Association of VAV2 and VAV3 polymorphisms with cardiovascular risk factors

Hypertension, diabetes and obesity are cardiovascular risk factors closely associated to the development of renal and cardiovascular target organ damage. VAV2 and VAV3, members of the VAV family proto-oncogenes, are guanosine nucleotide exchange factors for the Rho and Rac GTPase family, which is related with cardiovascular homeostasis. We have analyzed the relationship between the presence of VAV2 rs602990 and VAV3 rs7528153 polymorphisms with cardiovascular risk factors and target organ damage (heart, vessels and kidney) in 411 subjects. Our results show that being carrier of the T allele in VAV2 rs602990 polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of obesity, reduced levels of ankle-brachial index and diastolic blood pressure and reduced retinal artery caliber. In addition, being carrier of T allele is associated with increased risk of target organ damage in males. On the other hand, being carrier of the T allele in VAV3 rs7528153 polymorphism is associated with a decreased susceptibility of developing a pathologic state composed by the presence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular damage, and with an increased risk of developing altered basal glycaemia. This is the first report showing an association between VAV2 and VAV3 polymorphisms with cardiovascular risk factors and target organ damage

Single-shot d-scan technique for ultrashort laser pulse characterization using transverse second-harmonic generation in random nonlinear crystals

We demonstrate a novel dispersion-scan (d-scan) scheme for single-shot temporal characterization of ultrashort laser pulses. The novelty of this method relies on the use of a highly dispersive crystal featuring antiparallel nonlinear domains with a random distribution and size. This crystal, capable of generating a transverse second-harmonic signal, acts simultaneously as the dispersive element and the nonlinear medium of the d-scan device. The resulting in-line architecture makes the technique very simple and robust, allowing the acquisition of single-shot d-scan traces in real time. The retrieved pulses are in very good agreement with independent frequency-resolved optical grating measurements. We also apply the new single-shot d-scan to a terawatt-class laser equipped with a programmable pulse shaper, obtaining an excellent agreement between the applied and the d-scan retrieved dispersions

Descubrimos nuestro subsuelo: paleontología y patrimonio en el aula

Entre gliptodontes, tigres dientes de sable y perezosos gigantes, transcurría la vida en la Región Pampeana durante los últimos 2,5 millones de años (Cuaternario). Estos animales, al igual que muchos otros, como toxodontes, macrauquenias, osos y mastodontes, se encuentran actualmente extintos y podemos conocerlos solo a través de sus restos fósiles. El estudio de estos organismos, que comenzó hace unos 200 años con los primeros viajeros científicos que arribaron a nuestro país (como Charles Darwin), nos permite conocer la historia natural de nuestra región durante los últimos dos millones y medio de años.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Descubrimos nuestro subsuelo: paleontología y patrimonio en el aula

Entre gliptodontes, tigres dientes de sable y perezosos gigantes, transcurría la vida en la Región Pampeana durante los últimos 2,5 millones de años (Cuaternario). Estos animales, al igual que muchos otros, como toxodontes, macrauquenias, osos y mastodontes, se encuentran actualmente extintos y podemos conocerlos solo a través de sus restos fósiles. El estudio de estos organismos, que comenzó hace unos 200 años con los primeros viajeros científicos que arribaron a nuestro país (como Charles Darwin), nos permite conocer la historia natural de nuestra región durante los últimos dos millones y medio de años.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Application of Optimum Compaction Energy in the Development of Bricks Made with Construction Trash Soils

In general, bricks frequently show different densities and therefore different resistances because the compaction energy is not considered in their production. Expansive soils represent a problem for light buildings over them because of volumetric instability. A generalized solution has been to extract them and substitute them by inert soil; thus they become construction trash. So, in this work the compaction energy aspect and the use of construction trash soils in the elaboration of resistant masonry bricks of homogeneous and controlled density are a new contribution in the production of bricks of better quality. First, the soil was stabilized with CaOH which leads to a decrease in its volumetric changes. Then, they were compacted with a specific energy for obtaining an optimal and maximum controlled density to ensure an increase in strength. Our results show that two optimal compaction energies can be considered with respect to the variation of optimum moisture in masonry bricks of expansive soil stabilized with lime. The first is when the optimal humidity reaches its smallest value (integrated soil lumps) and the second is when humidity increases (disintegrated soil lumps), after reaching its lowest value. We also conclude that high compaction energy does not improve density values

Add-on inhaled budesonide in the treatment of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 : a randomised clinical trial

SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been extremely effective to reduce the incidence of severe COVID19 [1-3], but effective and safe treatments of the acute infection are still limited [4, 5]. An uncontrolled pulmonary inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 is considered a key pathogenic mechanism of COVID19 progression [6], so systemic dexamethasone is recommended in severe cases [5, 7]. On the other hand, in very mild patients at home inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) may prevent disease progression [8-11]. Whether ICS prevent disease progression too in patients hospitalised because of COVID19 has not been explored before. Accordingly, we designed an investigator-initiated, open-label, randomised clinical trial (RCT) to explore the efficacy of adding inhaled budesonide to usual care to prevent disease progression in patients hospitalised because of COVID19 pneumonia. We also monitored carefully the safety of this intervention since there are concerns about the use of systemic corticosteroids in other viral (influenza) lung infections [12]

El patrimonio paleontológico a partir de la experiencia de “Caminando sobre gliptodontes y tigres dientes de sable”: un proyecto de extensión universitaria en la Argentina

“Caminando sobre gliptodontes y tigres dientes de sable” es un colectivo universitario de Argentina -provincia de Buenos Aires- que reúne estudiantes y graduados de biología, paleontología, antropología, geología, informática y artes plásticas. Nuestra actividad gira en torno al patrimonio paleontológico como eje transversal a las Ciencias Naturales. Así, elaboramos material didáctico, dictamos capacitaciones docentes y talleres abiertos a la comunidad, donde reflexionamos sobre qué es el patrimonio fósil, la legislación vigente, por qué deberíamos conservarlo y cuáles son las instituciones y los actores involucrados. El primer diagnóstico que emerge es que la comunidad no considera a los fósiles como objetos patrimoniales, les otorga poca importancia o los utiliza de manera ornamental y/o de colección, desconociendo además la legislación vigente. En este panorama, nuestro trabajo pretende otorgar valor patrimonial a los objetos (incluidos los fósiles) como formadores de identidad. Así, el hecho de compartir un mismo suelo nos brinda la oportunidad de encontrar allí elementos que dan cuenta de lo que ocurrió en el pasado en esa región. El descubrimiento de un fósil debe propiciar la interacción y el trabajo conjunto entre los distintos actores de una sociedad (investigadores, organismos gubernamentales, personal de museos y la comunidad local). De esta manera, los restos fósiles cobran valor patrimonial, al ser redescubiertos y compartidos con la comunidad.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse