Consumption of Tephrocactus articulatus by the chacoan peccary (Parachoerus wagneri) in the Arid Chaco of Córdoba, Argentina

El consumo de cactáceas por vertebrados es bien conocido, aunque mayormente en platyopuntias del Hemisferio Norte. El objetivo de este trabajo es reportar el consumo de Tephrocactus articulatus por el pecarí quimilero (Parachoerus wagneri) en el Parque Nacional Traslasierra, provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. El 14 de enero de 2022 se observó un individuo de P. wagneri consumiendo partes de T. articulatus. Dicho registro podría estar relacionado a la incorporación de agua, ya que T. articulatus presenta un contenido hídrico del 80%, y el registro se realizó durante un período de temperaturas y sequías extremas. El consumo de T. articulatus por P. wagneri podría facilitar la dispersión de la cactácea a largas distancias. Debido al reciente descubrimiento de P. wagneri en la provincia de Córdoba y su estado crítico de conservación, resulta urgente comprender su dieta y su rol en el ecosistema, en pos de aplicar planes de manejo y conservación de la especie y sus ambientes.The consumption of cacti by vertebrates is well known, although mostly in platyopuntias of the Northern Hemisphere. The objective of this work is to report the consumption of Tephrocactus articulatus by the Chacoan peccary (Parachoerus wagneri) in the Traslasierra National Park. On January 14, 2022, we observed an individual of P. wagneri consuming parts of T. articulatus. This report could be related to the incorporation of water, since T. articulatus has a water content of 80%, and it was observed during a period of extreme temperatures and droughts. The consumption of T. articulatus by P. wagneri could facilitate the dispersal of the cactus over long distances. Due to the recent discovery of P. wagneri in the province of Córdoba and its critical state of conservation, it is urgent to understand its diet and role in the ecosystem, in order to apply management and conservation plans for the species and its environments.Fil: Merlo, Francis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Boaglio, Gabriel Ivan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin

Consumption of Tephrocactus articulatus by the chacoan peccary (Parachoerus wagneri) in the Arid Chaco of Córdoba, Argentina

El consumo de cactáceas por vertebrados es bien conocido, aunque mayormente en platyopuntias del Hemisferio Norte. El objetivo de este trabajo es reportar el consumo de Tephrocactus articulatus por el pecarí quimilero (Parachoerus wagneri) en el Parque Nacional Traslasierra, provincia de Córdoba, Argentina. El 14 de enero de 2022 se observó un individuo de P. wagneri consumiendo partes de T. articulatus. Dicho registro podría estar relacionado a la incorporación de agua, ya que T. articulatus presenta un contenido hídrico del 80%, y el registro se realizó durante un período de temperaturas y sequías extremas. El consumo de T. articulatus por P. wagneri podría facilitar la dispersión de la cactácea a largas distancias. Debido al reciente descubrimiento de P. wagneri en la provincia de Córdoba y su estado crítico de conservación, resulta urgente comprender su dieta y su rol en el ecosistema, en pos de aplicar planes de manejo y conservación de la especie y sus ambientes.The consumption of cacti by vertebrates is well known, although mostly in platyopuntias of the Northern Hemisphere. The objective of this work is to report the consumption of Tephrocactus articulatus by the Chacoan peccary (Parachoerus wagneri) in the Traslasierra National Park. On January 14, 2022, we observed an individual of P. wagneri consuming parts of T. articulatus. This report could be related to the incorporation of water, since T. articulatus has a water content of 80%, and it was observed during a period of extreme temperatures and droughts. The consumption of T. articulatus by P. wagneri could facilitate the dispersal of the cactus over long distances. Due to the recent discovery of P. wagneri in the province of Córdoba and its critical state of conservation, it is urgent to understand its diet and role in the ecosystem, in order to apply management and conservation plans for the species and its environments.Fil: Merlo, Francis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Boaglio, Gabriel Ivan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin

Implications of flexible spacer rotational processes on the liquid crystal behavior of 4,5-dihydroisoxazole benzoate dimers

The synthesis of some novel non-symmetric liquid crystal dimers, {3-[4-(octyloxyphenyl)]-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl}alkyl 4-(decyloxy)benzoates (5a–d) and 4-{3-[4-(octyloxyphenyl)]-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl}alkyl 4-{[6-(octyloxy)naphthalen-2-yl]ethynyl}benzoate (9a–d), are reported. The liquid-crystalline properties, theoretical calculations based on the conformational aspects of the flexible alkyl spacer and X-ray experiments are discussed. The syntheses of the key intermediates, 2-{3-[4-(octyloxy)phenyl]-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl}alkanol (3a–d), presenting the flexible alkyl spacer were achieved through [3+2] cycloaddition reactions between nitrile oxides, which were generated in situ by oxidation of the respective aromatic oximes, and dipolarophile alkenols (CH2[double bond, length as m-dash]CH(CH2)nOH, n = 1, 2, 3, and 4). The benzoates 5a–d were synthesized through esterification of 3a–d and p-n-decyloxybenzoic acid (4). The esters 9a–d were synthesized through derivatization of isoxazolines 3a–d into 4-{3-[4-(octyloxyphenyl)]-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl}alkyl 4-bromobenzoate (7a–d) followed by a Sonogashira reaction with 2-ethynyl-6-octyloxynaphthalene (8). 5a and 5b showed a monotropic smectic C phase. 9a/c displayed a enantiotropic nematic (N) mesophase, whereas 9b/d showed a monotropic nematic mesophase. No mesophase was observed for 7a–d. An odd–even effect was observed for 5a–d and 9a–d associated with the crystal to isotropic phase transition and crystal to nematic phase, respectively, as the length of the spacer was increased from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. The transitional properties were higher for odd-numbered members (n = 1 and 3) for all of the series studied. The X-ray data of compounds 5a and 5b are in agreement with polarizing optical microscopy observations with the assignment of an SmC mesophase. Density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP hybrid functional with the level 6-311G(d,p) basis set were performed for molecules 5a–d to correlate the conformation of the flexible spacer and the transitional properties. The conformational analysis showed that the most stable conformation for 5a–d is one where all of the carbon atoms of the flexible spacer are orientated at 180° (antiperiplanar orientation) except for 5a because the spacer is too short. The odd-numbered members have a more bent shape and are less elongated molecules than the even-numbered members. Thus, mesomorphic behavior is dictated by the conformational constraint imposed by the flexible spacer on the mesogenic groups

Graphene coated magnetic nanoparticles facilitate the release of biofuels and oleochemicals from yeast cell factories

Engineering of microbial cells to produce high value chemicals is rapidly advancing. Yeast, bacteria and microalgae are being used to produce high value chemicals by utilizing widely available carbon sources. However, current extraction processes of many high value products from these cells are time- and labor-consuming and require toxic chemicals. This makes the extraction processes detrimental to the environment and not economically feasible. Hence, there is a demand for the development of simple, effective, and environmentally friendly method for the extraction of high value chemicals from these cell factories. Herein, we hypothesized that atomically thin edges of graphene having ability to interact with hydrophobic materials, could be used to extract high value lipids from cell factories. To achieve this, array of axially oriented graphene was deposited on iron nanoparticles. These coated nanoparticles were used to facilitate the release of intracellular lipids from Yarrowia lipolytica cells. Our treatment process can be integrated with the growth procedure and achieved the release of 50% of total cellular lipids from Y. lipolytica cells. Based on this result, we propose that nanoparticles coated with axially oriented graphene could pave efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective way to release intracellular lipids from yeast cell factories

Graphene-based sensor for detection of bacterial pathogens

Microbial colonization to biomedical surfaces and biofilm formation is one of the key challenges in the medical field. Recalcitrant biofilms on such surfaces cause serious infections which are difficult to treat using antimicrobial agents, due to their complex structure. Early detection of microbial colonization and monitoring of biofilm growth could turn the tide by providing timely guidance for treatment or replacement of biomedical devices. Hence, there is a need for sensors, which could generate rapid signals upon bacterial colonization. In this study, we developed a simple prototype sensor based on pristine, non-functionalized graphene. The detection principle is a change in electrical resistance of graphene upon exposure to bacterial cells. Without functionalization with specific receptors, such sensors cannot be expected to be selective to certain bacteria. However, we demonstrated that two different bacterial species can be detected and differentiated by our sensor due to their different growth dynamics, adherence pattern, density of adhered bacteria and microcolonies formation. These distinct behaviors of tested bacteria depicted distinguishable pattern of resistance change, resistance versus gate voltage plot and hysteresis effect. This sensor is simple to fabricate, can easily be miniaturized, and can be effective in cases when precise identification of species is not needed

