. (I statement) This statement does not apply to specific disorders for which the USPSTF already recommends screening (ie, screening for cervical cancer with a Papanicolaou smear, screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia)

Risk of Conversion to Dementia in a Mild Behavioral Impairment Group Compared to a Psychiatric Group and to a Mild Cognitive Impairment Group

Background: There is insufficient available information on behavioral changes in the absence of cognitive impairment as factors increasing the risk of conversion to dementia. Objective: To observe and analyze patients with mild behavioral impairment (MBI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and a psychiatry group (PG) to compare the risk of progression to dementia. Methods: From 677 initially assessed =60-year-old patients, a series of 348 patients was studied for a five-year period until censoring or conversion to dementia: 96 with MBI, 87 with MCI, and 165 with general psychiatry disorders, including 4 subgroups: Anxiety, Depression, Psychosis and Others. All patients were assessed with clinical, psychiatric, neurological, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging studies. Results: From 348 patients, 126 evolved to dementia (36.2%). Conversion was significantly higher in MBI (71.5%), followed by the MCI-MBI overlap (59.6%) and MCI (37.8%) groups, compared to PG (13.9%) (Log-rank p < 0.001). MCI patients mostly converted to Alzheimer's dementia, while MBI converted to frontotemporal dementia and Lewy body dementia. Patients in PG converted to Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia. Conclusion: Conversion to dementia is significantly higher in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms. The MBI concept generates a new milestone in the refining of diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and the possibility of creating neuropsychiatric profiles. Its earlier identification will allow new possibilities for therapeutic intervention.Fil: Taragano, Fernando Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; ArgentinaFil: Allegri, Ricardo Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; ArgentinaFil: Heisecke Peralta, Silvina Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; ArgentinaFil: Martelli, María I.. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Feldman, Mónica L.. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, Viviana. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: García, Virginia A.. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Tufro, Graciela. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Diego M.. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Leguizamón, Patricio Perez. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Guelar, Verónica. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Ruotolo, Eva. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Zegarra, Cecilia. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno"; ArgentinaFil: Dillon, Carol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; Argentin