Seasonal expression of apospory in bahiagrass

This paper was presented at the 22nd International Grassland Congress, Sydney, Australia, 15−19 September 2013. Its publication in Tropical Grasslands – Forrajes Tropicales is the result of a co-publication agreement with the IGC 2013 Organizing Committee. Except for adjustments to the journal’s style and format, the text is essentially the same as that published in: Michalk LD; Millar GD; Badgery WB; Broadfoot KM, eds. 2013. Revitalising Grasslands to Sustain our Communities. Proceedings of the 22nd International Grassland Congress, Sydney, Australia, 2013. New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW, Australia. p. 258–259.Fil: Rios, Esteban Fernando. University Of Florida; Estados Unidos de América; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); Argentina;Fil: Blount, Ann. University Of Florida; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Kenworthy, Kevin E.. University Of Florida; Estados Unidos de América;Fil: Acuña, Carlos Alberto. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste; Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); Argentina;Fil: Quesenberry, Kenneth H.. University Of Florida; Estados Unidos de América

Distúrbios no perfil circadianos de paramêtros hemodinâmicos na sepse grave e no choque séptico

Objective: Circadian disruptions in septic patients, and their relation to clinical outcome, have been described by several researchers. Methods: In this work we performed an individual analysis of hemodynamic variables (cardiac frequency and mean blood pressure) in three groups of patients: severe sepsis, septic shock and individuals housed in the same intensive care unit by causes other than inflammation or infection, as controls, during the first and the last 24 hours of their permanency in the critical care unit. Results: Although the cosinor analysis showed no difference in the proportion of patients that expressed a statistically significant circadian rhythm, during the first 24 hours, the phase of the variations were disrupted in both septic groups, being almost in anti-phase as compared to control individuals. During the last 24 hours, this variation was present only for mean blood pressure. No association of these changes could be related to outcome (surveillance). Conclusion: We conclude that disruptions in circadian rhythms in patients during severe stages of sepsis are related to phase better than presence/absence of variation, which could be crucial to time scheduled therapies.Objetivo: Distúrbios circadianos em pacientes sépticos e suas relações com desfechos clínicos têm sido descrito por diversos pesquisadores. Métodos: No presente trabalho nós conduzimos uma análise individual das variáveis hemodinâmicas (frequência cardíaca e pressão arterial média) em três grupos de pacientes: sepse grave, choque séptico e indivíduos internados na mesma unidade de tratamento intensivo por outras causas além de inflamação ou infecção, como controles, durante as primeiras e últimas 24 horas de suas permanências na unidade. Resultados: Embora a análise por meio do cosinor não tenha apresentando diferença na proporção de pacientes que expressaram um ritmo circadiano estatisticamente significativo, durante as primeiras 24h, a fase das variações estavam alteradas em ambos os grupos sépticos, sendo quase observada anti-fase quando comparados com indivíduos controle. Nas últimas 24h essa variação esteve presente apenas na pressão arterial média. Associações destas alterações não foram relacionadas a outros desfechos. Conclusão: Concluímos que alterações nos ritmos circadianos em pacientes durante estágios graves da sepse estão mais bem relacionados a fase do que à presença ou ausência de variações, as quais podem ser cruciais para o agendamento de terapias.Fil: Katz, Marcelo Esteban. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; ArgentinaFil: Rios, Fernando. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sagardia, Judith. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Pezzola, Enrique. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sobrero, Patricio Martín. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arias, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología del Crecimiento y la Reproducción; ArgentinaFil: Yunk, Oscar. Sanatorio Trinity; ArgentinaFil: Maskin, Fernando. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Golombek, Diego Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Distúrbios no perfil circadianos de paramêtros hemodinâmicos na sepse grave e no choque séptico

