Creative economy, authenticity and peripheral memories: the favela souvenirs in Rio de Janeiro

The aim is to examine the economic and cultural roles of the favela souvenirs for Rio de Janeiro’s slums, with the focus on the work of a male artist from Santa Teresa (an old neighbourhood, on the top tod a hill in the central region of the city, with great tourist appeal and strong contrast between mansions and one of the poorest and most violent communities of Rio). The main argument indicates that favela souvenirs generate income and jobs not only for craft workers, but indirectly for tourist guides, food services and other creative sectors connected to the favela tourism. When these souvenirs are original and truth-telling, they may stimulate a better perception of the favelas in tourists and consolidate them as tourist destinations, despite the aggravation of violence in many slums in Rio de Janeiro. Favela souvenirs also carry the memories of the city’s periphery, which is sometimes seen as secondary in Rio de Janeiro’s long-established tourist images and “generic souvenirs”. They offer greater visibility to the cultural production of marginalized social groups, which fuels potentially transformative views about the favelas and bring about the discussion on the lives of those who live in these areas. In the case of the work of the considered artist, it is possible to say that his paintings have elements of the “objective authenticity” of souvenirs, which contrast with a preconceived idea of an “imaginary favela” in his treatment of Santa Teresa’s poorest communities. However, there are some aspects of standardization in his pictorial production and simulation in the process of elaboration of the artist’s work during tourists’ visits to his studio

Molecular analysis of the E2F/DP gene family of Daucus carota and involvement of the DcE2F1 factor in cell proliferation

E2F transcription factors are key components of the RB/E2F pathway that, through the action of cyclin-dependent kinases, regulates cell cycle progression in both plants and animals. Moreover, plant and animal E2Fs have also been shown to regulate other cellular functions in addition to cell proliferation. Based on structural and functional features, they can be divided into different classes that have been shown to act as activators or repressors of E2F-dependent genes. Among the first plant E2F factors to be reported, we previously described DcE2F1, an activating E2F which is expressed in cycling carrot (Daucus carota) cells. In this study, we describe the identification of the additional members of the E2F/DP family of D. carota, which includes four typical E2Fs, three atypical E2F/DEL genes, and three related DP genes. Expression analyses of the carrot E2F and DP genes reveal distinctive patterns and suggest that the functions of some of them are not necessarily linked to cell proliferation. DcE2F1 was previously shown to transactivate an E2F-responsive promoter in transient assays but the functional role of this protein in planta was not defined. Sequence comparisons indicate that DcE2F1 could be an ortholog of the AtE2FA factor of Arabidopsis thaliana. Moreover, ectopic expression of the DcE2F1 cDNA in transgenic Arabidopsis plants is able to upregulate AtE2FB and promotes cell proliferation, giving rise to polycotyly with low frequency, effects that are highly similar to those observed when over-expressing AtE2FA. These results indicate that DcE2F1 is involved in the control of cell proliferation and plays important roles in the regulation of embryo and plant development

The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in WMAP data

Using WMAP 5 year data, we look for the average Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect (SZE) signal from clusters of galaxies by stacking the regions around hundreds of known X-ray clusters. We detect the average SZE at a very high significance level. The average cluster signal is spatially resolved in the W band. This mean signal is compared with the expected signal from the same clusters calculated on the basis of archival ROSAT data. From the comparison we conclude that the observed SZE seems to be less than the expected signal derived from X-ray measurements when a standard beta-model is assumed for the gas distribution. This conclusion is model dependent. Our predictions depend mostly on the assumptions made about the core radius of clusters and the slope of the gas density profile. Models with steeper profiles are able to simultaneously fit both X-ray and WMAP data better than a beta-model. However, the agreement is not perfect and we find that it is still difficult to make the X-ray and SZE results agree. A model assuming point source contamination in SZE clusters renders a better fit to the one-dimensional SZE profiles thus suggesting that contamination from point sources could be contributing to a diminution of the SZE signal. Selecting a model that better fits both X-ray and WMAP data away from the very central region, we estimate the level of contamination and find that on average, the point source contamination is on the level of 16 mJy (at 41 GHz), 26 mJy (at 61 GHz) and 18 mJy (at 94 GHz). These estimated fluxes are marginally consistent with the estimated contamination derived from radio and infrared surveys thus suggesting that the combination of a steeper gas profile and the contribution from point sources allows us to consistently explain the X-ray emission and SZE in galaxy clusters as measured by ROSAT and WMAP.Comment: 17 pages and 17 figures. Submited to MNRA

Lensing Magnification: Implications for Counts of Submillimeter Galaxies and SZ Clusters

We study lensing magnification of source galaxies by intervening galaxy groups and clusters using a halo model. Halos are modeled with truncated NFW profiles with ellipticity added to their lensing potential and propagated to observable lensing statistics. We present the formalism to calculate observable effects due to a distribution of halos of different masses at different redshifts along the l ine of sight. We calculate the effects of magnification on the number counts of high-redshift galaxies. Using BLAST survey data for submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), we find that magnification affects the steep, high flux par t of the counts by about 60%. The effect becomes much stronger if the intrinsic distribution is signi ficantly steeper than observed. We also consider the effect of this high-redshift galaxy population on contaminating the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signal of massive clusters using the halo model approach. We find that for the majority of clusters expected to be detected with ongoing SZ surveys, there is significant contamination from the Poisson noise due to background SMGs. This contr ibution can be comparable to the SZ increment for typical clusters and can also contaminate the SZ decrement of low mass clusters. Thus SZ observations, especially for the increment part of the SZ spectrum, need to include careful modeling of this irreducible contamination for mass estimation. Lensing further enhances the contamination, especially close to the cores of massive clusters and for very disturbed clusters with large magnification cross-section.Comment: 21 pages, 14 figures, Submitted to MNRA

Diseño curricular de los contenidos de Morfología Vegetal, Sistemática Vegetal y Zoología Agrícola, en la Tecnicatura Universitaria en Agroecología

El currículum en acción es la última expresión de su valor, pues, en definitiva, es en la práctica donde todo proyecto, idea e intención, se hace realidad, manifiesta y adquiere significación. Iniciada en el año 2022 la Tecnicatura Universitaria en Agroecología es una carrera con una duración propuesta de dos años y medio, orientada al diseño, manejo y gestión de agroecosistemas conforme a los principios de la agroecología. Como parte de la tecnicatura el curso Componentes de la Agrobiodiversidad es un espacio curricular del primer cuatrimestre del primer año. Esta asignatura propone un abordaje de los elementos constitutivos de la biodiversidad de los agroecosistemas a través de unidades temáticas, donde Morfología Vegetal, Sistemática Vegetal y Zoología Agrícola son parte fundamental. De acuerdo a los objetivos y propósitos buscados en estas unidades se desarrollaron modalidades de enseñanza teórico-prácticas, con actividades de observación y manipulación de materiales. Las prácticas presenciales y sobre todo las de observación/laboratorio permiten una mayor integración de los contenidos teóricos con los prácticos (la observación es la actividad fundamental de las clases) sumado a la utilización del aula virtual como herramienta comunicacional de gran valor en la dinámica mixta de la presencialidad-virtualidad.Especialización en Docencia UniversitariaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Carcinoma de endometrio de alto riesgo en estadios iniciales:

Introducción: En Argentina el cáncer de endometrio es el segundo tumor ginecológico más frecuente, representando el 6% de todos los cánceres en mujeres. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar los resultados oncológicos y perioperatorios, en pacientes con cáncer de endometrio de alto riesgo (CEAR) limitados al útero tratadas en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires entre enero 2010-2018. Métodos: Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo que evaluó los resultados perioperatorios, la supervivencia libre de enfermedad a los 2, 4 años en pacientes con CEAR.   Resultados: 74 pacientes cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Los tumores serosos fueron los más frecuente n=38 (51%), mientras que los desdiferenciados, los de menor frecuencia, n=2 (3%). 56 (76%) pacientes recibieron al menos un tratamiento adyuvante. El tratamiento sistémico fue implementado en 28 pacientes (38%), mientras que 24 (33%) recibieron una combinación de quimioterapia y radioterapia.  La mediana de seguimiento fue de 2,9 años. La supervivencia libre de enfermedad, en pacientes con estadio IA a los 2 y 4 años fue de 71% (IC 95% 55-82) y 63 % (IC 46 -76) respectivamente, mientras que aquellas que presentaban un estadio IB fue de 53 (IC 95% 33-70) y 38 (IC 95% 19-58). En cuanto a la vía quirúrgica de abordaje, no se encontraron diferencias significativas en la supervivencia libre de enfermedad ni en las complicaciones perioperatorias. Conclusión: Sólo el estadio FIGO mostró un aumento en la probabilidad de muerte o recaída independientemente del tipo de tratamiento adyuvante realizado y de la vía de abordaje seleccionada

In tobacco BY-2 cells xyloglucan oligosaccharides alter the expression of genes involved in cell wall metabolism, signalling, stress responses, cell division and transcriptional control

Xyloglucan oligosaccharides (XGOs) are breakdown products of XGs, the most abundant hemicelluloses of the primary cell walls of non-Poalean species. Treatment of cell cultures or whole plants with XGOs results in accelerated cell elongation and cell division, changes in primary root growth, and a stimulation of defence responses. They may therefore act as signalling molecules regulating plant growth and development. Previous work suggests an interaction with auxins and effects on cell wall loosening, however their mode of action is not fully understood. The effect of an XGO extract from tamarind (Tamarindus indica) on global gene expression was therefore investigated in tobacco BY-2 cells using microarrays. Over 500 genes were differentially regulated with similar numbers and functional classes of genes up- and down-regulated, indicating a complex interaction with the cellular machinery. Up-regulation of a putative XG endotransglycosylase/hydrolase-related (XTH) gene supports the mechanism of XGO action through cell wall loosening. Differential expression of defence-related genes supports a role for XGOs as elicitors. Changes in the expression of genes related to mitotic control and differentiation also support previous work showing that XGOs are mitotic inducers. XGOs also affected expression of several receptor-like kinase genes and transcription factors. Hence, XGOs have significant effects on expression of genes related to cell wall metabolism, signalling, stress responses, cell division and transcriptional control

An exact model of conformal quintessence

A non--minimally coupled quintessence model is investigated and the conditions for a stationary solution to the coincidence problem are obtained. For a conformally coupled scalar field and dissipative matter, a general solution possessing late acceleration is found. It fits rather well the high redshift supernovae data and gives a good prediction of the age of the Universe. Likewise, the cold dark matter component dominates the cosmological perturbations at late times albeit they decrease with expansion.Comment: 19 pages, RevTeX 4, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Planck Intermediate Results. IV. The XMM-Newton validation programme for new Planck galaxy clusters

We present the final results from the XMM-Newton validation follow-up of new Planck galaxy cluster candidates. We observed 15 new candidates, detected with signal-to-noise ratios between 4.0 and 6.1 in the 15.5-month nominal Planck survey. The candidates were selected using ancillary data flags derived from the ROSAT All Sky Survey (RASS) and Digitized Sky Survey all-sky maps, with the aim of pushing into the low SZ flux, high-z regime and testing RASS flags as indicators of candidate reliability. 14 new clusters were detected by XMM, including 2 double systems. Redshifts lie in the range 0.2 to 0.9, with 6 clusters at z>0.5. Estimated M500 range from 2.5 10^14 to 8 10^14 Msun. We discuss our results in the context of the full XMM validation programme, in which 51 new clusters have been detected. This includes 4 double and 2 triple systems, some of which are chance projections on the sky of clusters at different z. We find that association with a RASS-BSC source is a robust indicator of the reliability of a candidate, whereas association with a FSC source does not guarantee that the SZ candidate is a bona fide cluster. Nevertheless, most Planck clusters appear in RASS maps, with a significance greater than 2 sigma being a good indication that the candidate is a real cluster. The full sample gives a Planck sensitivity threshold of Y500 ~ 4 10^-4 arcmin^2, with indication for Malmquist bias in the YX-Y500 relation below this level. The corresponding mass threshold depends on z. Systems with M500 > 5 10^14 Msun at z > 0.5 are easily detectable with Planck. The newly-detected clusters follow the YX-Y500 relation derived from X-ray selected samples. Compared to X-ray selected clusters, the new SZ clusters have a lower X-ray luminosity on average for their mass. There is no indication of departure from standard self-similar evolution in the X-ray versus SZ scaling properties. (abridged)Comment: accepted by A&

Planck intermediate results. XXIX. All-sky dust modelling with Planck, IRAS, and WISE observations

We present all-sky modelling of the high resolution Planck, IRAS, and WISE infrared (IR) observations using the physical dust model presented by Draine and Li in 2007 (DL). We study the performance and results of this model, and discuss implications for future dust modelling. The present work extends the DL dust modelling carried out on nearby galaxies using Herschel and Spitzer data to Galactic dust emission. We employ the DL dust model to generate maps of the dust mass surface density, the optical extinction Av, and the starlight intensity parametrized by Umin. The DL model reproduces the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) satisfactorily over most of the sky, with small deviations in the inner Galactic disk and in low ecliptic latitude areas. We compare the DL optical extinction Av for the diffuse interstellar medium with optical estimates for 2 10^5 quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) observed in the Sloan digital sky survey. The DL Av estimates are larger than those determined towards QSOs by a factor of about 2, which depends on Umin. The DL fitting parameter Umin, effectively determined by the wavelength where the SED peaks, appears to trace variations in the far-IR opacity of the dust grains per unit Av, and not only in the starlight intensity. To circumvent the model deficiency, we propose an empirical renormalization of the DL Av estimate, dependent of Umin, which compensates for the systematic differences found with QSO observations. This renormalization also brings into agreement the DL Av estimates with those derived for molecular clouds from the near-IR colours of stars in the 2 micron all sky survey. The DL model and the QSOs data are used to compress the spectral information in the Planck and IRAS observations for the diffuse ISM to a family of 20 SEDs normalized per Av, parameterized by Umin, which may be used to test and empirically calibrate dust models.Comment: Final version that has appeared in A&