Medicinal plants used for traditional veterinary in the Sierras de Córdoba (Argentina): An ethnobotanical comparison with human medicinal uses

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This is a first description of the main ethnoveterinary features of the peasants in the Sierras de Córdoba. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of medicinal plants and other traditional therapeutic practices for healing domestic animals and cattle. Our particular goals were to: characterize veterinary ethnobotanical knowledge considering age, gender and role of the specialists; interpret the cultural features of the traditional local veterinary medicine and plant uses associated to it; compare the plants used in traditional veterinary medicine, with those used in human medicine in the same region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fieldwork was carried out as part of an ethnobotanic regional study where 64 informants were interviewed regarding medicinal plants used in veterinary medicine throughout 2001-2010. Based participant observation and open and semi-structured interviews we obtained information on the traditional practices of diagnosis and healing, focusing on the veterinary uses given to plants (part of the plant used, method of preparation and administration). Plants speciemens were collected with the informants and their vernacular and scientific names were registered in a database. Non-parametric statistic was used to evaluate differences in medicinal plant knowledge, use, and valorization by local people. A comparison between traditional veterinary medicine and previous human medicine studies developed in the region was performed by analyzing the percentages of common species and uses, and by considering Sorensen's Similarity Index.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 127 medicinal uses were registered, corresponding to 70 species of plants belonging to 39 botanic families. Veterinary ethnobotanical knowledge was specialized, restricted, in general, to cattle breeders (mainly men) and to a less degree to healers, and was independent of the age of the interviewees. Native plants were mostly used as skin cicatrizants, disinfectants or for treating digestive disorders. Together with a vast repertoire of plant pharmacopoeia, the therapies also involve religious or ritualistic practices and other popular remedies that evidence the influence of traditional Hispanic-European knowledge. Although the traditional veterinary knowledge seems to be similar or else is inlcuded in the local human ethnomedicine, sharing a common group of plants, it has distinct traits originated by a constant assessment of new applications specifically destined to the treatment of animals.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Veterinary medicine is a fountain of relevant vernacular knowledge, a permanent source for testing new applications with valuable ethnobotanical interest. Knowledge on medicinal applications of native plants will allow future validations and tests for new homeopathic or phytotherapeutic preparations.</p

Garbage collection auto-tuning for Java MapReduce on Multi-Cores

MapReduce has been widely accepted as a simple programming pattern that can form the basis for efficient, large-scale, distributed data processing. The success of the MapReduce pattern has led to a variety of implementations for different computational scenarios. In this paper we present MRJ, a MapReduce Java framework for multi-core architectures. We evaluate its scalability on a four-core, hyperthreaded Intel Core i7 processor, using a set of standard MapReduce benchmarks. We investigate the significant impact that Java runtime garbage collection has on the performance and scalability of MRJ. We propose the use of memory management auto-tuning techniques based on machine learning. With our auto-tuning approach, we are able to achieve MRJ performance within 10% of optimal on 75% of our benchmark tests

cdcatR: An R package for cognitive diagnostic computerized adaptive testing

Cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) are confirmatory latent class models that provide fine-grained information about skills and cognitive processes. These models have gained attention in the last few years because of their usefulness in educational and psychological settings. Recently, numerous developments have been made to allow for the implementation of cognitive diagnosis computerized adaptive testing (CD-CAT). Despite methodological advances, CD-CAT applications are still scarce. To facilitate research and the emergence of empirical applications in this area, we have developed the cdcatR package for R software. The purpose of this document is to illustrate the different functions included in this package. The package includes functionalities for data generation, model selection based on relative fit information, implementation of several item selection rules (including item exposure control), and CD-CAT performance evaluation in terms of classification accuracy, item exposure, and test length. In conclusion, an R package is made available to researchers and practitioners that allows for an easy implementation of CD-CAT in both simulation and applied studies. Ultimately, this is expected to facilitate the development of empirical applications in this areaThis research was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, grant number PSI2017- 85022-P, and Cátedra de Modelos y Aplicaciones Psicométricas (Instituto de Ingeniería del Conocimiento and Autonomous University of Madrid

TIC y usos en la producción de sentidos para la comunicación institucional del Concejo Deliberante de la Ciudad de Pinamar

Este Trabajo realizado en el marco de la “Especialización en Comunicación Digital” de la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación social de la UNLP, parte de la necesidad de la especificidad relacional de lo situado para analizar los procesos comunicacionales de las organizaciones, si se piensa en su gestión o intervención social en general o comunicacional en particular. Tal como lo enuncia en su título: “TIC y usos en la producción de sentidos para la comunicación institucional del Concejo Deliberante de la Ciudad de Pinamar”, el trabajo aborda como tema central las relaciones entre Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación y la construcción de procesos en varios sentidos, que expresan la comunicación institucional y organizacional de un espacio político legislativo concreto. Poner el foco en un Concejo Deliberante determinado, evitando la generalización, parte de la idea de que la relación entre comunicación y política en espacios legislativos requiere de saberes específicos y situados ya que -por más que parezca una obviedad- no es lo mismo referirse a la comunicación en un espacio de poder político ejecutivo que a la comunicación en un espacio de poder político legislativo, como tampoco es lo mismo pensarlo en su nivel nacional como provincial o municipal. Finalmente, nuestro abordaje para conocer, partió desde la premisa de actuar como indagadores sociales tal lo planteado por Florencia Saintout: “desplazarse de los sujetos y sus prácticas, sus discursos, a las dimensiones estructurales, y de allí nuevamente a las prácticas: sentido y fuerza. Incorporar el conflicto en el territorio de las significaciones: la politicidad de la comunicación”. Desde allí, este trabajo intentó observar, describir y analizar los usos y apropiaciones que, empleadas y empleados del lugar, hacen de las tecnologías digitales para gestionar procesos de información y comunicación y sus relaciones con la cultura organizacional que los contextualiza, con la intención de reconocer los sentidos situados que adquiere la gestión en comunicación digital en un Concejo Deliberante bonaerense. Buscando con ello, ser un aporte al campo de estudios de la gestión de la comunicación digital organizacional en su articulación con el campo político legislativo comunal.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Variedades de feijão e seus efeitos na qualidade protéica, na glicemia e nos lipídios sangüíneos em ratos.

