Relationships among soil properties, plant nutrition and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-plant symbioses in a temperate grassland along hydrologic, saline and sodic gradients

Temporal variations in the relationships among plant nutrient concentrations, soil properties and arbuscular-mycorrhizal (AM) fungal dynamics were studied along a topographic and saline gradient in a temperate grassland soil. Soil and plant (Lotus tenuis, Paspalum vaginatum, Stenotaphrum secundatum) samples were collected on four seasonally based occasions. The morphology of AM root colonization had a similar pattern in the plants studied. Maximum arbuscular colonization occurred at the beginning of the growing season in late winter and was minimal in late summer, but maximal vesicular colonization occurred in summer and was minimal in winter, suggesting a preferential production of these morphological phases by the fungus with respect to season. The greatest arbuscular colonization was associated with the highest N and P concentrations in plant tissue, suggesting a correspondence with increases in the rate of nutrient transfer between the symbiotic partners. Water content, salinity and sodicity in soil were positively associated with AM root colonization and arbuscule colonization in L. tenuis, but negatively so in the grasses. There were distinct seasonally related effects with respect to both spore density and AM colonization, which were independent of particular combinations of plant species and soil sites.Fil: García, Ileana Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Mendoza, Rodolfo Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve legume seedling performance as the competition with conspecific neighbouring adult plants decreases

In temperate grasslands, the balance between competitive and facilitative interactions between adult plants and conspecific seedlings can be affected by defoliation intensity, soil nutrient deficiency and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Here, we investigated the effect of AMF on the interactions between Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. seedlings grown in the presence or absence of conspecific adult plants defoliated at different intensities (0, 50 and 75%) in a P-deficient soil of the Salado River Basin (Argentina). Mycorrhizal seedlings grown near defoliated and non-defoliated adult plants produced less shoot dry weight (DW) than non-mycorrhizal counterparts, whereas mycorrhizal seedlings alone showed 258% and 504% more shoot DW and shoot P content, respectively than non-mycorrhizal counterparts. This was associated with higher growth and P uptake of mycorrhizal adult plants than non-mycorrhizal counterparts. The competition index between seedlings and adult plants showed competition interaction in mycorrhizal systems (from −2.6 to −1.9) and neutral interaction in non-mycorrhizal systems (near to zero) despite the defoliation intensity. We propose that moderate defoliation (50%) allows maintaining high mycorrhizal benefits in adult plants (110.1% and 168.8% mycorrhizal growth and P response, respectively), whereas high defoliation (75%) decreases mycorrhizal benefits (27.18% and 80.21% mycorrhizal growth and P response, respectively). We highlight AMF symbiosis as an important strategy of L. tenuis adult plants to regulate the growth of neighbouring conspecific seedlings in a P-deficient soil.Fil: Chippano, Tomás Adrián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Mendoza, Rodolfo Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Cofré, María Noelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: García, Ileana Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Saponinas, péptidos y compuestos fenólicos, antihipertensivos naturales. Estudios in vitro e in vivo

