Pulso mínimo de agua para la emergencia de plántulas de tres especies de gramíneas perennes nativas del Monte Central (Argentina), influenciado por el efecto de la sombra y la estación del año

In deserts, seedling emergence occurs only after precipitation threshold has been exceeded, however, the presence of trees modifies microenvironmental conditions that might affect the effectiveness of a water pulse. In the Monte desert, Prosopis flexuosa trees generate different micro-environmental conditions that might influence grass seedlings establishment. The objective of this work was: a) to know the effective minimum water input event that triggers the emergence of native perennial grass seedlings; b) to relate this fact with the effect of the shade of P. flexuosa canopy and the seasonal temperatures. Three important forage species of the Monte were studied: Pappophorum caespitosum and Trichloris crinita, with C4, and Jarava ichu, with C3 metabolism. Each season, seeds of these species were sown in pots placed at two light conditions: shade (similar to P. flexuosa cover) and open area, and with seven irrigation treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 2*10 and 3*10 mm). J. ichu did not emerge in any of the treatments. Significant seedling emergence was registered for P. caespitosum and T. crinita in shade conditions with 40 mm irrigation treatment in summer. Since 40 mm precipitation events are infrequent in the Monte, seedling emergence for these species would be restricted to exceptional rainy years. The facilitating effect of P. flexuosa shade would be important during the hot season.En los desiertos, la emergencia de las plántulas se produce cuando un evento de precipitación excede un valor umbral. La presencia de árboles modifica las condiciones micro ambientales y en consecuencia, la efectividad de los eventos de lluvia. En el Monte, las condiciones generadas por Prosopis flexuosa (algarrobo) afectarían el establecimiento de las gramíneas. El objetivo del trabajo fue: a) conocer el evento mínimo de agua necesario para desencadenar la emergencia de gramíneas perennes; b) relacionarlo con la influencia de la sombra del algarrobo y las temperaturas estacionales. Se trabajó con tres especies nativas de gramíneas forrajeras perennes: Pappophorum caespitosum, Trichloris crinita, (C4), y Jarava ichu (C3). En cada estación del año, semillas de las tres especies fueron sembradas en macetas bajo dos condiciones lumínicas: sombra (similar a la sombra de P. flexuosa) y área abierta y con siete niveles de riego (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 2*10 y 3*10 mm). Jarava ichu no emergió en ningún tratamiento. En el verano se obtuvo emergencia significativa de T. crinita y P. caespitosum solo en los tratamientos de 40 mm y a la sombra. Debido a que en el Monte los eventos de precipitación de 40 mm son infrecuentes, la emergencia de estas especies ocurriría en los años excepcionalmente lluviosos. El efecto facilitador de la sombra del algarrobo sería de importancia en la estación cálida.Fil: Greco, Silvina A.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Sartor, Carmen E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Villagra, Pablo E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agraria

Cranial form differences in goats by breed and domestic status

Domestic goats (Capra hircus) are globally represented by over 300 breeds, making them a useful model for investigating patterns of morphological change related to domestication. However, they have been little studied, likely due to their poor representation in museum collections and the difficulty in obtaining truly wild goat (Capra aegagrus, the bezoar) samples. Similar studies on other species reveal that domestication correlates with craniofacial alterations in domestics, which are non-uniform and often species-specific. Here, we use three-dimensional geometric morphometric methods (3DGMM) to describe and quantify cranial shape variation in wild (n = 21) versus domestic (n = 54) goats. We find that mean cranial shapes differ significantly between wild and domestic goats as well as between certain breeds. The detected differences are lower in magnitude than those reported for other domestic groups, possibly explained by the fewer directions of artificial selection in goat breeding, and their low global genetic diversity compared to other livestock. We also find tooth-row length reduction in the domestics, suggestive of rostral shortening—a prediction of the “domestication syndrome” (DS). The goat model thus expands the array—and combinations of—morphological changes observed under domestication, notably detecting alterations to the calvarium form which could be related to the ~ 15% brain size reduction previously reported for domestic compared to wild goats. The global success of domestic goats is due more to their ability to survive in a variety of harsh environments than to systematized human management. Nonetheless, their domestication has resulted in a clear disruption from the wild cranial form, suggesting that even low-intensity selection can lead to significant morphological changes under domestication

Comunicación de RSC: una revisión de las tesis clásicas sobre la coherencia entre la acción de RSC y la actividad organizacional

La literatura sobre comunicación eficaz de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) es compleja y, en ocasiones, contradictoria respecto al papel de la coherencia entre la actividad de la empresa y las acciones de RSC (fit empresarial clásico). Por una parte, subraya la importancia del fit para una comunicación eficaz. Sin embargo, otros investigadores afirman que el fit podría aumentar el escepticismo y resultar perjudicial. Por último, investigaciones recientes señalan otro tipo de fit: el fit personal, donde lo importante es la coincidencia entre la acción de RSC y los intereses del público. Para intentar esclarecer esta complejidad se llevó a cabo un experimento en el que 86 jóvenes fueron asignados aleatoriamente a tres condiciones experimentales: mensaje de RSC con fit clásico; mensaje de RSC con fit personal y mensaje control. A diferencia de lo que se podría esperar a partir de la literatura previa, no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los que recibieron el mensaje con fit empresarial y aquellos que recibieron el mensaje control. Por el contrario, aquellos individuos asignados a la condición de fit personal evaluaron a la empresa como más sincera y honesta y manifestaron una intención conductual más favorable hacia ella que los sujetos asignados a la condición de control y que los sujetos asignados a la condición de fit empresarial. El artículo discute la necesidad de replantear el rol del fit clásico empresarial en la comunicación de acciones de RSC y resalta la existencia de otros tipos de fit que pueden ser incluso más determinantes

Pulso mínimo de agua para la emergencia de plántulas de tres especies de gramíneas perennes nativas del Monte Central (Argentina), influenciado por el efecto de la sombra y la estación del año

In deserts, seedling emergence occurs only after precipitation threshold has been exceeded, however, the presence of trees modifies microenvironmental conditions that might affect the effectiveness of a water pulse. In the Monte desert, Prosopis flexuosa trees generate different micro-environmental conditions that might influence grass seedlings establishment. The objective of this work was: a) to know the effective minimum water input event that triggers the emergence of native perennial grass seedlings; b) to relate this fact with the effect of the shade of P. flexuosa canopy and the seasonal temperatures. Three important forage species of the Monte were studied: Pappophorum caespitosum and Trichloris crinita, with C4, and Jarava ichu, with C3 metabolism. Each season, seeds of these species were sown in pots placed at two light conditions: shade (similar to P. flexuosa cover) and open area, and with seven irrigation treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 2*10 and 3*10 mm). J. ichu did not emerge in any of the treatments. Significant seedling emergence was registered for P. caespitosum and T. crinita in shade conditions with 40 mm irrigation treatment in summer. Since 40 mm precipitation events are infrequent in the Monte, seedling emergence for these species would be restricted to exceptional rainy years. The facilitating effect of P. flexuosa shade would be important during the hot season.En los desiertos, la emergencia de las plántulas se produce cuando un evento de precipitación excede un valor umbral. La presencia de árboles modifica las condiciones micro ambientales y en consecuencia, la efectividad de los eventos de lluvia. En el Monte, las condiciones generadas por Prosopis flexuosa (algarrobo) afectarían el establecimiento de las gramíneas. El objetivo del trabajo fue: a) conocer el evento mínimo de agua necesario para desencadenar la emergencia de gramíneas perennes; b) relacionarlo con la influencia de la sombra del algarrobo y las temperaturas estacionales. Se trabajó con tres especies nativas de gramíneas forrajeras perennes: Pappophorum caespitosum, Trichloris crinita, (C4), y Jarava ichu (C3). En cada estación del año, semillas de las tres especies fueron sembradas en macetas bajo dos condiciones lumínicas: sombra (similar a la sombra de P. flexuosa) y área abierta y con siete niveles de riego (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 2*10 y 3*10 mm). Jarava ichu no emergió en ningún tratamiento. En el verano se obtuvo emergencia significativa de T. crinita y P. caespitosum solo en los tratamientos de 40 mm y a la sombra. Debido a que en el Monte los eventos de precipitación de 40 mm son infrecuentes, la emergencia de estas especies ocurriría en los años excepcionalmente lluviosos. El efecto facilitador de la sombra del algarrobo sería de importancia en la estación cálida

