Buenos Aires University Research Articles

Cell scientist to watch – Barbara Tanos

ABSTRACT Barbara Tanos is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences in the Department of Life Sciences at Brunel University London (UK). Barbara received her undergraduate degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by a PhD in Molecular Cancer Biology from Duke University in North Carolina, under the supervision of Ann Marie Pendergast, where she studied ABL tyrosine kinases and EGF receptor trafficking. For her postdoctoral studies, Barbara first joined Weill Cornell Medical School (USA), where she worked with Enrique Rodriguez-Boulan to investigate epithelial polarity. She then moved to Memorial Sloan Kettering (USA) to join the team of Bryan Tsou where she investigated centriole distal appendage proteins and cilia formation. Barbara started her own research group at Brunel University London, to explore the mechanisms of regulation of centrioles and cilia. We spoke with Barbara over Zoom to learn more about her career, being a global nomad and her love for writing poetry.

Burnout components, perceived stress and hair cortisol in healthcare professionals during the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic

This study evaluates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in Argentina, during the second wave in 2021. The aim is to assess stress and burnout, incorporating the assessment of hair cortisol levels as a biomarker of chronic stress. A total of 496 healthcare workers from three different hospitals were included in this study. Two of these hospitals depend on the Buenos Aires City Ministry of Health and the third hospital belongs to Buenos Aires University. Hair samples were obtained using scissors from the posterior vertex, as close to the scalp as possible. Each sample was weighed, and cortisol was extracted and then measured using an automated chemiluminescent method. Notably, 10% of the population exhibited hair cortisol levels above 128 pg/mg. Associations were found between high hair cortisol levels and age, workload, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization. In addition, burnout, identified in 11% of participants, correlated with higher perceived stress and lower social support. Binary logistic regression revealed associations between burnout and perceived stress, and age. Finally, mediation analysis showed depersonalization as a mediating variable in the relationship between hair cortisol concentration and emotional exhaustion. In conclusion, this study highlights the complex relationships between stress, cortisol levels, and burnout. Prioritizing interventions and research is essential to support the well-being of frontline healthcare professionals, ensuring their resilience during challenging times.

La relación con el saber en docentes de la Facultad de Psicología de la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Una aproximación desde la clínica

The general objective of this research, which is part of the Master’s thesis in University Teaching, was to investigate the relationship between the knowledge of teachers of Psychology at the University of Buenos Aires and its possible connection to teaching practices. The specific objectives were: to describe the teaching methods of teachers as they describe them and as they can be interpreted from the analysis of their proposals; to describe and characterize the teachers’ conceptions of knowledge; to describe and characterize their way of emotional connection with knowledge; and to establish possible meaningful connections between teaching modalities, and in particular the forms that knowledge takes within them, and the emotional connections of the teachers with knowledge. Through the analysis of interviews, projective techniques and classroom observations, a series of subjective features of the teachers’ relationship with knowledge were identified, which were related to certain forms related to knowledge transmission in the classroom. We understand this relationship as a recursive one, in which the way of relating to knowledge is transformed with each experience, just as each experience produces updates in the way in which each teacher relates to knowledge. This article will present one of the cases analyzed.

Accompanying popular organizations through grassroots planning in Argentina: A conversation with El Taller Libre de Proyecto Social (TLPS)

In this conversation, Beatriz Pedro, a professor of El Taller Libre de Proyecto Social (TLPS) shares her insights on grassroots planning accompanying popular organizations in Argentina. Beginning with Argentina’s 2001 economic crisis, Pedro describes how university students and professors mobilized to collaborate with popular organizations to address inadequate housing and urban abandonment. This collaboration evolved into a social approach to designing habitat, integrating various disciplines and respecting community proposals. Beatriz highlights the transformation from traditional architectural practices to a more collaborative, community-focused approach. This shift, which she terms a ‘meeting of knowledges,’ led to the establishment of a Catedra Libre at the University of Buenos Aires, formalizing their grassroots methodology. This conversation addresses the importance of university autonomy, the impact of fluctuating government support, and the role of international networks in sharing knowledge and strategies.

A “Revista de Lejislacion y Jurisprudencia”

The “Revista de Lejislacion y Jurisprudencia” was published in Buenos Aires between 1869 and 1880, and it was directed by four professors at the University of Buenos Aires: José M. Moreno, Ceferino Araujo, Antonio E. Malaver and Juan José Montes de Oca. The ‘Revista’ had appeared when Vélez Sarsfield had already submitted to the Executive Power the first book of the Argentinean Civil Code Draft. That is why it is of great interest to analyze this publication that began to be issued at a turning point of the systematization of Argentinean legal system. I begin with a reference to the publications existing at the time when the ‘Revista’ was first published, and then go on to analyze its structure and content. In this sense, I deal with the judicial decisions reproduced and / or analyzed in the ‘Revista’ and their respective commentators, the scholarly writings, commented works, discussions, proposed reforms and the relations of the ‘Revista’ with other publications. I conclude with some final considerations.

From forensic chemistry: an educational experience

Abstract The study of forensic chemical analysis not only aids justice in the investigation of accidental or criminal events but also trains chemistry students in analysing hypothetical scenes, such as the design of scientific experiments, and alerting them to potential dangers. In this way, it contributes to generating awareness about safety and security, ethics, and the professional responsibilities of chemists. These, although ambitious, are some of the objectives that have led to the development of this course on Chemical Analysis in Forensic Investigation, whose thematic units and teaching details are developed. This work presents a detailed programme for the Forensic Chemistry course offered at the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. It includes examples of activities and bibliography, allowing it to be used as a template for similar courses or to adapt some of the thematic units to other chemistry courses. The suggested bibliography supports the education of both students and educators in the field of forensic chemistry. The incorporation of topics such as fires, explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWA), and environmental crimes aims to develop professional profiles for a new generation of chemists more committed to the societal impact of their work.

Connecting modernist university campuses and their cities. From current mobility patterns to sustainable mobility scenarios for the university of Buenos Aires campus, Argentina

ABSTRACT Many university campuses inspired by modernist architectural ideals were built in locations peripheral to their city contexts, leading to current unsustainable car-dependent mobility patterns. This paper explores this problem through a study of the main campus of the University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria (CU), in Argentina. The aim is to estimate the environmental benefits associated with shifting to a more sustainable modal split. To do this an online survey was conducted to generate baseline information on current travel patterns and associated CO2 emissions. Then, research-by-design methods were applied to create two scenarios of incremental levels of transportation sustainability. Finally, the CO2 emissions associated with each scenario’s mobility pattern were evaluated. Compared to the baseline, it was estimated that the first scenario would result in 7.1% of CO2 emissions reductions, while the second scenario would yield a reduction of 27.7%.

Hernan Díaz on “Trust” in Literature

ABSTRACT Hernan Díaz, an Argentine-American writer, is the Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author of two novels published in thirty-seven languages. He was born in Buenos Aires in 1973 and moved to Sweden with his family when he was two. He earned a BA in literature in the University of Buenos Aires, a MA degree at King’s College London, and received his PhD in comparative literature from New York University. His first novel, In the Distance (2017), was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction. His second novel, Trust (2022), received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was a New York Times Bestseller, the winner of the Kirkus Prize, and longlisted for the Booker Prize, among other nominations. He is the recipient of the John Updike award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, given to “a writer whose contributions to American literature have demonstrated consistent excellence.” Díaz is also the author of Borges, between History and Eternity, whose essays and stories have appeared in The Paris Review, Harper’s, The Atlantic, Granta, The Yale Review, Playboy, McSweeney’s, and elsewhere. He has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Award, and fellowships from the New York Public Library’s Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, and The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center. This conversation took place in Shanghai, China, on May 12, 2024. It delves into the complexities of trust in literature, exploring the relationship between author and reader, translation and global readership, and the notion of American Dream. It also discusses the nature of narrative, the relationship between fiction and truth, the ethical considerations in fiction writing, as well as Díaz’s transnational experience and academic work.

Un análisis del impacto del covid-19 en el mundo editorial en Argentina: redes sociales, digitalización y activismo digital

Since March 2020, the effects of the mandatory quarantine promoted by governments to face the pandemic by covid-19, generated an unprecedented impact on the characteristics that the global and national book industry had so far. The present work is part of a project based in the Gino Germani Research Institute of the University of Buenos Aires called “The Argentine edition, between the State and the market”, and its objective is to reflect analytically on the current moment in the publishing world, considering the conjunctural transformations suffered by publishers in terms of economic impact, reprogramming of publishing plans, the initiatives undertaken by publishers and digital activism put into practice in this context. To carry out this objective, we present the results of a survey carried out among 131 publishers in Argentina in May 2020. The results allow us to describe the importance of the digital environment, social networks and digital activism in this new scene. As an example of digital initiatives, we will describe the collective projects “¡Sálvese quien lea!” and Feria del Libro en Casa.

Héctor Fernández-Álvarez (1944-2023).

This article memorializes Héctor Fernández-Álvarez (1944-2023). Héctor was an exceptional mentor, therapist, supervisor, professor, researcher, author, and leader, as well as a beloved brother, partner, father, and grandfather. The consummate renaissance person who embraced all manners of cultural expressions through an intentional wanderlust, he sought to understand all forms of human suffering and to alleviate senseless ones. Héctor's career spanned well over 5 decades. He received a licenciatura degree in 1967 from the University of Buenos Aires and a PhD in 1995 from the National University of San Luis, Argentina. Héctor held multiple academic appointments throughout Latin America and Spain. He authored over 100 journal articles or book chapters, and 16 books, including a novel, La Distancia (The Distance), and Fundamentals of an Integrated Model of Psychotherapy, one of the most respected psychotherapy books in Latin America and Spain. In 1977, Héctor challenged the constraints of a military dictatorship by founding Aiglé (the everlasting flame). Aiglé remains a nongovernmental organization that delivers clinical and community services and prepares mental health practitioners informed by an active research program that evaluates training and psychotherapeutic processes and outcomes. Over the years, Héctor advanced Aiglé as a practice-oriented research clinical setting to investigate psychotherapy as it unfolds in clinical practice. He developed an integrative model of care that resulted in Aiglé's cognitive-integrative model. Aiglé has grown to be a hallmark for research-based, leading-edge psychotherapy training in Latin America. Highlights of Héctor's career and professional contributions are noted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

In the shadow of Americanisation: The origins and evolution of management education and training in Argentina (1940s–1960s)

This article examines the development of educational programs for developing managers in Argentina from the 1940s to the 1960s. Research on management education during this period has tended to be US-European focused and has looked at the impact of American models. In Argentina, new institutions began to emerge in the 1940s. This process gained momentum in the 1950s and flourished in the 1960s. Several US actors supported the institutionalisation of management education. This paper analyses the relationship between American influence and national actors in two cases: business education within the Facultad de Ciencias Económicas (FCE, Faculty of Economic Science) at the University of Buenos Aires, and executive education at the Instituto para el Desarrollo de Ejecutivos en la Argentina (IDEA, Argentine Institute for Executives Development). Rather than being clones of US models, they reflected a national re-interpretation of the overall US idea of the development of institutions for the education and training of people in managerial positions.

Ten years' real-life experience on the use of multikinase inhibitors in patients with advanced differentiated thyroid cancer.

To evaluate objective response rates (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) associated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with radioiodine refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR-DTC). Additionally, to compare: (i) ORR and PFS among patients treated with lenvatinib and sorafenib; (ii) ORR and PFS among patients receiving lenvatinib as first-line vs. second-line and; (iii) adverse effects (AEs) observed in patients treated with these medications. Retrospective analysis of RR-DTC adult patients treated with TKIs at the Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clinicas, University of Buenos Aires (March 2011-November 2023). Among 43 patients included in the study, 32 received sorafenib (30 as first-line and 2 as second-line), while 29 received lenvatinib (12 as first-line and 17 as second-line). The median PFS and OS for the entire cohort were 32.7 and 39.0 months, respectively. Lenvatinib demonstrated a significantly higher ORR compared to sorafenib (37.9% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.008). However, both drugs exhibited similar median PFS (23.2 vs. 16.0 months, p = 0.419). No significant difference was observed in ORR and PFS between patients receiving first-line vs. second-line lenvatinib. Sorafenib-treated patients experienced higher rates of hand-foot skin syndrome (69% vs. 41%, p = 0.032) and alopecia (25% vs. 3%, p = 0.018), whereas lenvatinib-treated patients had higher rates of proteinuria (31% vs. 0%, p < 0.001) and grade 3 hypertension (31% vs. 9%, p = 0.034). TKIs demonstrated efficacy and tolerability comparable to real-world data in RR-DTC. PFS was not statistically different between sorafenib and lenvatinib. Our study will help guide physicians in making informed decisions regarding treatment sequencing with TKIs in these patients.

Research note: Virtual historical archive of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This article describes the organization, operation, and contents of the Virtual Historical Archive of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The organization of this archive started in 2008, as part of the activities planned by the Chair II of History of Psychology, and gained the support of the Faculty of Psychology. From its beginnings to the present, several documentary sources and materials related to the history of psychology in Argentina have been incorporated. It currently contains six thematic sections and three special collections, and it is expected that in the future it will be extended to other thematic areas. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Bibliometric analysis of publications on osteoarticular brucellosis

Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to undertake a thorough bibliometric analysis of publications between 1991 and 2022 to scrutinize and comprehend the research landscape of osteoarticular brucellosis, a zoonotic infection that affects bones and joints. Methods: We scrutinized the distribution of publications by various criteria, including country, institution, author, and journal. Furthermore, we executed citation analysis, established collaboration networks, and performed keyword co-occurrence analysis. Results: Our examination discovered 432 documents on this topic indexed in the Web of Science database, with a noticeable surge in publications over time. Turkey, the United States, and Iran were the leading nations in terms of research output. The University of Buenos Aires emerged as the most productive institution. The primary research areas were General Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Rheumatology. The primary beneficiary of this research was Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (ANPCyT). Conclusions: This study furnishes valuable insights into worldwide research endeavors on osteoarticular brucellosis. These insights can steer future research directions, emphasizing the necessity for sustained collaboration and funding support to tackle this significant public health issue.

The sociological approach to vasectomized patient trajectories at the Buenos Aires University Clinical Hospital "José de San Martín"

According to the Argentinian Ministry of Health records the number of patients requesting vasectomy increased twelve times in public hospitals in 2015-2019. The physicians and specialists account for this change in recent years, arguing, among other reasons, cultural change when male assumes active position in contraceptive methods. The article addresses vasectomized patient trajectory at the Buenos Aires University Clinical Hospital "José de San Martín". The purpose of the study was to define from sociological point of view if we are actually witnessing cultural change. While considering last ten years (2012-2022), through diachronic analysis of patient demand at the Male Fertility Laboratory (n=1136) it was found that although main motivation is fertility, minority (6%) consulting to confirm absence of sperm in the ejaculate following vasectomy increased significantly in 2022 (Pearson's chi-squared test p<0.0001). After qualitative/quantitative interviews of former patient group (n=36) two sub-populations were distinguished: childless (42%; Median age: 30 years old; range: 24-35) and those having a family (58%; Median age: 39 years old; range: 35-54). Most of them had University degree (67%) and learned about this anti-contraceptive method by the Internet. It is remarkable that 94% of them were not aware of the the Argentinian Law № 236139 of 2006 that grants their right to vasectomy. Among all patients randomly interviewed in 2022 (n=200) condom anti-contraceptive method was the best known (67%). The conclusion was made that in the meantime developed New Trend that comprises high educational level segment of population of Argentina that in the future can become the germ of Cultural Change encompassing the whole society.

Graduate certificate on risk analysis for the Agrifood sector at the University of Buenos Aires.

