Estudios citogenéticos y de contenido de ADN en Brasiliopuntia schulzii (Cactaceae)

Chromosome number, karyotype, banding patterns, location of ribosomal genes and nuclear DNA content were determined in two populations of Brasiliopuntia schulzii (Cactaceae, subfam. Opuntioideae). The species resulted diploid (2n = 22) and presented a karyotype formula of 10m + 1 sm. The chromosomal banding CMA/DAPI revealed the presence of one chromosome pair with CMA+/DAPI- band associated to NORs. With FISH technique we observed that 18-5.8-26S loci were consistent with CMA+/DAPI-/NORs blocks. The signal for the 5S gene is located at the fourth pair m in a telomeric region. In both populations the DNA content analysis revealed a mixture of nuclei with three peaks of 2C, 4C and 8C. This fact suggests a process of endopolyploidy in the species. The results reported in this paper, combined with morphological characteristics, indicate that this genus has basal characters, which coincides with phylogenetic analyses of the subfamily.Se determinaron número cromosómico, cariotipo, patrones de bandeo, localización de genes ribosómicos y contenido de ADN nuclear, en dos poblaciones de Brasiliopuntia schulzii (Cactaceae, subfam. Opuntioideae). La especie resultó diploide (2n=22), presentó una fórmula cariotípica de 10 m + 1 sm. El bandeo cromosómico CMA/DAPI reveló la presencia de un par cromosómico con una banda CMA+/DAPI- asociada a NORs. Con la técnica de FISH se observó que los loci 18-5,8-26S fueron consistentes con los bloques CMA+/DAPI-/NORs. La señal para el gen 5S se localizó en el cuarto par m en una región telomérica. En las dos poblaciones el análisis de contenido de ADN reveló una mezcla de núcleos con tres picos de 2C, 4C y 8C. Esto indicaría un proceso de endopoliploidía en la especie. Los resultados reportados en este trabajo, combinados con las características morfológicas, indicarían que este género posee caracteres basales, concordando con los análisis filogenéticos de la subfamilia

Are seed mass and seedling size and shape related to altitude? Evidence in Gymnocalycium monvillei (Cactaceae)

"Several studies reported a negative relationship between altitude and seed mass. In cactus species, seed mass has been also related to seedling morphology (size and shape). Here we studied Gymnocalycium monvillei (Lem.) Pfeiff. ex Britton & Rose, a cactus species with a wide altitudinal distribution, with the main aim of analyzing how altitude affects seed mass and seedling size (height and width) and shape (globose or columnar). We collected seeds from five sites along the entire altitudinal distribution of the species in the Córdoba Mountains (sites were located between 878 and 2230 m a.s.l.), encompassing a marked climatic gradient (6 °C of mean annual temperature difference between the extreme sites). Seed mass and seedling traits were measured in the laboratory. Seedling height increased with altitude, whereas seed mass was not related to this parameter. Seedlings became more globose (reduced surface/volume ratio) with decreasing altitude. Variation in seedling shape along the altitudinal gradient may be related to the contrasting climatic conditions to which seedlings are exposed, and could account for the wide altitudinal distribution of G. monvillei. Our results highlight the importance of seedling traits in the species’ response to climatic change.

Exploring Sentiment and Care Management of Hospitalized Patients During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Electronic Nursing Health Records: Descriptive Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the usual working of many hospitalization units (or wards). Few studies have used electronic nursing clinical notes (ENCN) and their unstructured text to identify alterations in patients' feelings and therapeutic procedures of interest. Objective: This study aimed to analyze positive or negative sentiments through inspection of the free text of the ENCN, compare sentiments of ENCN with or without hospitalized patients with COVID-19, carry out temporal analysis of the sentiments of the patients during the start of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and identify the topics in ENCN. Methods: This is a descriptive study with analysis of the text content of ENCN. All ENCNs between January and June 2020 at Guadarrama Hospital (Madrid, Spain) extracted from the CGM Selene Electronic Health Records System were included. Two groups of ENCNs were analyzed: one from hospitalized patients in post–intensive care units for COVID-19 and a second group from hospitalized patients without COVID-19. A sentiment analysis was performed on the lemmatized text, using the National Research Council of Canada, Affin, and Bing dictionaries. A polarity analysis of the sentences was performed using the Bing dictionary, SO Dictionaries V1.11, and Spa dictionary as amplifiers and decrementators. Machine learning techniques were applied to evaluate the presence of significant differences in the ENCN in groups of patients with and those without COVID-19. Finally, a structural analysis of thematic models was performed to study the abstract topics that occur in the ENCN, using Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling. Results: A total of 37,564 electronic health records were analyzed. Sentiment analysis in ENCN showed that patients with subacute COVID-19 have a higher proportion of positive sentiments than those without COVID-19. Also, there are significant differences in polarity between both groups (Z=5.532, P0.8) and with significant P values between both groups. Through Structural Topic Modeling analysis, the final model containing 10 topics was selected. High correlations were noted among topics 2, 5, and 8 (pressure ulcer and pharmacotherapy treatment), topics 1, 4, 7, and 9 (incidences related to fever and well-being state, and baseline oxygen saturation) and topics 3 and 10 (blood glucose level and pain). Conclusions: The ENCN may help in the development and implementation of more effective programs, which allows patients with COVID-19 to adopt to their prepandemic lifestyle faster. Topic modeling could help identify specific clinical problems in patients and better target the care they receive.post-print353 K

