Límite sur de la distribución de Vicugna vicugna Molina (Mammalia: Camelidae) en Chile: una revisión de los registros antiguos y nuevos datos de campo

Vicugna vicugna Molina is a mammal of relatively large size and conspicuous habits; nevertheless, its southernmost distribution limit in Chile is not well established. Many authors were fixed this limit at 27º30´S, we deliver field information of a distribution limit 140 km further south to the recently proposed.Vicugna vicugna Molina es un mamífero de tamaño relativamente grande y de hábitos conspicuos; sin embargo, su límite de distribución Sur en Chile no está bien establecido. Muchos autores han fijado este límite a los 27º 30’S, nosotros entregamos información de campo de un límite de distribución 140 km más al sur al propuesto recientemente

Aplicación de criterios de optimización energética y seguridad en la iluminación y confort, en calles y avenidas

El presente trabajo, que forma parte de un proyecto más abarcativo denominado: “Aplicación de criterios de optimización energética y seguridad, en la resolución de problemas de diseño en las construcciones Ingeníenles- tecnológicas inteligentes en la región”. Analiza el grado de iluminación y confort, en la Avenida J. R Fernández de la ciudad de Corrientes en la República Argentina laboratorios, de acuerdo al marco reglamentario nacional del factor de iluminación en caminos, calles, rutas y avenidas, considerando incluida a la avenida en el radio urbano de la ciudad. Utilizando el protocolo aprobado por normas IRAM y los manuales de la Asociación Argentina de Luminotecnia - A.A.D.L., para la medición del factor de iluminación, tomando además las variaciones de las condiciones climáticas, de temperatura y el factor del viento, como componentes del factor seguridad, necesario para una adecuada conducción en la vía pública.

Dr. Vicente Izquierdo Sanfuentes and the arrival of the cellular theory in Chile

Vicente Izquierdo Sanfuentes was a leading physician, researcher and academic of the School of Medicine of the University of Chile in the period 1881-1912. Dr. Izquierdo began his medical training at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile (1872-1875) and then received a scholarship to continue his studies with the prominent researchers Wilhelm Hiss (1875-1877) at the University of Leipzig and Wilhelm Waldeyer at the University of Strasbourg (1877-1879) in Germany. After returning to Chile, he was appointed first professor of Histology (1881), initiating the first course of this subject in 1883. His main academic achievements and his foundational role in the origin and development of biology in Chile stand out in his work

Analysis of Toxoplasma gondii surface antigen 2 gene (SAG2). Relevance of genotype i in clinical toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most successful protozoan parasites given its ability to manipulate the immune system and establish a chronic infection. It is a parasite with a significant impact on human health, mainly in immunocompromised patients. In Europe and North America, only a few clonal genotypes (I, II and III) seem to be responsible for the vast majority of Toxoplasma infections. Surface antigen 2 gene (SAG2) has been extensively used for genotyping T. gondii isolates. The analysis of this locus reveals that in Northern hemisphere, human disease causing isolates are mainly type II, whereas T. gondii isolated from different animals are both type II and III. Since the immune response depends on parasite genotype, it seems relevant to characterize parasites producing human toxoplasmosis in different geographical areas. The growing information about the prevalent T. gondii genotypes in South America mostly refers to domestic animals. This is the first report of genetic charact

Peering into peer review: Good quality reviews of research articles require neither writing too much nor taking too long

Abstract The value of scientific knowledge is highly dependent on the quality of the process used to produce it, namely, the quality of the peer-review process. This process is a pivotal part of science as it works both to legitimize and improve the work of the scientific community. In this context, the present study investigated the relationship between review time, length, and feedback quality of review reports in the peer-review process of research articles. For this purpose, the review time of 313 referee reports from three Chilean international journals were recorded. Feedback quality was determined estimating the rate of direct requests by the total number of comments in each report. Number of words was used to describe the average length in the sample. Results showed that average time and length have little variation across review reports, irrespective of their quality. Low quality reports tended to take longer to reach the editor, so neither time nor length were related to feedback quality. This suggests that referees mostly describe, criticize, or praise the content of the article instead of making useful and direct comments to help authors improve their manuscripts

Migratory round-trip of individually identified humpback whales at the Strait of Magellan: clues on transit times and phylopatry to destinations Ciclo migratorio de ballenas jorobadas individualizadas del estrecho de Magallanes: indicios sobre la duración de la migración y filopatría en los destinos

Humpback whales undertake seasonal migration between productive high-latitude areas where they feed in summer and low-latitude tropical waters where mating and calving occur during winter. In the eastern south Pacific, the species breeds off Colombia and Ecuador, and feeds primarily in the western Antarctic Peninsula and in the waters of the Strait of Magellan (SM), recently described as a new feeding ground for humpback whales. Comparison of fluke photographs of 62 individuals from the SM obtained during the austral summer from 1999 to 2005 and 1,042 individuals from Colombia, provided conclusive matches for six individuals, with an overall interchange Índex of 0.093. Eight migratory trips between summer and winter grounds were registered for four whales during a complete migratory round-trip in consecutive years. The mínimum distance traveled in a one-way trip ranged from 6,650 to 7,000 km. The duration of the two fastest trips between these migratory destinations was 88 and 99 days, with a mean speed of migration of 76 and 67 km day-1 respectively. Five of the whales present in both areas were males and three mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were identified: EM-1 for three individuals, EM-2 for two and EM-3 for the last one, all of which have been previously described for humpback whales from Colombia. All six individuals were seen several days in each season in the SM (as many as 39 days in one case), with an average stay of 72 ± 40 days (n = 20) per year, ranging from 3 to 125 days. On average, each of the six individuals was seen in the SM during 71 ± 18 % of the seven monitored summers. Three individuals were re-sighted in the SM six out of the seven surveyed years, during four to six consecutive years. These results provide the first direct evidence to include humpback whales that feed in the Strait of Magellan as part of the eastern south Pacific population of whales that feed off Colombian waters.La ballena jorobada migra estacionalmente entre latitudes altas donde se alimenta en verano y latitudes bajas donde cría y se aparea en invierno. En el Pacífico sureste, la especie se reproduce en Colombia y Ecuador y se alimenta principalmente al oeste de la península Antartica, y en el estrecho de Magallanes (EM) recientemente descrito como nueva área de alimentación. Al comparar las fotografías de las colas de 62 ballenas individualizadas en el EM durante el verano austral entre 1999 y 2005 con 1.042 individuos de Colombia, se encontró a seis individuos comunes, lo que representa un índice de Intercambio migratorio de 0,093. Se registraron ocho migraciones para cuatro de estas ballenas entre el EM y Colombia en el ciclo migratorio de años consecutivos. La distancia mínima recorrida en una sola dirección varió entre 6.650 y 7.000 km. La duración de los dos viajes más rápidos registrados entre estos dos destinos fue de 88 y 99 días, con una velocidad promedio de migración de 76 y 67 km día-1 respectivamente. Cinco de las seis ballenas comunes entre las areas fueron machos. Entre las seis ballenas se encontraron tres haplotipos de ADN mitocondrial todos descritos previamente en ballenas jorobadas de Colombia: tres ballenas con el haplotipo EM-1, dos con el EM-2 y uno con el EM-3. Los seis individuos se avistaron reiteradamente en el EM (hasta 39 días en una estación en un caso), con una permanencia promedio de 72 ± 40 días (n = 20) por año y un rango entre 3 y 125 días. En promedio, estas seis ballenas se vieron durante el 71 ± 18 % de las siete temporadas muestreadas en el EM y tres se registraron seis de lo siete años estudiados, por 4-6 años consecutivos. Esta es la primera evidencia directa para incluir las ballenas jorobadas que se alimentan en el estrecho de Magallanes como parte de la población del Pacífico sureste que se reproduce en aguas colombianas