Evaluation of Mesocyclops annulatus (Copepoda: Cyclopoidea) as a control agent of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in Argentina.

We evaluated the potential of Mesocyclops annulatus as a control agent of Aedes aegypti in La Plata city (Argentina). Mosquito larval survivorship due to predation by these copepods was estimated at weekly intervals during the oviposition period of A. aegypti. Mean weekly A. aegypti larval survivorship in cylindrical plastic containers (12 cm height and 11 cm diameter) with copepods was significantly lower than in control containers. Furthermore, weekly larval survival was negatively correlated with M. annulatus adult density, and approximately 23 adult copepods/container would be a threshold density over which the weekly mosquito larval survivorship approached zero. The copepods were able to persist in all containers during approximately 100 days (in three of them until the end of the experiment: 155 days) without the resource represented by A. aegypti larvae. The predation and persistence observed suggest that M. annulatus is a potential control agent to be considered in biological control programs.Fil: Marti, Gerardo Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Micieli, Maria Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Scorsetti, Ana Clara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Liljesthrom, Gerardo Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; Argentin

Evaluation of <i>Mesocyclops annulatus</i> (Copepoda: Cyclopoidea) as a control agent of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> (Diptera: Culicidae) in Argentina

We evaluated the potential of Mesocyclops annulatus as a control agent of Aedes aegypti in La Plata city (Argentina). Mosquito larval survivorship due to predation by these copepods was estimated at weekly intervals during the oviposition period of A. aegypti. Mean weekly A. aegypti larval survivorship in cylindrical plastic containers (12 cm height and 11 cm diameter) with copepods was significantly lower than in control containers. Furthermore, weekly larval survival was negatively correlated with M. annulatus adult density, and approximately 23 adult copepods/container would be a threshold density over which the weekly mosquito larval survivorship approached zero. The copepods were able to persist in all containers during approximately 100 days (in three of them until the end of the experiment: 155 days) without the resource represented by A. aegypti larvae. The predation and persistence observed suggest that M. annulatus is a potential control agent to be considered in biological control programs.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

“Señor de Sumalao” festivities in La Merced (Salta): sacralization practice, agencies and religious experience

en la primera expondremos una descripción de la “Fiesta Grande” y la “Fiesta Chica del Se- ñor de Sumalao”, desarrolladas en un área rural del municipio de La Merced (Salta-Argentina); en la segunda realizaremos un análisis del fenómeno religioso, presentando algunos aportes teórico-etnográficos. La descripción etnográfi ca se basará en el trabajo de campo realizado durante los últimos tres años, haciendo énfasis en los siguientes ejes: a) las diferencias observadas entre ambas fi estas; b) los gestos y actitudes religiosas de los asistentes; c) los testimonios de milagros y sanaciones; d) los relatos míticos; e) las miradas, discursos y prácticas institucionales; y f) el rol de las imágenes sagradas en el culto. Partiendo del concepto de “prácticas de sacralización” (Martin, 2007) discutiremos la perspectiva ‘durkheimniana’ acerca de lo “sagrado” y lo “profano” como categorías de análisis. Proponemos pensar este fenómeno religioso como un continuum de prácticas reguladas (institucionales) y des-reguladas (no-institucionales). Por otra parte, problematizaremos la relación entre objetos, sujetos y seres sobrenaturales, si guiendo a Latour (2008, 2007), postulando aquí también, una lectura desde el continuum de los tres elementos intervinientes en la experiencia religiosa de las personas que participan de estas Fiestas.Th is research consist of two parts: in the fi rst we will present a description of the “Fiesta Grande” and the “Fiesta Chica del Señor de Sumalao”, developed in a rural area of La Merced municipality (Salta-Argentina); in the second we will undertake an analysis of the religious phenomenon, presenting some theoretical-ethnographic contributions. Th e ethnographic description will be based on the fi eldwork realized during the last three years, putting emphasis on the following analytical foci: a) the diff erences observed between both days of celebration; b) the gestures and religious attitudes of the attendees; c) the testimonies of miracles and healings; d) the mythical stories; e) the points of view, discourses and institutional practices; and f) the role of sacred images in the cult. Departing from the concept of “practices of sacralization” (Martin, 2007), we will discuss the ‘durkheimian’ perspective concerning “the sacred and the profane” as categories of analysis. We propose to think about this religious phenomenon as a continuum of regulated (institutional) and de-regulated (non-institutional) practices. Moreover, we will problematize the relationship between objects, subjects and supernatural beings, following Latour (2008, 2007), postulating also a reading from the continuum of these three contributing elements involved in the religious experience of the participants in these Celebrations.Fil: Casimiro Cordoba, Ana Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigacines en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades; ArgentinaFil: Cosso, Pablo E.. Universidad Nacional de Salta; ArgentinaFil: Saiquita, Gerardo. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentin

Laboratory evaluation of Mesocyclops annulatus (Wierzejski, 1892) (Copepoda: Cyclopidea) as a predator of container-breeding mosquitoes in Argentina

In laboratory bioassays we tested the predatory capacity of the copepod Mesocyclops annulatus on Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens larvae. A single adult female of M. annulatus caused 51.6% and 52.3% mortality of 50 first instar larvae of Ae. aegypti and Cx. pipiens respectively, in a 72 h test period. When alternative food was added to the containers, mortality rates declined to 16% and 10.3% for Ae. aegypti and Cx. pipiens respectively. When 50 first instar larvae of each of the two mosquito species tested were placed together with a single adult female of M. annulatus, mortality rates were 75.5% for Ae. aegypti larvae and 23.5% for Cx. pipiens larvae in a three day test period. Different density of adult females of M. annulatus ranged from 5 to 25 females produced mortality rates of Ae. aegypti first instar larvae from 50% to 100% respectively. When a single adult female of M. annulatus was exposed to an increasing number of first-instar Ae. aegypti larvae ranging from 10 to 100, 100% mortality was recorded from 1 to 25 larvae, then mortality declined to 30% with 100 larvae. The average larvae killed per 24 h period by a single copepod were 29.Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectore

Spatially Resolved Monitoring of Drying of Hierarchical Porous Organic Networks

Evaporation kinetics of water confined in hierarchal polymeric porous media is studied by low field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Systems synthesized with various degrees of cross-linker density render networks with similar pore sizes but different response when soaked with water. Polymeric networks with low percentage of cross-linker can undergo swelling, which affects the porosity as well as the drying kinetics. The drying process is monitored macroscopically by single-sided NMR, with spatial resolution of 100 μm, while microscopic information is obtained by measurements of spin?spin relaxation times (T2). Transition from a funicular to a pendular regime, where hydraulic connectivity is lost and the capillary flow cannot compensate for the surface evaporation, can be observed from inspection of the water content in different sample layers. Relaxation measurements indicate that even when the larger pore structures are depleted of water, capillary flow occurs through smaller voids.Fil: Velasco, Manuel Isaac. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; ArgentinaFil: Silletta, Emilia Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Cesar Gerardo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo En Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo En Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada.; ArgentinaFil: Strumia, Miriam Cristina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Departamento de Química Orgánica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Stapf, Siegfried. Ilmenau University of Technology; AlemaniaFil: Monti, Gustavo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; ArgentinaFil: Mattea, Carlos. Ilmenau University of Technology; AlemaniaFil: Acosta, Rodolfo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentin

Enhanced surface interaction of water confined in hierarchical porous polymers induced by hydrogen bonding

Hierarchical porous polymer systems are increasingly applied to catalysis, bioengineering, or separation technology because of the versatility provided by the connection of mesopores with percolating macroporous structures. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a suitable technique for the study of such systems as it can detect signals stemming from the confined liquid and translate this information into pore size, molecular mobility, and liquid−surface interactions. We focus on the properties of water confined in macroporous polymers of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [poly- (EGDMA-co-HEMA)] with different amounts of cross-linkers, in which a substantial variation of hydroxyl groups is achieved. As soft polymer scaffolds may swell upon saturation with determined liquids, the use of NMR is particularly important as it measures the system in its operational state. This study combines different NMR techniques to obtain information on surface interactions of water with hydrophilic polymer chains. A transition from a surface-induced relaxation in which relaxivity depends on the pore size to a regime where the organic pore surface strongly restricts water diffusion is observed. Surface affinities are defined through the molecular residence times near the network surface.Fil: Silletta, Emilia Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Velasco, Manuel Isaac. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Cesar Gerardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Strumia, Miriam Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Stapf, Siegfried. Technische Universität Ilmenau; AlemaniaFil: Mattea, Carlos. Technische Universität Ilmenau; AlemaniaFil: Monti, Gustavo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Rodolfo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; Argentin

Competencias sociales y digitales del alumnado de las Aulas de Mayores en la ULPGC

Esta es una investigación sobre los programas y estudios de la Universidad para la población mayor de 55 años. Este estudio fue realizado en el año 2009 con el título: "Competencias sociales y digitales de los programas universitarios de las aulas de mayores en la universidad española: una perspectiva desde el aprendizaje colaborativo y cooperativo y las TIC”. El objetivo principal fue analizar las habilidades que el alumno de estos programas deben desarrollar a fin de mejorar su calidad de vida y su integración en la sociedad de la información y el conocimiento. Por lo tanto, basado en el concepto de aprendizaje permanente. Nos centramos en ocho competencias básicas que definen la "Recomendación del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo sobre las competencias clave para el aprendizaje permanente" (2005): ‘las habilidades sociales (interpersonales y cívicas)’ definida como las habilidades y estrategias psico-cognitivas que ayudan al individuo en los procesos de la interacción social y la ‘competencia digital’ definida como las habilidades y estrategias para el uso seguro y crítico de las tecnologías de la sociedad de la información en las áreas de trabajo, el ocio y la comunicación.This is a research about the university programs and courses of the population above 55 years old. This study was made in the year 2009 with the title: "Social competences and digitals of the university programs of the adult classrooms in the Spanish university: a perspective from the collaborative and cooperative learning and ICT”. The main aim was to analyze the abilities that the student of this programs should develop in order to improve their quality of life and their integration into the society and knowledge information. Therefore we based on the concept of lifelong learning. We focus on eight core competencies that define the “Recommendation of the European Parliament and Council on key competences for lifelong learning” (2005): ‘social skills (interpersonal and civic)’ defined as skills cognitive psycho and strategies that help the individual in processes of social interaction and ‘digital competences’ defined as skills and strategies for safe use and critical technologies of the Information Society in the areas of job, leisure and communication

Xeno-free expansion of late-adherent human olfactory mucosa cells: Towards an allogeneic therapy for neural regeneration

Human olfactory mucosa cells (hOMCs) are anchorage dependent cells that have potential for treatment of spinal cord injury. However, current hOMC therapies relied on autologous transplantation and it is not feasible to prepare and characterize sufficient quantities of cells (in the order of 107 - 108 cells) within a timeframe to treat acute injury. Thus an allogeneic (universal) off-the-shelf approach would offer an alternative for this case. We incorporated the regulator-approved c-MycERTAM gene (ReNeuron) into primary late-adherent hOMCs to extend their ex vivo proliferation in the presence of the synthetic drug 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT). Polyclonal populations of hOMCs were generated and characterized, with an ultimate goal of developing a potential cell therapy product for application in spinal cord injury. Due to the lack of scalability, the availability of labour intensive manual processes and fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplementation, we aimed to develop a xeno-free process for the expansion of a these cells. An initial issue for the manufacture of hOMCs is that key bioprocess parameters have not been established. In this work, we performed cell growth characterization to provide information about their growth i.e. effect of initial cell seeding density, long-term culture, and metabolite profiles to ultimately define the expansion process window. Although widely used, FBS is a finite resource that raises concerns about the presence of adventitious agents. Alternative human-derived (xeno-free) or chemically-defined (serum-free) supplements were assessed for their ability to sustain cell growth. From these studies, human platelet lysate supplementation at 2-5% (% v/v) was found to be a viable xeno-free option to sustain growth of hOMCs with no adverse effects on their phenotype. Finally, we sought to replace the current manually intensive monolayer expansion process with a more flexible and scalable platform such as suspension culture on animal-free microcarriers. Successful expansion of c- MycERTAM-derived late-adherent hOMCs on plastic microcarriers at 80-mL scale was achieved to establish a suspension culture expansion platform for the translation of a potential candidate cell therapy for neural regeneration. In summary, we show a systematic approach to address main hOMC bioprocessing challenges for an allogeneic therapy to treat patients suffering from spinal cord injury