Objective: Circadian disruptions in septic patients, and their relation to clinical outcome, have been described by several researchers. Methods: In this work we performed an individual analysis of hemodynamic variables (cardiac frequency and mean blood pressure) in three groups of patients: severe sepsis, septic shock and individuals housed in the same intensive care unit by causes other than inflammation or infection, as controls, during the first and the last 24 hours of their permanency in the critical care unit. Results: Although the cosinor analysis showed no difference in the proportion of patients that expressed a statistically significant circadian rhythm, during the first 24 hours, the phase of the variations were disrupted in both septic groups, being almost in anti-phase as compared to control individuals. During the last 24 hours, this variation was present only for mean blood pressure. No association of these changes could be related to outcome (surveillance). Conclusion: We conclude that disruptions in circadian rhythms in patients during severe stages of sepsis are related to phase better than presence/absence of variation, which could be crucial to time scheduled therapies.Objetivo: Distúrbios circadianos em pacientes sépticos e suas relações com desfechos clínicos têm sido descrito por diversos pesquisadores. Métodos: No presente trabalho nós conduzimos uma análise individual das variáveis hemodinâmicas (frequência cardíaca e pressão arterial média) em três grupos de pacientes: sepse grave, choque séptico e indivíduos internados na mesma unidade de tratamento intensivo por outras causas além de inflamação ou infecção, como controles, durante as primeiras e últimas 24 horas de suas permanências na unidade. Resultados: Embora a análise por meio do cosinor não tenha apresentando diferença na proporção de pacientes que expressaram um ritmo circadiano estatisticamente significativo, durante as primeiras 24h, a fase das variações estavam alteradas em ambos os grupos sépticos, sendo quase observada anti-fase quando comparados com indivíduos controle. Nas últimas 24h essa variação esteve presente apenas na pressão arterial média. Associações destas alterações não foram relacionadas a outros desfechos. Conclusão: Concluímos que alterações nos ritmos circadianos em pacientes durante estágios graves da sepse estão mais bem relacionados a fase do que à presença ou ausência de variações, as quais podem ser cruciais para o agendamento de terapias.Fil: Katz, Marcelo Esteban. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; ArgentinaFil: Rios, Fernando. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sagardia, Judith. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Pezzola, Enrique. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sobrero, Patricio Martín. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arias, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental. Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología del Crecimiento y la Reproducción; ArgentinaFil: Yunk, Oscar. Sanatorio Trinity; ArgentinaFil: Maskin, Fernando. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Golombek, Diego Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Heterosis, and expressivity of apospory in tetraploid Bahiagrass hybrids

Breeding procedures developed for apomictic species are based on the idea of fixing superior hybrids by apomixis. However, scarce information is available about the occurrence of heterosis in apomictic hybrids. The objective was to generate a group of apomixis-segregating tetraploid bahiagrass families, evaluate the occurrence of heterosis for a series of agronomic and morphological traits, determine the level of apospory expressivity among hybrids, and estimate the genetic distance among parents and its relationship to heterosis and apospory expressivity. In total, 11 tetraploid families were generated by crossing sexual and apomitic genotypes. The segregation for mode of reproduction was analyzed using a RAPD marker linked to apospory in bahiagrass, and the level of apospory expressivity was determined using embryo sac observations. The genetic distances between parents were determined using ISSR markers. The ratio between sexual and aposporic hybrids varied from 1:1 to 7:1 among families. Discontinuous variation for apospory expressivity was observed in the hybrids, with either low or high levels being exhibited. Mid-parent, high-parent, and standard-heterosis was observed for all evaluated agronomic characteristics. The level of heterosis was dependent on the combination of parents involved, and also on the specific trait. There was a low correlation between genetic distances among parents and initial growth and the level of apospory expressivity. The occurrence of heterosis, and the segregation and expressivity for apospory were highly dependent on the combination of sexual and apomictic parents.Fil: Zilli, Alex Leonel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Brugnoli, Elsa Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Marcón, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Billa, M. B.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Rios, Esteban Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Eric Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); ArgentinaFil: Acuña, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Nordeste. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (i); Argentin

