A new species group of the genus Epicauta Dejean of Southern South America, the bella group (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Epicauta (Coleoptera: Meloideae) includes two subgenera, and within the nominotypical subgenus several species groups. Analyzing species of southern South America, a set of species of Epicauta has the particularity to present two distinctive characters which separates this group from the other species groups of American Epicauta: color pattern of pubescence in elytra is not coincident with color pattern of tegument and endophalic hook robust. Based on these characters I propose a new group of species herein named bella group. This group includes the Neotropical species Epicauta bella Mäklin, E. brunneipennis (Haag-Rutemberg), E. diagramma (Burmeister), E. griseonigra (Fairmaire), E. luctifera (Fairmaire), E. riojana (Fairmaire) (New status), and E. zebra (Dohrn). This group is endemic of southern South America, inhabiting the Chaco biogeographical subregion, mainly in the arid northern areas of Argentina. Here we redefine the species of the bella group, consider new characters, illustrate the species in the group, provide maps of their distribution, and a key to identify them.Fil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin

The biological properties of OGI surfaces positively act on osteogenic and angiogenic commitment of mesenchymal stem cells

Osteogenesis process displays a fundamental role during dental implant osteointegration. In the present work, we studied the influence of Osteon Growth Induction (OGI) surface properties on the angiogenic and osteogenic behaviors of Mesenchymal Stem cells (MSC). MSC derived from dental pulp and HUVEC (Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells) were grown in on OGI titanium surfaces, and cell proliferation and DNA synthesis were evaluated by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] test and DNA quantification. Gene expression has been performed in order to evaluate the presence of mRNA related to endothelial and osteogenesis markers. Moreover, morphological and biochemical analyses of osteogenesis commitments has been performed. On OGI surfaces, MSC and HUVEC are able to proliferate. Gene expression profiler confirms that MSC on OGI surfaces are able to express endothelial and osteogenic markers, and that these expression are higher compared the expression on control surfaces. In conclusion On OGI surfaces proliferation, expression and morphological analyses of angiogenesis-associated markers in MSC are promoted. This process induces an increasing on their osteogenesis commitmen

Epicauta (Coleóptera: Meloidae) depositados en la colección entomológica del Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Florentino Ameghino de la provincia de Santa Fe

El presente trabajo provee información acerca del material de Epicauta Dejean 1834 (Coleoptera: Meloidae) que se encuentra depositado en la colección Entomológica del área de Zoología de Invertebrados del Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Florentino Ameghino, Santa Fe, Argentina. Los ejemplares examinados corresponden a las especies descriptas por Berg (1881), Borchmann (1930), Burmeister (1881), Denier (1935), Fischer (1827), Germar (1821), Haag-Rutemberg (1880) y Hug (1825). Se examinaron más de 200 ejemplares que corresponden a 10 especies: E. adspersa (Klug, 1825); E. atomaria (Germar, 1821); E. bosqi Denier, 1935; E. brunneipennis (Haag-Rutemberg, 1880); E. clericalis (Berg, 1881); E. fulvicoarnis (Burmeister, 1881); E. grammica (Fischer, 1827); E. langei Borchmann, 1930; E. leopardina (Haag-Rutember, 1880); E. monachica (Berg, 1883), la gran mayoría están pertenecen en la artropofauna de la provincia de Santa Fe; además la colección se encuentra enriquecida con materiales de otras provincias como: Catamarca, Córdoba, Neuquén, y Santiago del Estero. Para cada especie se provee la siguiente información: nombre original y válido, lista sinonímica completa, referencia bibliográfica, ubicación del material tipo en caso que se conozca la información, lista de los ejemplares de la especie con el número de registro con el que se identifica a los ejemplares del Museo, lugar y fecha de colección, el nombre del colector si se encuentra etiquetado y número de ejemplares; como información adicional se incorpora los datos sobre la planta huésped. Los datos confusos o incompletos no se incluyen en el listado.Fil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin

Presence of Psitticimex uritui (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) in nests of brown cacholote Pseudoseisura lophotes (Passeriformes: Furnariidae)

Psitticimex uritui (Lent & Abalos), la chinche típica de la “cotorra” Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, fue registrada por primera vez en los nidos del “caserote” Pseudoseisura lophotes (Reichenbach) en la provincia de Entre Ríos. La interacción entre las poblaciones de estas aves dada por el comportamiento de adopción de nidos, presente en las “cotorras” puede explicar la presencia de la misma especie de cimícido en los nidos de ambos. La baja población de chinches en nidos de caserote indica que las cotorras son los huéspedes originarios.Psitticimex uritui (Lent & Abalos), a typical bug parasite of “monk parakeets” Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert is recorded for the first time in nests of “brown cacholote” Pseudoseisura lophotes (Reichenbach) at Entre Ríos Province. Interaction among these bird populations, associated with nest adoption behavior by “monk parakeets”, may explain the presence of the same cimicid species in both their nests. The low population of bugs in “brown cacholote” nests indicates that the “monk parakeets” are the original hosts.Fil: Aramburu, Rosana Mariel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico Zoología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentin

Epicauta (Meloinae: Epicautini) de la Argentina, su taxonomía y su biología

Se efectuó un relevamiento de las especies pertenecientes al género Epicauta (Meloinae: Epicautini) citadas para la Argen-tina. Las mismas se encuentran depositadas en las diferentes colecciones entomológicas de nuestro país (CICyTTP Centro de Investi-gaciones Científicas y Transferencia de la Tecnología a la Producción, CICyTTP-CONICET. IADIZA Instituto Argentino de Investigacio-nes de las Zonas Áridas, CCT-CONICET, Mendoza. IMLA Instituto Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán. MLP Museo de La Plata, La Plata. MFA Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Florentino Ameghino?, Santa Fe. MACN Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Buenos Aires). Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron los siguientes: realizar la revisión de las especies de Epicauta de Argentina depositadas en los diferentes museos del país con el fin de obtener conocimientos sobre su morfología tanto externa como interna (genitalia femenina y masculina); buscar información acerca de la reseña histórica sobre trabajos publicados con el propósito de brindar datos sobre antecedentes bibliográficos, su biología, importancia económica, conducta defensiva, enemigos naturales y la asociación planta-huésped.Fil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Safenraiter, Melania Edith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentin

Types of gambling and levels of harm: A UK study to assess severity of presentation in a treatment-seeking population

Background and aim Previous international research emphasized that some forms of gambling are more “addictive” than others. More recently, research has shown that we should shift our attention from the type of gambling activity to the level of involvement in a number of different gambling activities. The aim of our study was to verify whether a higher Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score was associated with particular gambling activities and evaluate the impact of involvement on gambling behavior. Methods A total of 736 treatment-seeking individuals with gambling disorder were assessed at the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London. First, the independent two-sample t-test and the Mann–Whitney test were used to verify if the PGSI score changed significantly according to the gambling activity at a bivariate level. Second, we conducted a cluster analysis and finally, we fitted a linear regression model in order to verify if some variables are useful to predict gambling addiction severity. Results The PGSI score was significantly higher for lower stakes gaming machine gamblers (1% significance level) and for fixed-odds betting terminal (FOBT) gamblers (5% significance level) at a bivariate level. Moreover, such finding was confirmed by cluster and linear regression analyses. Conclusions The results of this study indicated that gambling addiction severity was related to gambling involvement and, for a given level of gambling involvement, gambling addiction severity may vary according to gambling type, with a particularly significant increase for FOBT and gaming machine gambling

Haemodynamic consequences of changing bicarbonate and calcium concentrations in haemodialysis fluids

Background. In a previous study we demonstrated that mild metabolic alkalosis resulting from standard bicarbonate haemodialysis induces hypotension. In this study, we have further investigated the changes in systemic haemodynamics induced by bicarbonate and calcium, using non-invasive procedures. Methods. In a randomized controlled trial with a single-blind, crossover design, we sequentially changed the dialysate bicarbonate and calcium concentrations (between 26 and 35 mmol/l for bicarbonate and either 1.25 or 1.50 mmol/l for calcium). Twenty-one patients were enrolled for a total of 756 dialysis sessions. Systemic haemodynamics was evaluated using pulse wave analysers. Bioimpedance and BNP were used to compare the fluid status pattern. Results. The haemodynamic parameters and the pre-dialysis BNP using either a high calcium or bicarbonate concentration were as follows: systolic blood pressure (+5.6 and −4.7 mmHg; P < 0.05 for both), stroke volume (+12.3 and +5.2 ml; P < 0.05 and ns), peripheral resistances (−190 and −171 dyne s cm−5; P < 0.05 for both), central augmentation index (+1.1% and −2.9%; ns and P < 0.05) and BNP (−5 and −170 ng/l; ns and P < 0.05). The need of staff intervention was similar in all modalities. Conclusions. Both high bicarbonate and calcium concentrations in the dialysate improve the haemodynamic pattern during dialysis. Bicarbonate reduces arterial stiffness and ameliorates the heart tolerance for volume overload in the interdialytic phase, whereas calcium directly increases stroke volume. The slight hypotensive effect of alkalaemia should motivate a probative reduction of bicarbonate concentration in dialysis fluid for haemodynamic reasons, only in the event of failure of classical tools to prevent intradialytic hypotensio

South American vesicant beetles (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Studies on the andean genus Pseudomeloe Fairmaire and Germain

Pseudomeloe (Meloinae: Pyrotini) es un género endémico de la región andina de América del Sur, distribuido en Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Ecuador, Perú y Uruguay. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue actualizar el conocimiento del género, aportando datos sobre su biología, importancia económica, y mapas de distribución, asimismo, un catalogo de las especies válidas y nuevos datos dedistribución de las mismas. Se registran un total de 41 especies de Pseudomeloe para América del Sur, incorporando cuatro especies no catalogadas en Blackwelder (P. machadoi Germain, P. ogloblini Martínez,  P. titschacki Borchmann, y P. vianai Martínez) y se brindan mas de cien nuevos registros tanto a nivel provincial como nacional de Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile y Perú.Pseudomeloe (Meloinae: Pyrotini) is an endemic genus of the andean region of South America, distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Perú and Uruguay. The aim of this work was to update the knowledge of the genus, providing data on its biology, economic importance, distributions maps, and a catalogue of valid species with new distribution data. There were recorded a total of 41 species of Pseudomeloe from South America, fadding four non-cataloged species since Blackwelder (P. machadoi Germain, P. ogloblini Martínez, P. titschacki Borchmann, and P. vianai Martínez), and there were given more than a hundred new state/province and country records of Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile and Peru.Fil: Safenraiter, Melania Edith. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Campos Soldini, Maria Paula. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Estrella Natalín. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: del Rio, Maria Guadalupe. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Fast-Twitch Glycolytic Skeletal Muscle Is Predisposed to Age-Induced Impairments in Mitochondrial Function

The etiology of mammalian senescence is suggested to involve the progressive impairment of mitochondrial function; however, direct observations of age-induced alterations in actual respiratory chain function are lacking. Accordingly, we assessed mitochondrial function via high-resolution respirometry and mitochondrial protein expression in soleus, quadricep, and lateral gastrocnemius skeletal muscles, which represent type 1 slow-twitch oxidative muscle (soleus) and type 2 fast-twitch glycolytic muscle (quadricep and gastrocnemius), respectively, in young (10-12 weeks) and mature (74-76 weeks) mice. Electron transport through mitochondrial complexes I and III increases with age in quadricep and gastrocnemius, which is not observed in soleus. Mitochondrial coupling efficiency during respiration through complex I also deteriorates with age in gastrocnemius and shows a tendency (p = .085) to worsen in quadricep. These data demonstrate actual alterations in electron transport function that occurs with age and are dependent on skeletal muscle typ

ESMO spacecraft attitude dynamics : propellant sloshing and mass expulsion torques model

LAUREA SPECIALISTICAL'oggetto di studio di questa tesi è la formulazione matematica delle equazioni della dinamica diESMO, nella forma di Eulero-Newton. Lo scopo e il motivo di questo lavoro sono di implementare un modello dei disturbi interni al satellite. È stata rivolta particolare attenzione nei confronti dei disturbi associati all'espulsione di massa e alla dinamica di sloshing dei serbatoi. Inoltre per ragioni di completezza, la dinamica delle ruote di reazione è stata inclusa alle equazioni del moto. In questa tesi sarà presentato lo stato dell'arte dei modelli di sloshing e delle coppie di disturbo causate dall'espulsione di massa. Il modello delle equazioni è completato con il modello di consumo del carburante che influenza alcuni termini nell'equazioni del moto. Questa tesi ha l'intento di costituire un'interfaccia fra due importanti discipline: la meccanica orbitale e la dinamica d'assetto. Le equazioni della dinamica d'assetto e della meccanica orbitale rimangono comunque disaccoppiate, poiché le coppie di disturbo esterne o d'ambiente, (che sono quelle che garantiscono l'accoppiamento) non sono state incluse all’equazione del moto. L'intento di questa tesi si configura nello sviluppo di un software che implementi la dinamica d'assetto di ESMO e le dinamiche di disturbo interne al satellite. Tale software attualmente è stato utilizzato, e continuerà ad esserlo, dal team di analisi di missione della University of Strathclyde, Glasgow per ottenere informazioni sull'orientazione del vettore di spinta e per le eventuali analisi di imprevisti malfunzionamenti degli attuatori. Infine questo software potrà essere utilizzato e integrato, dal team di controllo d'assetto del Politecnico di Milano, per inserire all'interno del simulatore già sviluppato dal AOCS1 team, il modello delle dinamiche interne di ESMO.This dissertation deals with the Newton and Euler dynamics equations of ESMO, where a mathematical formulation has been developed. The purpose is to design the internal (non-environmental) disturbances of the spacecraft, by focusing attention on the mass expulsion disturbance torques and the propellant sloshing effect. Moreover the dynamics of the reaction wheels has been taken into account. A review of the propellant sloshing models has been investigated and has been described in brief throughout the dissertation. Particular attention has been given to the propellant sloshing model that has been embraced and to the sate of the art of the mass expulsion torques. Additionally, the propellant consumption that affects some terms of the equation of motions has been considered. This dissertation intends to be an interface between the orbit dynamics and the attitude dynamics disciplines. The two dynamics equations are uncoupled because the environmental torques, that are the coupling terms, are not considered. The outcome of the thesis is the developing of the software that implements the spacecraft attitude dynamics of ESMO and the internal dynamics of the satellite. Therefore this software is going to be used by the ESMO Mission Analysis (MIAS) Team of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow to give information on the thrust vector orientation (attitude of ESMO) and for passing the control law for contingency analysis (a.g. delay in the actuation ). Moreover this software can be used by the ESMO Attitude and Orbit Control (AOCS1) System Team of Politecnico di Milano to integrate the internal dynamics of ESMO with the simulator that the AOCS1 Team has developed