Development of Ex Vivo Model to Study the Effect of Rock Snot, <em>Didymosphenia geminata</em> (Lyngb.), on Cells and Gametes of Freshwater Fish

Rock snot, a species of diatom that produces nuisance growths in international freshwater rivers and streams, in Chile, Canada, New Zealand and other country, with consistently cold-water temperatures and low-nutrient levels, is produced by Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngb.) M. Schmidt (D. geminata) and is a complex problem in rivers. Its biology problem and its effects on ecosystems are still being investigated, yet no research has focused on the effects of D. geminata at the cellular level. We proposed to review and described an artificial river system to preserve D. geminata for obtained future study material to evaluate the effects of water contaminated by this diatom on cell models. Our preliminary results indicate the D. geminata altered several cell lines and cell function, and review of the literature suggested alteration in the biotic system on river with this plague. We proposed the described literature for exploring the possibility of building a model for maintaining D. geminata from Chilean rivers and used the biological material obtained from artificial river, like extract and contaminated water for studying the chronic effects on cells

Impact of B physics on model building and vice versa: an example

We motivate that the start-up of the B factories has opened a new precision flavour physics era, with an important effect on model building. Using as an example a left-right model with spontaneous CP violation, we will show how the inclusion of the new experimental data on B physics observables, together with the old observables coming from kaon physics, has significantly widened our capacity to strongly constrain the parameter space up to the point to exclude models. On the contrary, using certain hypotheses, mainly concerning isospin, we discuss how theory may help us to `test' the data on charged, neutral and mixed $B \to \pi K$ decays once experimental errors will be reduced.Comment: 20 pages, LaTe

Epoxidación de polibutadieno con peracidos generados in situ

El polibutadieno (PB) es un homopolímero amorfo insaturado. Por medio de su epoxidación se generan grupos oxirano altamente reactivos sobre la cadena, lo que permite el anclaje posterior de diversos nucleófilos. La reacción se lleva a cabo en un sistema bifásico acuoso-oleoso. El agente epoxidante es un perácido, generado a partir de un ácido carboxílico y H2O2. De esta manera, se consigue modificar las características del material post polimerización. En este trabajo se realizaron una serie de reacciones modificando tipo de solvente (tolueno, hexano, acetato de etilo) y temperatura (30?50 °C). Como precursores del perácido se utilizaron acido fórmico o acético; con este último además se agregó ácido sulfúrico como catalizador. A las 16 h se detuvo la reacción, se realizaron lavados con agua de la fase orgánica hasta neutralidad y luego se secaron bajo vacío. Se realizaron ensayos de H1-RMN y FTIR sobre el PB de partida y el producto final (PBE).Fil: Parodi, Adrián Rodrigo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Menossi, Matias. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Magario, Ivana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Milanesio, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaXXII Congreso Argentino de Fisicoquímica y Química InorgánicaLa PlataArgentinaUniversidad Nacional de La Plat

A multicenter prospective study of 515 febrile neutropenia episodes in Argentina during a 5-year period

For better management of patients with febrile neutropenia, our study investigated the epidemiologic, microbiologic, and clinical characteristics of adult inpatients with febrile neutropenia and their mortality-associated factors. To this end, we carried out a prospective, observational, multicenter study in 28 Argentinian hospitals between 2007 and 2012. We included 515 episodes of febrile neutropenia from 346 patients, median age 49 years. Neutropenia followed chemotherapy in 77% of cases, half of the cases due to hematological malignancies. Most episodes were classified as high-risk according to MASCC criteria, and 53.6% of patients were already hospitalized at the onset of febrile neutropenia. Bloodstream infections were detected in 14% episodes; whereas an infectious source of fever was identified in 80% of cases. Mortality rate achieved to 14.95%. The binary regression analysis showed that persistence of fever at day 7, or neutropenia at day 14, dehydration and tachycardia at the onset of febrile neutropenia as well as prior infections were significantly associated with mortality. In addition to expanding our current knowledge on the features of adult patients with febrile neutropenia, present findings provide useful information for better management of them in Argentina, given the appropriate representativeness of centers participating in the study.Fil: Parodi, Roberto Leandro. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Lagrutta, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Tortolo, Mauro. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Navall, Estefanía. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, María S. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Sasia, Gervasio F. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: de Candia, Lucas F. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Gruvman, Matias A. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Bottasso, Oscar. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas. Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Greca, Alcides Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Medicas. Rosario; Argentin

Polyphenols obtained from Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) Schmith altered the viability and proliferation of salmonids cells lines SHK-1 and CHSE-214

Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngbye) Schmidt, also referred to as Didymo, is an invasive diatom that forms nuisance mats. Since it was first reported in our country in approximately 2010, Didymo has expanded and colonized different rivers in the Zona Austral region of Chile. Its biology and effects on ecosystems are still being studied because Didymo is an invasive algal mat that forms in a range of systems from oligotrophic austral rivers to more subtropical systems. We aimed to evaluate the viability of two salmonid cell lines, CHSE-214 and SHK-1 (somatic and embryonic cell lines, respectively), in dilutions of river water alone and in river water contaminated with Didymo or polyphenols extracted from Didymo under controlled conditions. We developed an artificial river system (2 aquariums/replicate) from five different rivers from the central area (Bio-Bio) and Patagonia area (Futaleufu) of Chile to maintain Didymo in the benthic phase. The Didymo populations were maintained for six months in the water from the rivers, after which samples were obtained. Following the extraction of polyphenols from the Didymo samples maintained in the artificial rivers, toxicity assays (10 assays) were performed to determine cell viability. Our results indicated that the CHSE-214 cells were highly sensitive to increasing concentrations of Didymo extracts. We observed a 50% reduction in cell viability after 24 h of exposure to a 0.01 V/V dilution, and this treatment further reduced the proliferative capacity by 70% after 120 h. The SHK-1 cells were less responsive, showing only a 20% decrease in viability at 24 h and a lower cell proliferation rate (45%) after 120 h, which remained higher than that of the CHSE-214 cells. We conclude that certain cell types are sensitive to Didymo in rivers, suggesting that there are chronic effects on several aquatic species following exposure to these diatom substances. These effects should be further studied using this laboratory model to understand the full impact of Didymo on river ecosystems

Water contaminated with Didymosphenia geminata generates changes in Salmo salar spermatozoa activation times

Didimosphenia geminata ('didymo'), has become a powerful and devastating river plague in Chile. A system was developed in D. geminata channels with the purpose evaluating the effects of water polluted with didymo on the activation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) spermatozoa. Results indicate that semen, when activated with uncontaminated river water had an average time of 60 +/- 21 s. When using Powermilt, (a commercial activator), times of 240 +/- 21 s are achieved, while rivers contaminated with D. geminata achieve a motility time of 30 +/- 12s. Interestingly enough, the kinetic parameters of VSL, VCL and VAP showed no significant changes under all of the conditions. Furthermore, the presence of D. geminata reduces activation time of the samples as the cells age, indicating increased effects in spermatozoa that are conserved for more than 5 days. D. geminata has antioxidant content, represented by polyphenols; 200 ppm of polyphenol were obtained in this study per log of microalgae. Spermatozoa exposed to these extracts showed a reduction in mobility time in a dose dependent manner, showing an IC50 of 15 ppm. The results suggest an effect on spermatozoa activation, possibly due to the release of polyphenols present in contaminated rivers, facilitating the alteration of sperm motility times, without affecting the viability or kinetics of the cells. These findings have important implications for current policy regarding the control of the algae. Current control measures focus on the number of visible species, and not on the compounds that they release, which this study shows, also have a problematic effect on salmon production. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Immune variations throughout the course of tuberculosis treatment and its relationship with adrenal hormone changes in HIV-1 patients co-infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

HIV infection is a major risk factor predisposing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and progression to active tuberculosis (TB). As host immune response defines the course of infection, we aimed to identify immuno-endocrine changes over six-months of anti-TB chemotherapy in HIV+ people. Plasma levels of cortisol, DHEA and DHEA-S, percentages of CD4+ regulatory T cell subsets and number of IFN-γ-secreting cells were determined. Several cytokines, chemokines and C-reactive protein levels were measured. Results were correlated with clinical parameters as predictors of infection resolution and compared to similar data from HIV+ individuals, HIV-infected persons with latent TB infection and healthy donors. Throughout the course of anti-TB/HIV treatment, DHEA and DHEA-S plasma levels raised while cortisol diminished, which correlated to predictive factors of infection resolution. Furthermore, the balance between cortisol and DHEA, together with clinical assessment, may be considered as an indicator of clinical outcome after anti-TB treatment in HIV+ individuals. Clinical improvement was associated with reduced frequency of unconventional Tregs, increment in IFN-γ-secreting cells, diminution of systemic inflammation and changes of circulating cytokines and chemokines. This study suggests that the combined anti-HIV/TB therapies result in partial restoration of both, immune function and adrenal hormone plasma levels.Fil: Vecchione, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Angerami, Matias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Guadalupe Verónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Turk, Gabriela Julia Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Laufer, Natalia Lorna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Ben, Graciela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Ameri, Diego. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Diego. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Laura M.. Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Giavedoni, Luis D.. Texas Biomedical Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Maidana, Patricia Nieves Amelia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Fabre, Bibiana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Mesch, Viviana Rosa. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Fisiopatología y Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Sued, Omar Gustavo. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentin