Experimentation with Animals: A Key Aspect of the 3Rs. The Genetic Quality

The genetic quality of laboratory animals is essential for reproducibility of scientific research. Working with animals of certifiedgenetic quality is still a pending issue in Argentina due to the lack of routine genetic controls, of information on the genetic background of animals and of proper training. Apart from being concerned with having their results published and getting funding for research, scientists should know the genetic origin of laboratory animals. Consequently, they should perform genetic controls to verifywhether animal integrity has been compromised by accidental genetic contamination or genetic drift. The aim of this work was toevaluate the genetic purity of the inbred C57BL/6J mouse strain from three animal facilities belonging to the Buenos Aires UniversitySchool of Medicine network by analyzing a panel of microsatellite markers. Female mice tail samples (3-5 mm) were taken and genomic DNA was obtained by organic extraction. The genetic profile of each animal was determined by PCR-fragment analysis, usingmicrosatellites D1Mit155, D2Mit493, D3Mit49, D13Mit13, D6Mit8 and D12Mit12, located on six different autosomal chromosomesand selected from the Mouse Genome Informatics database (www.informatics.jax.org/searches). The results obtained provided keydata on the genetic quality of the three inbred animal colonies studied. They also served as an example for other laboratory animalfacilities in Argentina and as a starting point to modify the conditions and management of laboratory animal colonies. We determinedthe genetic purity of the inbred C57BL/6J mouse strain in all animal facilities evaluated. All six loci analyzed were homozygous,certifying their isogenicity and phenotypic uniformity. These results are promising for animal facilities mainly performing biomedical research. They also show a positive evolution in handling animal colonies and use of the 3Rs, and researcher commitment withanimal science, since they promote the supply of genetically quality-controlled animals. The positive impact of these results shouldencourage other researchers using this inbred strain to perform periodic genetic monitoring, thereby consolidating the supply ofquality-controlled mice. This pioneering study carried out in IGEVET (CONICET- UNLP) should consolidate the genetic monitoring ofinbred strains throughout the country.Fil: Lizarraga, Maria Alfonsina. 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: Posik, Diego Manuel. 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: Zappa, María Eugenia. 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: Castillo, Nadia Sabiela. 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: Giovambattista, Guillermo. 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

Videojuegos y violencia: Una revisión sistemática

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar los estudios publicados en los últimos once años (2010 - 2021) en relación a las variables videojuegos y violencia. Se utilizó el método de revisión sistemática, revisando 77 artículos publicados desde enero del 2010 hasta agosto de 2021, que incluyó estudios sobre videojuegos y violencia que se publicaron la base de datos: Scopus. Se aplicaron criterios de inclusión, exclusión con el fin de obtener la mayor información relevante. La revisión sistemática sintetiza los principales hallazgos, identifica la metodología predominante de las investigaciones, detalla el tipo de juego estudiado y contrasta las principales dificultades del estudio. Se logró identificar evidencia que sugiere la existencia de una relación directa pero baja entre las variables uso de videojuegos y violencia, por otro lado, se contrastan vacíos teóricos en el estado actual del estudio de estas variables como el no diferenciar el tipo de juego, la ausencia de instrumentos que permitan medir las conductas asociadas al uso de los mismos y la necesidad del abordaje en estudios longitudinales dirigidas a estas variables. De igual forma se brindaron recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones que aborden el objeto de estudio

Estimación de error local para el método de elementos finitos aplicado a las ecuaciones de Euler en un flujo alrededor de un perfil aerodinámico

Este proyecto investiga técnicas de estimación de error a posteriori para el método de elementos finitos, aplicadas a un caso de interés en la industria aeronáutica. El estimador de error objeto del estudio utiliza el método variacional de las multiescalas. La ventaja de este método reside en que se evita la resolución de ecuaciones diferenciales para estimar el error. Este método ha resultado eficiente en el estudio de ondas de choque en flujos supersónicos. En el presente proyecto, se pretende analizar el comportamiento de este estimador de error en régimen subsónico para las ecuaciones de Euler. Para este tipo de estudios es necesario comparar el error estimado con el error real. La elección de los perfiles de Joukowski para este estudio se justifica no solo en su relevancia en la historia de la aeronáutica, sino en que además, haciendo uso de una transformación conforme en variable compleja en combinación con el método de Poggi, tienen una solución analítica conocida para flujo potencial compresible. Se ha estudiado el estimador de error con respecto a gran cantidad de parámetros como pueden ser, el número de Mach del flujo, las matrices de tiempos intrínsecos, tando del flujo como del estimador de error y la norma elegida para el cálculo del residuo. También se han usado distintas geometrías para asegurar la repetibilidad de los resultados

Análisis de la calidad higiénica y sanitaria de la leche en un tambo de la localidad de Villa Valeria (Córdoba)

Trabajo final integrador. (Área de Consolidación Sistemas de Producción Pecuarios) -- UNC- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, 2016Introducción: La producción de leche de calidad es un tema que interesa a todo el mundo. En la actualidad, cuando hablamos de calidad de leche, nos referimos a tres aspectos diferentes y muy importantes: calidad composicional, calidad higiénica y calidad sanitaria. Objetivo: Comprender la importancia de utilizar una correcta rutina de ordeño para obtener una buena calidad higiénica y sanitaria de la leche en un sistema lechero ubicado en la localidad de Villa Valeria, Córdoba. Materiales y métodos: A partir de la observación de los procedimientos, las instalaciones y la máquina de ordeño, se construyó un diagrama de flujo identificando las etapas y puntos de control de la rutina de ordeño. Se tomaron muestras de leche y agua para realizar análisis bacteriológicos y con los datos de Unidades Formadoras de Colonias (UFC) y Conteo de Células Somáticas otorgados por la empresa SanCor se evaluaron los resultados obtenidos. Resultados y discusión: Los resultados mostraron que tras modificar la rutina de ordeño y limpieza de la maquina se lograron disminuir los recuentos de UFC y Células somáticas llegando a los rangos óptimos de bonificación otorgados por la empresa SanCor

Foraging ecology of masked boobies (Sula dactylatra) in the world’s largest “oceanic desert”

The South Pacific Gyre has the most hyper-oligotrophic waters in the world and is considered the largest “oceanic desert.” Rapa Nui (Easter Island), located within the South Pacific Gyre, is a breeding ground for masked boobies (Sula dactylatra), which are seabirds with a foraging range that effectively confines them within the gyre. The foraging ecology of this species in the gyre was examined by attaching GPS and time-depth devices to chick-rearing adult birds (9 and 14 birds in 2016 and 2017, respectively) and by collecting regurgitates (18 and 15 samples in 2016 and 2017, respectively). In addition, the birds’ foraging ecology between years was compared. Masked boobies traveled in various directions, dived at unspecific locations, and explored areas < 110 km from the colony. Local environmental conditions were not significantly different between years, and differences in foraging parameters (maximum foraging range, trip duration, and dive depth) were greater among individuals than between years. The foraging characteristics of masked boobies suggest that resources were ephemerally distributed around the colony, with similar abundances across years. Under these conditions, traveling to unspecific locations may increase the area covered and the probability of prey encounter. The spatial and temporal consistencies in environmental conditions explain the uniformity of foraging parameters between years. The ability of masked boobies to exploit ephemerally distributed resources in seascapes like Rapa Nui may help explain its pantropical distribution

Serological levels of mutated p53 protein are highly detected at early stages in breast cancer patients

The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of the serological level of anti-p53 antibodies in breast cancer patients and to correlate its expression level with patient age, histological stage and grade of tumor differentiation. Total p53 protein expression (mutant and wild-type) was also determined in the breast cancer tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The serological levels of mutant p53 expression were found to be age-dependent, reaching the highest level at 50 years of age. Faint or low detection was observed in patients ≤30 years of age. Anti-p53-antibodies were detected in patients ≤40 and ≥61 years of age. The serological levels of mutant p53 protein were highly detected in all stages of breast cancer, including the early stages. However, anti-p53 antibodies reached a high level of detection only in stage III breast carcinomas. No expression was found in patients with benign breast disease. The detection of p53 mutations was dependent on the grade of tumor differentiation, achieving the highest level in the poorly differentiated breast carcinomas. Results from IHC were highly correlated with serological p53 mutational analysis. Our findings indicate that mutant p53 in serum is a promising novel parameter for the evaluation of cellular biology and the prognosis of breast cancer from its early stages using blood samples. Anti-p53 antibodies were demonstrated to be less sensitive in this study. It is also possible to use the expression of mutant p53 protein as a molecular marker to differentiate benign breast disease from breast carcinoma prior to surgery.Fil: Balogh, Gabriela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida; ArgentinaFil: Mailo, Daniel. No especifíca;Fil: Nardi, Héctor. No especifíca;Fil: Corte, María Marta. No especifíca;Fil: Vincent, Esteban. No especifíca;Fil: Barutta, Elena. No especifíca;Fil: Lizarraga, Guillermo. No especifíca;Fil: Lizarraga, Pablo. No especifíca;Fil: Montero, Héctor. No especifíca;Fil: Gentili, Roberto. No especifíca;Fil: Mordoh, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Cáncer de mama durante el embarazo

As women in western countries delay childbearing, it has been hypothesized that the incidence of breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy will increase. Breast carcinoma during pregnancy(BCP) put the health of the mother in conflict with that of the fetus. The aim is to give optimal treatment to the mother to maximise the chances of survival, whilst minimising the risk of harm of the fetus. Few breast surgeons or oncologist develop expertise in this area owing the rarity of the association. We report the epidemiology, pathology, clinical picture, therapeutic management and fetal outcome of pregnant women with breast cancer treated in our institutio

Plasma zinc concentrations in beef cows at Salado River Basin

El zinc (Zn) es un micromineral esencial y su carencia puede afectar la eficiencia productiva y reproductiva del ganado. Con el objetivo de evaluar el estatus de Zn en vacas de cría de la cuenca deprimida del río Salado (centro este de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina), se realizó un estudio observacional multicén-trico en 110 rebaños en el que se recolectaron muestras de sangre (n = 1.078 vacas) y se analizaron mediante espectrofotometría de absorción atómica. Las vacas se clasificaron según la concentración plasmática de Zn en fisiológicamente adecuadas ≥ 90 μg/dl, marginales entre 80 y 89 μg/dl y carentes <80 μg/dl. Se realizó un análisis estadístico descriptivo mediante el procedimiento MEANS del programa SAS. La media de la concentración plasmática de Zn fue de 102,8 ± 16,4 μg/dl y el 31,4 % de las vacas de cada rebaño presentó valores marginales o de carencia. Durante el invierno se registró el porcentaje más alto de vacas con concentraciones plasmáticas de Zn marginales o carentes (47,7 %), mientras que en otoño se registró el porcentaje más bajo (21,3 %). Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que existen valores plasmáticos marginales y de carencia de Zn en vacas de cría de la cuenca deprimida del río Salado.Zinc (Zn) is an essential micromineral and its deficiency can affect the productive and reproductive efficiency in cattle. A multicenter observational study was carried out to evaluate Zn status in breeding cows at Salado River Basin (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study included 110 cow-calf operations, in which blood samples (n = 1078 cows) were collected and analyzed by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Cows were classified according to their plasma Zn concentration values as physiologically adequate (≥ 90 μg/dl), marginal (between 80 to 89 μg/dl) and deficient (<80 μg/dl). A descriptive statistical analysis was performed using the SAS program MEANS procedure. The average plasma Zn concentration was 102.8 ± 16.4 μg/dl and 31.4 % of the cows in each herd showed marginal or deficient values. The highest percentage of marginal or deficient cows was recorded in winter (47.7 %), while the lowest percentage was recorded in autumn (21.3 %). These results show that there is Zn deficiency in cow-calf operations of Salado River Basin.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Effect of preshipment preconditioning and injectable antioxidant trace elements (Cu, Mn, Se, Zn) and vitamins (A, E) on plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations and growth in weaned beef cattle

Weaning and transport represent a high stress time for calves. Preconditioning (PC) by weaning before the transport separate these stressors. The stressors generate oxidative stress, which can be reduced by mineral and vitamin supplementation (MVS) with an antioxidant capacity. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of PC and MVS on performance of steers. The experiment used a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement design, considering a 26-d PC treatment from weaning to transport to the feedlot (day 0), and injectable MVS on days -45, -26, and 0. The MVS consisted of Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, vitamin E (0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 0.1, and 1 mg/kg body weight [BW], respectively), and vitamin A (1,190 IU/kg). Sixty Angus-crossbred steers (186.4 ± 27.6 kg) were randomly assigned to the four treatments (MVS+PC; N+PC; MVS+N; N+N; n = 15 per treatment). BW was recorded on days -45, -26, 0, 8, 15, and 29. On day 0, an additional BW was taken 30 min after the 5-h transportation (day 0.5). Between days 0 and 29, dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) to DMI ratio (G:F) were measured. Between days -26 and 29 plasma concentrations of glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), cortisol, insulin, total antioxidant status (TAS), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were evaluated. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with repeated measures, using treatment, time, and treatment × time as fixed effects and steer as a random effect. Between days -26 and 0, there was an interaction of MVS × PC (P ˂ 0.01) for ADG. From days -26 to 0, N+N and N+PC had the greatest and lesser ADG, respectively. On day 0.5, no-PC steers tended to lose BW, whereas the PC steers tended to gain BW (P = 0.09). In the period days 0 to 8, there were no differences (P ≥ 0.27) in DMI, but the PC steers had greater G:F and ADG (P < 0.01) compared with no-PC steers. Plasma NEFA concentration on day 0 was affected by MVS × PC (P < 0.01) because MVS decreased plasma NEFA concentration in no-PC steers, but it increased in the PC steers. Plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, and cortisol did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.23). There was an MVS × PC interaction (P = 0.09) for TAS on day 0; N+N had the greatest TAS concentrations and MVS+N had the lowest TAS concentrations. In conclusion, a 26-d PC decreased steers BW compared with no-PC steers. The BW loss during PC was not recovered 29 d after feedlot entry. Despite this BW loss, MVS treatment decreased BW loss in the steers allocated to PC treatment on the day of transport.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Informing forest conservation planning with detailed human footprint data for Argentina

Conserving the remaining wildest forests is a top priority for conservation, and human footprint maps are a practical way to identify wild areas. However, available global assessments of wild areas are too coarse for land use decisions, especially in countries with high deforestation rates, such as Argentina. Our main goal was to map the human footprint in Argentina's forested areas to improve conservation planning at regional and country levels. Specifically, we quantified the level of human influence on the environment and mapped the wildest native forests (i) across forest regions, and (ii) in the different land-use categories of the National Forest Plan, which is a key policy instrument for conserving the nation's native forests through zoning, and (iii) identified wildest forests that are at risk due to human activities. We analyzed detailed spatial data on settlements, transportation, energy, and land use change, and estimated the areal extent to which these various human activities disrupt natural processes. We defined pixels with human footprint index of zero as wildest areas. We found that a substantial portion (43%) of Argentina's forested area remains wild, which suggests there are opportunities for conservation. However, levels of human influence varied substantially among forest regions, and Atlantic and Chaco forests have the highest levels of human influence. Further, we found that the National Forest Plan does not conserve the wildest forests of the nation, as most (78%) of the wildest native forests are located in zones that allow silvopasture, timber production, and/or forest conversion to crops, thus potentially threatening biodiversity in these areas. Our map of wildest forests is an important, but first, step in identifying wildland forests in Argentina, as available spatial data layers of human activities capture many, but not all, human influences on forests. For instance, small human features, like certain rural roads, trails, and rural settlements exist in our wildest areas. Our study provides new datasets to assist land use planners and conservationists, and identifies areas for conservation attention in Argentina. More broadly, our analyses highlight the value of detailed human footprint data to support conservation decisions in forest landscapes.Fil: Martinuzzi, Sebastián. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Radeloff, Volker. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Rosas, Yamina Micaela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Lizarraga, Leónidas. Administración de Parques Nacionales; ArgentinaFil: Politi, Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; ArgentinaFil: Rivera, Luis Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; ArgentinaFil: Huertas Herrera, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Silveira, Eduarda. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Olah, Ashley. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Pidgeon, Anna Michle. University of Wisconsin; Estados Unido