Currently, cardiovascular diseases, mainly hypertension, occupy the first place in the causes of death in Mexico and the world. Although the disease can be controlled with drugs, they must be taken for life and side effects often occur. Therefore, natural medicine, functional foods and nutraceuticals represent an excellent option to prevent and control the disease, since many bioactive compounds present in them act as antihypertensive agents. The objective of this research is to show existing information on bioactive compounds from natural sources that have shown antihypertensive action both in in vitro and in vivo tests, to elucidate research areas that allow further study of this topic. An exhaustive search was carried out in databases such as Redalyc, EBSCO, Scielo, PubMed, Medigraphic, Elsevier, Dialnet and Latindex, on statistics of suffering from arterial hypertension, as well as pathophysiology of the disease and experimental evidence on the antihypertensive effect of compounds. bioactives of natural origin. Mostly, research papers that demonstrate the efficiency of bioactive peptides, phenolic compounds and saponins are reported, it is evident that these act through the inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE).En la actualidad, las enfermedades cardiovasculares, principalmente hipertensión, ocupan el primer lugar en las causas de muerte en México y el mundo. A pesar de que la enfermedad puede ser controlada con farmacos, estos deben ser tomados de por vida y muchas veces se presentan efectos secundarios. Por lo que la medicina natural, alimentos funcionales y nutracéuticos representan una excelente opción para prevenir y controlar de la enfermedad, ya que muchos compuestos bioactivos presentes en estos actúan como agentes antihipertensivos. El objetivo de esta investigación es mostrar información existente sobre compuestos bioactivos de fuentes naturales que han mostrado acción antihipertensiva tanto en pruebas in vitro como in vivo, para dilucidar áreas de investigación que permitan profundizar más en este tema. Se realizó una búsqueda exhaustiva en bases de datos como Redalyc, EBSCO, Scielo, PubMed, Medigraphic, Elsevier, Dialnet y Latindex, sobre estadísticas de padecimiento de la hipertensión arterial, así como fisiopatología de la enfermedad y pruebas experimentales sobre el efecto antihipertensivo de compuestos bioactivos de origen natural. Se reportan, mayormente, trabajos de investigación que demuestran la eficiencia de péptidos bioactivos, compuestos fenólicos y saponinas, se evidencia que estos actúan a través de la inhibición de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina (ECA)

Spanish validation of the "Kidney Transplant Questionnaire": a useful instrument for assessing health related quality of life in kidney transplant patients

BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in the evaluation of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) among patients undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy. In Spain, no specific questionnaire exists for kidney transplant patients. Here we present the Spanish validation of the first specific HRQoL assessment tool: the kidney transplant questionnaire (KTQ). METHODS: Prospective study of 31 patients on transplant waiting list who received the first kidney. Patients were evaluated before transplant and after 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, using the KTQ and the SF-36 Health Survey. Feasibility, validity, reliability, and sensibility to change were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean time of administration of the KTQ was 12 minutes. Correlation coefficients among KTQ dimensions range between 0.32 and 0.72. Correlation coefficients of KTQ dimensions with SF-36 PCS were low (r<0.4), and with SF-36 MCS were moderate-high (r>0.4) except for Physical Symptom dimension (r = 0.33). Cronbach's Alpha was satisfactory for all KTQ dimensions (Physical Symptoms = 0.80; Fatigue = 0.93; Uncertainty/Fear = 0.81; Emotional= 0.90) except Appearance (0.69). Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged between 0.63 and 0.85, similar to those of the original KTQ version. CONCLUSIONS: Results of validation study show that feasibility, validity, reliability and sensibility to change of the Spanish version of the KTQ are similar to those of the original version

Nesting Of Montezuma Quail In Mexico

Although Mexico has the greatest diversity of quail of any New World country, basic information on the ecology and life history of Mexican quails remains unknown. Our objective was to describe nest characteristics of the Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae montezumae) in central Mexico. We searched for Montezuma quail nests within 8 counties in the state of México, Mexico during May–September 2003. We conducted nest searches along 66 transects (3–5 km × 40 m) distributed across 17 study sites. We recorded vegetation community, elevation, and nesting substrate for each nest. We measured nest characteristics: height, depth, nest entrance diameter, and orientation. If eggs were found, we recorded clutch size and egg mass, texture, color, and shape. We observed 324 quail and located 6 nests along a 254-km route. Nests were located at elevations ranging from 2,568–2,692 m above sea level. Mean (± standard deviation) nest height and depth were 122.2 ± 7.7 mm and 195 ± 61.8 mm, respectively. Nest entrance orientation for 5 of 6 nests was toward a southerly direction. Mean nest egg mass was 9.9 ± 0.1 g. Our study provides basic and descriptive information on a poorly known quail species in Mexico

Construcción de un prototipo de una maquina compactadora doble uso de papel y aserrín

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo principal el construir de manera sencilla un prototipo de una maquina compactadora doble uso de papel y aserrín. Para el aprovechamiento de residuos sólidos como el aserrín, papel de oficina y papel periódico

Intensidad sonora en los predios de la Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo

En el mundo existen muchas formas de contaminación, y en los últimos tiempos han tenido gran repercusión sobre el medio ambiente, lo que altera el hábitat, una de esas formas que pueden afectar la calidad de vida de las personas es el ruido, conocido como acústica o sonora, sobre todo en zonas de gran densidad poblacional, donde el tráfico rodado va en aumento. Este tipo de contaminación acústica generado por el tráfico motiva estudios para salvaguardar la integridad de las personas, las cuales pueden presentar trastornos fisiológicos y psicológicos en su organismo; llegando incluso a afectar a poblaciones de animales de diferentes especies. La Universidad San Gregorio de Portoviejo, no cuenta con estudios referentes a la problemática ambiental ocasionada por ruidos, lo que se constituye en una necesidad imperiosa de elaborar un mapa acústico que permita la identificación de los puntos de mayor nivel de contaminación acústica lo que permitirá aplicar planes de acción que impactaran de forma positiva ya que existe desconocimiento sobre las normativas legales referentes a la contaminación sonora, cuales son los límites permisibles en general sobre todo en los centros de enseñanza

Decision structure for transport logistic problem

1 recurso en línea (páginas 321-331).Planning and decision making in the Transport Logistics Function, TLF, is of high importance in the management of the supply chain. This article aims to develop the problematic and decision structures of the Transport Logistics Function (TLF). The novelties in the characterization of the Transport Logistics Function and its implicit decision processes reported here, complement models proposed by the literature with regard to the determination of elements of the problems and the interrelation of the decisions of the Transport Logistics Function, which have been presented as research perspectives in a supply chain context.La planeación y toma de decisiones en la Función Logística de Transporte, FLT, es de alta importancia en la gestión de la cadena de abastecimiento. Este artículo tiene como objetivo desarrollar las estructuras de problemáticas y de decisión de la FLT. Las novedades en la caracterización de la FLT y sus procesos de decisión implícitos aquí reportados, complementan modelos propuestos por la literatura en lo que concierne a la determinación de elementos de las problemáticas y de la interrelación de las decisiones de la función logística de transporte, los cuales se han presentado como perspectivas de investigación, en un contexto de la cadena de abastecimiento.Bibliografía: páginas 329-331

Avaliação Psicopedagógica: revisão sistemática

Introduction: Psychopedagogical evaluation is a process of data collection, analysis and interpretation, in order to develop explanatory models of the phenomenon of teaching and learning. This evaluation is based on the principle that subjects who are immersed in academic processes have their own unique conditions and their own personal, family and school stories. Methodology: A systematic review of psychopedagogical evaluation was carried out. The search and selection criteria required that the articles be in English and Spanish, be a related to qualitative research andhave been published between 2010 and 2018 in the following databases: EBSCO, Dialnet Plus, ProQuest (Social Sciences and Psychology), Redalyc, Jstor and Scielo. Instruments: To evaluate the methodological quality of the compiled investigations, the “Framework for Assessing Qualitative Evaluations” of the National Center for Social Research was employed, validated by two research experts. Results: 22 studies that met the quality criteria were reviewed. The investigations were mostly developed in Spain. It was found that the issues, commonly associated with psychopedagogical evaluation, are with regards to learning and learning difficulties, classroom evaluation, special needs education, intellectual disability or high intellectual abilities, design of intervention programs, school or educational orientation, inclusive education, diagnosis, cognitive processes or cognitive functions, family participation, school failure and interdisciplinarity. The instruments most used for the collection of information were bibliographic matrices for documentary research, interviews (structured and semi-structured) and some standardized tests. Conclusion: There is a notable growth in scientific and professional interest in psychopedagogical evaluation in the Spanish-speaking world, mainly led by Spain. However, the context and the country’s needs are different compared to those of Latin America. Therefore, it is recommended that professionals in the area perform research to understand psychopedagogy in all its forms and research paradigms, under a Latin American context.Introducción: La evaluación psicopedagógica es un proceso de recolección, análisis e interpretación de datos, con el fin de elaborar modelos explicativos del fenómeno de enseñanza y aprendizaje, con base en el principio de que los sujetos que se encuentran inmersos en los procesos académicos tienen condiciones singulares, con historias personales, familiares y escolares particulares. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión sistemática sobre evaluación psicopedagógica. Los criterios de búsqueda y selección fueron: artículos arbitrados en inglés y español, publicados entre 2010 y 2018, en las bases de datos EBSCO, Dialnet Plus, ProQuest (Ciencias Sociales y Psicología), Redalyc, Jstor y Scielo, y que fueran investigaciones cualitativas. Instrumentos: Para evaluar la calidad metodológica de las investigaciones compiladas se empleó el “Framework For Assessing Qualitative Evaluations” del National Centre for Social Research, validado por dos expertas investigadoras. Resultados: Se revisaron 22 estudios que cumplieron con los criterios de calidad. Las investigaciones fueron en su mayoría desarrolladas en España, y se encontró que los temas comunmente asociados con la evaluación psicopedagógica son el aprendizaje y sus dificultades, evaluación en el aula, necesidades educativas especiales, discapacidad intelectual o altas capacidades intelectuales, diseño de programas de intervención, orientación escolar o educativa, educación inclusiva, diagnóstico, procesos cognitivos o funciones cognitivas, participación familiar, fracaso escolar, interdisciplinariedad. Entre los instrumentos de recolección de la información empleados se destacan las matrices bibliográficas para las investigaciones documentales, las entrevistas (estructuradas y semi estructuradas) y algunas baterías estandarizadas. Conclusión: A pesar de que se evidencia una curva de crecimiento en el interés científico y profesional sobre la evaluación en psicopedagogía, el hecho de que en el mundo hispano hablante, el líder sea España, demuestra que es imperioso ahondar en el tema, en América Latina, toda vez que son contextos y necesidades diferentes. Es relevante entonces asumir el reto de proponer investigaciones que permitan comprender lo psicopedagógico desde todos sus diseños y paradigmas investigativos, en el contexto latinoamericano.Introdução: A avaliação psicopedagógica é um processo de coleta, análise e interpretação de dados, com o objetivo de desenvolver modelos explicativos do fenômeno de ensino e aprendizagem. Essa avaliação é baseada no princípio de que os sujeitos imersos em processos acadêmicos têm suas próprias condições e suas próprias histórias pessoais, familiares e escolares. Metodologia: Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da avaliação psicopedagógica. Os critérios de busca e seleção exigiram que os artigos fossem em inglês e espanhol, fossem relacionados à pesquisa qualitativa e foram publicados entre 2010 e 2018 nas seguintes bases de dados: EBSCO, Dialnet Plus, ProQuest (Ciências Sociais e Psicologia), Redalyc, Jstor e Scielo. Instrumentos: Para avaliar a qualidade metodológica das investigações compiladas, foi empregada a “Estrutura para Avaliação de Avaliações Qualitativas” do Centro Nacional de Pesquisa Social, validada por dois especialistas em pesquisa. Resultados: foram revisados 22 estudos que atendiam aos critérios de qualidade. As investigações foram principalmente desenvolvidas na Espanha. Verificou-se que os problemas, comumente associados à avaliação psicopedagógica, referem-se a dificuldades de aprendizagem e aprendizagem, avaliação em sala de aula, educação de necessidades especiais, deficiência intelectual ou alta capacidade intelectual, desenho de programas de intervenção, orientação escolar ou educacional, educação inclusiva, diagnóstico , processos cognitivos ou funções cognitivas, participação da família, reprovação escolar e interdisciplinaridade.Os instrumentos mais utilizados para a coleta de informações foram matrizes bibliográficas para pesquisa documental, entrevistas (estruturadas e semiestruturadas) e alguns testes padronizados. Conclusão: Há um notável crescimento do interesse científico e profissional na avaliação psicopedagógica no mundo de língua espanhola, liderado principalmente pela Espanha. No entanto, o contexto e as necessidades do país são diferentes em comparação com as da América Latina. Portanto, recomenda-se queos profissionais da área realizem pesquisas para entender a psicopedagogia em todas as suas formas e paradigmas de pesquisa, em um contexto latino-americano