Description of the spider Verita williamsi, a new genus and species from Santa Fe, Argentina (Araneae, Gnaphosidae)

Verita williamsi, nuevo género y especie (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) se describe a partir de especímenes colectados recientemente en el norte de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina. Estas arañas muestran una peculiar combinación de caracteres, solamente dos fúsulas de glándulas piriformes, setas alineadas en la escópula de las patas y las hileras anteriores no muy apartadas entre ellas, que sugieren que la especie está cercanamente emparentada a Micaria y a algunos de los representantes pequeños del grupo de géneros Anzacia. Se distingue de todos ellos por tener tres dientes en el retromargen queliceral y por carecer de setas escamosas iridiscentes en el abdomen.Verita williamsi, nuevo género y especie (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) se describe a partir de especímenes colectados recientemente en el norte de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina. Estas arañas muestran una peculiar combinación de caracteres, solamente dos fúsulas de glándulas piriformes, setas alineadas en la escópula de las patas y las hileras anteriores no muy apartadas entre ellas, que sugieren que la especie está cercanamente emparentada a Micaria y a algunos de los representantes pequeños del grupo de géneros Anzacia. Se distingue de todos ellos por tener tres dientes en el retromargen queliceral y por carecer de setas escamosas iridiscentes en el abdomen.Fil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Grismado, Cristian José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

VCD helps others in molecular aggregates

Molecular self-assembly is the driving force of a great number of physical, chemical and biological processes in Nature.1 The properties of the molecular aggregates are markedly dependent on the intermolecular forces which hold together the building blocks, but also on the chemical and structural features of these building blocks. The transference of properties from the individual molecules to the bulk aggregate can be summarized in three main behaviours: disappearance (dipole moment), direct sum (weight) and enhancement (resilience). A nice example of the last group is the optical activity. The presence of a chiral seed in the molecules modulates their folding by favouring one among the available macrostructures. As a consequence, new forms of supramolecular chirality are triggered, such as helical, spiral or chiral sheets, which usually give rise to a noticeable increasing of the chiral signal of the aggregates. Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) is the chiral version of infrared spectroscopy. It combines the intramolecular view provided by the molecular vibrations with the selective capability of a chiral analysis. It is also a suitable technique to observe the aggregation-induced signal enhancement in any type of condensed phase (solid, liquid, gel, etc). Here we present a series of studies on supramolecular systems, Figure 1, in which VCD helps and improves the analysis obtained by other techniques of chiral analysis as electron microscopy (SEM, AFM), electronic circular dichroism (ECD), Raman optical activity (ROA) or circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). These studies are aimed to obtain structural information of the macromolecular scaffolding useful to control the features and applications of the aggregates.Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Sentido e indeterminación en la cinta blanca, de Michael Haneke

_La cinta blanca narra una serie de acontecimientos inconexos e inexplicables, actos terribles que van generando una impresión de sinsentido, hechos violentos perpetrados contra víctimas inocentes o miembros "positivos". El análisi cinematográfico de esta película revela la importancia de la exclusión social de los niños en la sociedad austriaca de entreguerras como elemento que logra despejar el enigma del filme

Time-dependent Stokes-Darcy Flow with Deposition

This thesis investigates two nonlinear systems of time-dependent partial differential equations that model a filtration process. Existence and uniqueness results for the governing equations is established. For each system, a finite element scheme capable of approximating the solutions is investigated. Accompanying numerical experiments corroborate the analytical findings. Finally, an optimization application concerning the design of a filter is discussed and supported with a numerical study

Effect of once-daily suckling and parity on follicular dynamics in postpartum Brahman cows

Changes in follicular dynamics were monitored in forty-four Brahman multiparous (n=30) and primiparous (n=14) cows randomly assigned to control (n=22) and once-daily suckling (n=22) treatments. Daily transrectal ultrasonography images were taken from d 21 through 88 post-calving or detection of first estrus. Suckling treatment was introduced on d 28 post-calving. Follicular waves were profiled and characterized by development and regression of a variable number of small and medium sized (2-9 mm) follicles before one of the follicles differentiated and became the dominant follicle. Primiparous cows had 34% more (P<0.04) follicular waves (4.8 + 0.6) than did the multiparous cows (3.1 + 0.4) prior to first ovulation (FO). Once-daily suckled multiparous cows had 37% fewer (P<0.03) follicular waves (2.4 + 0.5) prior to FO than controls. Interval from calving to FO was reduced (P < 0.05) by an average of 12 d by once-daily suckling in multiparous cows. Primiparous cows developed 30% more (P<0.02) dominant follicles (6.3 + 0.6) from d 21 to estrus than did the multiparous cows (4.3 + 0.4). Ovulation before d 88 occurred in 42 of 44 (95%) cows. Behavioral estrus was not detected in 40 of 42 (95%) cows at FO. The length of the subsequent estrous cycle was short (<17 days) in 39 of 42 (93%) cows. We can conclude from these data that ovarian function is resumed shortly after parturition and ovulation of a dominant follicle ends postpartum anestrous. Primiparous cows experienced more follicular waves and therefore grew more dominant follicles prior to first estrus. Once-daily suckling hastened return to estrus and reduced the number of follicular waves prior to first post-partum estrus in multiparous cows. The incidence of first ovulation being associated with behavioral estrus was low. Short cycles followed first ovulation. It appears obligatory that postpartum Brahman cows experience a silent ovulation with formation of functional luteal tissue prior to resumption of normal estrous cyclicity

Development of LiDAR assisted terrestrial radar interferometry for rock deformation monitoring

Rock and soil slope movements cost millions of dollars annually. During the past few decades, engineers have relied on traditional methods to detect slope movements. These tools are valuable for small spatial areas but, may not be adequate or cost effective for large spatial areas. Remote sensing methods such as terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and terrestrial radar interferometry (TRI) provide excellent spatial coverage, and with adequate post-data-processing software, sub-millimetric scale deformation sensitivity can be achieved. This work will present a comparative experimental study between TLS and TRI. The comparative experimental study will allow us to achieve the two main objectives of this research: 1. The development of a methodology to correct repositioning errors of the TRI during discontinuous measurement campaigns. 2. The development of a methodology to use TLS as an independent measurement device to constrain the results of the TRI when rock displacements exceed multiple wavelengths of the instrument or displacements exceed one quarter of the wavelength of the instrument. Results from the measurement campaigns show that sub-millimetric displacements can be detected with both TLS and TRI systems. Furthermore, TLS systems are widely available, cheaper, lighter, and easier to operate than TRI systems. Data can also be reduced faster, and the results more easily interpreted than with TRI systems. These advantages make TLS systems ideal for rock slope evaluation for highway projects, especially when time, cost, and public opinion are major concerns for the state\u27s Department of Transportation --Abstract, page iv

Studies on triterpene saponins from Saponaria vaccaria seed and their apoptosis-inducing effect on human cancer cell lines

