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Copyright of Revista Latinoamericana de Población is the property of Revista Latinoamericana de Poblacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studia Politicae is the property of Studia Politicae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The exploitation of both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons may lead to still not well-known environmental consequences such as ground deformation and induced/triggered seismicity. Identifying and characterizing these effects is fundamental for prevention or mitigation purposes, especially when they impact populated areas. Two case studies of such effects on hydrocarbon-producing basins in Argentina, the Neuquén and the Golfo de San Jorge, are presented in this work. The intense hydrocarbon production activities in recent years and their potential link with the occurrence of two earthquakes of magnitude 4.9 and 5 near the operating well fields is assessed. A joint analysis of satellite radar interferometry and records of fluid injection and extraction demonstrate that, between 2017 and 2020, vertical ground displacements occurred in both study areas over active well fields that might indicate a correlation to hydrocarbon production activities. Coseismic deformation models of the two earthquakes constrain source depths to less than 2 km. The absence of seismicity before the beginning of the hydrocarbon activities in both areas, and the occurrence of the two largest and shallow earthquakes in the vicinity of the active well fields just after intensive production periods, points towards the potential association between both phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Tekellina araucana sp. n., is described from Chile and Argentina. Detailed morphological data from the spinnerets and male palp of T. araucana sp. n. and Tekellina sadamotoi Yoshida & Ogata, 2016 is provided. A new diagnostic character of Tekellina Levi, 1957 , a row of bottle-like modified setae between the anal tubercle and the spinnerets was found. The absence of aggregate and cylindrical gland spigots may be a further diagnostic character for the genus. New molecular sequence data of T. araucana sp. n., Tekellina archboldi Levi, 1957 (generotype) and Nescina kohi Lin, Ballarin & Li, 2016 , is provided and analyzed together with legacy genetic and transcriptomic data from a wide sampling of species representing all areaneoid families. Both molecular and morphological data suggest that Tekellina is closely related to Synotaxus Simon, 1895 together with three genera formerly placed in Nesticidae. From those results we broaden the limits of Synotaxidae to include the genera Synotaxus, Hamus Ballarin & Li, 2015 , Nescina Ballarin & Li, 2015 , Gaucelmus Keyserling, 1884, and Tekellina. The morphological data, especially of the male palps, is consistent with that re-limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Wetlands are key ecosystems due to their economic, social and environmental contributions. Because of their highly productive habitats and their dependence on hydro-meteorologic regimes, they are threatened worldwide by land use and climate change. In most wetlands, intensification of productive activities has been mostly accompanied by the implementation of a water management infrastructure, disrupting water and nutrient dynamics. Our aim was to analyze whether intensification of livestock raising erodes the structure and function of plant communities, as well as the quality and fertility of soils in wetlands. Location: Non-insular portion of the Lower Delta of the Paraná River, Argentina. Methods: Plant communities were characterized on the basis of their floristic composition, structural and functional diversity. Soil samples were also collected to assess soil fertility, texture and quality. Generalized mixed linear models were used to contrast these attributes across livestock management practices characterized by differing water management infrastructure (polders and channelizations) and livestock type (bovine, bubaline). Results: Remarkably fertile hydromorphic soils supported a structurally rich and functionally diverse species composition. Nevertheless, most dominant populations were terrestrial, perennial, invasive species, partially adapted to conditions of temporary flooding. Polderized livestock fields exhibited not only the lowest quality, least fertile, most compacted soils, but also lower species richness and diversity, as well as the lowest values in all non-redundant components of functional diversity. Channelized livestock fields exhibited lower species richness and taxonomic diversity as well as reduced soil quality and fertility, yet an overall increase in most non-redundant components of functional diversity. Conclusions: Promoting the loss of native flora, water management infrastructure impairs the sustainability of anthropic activities and thwarts biodiversity conservation efforts. Traditional and sustainable practices that embrace the periodicity of the flood pulse are required to preserve the taxonomic and functional diversity of plant communities, as well as the quality and fertility of soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While Illicit Tobacco Trade (ITT) is a serious threat to the effectiveness of tobacco control policies worldwide, to this day tobacco-industry independent estimations of the size of the market for illicit tobacco products in the region are still very scarce. There is evidence that the tobacco industry often manipulates ITT estimates to influence policy-making and hinder tobacco control measures. In this study, we sought to bridge this knowledge gap by generating data on the prevalence of cigarette illicit trade in the city of Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina. We used an empty tobacco pack survey approach with a simple random cluster sampling design. A total of 4,906 packs were collected. Determination of packs as licit/illicit was conducted by forensic analysis of tax stamps and econometric modelling. Cigarette packs manufactured in country dominated the sample (97%), of which 3.71% (CI 95%:3.18%-4.24%) could be categorized as illicit cigarettes carrying counterfeit stamps. Most illicit packs (96%) belonged to low price brands manufactured by national tobacco companies, which suggests that low-income households may be more affected by ITT products. It is essential to implement an effective track and trace system that incorporates mechanisms to hinder stamp forgery and control stamp authenticity. A combined effort to increase tobacco taxation and reduce ITT is necessary to reduce tobacco consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2013, the Ellas Hacen Program was created, targeting women in situations of socio-economic vulnerability and/or victims of gender-based violence. In 2018, it was unified with other policies in the Hacemos Futuro Program. Main objective: The objective of this article is to present the evolution of social policy Ellas Hacen, from its creation in 2013 until its unification in the Hacemos Futuro in 2018. In this way, through the journey through two different governmental initiatives (Cristina Fernández - Mauricio Macri), we problematize the way in which it is defined as a measure with a purported gender focus, while in the design and practice of this, problems related to it are omitted. Methodology: To fulfill the stated purpose, we integrate the view of gender studies into public policies. The reflections that constitute this article derive from a theoretical-critical analysis of the program mentioned. Results: The arrival of Cambiemos as a new political administration after three Kirchner's presidential mandates, is constituted not only as a new stage, but as a paradigm shift in terms of public policies with special impact on women. With the transition from Ellas Hacen to Hacemos Futuro, we see a return to visions that include the impoverishment of women as individuals, and their solution is linked to focalization and meritocracy. The referrals in terms of the design, management and implementation of these programs had negative implications for women. Conclusion: With this article we realized how the State omits and infers the particularities of this population group -women- in this type of measures, a factor that leads to further deepening gender inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest biodiversity conservation and species distribution modeling greatly benefit from broad‐scale forest maps depicting tree species or forest types rather than just presence and absence of forest, or coarse classifications. Ideally, such maps would stem from satellite image classification based on abundant field data for both model training and accuracy assessments, but such field data do not exist in many parts of the globe. However, different forest types and tree species differ in their vegetation phenology, offering an opportunity to map and characterize forests based on the seasonal dynamic of vegetation indices and auxiliary data. Our goal was to map and characterize forests based on both land surface phenology and climate patterns, defined here as forest phenoclusters. We applied our methodology in Argentina (2.8 million km2), which has a wide variety of forests, from rainforests to cold‐temperate forests. We calculated phenology measures after fitting a harmonic curve of the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) time series derived from 30‐m Sentinel 2 and Landsat 8 data from 2018–2019. For climate, we calculated land surface temperature (LST) from Band 10 of the thermal infrared sensor (TIRS) of Landsat 8, and precipitation from Worldclim (BIO12). We performed stratified X‐means cluster classifications followed by hierarchical clustering. The resulting clusters separated well into 54 forest phenoclusters with unique combinations of vegetation phenology and climate characteristics. The EVI 90th percentile was more important than our climate and other phenology measures in providing separability among different forest phenoclusters. Our results highlight the potential of combining remotely sensed phenology measures and climate data to improve broad‐scale forest mapping for different management and conservation goals, capturing functional rather than structural or compositional characteristics between and within tree species. Our approach results in classifications that go beyond simple forest–nonforest in areas where the lack of detailed ecological field data precludes tree species–level classifications, yet conservation needs are high. Our map of forest phenoclusters is a valuable tool for the assessment of natural resources, and the management of the environment at scales relevant for conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

His article explores those social policies that have and had the housewife as deserving of social security benefits in Argentina, during the period 2004-2016. He aim is to observe to what extent these measures comply with the proposed objectives based on an analysis of the legislative institutional discourse and its original approaches. He methodological proposal of this research is qualitative and its approach is from the Critical Discourse Analysis -CDA-, under the guidelines of Fairclough and Wodak (2000) and Burman and Parker (1993). He texts and session journals analyzed correspond to laws 25.994 -Pension Inclusion Plan-, 26.970 -second stage of the Pension Inclusion Plan- and 27.260 -Universal Pension for the Elderly-. Hese have been selected to observe how working women are discursively constructed in relation to their role as housewives. From these, the most relevant discursive constructions of the mentioned sample were extracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating effective management plans for addressing the impacts of invasive non-native species (INNS) requires the definition of clear priorities and tangible targets, and the recognition of the plurality of societal values assigned to these species. These tasks require a multi-disciplinary approach and the involvement of stakeholders. Here, we describe procedures to integrate multiple sources of information to formulate management priorities, targets, and high-level actions for the management of INNS. We follow five good-practice criteria: justified, evidence-informed, actionable, quantifiable, and flexible. We used expert knowledge methods to compile 17 lists of ecological, social, and economic impacts of lodgepole pines (Pinus contorta) and American mink (Neovison vison) in Chile and Argentina, the privet (Ligustrum lucidum) in Argentina, the yellow-jacket wasp (Vespula germanica) in Chile, and grasses (Urochloa brizantha and Urochloa decumbens) in Brazil. INNS plants caused a greater number of impacts than INNS animals, although more socio-economic impacts were listed for INNS animals than for plants. These impacts were ranked according to their magnitude and level of confidence on the information used for the ranking to prioritise impacts and assign them one of four high-level actions—do nothing, monitor, research, and immediate active management. We showed that it is possible to formulate management priorities, targets, and high-level actions for a variety of INNS and with variable levels of available information. This is vital in a world where the problems caused by INNS continue to increase, and there is a parallel growth in the implementation of management plans to deal with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present work was to compare the values of the percentages of the different fractions in the milk casein of Criollo and Saanen goats. For this purpose, 6 adult goats of each breed from a commercial goat herd, located in the semi-arid region of central western Argentina, were evaluated. The goats were fed on alfalfa and corn grain, and service was performed by natural mating. Samples were collected by hand milking, taking 100 c.c./animal at 15, 30 and 45 days post-partum. To determine the percentage of alpha, beta and kappa casein, the UREA-PAGE vertical gel electrophoresis method was used and the bands were read applying the semi-quantification method with ImageJ software. The results found showed that in both breeds the values of alpha casein were increasing, while those of beta and kappa casein decreased throughout the sampling. Likewise, it was found that alpha casein was higher in Saanen goat milk, while the percentages of beta and kappa casein were higher in Criollo goat milk, finding a significant statistical difference for alpha and beta casein at the three times evaluated and in the case of kappa casein only in the 45-day sampling. It was concluded that Criollo goat milk has a lower percentage of alpha casein than Saanen goat milk, which would make it less allergenic and has a higher percentage of beta and kappa casein, a situation that would allow a quick coagulation for cheese production and a higher stability and firmness in yogurts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first phylogenetic analysis of genus Urophonius is performed based on morphological characters. Three monophyletic species groups are recovered. Species of the granulatus species group and Urophonius mondacai have summer or spring activity patterns. The exochus and brachycentrus species groups form a monophyletic group with a winter activity pattern, which is so far unique in scorpions from temperate and cold areas. Additionally, two new Patagonian species of Urophonius are described, one from Argentina and one from Chile. Finally, we discuss the southernmost distributions of scorpions in continental Patagonia. We suggest that the southern limit of the group could be related not only with a decrease in temperature, but also with an increase of precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South America Andes hantavirus (ANDV) is hosted by the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (also known as pygmy rice rat). In humans, ANDV causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), with a fatality rate of about 40%. Epidemiologic and molecular evidence has shown that ANDV can be transmitted from person to person. Sin Nombre hantavirus, occurring in North America, and ANDV are genetically related, and both cause HPS with similar clinical evolution and mortality rate. However, only ANDV is transmitted from person to person. A recent hantavirus outbreak in a small village in Southern Argentine, with 29 HPS cases and 11 deaths has brought to mind that person-to-person transmission continues to be a public health emergency. The present investigation was aimed to understand how does ANDV actually spread between persons. Tissue samples of lung and salivary glands from infected Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and lethal cases of human HPS were investigated by bright field immunocytochemistry, multichannel immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy. The findings are consistent with ANDV infection and replication in the lung alveolar epithelium and macrophages, and in the secretory cells of the submandibular salivary glands. In the lung of infected Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and human cases HPS, the bulk of immunoreactive hantavirus antigens was localized in epithelial cells of the alveolar walls and macrophages. The ultrastructural study supports that in the lung of HPS patients the virus replicates in the alveolar epithelial cells with virus particles being discharged into the alveolar lumen. Virus-like particles were seen within vacuoles of the lung macrophages. Considering that these macrophages can reach the conductive segments of the airways, their expectoration becomes a deadly bullet for ANDV transmission. In the submandibular glands of infected rodents and HPS cases, ANDV antigens were in capillary endothelium, the secretory cells and filling the lumen of the excretory pathway. It is proposed that in patients with HPS caused by ANDV the alveolar epithelium and macrophages would be the gate for the airway spreading of the virus, while the salivary glands are a target for virus replication and an exit pathway through saliva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2016, the executive branch of the Government of Argentina ratified Decree 626, which raised domestic taxes on cigarettes from 60% to 75%, amounting to a 50% increase in their average retail price. This measure was promoted by Argentina's InterAmerican Heart Foundation (FIC Argentina) through a strategy that included conducting local research to assess the measure's viability and impact; drafting a policy proposal; working in coordination with other national and international civil society organizations; pursuing collaborative incidence activities with key members of the national executive branch; and implementing a communications strategy. The uniqueness of each economic, social, political, and institutional context in the countries of the Region of the Americas makes it necessary to adapt policy to local conditions. The work experience of FIC Argentina serves as a roadmap for other organizations in the Region that seek to promote an increase in taxes on tobacco products or other policies designed to protect public health by adapting international recommendations and local evidence to each country's specific context. This article presents a series of lessons learned that may prove useful in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Land-use change is the main driver of habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide. The rate of dry forest loss in the South American Chaco is among the highest in the world, mainly due to the expansion of soybean production and cattle ranching. Argentina recently implemented a national zoning plan (i.e., the Forest Law) to reduce further forest loss. However, it is unclear how the effects of past deforestation and the implementation of the Forest Law will affect forest connectivity in the Chaco. Objective: Our main goal was to evaluate the potential effect of the Forest Law on forest fragmentation and connectivity in the Argentine Chaco. Methods: We studied changes in the extent, fragmentation, and connectivity of forests between 1977 and 2010, by combining agricultural expansion and forest cover maps, and for the future in a scenario analysis. Results: Past agricultural expansion translated into an overall loss of 22.5 % of the Argentine Chaco's forests, with deforestation rates in 2000-2010 up to three times higher than in the 1980s. Forest fragmentation and connectivity loss were highest in 1977-1992, when road construction fragmented large forest patches. Our future scenario analysis showed that if the Forest Law will be implemented as planned, forest area and connectivity in the region will decline drastically. Conclusions: Land-use planning designed to protect stepping stones could substantially mitigate connectivity loss due to deforestation, with the co-benefit of preserving the greatest amount of biodiversity priority areas across all evaluated scenarios. Including scenario analyses that assess forest fragmentation and connectivity at the ecoregion scale is thus important in upcoming revisions of the Argentine Forest Law, and, more generally, in debates about sustainable resource use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction The prevalence of high levels of stress as well as its multilevel consequences is well documented amongst students in the health sciences, and particularly in dentistry. However, investigations of perceived stress amongst Spanish-speaking student groups are sparse. This study aimed to (i) describe the translation, adaptation and psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Dental Environment Stressors questionnaire and (ii) to examine the perceived sources of stress and their associations with the students' study year and gender in two dental schools in Latin America. Materials and methods All students officially registered in the dental schools of the University of San Sebastian ( USS) in Chile and the Catholic University of Cordoba ( CUC) in Argentina were invited to participate in the study. The DES30 questionnaire was adapted in Spanish using translation/back-translation, an expert bilingual committee, and consensus building. Cronbach's alpha was used to measure the instrument's internal consistency, and iterated principal factor analysis with promax rotation was employed to explore its underlying factor structure. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate methods were used to examine the patterns of association between individual stressors, factor scores and students' characteristics. Results Three hundred and four students comprised the study's analytical sample, with two-thirds of those being female. The DES30- Sp demonstrated good internal consistency ( Cronbach's α = 0.89). A four-factor solution emerged and included 'academic workload', 'clinical training', 'time constraints' and 'self-efficacy beliefs' factors. 'Fear of failing a course or a year', 'examinations and grades' and 'lack of time for relaxation' were amongst the top individual-item stressors reported by students in both schools. Amongst this group of undergraduate dental students, those in Argentina, in higher study year, and females reported higher perceived stress. Conclusions Increased workload, time constraints and some aspects of clinical training were the top stressors of approximately 300 Chilean and Argentinean dental undergraduates. Some variations between schools, males and females and study years were noted. The Spanish version of the DES30 questionnaire performed well, but future studies should evaluate the instrument's properties in larger and more diverse dental student populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to undertake a case study in order to inquire how racism appears in the discourses of Argentinean bosses about Bolivian migrants who live and work in a settlement where bricks are manufactured, located in the peri-urban zone of the city of Cordoba, Argentina. Assuming that discursive practices are constitutive and constituent of social facts, we develop an appropriate analytical framework for the study of everyday racism. Based on the analysis of ethnographic fieldwork records and news regarding Bolivian immigrants published in local graphic media, we address the ways in which racism is reproduced, bearing in mind the particular socio-historical context in which Bolivians were visualized as immigrant workers. We argue that the boss of the analyzed workplace and his close family use racist stereotypes and prejudices, thus justifying and naturalizing the assignation of Bolivian workers to tough and badly paid posts, as well as the precarious and informal conditions of the production process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Argentina, the rapid expansion and intensification of row crop production that has occurred during the last 20 years has resulted in the loss of habitat and spatial heterogeneity in agroecosystems. One of the principal effects of industrialized row crop production is the loss of avian diversity and associated ecosystem services that benefit crop production. To better understand the response of bird species to the intensification and expansion of row crop agriculture in Argentina, and the potential effects on the provision of ecosystems services, we analyzed the relationship between short- and long-term changes in agricultural land use on the densities of six bird species (Milvago chimango, Caracara plancus, Tyrannus savana, Zenaida auriculata, Molothrus bonariensis, and Sturnella supercilliaris) using data from a large-scale, long-term avian monitoring program in central Argentina. Species densities responded individually to long-term landuse changes; T. savana and M. chimango densities were positively related to an increase in the annual cropping area, whereas C. plancus and S. supercilliaris were positively related to the area of non-plowed fields. M. bonariensis and Z. auriculata (considered crop pests) showed a weak relationship with land use. None of the species exhibited response to short-term changes in land-use. Although generalist species can apparently adapt to a diversity of open habitats, species that provide pest control services were also related to semi-natural habitats and thus likely to suffer from land transformation associated with intensive agricultural management. Our results, as well as those found in similar systems, denote strong inferential evidence that the disappearance of remnants of natural and semi-natural habitats in heavily transformed agricultural landscapes will have a substantial negative effect on the provision of pest control services provided by avian abundance and diversity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In central Argentina, the Chinese tree glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum) is an aggressive invasive species replacing native forests, forming dense stands, and is thus a major conservation concern. Mapping the spread of biological invasions is a necessary first step toward understanding the factors determining invasion patterns. Urban areas may function as propagule sources for glossy privet because it has been used as a landscaping tree for over a century. The objectives of this paper were to 1) map the patterns of glossy privet expansion from 1983 to 2006 using a time series of Landsat TM/ETM+ images, and 2) analyze the spatial pattern of glossy privet stands with regard to urban extent. Using six summer Landsat TM images (1983, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2001, and 2006) the expansion of glossy privet was analyzed using Support Vector Machines (SVM), a non-parametric classifier which we applied to a stack of all images simultaneously, a novel approach in its application to monitor non-native tree invasions. We then measured the area of glossy privet in a series of 200-m buffers at increasing distances around urban areas in 1983 and 2006, and compared it with the amount of privet expected in proportion to buffer area. Glossy privet in the study area has spread very rapidly during the 23years that we studied and the SVM resulted in highly accurate classifications (Kappa Index 0.88, commission error 0.07, omission error 0.16). Between 1983 and 2006 glossy privet area increased 50 times (from 50 to 2500ha), and 20% of all forest in the study area is now dominated by glossy privet. Most of the glossy privet dominated stands were located within 600m of urban areas. However, the rate of glossy privet expansion accelerated substantially after 1992 and new glossy privet dominated stands tend to be located away from urban areas. This suggests that glossy privet is now self-sustaining, but expected urban growth in the area could further foster glossy privet invasion. Management and development plans should include mitigation efforts to contain this species and prevent invasion into native forests, and citizens should be informed about the risk of invasion associated with the use of glossy privet for landscaping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The use of glyphosate has increased dramatically during the past years around the world. Microbial communities are altered when glyphosate reaches water bodies. The freshwater golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei is an invasive species that has rapidly dispersed since it was introduced in Argentina two decades ago. Mussels alter aquatic conditions through their filtrating activity by increasing water clarity and nutrient recycling. We aim to evaluate the potential capacity of the golden mussel to reduce glyphosate concentration in water, in laboratory conditions. Firstly, the evasive response of mussels to glyphosate (10, 20, and 40mgl−1) was evaluated and a toxicity test was carried out for these concentrations. A three-week experiment was then performed to assess glyphosate variation under mussel presence for two mussel sizes. Finally, mussels'' role on glyphosate concentration was evaluated considering different mussel parts (living organisms and empty shells) through another three-week experiment. Laboratory experiments were performed in triplicate using 2–l microcosms. An initial glyphosate concentration between 16 and 19mgl−1 was used, and when mussels or valvae were added, 20 organisms per aquaria were used. Samples were obtained at days 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 14, and 21. Glyphosate decreased by 40% under large mussel presence in both experiments, and was reduced by 25% in empty shell treatments. We believe that part of the herbicide that disappears from the water column is adsorbed in valvae surface, while another proportion is being mineralized by microbial communities in shells'' biofilm. The mechanisms by which living mussels increase glyphosate dissipation would be degradation, possibly mediated by bacteria associated to mussel''s metabolism. Glyphosate half-life depended on mussel and valvae presence and varied with mussel size. L. fortunei presence (either alive or as empty valvae) alters glyphosate concentration in water. We provide preliminary observations from laboratory experiments, with strong potential ecological consequences, about two stressors that could be acting jointly on the environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Estudios Atacameños is the property of Estudios Atacamenos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We analyzed experimentally the relative contribution of phytoplankton and periphyton in two shallow lakes from the Pampa Plain (Argentina) that represent opposite scenarios according to the alternative states hypothesis for shallow lakes: a clear lake with submerged macrophytes, and a turbid lake with high phytoplankton biomass. To study the temporal changes of both microalgal communities under such contrasting conditions, we placed enclosures in the littoral zone of each lake, including natural phytoplankton and artificial substrata, half previously colonized by periphyton until a mature stage and half clean to analyze periphyton colonization. In the clear vegetated shallow lake, periphyton chlorophyll a concentrations were 3–6 times higher than those of the phytoplankton community. In contrast, phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations were 76–1,325 times higher than those of periphyton in the turbid lake. Here, under light limitation conditions, the colonization of the periphyton was significantly lower than in the clear lake. Our results indicate that in turbid shallow lakes, the light limitation caused by phytoplankton determines a low periphyton biomass dominated by heterotrophic components. In clear vegetated shallow lakes, where nitrogen limitation probably occurs, periphyton may develop higher biomass, most likely due to their higher efficiency in nutrient recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Salud Pública de México is the property of Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Argentina is the second largest world producer of soybeans (after the USA) and along with the increase in planted surface and production in the country, glyphosate consumption has grown in the same way. We investigated the effects of Roundup® (glyphosate formulation) on the periphyton colonization. The experiment was carried out over 42 days in ten outdoor mesocosms of different typology: ''clear'' waters with aquatic macrophytes and/or metaphyton and ''turbid'' waters with great occurrence of phytoplankton or suspended inorganic matter. The herbicide was added at 8 mg L-1 of the active ingredient (glyphosate) in five mesocosms while five were left as controls (without Roundup® addition). The estimate of the dissipation rate (k) of glyphosate showed a half-life value of 4.2 days. Total phosphorus significantly increased in treated mesocosms due to Roundup® degradation what favored eutrophication process. Roundup® produced a clear delay in periphytic colonization in treated mesocosms and values of the periphytic mass variables (dry weight, ash-free dry weight and chlorophyll a) were always higher in control mesocosms. Despite the mortality of algae, mainly diatoms, cyanobacteria was favored in treated mesocosms. It was observed that glyphosate produced a long term shift in the typology of mesocosms, ''clear'' turning to ''turbid'', which is consistent with the regional trend in shallow lakes in the Pampa plain of Argentina. Based on our findings it is clear that agricultural practices that involve the use of herbicides such as Roundup® affect non-target organisms and the water quality, modifying the structure and functionality of freshwater ecosystems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used multiple approaches to analyze photosynthetic picoplankton (PPP) structure and production in a wetland in the Lower Paranã Basin (Argentina). A seasonal field survey was combined with an experimental study to analyze PPP variability under different light conditions. Flow cytometry analyses showed differences in PPP structure among the aquatic environments. Three main picoplankton populations were distinguished: phycocyanin-rich picocyanobacteria (Pcy), picoeukaryote (Peuk) and anaerobic anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria (AnAnPB). The experimental study revealed important changes in PPP structure in relation to the light conditions imposed by floating plants: enclosures exposed to light showed a higher proportion of Peuk and Pcy over AnAnPB; in mesocosms covered by plants, just as in the highly vegetated relict lakes (ROLs), AnAnPB were dominant. Total picophytoplankton abundances varied from 1.7 x 104 to 4.6 x 105 cells mL--1 in the shallow lakes, and were lower (0.69 x 104 to 2.5 x 105 cells mL-1) in the ROLs. Annual variations in temperature and hydrological conditions influenced the PPP abundances, observing maximum values during the warm dry phase. The photosynthetic rates per unit area of PPP (PAPPP) and algae >3 µm (PA>3 µm) were measured in the aquatic environments in winter and summer: PA PPP (1.5 to 100 mg C m-2h-1) was lower than PA >3 µm and was directly affected by light, which was limiting under the dense floating plant cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis A, a vaccine preventable disease, is now of transitional or intermediate endemicity in Argentina, as the epidemiologic pattern of the disease has shifted with improvements in living conditions in some parts of the country. Increase in the susceptibility of older children and adults has led to increasing disease incidence. Molecular epidemiology has played an important role in the understanding of HAV infection by identifying modes of spreading and by permitting the monitoring of changes in circulating virus brought about by prevention programs. South American isolates characterized are limited. Eighty‐two sporadic and outbreak isolates from Argentina were sequenced in the VP1/2A region of HAV genome over a 9‐year period. All the isolates belonged to subgenotype IA. All our sequences grouped into two big clusters. Apparently, at least two lineages have been co‐circulating in the same place at the same time. Despite great genetic variability, few point amino acid changes could be deduced. Four sequences showed an Arg → Lys substitution at 1–297 which characterized the genotype IB at the amino acid level. Many isolates carried a conservative amino acid substitution Leu → Ile at position 42 of the 2A domain, previously described as a possible fingerprint of HAV sequences in Brazil. The other rare changes have been found before, except for a 1–277 Asn → Ser substitution displayed in two isolates that has not been previously reported. Argentina recently implemented universal vaccination in 1‐year‐old children. Molecular tools would be useful in an active surveillance program. J. Med. Virol. 79:887–894, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies a cluster of human t-cell lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in Jujuy, Argentina. Key issues of interest; Analysis of pertinent topics and relevant issues; Implications on studies of acquired immune deficiency syndromes.

OBJECTIVES: Up to now, the epidemiological characteristic of celiac disease among adults in South America remains unknown. The present prospective screening was designed to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in adults from the general population in an urban area of Argentina. METHODS: Between January, 1998, and May, 2000, all couples attending a centralized laboratory for an obligatory prenuptial examination in the La Plata area were offered participation in a screening program for celiac disease. The study included 2000 subjects (996 women; median age 29 yr, range 16-79 yr). All individuals completed a clinical questionnaire at the time that serum samples were obtained, A three-step screening protocol was used, as follows: 1) all samples were tested for antigliadin antibodies (AGAs) (type IgA and IgG); 2) samples that were IgA AGA positive were tested for antiendomysial antibody (EmA type IgA); samples that were positive for AGA-G but negative for IgA AGAs were tested for total IgA serum levels and EmA type IgG; and 3) subjects who were EmA-positive were referred for intestinal biopsy, RESULTS: At the end of the screening we detected 10 subjects who were EmA-A positive and two others who were IgA-deficient (both were EmA-G positive). Up to now, 11 of the 12 subjects (including nine EmA-positive and two IgA-deficient subjects) had endoscopic intestinal biopsies showing the characteristic celiac histology. The remaining EmA-positive individual was considered to be affected by celiac disease. The overall prevalence assessed was 1:167 (6.0 X 1000 subjects; 95% CI = 3.1-10.5), Eight of the 12 (67%) subjects were female (1:124; 8.0 X 1000; 95% CI = 3.5-15.8) and four (33%) were male (1:251; 4.0 X 1000; 95% CI = 1.1-10.2), Although eight new patients were considered to be asymptomatic, three presented with a subclinical course and one was classically symptomatic. Only one patient had been previously diagnosed with celiac disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our screening protocol showed a very high prevalence of celiac disease for an urban area of Argentina that is ethnically similar to 90% of the general population of the country. The prevalence among women was double that for men, and the heterogeneous clinical picture of new patients showed predominance of asymptomatic cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a case of neurological disease featuring human T lymphocyte virus-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Diagnosis by serological and molecular criteria as related to human T lymphocyte virus (HTLV)-II infection; First case of the kind found in Argentina; Evidence that HAM/TSP solely related to HTLV-II infection occurs in HTLV-I-negative subjects.

Bacterioplankton and bacterioperiphyton composition was analyzed using the CARD-FISH technique in three shallow lakes of the Pampean Plain (Argentina) with contrasting regimes: clear vegetated, turbid due to phytoplankton and turbid inorganic, due to inorganic particles. We postulated that these differences would influence the proportion of the main bacterial groups both in periphyton and in plankton. The turbid lake due to phytoplankton presented the highest total abundances in both communities. Alphaproteobacteria was the dominant group in the three lakes in both communities. Redundancy analysis (RDA) evidenced that the bacterioplankton structure was different among lakes and mainly influenced by dissolved inorganic nitrogen and conductivity. On the other hand, for the bacterioperiphyton, RDA showed that bacterial group abundances increased with higher periphytic chlorophyll-a values. In the clear lake the relative abundance of Betaproteobacteria and Cytophaga increased in the bacterioperiphyton towards the end of the colonization. Our study suggests that the lake regime (clear or turbid) influence the structure of bacterioplankton and bacterioperiphyton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present contribution, two nationwide surveys of personal protective equipment (PPE) pollution were conducted in Peru and Argentina aiming to provide valuable information regarding the abundance and distribution of PPE in coastal sites. Additionally, PPE items were recovered from the environment and analyzed by Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and compared to brand-new PPE in order to investigate the chemical and structural degradation of PPE in the environment. PPE density (PPE m−2) found in both countries were comparable to previous studies. FTIR analysis revealed multiple polymer types comprising common PPE, mainly polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyester. SEM micrographs showed clear weathering signs, such as cracks, cavities, and rough surfaces in face masks and gloves. EDX elemental mapping revealed the presence of elemental additives, such as Ca in gloves and face masks and AgNPs as an antimicrobial agent. Other metals found on the surface of PPE were Mo, P, Ti, and Zn. XRD patterns displayed a notorious decrease in the crystallinity of polypropylene face masks, which could alter its interaction with external contaminants and stability. The next steps in this line of research were discussed. [Display omitted] • Mean PPE density was 6.6 × 10−4 and 7.2 × 10−4 PPE m−2 in Peru and Argentina. • FTIR revealed that PP, PA, PET, and polyester were the main polymer types. • SEM micrographs showed signs of structural degradation in face masks and gloves. • XRD showed decreased crystallinity in PP face masks. • PPE aging could promote MPs and contaminant release into the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative community-based approaches are proposed as a way to overcome the difficulties exerted by a broad range of social-ecological traps that emerge at the reconfiguration of social-ecological systems onto sustainable paths. Despite this, a deep examination of the social-ecological processes and interactions that constrain these approaches in different urban contexts is still necessary to improve their success. Latin American countries have institutional, political, and social characteristics that could constrain the pathways to sustainability in different ways from countries of the Global North, particularly in their metropolitan areas. Here, we present an experience (2015-2018) held in cooperation with workers of a social cooperative framed in an urban social movement from Argentina, related to the ecological rehabilitation of a highly degraded urban stream through the management of the riparian vegetation and the reintroduction of native macrophytes. The methodology involved a codesign approach based on a set of participatory actionresearch tools, together with resilience system analysis through causal loop diagrams, and three different interventions of a 200-m reach at the upstream area of the San Francisco stream (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The participatory diagnostic showed a strong negative effect of the current management guidelines on the riparian and aquatic vegetation, reflecting a positive feedback loop that reinforces this negative state, and revealed a hierarchical governance regime associated with the management of the watershed. Furthermore, it detected a strong motivation of local workers to generate transformative actions in terms of the sanitary and social-ecological improvements of the local habitat. The management actions showed a relatively high short-term survival of the macrophyte transplants (30-60% in a period of 2-4 months), displaying a strong spatial structure of the survival units, and downscaling to about 10% in the long term (6-12 months after interventions). A combination of biophysical and social processes related both to institutional and rigidity traps affected the survival of the transplants, reflecting the inertia of the current management programs to ecological improvements of the stream. In summary, the present work highlights the social-ecological constraints arising from transformative collective actions toward the ecological management of a stream at a highly vulnerable and bureaucratic urban context, with implications for socialecological urban transformations in Latin America and the design of effective participatory governance actions in alliance with local social movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural expansion and intensification in South America's dry forests and grasslands increase agricultural production, but also result in major environmental trade-offs. The Pampas and Chaco regions of Argentina have been global hotspots of agricultural land-use change since the 2000s, yet our understanding of what drives the spatial patterns of these land-use changes remains partial. We parameterized a net returns model of agricultural land-use change to estimate the probability of agricultural expansion (conversions of woodlands to either cropland or grazing land) and agricultural intensification (conversion of grazing land to cropland) at the 1-km scale for the years 2000 and 2010. Uniquely, our model allowed us to quantify the importance of underlying causes (i.e., changes in agricultural profit) and spatial determinants (i.e., soil fertility, distance to markets, etc.), for Argentina's prime agricultural regions as a whole. We found that cropland and grazing land expansion into woodlands was much less sensitive to changes in profit-related factors than agricultural intensification. Profit-related variables, were a particularly strong cause of intensification in the Pampas, where cropland profits rose by 29% (compared to 18% in the Chaco). This suggests that further conversions of grazing land to cropland in the Pampas and Chaco is likely as long as agricultural demand, and thus returns to agriculture, continue to be high. The moderate impact of profit-related factors on affecting woodland conversion rates also suggests a limited potential of economic policies that affect marginal profits (e.g., taxes or subsidies) to alter deforestation rates and patterns in major ways. Policies that target socio-economic variables not included in our profit-focused framework (e.g., capital availability), area-based interventions (e.g., land zoning), or less-profit oriented actors (e.g., via community-based management) might be more effective in addressing deforestation rates in the Chaco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are a major threat to people and property in Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities worldwide, but while the patterns of the WUI in North America, Europe and Oceania have been studied before, this is not the case in Latin America. Our goals were to a) map WUI areas in central Argentina, and b) assess wildfire exposure for WUI communities in relation to historic fires, with special emphasis on large fires and estimated burn probability based on an empirical model. We mapped the WUI in the mountains of central Argentina (810,000 ha), after digitizing the location of 276,700 buildings and deriving vegetation maps from satellite imagery. The areas where houses and wildland vegetation intermingle were classified as Intermix WUI (housing density > 6.17 hu/km 2 and wildland vegetation cover > 50%), and the areas where wildland vegetation abuts settlements were classified as Interface WUI (housing density > 6.17 hu/km 2 , wildland vegetation cover < 50%, but within 600 m of a vegetated patch larger than 5 km 2 ). We generated burn probability maps based on historical fire data from 1999 to 2011; as well as from an empirical model of fire frequency. WUI areas occupied 15% of our study area and contained 144,000 buildings (52%). Most WUI area was Intermix WUI, but most WUI buildings were in the Interface WUI. Our findings suggest that central Argentina has a WUI fire problem. WUI areas included most of the buildings exposed to wildfires and most of the buildings located in areas of higher burn probability. Our findings can help focus fire management activities in areas of higher risk, and ultimately provide support for landscape management and planning aimed at reducing wildfire risk in WUI communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed maps of forest structure attributes are crucial for sustainable forest management, conservation, and forest ecosystem science at the landscape level. Mapping the structure of broad heterogeneous forests is challenging, but the integration of extensive field inventory plots with wall-to-wall metrics derived from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and optical remote sensing offers a potential solution. Our goal was to map forest structure attributes (diameter at breast height, basal area, mean height, dominant height, wood volume and canopy cover) at 30-m resolution across the diverse 463,000 km2 of native forests of Argentina based on SAR Sentinel-1, vegetation metrics from Sentinel-2 and geographic coordinates. We modelled the forest structure attributes based on the latest national forest inventory, generated uncertainty maps, quantified the contribution of the predictors, and compared our height predictions with those from GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) and GFCH (Global Forest Canopy Height). We analyzed 3788 forest inventory plots (1000 m2 each) from Argentina's Second Native Forest Inventory (2015–2020) to develop predictive random forest regression models. From Sentinel-1, we included both VV (vertical transmitted and received) and VH (vertical transmitted and horizontal received) polarizations and calculated 1st and 2nd order textures within 3 × 3 pixels to match the size of the inventory plots. For Sentinel-2, we derived EVI (enhanced vegetation index), calculated DHIs (dynamic habitat indices (annual cumulative, minimum and variation) and the EVI median, then generated 1st and 2nd order textures within 3 × 3 pixels of these variables. Our models including metrics from Sentinel-1 and 2, plus latitude and longitude predicted forest structure attributes well with root mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 23.8% to 70.3%. Mean and dominant height models had notably good performance presenting relatively low RMSE (24.5% and 23.8%, respectively). Metrics from VH polarization and longitude were overall the most important predictors, but optimal predictors differed among the different forest structure attributes. Height predictions (r = 0.89 and 0.85) outperformed those from GEDI (r = 0.81) and the GFCH (r = 0.66), suggesting that SAR Sentinel-1, DHIs from Sentinel-2 plus geographic coordinates provide great opportunities to map multiple forest structure attributes for large areas. Based on our models, we generated spatially-explicit maps of multiple forest structure attributes as well as uncertainty maps at 30-m spatial resolution for all Argentina's native forest areas in support of forest management and conservation planning across the country. • Nationwide mapping of multiple forest structure attributes at 30-m resolution. • Uncertainty maps of each forest structure attribute at 30-m resolution. • Best predictors were a combination of Sentinel-1 and 2 data plus coordinates. • Forest height predictions outperformed those from GEDI and the GFCH. • Reliable predictions to support sustainable forest management in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to know how the goat producer perceives the public institutions linked to rural development processes of arid of La Asunción, Lavalle Department, Mendoza Northeast, Argentina. For this, a descriptive - exploratory study of cross cutting was developed, through a survey of 29 producers of a total of 40 residents. The public entities analyzed were: Dirección de Ganadería, CONICET, INTA Lavalle, Lavalle Municipality, Secretaría de Agricultura Familiar and Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. The survey results showed the INTA Lavalle as the best known entity in the area (92.9% of the producers), followed by the Municipality and the Secretariat with 75.86%. As for the institutional participation in specific goat production advice, the Dirección de Ganadería is that of higher participation with talks and specific meetings in the goat theme, covering the 38.52% of participation, followed by the Secretariat (21.26% ), and Lavalle Municipality (16.09%) and being the most appropriate themes feeding (25,29%) and facilities (16.67%). As for the institution acceptance, the Municipality showed the highest producers accordance with 48.28%, being the foundation, the subsidy provisions and tools without refund, added to that the institution is in constant contact with the population and in many cases, producer relatives works in it. It is stresses that 10.34% of the producers showed dissatisfaction with all. In the case of Dirección de Ganadería , the acceptance was only 3.45%, being the producers justification that is an organism that requires the loans refund, which does not provide subsidies, controls the animals moving, requires own register of marks and signals, is responsible for mandatory vaccinations, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microbiological studies of a spent nuclear fuel pool in Argentina were performed to evaluate the risk of microbiological induced corrosion and determine the cultivable bacterial population. Based on standard methods and sequencing of the 16sRNA gene, eighteen microorganisms were identified. Bacillus cereus RE 10 was the predominant organism isolated, and was selected to investigate the biofilm formation process and the corrosion effect on aluminum alloy AA 6061 and on pure aluminum (Al 99.999%). To simulate the environmental conditions, the experiments were performed using a highly diluted medium. After 20 days of exposure, major pits covered with deposits were found on AA 6061 samples exposed to B. cereus RE 10 but not on Al 99.999%. There was a close correlation between biofilm patches, corrosion deposits, pitting and Al–(Fe or Ti)–Si inclusions. We postulate that this correlation is a consequence of a light local alkalinization around the inclusions that produces changes in the expression pattern of B. cereus RE 10 and allows bacterial survival using other substrates. Under these conditions, the generated biofilm induces a crevice corrosion effect around the intermetallic inclusions of the alloy. Our results will be useful for further studies related to the microbial impact on nuclear safety in nuclear waste storage facilities in Argentina. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We characterized the seasonal cycle of productivity in Reloncaví Fjord (41°30′S), Chilean Patagonia. Seasonal surveys that included measurements of gross primary production, community respiration, bacterioplankton secondary production, and sedimentation rates along the fjord were combined with continuous records of water-column temperature variability and wind forcing, as well as satellite-derived data on regional patterns of wind stress, sea surface temperatures, and surface chlorophyll concentrations. The hydrography and perhaps fjord productivity respond to the timing and intensity of wind forcing over a larger region. Seasonal changes in the direction and intensity of winds, along with a late-winter improvement in light conditions, may determine the timing of phytoplankton blooms and potentially modulate productivity cycles in the region. Depth-integrated gross primary production estimates were higher (0.4–3.8gCm−2 d−1) in the productive season (October, February, and May), and lower (0.1–0.2gCm−2 d−1) in the non-productive season (August). These seasonal changes were also reflected in community respiration and bacterioplankton production rates, which ranged, respectively, from 0.3 to 4.8gCm−2 d−1 and 0.05 to 0.4gCm−2 d−1 during the productive and non-productive seasons and from 0.05 to 0.6gCm−2 d−1 and 0.05 to 0.2gCm−2 d−1 during the same two periods. We found a strong, significant correlation between gross primary production and community respiration (Spearman, r=0.95; p<0.001; n=12), which suggests a high degree of coupling between the synthesis of organic matter and its usage by the planktonic community. Similarly, strong correlations were found between bacterioplankton secondary production and both gross primary production (Spearman, r=0.7, p<0.05, n=9) and community respiration (Spearman, r=0.8, p<0.05, n=9), indicating that bacterioplankton may be processing an important fraction (8–59%) of the organic matter produced by phytoplankton in Reloncaví Fjord. In winter, bacterial carbon utilization as a percentage of gross primary production was >100%, suggesting the use of allochthonous carbon sources by bacterioplankton when the levels of gross primary production are low. Low primary production rates were associated with a greater contribution of small cells to autotrophic biomass, highlighting the importance of small-sized plankton and bacteria for carbon cycling and fluxes during the less productive winter months. Fecal pellet sedimentation was minimal during this period, also suggesting that most of the locally produced organic carbon is recycled within the microbial loop. During the productive season, on the other hand, the area exhibited a great potential to export organic matter, be it to higher trophic levels or vertically towards the bottom. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]