Estudio de la muerte celular por Apoptosis en el ovario de Columba maculosa y Columbina picui (Aves:Columbidae) durante el Ciclo Reproductivo Anual. Study of cell death by apoptosis in the ovary of Columba maculosa and Columbina picui (Aves: Columbidae) during the reproductive annual cycle.

En este trabajo se analizarán las características estructurales, cuantitativas y el proceso de muerte celular por apoptosis en el ovario de C. maculosa y C.picui con el objetivo de aportar conocimientos básicos a la biología reproductiva de estas aves. Cincuenta hembras adultas de cada especie se capturarán en el Dpto. Río Primero (Pcia. de Cba), R. Argentina, durante el ciclo reproductivo 2011-2012. Las muestras de ovarios se fijaran en Formalina Neutra pH 7.0, procesarán con la técnica de inclusión en parafina y colorearan con Hematoxilina /Eosina y Reacción Nuclear de Feulgen. Cinco muestras serán utilizadas para la determinación de muerte celular por apoptosis con la técnica de TUNEL. Se estudiarán las características morfohistológicas del ovario de C.maculosa y C. picui e identificarán, categorizarán y cuantificarán los folículos atrésicos no bursting (folículos atrésicos previtelogénicos y vcitelogénicos pequeños que conservan la integridad de la pared folicular) y bursting (folículos vitelogénicos mayores de 2 mm que liberar el contenido folicular por ruptura de la pared folicular) durante el ciclo reproductivo anual. Mediante la marcación de ADN fragmentado, se revelará la muerte celular por apoptosis en las células granulosas de los folículos atrésicos. Se compararán las semejanzas y diferencias estructurales y cuantitativas y el proceso de muerte celular en los folículos regresivos entre las dos especies. Los resultados de este trabajo representarán un importante aporte al conocimiento de la atresia folicular como así también a la muerte celular, un proceso estrechamente asociado a la misma, aún poco estudiado en el ovario de las aves. In this work we analyse the structural, quantitative and the process of the cell death by apoptosis in the ovary of Columba maculosa and Columbina picui in order of providing basic knowledge of reproductive biology of these birds. Fifty adult female of each species will be caught in the Río Primero (Pcia. Cba) R.Argentina, during 2011 - 2012. The ovarian samples will be fixed en neutral buffered Formalin (pH 7.0), processed with the technique of inclusion in paraffin and stained with Haematoxylin - Eosin, and nuclear Reaction of Feulgen. Five samples will be used to reveal cell death by apoptosis with the technique of TUNEL. Will be studied the morphohistological characteristics of ovary of both species, and identify, categorize and quantify the atretic follicles over the cycle, the non-bursting (pre-vitellogenic follicles and vitellogenic small < 2 mm, involution an without follicular rupture) and bursting (vitellogenic follicle > 2 mm in the which the yolk falls into the peritoneum due to rupture of with out put of the wall follicular). Will be revealed DNA fragmentation in the granulosa cells of the atretic follicles. Will compared the similaritues and differences in structure and quantitative and the cell death process by apoptosis in the regresive follicles, between the two species. The results of this study represent an important contribution to the knowledge of follicular atresia as well cell death a process closely associated with it and still poorly studied in the ovary of birds.

Enfermedad de Chagas: epidemiología de vectores y estrategias educativas para la vigilancia entomológica en áreas de riesgo del norte de la provincia de Córdoba. Chagas disease: epidemiology of vectors and educational strategies for entomological surveillance in risk areas of northern province of Cordoba.

La Enfermedad de Chagas es considerada en términos sociales y económicos, una de las enfermedades parasíticas más importantes de América Latina. La transmisión vectorial de esta enfermedad ha sido interrumpida en gran parte de América Latina sin embargo, el control vectorial no ha podido lograr la sostenibilidad y la efectividad necesarias para interrumpir la transmisión vectorial en la región del Gran Chaco de Argentina, Bolivia y Paraguay. La permanencia de poblaciones residuales de triatominos en estructuras peridomiciliarias permite una rápida recuperación del vector, sugiriéndose que estas poblaciones serían la principal fuente de reinfestación de la vivienda humana. Este escenario plantea por lo tanto la necesidad de estudiar con más profundidad las poblaciones de triatominos presentes en los peridomicilios para comprender su dispersión, capacidad de domiciliación y así entender el posible peligro que pueden presentar para el hombre como especies vectoras de la enfermedad de Chagas. Dentro de la provincia de Córdoba existen áreas que por la presencia histórica de triatomineos, la notificación reciente de casos de Chagas vectorial y el registro de especies silvestres invadiendo los domicilios merecen un estudio más profundo. Es por ello que se propone realizar un relevamiento de las especies de triatomineos que habitan los domicilios y peridomicilios en estas zonas, calcular los índices de infección con Trypanosoma cruzi que presentan, caracterizar su perfil alimentario, los factores de riesgo que favorecen su refugio, su capacidad dispersiva y diferenciar fenotípicamente entre las poblaciones peridomésticas para comprender mejor el posible peligro que pueden presentar para el hombre como especies vectoras de la enfermedad de Chagas. Además, y de manera complementaria, se aplicarán estrategias educativas en el ámbito escolar que sirvan para la vigilancia entomológica y acciones preventivas de la Enfermedad de Chagas. La determinación del perfil alimentario pautará la potencialidad de cada vector, siendo esta información fundamental para el análisis de situaciones epidemiológicas de riesgo. La capacidad dispersiva y la diferenciación fenotípica de las poblaciones permitirán conocer el posible movimiento y flujo de triatominos desde y hacia la vivienda humana. La determinación de los factores que favorecen el refugio de triatominos permitirá conocer el nivel de riesgo en que se encuentra cada domicilio. Además, considerando la importancia de las poblaciones peridomésticas en los procesos de reinfestación, se analizará la capacidad dispersiva que presentan los triatominos a través de su estado nutricional y, mediante la morfometría clásica y geométrica, se analizará como se estructura la diversidad fenotípica en los domicilios y peridomicilios. La aplicación de estrategias educativas en el ámbito escolar favorecerá el conocimiento en general de esta enfermedad, la vigilancia entomólogica y las acciones preventivas por parte de los niños en edad escolar. Chagas disease is considered socially and economically, one of the most important parasitic diseases in Latin America. Vector transmission of this disease has been interrupted in much of Latin America, however, vector control has failed to achieve sustainability and effectiveness necessary to interrupt the vector transmission in the Gran Chaco region of Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. The permanence of residual populations of triatomine in the peridomiciliary structures enables fast recovery of the vector, suggesting that these populations would be the main source of reinfestation of human dwellings. Within the province of Córdoba, there are areas that the historical presence of triatomines, the recent notification of cases of Chagas vector and recording of wild species invading the homes deserve further study. That is why, there will be a survey of Triatominae species that inhabit the domiciles and peridomiciles in these areas, rates of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, their host feeding preferences, the risk factors that favor its shelter, their dispersive capacity and phenotypic differentiation between peridomestic populations, to better understand the potential danger they may present to the man and vector species of Chagas disease. In addition, complementary, educational strategies in schools were implemented that serve for entomological surveillance and preventive actions of Chagas disease. The determination of the potential food profile patterns of each vector is essential for epidemiological analysis of risk situations. Dispersive capacity and phenotypic differentiation of populations may allow understanding the movement and flow of triatomines and from human habitation.

Derechos de participación e información en programas dirigidos a adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la Ciudad de Córdoba: cumplimiento progresivo y estrategias de promoción. Participation and information rights in programs for adolescents in secondary schools in Cordoba City: progressive implementation and promotion strategies.

Abordar la infancia desde el enfoque de derechos (ED) implica una lectura de los derechos de los cuales los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) son titulares y de las acciones estatales que se implementan para viabilizar el ejercicio concreto de ellos. Esta perspectiva exige comprender los contenidos de las políticas púb,el grado de participación que se les asigna y los sentidos que ellas toman en términos de progresividad de los derechos. Los cambios de concepción de la infancia desde la Convención Internacional de los Derechos del Niño (CIDN) y los cambios legislativos interpelan al Estado y la sociedad a modificar la visión hegemónica. Nuestra hipótesis gira alrededor de las siguientes considerac.: se han producido algunas modificaciones en las políticas y acciones estatales, aún no se dan las transformaciones necesarias de las lógicas institucionales y de los operadores que estimulen la participación de NNA en el ámbito escolar. Esto se visualiza en la ausencia de análisis cuali de los contenidos de las acc. y la falta de ftes estadísticas específicas, que muestren la orientac.de los contenidos en los principios de la protecc.integral. Estos presupuestos plantean interrogantes que delimitan el problema de investigación: ¿cómo se construye y reconstruye el ejercicio de la ciudadanía a través de la participación de los NNA, en su paso por la escuela, y cuáles son las lógicas institucionales que habilitan u obstaculizan ese ejercicio? Y ¿cuáles son los recursos institucionales que permitan que los programas y acciones redunden en el ejercicio efectivo de los derechos?.Obj.gral: Describir, analizar e interpretar la progresividad en el ejercicio de los derechos de participación e informacióin que tienen los adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la cd de Cba, durante 2005 / 2010, para promover espacios públicos de construcción de ciudadanía. Se analizarán tres escuelas de Córdoba, escuela pública provincial, púb. nacional y privada. Obj. Espec.: Analizar las prácticas participativas formales e informales en las escuelas seleccionadas.- Aplicar indicadores cuanti y cualitativos del “Sistema de Indicadores para los derechos de la Infancia” Describir y analizar los recursos materiales y humanos. Elaborar y proponer procedim. para la confec. de registros de datos estadísticos - Elaborar y proponer lineamientos para la elaborac.e implementac.de acciones. Diseñar herramientas de difusión sobre los ds de participación e información.Esta investigac. es de carácter descriptivo e interpretativo, analizará diferentes ftes de informac.con técnicas cuanti y cualitativas, durante período la promulgación de la Ley 26061/05 y la adhesión prov. 9396/07. Se tomarán del Sistema de Indicadores, el derecho a la educación, el tema transversal “Acceso a la información y participación”, y las categorías de análisis “Recepción del Derecho y Capacidades estatales”. Se trabajaran indicadores cuanti y señales de progreso (cualitativos): estructurales, proceso y resultados. Serán analizados los Programas implementados durante el período de estudio. Estrategias cuali observac. participante, entrevistas, grupos focales, talleres de sensibilización, etc .Otras ftes de info: doc. institucionales, registros, evaluac, contenidos de programas y campañas y de difusión, prensa escrita, legislaciones, etc. La info se analizará a través Programa Atlas Ti, y del análisis estadístico. Algunos resultados esperados: Evaluac.y ajuste del Sistema de indicadores, la sensibilizac. desde el EF de autorid. escol. para la formulac. de planes y programas para el monitoreo adecuado de los mismos y para la rendic. de ctas de su gestión. Estimular la participac. de NNA en la escuela. Realizac.de documental. Brindar herramientas al Edo para superv de la aplicación progresiva del ejercicio de los derechos de participación e información de NNA Promov la continua evaluac. de los programas y acc.desde el ED para estimular el reconoc. de la nec.de ajuste de la política. The issue of children from the rights focus implies a reading of the rights in which children and adolescents are the holders and the state actions that are implemented to enable the exercise of them. This perspective requires understanding the contents of the public policies, the participation level that is assigned, and the senses that they take in terms of rights progressivity of. The conception changes about children since the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and legislative changes challenge to the State and society to modify hegemony vision. Our hypothesis revolves around the following considerations: there have been some public policies and state actions changes, but they not turn out, yet, transformations in logical institutional and actors whose are encourages children participation in school. This could be reflects in the absence of qualitative analysis in the actions contents and the lack of sources specific statistics, that will be showing the control of the principal contents of integral protection. These, raise the questions that delimit our problem research: how is built citizenship exercise through children and adolescent’s participation in the school, and what are the institutional logical that empowers or turns difficult that exercise? And What are the institutional resources that make possible the effective exercise of the rights, through different programs and actions?. General Objective: To describe, analyze and interpret exercise progressivity participation and information rights that have the adolescents in secondary schools in Córdoba City during 2005 / 2010, in order to promote public spaces for the construction of citizenship. It will analyze three schools in Cordoba, provincial public school, national public school and private school. . Obj. Specifics: To analyze the formal and informal participative practices in the schools selected. - To apply quantitative and qualitative indicators of the “Indicators System for Infa

Age, growth and reproductive biology of whiting Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus 1758) in the Celtic Sea

Age, growth and reproductive biology were investigated for whiting (Merlangius merlangus) captured from the Celtic Sea (ICES division Vllg), for the period January 2001 to January 2002. Females dominated the sex ratio of 1: 2.25. The relative abundance of females exceeded the number of males in all length classes. The relationship between weight (g) and total length (cm) was the same for male and female whiting. A total of 973 fish were aged and the maximum age recorded was 11 years. Results from an intercalibration exercise showed 87% agreement in age readings between the author and an expert in ageing whiting at the Marine Institute. Females were dominated by 2 year olds, while males were dominated by 3 year olds. Lx was estimated as 38cm and a growth rate was calculated K = 0.3769 year'1. Females were fully recruited to the fishery at 3 years of age, while the age at full recruitment (tr) for males was 4 years. Female whiting spawned from late February to June 2001 and matured at a total length of 23 cm in their first year. Female whiting reached L5o at a total length of 28 cm and 2.7 years of age. Male whiting spawned from February to June 2001. They matured at a total length of 21 cm and in their first year. Male whiting reached L50 at a total length of 30.4 cm and 3.6 years of age. The following critical points should be taken into account in the management of the Celtic Sea whiting stock: An Fpa should be established in order to assess the current level of fishing mortality; The maturity ogives need further study; The extent of gutting of large fish before landing by fishers in the fleet should be investigated and the apparent decline in size of 4 - 7 year old fish in the Celtic Sea between 1996 and 2001 needs to be assessed.

Age, growth and reproductive biology of Plaice, (Pleuronectes platessa L.) in Irish waters, 2003-2005

The current study presents data on age and growth for plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) sampled between November 2003 and February 2005 in ICES areas Via (northwest coast of Ireland), Vila (Irish Sea), Vllg (Celtic Sea), VDj (southwest coast of Ireland) and VHb (west coast of Ireland), and data on the reproductive biology and maturity of plaice in ICES area Vllb (west coast of Ireland). This is the first detailed account of the biology of plaice for some of these areas. It is intended that this study will improve understanding of the life cycle of plaice and help fisheries scientists to better predict the effect of fishing effort on Irish plaice stocks. The overall length range found for plaice was 9-51.99cm TL, with a length range of 9-5 lcm TL for females and 9-40cm for males. In all ICES areas the length range for female fish was larger than for male fish. The age range of plaice sampled during this study was 1 to 16 years. In all ICES areas females had a greater range in ages and fish in the larger age groups. From analysis of length and age data it was concluded that there was a significant difference (P=0.000) in growth rate of males and females between ICES areas sampled in March 2004. The highest rate of fishing mortality was determined for ICES area Via (F=1.06) and the lowest for ICES area Vila (F=0.56). In each ICES area male and female plaice have fully recruited to the population by age 4, with the exception of females in ICES area Via, for which a tr value of 5 years was determined. Length at first maturity (L50%) was determined to be 23cm and 21cm for males and females respectively. Age at first maturity (A50%) was determined to be 3 years for both males and females. It was found that males and females in ICES areas Vllb, Vila and Via are well above the length and age at first maturity when they are recruited to the fishery. In ICES area Vllb female plaice spawn from November to March, with peak spawning occurring in February, and male plaice spawn from November to April, with peak spawning occurring in November. Spawning females had an age range of 2 to 10 years and spawning males had an age range of 2 to 7 years. From the oocyte length frequency distributions, it was determined that the plaice is a determinate batch spawner. During this investigation a total of 177 ovaries and 127 testes were staged using both macroscopic and histological criteria. The overall percentage of maturity stages which compared favorably between the two assessment methods was 22.03% for female plaice and 37.80% for male plaice. In general, the findings of this study indicate that there was a very poor match between the macroscopic and histological assessment methods. Given that the histological determination of these stages is based on the observation of a distinct set of developmental features, it is expected that it would be more accurate to use histologically assessed gonads to calculate the annual percentage maturity assessment. The biology of plaice in the areas studied is compared with previous studies of plaice in Irish and European waters.

The Western Imaginary and the Imagined Strategies against it in the New European Countries and the Margins of Eastern Europe (Working paper) 

სტატია მომზადდა ევროაკადემიის საერთაშორისო კონფერენციისთვის „აღმოსავლეთ ევროპის ხელახლა გამოგონება"

Synthesis of plantwide control strategies using mixed integer optimization

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Diss., 2012

Assessing Strategies for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction at the Outpatient Clinic

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) is the most common form of heart failure (HF), its diagnosis being a challenge to the outpatient clinic practice. Objective: To describe and compare two strategies derived from algorithms of the European Society of Cardiology Diastology Guidelines for the diagnosis of HFPEF. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 166 consecutive ambulatory patients (67.9±11.7 years; 72% of women). The strategies to confirm HFPEF were established according to the European Society of Cardiology Diastology Guidelines criteria. In strategy 1 (S1), tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) and electrocardiography (ECG) were used; in strategy 2 (S2), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement was included. Results: In S1, patients were divided into groups based on the E/E'ratio as follows: GI, E/E'> 15 (n = 16; 9%); GII, E/E'8 to 15 (n = 79; 48%); and GIII, E/E'< 8 (n = 71; 43%). HFPEF was confirmed in GI and excluded in GIII. In GII, TDE [left atrial volume index (LAVI) ≥ 40 mL/m2; left ventricular mass index LVMI) > 122 for women and > 149 g/m2 for men] and ECG (atrial fibrillation) parameters were assessed, confirming HFPEF in 33 more patients, adding up to 49 (29%). In S2, patients were divided into three groups based on BNP levels. GI (BNP > 200 pg/mL) consisted of 12 patients, HFPEF being confirmed in all of them. GII (BNP ranging from 100 to 200 pg/mL) consisted of 20 patients with LAVI > 29 mL/m2, or LVMI ≥ 96 g/m2 for women or ≥ 116 g/m2 for men, or E/E'≥ 8 or atrial fibrillation on ECG, and the diagnosis of HFPEF was confirmed in 15. GIII (BNP < 100 pg/mL) consisted of 134 patients, 26 of whom had the diagnosis of HFPEF confirmed when GII parameters were used. Measuring BNP levels in S2 identified 4 more patients (8%) with HFPEF as compared with those identified in S1. Conclusion: The association of BNP measurement and TDE data is better than the isolated use of those parameters. BNP can be useful in identifying patients whose diagnosis of HF had been previously excluded based only on TDE findings.

Lexico-grammatical variation in the use of REQUEST strategies in Indian and British "letters to the editor" : a cross-cultural pragmatic study

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Geistes-, Sozial- und Erziehungswiss., Diss., 2009

Forward rates : predictive power and trading strategies

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Wirtschaftswiss., Diss., 2014

Reproductive biology of Hyla goiana (Anura, Hylidae)

Male-male and male-female interactions, reproductive habitat, and vocalizations of Hyla goiana B. Lutz, 1968 a member of H. polytaenia species group, are described. Three groups of calling males were surveyed along a small stream, at the Estação de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Galheiro, Perdizes municipality, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The mean distance between the nearest calling neighbors was 2.7 m, in accordance with an uniform distribution. Clutches (mean 180 eggs) were deposited in the stream, submerged and attached to plants. In two observed courtships the female moved towards a calling male that rapidly clasped her. In the male-male interaction, the males emitted advertisement and encounter calls and then engaged in physical combat. The males have a prepollical fang-like spine on each hand and several of them were observed with scratches on dorsum. The advertisement call consists of alternating harsh notes and a trilled of brief notes. The frequency of the call is lower than that of H. aff. polytaenia and H. cipoensis B. Lutz, 1968. The clutch characteristics of H. goiana are similar to those described for H. polytaenia Cope, 1870 and H. cipoensis.

Reproductive biology of the sesarmid crab Armases rubripes (Decapoda, Brachyura) from an estuarine area of the Sahy River, Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The aim of this work was to gain knowledge about reproductive biology of the crab Armases rubripes (Rathbun, 1897) from an estuarine area of the Sepetiba Bay. Samples were taken monthly from February 2003 to January 2004 in the Sahy River estuary (22º56'S; 44º01'W), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The crabs were collected by hand during 15-minute catch-effort sessions conducted by two people. In the laboratory, the specimens were separated by sex, carapace width was measured and gonadal stage was checked macroscopically. A total of 830 individuals were caught - 304 males, 373 females (60 ovigerous females) and 153 juveniles. The ovigerous females were found almost year-round, except in November and April, showing a continuous reproductive period. They presented a size range from 8.2 to 15.0 mm carapace width (12.1 ± 1.7 mm). Color and macroscopical aspects determined five gonadal stages for males and females (immature, rudimentary, intermediary, developed and resting). First sexual maturity was estimated at 6.5 mm of carapace width for males and 8.1 mm for females. Individual fecundity varied from 200 to 11,460 eggs (4,458 ± 2,739 eggs). Mean egg size was 0.248 ± 0.026 mm, varying from 0.213 to 0.333 mm, while the volume ranged from 0.0051 to 0.0188 mm³ (0.0082 ± 0.0029 mm³).

Reproductive isolation among three populations of the genus Grammostola from Uruguay (Araneae, Theraphosidae)

Ethological isolation of individuals from three allopatric Grammostola populations of Uruguay, G. iheringi (Keyserling, 1891), G. mollicoma (Auserer, 1875) northern population and G. mollicoma southern population, was tested under laboratory conditions. Grammostola iheringi behaved as a reproductive isolated species, whereas the two populations of G. mollicoma did not show ethological isolation between them. However, ecological isolating reproductive mechanisms could be acting on G. mollicoma populations. Artificial burrows seem to be important for reproductive isolation in these species.

Reproductive behavior of Leptodactylus mystacinus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) with notes on courtship call of other Leptodactylus species

Here we present data on the reproductive behavior of Leptodactylus mystacinus (Burmeister, 1861), including details on courtship behavior. We also describe and compared the courtship calls of L. mystacinus, L. furnarius Sazima & Bokermann, 1978 and Leptodactylus sp. (L. aff. andreae). Field works were conducted in Uberlândia (central Brazil). During courtship, a female approaches a calling male and is led to a previously excavated chamber; a female can approach a silent male that beat his hands and/or feet on the ground as well. The courtship call of L. mystacinus consists of one single arch-shaped note (duration = 0.04 s) repeated 258 times per minute; the courtship calls of L. furnarius (0.06 s, 84 times per minute) and Leptodactylus sp. (0.15 s, 5 times per minute) also are arch-shaped. The courtship behavior of L. mystacinus is similar to that of other species of the L. fuscus (Schneider, 1799) group; unique to it is that males can beat his hands and/or feet on the ground while courting. The male behavior of conducting the female to a previously excavates chamber and the arch-shaped courtship call may represent other shared derived features of members of the L. fuscus group, including the former Adenomera species.

Reproductive biology and sexual dimorphism in Cnemidophorus vacariensis (Sauria, Teiidae) in the grasslands of the Araucaria Plateau, southern Brazil

The reproductive cycle and sexual dimorphism of the lizard Cnemidophorus vacariensis Feltrim & Lema, 2000 were studied on the basis of data gathered between August 2004 and August 2006 in Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Snout-vent length (SVL) of sexually mature males varied between 48.8 and 72.9 mm (x = 63.3 ± 6.0 mm; n = 76) and, for females, between 57.4 and 81.8 mm (x = 70.0 ± 5.9 mm; n = 73). Other morphological characteristics were also compared between sexes. Reproduction was seasonal, and observations indicate two clutches in the same reproductive season. Clutch size and other reproductive characteristics were analyzed as well as the relation between reproduction and environmental factors. Cnemidophorus vacariensis is apparently endemic to highland plateaus in southern Brazil and has been classified as vulnerable on some lists of threatened fauna in this country. Some suggestions for conservation measures are presented, due to the observed degradation of this species' environment.