Medicinal plants have provided important advances in the treatment of numerous diseases and many plant-derived drugs are currently in use or under investigation for the treatment of many ailments including cancer.A phytochemical analysis of the methanol extract from the seed of Saponaria vaccaria L. cultivated in Saskatchewan was performed which resulted in the detection of several bisdesmosidic saponins. A high-performance liquid chromatographic method using photodiode array and single quadrupole electrospray mass detection for analysis and profiling was developed. Due to their structural similarities, purification of bisdesmosidic saponins was challenging. However, monodesmosidic saponin Vaccaroside B and cyclopeptides Segetalin A, Segetalin B, and a new cyclopeptide, segetalin I [whose structure was proposed to be cyclo(Gly1-Pro2-Tyr3-Tyr4-Pro5-Phe6)], were purified employing various chromatographic techniques such as HPLC, VLC, PTLC). Crude methanol extracts of S. vaccaria seed were evaluated for cytotoxic activity using the methyl-thiazol-tetrazolium non-radioactive cell proliferation assay (MTT assay). Various concentrations of the extract (2-50 ug/mL) were tested against a series of four human cancer cell lines (WiDr, colon; MDA-MB-231, breast; NCI-417, lung and PC-3, prostate). The human foreskin (BJ)-derived normal human fibroblast cell line CRL-2522 was included as a non-cancerous control. Results showed that cytotoxic activities from the seed extract were greater than commercially available Quillaja saponaria saponin. The human cancer cell lines were also exposed to fractions containing high titers of saponins as well as semi-purified saponins (ca. 80%). All bisdesmosidic saponins and fractions thereof showed cytotoxicity against the cell lines studied. The effect was particularly strong in breast and prostate cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the range 1–4 ug/mL. Monodesmosidic saponins, phenolics and cyclopeptides did not show activity even at the highest concentration (50 ug/mL) tested in this study. Chemical modifications of the saponin structures resulted in an overall decrease in activity, but an increase in selectivity in comparison to CRL-2522. Time and concentration-dependent studies using the nuclear stains propidium iodide and Hoechst 33342, demonstrated that the stimulation of apoptosis was the mechanism of cytotoxic action. When breast and prostate cell lines were exposed to small amounts (4-7 mM) of bisdesmosidic saponins Segetalin H (MW 1448) and Segetalin I (MW 1464), it was observed that apoptosis was induced at an early incubation time (4-10 h). Activation of caspases and changes in membrane potential were determined by flow cytometry.As a result of this study, we propose that triterpene bisdesmosidic saponins from the seed of Saponaria vaccaria L. represent a new type of drug having potential antitumor/anticancer activity due to their ability to induce apoptosis in vitro in human cancer cell lines at low concentrations. These compounds are extracted from a plant that can be easily cultivated using conventional agricultural equipment in Western Canada

First description of the male of Thaida chepu Platnick, 1987 (Araneae, Austrochilidae) with micro-computed tomography of the palpal organ

The male of the austrochilid spider Thaida chepu Platnick, 1987 is described for the first time. We analyzed the internal anatomy of the palpal organ by using micro-computed tomography to investigate the spermophor as well as the muscles and tendons in the cymbium and tibia in detail. As shown by our data, muscles 29 and 30 originate in the tibia and continue with tendons to the base of the bulb, which resembles the ancestral organization for the male palp of spiders; this condition has not been described for Araneomorphae until now. The 3D reconstruction of the spermophor confirms recent interpretations of the male palp sclerites within Austrochilidae.Fil: Michalik, Peter. Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität. Zoologisches Institut und Museum. Allgemeine und Systematische Zoologie; Alemania; American Museum of Natural History. Division of Invertebrate Zoology. Research Associate; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina

Behaviour of resampling methods under different weighting schemes, measures and variable resampling strengths

We compared general behaviour trends of resampling methods (bootstrap, bootstrap with Poisson distribution, jackknife, and jackknife with symmetric resampling) and different ways to summarize the results for resampling (absolute frequency, F, and frequency difference, GC¢) for real data sets under variable resampling strengths in three weighting schemes. We propose an equivalence between bootstrap and jackknife in order to make bootstrap variable across different resampling strengths. Specifically, for each method we evaluated the number of spurious groups (groups not present in the strict consensus of the unaltered data set), of real groups, and of inconsistencies in ranking of groups under variable resampling strengths. We found that GC¢ always generated more spurious groups and recovered more groups than F. Bootstrap methods generated more spurious groups than jackknife methods; and jackknife is the method that recovered more real groups. We consistently obtained a higher proportion of spurious groups for GC¢ than for F; and for bootstrap than for jackknife. Finally, we evaluated the ranking of groups under variable resampling strengths qualitatively in the trajectories of ‘‘support’’ against resampling strength, and quantitatively with Kendall coefficient values. We found fewer ranking inconsistencies for GC¢ than for F, and for bootstrap than for jackknife.Fil: Kopuchian, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin