Entomological fauna associated with Aguaribay : Mendoza (Argentina)

En los relevamientos de especias dañinas y benéficas presentes en el aguaribay (Schinus molle L. var. Areira), para inventariar su entomofauna se efectuaron observaciones en distintas zonas de Mendoza (Argentina) en 1988/91 y 1994/96, confirmando y actualizando la bibliografía. Se recolectó material a campo para su identificación sistemática. Se evaluaron daños y se los documentó fotográficamente. En el laboratorio se conservaron muestras con parasitoides hasta la aparición de adultos para su clasificación, registrándose 8 especies de Homoptera, 7 de Hymenoptera, 7 de Coleoptera, 5 de Lepidoptera, 4 de Diptera, 4 de Thysanoptera, 2 de Hemiptera y 2 de Neuroptera. Las principales especies que afectan al Aguaribay son Calophya sp. (Homoptera - Psyllidae), Ceroplastes grandis (Homoptera - Coccidae) y Aphis schinifoliae (Homoptera - Aphididae). También cuenta con una importante fauna benéfica: coccinélidos, parasitoides, sírfidos y crisópidos.Pest and beneficial species present in Schinus molle L. var. Areira were monitoring in order to obtain an inventory of its entomological fauna. It was made observations in different zones of Mendoza from 1988 to 1991, and then, between 1994 and 1996, it was confirmed further observations and it was brought up to day bibliographical revisions. It was collected material in field in order to made its systematic identification. Damages were evaluated and documented photographically. Samples with parasitoids were stored in laboratory until the appearance of adults for their classification. It was registered: 8 species of Homoptera, 7 of Hymenoptera, 7 of Coleop-tera, 5 of Lepidoptera, 4 of Diptera, 4 of Thysanoptera, 2 of Hemiptera and 2 of Neuroptera. The main pest are: Calophya sp. (Homoptera - Psyllidae), Ceroplastes grandis (Homoptera - Coccidae) and Aphis schinifoliae (Homoptera - Aphididade). Also, there is an important beneficial fauna: Coccinellidae, parasitoids, Syrphidae and Chrysopidae.Fil: Sáez, César C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Mácola, Guido S.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Holgado, Miriam G.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: García Sáez, José G.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Biológica

Grapholita molesta : characterization of an artificial rearing

Grapholita molesta (Busck) es considerada plaga principal del duraznero en Mendoza. Sus larvas han sido criadas, en condiciones de laboratorio, con dietas naturales por diversos autores. Los objetivos fueron: 1. poner a punto la cría artificial de la especie; 2. diseñar una jaula para el apareamiento y la oviposición de los adultos; 3. evaluar la eficiencia de la jaula y la dieta larvaria mediante grados día, ciclo biológico, peso de pupas, recuperación de huevoadulto, fecundidad, viabilidad y longevidad. La cría artificial de una especie constituye una herramienta para profundizar sus conocimientos bioetoecológicos y, en consecuencia, aplicarlos en su control. En 1996 se fundó una cría con larvas salvajes alimentadas con manzanas verdes pequeñas del cv. Granny Smith. Los adultos se desarrollaron en una jaula especialmente diseñada. En el ciclo biológico, la recuperación huevo-adulto y la fecundidad se obtuvieron valores superiores a los citados por otros autores pero no ocurrió lo mismo con las otras variables. La cría artificial de Grapholita molesta (Busck) se logró desarrollar por 37 generaciones y la alta fecundidad obtenida es una clave fundamental en el éxito de su mantenimiento.The Grapholita molesta (Busck) is considered the principal plague of peach trees in Mendoza. Its larva have been bred in laboratory conditions, with natural diets by different authors. The goals were: 1. to set the artificial breeding for this specie; 2. to design a cage for the mating and adult oviposition; 3. to evaluate the efficiency of the cage and larval diet by means of day egrees, biological cycle, pupae weight, egg-adult recovery, fertility, viability and longevity. The artificial rearing of a species constitutes a fundamental tool to obtain bioetoecological knowledge and in consequence apply it in its control. In 1996 offspring of wild larva which were fed small green Granny Smith apples were founded. The adults developed in a specially designed cage. In the biological cycle, egg-adult recovery and fertility superior values than those mentioned by other authors were obtained, but this didn't reoccur with the other variables. The artificial rearing of the Grapholita molesta (Busck) were able to develop for 37 generations, being the high fertility obtained a fundamental key in the success of their maintenance.Fil: Marín, María Susana. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Sáez, César C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Caballero, Ariel E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Quercetti, María J.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Biológica

Gravitational waves from galaxy encounters

We discuss the emission of gravitational radiation produced in encounters of dark matter galactic halos. To this aim we perform a number of numerical simulations of typical galaxy mergers, computing the associated gravitational radiation waveforms as well as the energy released in the processes. Our simulations yield dimensionless gravitational wave amplitudes of the order of $10^{-13}$ and gravitational wave frequencies of the order of $10^{-16}$ Hz, when the galaxies are located at a distance of 10 Mpc. These values are of the same order as those arising in the gravitational radiation originated by strong variations of the gravitational field in the early Universe, and therefore, such gravitational waves cannot be directly observed by ground-based detectors. We discuss the feasibility of an indirect detection by means of the B-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) induced by such waves. Our results show that the gravitational waves from encounters of dark matter galactic halos leave much too small an imprint on the CMB polarization to be actually observed with ongoing and future missions.Comment: 9 pages with revtex style, 3 ps figures; to be published in Physical Review

Dominance of particulate organic carbon in top mineral soils in cold regions

18 páginas.- 4 figuras.- 63 referencias.- Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01354-5The largest stocks of soil organic carbon can be found in cold regions such as Arctic, subarctic and alpine biomes, which are warming faster than the global average. Discriminating between particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon can constrain the uncertainty of projected changes in global soil organic carbon stocks. Yet carbon fractions are not considered when assessing the contribution of cold regions to land carbon–climate feedbacks. Here we synthesize field paired observations of particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon in the mineral layer, along with experimental warming data, to investigate whether the particulate fraction dominates in cold regions and whether this relates to higher soil organic carbon losses with warming than in other (milder) biomes. We show that soil organic carbon in the first 30 cm of mineral soil is dominated or co-dominated by particulate carbon in both permafrost and non-permafrost soils, and in Arctic and alpine ecosystems but not in subarctic environments. Our findings indicate that soil organic carbon is most vulnerable to warming in cold regions compared with milder biomes, with this vulnerability mediated by higher warming-induced losses of particulate carbon. The massive soil carbon accumulation in cold regions appears distributed predominantly in the more vulnerable particulate fraction rather than in the more persistent mineral-associated fraction, supporting the likelihood of a strong, positive land carbon–climate feedback.We thank all authors who gathered and published the raw data in the original studies that enabled this literature synthesis. P.G.-P. acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation via the I+D+i project PID2020-113021RA-I00 and the TED project TED2021-130908A-C42 (funded by European Union—NextGenerationEU). Work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory by N.W.S. was performed under the auspices of the US DOE OBER, under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 award #SCW1632. M.P. acknowledges financial support by the Comunidad de Madrid and the Spanish National Council of Scientific Researches research grant Atracción de Talento (grant number 2019T1/AMB14503).Peer reviewe

A Large-Scale Genetic Analysis Reveals a Strong Contribution of the HLA Class II Region to Giant Cell Arteritis Susceptibility

We conducted a large-scale genetic analysis on giant cell arteritis (GCA), a polygenic immune-mediated vasculitis. A case-control cohort, comprising 1,651 case subjects with GCA and 15,306 unrelated control subjects from six different countries of European ancestry, was genotyped by the Immunochip array. We also imputed HLA data with a previously validated imputation method to perform a more comprehensive analysis of this genomic region. The strongest association signals were observed in the HLA region, with rs477515 representing the highest peak (p = 4.05 × 10−40, OR = 1.73). A multivariate model including class II amino acids of HLA-DRβ1 and HLA-DQα1 and one class I amino acid of HLA-B explained most of the HLA association with GCA, consistent with previously reported associations of classical HLA alleles like HLA-DRB1∗04. An omnibus test on polymorphic amino acid positions highlighted DRβ1 13 (p = 4.08 × 10−43) and HLA-DQα1 47 (p = 4.02 × 10−46), 56, and 76 (both p = 1.84 × 10−45) as relevant positions for disease susceptibility. Outside the HLA region, the most significant loci included PTPN22 (rs2476601, p = 1.73 × 10−6, OR = 1.38), LRRC32 (rs10160518, p = 4.39 × 10−6, OR = 1.20), and REL (rs115674477, p = 1.10 × 10−5, OR = 1.63). Our study provides evidence of a strong contribution of HLA class I and II molecules to susceptibility to GCA. In the non-HLA region, we confirmed a key role for the functional PTPN22 rs2476601 variant and proposed other putative risk loci for GCA involved in Th1, Th17, and Treg cell function

Grapholita molesta

La larva de Grapholita molesta (Busck), que produce daños en brotes y frutos de carozo y de pepita, fue criada en condiciones artificiales con dietas a base de granos y otros nutrientes. Se prepararon y evaluaron siete dietas con poroto, garbanzo, arveja, maíz, soja, trigo y avena. Los objetivos del trabajo fueron: 1. Evaluar dietas con granos de cultivares locales. 2. Evaluar las características físico-químicas (pH y sólidos solubles). 3. Evaluar la eficiencia mediante ciclo biológico, grados día, viabilidad, peso de pupas, recuperación de huevo a adulto, fecundidad y adultos esperados. 4. Determinar costos y rendimientos. El análisis de los parámetros biológicos y económicos indicó que las dietas de menor costo y mayor rendimiento fueron, en orden decreciente, poroto y garbanzo, pero la primera además presentó características físicoquímicas similares a la dieta preferencial de la larva salvaje: los brotes de duraznero.The Grapholita molesta (Busck) larvae produce damage in shoots and pomme and stone fruit. They have been raised on diets based on grains and other nutrients in artificial conditions. Seven diets were prepared and evaluated with beans, chickpeas, peas, corn, soy beans, wheat and oats. The goals of the project were: 1. To evaluate diets with grains of local farmers. 2. To evaluate chemicalphysical characteristic (pH and soluble solids). 3. To evaluate the efficiency by means of biological cycle, day degrees, viability, pupae weight egg to adult recovery, fertility and hoped adults. 4. To determine cost and yield. The result of the analysis of biological and economical parameters was that the diets which were less expensive and had the highest yields were, in decreasing order, beans and chickpeas but the first had physical and chemical characteristics similar to the preferred diet of wild larva: peach tree sprouts.Fil: Marín, María Susana. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Sáez, César C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Caballero, Ariel E.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Quercetti, María J.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias Biológica

Silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles functionalized with betaine and their use as an adsorbent for Mo(VI) and Re(VII) species from acidic aqueous solutions

13 pags., 14 figs., 4 tabs.The aim of this work is to produce a superparamagnetic core-shell adsorbent material composed of magnetite nanoparticles coated with a silica layer and functionalized with betaine for applications associated with the recovery of molybdenum and rhenium anions from highly acidic aqueous solutions. The resulting nanoparticles with a quaternary amine surface were predominantly spherical with average diameters of 14.3 ± 1.7 nm. Adsorption experiments at pH values of 1-2 confirmed that it was possible to uptake molybdate and perrhenate species using this adsorbent nanomaterial, achieving maximum loading capacities of 15 mg/g for Mo and 19 mg/g for Re.The authors are grateful for the financial assistance provided bythe PTID project, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas,Universidad de Chile, and Fondecyt Project N1140331. Laboratorio de Magnetismo Molecular, Universidad Andrés Bello, Chile, CONICYTFONDEQUIP/PPMS/EQM130086 forthe magnetic measurements and corresponding discussion

Prediction of the Impact of Air Speed Produced by a Mechanical Fan and Operative Temperature on the Thermal Sensation

Natural ventilation associated with a mechanical fan is a feasible strategy to enhance thermal acceptability in warm weather. The ASHRAE-55 provides the increase for operative temperature proportional to the increase in air speed while maintaining thermal comfort. Conversely, the range of informed values is limited and little guidance for mechanical fans is provided. This work explores the relationship between operative temperature and air speed produced by ceiling fans, and the effective-ness to deliver thermal comfort for a wider range of values. The research method comprises transient computer fluid dynamics simulations coupled with a thermal sensation model and is divided into two stages: a calibration exercise and a parametrical investigation. Three matrices are presented for a range of operative temperatures (21.0–36.0◦ C) and air speeds (0–2.5 m/s) for: Dynamic Thermal Sensation (DTS) (a computer-based seven-point index), Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied, and potential Cooling Effect. When compared to the Predicted Mean Vote, the DTS overestimates thermal comfort for temperatures under 28.0◦ C with increased air speed and overestimates discomfort for temperatures above 31.0◦ C, even with increased air speed. Agreement is found between both scales for 28.0–31.0◦ C, defining a range for the effective use of ceiling fans to provide thermal comfort under warm weather conditions. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Histamine reduces gap junctional communication of human tonsil high endothelial cells in culture

The regulation of gap junctional communication by histamine was studied in primary cultures of human tonsil high endothelial cells (HUTECs). We evaluated intercellular communication, levels, state of phosphorylation, and cellular distribution of gap junction protein subunits, mainly connexin (Cx)43. Histamine induced a time-dependent reduction in dye coupling (Lucifer yellow) associated with reduction in connexin43 localized at cell–cell appositions (immunofluorescence), without changes in levels and phosphorylation state of connexin43 (immunoblots). These effects were prevented with chlorpheniramine, an H1 receptor blocker; indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase blocker; or GF109203X, a protein kinase C inhibitor. Treatment with phorbol myristate acetate, a protein kinase C activator, and 4bromo (4Br)-A23187, a calcium ionophore, mimicked the histamine-induced effects on dye coupling. 8Bromo-cAMP doubled the dye coupling extent and prevented the histamine-induced reduction in incidence of dye coupling. After 24-h histamine treatment, known to desensitize H1 receptors, reapplication of histamine increased cell coupling in a way prevented by ranitidine, an H2 receptor blocker. Thus, activation of H1 and H2 receptors, which increase intracellular levels of free Ca2+ and cAMP, respectively, may affect gap junctional communication in opposite ways. Stabilization of actin filaments with phalloidine diminished but did not totally prevent histamine-induced cell shape changes and reduction in dye coupling. Hence, the histamine-induced reduction in gap junctional communication between HUTEC is mediated by cytoskeleton-dependent and -independent mechanisms and might contribute to modulate endothelial function in lymphoid tissue. D 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved