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Most water in the Parana River drainage basin is supplied by the tropical Upper Parana (over 60% of the total annual water discharge, 550 km3). The total suspended solids (TSS) load (c. 80 × 106 t year−1), however, is essentially furnished (50–70%) by the mountainous, arid and mostly sediment-mantled upper Bermejo River drainage basin. This characteristic suggests that the Parana River solid load (TSS, 600 km upstream from the mouth) is largely recycled sedimentary material, whose discharge-weighted mean chemical index of alteration is c. 71. The extended UCC-normalized multi-elemental diagrams are similar to those of other world rivers. Nevertheless, the detailed inspection of UCC-normalized rare earth element (REE) ‘spidergrams’ reveals a lithological source for the Parana River TSS that might be compatible with either tholeiitic flood basalts (widespread in the upper drainage) or with young Andean intermediate volcanic rocks. In view of the Bermejo River's dominant role as a sediment contributor, we feel that the signature preserved in the Parana's TSS is the latter. Conversely, the Uruguay River TSS REE signature is certainly determined by the extensive weathering products of Jurassic–Cretaceous tholeiitic basalts. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We report on an Italian boy with the Meier-Gorlin syndrome (ear-patella-short stature syndrome). This rare autosomal recessive disorder comprises the triad of microtia, absent patellae, and growth retardation with prenatal onset. The patient had also an acute torsion of his left spermatic cord, a condition related to a congenital defect of the tunica vaginalis. Because this syndrome had been suggested as the human equivalent of the short ear mouse [Lacombe et al., 1994: Ann. Genet. 37:184-191], a mutation analysis of the BMP5 gene was performed and found normal. The LMX1B and the SHOX genes were also evaluated considering the absent patellae and short stature, respectively, and were found normal as well.

Patagonian dust is the darling of researchers of paleoclimatic variability of southern South America. However, new chemical data from yet unexplored dust source areas allows for deeper investigation of the geological archives in the region. Fil: Gili, Stefania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina Fil: Gaiero, Diego Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina

The sources and dynamics of arsenic in fresh volcanic ashes collected during the eruptions of Hudson (1991) and Puyehue (2011) volcanos, have been studied. The chemical and mineralogical compositions of both volcanic ashes were analyzed by ICP/OES, XRD, and SEM-EDS. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the kinetics of the arsenic release under variable pH. Results indicate that the release is enhanced under both, acidic and alkaline conditions. Besides, the positive significant linear trend found between Fe and As concentrations in the leachates suggests that arsenopyrite or/and its alteration product scorodite is one important As-bearing phase present in the ash samples. This phase would be the main responsible of the As release under acidic conditions. At higher pH, two other mechanisms are involved: desorption from Fe(hydr)oxide coatings (at neutral to slightly alkaline conditions) and dissolution of both arsenopyrite and volcanic glass at pH higher than 9. Fil: Bia, Gonzalo Luis.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Fil: Bia, Gonzalo Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Fil: Borgnino, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Fil: Borgnino, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Fil: Gaiero, Diego M. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Fil: Gaiero, Diego M. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Fil: García, Maria Gabriela. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Fil: García, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina. Otras Ciencias Químicas

Composting of poultry litter is an important method to increase the retention of nutrients such as nitrogen (N) prior to its use as an agricultural soil amendment. Biodiesel wash water (BWW) was used as a treatment during composting and compared to municipal water as a control. Molecular analyses examined the effects of BWW on the microbial communities (via denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) and the abundance of bacteria, fungi, pathogens, and ureolytic/uricolytic N-cycling microorganisms (via quantitative real-time PCR). The lack of large community perturbence and variable abundance of N-cycling microbes supports the use of BWW, but higher levels of Campylobacter in the mature BWW compost will need to be examined further. Ureolytic screening of bacterial isolates identified the dominant group PLUP (poultry litter urease producers). Incubation of PL with BWW and PLUP microbial inoculant, revealed active ureolysis by PLUP, and inhibition of the enzymes involved in N-mineralization by BWW.

Iron is an essential micronutrient for phytoplankton growth and is supplied to the remote areas of the ocean mainly through atmospheric dust/ash. The amount of soluble Fe in dust/ash is a major source of uncertainty in modeling-Fe dissolution and deposition to the surface ocean. Currently in the literature, there exist almost as many different methods to estimate fractional solubility as researchers in the field, making it difficult to compare results between research groups. Also, an important constraint to evaluate Fe solubility in atmospheric dust is the limited mass of sample which is usually only available in micrograms to milligrams amounts. A continuous flow (CF) method that can be run with low mass of sediments (

To assess burden and clinical features of type 1 diabetes in migrant with respect to Italian children. Prevalent children with type 1 diabetes were identified through a multicenter study, including 46 pediatric outpatients diabetic clinics. A nested case–control study was also performed, comparing features at diabetes onset and after 1 year of insulin treatment in 84 migrants and 75 Italian children with onset in 2011, matched for age and sex. Out of 7,812 children cared for by pediatric diabetologists, 761 (10 %) were migrant and 548 of them were born in Italy. Age at diagnosis was lower in migrants born in Italy (5.1 years, interquartile range (IQR) 2.2–7.7) than in those born in their original countries (7.8 years, IQR 5.3–10.3) and in Italians (9.8 years, IQR 5.9–13.0, p\0.001). At diabetes onset, migrants had lower frequencies of positivities of markers of b-cell autoimmunity (96 vs. 99.5 %, p\0.01), higher values of weight loss (11 vs. 7 %, p\0.01), HbA1c (70 vs. 58 mmol/mol, p\0.001), and insulin requirement (0.70 ± 0.03 vs. 0.63 ± 0.10 UI/kg/die, p = 0.05) and lower levels of 25-OH vitamin D3 (15.0 ± 2.8 vs. 20.8 ± 1.3, p = 0.03). Moreover, they experienced higher frequencies of hospitalizations during the first year of disease (19.2 vs. 2.7 %, p\0.001). Burden of type 1 diabetes in migrant children is increasing in Italy, with younger age at onset and different clinical features than in Italian children. Higher hospitalization rates and poorer glycemic control over the first year underline that approach to diabetes care in migrants needs to be improved.

Bacterial root endophytes reside in a vast number of plant species as part of their root microbiome, with some being shown to positively influence plant growth. Endophyte community structure (species diversity: richness and relative abundances) within the plant is dynamic and is influenced by abiotic and biotic factors such as soil conditions, biogeography, plant species, microbe-microbe interactions and plant-microbe interactions, both at local and larger scales. Plant-growth-promoting bacterial endophytes (PGPBEs) have been identified, but the predictive success at positively influencing plant growth in field conditions has been limited. Concurrent to the development of modern molecular techniques, the goal of predicting an organism's ability to promote plant growth can perhaps be realized by more thorough examination of endophyte community dynamics. This paper reviews the drivers of endophyte community structure relating to plant growth promotion, the mechanisms of plant growth promotion, and the current and future use of molecular techniques to study these communities.

This study provides a detailed description of the sources, transport, dispersion, and deposition of two major dust events originating from the high‐altitude subtropical Puna‐Altiplano Plateau (15?26°S; 65?69°W) in South America. A long and severe drought provided the right conditions for the onset of both events in July 2009 and 2010. Dust was transported SE and deposited over the Pampas region and was observed to continue to the Atlantic Ocean. Dust monitoring stations located downwind recorded both events, and samples were characterized through chemical and textural analysis. Through a combination of meteorological data and satellite observations (CALIPSO andMODIS detectors), we estimate the emission flux for the 2010 event. This estimate was used to constrain the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) transport model and simulate the dust event. Both satellite imagery and model results agree in the location and extension of the dust cloud. CALIPSO detected dust between ~6000 and ~8500 m a.s.l., which remained at this height during most of its trajectory. The dust cloud mixed with a strong convective system in the region, and the associated precipitation brought down significant amounts of dust to the ground. Dust particle size analysis for both events indicates that near the sources dust samples show median modes of 12.4?14.1 μm, similar to modes observed 1300 km away. Chemical composition of sediments from potential dust sources shows distinct signatures within the Puna‐Altiplano Plateau, the Puna sector being clearly different from the Altiplano area. In addition, both sources are markedly different from the Patagonian chemical fingerprint.These results have important implications to improve the interpretation of aleoenvironmental archives preserved on the Argentine loess, Antarctic ice cores, and Southern Ocean marine sediments. Fil: Gaiero, Diego Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico - CONICET - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina; Fil: Simonella, Lucio Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico - CONICET - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina; Fil: Gassó, Santiago. Morgan State University; Estados Unidos de América; Fil: Gili, Stefania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnológico - CONICET - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina; Fil: Stein, A.F.. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Estados Unidos de América; Fil: Sosa, P.. Universidad Nacional de Salta; Argentina; Fil: Becchio, Raul Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - CONICET - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentina; Fil: Arce, J.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria; Fil: Marelli, H.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Córdoba. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria

Iron (Fe) is a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton productivity in many different oceanic regions. A critical aspect underlying iron limitation is its low solubility in seawater as this controls the distribution and transport of iron through the ocean. Processes which enhance the solubility of iron in seawater, either through redox reactions or organic complexation, are central to understanding the biogeochemical cycling of iron. In this work we combined iron solubility measurements with parallel factor (PARAFAC) data analysis of Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) fluorescence along a meridional transect through the Atlantic (PS ANT XXVI-4) to examine the hypothesis that marine humic fluorescence is a potential proxy for iron solubility in the surface ocean. PARAFAC analysis revealed 4 components (C1-4), two humic like substances (C2&4) and two protein-like (C1&3). Overall none of the 4 components were significantly correlated with iron solubility, though humic-like components were weakly correlated with iron solubility in iron replete waters. Our analysis suggests that the ligands responsible for maintaining iron in solution in the euphotic zone are sourced from both remineralisation processes and specific ligands produced in response to iron stress and are not easily related to bulk CDOM properties. The humic fluorescence signal was sharply attenuated in surface waters presumably most likely due to photo bleaching, though there was only a weak correlation with the transient photo product H2O2, suggesting longer lifetimes in the photic zone for the fluorescent components identified here. Fil: Heller, M. I.. Geomar-Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel; Alemania Fil: Gaiero, Diego Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina Fil: Croot, P. L.. Geomar-Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel; Alemania

La depresión del valle de Lerma se ubica geográficamente en el centro sur de la Provincia de Salta y geológicamente en la Provincia Cordillera Oriental, en el noroeste de Argentina. Dentro de esta unidad geomorfológica, se ubicaron dos sitios para la colección de muestras de agua de lluvia en el período 2009 a 2012: uno en la localidad de Vaqueros y otro en la Ciudad de Salta. El objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizar la composición química del agua de lluvia de la región e inferir las posibles fuentes que aportan a la misma. También este estudio propone evaluar la posible influencia de las zonas con mineralizaciones polimetálicas, ubicadas al oeste del área de estudio, sobre la composición del agua de lluvia para cada muestra se analizó pH, conductividad eléctrica, concentración de aniones (Cl-, NO3- y SO4(2-)), cationes (Na, Mg, K y Ca) y elementos traza (Al, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Sb, Ba y Pb). Para la interpretación de los resultados se aplicaron técnicas estadísticas multivariadas y cálculos del factor de enriquecimiento, utilizando como valor de referencia análisis químicos de polvo atmosférico recolectado en el área. El agua de lluvia local presenta enriquecimiento significativo en las concentraciones de Ca, Cu, Zn, As, Sb y Pb y, de acuerdo con análisis estadísticos, una correlación directa entre los mismos. La asociación de elementos encontrada es similar a las paragénesis de las mineralizaciones polimetálicas de la Puna-Altiplano, aflorantes al oeste del área de estudio. Imágenes satelitales y trabajos científicos documentan intensa deflación de la región Puna-Altiplano con componentes de transporte dominantemente hacia el E, donde se encuentra el Valle de Lerma. Se infiere que este fenómeno otorga una impronta particular a la química del agua de lluvia de este valle. Este trabajo corresponde al primer registro de la composición química del agua de lluvia de esta región. Como la ciudad de Salta no registra una contaminación atmosférica significativa ni importantes fuentes de aporte antrópico, se define además el nivel de base del agua de lluvia del Valle de Lerma. Soluble components in rainwater were studied in Valle de Lerma (Salta-Argentina). The studied area is located in the central south area of Salta Province in the Cordillera Oriental region, Northwest Argentina. The largest urban area corresponds to Salta city, where sample collection and analysis of rainwater were performed between 2009 and 2012 periods. Conductivity and pH were measured on each sample, and major (Cl-, NO3-, SO4(2-), Na, Mg, K, Ca) and trace elements (Al, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Sb, Ba and Pb) were analyzed. Multivariate statistical calculation and enrichment factor were applied to the obtained data. Atmospheric dust collected on the same sampling stations were used as reference for enrichment factors calculations. The local rainwater presents significant enrichment in Ca, Cu, Zn, As, Sb and Pb while statistical analyses indicate a direct correlation between them. The association of elements in the rainwater is similar to those for the polymetallic ore deposits outcropping in the Puna-Altiplano region, which are located to west of the study area. Satellite images as well as previous research indicates transport of atmospheric dust from the Puna-Altiplano to the East, where Valle de Lerma is suited. We conclude that this phenomenon gives a particular print to the chemistry of the rainwater in this area. This work corresponds to the first study of the rainwater's chemical composition in this region. As Salta city lacks of significant air pollution or major sources from anthropogenic activities, the data on this paper establish the background of the Valle de Lerma rainwater geochemistry.

Iron (Fe) is a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton productivity in many different oceanic regions. A critical aspect underlying iron limitation is its low solubility in seawater as this controls the distribution and transport of iron through the ocean. Processes which enhance the solubility of iron in seawater, either through redox reactions or organic complexation, are central to understanding the biogeochemical cycling of iron. In this work we combined iron solubility measurements with parallel factor (PARAFAC) data analysis of CDOM fluorescence along a meridional transect through the Atlantic (PS ANT XXVI-4) to examine the hypothesis that marine humic fluorescence is a potential proxy for iron solubility in the surface ocean. PARAFAC analysis revealed 4 components, two humic like substances and two protein-like. Overall none of the 4 components were significantly correlated with iron solubility, though humic-like components were weakly correlated with iron solubility in iron replete waters. Our analysis suggests that the ligands responsible for maintaining iron in solution in the euphotic zone are sourced from both remineralisation processes and specific ligands produced in response to iron stress and are not easily related to bulk CDOM properties. The humic fluorescence signal was sharply attenuated in surface waters presumably most likely due to photo bleaching, though there was only a weak correlation with the transient photo product H2O2, suggesting longer lifetimes in the photic zone for the fluorescent components identified here. Key Points: - humic-like components correlated with Fe solubility in iron repleted water - ligands are sourced from remineralisation processes produced to Fe stress - humic flu sharply attenuated in surface waters, but only weak corr. with H2O2

Fil: Gili, Stefania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina

Iron (Fe) and other trace elements such as Zn, Mn, Ni and Cu are known as key-factors in marine biogeochemical cycles. It is believed that ocean primary productivity blooms in iron deficient regions can be triggered by iron in aeolian dust. Up to now, scarce aerosol elemental composition, based on measurements over sea at the Western South Atlantic (WSA), exist. An association between the Patagonian semi-desert dust/Fe and chlorophyll-a variability at the Argentinean continental shelf is essentially inferred from models. We present here experimental data of Fe enriched aerosols over the WSA between latitudes 22°S–62°S, during 4 oceanographic campaigns between 2002 and 2005. These data allowed inferring the atmospheric Fe flux onto different latitudinal bands which varied from 30.4 to 1688 nmolFe m-2 day-1 (October 29th–November 15th, 2003); 5.83–1586 nmolFe m-2 day-1 (February 15th–March 6th, 2004) and 4.73–586 nmolFe m-2 day-1(October 21st–November 5th, 2005).

The global chemical transport model GEOS-Chem, implemented with a dust-iron dissolution scheme, was used to analyze the magnitude and spatial distribution of mineral dust and soluble-iron (sol-Fe) deposition to the South Atlantic Ocean (SAO). The comparison of model results with remotely sensed data shows that GEOS-Chem can capture dust source regions in Patagonia and characterize the temporal variability of dust outflow. For a year-long model simulation, 22 Tg of mineral dust and 4 Gg of sol-Fe were deposited to the surface waters of the entire SAO region, with roughly 30% of this dust and sol-Fe predicted to be deposited to possible high nitrate low chlorophyll oceanic regions. Model-predicted dissolved iron fraction of mineral dust over the SAO was small, on average only accounting for 0.57% of total iron. Simulations suggest that the primary reason for such a small fraction of sol-Fe is the low ambient concentrations of acidic trace gases available for mixing with dust plumes. Overall, the amount of acid added to the deliquesced aerosol solution was not enough to overcome the alkalinity buffer of Patagonian dust and initiate considerable acid dissolution of mineral-iron. Sensitivity studies show that the amount of sol-Fe deposited to the SAO was largely controlled by the initial amount of sol-Fe at the source region, with limited contribution from the spatial variability of Patagonian-desert topsoil mineralogy and natural sources of acidic trace gases. Simulations suggest that Patagonian dust should have a minor effect on biological productivity in the SAO. Fil: Johnson, Matthew S.. North Carolina Sate University; Estados Unidos Fil: Meskhidze, Nicholas. North Carolina Sate University; Estados Unidos Fil: Solmon, Fabien. French National Center for Scientific Research; Francia Fil: Gassó, Santiago. University of Maryland; Estados Unidos Fil: Chuang, Patrick Y.. California State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Gaiero, Diego Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Tierra; Argentina Fil: Yantosca, Robert M.. Harvard University; Estados Unidos Fil: Wu, Shiliang. Michigan Technological University; Estados Unidos Fil: Wang, Yuxuan. Tsinghua University Beijing; China Fil: Carouge, Claire. Harvard University; Estados Unidos

[1] The origin of dust deposited in East Antarctica is not fully understood yet. This study demonstrates that, contrary to Nd, Sr isotopes are strongly fractionated in the finest-sized material representing potential dust sources in South America. Analysis of Nd isotopes suggests that Argentine loess, Southern Ocean sediments and Antarctic dust, may all have a related origin or can represent comparable mechanisms of eolian sediment transport and deposition. This analysis also concludes that the Patagonian signature can explain a high proportion of the isotopic composition of dust trapped in Antarctic ice during glacial periods. The Puna-Altiplano plateau emerges as the second possible important sediment contributor explaining the crustal-like signature found in East Antarctic dust and should be considered as a potential source area when Quaternary paleoclimate is reconstructed from Argentine loess, Antarctic dust and South Atlantic sediment records.

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We report on six patients who developed diabetes mellitus after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The prevalence in our cohort of long-term survivors after HCT performed below 18 yr of age was 3%. The median age at onset of diabetes was 22.4 yr (range 11.3-34.4). The median period between HCT and diabetes was 10.1 yr (range 5.6-22.1). Five out of the six patients received total irradiation therapy and five had other endocrinological abnormalities. The onset of diabetes in all patients was insidious and none had diabetic ketoacidosis. Body mass indexes at diabetes onset were within normal levels. The clinical and laboratory features that characterized our patients with diabetes after HCT make it difficult to classify them as having type-1 or type-2 diabetes. The relatively high prevalence of diabetes and its insidious onset in this group of patients, advocate clinicians to evaluate carefully even slight variations in fasting blood glucose, usually included in the routine biochemistry follow-up. These data also suggest that HbA1c and oral glucose-tolerance test should be added to the follow-up program of late complications if fasting blood glucose levels are slightly increased.

The main Patagonian rivers (Colorado, Negro, Chubut, Deseado, Coyle, Chico, Santa Cruz and Gallegos) were sampled between September 1995 and November 1998 to determine their chemical and isotopic compositions, the origins of the suspended and dissolved river loads and their inputs to the South Atlantic Ocean. This paper focuses on the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) transport and its υ 13 C isotopic signature. The υ 13 CDIC values vary between� 12Ð 8a nd� 1Ð8‰ and allow one to distinguish two river groups: (i) the Colorado, Negro, Chubut and Santa Cruz, which display the highest values and the lowest seasonal variations; (ii) the Deseado, Coyle, Chico and Gallegos, which show the lowest values and the highest seasonal variations. For the first group, υ 13 CDIC is mainly controlled by important exchanges between the river waters and atmospheric CO2, due to the presence of lakes and dams. For the second group, υ 13 CDIC also appears to be controlled by the oxidation of organic carbon, showing a negative relationship between υ 13 CDIC and the dissolved organic carbon. These biogeochemical processes interfere with the contribution of carbonate and silicate weathering to the riverine DIC and do not allow use of υ 13 CDIC alone to distinguish these contributions. The annual DIC flux exported by Patagonian Rivers to the South Atlantic Ocean averages 621ð 10 9 g. of C, i.e. a specific yield of 2Ð 7gm � 2 year � 1 . The mean υ 13 CDIC can be estimated to� 4Ð9‰, which is high compared with other rivers of the world. Copyright  2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Riverine and wind-borne materials transferred from Patagonia to the SW Atlantic exhibit a homogeneous rare earth element (REE) signature. They match well with the REE composition of Recent tephra from the Hudson volcano, and hence this implies a dominance of material supplied by this source and other similar Andean volcanoes. Due to the trapping effect of proglacial and reservoir lakes, the larger Patagonian rivers deliver to the ocean a suspended load with a slightly modified Andean signature, that shows a REE composition depleted in heavy REEs. In this paper we redefine Patagonia as a source of sediments, which is in contrast with other sources located in southern South America. Quaternary sediments deposited in the northern and, to a lesser extent, in the southern Scotia Sea, and most of the dust in ice cores of east Antarctica have REE compositions very similar to the loess from Buenos Aires Province and to Patagonian eolian dust. However, we rule out Buenos Aires province as a Holocene major source of sediments. Similarly to Buenos Aires loess (a proximal facies), it is likely that the REE compositions of most sediment cores of the Scotia Sea and Antarctica reflect a distal transport of dust with an admixed composition from two main sources: a major contribution from Patagonia, and a minor proportion from source areas containing sediments with a clear upper crustal signature (e.g., western Argentina) or from Bolivia’s Altiplano. Evidence indicates that only during the Last Glacial Maximum, Patagonian materials were the predominant sediment source to the southern latitudes.

A patient with Schmidt's syndrome and atypical symptoms of Addison's disease is presented. Autoimmune thyroiditis was diagnosed at the age of 12 years and then at 15 years; a diagnosis of migraine was made following 10 days of headache, visual field defects and dysarthria. One week later the patient was admitted to hospital in critical condition. Addison's disease was diagnosed and replacement therapy was introduced which brought about a rapid clinical improvement. Positive adrenal autoantibodies confirmed the diagnosis. We suggest that patients with organ-specific autoimmune disease undergo annual screening for adrenal activity, and in the event of abnormal results, adrenal autoantibody evaluation should be carried out, to avoid a life-threatening crisis caused by Addison's disease, which is often difficult to recognize due to atypical clinical presentation, as in the patient reported here.

Most water in the Parana River drainage basin is supplied by the tropical Upper Parana (over 60% of the total annual water discharge, 550 km3. The total suspended solids (TSS) load (c. 80 [mulplié par] 10[puissance]6 t year[exposant]-1, however, is essentially furnished (50–70%) by the mountainous, arid and mostly sediment-mantled upper Bermejo River drainage basin. This characteristic suggests that the Parana River solid load (TSS, 600 km upstream from the mouth) is largely recycled sedimentary material, whose discharge-weighted mean chemical index of alteration is c. 71. The extended UCCnormalized multi-elemental diagrams are similar to those of other world rivers. Nevertheless, the detailed inspection of UCC-normalized rare earth element (REE) ‘spidergrams’ reveals a lithological source for the Parana River TSS that might be compatible with either tholeiitic flood basalts (widespread in the upper drainage) or with young Andean intermediate volcanic rocks. In view of the Bermejo River’s dominant role as a sediment contributor, we feel that the signature preserved in the Parana’s TSS is the latter. Conversely, the Uruguay River TSS REE signature is certainly determined by the extensive weathering products of Jurassic–Cretaceous tholeiitic basalts.

The occurrence and geochemical behaviour of Fe, Mn, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn and Co are studied in riverine detrital materials transported by Patagonian rivers. Their riverine inputs have been estimated and the nature of these inputs to the Atlantic Ocean is discussed. Most of the metals are transported to the ocean via the suspended load; there is evidence that Fe oxides and organic matter are important phases controlling their distribution in the detrital non-residual fraction. Most heavy metal concentrations found in bed sediments, in suspended matter, and in the dissolved load of Patagonian rivers were comparable to those reported for non-polluted rivers. There is indication that human activity is altering riverine metal inputs to the ocean. In the northern basins – and indicating anthropogenic effects – heavy metals distribution in the suspended load is very different from that found in bed sediments. The use of pesticides in the Negro River valley seems correlated with increased riverine input of Cu, mostly bound to the suspended load. The Deseado and Chico Rivers exhibit increased specific yield of metals as a consequence of extended erosion within their respective basins. The Santa Cruz is the drainage basin least affected by human activity and its metal-exporting capacity should be taken as an example of a relatively unaffected large hydrological system. In contrast, coal mining modifies the transport pattern of heavy metals in the Gallegos River, inasmuch as they are exported to the coastal zone mainly as dissolved load.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to determine the morbidity and mortality at 3 and 6 months after surgery of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty at the Unidad de Cirugía del Aparato Locomotor (UCAL) of the Asociación Española de Socorros Mutuos (a medical institution). Methods: In a prospective single cohortstudy, all patients undergoing primary totalkneearthroplastyatUCALinthe periodbetween Mayand December2011were included, totalizing 140 arthroplasties .A 4 of them failed to complete follow them, so that the results of 136 primary knee arthroplasties using different functional scores were evaluated, findings, comorbidities and complications encounteredwere described. Results: The mortality at follow-upinthe populationwas 0%. Seven patients (5,14%) had complications, including 2patients (1.47%) who had a deep infection. The rateof readmissionandreoperationof our populationwas 4,4% (6 patients). Patients which had no previous comorbidities were a 16,9% The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension present in 65,4% of our patients. All patients with complications had at least 3 comorbidities. Most patients improved their functional dependence by 3% improved their quality of life by 80%, and above all reduced their symptoms especially pain by 66%. Conclusion: All patients with complications had 3 or more comorbidities. In the study population 32% of patients with 3 or more comorbidities suffered any complications. There were no complications in the group of patients with less than 3 comorbidities regardless of age this being statistically significant. We conclude that having 3 or more comorbidities increased the risk of complications this being statistically significant.

Few data are available on the long-term effect of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on growth. This study examines those factors that play a role in the final height outcome of patients who underwent BMT during childhood. Data on 181 of 230 patients with aplastic anemia, leukemias, and lymphomas who had BMT before puberty (mean age, 9.8 +/- 2.6 years) and who had reached their final height were analyzed. An overall decrease in final height standard deviation score (SDS) value was found compared with the height at BMT (P10(7)) and with the genetic height (P10(7)). Girls did better than boys, and the younger in age the person was at time of BMT, the greater the loss in height. Previous cranial irradiation + single-dose total body irradiation (TBI) caused the greatest negative effect on final height achievement (P10(4)). Fractionation of TBI reduces this effect significantly and conditioning with busulfan and cyclophosphamide seems to eliminate it. The type of transplantation, graft-versus-host disease, growth hormone, or steroid treatment did not influence final height. Irradiation, male gender and young age at BMT were found to be major factors for long-term height loss. Nevertheless, the majority of patients (140/181) have reached adult height within the normal range of the general population.