Reproductive Biology of Striated Heron (Butorides striata) in Argentina

The reproductive biology of the Striated Heron (Butorides striata) was studied in the lagoon of the Reserve of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina, during two breeding seasons: September 2012-February 2013 (n = 77) and September 2013-March 2014 (n = 125). All nests (n = 202) were built on waxy-leaf nightshade (Solanum glaucophyllum) at 0.99 ± 0.27 m above water level. The incubation period was 20-23 (21.71 ± 1.57) days; laying and hatching took place on successive days. An average of 2.63 ± 0.60 (Range = 2-4) opaque pale blue eggs were recorded per nest. Length, width and weight of eggs did not differ between seasons. Double (n = 43) and triple (n = 47) broods were recorded. A total of 631 eggs were monitored; no differences were detected in breeding, hatching, nesting, or fledging success between seasons. The time spent by chicks in the nest was 14.6 ± 2.16 days, and the average number of chicks per nest was 2.15 ± 0.55. Age-specific mortality rate for eggs was 22% and 38% and for chicks 47% and 35% for the first and second seasons, respectively. Sixty-one percent of nest failures were related to the disappearance of eggs or chicks from the nests, possibly due to predation or climatic factors.Fil: Olguin, Pamela Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Beltzer, Adolfo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Giraudo, Alejandro Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; ArgentinaFil: Regner, Silvia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Juani, Marcelo Miguel. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; ArgentinaFil: Vianco, Mercedes. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; ArgentinaFil: Mariano, Emiliano. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias; ArgentinaFil: Lorenzón, Rodrigo Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Leon, Evelina Jesica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; Argentin

Situación y perspectivas de la agricultura y vida rural en el hemisferio: inversión y financiamiento para la agricultura y el desarrollo rural en la Región Andina: informe

62 páginasEn la región existe en la actualidad una manifiesta preocupación por la situación de su economía rural, particularmente por la competitividad de las actividades de este sector, su pobreza y el deterioro ambiental. No obstante, el problema de la agricultura y el bajo desarrollo rural en gran medida están vinculados a la falta de mayores inversiones y el escaso acceso al financiamiento, constituyendo un tema no resuelto para los países de la región andina. Diversos estudios han identificado como uno de los principales problemas del sector agrícola y rural a su limitada inserción a los mercados internos y externos y la falta de una adecuada infraestructura básica rural, además de los bajos niveles y mala distribución de la inversión pública y del sector en particular, que tienen como efecto la disminución de los ingresos de la población rural, la inseguridad alimentaria, el escaso flujo de inversiones privadas al sector y el desplazamiento de la producción nacional por productos agropecuarios extranjeros, aunado a la crisis institucional y de gobernabilidad por la que han atravesado y continúan agudizándose en los países de la región

Defining the causes of sporadic Parkinson's disease in the global Parkinson's genetics program (GP2)

The Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) will genotype over 150,000 participants from around the world, and integrate genetic and clinical data for use in large-scale analyses to dramatically expand our understanding of the genetic architecture of PD. This report details the workflow for cohort integration into the complex arm of GP2, and together with our outline of the monogenic hub in a companion paper, provides a generalizable blueprint for establishing large scale collaborative research consortia

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of Parkinson?s disease

Although over 90 independent risk variants have been identified for Parkinson’s disease using genome-wide association studies, most studies have been performed in just one population at a time. Here we performed a large-scale multi-ancestry meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease with 49,049 cases, 18,785 proxy cases and 2,458,063 controls including individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American and African ancestry. In a meta-analysis, we identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci, including 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300 and PPP6R2) and fine-mapped 6 putative causal variants at 6 known PD loci. By combining our results with publicly available eQTL data, we identified 25 putative risk genes in these novel loci whose expression is associated with PD risk. This work lays the groundwork for future efforts aimed at identifying PD loci in non-European populations

Molecular evolution of H3N8 equine influenza virus in Argentina

The aim of this work was to study the molecular characteristics of H3N8 EIV detected in Argentina, estimate their diversification and infer the potential source of infections. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid (aa) sequences for the complete HA gene of the EIV detected in Argentina between 1985 and 2012 were analyzed along with sequences obtained from the Influenza Research database. Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian phylogenetic trees were built up. Bayesian coalescent analyses were carried out to estimate the time of the most recent common ancestors (tMRCA) and the dynamic population growthInst.de VirologíaFil: Olguin Perglione, Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Golemba, Marcelo D. Hospital de Pediatría. S.A.M.I.C. “Prof. Dr. Juan P.Garrahan”; ArgentinaFil: Barrandeguy, Maria Edith. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología; Argentina. Universidad del Salvador; Argentin

Molecular Epidemiology and Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of the H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus in South America

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is considered the most important respiratory pathogen of horses as outbreaks of the disease lead to substantial economic losses. The H3N8 EIV has caused respiratory disease in horses across the world, including South American countries. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for the complete haemagglutinin gene of the H3N8 EIV detected in South America since 1963 were analyzed. Phylogenetic and Bayesian coalescent analyses were carried out to study the origin, the time of the most recent common ancestors (tMRCA), the demographic and the phylogeographic patterns of the H3N8 EIV. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the H3N8 EIV detected in South America grouped in 5 well-supported monophyletic clades, each associated with strains of different origins. The tMRCA estimated for each group suggested that the virus was circulating in North America at least one year before its effective circulation in the South American population. Phylogenetic and coalescent analyses revealed a polyphyletic behavior of the viruses causing the outbreaks in South America between 1963 and 2012, possibly due to the introduction of at least 4 different EIVs through the international movement of horses. In addition, phylodynamic analysis suggested South America as the starting point of the spread of the H3N8 EIV in 1963 and showed migration links from the United States to South America in the subsequent EIV irruptions. Further, an increase in the relative genetic diversity was observed between 2006 and 2007 and a subsequent decline since 2009, probably due to the co-circulation of different lineages and as a result of the incorporation of the Florida clade 2 strain in vaccines, respectively. The observed data highlight the importance of epidemiological surveillance and the implementation of appropriate quarantine procedures to prevent outbreaks of the disease

Situación y perspectivas de la agricultura y vida rural en el hemisferio. Inversión y financiamiento para la agricultura y el desarrollo rural en la Región Andina

Analiza la inversión y desarrollo de la agricultura y del sector rural; financiamiento del desarrollo de la agricultura y el medio rural en la Región Andina; y finalmente, el financiamiento multilateral y regional: los recursos destinados al sector agropecuario y rural, para desarrollar los desafíos y oportunidades de cada unos los temas abordados

Geografía Social: organizaciones vecinales y contexto urbano en la percepcion mental de los residentes de la ciudad de Talca.

199 p

Stress induced biofilm formation in Propionibacterium acidipropionici and use in propionic acid production.

Propionibacterium acidipropionici produces propionic acid from different sugars and glycerol; the production can be improved by high cell density fermentations using immobilized cells that help to overcome the limitations of the non-productive lag phase and product inhibition. In this study, the use of stress factors to induce P. acidipropionici to form biofilm and its use as an immobilization procedure in fermentations in bioreactors for producing propionic acid was investigated. Citric acid and sodium chloride increased exopolysaccharide production, biofilm capacity index and trehalose production. Analysis of the expression of trehalose synthesis-related genes otsA and treY by RT-qPCR showed significantly increased expression of only treY during log phase with citric acid, while FISH analysis showed expression of treY and luxS under the influence of both stress factors. The stress factors were then used for development of microbial biofilms as immobilization procedure on Poraver® and AnoxKaldnes® carriers in recycle batch reactors for propionic acid production from 20 g/L glycerol. Highest productivities of 0.7 and 0.78 g/L/h were obtained in Poraver® reactors, and 0.39 and 0.43 g/L/h in AnoxKaldnes® reactors with citric acid and NaCl, respectively

Methylmercury-induced developmental toxicity is associated with oxidative stress and cofilin phosphorylation. Cellular and human studies

Environmental exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) during development is of concern because it is easily incorporated in children's body both pre- and post-natal, it acts at several levels of neural pathways (mitochondria, cytoskeleton, neurotransmission) and it causes behavioral impairment in child. We evaluated the effects of prolonged exposure to 10–600 nM MeHg on primary cultures of mouse cortical (CCN) and of cerebellar granule cells (CGC) during their differentiation period. In addition, it was studied if prenatal MeHg exposure correlated with altered antioxidant defenses and cofilin phosphorylation in human placentas (n = 12) from the INMA cohort (Spain). Exposure to MeHg for 9 days in vitro (DIV) resulted in protein carbonylation and in cell death at concentrations ≥200 nM and ≥300 nM, respectively. Exposure of CCN and CGC to non-cytotoxic MeHg concentrations for 5 DIV induced an early concentration-dependent decrease in cofilin phosphorylation. Furthermore, in both cell types actin was translocated from the cytosol to the mitochondria whereas cofilin translocation was found only in CGC. Translocation of cofilin and actin to mitochondria in CGC occurred from 30 nM MeHg onwards. We also found an increased expression of cortactin and LIMK1 mRNA in CGC but not in CCN. All these effects were prevented by the antioxidant probucol. Cofilin phosphorylation was significantly decreased and a trend for decreased activity of glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase was found in the fetal side of human placental samples from the highest (20–40 μg/L) MeHg-exposed group when compared with the low (<7 μg/L) MeHg-exposed group. In summary, cofilin dephosphorylation and oxidative stress are hallmarks of MeHg exposure in both experimental and human systems.Fil: Caballero, Beatriz. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Olguin, Nair Temis. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Campos, Francisco. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Farina, Marcelo. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Brasil. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Ballester, Ferran. Universidad de Valencia; España. Universitat Jaume I; EspañaFil: Lopez Espinosa, Maria Jose. Universidad de Valencia; España. Universitat Jaume I; EspañaFil: Llop, Sabrina. Universidad de Valencia; España. Universitat Jaume I; EspañaFil: Rodríguez Farré, Eduard. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Suñol, Cristina. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Españ