Molecular orientation in self-assembled multilayers measured by Second Harmonic generation using femtosecond pulses

We present measurements of the optical second-harmonic generation in self assembled multilayer films of PAZO/PAH polymers with the aim to investigate molecular order in the layer-by-layer architecture. The experiments are performed in transmission, using a femtosecond Ti:Sa pulsed laser, which allows a more accurate determination of the amplitude of the second harmonic signal, without interference fringes usually present in nanosecond experiments. We found that the first bilayer, in contact with the substrate, presents a broad distribution of the orientation of the molecules, while the addition of successive bilayers (up to 12) produces ordering of the molecules with a small tilt angle respect to the surface normal. This result, together with the monotonic increment of the second harmonic signal with the number of layers indicates that the molecules grow orderly assembled in these films.Fil: Von Bilderling, Catalina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; ArgentinaFil: Tagliazucchi, Mario Eugenio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Ernesto Julio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; ArgentinaFil: Bragas, Andrea Veronica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Electrónica Cuántica; Argentin

Efecto de pies clonales sobre el crecimiento y productividad en manzano cv Cripps Pink en el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén

Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento vegetativo y productivo de diferentes portainjertos clonales de manzano en la zona del Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén se realizó un ensayo de cv. Cripps Pink con dos combinaciones de portainjertos: PI 80 y MM 111 con interinjerto de EM9. Los parámetros vegetativos y productivos evaluados fueron: Área seccional transversal de tronco (ASTT, cm2); Producción acumulada por hectárea (PA, t/ha); Eficiencia productiva acumulada (EPA, kg/cm2) y en la última temporada de evaluación se determinaron la densidad de frutos (DF; n.º frutos/cm2 ASTT); la distribución de calibres de los frutos (DC) y el porcentaje del fruto con color de cobertura (CF). La combinación con el pie PI80 fue la menos vigorosa y tuvo mejor comportamiento productivo y coloración de los frutos. La combinación EM9/MM111 presenta valores productivos aceptables por lo que podría ser una alternativa interesante en aquellos lugares donde las condiciones del suelo no permiten el uso de portainjertos de bajo vigor.In order to evaluate the vegetative and productive development of different apple clonal rootstocks in the Alto Valle of Río Negro and Neuquén a trial with Cripps Pink cv. was planted with two rootstocks combinations: PI 80 and MM 111 with EM9 interstock. The vegetative and productive parameters evaluated were: trunk‐cross sectional area (ASTT, cm2); Cumulative yield per hectare (PA, tn/ha); Crop efficiency (EPA, kg/cm2) and in the last season the crop density (nº fruits/cm2 ASTT), the fruit size distribution (DC) and the coverage color (CF). The combination with PI80 was the least vigorous and had better productivity and fruit colour development. The EM9/MM111 combination has an acceptable productive level, so it could be an interesting alternative under poor soils conditions do not allow the use of dwarfing rootstocks.EEA Alto ValleFil: De Angelis, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Paula Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; Argentin

Portainjertos de manzano

Los portainjertos ofrecen la posibilidad de controlar el vigor de la planta, su precocidad o rapidez para entrar en producción y la resistencia o tolerancia a algunos patógenos y condiciones del suelo. Su elección debe estar sujeta a un adecuado diagnóstico de las condiciones del suelo y el vigor de la variedad. Existen dos tipos de portainjertos de acuerdo con su origen: los multiplicados por semilla, llamados generalmente “francos”, y los multiplicados en forma vegetativa o “clonales”.EEA Alto ValleFil: De Angelis, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Paula Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; Argentin

Swimming performance of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens is an emergent property of its two flagellar systems

Many bacterial species use flagella for self-propulsion in aqueous media. In the soil, which is a complex and structured environment, water is found in microscopic channels where viscosity and water potential depend on the composition of the soil solution and the degree of soil water saturation. Therefore, the motility of soil bacteria might have special requirements. An important soil bacterial genus is Bradyrhizobium, with species that possess one flagellar system and others with two different flagellar systems. Among the latter is B. diazoefficiens, which may express its subpolar and lateral flagella simultaneously in liquid medium, although its swimming behaviour was not described yet. These two flagellar systems were observed here as functionally integrated in a swimming performance that emerged as an epistatic interaction between those appendages. In addition, each flagellum seemed engaged in a particular task that might be required for swimming oriented toward chemoattractants near the soil inner surfaces at viscosities that may occur after the loss of soil gravitational water. Because the possession of two flagellar systems is not general in Bradyrhizobium or in related genera that coexist in the same environment, there may be an adaptive tradeoff between energetic costs and ecological benefits among these different species.Fil: Quelas, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Althabegoiti, Maria Julia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Jiménez Sánchez, Celia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentina. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Melgarejo, Augusto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marconi, Veronica Iris. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Mongiardini, Elias Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Trejo, Sebastian Alejandro. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mengucci, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Ortega Calvo, José Julio. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Lodeiro, Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular; Argentin

Quality of Life and Post-Surgical Complications in Patients on Chronic Antiplatelet Therapy with Proximal Femur Fracture: 12-Month Follow-Up after Implementing a Strategy to Shorten the Time to Surgery

Antiplatelet drugs; Femur fracture; Randomized clinical trialFármacos antiplaquetarios; Fractura de fémur; Ensayo clínico aleatorizadoMedicaments antiplaquetaris; Fractura de fèmur; Assaig clínic aleatoritzatBackground: We evaluated a strategy to shorten the time from admission to surgery in patients with proximal femur fractures on chronic antiplatelet therapy. We reported a 12-month follow-up on complications and quality of life (QoL). Methods: Multicentre, open-label, randomized, parallel clinical trial. Patients were randomized to either early platelet function-guided surgery (experimental group) or delayed surgery (control group). Medical and surgical complications and QoL (EQ-5D-5L questionnaire) were assessed during the hospital stay, and after hospital discharge at 30 days, and 6 and 12 months. Results: From 156 randomized patients, 143 patients underwent surgery. The mean age was 85.5 (7.8) years and 68.0% were female. After hospital discharge, 5.7% of patients had surgical wound complications and 55.9% had medical complications, with 42.7% having serious adverse events. QoL improved significantly after surgery, with the best scores at the six-month follow-up. The overall mortality was 32.2%. There were no differences between early and delayed surgery groups in any assessed outcomes. Conclusion: It seems safe to reduce the time of surgery under neuraxial anaesthesia in patients with hip fractures on chronic antiplatelet therapy by platelet function testing. QoL in particular improves in the first six months after surgery.This research was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), “A way to make Europe”, grant number PI16/01879 and Spanish Clinical Research Network (PT17/0017/0034 and PT20/00096). Biometa Tecnologias y Sistemas (33428 Llanera, Asturias, Spain) partially funded the PLATELETWORKS reagent kits. The sponsor and funders are not involved in study design; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the report; and the decision to submit the report for publication

Variedades no tradicionales de manzana para la elaboración de sidra

Frente a la demanda de productores artesanales de sidra por obtener un producto diferenciado se trabajó en la identificación de cultivares con potencial sidrero a partir de materiales conservados en el Banco de Germoplasma del INTA Alto Valle. Luego de cinco años, se caracterizaron nueve variedades de manzanos que fueron inscriptos recientemente en el Registro Nacional de Cultivares (RNC) del Instituto Nacional de Semillas (INASE).EEA Alto ValleFil: Calvo, Paula Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: De Angelis, Verónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Martinez, Gerardo Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; Argentin

Comportamiento productivo de diferentes combinaciones cultivar portainjerto de peral en el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén

Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento vegetativo y productivo de diferentes combinaciones cultivar-portainjerto de peral en la zona del Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén se planteó un ensayo con cinco portainjertos: Franco, BA29, BP1, MC y Sydo. Los cultivares utilizadas fueron Pyrus communis cv Williams, Abate Fetel y Beurrè D´Anjou. Los árboles fueron plantados en el 2001 con un marco de plantación de 4 x 2m y conducidos en eje central. Los parámetros vegetativos y productivos evaluados fueron: Área seccional transversal de tronco (ASTT; cm2); Longitud de la copa en el sentido de la hilera (LCH, m); Crecimiento de los brotes del año (CBA, m); Producción acumulada por planta (PA, kg pl-1); Producción estimada por hectárea (PE, t ha-1); Eficiencia productiva acumulada (EPA, kg cm-2); Distribución de calibres (DC); Síntomas de incompatibilidad en la zona de unión y Mortandad de plantas. En todos los cultivares evaluados, el portainjerto Franco fue el que presentó mejor comportamiento productivo y vegetativo (mayores ASTT, LCH, CBA, PA,PE y EPA). Las combinaciones con los portainjertos de membrillero presentaron síntomas de incompatibilidad de leves a moderados en la zona de unión en todos los cultivares estudiados y fueron las que tuvieron mayor mortandad de plantas. La productividad de las combinaciones con membrillero fue baja en todos los cultivares, probablemente debido a la incompatibilidad observada a nivel de la zona de unión. Este hecho posiblemente se haya visto agravado por las condiciones climáticas de la zona caracterizadas por altas temperaturas, fuertes vientos y baja humedad relativa que acrecientan los problemas existentes de trasporte entre la raíz y la parte aérea afectando, consecuentemente, el normal desarrollo y crecimiento de las plantas.In order to evaluate the vegetative and reproductive behavior of different pear rootstocks in the Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén region, a trial was designed with four rootstocks: seedling, BA29, BP1, MC and Sydo. The pear cultivars were: Pyrus communis cv Williams, Abate Fetel and Beurre D’ Anjou. Trees were planted in 2001, spaced at 4 x 2 m and trained with a central axis. The vegetative and reproductive parameters evaluated were: Trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA; cm2); Canopy in the file (CF, m); Annual shoot growth (ASG,m); cumulative yield (CY, kg pl -1); Estimated production per hectare (EPH , t ha-1); Cumulative yield efficiency (CYE, kg cm -2); Fruit size distribution (FSD); Incompatibility symptoms in the graft union and plant mortality. In all tested cultivars, the seedling had the highest vegetative and reproductive performance (highests TCSA, CF,ASG, CY, EPH and CYE). In all the studied cultivars the quince rootstocks showed mild to moderate symptoms of incompatibility in the graft union and the highest plant mortality. The low productivity of the combinations with quince rootstocks probably was associated to the incompatibility observed at the graft union. This fact had possibly been exacerbated by the climatic conditions of the area, which is characterized by high temperatures, strong winds and low relative humidity, increasing the existing problems of transportation between the root and the canopy and, consequently, affecting the normal development of plantsEEA Alto ValleFil: De Angelis, Veronica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Gabriela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Raffo Benegas, Maria Dolores. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Menni, María Fernanda. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; Argentin

Spanish Dentists’ Awareness, Knowledge, and Practice Regarding COVID-19: A Multiple Regression Analysis

The authors thank the Spanish Society of Epidemiology and Oral Public Health (SESPO) for expert supervision of the questionnaire; the Spanish General Council of Dentists (GCD) and the Spanish societies of dental hygienists for their rapid dissemination of the survey to their members.Introduction: During the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Spain had the highest mortality rate and the second-highest infection rate in the world. Objective: To analyze the occupational situation of dentists, hygienists, and dental auxiliary staff during the peak of the pandemic, after the state of alarm was declared in Spain, and when the state of alarm was declared. In addition, a possible relationship between the geographical distribution of infected people and the availability of individual protection systems was investigated. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was answered by 6470 dentists and dental staff via WhatsApp and social media. Results: A total of 1 in 4 dental professionals ceased working completely. Of those that kept working, 25.28% of dentists and 19.61% of hygienist-auxiliary were equipped with filtering face piece (FFP) 2 masks (P < .05), and 61.8% complied with the official protection recommendations set by the General Council of Dentists of Spain. Nearly 59.4% of respondents had symptoms, but only 1.5% of dentists were tested, with 14% of dentists in isolation at the time of response. Overall, it is suggested that 10% of dental professionals may have been in direct contact with the coronavirus. Conclusions: Direct contact of Spanish dental health professionals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS CoV-2) has been high during the most active phase of the pandemic. Dental professionals did not have personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to care for patients, a situation that justified the reduction in scheduled dental care and only emergencies being treated. The Spanish geographical regions with the highest number of contagions had the least amount of individual protective resources (FFP2 and FFP3masks)

Muscular and tendon degeneration after achilles rupture: new insights into future repair strategies

Achilles tendon rupture is a frequent injury with an increasing incidence. After clinical surgical repair, aimed at suturing the tendon stumps back into their original position, the repaired Achilles tendon is often plastically deformed and mechanically less strong than the pre-injured tissue, with muscle fatty degeneration contributing to function loss. Despite clinical outcomes, pre-clinical research has mainly focused on tendon structural repair, with a lack of knowledge regarding injury progression from tendon to muscle and its consequences on muscle degenerative/regenerative processes and function. Here, we characterize the morphological changes in the tendon, the myotendinous junction and muscle belly in a mouse model of Achilles tendon complete rupture, finding cellular and fatty infiltration, fibrotic tissue accumulation, muscle stem cell decline and collagen fiber disorganization. We use novel imaging technologies to accurately relate structural alterations in tendon fibers to pathological changes, which further explain the loss of muscle mechanical function after tendon rupture. The treatment of tendon injuries remains a challenge for orthopedics. Thus, the main goal of this study is to bridge the gap between clinicians'' knowledge and research to address the underlying pathophysiology of ruptured Achilles tendon and its consequences in the gastrocnemius. Such studies are necessary if current practices in regenerative medicine for Achilles tendon ruptures are to be improved

Phase I trial of viral vector based personalized vaccination elicits robust neoantigen specific antitumor T cell responses

Purpose: Personalized vaccines targeting multiple neoantigens (nAgs) are a promising strategy for eliciting a diversified antitumor T cell response to overcome tumor heterogeneity. NOUS-PEV is a vector based personalized vaccine, expressing 60 nAgs and consists of priming with a non-human Great Ape Adenoviral vector (GAd20) followed by boosts with Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA). Here, we report data of a phase Ib trial of NOUS-PEV in combination with pembrolizumab in treatment naïve metastatic melanoma patients (NCT04990479). Experimental Design: The feasibility of this approach was demonstrated by producing, releasing and administering to six patients 11 out of 12 vaccines within 8 weeks from biopsy collection to GAd20 administration. Results: The regimen was safe, with no treatment-related serious adverse events observed and mild vaccine-related reactions. Vaccine immunogenicity was demonstrated in all evaluable patients receiving the prime/boost regimen, with detection of robust neoantigen specific immune responses to multiple neoantigens comprising both CD4 and CD8 T cells. Expansion and diversification of vaccine-induced TCR clonotypes was observed in the post-treatment biopsies of patients with clinical response providing evidence of tumor infiltration by vaccine-induced neoantigen-specific T cell. Conclusions: These findings indicate the ability of NOUS-PEV to amplify and broaden the repertoire of tumor reactive T cells to empower a diverse, potent and durable antitumor immune response. Finally, a gene signature indicative for reduced presence of activated T cells together with very poor expression of the antigen processing machinery (APM) genes has been identified in pre-treatment biopsies as a potential biomarker of resistance to the treatment