O feijão representa importante fonte de proteína e pode auxiliar na modulação dos níveis de glicose e lipídios sangüíneos. Objetivou-se avaliar o valor protéico e funcional de variedades de feijão. Para a qualidade protéica foram usados 7 grupos (n = 6) de ratos recém desmamados: um recebeu dieta aprotéica por 14 dias e os demais, dietas contendo 9-10% de proteína como caseína ou como um dos feijões (Ouro Branco, Pérola, BRS Radiante, Diamante Negro e Talismã). No segundo experimento, 4 grupos (n = 10) de ratos adultos receberam dietas de caseína, Ouro Branco, Diamante Negro e Talismã por 28 dias. Ouro Branco apresentou maior Coeficiente de Eficiência Protéica (PERr = 61,18%) do que os demais e o BRS Radiante o menor (PERr = 44,60%). Quanto à Razão Protéica Líquida (NPR) e à digestibilidade, não houve diferença (p > 0,05) entre os grupos, variando de 67,05 a 78,19% e de 78,70 a 84,88%, respectivamente. As dietas de Diamante Negro e Talismã promoveram redução da glicemia de 30 e 26%, respectivamente, em relação à caseína, não sendo, porém, significativa; não houve diferença (p > 0,05) entre os grupos quanto aos níveis séricos de colesterol e triacilgliceróis. Assim, de acordo com as necessidades apresentadas pelas populações, suas demandas nutricionais e funcionais podem ser supridas por diferentes feijões

An on-engine method for dynamic characterisation of NOx concentration sensors

An on-engine method for dynamic characterisation of automotive NOx concentration sensors is presented. Steps in start of injection on a diesel engine are employed to achieve step-like NOx concentration variations on exhaust flow. On the basis of the sensor response, delay and dynamic response can be easily identified; the paper shows a simple least squares procedure although other models and identification techniques could be used. Application data is presented for three NOx sensors: a research-grade chemiluminescence exhaust gas analyser, and two different commercial ZrO2-based sensors. © 2010 Elsevier Inc.The authors thanks R. Lujan and G. Couture for their valuable contribution in the experimental part of the present work. This work has been partially supported by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia through Project PLANUCO No. TRA2006-15620-C02-02.Galindo, J.; Serrano Cruz, JR.; Guardiola, C.; Blanco-Rodriguez, D.; Cuadrado, I. (2011). An on-engine method for dynamic characterisation of NOx concentration sensors. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science. 35(3):470-476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2010.11.010S47047635

The central structure of Broad Absorption Line QSOs: observational characteristics in the cm-mm wavelength domain

Accounting for ~20% of the total QSO population, Broad Absorption Line QSOs are still an unsolved problem in the AGN context. They present wide troughs in the UV spectrum, due to material with velocities up to 0.2 c toward the observer. The two models proposed in literature try to explain them as a particular phase of the evolution of QSOs or as normal QSOs, but seen from a particular line of sight. We built a statistically complete sample of Radio-Loud BAL QSOs, and carried out an observing campaign to piece together the whole spectrum in the cm wavelength domain, and highlight all the possible differences with respect to a comparison sample of Radio-Loud non-BAL QSOs. VLBI observations at high angular resolution have been performed, to study the pc-scale morphology of these objects. Finally, we tried to detect a possible dust component with observations at mm-wavelengths. Results do not seem to indicate a young age for all BAL QSOs. Instead a variety of orientations and morphologies have been found, constraining the outflows foreseen by the orientation model to have different possible angles with respect to the jet axis

The kinematics of the quadrupolar nebula M1-75 and the identification of its central star

The link between the shaping of bipolar planetary nebulae and their central stars is still poorly understood. The kinematics and shaping of the multipolar nebula M 1-75 are hereby investigated, and the location and nature of its central star are briefly discussed. Fabry-Perot data from GHaFAS on the WHT sampling the Doppler shift of the [N II] 658.3 nm line are used to study the dynamics of the nebula, by means of a detailed 3-D spatio-kinematical model. Multi-wavelength images and spectra from the WFC and IDS on the INT, and from ACAM on the WHT, allowed us to constrain the parameters of the central star. The two pairs of lobes, angularly separated by ~22 degrees, were ejected simultaneously approx. ~3500-5000 years ago, at the adopted distance range from 3.5 to 5.0 kpc. The larger lobes show evidence of a slight degree of point symmetry. The shaping of the nebula could be explained by wind interaction in a system consisting of a post-AGB star surrounded by a disc warped by radiative instabilities. This requires the system to be a close binary or a single star which engulfed a planet as it died. On the other hand, we present broad- and narrow-band images and a low S/N optical spectrum of the highly-reddened, previously unnoticed star which is likely the nebular progenitor. Its estimated V-I colour allows us to derive a rough estimate of the parameters and nature of the central star.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic