Integrating environmental niche analysis with phylogeography in Tupinambis lizards from Argentina

Similarity or divergence in the ecological niche of two lineages distributed in simpatry or parapatry may originate dispersal barriers that restrict gene flow, or may favour the occurrence of simpatry zones where hybridization occurs. Tupinambis merianae and Tupinambis rufescens lizards are closely related species, with wide distributions in environmentally different regions although overlapping in a narrow zone. To evaluate the impact of the environment in determining the population genetic structure in these species, we performed a phylogeographic study correlating it with environmental niche variable analysis. Hybrid individuals found clustered with one species in the network obtained with mitochondrial DNA, and with the other species in the network recovered using a nuclear gene. The phylogeographic analysis showed a few widespread haplotypes and several exclusive haplotypes from sympatric or allopatric areas. This result and that from AMOVA indicate that in both species, gene flow between areas is restricted. Environmental niche analysis was performed using bioclimatic variables to calculate Euclidean distance among populations. The genetic differentiation between allopatric and sympatric populations, in both species, was not correlated with geographic or environmental distances. Since the environmental context would not be influencing the genetic population structure of these species and that both species are phenotipically and ecologically similar, we propose that interspecific competition in the overlapping area could be a factor creating a dispersal barrier between sympatric and allopatric populations.FIL: Cabaña, Imanol. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Gardenal, Cristina Noemí. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Chiaraviglio, Margarita. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Rivera, Paula Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.Ecologí

Interspecific mating: Is the frequency of the potential partners relevant?

Studies on the mechanisms of speciation and maintenance of lineages have paid great attention to hybridization between species. Currently, molecular markers have provided detailed information of hybridization in natural populations.FIL: Cabaña, Imanol. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Gardenal, Cristina Noemí. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Chiaraviglio, Margarita. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.FIL: Rivera, Paula Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina.Ecologí

In the context of agro–ecological knowledge dialogue practices, universities, development and good living

RESUMEN: En este texto, partimos de las propuestas de la agroecología y su relación conflictiva con el desarrollo sostenible. En su versión clásica, la agroecología forma sus cimientos desde una vertiente crítica que se articula dentro de la universidad hegemónica. De aquí se deriva por un lado una variación débil que se desarrolla con el enquistamiento de ésta en sus formas más instrumentales, ligadas con la universidad corporativa. Por otro lado, se consolida una vertiente radical que, aunque tiene una fuerte herencia en la propuesta clásica, se desmarca de ésta, estableciendo una forma de conocimiento de abajo hacia arriba y, en este proceso, funda su propia universidad, la universidad intercultural.ABSTARCT: In this paper, we start with the proposals of agroecology and its troubled relationship with sustainable development. In its classic form, agroecology form its foundations from a critical aspect that is articulated within the hegemonic university. From here derives the one hand a weak variation that develops with the entrenchment of it in its most instrumental forms, linked to corporate university. On the other hand, a radical aspect which, although it has a strong heritage in classical proposal consolidates, it is distinguished from it by establishing a form of "bottom–up" knowledge and in the process, creates his own university, intercultural university

The molecular phylogenetics of the genus Oligoryzomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) clarifies rodent host-Hantavirus associations

Several species of the genus Oligoryzomys are natural hosts of different hantavirus genotypes affecting humans. The systematics of the genus is confusing, which complicates the identification of the rodent host and hence the potential endemic areas of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. In this study, we analyse molecular data to infer phylogenetic relationships among Central and South American specimens of Oligoryzomys, and compare our results with previously published data on karyotypic, geographic distribution and host–virus associations to solve contradictory taxonomic reports. We identified 25 clades, each one corresponding to a different putative species. The phylogenetic trees show that Oligoryzomys longicaudatus is strongly related to the Oligoryzomys flavescens complex, which comprises four clades; Oligoryzomys nigripes is related to Oligoryzomys stramineus, Oligoryzomys vegetus is related to Oligoryzomys fulvescens from Central America, and Oligoryzomys brendae is the sister species of Oligoryzomys aff. destructor. We identified the following rodent host–hantavirus genotype relationships: O. longicaudatus–Andes; O. flavescens ‘West'–Bermejo; O. flavescens ‘East'–Lechiguanas; O. nigripes–Juquitiba; Oligoryzomys microtis–Rio Mamore and Rio Mamore-3; Oligoryzomys chacoensis–Oran; Oligoryzomys costaricencis–Choclo; Oligoryzomys delicatus–Maporal; Oligoryzomys utiaritensis–Castelo dos Sonhos; Oligoryzomys sp. RT2012–Rio Mamore-4; Oligoryzomys sp. (and not Oligoryzomys fornesi)–Anajatuba. This work, besides contributing to the development of prevention programmes for hantavirus epidemiology in Latin America, represents a comprehensive update of the systematics of the genus Oligoryzomys.Fil: González Ittig, Raúl Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Cordoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecologia Animal; ArgentinaFil: Rivera, Paula Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Cordoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecologia Animal; ArgentinaFil: Levis, Silvana C.. Direccion Nacional de Instituto de Investigacion. Adm.nacional de Laboratorio E Instituto de Salud "dr.c.g.malbran". Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Calderón, Gladys E.. Direccion Nacional de Instituto de Investigacion. Adm.nacional de Laboratorio E Instituto de Salud "dr.c.g.malbran". Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; ArgentinaFil: Gardenal, Cristina Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Cordoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecologia Animal; Argentin

Improved detection of the non-defoliant pathotype of verticillium dahliae in olive trees using nested PCR

La olivicultura está afectada por un síndrome que genera marchitez en la copa del árbol. Uno de los microorganismos responsables es el hongo Verticillium dahliae, que provoca la enfermedad denominada verticilosis del olivo (VO). Según la severidad de los síntomas, se distinguen dos patotipos, defoliante (D) y no defoliante (ND). Su diagnóstico emplea la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). Nuestro objetivo fue comparar la eficiencia de dos juegos de cebadores para detectar en planta el patotipo ND, el único presente en Argentina, mediante PCR anidada. Para ello se utilizaron los juegos de cebadores NDf/NDr - INTND2f/INTND2r (PCR-I), empleados comúnmente, y una nueva combinación, INTNDf/INTNDr - INTND2f/INTND2r (PCR-II). Se analizaron muestras de olivos sintomáticos de 39 fincas de la provincia de La Rioja. PCR-II tuvo mayor eficiencia en la detección, 57,8 % frente a 16,7 % de PCR-I. PCR-II amplificó en casi todas las variedades, edades de plantas y niveles de severidad de la enfermedad, mientras que PCR-I detectó el hongo sólo en variedades muy susceptibles y con niveles de severidad leve. El uso de PCR-II para detectar a V. dahliae en olivo permitirá estudios más precisos sobre su incidencia que contribuirán al manejo adecuado de la verticilosis.Olive growing is affected by a syndrome that causes wilt in the tree top. One of the main microorganisms accountable for this disease is the fungus Verticillium dahliae, which causes verticillium wilt (VW). Two pathotypes are distinguished within V. dahliae, defoliating (D) and non-defoliating (ND), depending on symptom severity. The pathogen is generally diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Our objective was to compare the efficiency of two sets of primers in detecting the ND pathotype in olive plants, the only pathotype found in Argentina, by nested PCR. For this purpose, the commonly used primer combination NDf/NDr-INTND2f/INTND2r (PCR-I) and a new combination, INTNDf/INTNDr-INTND2f/INTND2r (PCR-II), were evaluated. Samples of symptomatic olive trees from 39 commercial fields from La Rioja province were analyzed. PCR-II had higher detection efficiency than PCR-I (57.8 % and 16.7 %, respectively). PCR-II amplified in almost all the olive cultivars, plant ages and VW disease severity levels, whereas PCR-I detected the fungus only in very susceptible cultivars and in trees with low VW severity levels. The use of PCR-II for the detection of V. dahliae in olive plants will provide more accurate incidence results and will contribute to a proper management of VW.Fil: Rattalino, Donna Lucia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Chilecito; ArgentinaFil: Otero, María Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Patología Vegetal; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Unidad de Fitopatología y Modelización Agrícola - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Fitopatología y Modelización Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Moriconi, Daniel Nilo. Universidad Nacional de Chilecito; ArgentinaFil: Rivera, Paula Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin

Upper bounds on the superfluid stiffness and superconducting TcT_c: Applications to twisted-bilayer graphene and ultra-cold Fermi gases

Understanding the material parameters that control the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ is a problem of fundamental importance. In many novel superconductors, phase fluctuations determine $T_c$, rather than the collapse of the pairing amplitude. We derive rigorous upper bounds on the superfluid phase stiffness for multi-band systems, valid in any dimension. This in turn leads to an upper bound on $T_c$ in two dimensions (2D), which holds irrespective of pairing mechanism, interaction strength, or order-parameter symmetry. Our bound is particularly useful for the strongly correlated regime of low-density and narrow-band systems, where mean field theory fails. For a simple parabolic band in 2D with Fermi energy $E_F$, we find that $k_BT_c \leq E_F/8$, an exact result that has direct implications for the 2D BCS-BEC crossover in ultra-cold Fermi gases. Applying our multi-band bound to magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MA-TBG), we find that band structure results constrain the maximum $T_c$ to be close to the experimentally observed value. Finally, we discuss the question of deriving rigorous upper bounds on $T_c$ in 3D.Comment: Revised figures, includes estimates from another model of MA-TBG, published version of manuscrip

Propuesta para la implementación del departamento de dirección de gestión de conocimiento en la Armada Nacional mediante un modelo estratégico e integral articulado al proceso de SG-SST

El presente proyecto propone la implementación de un departamento encargado de la gestión del conocimiento en la Armada Nacional, mediante un modelo estratégico e integral articulado al proceso de Sistema de Gestión de la Seguridad y Salud en el trabajo (SG-SST), teniendo como punto de partida que la institución actualmente no cuenta con dicho departamento dentro de su estructura organizacional y por el momento solo se ha aprobado el manual con el que se regirán las pautas para la implementación del SG-SST, la creación de este nuevo departamento aumentara notablemente el nivel de calidad de la institución, así como también mejorará la calidad laborar de todos y cada uno de los miembros de la institución.This project proposes the implementation of a department in charge of the knowledge management in the National Navy, through a strategic and integral model articulated to the process of Occupational Health and Safety Management System (SG-SST), having as starting point that the institution currently does not have such department within its organizational structure and for the moment only the manual with the that the guidelines for the implementation of the SG-OSH will be governed, the creation of this new department will notably increase the level of quality of the institution, as well as improve the quality of each and every one of the members of the institution

Effectiveness of a Gamification Strategy to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Schools : A Cluster Controlled Trial

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a school-based gamification strategy to prevent childhood obesity. Methods Schools were randomized in Santiago, Chile, between March and May 2018 to control or to receive a nutrition and physical activity intervention using a gamification strategy (i.e., the use of points, levels, and rewards) to achieve healthy challenges. The intervention was delivered for 7 months and participants were assessed at 4 and 7 months. Primary outcomes were mean difference in BMI z score and waist circumference (WC) between trial arms at 7 months. Secondary outcomes were mean difference in BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressure between trial arms at 7 months. Results A total of 24 schools (5 controls) and 2,197 students (653 controls) were analyzed. Mean BMI z score was lower in the intervention arm compared with control (adjusted mean difference -0.133, 95% CI: -0.25 to -0.01), whereas no evidence of reduction in WC was found. Mean BMI and systolic blood pressure were lower in the intervention arm compared with control. No evidence of reduction in diastolic blood pressure was found. Conclusions The multicomponent intervention was effective in preventing obesity but not in reducing WC. Gamification is a potentially powerful tool to increase the effectiveness of school-based interventions to prevent obesity.Peer reviewe

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of text messages targeting adherence to cardiovascular medications in secondary prevention: the txt2heart Colombia randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-platelet therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and statins are cost-effective in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) for reducing the risk of ASCVD events. Unfortunately, there is abundant evidence that adherence to these cardiovascular medications is far from ideal. A recent Cochrane review showed a potential beneficial effect of Short Message Service (SMS) interventions on adherence to medication in ASCVD patients. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The txt2heart study is a pragmatic randomised single-blind controlled trial. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intervention with SMS messages delivered by mobile phones to improve adherence to cardiovascular medications in patients with ASCVD. The intervention consists of behavioural techniques delivered via SMS. The primary outcome is change in blood serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as an indicator of adherence to statins. Secondary outcomes will include systolic blood pressure as an indicator of adherence to blood-lowering therapies and heart rate as an indicator of adherence to beta-blockers, urine levels of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, self-reported adherence to cardiovascular medications and rates of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study will be performed in compliance with the protocol, regulatory requirements, Good Clinical Practice and ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia evaluated and approved the trial. The txt2heart Colombia trial aims to provide robust evidence to evaluate whether SMS messages delivered through mobile telephones change the behaviour of Colombian patients who have suffered a cardiovascular event. Trial results will be presented to the local health authorities, and if the intervention is effective and safe, we hope this strategy will be implemented quickly because of its low cost and wide-reaching impact on the population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03098186

Real-Time genomic surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, Uruguay

We developed a genomic surveillance program for realtime monitoring of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) in Uruguay. We report on a PCR method for SARSCoV- 2 VOCs, the surveillance workflow, and multiple independent introductions and community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 P.1 VOC in Uruguay