Relación entre la educación y el desarrollo económico

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar la relación entre la educación y el desarrollo económico. Para ello, se utilizó el Índice de Pobreza Multidimensional (MPI) como variable de desarrollo económico de un país, este recolecta una data de 70 países otorgadas por el Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) en colaboración con la Iniciativa de Pobreza y Desarrollo Humano de la Universidad de Oxford (OPHI). La metodología aplicada en este trabajo de investigación se basó en un modelo de regresión lineal múltiple que relaciona las siguientes variables: IPM, porcentaje de inscripción en el nivel primario, porcentaje de inscripción en el nivel primario, gasto público en el sector educación, expectativa de vida al nacer y pbi per cápita. La importancia del presente estudio radica en la aplicación en países en vías de desarrollo, ya que ante un incremento en el nivel educativo se reduciría la pobreza desde una perspectiva multidimensional. Los resultados obtenidos indican que el porcentaje de inscripción a nivel secundario de un país está inversamente relacionado con la reducción de pobreza

Nitrogen deposition alters nitrogen cycling and reduces soil carbon content in low-productivity semiarid Mediterranean ecosystems.

Anthropogenic N deposition poses a threat to European Mediterranean ecosystems. We combined data from an extant N deposition gradient (4.3–7.3 kg N ha−1 yr−1) from semiarid areas of Spain and a field experiment in central Spain to evaluate N deposition effects on soil fertility, function and cyanobacteria community. Soil organic N did not increase along the extant gradient. Nitrogen fixation decreased along existing and experimental N deposition gradients, a result possibly related to compositional shifts in soil cyanobacteria community. Net ammonification and nitrification (which dominated N-mineralization) were reduced and increased, respectively, by N fertilization, suggesting alterations in the N cycle. Soil organic C content, C:N ratios and the activity of β-glucosidase decreased along the extant gradient in most locations. Our results suggest that semiarid soils in low-productivity sites are unable to store additional N inputs, and that are also unable to mitigate increasing C emissions when experiencing increased N deposition

Phylogenetic diversity of Amazonian tree communities

Aim: To examine variation in the phylogenetic diversity (PD) of tree communities across geographical and environmental gradients in Amazonia. Location: Two hundred and eighty-three c. 1 ha forest inventory plots from across Amazonia. Methods: We evaluated PD as the total phylogenetic branch length across species in each plot (PDss), the mean pairwise phylogenetic distance between species (MPD), the mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) and their equivalents standardized for species richness (ses.PDss, ses.MPD, ses.MNTD). We compared PD of tree communities growing (1) on substrates of varying geological age; and (2) in environments with varying ecophysiological barriers to growth and survival. Results: PDss is strongly positively correlated with species richness (SR), whereas MNTD has a negative correlation. Communities on geologically young- and intermediate-aged substrates (western and central Amazonia respectively) have the highest SR, and therefore the highest PDss and the lowest MNTD. We find that the youngest and oldest substrates (the latter on the Brazilian and Guiana Shields) have the highest ses.PDss and ses.MNTD. MPD and ses.MPD are strongly correlated with how evenly taxa are distributed among the three principal angiosperm clades and are both highest in western Amazonia. Meanwhile, seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) and forests on white sands have low PD, as evaluated by any metric. Main conclusions: High ses.PDss and ses.MNTD reflect greater lineage diversity in communities. We suggest that high ses.PDss and ses.MNTD in western Amazonia results from its favourable, easy-to-colonize environment, whereas high values in the Brazilian and Guianan Shields may be due to accumulation of lineages over a longer period of time. White-sand forests and SDTF are dominated by close relatives from fewer lineages, perhaps reflecting ecophysiological barriers that are difficult to surmount evolutionarily. Because MPD and ses.MPD do not reflect lineage diversity per se, we suggest that PDss, ses.PDss and ses.MNTD may be the most useful diversity metrics for setting large-scale conservation priorities

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701