Effects of Low-Load Exercise on Post-needling Induced Pain After Dry Needling of Active Trigger Point in Individuals with Subacromial Pain Syndrome.

Background: Application of dry needling is usually associated to post-needling induced pain. Development of post-needling intervention targeting to reduce this adverse event is needed. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of low-load exercise on reducing post-needling induced-pain after dry needling of active trigger points (TrPs) in the infraspinatus muscle in subacromial pain syndrome.pre-print3778 K

Mapeo de genes ribosómicos y heterocromatina en seis especies de Lycium de sudamérica (solanaceae)

El clado Lycieae (Solanaceae) reune 92 especies, actualmente agrupadas en un único género, Lycium. Se realizó un estudio citogenético en seis especies sudamericanas de este género, usándose por primera vez en el grupo la técnica de FISH, además de la técnica de bandeo CMA/DAPI. Se emplearon ápices radicales de las siguientes especies: L. boerhaviifolium (previamente Grabowskia), L. bridgesii (previamente Phrodus), el tetraploide L. chilense y los diploides L. cestroides, L. ciliatum y L. tenuispinosum. Se confirmó el número básico x=12. La técnica de bandeo reveló la presencia de una banda CMA+/DAPI- asociada a NORs en el primer par metacéntrico en las especies diploides, y en los dos primeros pares m en la tetraploide. Además, L. tenuispinosum mostró una banda intercalar CMA+/DAPI- en uno de sus cromosomas, en tanto que en L. bridgesii se encontraron bandas terminales e intercalares en todos los cromosomas. Con la técnica de FISH se observó que los loci 18-5,8-26S fueron consistentes con los bloques CMA+/DAPI-/NORs. Las especies diploides presentaron siempre un par cromosómico m portador de genes ADNr 5S, mientras que la especie tetraploide presentó dos pares, concordando con su nivel de ploidía. En las especies estudiadas, la diversificación no fue acompañada por rearreglos cromosómicos estructurales significativos, excepto L. bridgesii, que se destaca por poseer una fórmula cariotípica distinta y un mayor porcentaje de heterocromatina.<br>Mapping of ribosomal genes and heterochromatin in Lycium of South America (Solanaceae). The clade Lycieae (Solanaceae) embraces 92 species, currently gathered in a single genus, Lycium. A study was conducted in six South American species of this genus, using the FISH technique for the first time in the group, in addition to the CMA/DAPI banding technique. Root tips of the following species were employed: L. boerhaviifolium (previously Grabowskia), L. bridgesii (previously Phrodus), the tetraploid L. chilense and the diploids L. cestroides, L. ciliatum and L. tenuispinosum. The basic number x=12 was confirmed. The banding technique revealed CMA+/DAPI- bands associated with NORs in the first m pair in the diploid species and in the first two pairs of the tetraploid. In addition, L. tenuispinosum showed an intercalary CMA+/DAPI- band, while in L. bridgesii terminal and intercalary bands were found in all chromosomes. The FISH technique showed that the 18-5.8-26S loci were consistent with CMA+/DAPI-/ NORs blocks. The diploid species had always one m pair carrying 5S rDNA genes, while the tetraploid presented two pairs, consistently with its ploidy level. The diversification of the studied species was not accompanied by significant structural chromosomal rearrangements, except for L. bridgesii which is outstanding because it has a different karyotype formula and a higher heterochromatin percentage

Ecological significance of determinate primary root growth: inter- and intra-specific differences in two species of Gymnocalycium (Cactaceae) along elevation gradients

Determinate primary root growth in Cactaceae has been interpreted as an adaptation to dry environments. However, little information is available regarding ecological patterns of this process. Our research question was whether primary root length is affected by the determinate growth pattern of the plant or following predictions from resource allocation theories. We analyzed the presence of apical meristem exhaustion and patterns of primary root length (PRL), days until the end of growth (day's post-germination, DPG) and seed mass in Gymnocalycium monvillei and G. quehlianum, which present different elevation distributions and wide elevation ranges. We analyzed five elevation provenances for G. monvillei (878, 1250, 1555, 1940 and 2230 m a.s.l.), and three for G. quehlianum (610, 950 and 1250 m a.s.l.). One hundred seeds per species per altitude were set to germinate in vertical petri dishes. We measured PRL and DPG in each seedling and also seed mass. Both species present determinate growth and PRL varied between species and among populations. PRL was higher in G. quehlianum. DPG was related to differences between species in PRL: roots of G. quehlianum grow for a longer period. In both species we found differences among elevation provenances, with higher PRL at the extremes of the distribution. Among elevation provenances, DPG was significantly related to PRL in G. monvillei, and marginally significantly related in G. quehlianum. Seed size was not related to differences in PRL between species or among elevation provenances. The comparison between species and among elevation provenances suggests that a higher PRL would be related to more extreme environments; this assumption agrees with plant resource allocation theories, which predict a lower shoot : root ratio with increasingly stressful environments.Fil: Martino, P. A.. 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: Bauk, Karen. 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: Ferrero, María Cecilia. 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: Gurvich, Diego Ezequiel. 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: Las Peñas, Maria Laura. 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; Argentin

Do larger plants produce more and better seeds and seedlings? Testing the hypothesis in a globose cactus, Wigginsia sessiliflora

In iteroparous plants, an increase in allocation to reproduction is expected with increasing plant size. The aim of this study was to analyze how plant diameter is related to total produced seed mass, seed number, mean seed mass, percentage and mean germination time (MGT), and seedling size and shape in Wigginsia sessiliflora (Hook.) D.M. Porter (Cactaceae), a slowgrowing globose species from central Argentina. Plant diameter was measured in a population of 185 individuals, and fruits were collected. We counted all seeds to obtain seed number, and weighed them to get seed mass and total seed mass. Seeds were germinated and data of germination percentage and MGT were collected. We also measured the size (height and width) and shape of seedlings (height/width relationship). Fifty-four percent of the plants did not produce fruits. Plant diameter was unimodally related to fruit number, total seed mass, and seed number, i.e., intermediate-sized plants presented the highest values. Height and shape of seedlings were positively related to plant diameter. Surprisingly, plant diameter was related in a unimodal way to reproductive outputs. As plants grow, surface–volume ratio decreases, meaning that respiratory losses would be higher than the increase in photosynthetic capacity; therefore, fewer resources may be available for reproduction.Chez les plantes itéropares, une augmentation de l’allocation à la reproduction est attendue avec l’augmentation de la taillede la plante. Le but de cette étude était d’analyser comment le diamètre des plantes est lié à la masse totale des grainesproduites, au nombre de graines, à la masse moyenne des graines, au pourcentage et au temps moyen de germination (TMG),ainsi qu’à la taille et à la forme des semis chezWigginsia sessiliflora(Hook.) D.M. Porter (Cactaceae), une espèce globuleuse àcroissance lente du centre de l’Argentine. Le diamètre des plantes a été mesuré dans une population de 185 individus, et lesfruits ont été collectés. Les auteurs ont compté toutes les graines pour obtenir le nombre de graines, et les ont pesées pourobtenir la masse des graines et la masse totale des graines. Les graines ont été germées et les données du pourcentage degermination et du TMG ont été recueillies. Ils ont également mesuré la taille (hauteur et largeur) et la forme des plantules(rapport hauteur/largeur). Cinquante-quatre pour cent des plantes n’ont pas produit de fruits. Le diamètre des plantes était liéde façon unimodale au nombre de fruits, à la masse totale des graines et au nombre de graines, c’est-à-dire que les plantes detaille intermédiaire présentaient les valeurs les plus élevées. La hauteur et la forme des plantules étaient positivement liéesau diamètre des plantes. De manière surprenante, le diamètre de la plante était lié de manière unimodale aux résultats de lareproduction. Au fur et à mesure de la croissance des plantes, le rapport surface-volume diminue, ce qui signifie que les pertesrespiratoires seraient plus élevées que l’augmentation de la capacité photosynthétique; par conséquent, moins de ressourcespourraient être disponibles pour la reproduction.Fil: Ceballos, C.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Ferrero, María Cecilia. 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: Aliscioni, Nayla Luján. 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: Las Peñas, Maria Laura. 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; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Gurvich, Diego Ezequiel. 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; Argentin

Cytogenetics of tuna in Argentina (two forms of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. and O. robusta J. C. Wendl., Cactaceae)

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. f. ficus-indica (yellow tuna, cordobesa orange tuna, italiana orange tuna, salteña tuna) and f. amyclaea (white tuna, reddish tuna) and O. robusta J. C. Wendl. (cuaresma tuna) are extensively cultivated cacti in Argentina, mainly used as fodder and human food. Despite the importance of these resources, no studies of molecular cytogenetics considering the morphological characteristics of the varieties have been carried out. The main goal of this contribution is to determine the chromosome number, physical localization of ribosomal genes and amount of DNA in these taxa, including several populations with different fruit colors. The f. ficus-indica samples were octoploid, f. amyclaea hexaploid, and O. rubusta tetraploid. All taxa exhibited small similar-sized symmetrical chromosomes. Karyotypes were symmetrical with slight variations within each species. The 18S-5.8S-26S sites in all taxa were located on the secondary constrictions and the adjacent satellites at telomeric positions. The f. ficus-indica presented four 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA sites and the f. amyclaea three, whereas O. robusta had two. There were eight and six 5S rDNA sites in f. ficus-indica and f. amyclaea, respectively, and four in O. robusta. They were always proximally located on short arms of different chromosome pairs, always in a pericentromeric position. Both ribosomal genes were always asynthenic. The nuclear DNA in the octoploid f. ficus-indica presented a lower value (1Cx = 0.91 pg) than the hexaploid f.amyclaea (1Cx = 1.06 pg), whereas the tetraploid O. robusta had 1Cx = 0.87 pg. This cytogenetic evaluation is important for developing more efficient and faster selection strategies, contributing to obtaining new and improved varietiesFil: Ahumada, Luján. 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; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Montenegro, Gonzalo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; 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: Trillo, Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; 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: Uñates, Diego Rafael. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. 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: Bernardello, Gabriel Luis Mario. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; 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: Las Peñas, María Laura. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; 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; Argentin

Molecular cytogenetic studies of the “Xanthocephalum group” (Asteraceae)

Fourteen North American members of the “Xanthocephalum group” were studied by classical and molecular cytogenetics. Location and number of rDNA sites were determined by FISH. For the 5S rDNA, a probe was obtained from Prionopsis ciliata. Most species were diploid (2n = 12), although Isocoma menziesii, Grindelia hirsutula, G. robusta, both varieties of G. stricta, and one population of G. camporum were tetraploid (2n = 24). Diploid Grindelia and Prionopsis ciliata were 5m + 1sm, tetraploids 10m + 2sm, except G. hirsutula (8m + 4sm), and Isocoma and Olivaea 6m + 2sm and 3m + 3sm, respectively. Most species had satellites on the short arms of m pairs: two in tetraploids and P. ciliata and one in diploids. Satellites were associated with two CMA+/DAPI− bands in diploid species and four bands in tetraploids and in P. ciliata. rDNA loci (two in diploids to four in tetraploids) may be indicative of ploidy level. Grindelia tetraploids could have originated recently by autopolyploidy. Chromosome duplication was followed by modifications in the genome structure, resulting in higher heterochromatin amounts not associated with NORs. There is only one 5S site per basic genome in para or pericentromeric regions. Although not always large, chromosome variation has accompanied the evolutionary divergence of the taxa studied.Fil: Moreno, Natalia Cecilia. 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: Stiefkens, Laura Beatriz. 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: Las Peñas, Maria Laura. 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: Bartoli, Carmen María Adriana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Tortosa, Roberto Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Bernardello, Gabriel Luis Mario. 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; Argentin