Phylogeny of the South American genus Baripus (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini) with the description of new mountain species from the northern Patagonia Biogeographic Province

The genus Baripus Dejean is a carabid beetle endemic to southern South America, inhabiting grassland and shrub habitats in mountain and lowland areas. In this work, the phylogeny of the genus is updated and new species restricted to isolated mountains from the Patagonia Biogeographic Province are described. The cladistic analysis showed that the new mountain species comprise a monophyletic clade with five other species. Within this group, the species are arranged in two internal clades. Each clade contains one or two lowland species with a wide distribution range and the remaining species with microendemic distribution on each mountain system. Their distribution pattern suggests that mountain species of Baripus could have originated since (by) the end of the Cenozoic when the mountains uplifted and acted as a refuge for populations of lowland species that remained isolated and later became differentiated from one another. Based on morphological and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I molecular data, Baripus (Cardiophthalmus) palauco, sp. nov., Baripus (Cardiophthalmus) tromen, sp. nov., Baripus (Cardiophthalmus) aucamahuida, sp. nov. and Baripus (Cardiophthalmus) payun, sp. nov. are described and a key to all currently known species of Baripus (Cardiophthalmus) is provided.Fil: Roig, Sergio Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Cisterna, Gabriela Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Griotti, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentin

Leucaena leucocephala introduction into a tropical pasture in the Chaco region of Argentina. Effects on soil carbon and total nitrogen = Introducción de Leucaena leucocephala en una pastura tropical en el Chaco argentino. Efectos en el carbono y nitrógeno total del suelo

The introduction of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), apart from increasing animal production, improves soil fertility through biological nitrogen (N) fixation and its deep-rooted system. There is limited information on carbon and N dynamics in hedgerow silvopastoral systems, particularly in the subsoil profile. The concentrations and vertical distribution of organic carbon (OC) and total N , and their fractions (particulate and associate forms) in the profile (0‒100 cm) of a 4-year-old leucaena stand in a Urochloa brizantha-Chloris gayana pasture were compared with those in the adjacent pure tropical grass (U. brizantha) pasture. Leucaena introduction increased the OC concentration in the subsoil (20‒100 cm) by 45%, particularly the stable form (associate OC) in the deepest horizon (50‒100 cm). This was attributed to a greater abundance of leucaena roots deeper in the profile than for grass. Leucaena also enhanced by 7.6% the N concentration (from 0.131 to 0.141%) in the topsoil (0‒20 cm) associated with an increment in the labile form (particulate organic N), due to leaf deposition, recycling of animal feces and nodule-N turnover from N fixation. Leucaena establishment has the potential to improve soil fertility and hence availability of N to companion grass growth, and can be utilized as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy.La introducción de leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), además de incrementar la producción animal, aumenta la fertilidad del suelo por fijación simbiótica de nitrógeno (N) y por sus raíces profundas. Existe poca información sobre la dinámica de carbono y N en sistemas silvopastoriles, particularmente en el subsuelo. La cantidad y distribución vertical de carbono orgánico (CO) y N total, y sus fracciones en el perfil del suelo (0‒100 cm) de una pastura de leucaena de 4 años de edad en asociación con Urochloa brizantha y Chloris gayana, fueron comparadas con una pastura adyacente de U. brizantha en monocultivo. Leucaena incrementó en un 45% la concentración de CO (0.98 a 1.42%) en el subsuelo (20‒100 cm), particularmente la forma estable (CO asociado) en el horizonte más profundo (50‒100 cm), efecto atribuido a sus raíces profundas. Leucaena también acrecentó en un 7.6% la concentración de N (de 0.131 a 0.141%) en el horizonte superficial del suelo (0‒20 cm), asociado al incremento de la forma lábil (N orgánico particulado), atribuido a deposición de hojas, reciclado de excreta animal y descomposición de nódulos. La implantación de leucaena tiene el potencial de mejorar la fertilidad del suelo, la disponibilidad de N para gramíneas asociadas, y puede ser una estrategia de mitigación de gases de efecto invernadero.Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco SemiáridoFil: Banegas, Natalia Romina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Corbella, Roberto. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Viruel, Emilce. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina.Fil: Plasencia, Adriana. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Roig, Belen. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Radrizzani Bonadeo, Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; Argentina

Growth differentiation factor 15 as mortality predictor in heart failure patients with non-reduced ejection fraction

Altres ajuts: This study was supported by Fundació d'Investigació Sant Pau (G-60136934).The prognostic value of biomarkers in patients with heart failure (HF) and mid-range (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has not been widely addressed. The aim of this study was to assess whether the prognostic value of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is superior to that of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with HFmrEF or HFpEF. Heart failure patients with either HFpEF or HFmrEF were included in the study. During their first visit to the HF unit, serum samples were obtained and stored for later assessment of GDF-15 and NT-proBNP concentrations. Patients were followed up by the HF unit. The main endpoint was all-cause mortality. A total of 311 patients, 90 (29%) HFmrEF and 221 (71%) HFpEF, were included. Mean age was 72 ± 13 years, and 136 (44%) were women. No differences were found in GDF-15 or NT-proBNP concentrations between both HF groups. During a median follow-up of 15 months (Q1-Q3: 9-30 months), 98 patients (32%) died, most (71%) of cardiovascular causes. Patients who died had higher median concentrations of GDF-15 (4085 vs. 2270 ng/L, P 65 years (P 4330 ng/L), and survival curves were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier technique. Patients in the highest tertile had the poorest 5 year survival, at 16%, whereas the lowest tertile had the best survival, of 78% (P < 0.001). Growth differentiation factor 15 was superior to NT-proBNP for assessing prognosis in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF. GDF-15 emerges as a strong, independent biomarker for identifying HFmrEF and HFpEF patients with worse prognosis

Vibration frequency measurement using a local multithreshold technique

In this paper, we demonstrate the use of a video camera for measuring the frequency of small-amplitude vibration movements. The method is based on image acquisition and multilevel thresholding and it only requires a video camera with high enough acquisition rate, not being necessary the use of targets or auxiliary laser beams. Our proposal is accurate and robust. We demonstrate the technique with a pocket camera recording low-resolution videos with AVI-JPEG compression and measuring different objects that vibrate in parallel or perpendicular direction to the optical sensor. Despite the low resolution and the noise, we are able to measure the main vibration modes of a tuning fork, a loudspeaker and a bridge. Results are successfully compared with design parameters and measurements with alternative devices.The authors acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project BIA2011-22704 and the Generalitat Valenciana through the projects GV/2013/009 and PROMETEO/ 2011/021. A. B. Roig acknowledges a grant from Cajamurcia

Media 6: Vibration frequency measurement using a local multithreshold technique

Originally published in Optics Express on 04 November 2013 (oe-21-22-26198