Singular patterns of skull shape and brain size change in the domestication of South American camelids

Patterns of selection in South American camelids (Lamini) and their unique demographic history establish the llama and alpaca as remarkable cases of domestication among large herd animals. Skull shape is implicated in many changes reported between wild and domestic taxa. We apply 3D geometric morphometric methods to describe skull shape, form, and size, differences among the four species of Lamini. In so doing, we test if domesticated Lamini exhibit changes similar to those in other domesticated groups: not only in the skull, but also in brain and body size. In contrast to other domesticated artiodactyls, very little change has occurred in domestic alpacas and llamas compared to their wild counterparts. Nevertheless, their differences are statistically significant and include a flatter cranium, inclined palate and increased airorhynchy in the domestics. Selection pressures that contrast with those on other herd animals, as well as recent population bottlenecks, likely have influenced the morphological patterns we note in Lamini. High-resolution 3D morphospace allows skull size, shape, and form (shape + size), to discriminate all four species, with form providing the greatest separation. These results help differentiate morphologically the Lamini, which in nature are distinguished mainly by body size, and provide an additional tool to archaeologists for distinction of wild and domestic remains. Most of our shape analyses suggest a marginally closer relationship between the alpaca and vicuña, to the exclusion of the guanaco, supporting the genetic relationships for this group. The expected brain size change between wild and domestic populations is lower than previously thought, with a 15.4% reduction in llama, and 6.8% reduction in alpaca. This is the lowest reduction in brain size thus far reported among domesticated Artiodactyla

Classically time-controlled quantum automata

In this paper we introduce classically time-controlled quantum automata or CTQA, which is a slight but reasonable modification of Moore-Crutchfield quantum finite automata that uses time-dependent evolution operators and a scheduler defining how long each operator will run. Surprisingly enough, time-dependent evolutions provide a significant change in the computational power of quantum automata with respect to a discrete quantum model. Furthermore, CTQA presents itself as a new model of computation that provides a different approach to a formal study of “classical control, quantum data” schemes in quantum computing.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Kinematic and kinetic patterns related to free-walking in parkinson’s disease

The aim of this study is to compare the properties of free-walking at a natural pace between mild Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients during the ON-clinical status and two control groups. In-shoe pressure-sensitive insoles were used to quantify the temporal and force characteristics of a 5-min free-walking in 11 PD patients, in 16 young healthy controls, and in 12 age-matched healthy controls. Inferential statistics analyses were performed on the kinematic and kinetic parameters to compare groups’ performances, whereas feature selection analyses and automatic classification were used to identify the signature of parkinsonian gait and to assess the performance of group classification, respectively. Compared to healthy subjects, the PD patients’ gait pattern presented significant differences in kinematic parameters associated with bilateral coordination but not in kinetics. Specifically, patients showed an increased variability in double support time, greater gait asymmetry and phase deviation, and also poorer phase coordination. Feature selection analyses based on the ReliefF algorithm on the differential parameters in PD patients revealed an effect of the clinical status, especially true in double support time variability and gait asymmetry. Automatic classification of PD patients, young and senior subjects confirmed that kinematic predictors produced a slightly better classification performance than kinetic predictors. Overall, classification accuracy of groups with a linear discriminant model which included the whole set of features (i.e., demographics and parameters extracted from the sensors) was 64.1%

Executive functioning skills and (low) math achievement in primary and secondary school

Schoolchildren with better executive functioning skills achieve better mathematics results. It is less clear how inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory combine to predict mathematics achievement and difficulty throughout primary and secondary school. This study aimed to find the best combination of executive function measures for predicting mathematical achievement in Grades 2, 6, and 10 and to test whether this combination predicts the probability of having mathematical difficulties across school grades even when fluid intelligence and processing speed were included in the models. A total of 426 students—141 2nd graders (72 girls), 143 6th graders (72 girls), and 142 10th graders (79 girls)—were cross-sectionally assessed with 12 executive tasks, one standardized mathematical task, and a standardized test of intelligence. Bayesian regression analyses found various combinations of executive predictors of mathematical achievement for each school grade spanning Grade 2 to measures of cognitive inhibition (negative priming) and cognitive flexibility (verbal fluency); Grade 6 to measures of inhibition: resistance to distractor interference (receptive attention), cognitive flexibility (local–global), and working memory (counting span); and Grade 10 to measures of inhibition: resistance to distractor interference (receptive attention) and prepotent response inhibition (stop signal) and working memory (reading span). Logistic regression showed that the executive models derived from the Bayesian analyses had a similar ability to classify students with mathematical difficulty and their peers with typical achievement to broader cognitive models that included fluid intelligence and processing speed. Measures of processing speed, cognitive flexibility (local–global), and prepotent response inhibition (stop signal) were the main risk factors in Grades 2, 6, and 10, respectively. Cognitive flexibility (verbal fluency) in Grade 2 and fluid intelligence, which was more stable in all three grades, acted as protective factors against mathematical difficulty. These findings inform practical considerations for establishing preventive and intervention proposals.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. EDU2011-2269

Effect of Prosopis flexuosa on understory species and its importance to pastoral management in woodlands of the Central Monte Desert

In the Monte Biogeographic Province, located in the arid region of Argentina, the presence of Prosopis flexuosa DC. produces spatial heterogeneity through edaphic modifications and microclimate changes. This results in vegetation patches differing in species composition and abundance. However, this interaction can be modified by the occurrence of gradients of biotic stress or disturbance intensity. In particular, grazing has been observed to enhance or reduce vegetation heterogeneity. Such complex of interactions could determine forage availability for cattle in one of the driest areas of the Monte Desert. We assessed the effect of Prosopis on understory species and analyzed whether the outcomes of this interaction differed with distance to watering points, as a proxy of grazing intensity, in the Northeast of Mendoza Province, Argentina. We used a two-way factorial design including the following factors: 1) microsite (under the cover of P. flexuosa trees and in intercanopy microsites) and 2) distance to watering points ("near the watering point", 500-700 m away, and "far from the watering point", 3-4 km away). Cover of each species, total cover, bare soil, and litter were recorded, and plant diversity, richness, and evenness were estimated with the modified Point Quadrat method. Results showed that P. flexuosa cover, distance from watering points, and the interaction between them determined species composition, abundance and spatial distribution of understory species, and were, consequently, a determining factor for forage availability. The presence of P. flexuosa enhances carrying capacity by supporting higher abundance of grasses under its canopy. Near watering points, high grazing intensity appears to disrupt the patches formed under P. flexuosa canopies, reducing the differences between microsites.In the Monte Biogeographic Province, located in the arid region of Argentina, the presence of Prosopis flexuosa DC. produces spatial heterogeneity through edaphic modifications and microclimate changes. This results in vegetation patches differing in species composition and abundance. However, this interaction can be modified by the occurrence of gradients of biotic stress or disturbance intensity. In particular, grazing has been observed to enhance or reduce vegetation heterogeneity. Such complex of interactions could determine forage availability for cattle in one of the driest areas of the Monte Desert. We assessed the effect of Prosopis on understory species and analyzed whether the outcomes of this interaction differed with distance to watering points, as a proxy of grazing intensity, in the Northeast of Mendoza Province, Argentina. We used a two-way factorial design including the following factors: 1) microsite (under the cover of P. flexuosa trees and in intercanopy microsites) and 2) distance to watering points ("near the watering point", 500-700 m away, and "far from the watering point", 3-4 km away). Cover of each species, total cover, bare soil, and litter were recorded, and plant diversity, richness, and evenness were estimated with the modified Point Quadrat method. Results showed that P. flexuosa cover, distance from watering points, and the interaction between them determined species composition, abundance and spatial distribution of understory species, and were, consequently, a determining factor for forage availability. The presence of P. flexuosa enhances carrying capacity by supporting higher abundance of grasses under its canopy. Near watering points, high grazing intensity appears to disrupt the patches formed under P. flexuosa canopies, reducing the differences between microsites