Boron nitride nanomaterials: Biocompatibility and bio-applications

Boron nitride has structural characteristics similar to carbon 2D materials (graphene and its derivatives) and its layered structure has been exploited to form different nanostructures such as nanohorns, nanotubes, nanoparticles and nanosheets. Unlike graphene and other carbon based 2D materials, boron nitride has a higher chemical stability. Owing to these properties, boron nitride has been used in different applications as a filler, lubricant and as a protective coating. Boron nitride has also been applied in the biomedical field to some extent, but far less than other 2D carbon materials. This review explores the potential of boron nitride for biomedical applications where the focus is on boron nitride biocompatibility in vivo and in vitro, its applicability as a coating material/composite and its anti-bacterial properties. Geometry, material processing and the type of biological analysis appear to be relevant parameters in assessing boron nitride bio-compatibility. Engineering of both these variables and the coating would open the door for some applications in the medical field for boron nitride, such as drug delivery, imaging and cell stimulation

Evaluation of Factors Associated With Appropriate Drug Prescription and Effectiveness of Informative and Educational Interventions-The EDU.RE.DRUG Project

Background: EDU.RE.DRUG study is a prospective, multicentre, open-label, parallel-arm, controlled, pragmatic trial directed to general practitioners (GPs) and their patients. Methods: The study data were retrieved from health-related administrative databases of four local health units (LHUs) of Lombardy and four LHUs in Campania. According to the LHUs, the GPs/patients were assigned to (A) intervention on both GPs (feedback reports about appropriate prescribing among their patients and online courses) and patients (flyers and posters on proper drug use), (B) intervention on GPs, (C) intervention on patients, and (D) no intervention (control arm). A set of appropriate prescribing indicators (potential drug-drug interactions [pDDIs], potential and unnecessary therapeutic duplicates [pTDs], and inappropriate prescriptions in the elderly [ERD-list]) were measured at baseline and after the intervention phase. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated estimating the absolute difference in percentages of selected indicators carrying out linear random-intercept mixed-effect models. Results: A cohort of 3,586 GPs (2,567 in intervention groups and 1,019 in the control group) was evaluated. In Campania, the mean pre-intervention percentage of patients with at least one pDDI was always greater than 20% and always lower than 15% in Lombardy. The pre-post difference was quite heterogeneous among the LHUs, ranging from 1.9 to -1.4 percentage points. The mean pre-intervention percentage of patients with pTDs ranged from 0.59 to 2.1%, with slightly higher values characterizing Campania LHUs. The magnitude of the pre-post difference was very low, ranging from -0.11 to 0.20. In Campania, the mean pre-intervention percentage of patients with at least one ERD criterium was considerably higher than in Lombardy (approximately 30% in Lombardy and 50% in Campania). The pre-post difference was again quite heterogeneous. The results from the models accounting for GP geographical belonging suggested that none of the interventions resulted in a statistically significant effect, for all the three indicators considered. Conclusion: The proposed strategy was shown to be not effective in influencing the voluntary changes in GP prescription performance. However, the use of a set of explicit indicators proved to be useful in quantifying the inappropriateness. Further efforts are needed to find more efficient strategies and design more tailored interventions

Síntese e caracterização de copolímeros de cadeia lateral derivados de acrilatos de 4,5-di-hidroisoxazol e do (-)-mentol

Five monomers 5-[4-(5-cyano-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl)phenoxy]undecyl acrylate (7a); n-alkyl 3-{4-[5-(acryloyloxyundecyl)oxyphenyl]}-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-5-carboxylate (7b,c for n-butyl and n-hexyl, respectively); 3-{4-[5-(acryloyloxyundecyl) oxyphenyl]}-4,5-dihydroisoxazole-5-carboxylic acid (7d) and (1R,2S,5R)-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyl acrylate (9) and the corresponding copolymers 10a-d,11 and homopolymers 12 from 7a and 13 from 9 were designed and synthesized. Except for acrylate 9 which is derived from (-)-menthol, all of the monomers belong to the series containing the isoxazoline ring linked to the acrylate unit by a flexible spacer chain of eleven methylene units. They presented low glass temperature and despite birefringence behavior, these copolymers showed no mesomorphic properties