The level of infestation with the vector of cattle babesiosis in Argentina

Studies were carried out to determine the differential aptitude to sustain the only vector of cattle babesiosis in Argentina, the tick Boophilus microplus, throughout the infested region of this country. Tick counts on Bos taurus cattle were used as the main criterion to classify favourable (F), intermediate (I) and unfavourable (U) areas for its development. The geographical limits of each area set up using data of non-parasitic tick stages, temperature, water balance and map recognition of flooded and unflooded zones. The F area contained 16.5 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência) ha with a cattle population of 6 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência); the I and U areas had 25 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência ha with 2.7 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência) cattle and 198 x 10 (elevado a sexta potência) with population of 2.4 x 10(elevado a sexta potência) cattle, respectively. Research on the relationship amongst Babesia-Boophilus-cattle is needed in the F area for tick development which coincides with the best region for cattle breeding.

Auditoria ambiental de l'edifici de l'Àrea de Territori, Medi Ambient, Paisatge i Espai Urbà de l'Ajuntament de Sitges

Aquest projecte realitza una auditoria ambiental de l’edifici de l’Àrea de Territori, Medi Ambient, Paisatge i Espai Urbà de l’Ajuntament de Sitges, com a primer pas per a la implantació d’un sistema de gestió ambiental (SGA), en acord amb el Reglament (CE) nº 761/2001, i la posterior obtenció d’un certificat de gestió i auditories ambientals (EMAS). L’auditoria s’inicia amb la identificació dels aspectes ambientals de l’edifici, mitjançant la recopilació de dades sobre consums energètics i hídrics, la estimació de la generació de residus i enquestes de mobilitat als treballadors. Aquestes dades són utilitzades per determinar els aspectes ambientals significatius i posteriorment, exposar una sèrie de propostes de millora per tal de corregir-los o minimitzar-los, com ara sistemes d’estalvi d’aigua, d’enllumenat, de producció d’electricitat i l’educació ambiental dels treballadors. Per a la implantació d’un SGA en la situació actual de l’edifici, es necessària, entre altres coses, la implantació d’un sistema de registre que arxivi els consums d’aigua, energia i generació de residus, per tal de dur un control de les despeses de cadascun dels vectors. A més, caldrà implementar un Programa de bones pràctiques ambientals en l’oficina per tal de reduir el consum elèctric, d’aigua i generació de residus, i la seva classificació per part dels treballadors.

Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica de Distribució d'Aigües

En aquest projecte es fa la implamantació d'un sistema d'informació geogràfica per la xarxa de distribució d'aigües de la població Bell-lloc d'Urgell. A més a més de tenir digitalitzada tota la zarza, s'incorpora un sistema de gestió, control i seguiment d'avaries.

A comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiles in distal parts of the mouse renal tubule.

The distal parts of the renal tubule play a critical role in maintaining homeostasis of extracellular fluids. In this review, we present an in-depth analysis of microarray-based gene expression profiles available for microdissected mouse distal nephron segments, i.e., the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) and the connecting tubule (CNT), and for the cortical portion of the collecting duct (CCD; Zuber et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:16523-16528, 2009). Classification of expressed transcripts in 14 major functional gene categories demonstrated that all principal proteins involved in maintaining the salt and water balance are represented by highly abundant transcripts. However, a significant number of transcripts belonging, for instance, to categories of G-protein-coupled receptors or serine/threonine kinases exhibit high expression levels but remain unassigned to a specific renal function. We also established a list of genes differentially expressed between the DCT/CNT and the CCD. This list is enriched by genes related to segment-specific transport functions and by transcription factors directing the development of the distal nephron or collecting ducts. Collectively, this in silico analysis provides comprehensive information about relative abundance and tissue specificity of the DCT/CNT and the CCD expressed transcripts and identifies new candidate genes for renal homeostasis.

Transgenic mice and their impact on kidney research.

The kidney is a key organ in the maintenance of ion and fluid homeostasis and specific transport systems localized along the nephron guarantee this function. Due to its large functional heterogeneity, experiments on the whole organ level cannot be easily performed, and thus more refined tools are needed, like for example the development of specific recombination systems to gain knowledge on the physiological role of single proteins implicated in ion transport. This review introduces the transgenic technology developed over the past decades, and then focuses on recent strategies for generating kidney-specific gene targeting, over-expression, and gene ablation in mice, that will help to understand the physiological role of proteins implicated in salt and water balance in the kidney.

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic profile of angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of nonpeptide angiotensin antagonists in humans are reviewed in this paper. Representatives of this new therapeutic class share common features: lipophilia, intermediate bioavailability, high affinity for plasma proteins and liver metabolism; some have active metabolites. Angiotensin II antagonists block the blood pressure response to exogenous angiotensin II in healthy volunteers, decrease baseline blood pressure in both normal and hypertensive patients, produce a marked rise in plasma renin activity and endogenous angiotensin II and increase renal blood flow without altering glomerular filtration rate. These effects are dose-dependent, but their time course varies between the drugs owing to pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences. Additionally, the extent of blood pressure reduction is dependent on physiological factors such as sodium and water balance. The characterisation of their pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships deserves further refinement for designing optimal therapeutic regimens and proposing dosage adaptations in specific conditions.

Short and long-term effects of tillage systems and nutrient sources on soil physical properties of a Southern Brazilian Hapludox

Soil tillage promotes changes in soil structure. The magnitude of the changes varies with the nature of the soil, tillage system and soil water content and decreases over time after tillage. The objective of this study was to evaluate short-term (one year period) and long-term (nine year period) effects of soil tillage and nutrient sources on some physical properties of a very clayey Hapludox. Five tillage systems were evaluated: no-till (NT), chisel plow + one secondary disking (CP), primary + two (secondary) diskings (CT), CT with burning of crop residues (CTb), and CT with removal of crop residues from the field (CTr), in combination with five nutrient sources: control without nutrient application (C); mineral fertilizers, according to technical recommendations for each crop (MF); 5 Mg ha-1 yr-1 of poultry litter (wetmatter) (PL); 60 m³ ha-1 yr-1 of cattle slurry (CS) and; 40 m³ ha-1 yr-1 of swine slurry (SS). Bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), and parameters related to the water retention curve (macroporosity, mesoporosity and microporosity) were determined after nine years and at five sampling dates during the tenth year of the experiment. Soil physical properties were tillage and time-dependent. Tilled treatments increased total porosity and macroporosity, and reduced bulk density in the surface layer (0.00-0.05 m), but this effect decreased over time after tillage operations due to natural soil reconsolidation, since no external stress was applied in this period. Changes in pore size distribution were more pronounced in larger and medium pore diameter classes. The bulk density was greatest in intermediate layers in all tillage treatments (0.05-0.10 and 0.12-0.17 m) and decreased down to the deepest layer (0.27-0.32 m), indicating a more compacted layer around 0.05-0.20 m. Nutrient sources did not significantly affect soil physical and hydraulic properties studied.

Importance of ENaC-mediated sodium transport in alveolar fluid clearance using genetically-engineered mice.

The lung possesses specific transport systems that intra- and extracellularly maintain salt and fluid balance necessary for its function. At birth, the lungs rapidly transform into a fluid (Na(+))-absorbing organ to enable efficient gas exchange. Alveolar fluid clearance, which mainly depends on sodium transport in alveolar epithelial cells, is an important mechanism by which excess water in the alveoli is reabsorbed during the resolution of pulmonary edema. In this review, we will focus and summarize on the role of ENaC in alveolar lung liquid clearance and discuss recent data from mouse models with altered activity of epithelial sodium channel function in the lung, and more specifically in alveolar fluid clearance. Recent data studying mice with hyperactivity of ENaC or mice with reduced ENaC activity clearly illustrate the impaired lung fluid clearance in these adult mice. Further understanding of the physiological role of ENaC and its regulatory proteins implicated in salt and water balance in the alveolar cells may therefore help to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve gas exchange in pulmonary edema.

Small access (30F) clinical central venous smart cannulation: is it adequate?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the performance of 45F vs. 36F smartcanula in CPB with gravity drainage alone. METHODS: Twenty patients were randomly assigned to two groups receiving for venous drainage a smartcanula which is collapsed over a mandrel for trans-atrial insertion into the inferior vena cava and expanded in situ to either 45F or 36F. RESULTS: Valve replacement/repair was realized in 7/10 and/or CABG in 6/10 for 36F (69+/-13 years) vs. 5/10 and 5/10, respectively, for 45F (63+/-11 years: NS). Body weight and surface area (BSA) were 83+/-9 kg (1.9+/-0.2 m2, max 2.2 m2) for 36F vs. 79+/-6 kg: NS (1.9+/-0.1 m2 (NS), max 2.1 m2) for 45F. Insertion and access orifice diameter (area) was 6 mm and 10 mm (78.5 mm2) for the 36F vs. 6 mm and 13 mm (132 mm2) for the 45F (+69%). Calculated target pump flow (2.4 l/min/m2) was 4.7+/-0.4 l/min for 36F vs. 4.5+/-0.3 l/min for 45F. Achieved pump flow accounted for 5.0+/-0.3 l/min for 36F (8% above target) vs. 4.8+/-0.3 l/min for 45F (8% above target): NS. The water balance during the pump run (clear volume added minus hemofilter and urine output) was 2.2+/-0.3 l for 36F vs. 2.0 l for 45F: NS. CONCLUSION: Due to its 'open' wall (the vena cava provides the seal), its reduced wall thickness (range: 0.0-0.4 mm), and its self-expanding design, the 36F smartcanula requiring a 30F access orifice has sufficient drainage capacity by gravity alone for full CPB in adults with a BSA up to 2.2 mm2.

Circadian glomerular function: from physiology to molecular and therapeutical aspects.

Life on earth is rhythmic by essence due to day/night alternation, and many biological processes are also cyclic. The kidney has a special role in the organism, controlling electrolytes and water balance, blood pressure, elimination of metabolic waste and xenobiotics and the production of several hormones. The kidney is submitted to changes throughout 24 h with periods of intense activity followed by calmer periods. Filtration, reabsorption and secretion are the three components determining renal function. Here, we review circadian changes related to glomerular function and proteinuria and emphasize the role of the clock in these processes.

Leaf miner incidence in coffee plants under different drip irrigation regimes and planting densities

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different drip irrigation regimes and planting densities on the incidence of the leaf miner, Leucoptera coffeella, in arabica coffee plants for one year. The experiment was carried out in 2008, in a complete randomized block design, in a split-plot in time arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of four drip irrigation regimes - soil water balance, irrigations at 20 and 60 kPa soil tensions, and a nonirrigated treatment -, which were distributed at three plant densities: 2, 500, 5, 000, and 10, 000 plants per hectare. The evaluations were made on a monthly basis between January and December 2008. The highest pest occurrence period was from August to November, a season with low-air relative humidity preceded by a drought period. Irrigated coffee plants showed an incidence of intact mines 2.2 times lower than that of nonirrigated plants. Irrigation and increasing of plant density contribute to the reduction of coffee leaf miner occurrence.

Lämmönlähteiden aiheuttamien konvektiovirtausten vaikutus vastakkaiseen tuloilmasuihkuun

Huoneen sisäisten lämpölähteiden aiheuttamilla konvektiovirtauksilla eli pluumeilla on huomattava vaikutus ilmastointipalkkijärjestelmäntoimintaan. Tätä vaikutusta ei ole tutkittu kovin paljon. Tässä työssä tutkittiin huoneen päätyseinässä olevan sähkölämmityspatterin vaikutusta aktiivisen ilmastointipalkin toimintaan. Tutkimus kohdistui vastakkaisten suihkujen törmäykseen. Suihkuina olivat pluumit ja tuloilmavirtaus. Tutkimukseen kuului sekä teoreettinen että kokeellinen osio. Teoreettisessa tarkastelussa käytiin läpi ilmastointipalkin teoriaa sekä konvektiovirtausten muodostumisen teoriaa. Lisäksi esitettiin, kuinka suihkuista lasketaan liikemäärävirta. Kokeellisessa osiossa mitattiin huoneen sisäisten lämpölähteiden aiheuttamia pluumeja. Lämpölähteet oli sijoitettuina tutkimushuoneen päätyseinän viereen. Mittauksissa keskityttiin tarkemmin sähkölämmityspatteriin ja sitä mallinnettiin eri tehoilla. Lisäksi mitattiin ilmastointipalkin tuloilmavirtausta eri ilmamäärillä. Pluumien ja tuloilmavirtauksen törmäyskäyttäytymistä selvitettiin savukuvauksella. Analyysiosiossa sähkölämmityspatterin aiheuttaman pluumin ja palkin tuloilmavirtauksen törmäyskäyttäytymiselle kehitettiin malli. Mallissa huomioitiin vastaikkaisten törmäävien suihkujen liikemäärät ja esitettiin kohdat tutkimushuoneen pituussuunnassa, jossa tuloilmavirtaus kääntyy oleskeluvyöhykkeelle. Ilmastointipalkkijärjestelmässä tuloilmavirtauksen tulisi kääntyä oleskeluvyöhykkeelle vasta huoneen seinustalla. Tutkimuksen perusteella näin käy, jos pluumin liikemäärä on noin 10% tai vähemmän tuloilman liikemäärästä. Muulloin palkin tuloilmavirtaus kääntyy oleskeluvyöhykkeelle liian aikaisin ja aiheuttaa mahdollisestivedontunnetta.

Génération d'une souris dépourvue du gène VIT32 de manière conditionnelle: étude du phénotype rénal chez les souris dépourvues de RGS2

Résumé Dans le rein, la vasopressine possède un rôle essentiel dans la régulation fine du transport d'eau et participe au contrôle de la réabsorption du sodium. Cette action est conduite par l'activation du récepteur à la vasopressine V2R situé dans l'anse de Henle, dans le tubule connecteur et dans le canal collecteur du néphron des rongeurs et conduit à la formation d'AMPc entraînant un mécanisme d'action caractérisé par deux phases distinctes. Le premier effet de la vasopressine est non génomique et a lieu rapidement après l'activation du récepteur, la deuxième phase est plus tardive et possède la caractéristique de moduler la transcription d'un réseau de gènes. Parmi ces gènes, plusieurs sont directement impliqués dans le transport d'eau et de sodium, comme l'Aqp2 et 3, ENaC et la Na,K-ATPase. L'identification des effets de la voie de signalisation de la vasopressine représente un point crucial pour la compréhension des mécanismes moléculaires de la réabsorption de l'eau et du sodium dans le néphron. L'analyse en série de l'expression de gènes (SAGE) réalisée en 2001 dans notre laboratoire a permis de caractériser le transcriptome dépendant de la vasopressine dans la lignée cellulaire mpkCCDc14,a dérivée du canal collecteur cortical (CCD) de souris. Deux des transcrits induits par la vasopressine (VIT) ont fait l'objet des études de ce travail de thèse. Le premier est VIT32 (Vasopressin induced transcript 32) qui code pour une protéine ne possédant aucune homologie avec des domaines protéiques dont la fonction est connue. Dans le système d'expression de l'ovocyte de Xenopus laevis, VIT32 induit la maturation des ovocytes et diminue le courant sensible à l'amiloride de manière dépendante de la voie des MAPK. Dans les mpkCCDc14, l'inhibition de la voie des MAPK diminue le courant sodique en diminuant l'activité de la Na,K-ATPase, mais sans modifier le courant d'ENaC. Ainsi la voie de signalisation des MAPK peut avoir des cibles différentes suivant le système dans lequel elle est étudiée. C'est pourquoi nous avons décidé de poursuivre l'étude de VIT32 dans un contexte physiologique en créant une souris dépourvue du gène codant pour VIT32 de manière conditionnelle (conditional knockout). La première partie de cette thèse a donc consisté à générer cette souris. Le deuxième transcrit induit par la vasopressine qui a été étudié dans cette thèse est RGS2 (Regulator of G protein Signaling 2). In vitro, il a été montré que RGS2 inhibe des voies de signalisation dépendantes de récepteurs couplés à des protéines Gq et Gs. Dans notre étude, nous avons montré que dans le néphron de rein de souris, RGS2 est colocalisé avec V2R. In vivo, la vasopressine sécrétée lors d'une restriction en eau imposée à des souris augmente l'expression de RGS2. De plus, l'accumulation d'AMPc engendrée par l'action de la vasopressine sur les canaux collecteurs est significativement plus grande chez les souris dépourvues de RGS2 (rgs2 -/-). Cette induction de la signalisation de la vasopressine est corrélée à une augmentation de la réabsorption d'eau chez les souris rgs2 -/-. Ainsi RGS2 serait impliqué dans le rétrocontrôle négatif de la voie de signalisation de la vasopressine. Abstract In the kidney, vasopressin plays a key role in the control of water balance and participates in salt reabsorption. These actions are induced by the activation of V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) located in the loop of Henle, in the connecting tubule and in the collecting duct leading to an increase in intracellular cAMP levels. The V2R-mediated vasopressin action elicits a rapid, non-genomic effect, during which water and salt reabsorption is rapidly increased and a late or genomic effect characterised by the long-term regulation of water and salt reabsorption through the transcriptional activation of a gene network that includes Aqp2, Aqp3, ENaC and Na,K-ATPase. Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) performed in 2001 in our laboratory characterised the vasopressin induced transcripts (VIT) in the mpkCCDc14 cell line. Two of them are studied in this thesis. The first one is VIT32 (Vasopressin induced transcript 32) that encodes a protein that has no homology with any protein domain of known function. In the Xenopus laevis oocyte, VIT32 induces oocyte maturation and downregulates the ENaC amiloride sensitive current via the activation of the MAPK pathway. In mpkCCDc14 cell line, the MAPK pathway inhibition leads to a decrease of Na,K-ATPase activity without affecting ENaC current. Therefore, the MAPK pathway can act on different targets depending on the cellular context. Thus, we decided to investigate the function of VIT32 in its physiological environment by performing a conditional knockout mouse of VIT32. The first part of this thesis consisted in generating this mouse. The second studied vasopressin induced transcript is RGS2 (Regulator of G protein Signaling 2). In vitro, RGS2 has been shown to inhibit Gq and Gs protein-coupled receptor pathway. In our study we show that RGS2 is co-localized with V2R in the mouse nephron. In vivo, vasopressin secreted during water restriction up-regulates RGS2 expression. Moreover, vasopressin-dependant accumulation of CAMP is significantly increased in the cortical collecting duct of RGS2 knockout mice. This increase is correlated with an increase in water reabsorption. RGS2 could be involved in the negative feedback regulation of V2R signalling. Résumé tout public Le corps humain est composé d'environ 60% d'eau répartie à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur des cellules de notre organisme. Les cellules, unités fondamentales du vivant, puisent l'oxygène et les nutriments indispensables à leur fonctionnement dans le liquide extracellulaire. La composition du milieu doit être constante, car les variations peuvent perturber considérablement et parfois fatalement la fonction des cellules. Ainsi les organismes pluricellulaires ont développé des mécanismes permettant de contrôler la constance du milieu extracellulaire afin de maintenir l'état d'équilibre nommé homéostasie. Le rein joue un rôle majeur dans cette homéostasie grâce à sa capacité de réabsorber l'eau et les solutés en fonction des besoins de l'organisme. Cette fonction du rein est régulée par différentes hormones comme la vasopressine, qui permet de contrôler la réabsorption fine de l'eau et des solutés. Dans leurs membranes, les cellules possèdent des récepteurs leur permettant de répondre aux signaux extracellulaires comme le sont entre autres les hormones. Ainsi les cellules sensibles à la vasopressine possèdent un récepteur nommé V2R qui permet d'intégrer les signaux de la vasopressine en déclenchant tout une cascade d'événements conduisant à une modification de l'expression de certaines protéines impliquées directement ou non dans la réabsorption de l'eau et des solutés. Une étude précédente élaborée au sein de notre laboratoire a permis de répertorier les protéines dont l'expression est augmentée par de la vasopressine. Deux de ces protéines ont fait l'objet des études de cette thèse. La première protéine induite par la vasopressine est VIT32 (Vasopressin induced transcript 32). Cette protéine est entre autres impliquée dans la réabsorption du sodium, mais la fonction précise de VIT32 dans ce transport n'a pas pu être déterminée. Une des approches possibles pour l'étude de la fonction d'une protéine est de supprimer son expression chez la souris et d'étudier les conséquences de son absence. Ces souris sont appelées des souris knockout, puisque la protéine en question ne peut plus agir. La première partie de cette thèse a donc consisté à générer une souris dépourvue du gène de VIT32. La deuxième protéine étudiée est RGS2 (Regulator of G protein Signaling 2). Cette protéine inhibe certaines voies de signalisation activées par différentes hormones. Dans cette partie du travail de thèse, nous avons pu mettre en évidence que RGS2 agit comme un inhibiteur de la voie de signalisation de la vasopressine. En modifiant cette signalisation, RGS2 serait donc un médiateur du contrôle de la réabsorption d'eau dans les cellules du rein sensibles à la vasopressine.

Comprehensive Study of Crystal Growth from Solution

Crystal growth is an essential phase in crystallization kinetics. The rate of crystal growth provides significant information for the design and control of crystallization processes; nevertheless, obtaining accurate growth rate data is still challenging due to a number of factors that prevail in crystal growth. In industrial crystallization, crystals are generally grown from multi-componentand multi-particle solutions under complicated hydrodynamic conditions; thus, it is crucial to increase the general understanding of the growth kinetics in these systems. The aim of this work is to develop a model of the crystal growth rate from solution. An extensive literature review of crystal growth focuses on themodelling of growth kinetics and thermodynamics, and new measuring techniques that have been introduced in the field of crystallization. The growth of a singlecrystal is investigated in binary and ternary systems. The binary system consists of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP, crystallizing solute) and water (solvent), and the ternary system includes KDP, water and an organic admixture. The studied admixtures, urea, ethanol and 1-propanol, are employed at relatively highconcentrations (of up to 5.0 molal). The influence of the admixtures on the solution thermodynamics is studied using the Pitzer activity coefficient model. Theprediction method of the ternary solubility in the studied systems is introduced and verified. The growth rate of the KDP (101) face in the studied systems aremeasured in the growth cell as a function of supersaturation, the admixture concentration, the solution velocity over a crystal and temperature. In addition, the surface morphology of the KDP (101) face is studied using ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM). The crystal growth rate in the ternary systems is modelled on the basis of the two-step growth model that contains the Maxwell-Stefan (MS) equations and a surface-reaction model. This model is used together with measuredcrystal growth rate data to develop a new method for the evaluation of the model parameters. The validation of the model is justified with experiments. The crystal growth rate in an imperfectly mixed suspension crystallizer is investigatedusing computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A solid-liquid suspension flow that includes multi-sized particles is described by the multi-fluid model as well as by a standard k-epsilon turbulence model and an interface momentum transfer model. The local crystal growth rate is determined from calculated flow information in a diffusion-controlled crystal growth regime. The calculated results are evaluated experimentally.

Cdk5 controls lymphatic vessel development and function by phosphorylation of Foxc2.

The lymphatic system maintains tissue fluid balance, and dysfunction of lymphatic vessels and valves causes human lymphedema syndromes. Yet, our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying lymphatic vessel development is still limited. Here, we show that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is an essential regulator of lymphatic vessel development. Endothelial-specific Cdk5 knockdown causes congenital lymphatic dysfunction and lymphedema due to defective lymphatic vessel patterning and valve formation. We identify the transcription factor Foxc2 as a key substrate of Cdk5 in the lymphatic vasculature, mechanistically linking Cdk5 to lymphatic development and valve morphogenesis. Collectively, our findings show that Cdk5-Foxc2 interaction represents a critical regulator of lymphatic vessel development and the transcriptional network underlying lymphatic vascular remodeling.