Prevalencia de Campylobacter jejuni y Campylobacter coli en carcasas de pollo procedentes de frigoríficos, faena tradicional y kosher, y de locales de expendio

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar y comparar la prevalencia de Campylobacter jejuni y Campylobacter coli en carcasas de pollo obtenidas en frigoríficos por faena convencional y kosher, y en locales de expendio. La prevalencia de Campylobacter spp. termotolerante fue del 94,0 (kosher) y del 32,0% (convencional) (p < 0,0001). La prevalencia de muestras contaminadas con C. jejuni, C. coli y con ambas especies fue del 36,0, del 2,0 y del 56,0% (Kosher) y del 26,0, del 4,0 y del 2,0% (convencional) (p < 0,0001), respectivamente. Se tomaron muestras de carcasas (n = 25) y superficies (tablas, n = 25; cuchilla, n = 25) en 25 locales. Los locales fueron categorizados como de riesgo alto (n = 11), moderado (n = 11) y bajo (n = 3). Diecinueve (76,0%) carcasas, 20 (80,0%) tablas y 18 (72,0%) cuchillas fueron positivas para Campylobacter spp. Frigoríficos y locales fueron fuente de contaminación de carcasas con Campylobacter spp. La prevalencia de Campylobacter spp. fue mayor en carcasas kosher. Campylobacter coli fue la especie más prevalente en carcasas de locales.We studied and compared the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coliin chicken carcasses from conventional and kosher broiler abattoirs and retail stores. The prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter-positive carcasses was 94.0 (kosher) and 32.0% (conventional) (p < 0.0001), while the prevalence of samples contaminated with C. jejuni, C. coli and simultaneously with both species was 36.0, 2.0 and 56.0% (kosher) and 26.0, 4.0 and 2.0% (conventional) (p < 0.0001), respectively. Samples of chicken carcasses (n = 25) and food contact surfaces (tables, n = 25; knives, n = 25) from 25 retails were collected and risk quantification was performed. Retails were categorized as high-risk (n = 11), moderate-risk (n = 11) and low-risk (n = 3). Nineteen (76.0%) carcasses, 20 (80.0%) tables and 18 (72.0%) knives were Campylobacter-positive. Retails and abattoirs proved to be sources of carcass contamination with Campylobacter spp. Carcasses from kosher abattoirs were mostly contaminated with Campylobacter spp., whereas C. coli was the most prevalent species isolated from carcasses inretail stores.Fil: Guirin, Guillermo Federico. Laboratorio AGGA; ArgentinaFil: Brusa, Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET- La Plata. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando Noel Dulout". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Adriani, Cristian D.. Buenos Aires. Municipalidad de Berisso. Departamento de Seguridad Alimentaria; ArgentinaFil: Leotta, Gerardo Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET- La Plata. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria "Ing. Fernando Noel Dulout". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Genética Veterinaria; Argentin

Association of occult chronic kidney disease with cardiovascular risk and their risk factors in university workers

Occult chronic kidney disease (OCKD) and cardiovascular risk (CVR) share risk factors that trigger chronic degenerative diseases. Aim. To assess the association of OCKD with CVR and its risk factors in a sample of university workers. Material and methods. This is a crosssectional study. From 89 volunteers the lipid profile, glucose, urea, creatinine and uric acid were obtained from blood as well as anthropometric measures and blood pressure. They were classified by their CVR calculated by the Framingham equation, into the groups: with-CVR and without-CVR; and by their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) into: with-OCKD and without-OCKD. Then into subgroups of each CVR factor (CVRF): sex, smoking, diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension. The statistical differences between groups (p &lt;0.05) and the correlation between CVR and GFR and the odds ratio (OR) for each CVRF were determined. Results. A negative correlation between the OCKD and the CVR was obtained for men (&rho; = - 0.743, p = 0.000) and women (&rho; = - 0.874, p = 0.000). The overall prevalence of hypertension was 23.6% (OR = 15.43 for CVR, 95% CI, 4.04 - 58.95, OR = 14.75 for OCKD, 95% CI 2.76 - 78.23) and older than 50 years of 33.7% (OR for CVR = 20.37, 95% CI, 6.25 - 66.43). Conclusions. OCKD is strongly associated with the CVR. Furthermore, each CVRF impacts in different range and level to the development of cardiovascular disease and kidney failure