Argentina has an extensive experience in the biosafety assessment of transgenic crops. The regulatory framework celebrated 30years of existence in 2021 and has pioneered the establishment of the biosafety systems in Latin America. During this period, Argentina's regulatory framework evolved to keep up with the advancements in plant and animal biotechnology and in risk assessment criteria, as new knowledge and experience was being gained. However, despite the country's agricultural tradition and experience in the adoption of innovations by the productive sector, dedicated, formal academic offerings training is lacking and this is also true for most countries in the world. Responding to this perceived need and going beyond biotechnology to include other regulated inputs used along the food production chain (chemicals, biologics, food additives, etc.), we developed a program to introduce graduates from diverse disciplines to the principles and practice of Risk Analysis (Assessment, Management and Communication) with focus on the Agrifood sector. In 2020, the School for Graduate Students of the School of Agriculture-University of Buenos Aires, approved two Certificates on Risk Analysis for the Agrifood Sector: Conceptual Bases of Risk Analysis and Methodological Tools. The first edition of the certificates was completed in December 2022 and the second one is presently ongoing. The fundaments, rationale, structure and objectives of these certificates are presented.

Czy ufamy historii? Piotr Kowalewski Jahromi rozmawia z Veróniką Tozzi Thompson

In this interview, conducted during the XXIII International Congress of Historical Sciences in Poznan, Verónica Tozzi Thompson (professor of Philosophy of History at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina) discusses historiography in Argentina and recent trends in historical theory, in particular the epistemology of the witness. She addresses important issues concerning key concepts for the philosophy and sociology of history: truth and trust. In addition, Tozzi Thompson discusses the differences and connections between analytic and narrativist philoso-phy of history and recommends some further readings.

Patricia Smichowski, a researcher who works hard to contribute to science, kindly granted BrJAC an interview

Patricia Smichowski is a Licentiate in Chemistry (equivalent to a Master in Science) of the University of Buenos Aires. She obtained an MS in Nuclear Engineering from the Engineering School of the University of Buenos Aires in 1981 and received her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1995 from the Complutense University, Madrid, Spain. In 1982, she joined the Argentine Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) where she is currently Head of the Analytical Developments Division. She is also Principal Researcher at the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET). She specializes in the development and application of atomic spectrometric techniques to environmental and biological analysis. Her interests lie in the preconcentration, speciation, and determination of trace metals and metalloids in a variety of matrices by employing plasma-based techniques, atomic fluorescence spectrometry, and other coupled techniques. She has conducted national and international projects aimed at characterizing the presence of metals, metalloids, ions, and organic compounds in airborne particulate matter, as well as elucidating their origin. She holds a patent, with other researchers, relating to the development of a sorbent for arsenic retention. Patricia Smichowski has published 130 peer reviewed articles and 12 book chapters, given 45 invited lectures at international meetings, and has co-organized several international conferences. She is a member of the advisory board of four international analytical chemistry journals, as well as the European Virtual Institute for Speciation Analysis.

Review of the VIII institutional conference of the Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of Buenos Aires: History and innovation

Introduction: nursing is the pillar of the health system that is oriented in a scientific and humanistic way to the care of the person, family, groups, and communities. Qualitative historical-documentary research was carried out whose objective of this article is to describe the historical evolution and innovation in the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). Nursing acquired its character as a university degree in 1960 and is structured in two cycles. The teaching scenarios of the career are organized in the central academic unit and in a decentralized manner in 16 Nursing Teaching Units distributed in the City and Province of Buenos Aires. The future perspectives and focus on career innovation include promoting scientific research, editorial management and scientific publication, health communication, clinical simulation, telehealth, and advanced education, as well as training in teaching and research careers and continuation in programs of postgraduate programs to all those who work in higher education and optimize the study plan in accordance with national curricular standards, which strengthened the narrative of the topics presented at the VIII institutional nursing conference of the UBA on November 24, 2023. Objective: to characterize the origins of nursing in Argentina and in the regional context linked to patterns that typify the birth and development of the Bachelor of Nursing degree at the UBA in epoch and contextual terms, highlighting the sociohistorical and institutional contributions both in the unit central academic center and in the nursing teaching units where the program operates, crystallizing the integrative dimensions that work in university life. Method: qualitative historical-documentary research. The research methods used were both theoretical and empirical. The theorists facilitated fulfilling the epistemological function of the conceptual interpretation of the information, which were: Analytical-Synthetic; Deductive-Inductive and Historical-Logical: Development: a dialectical, discursive sequencing and a narrative of events that appeal to organizational values or define in a sense attribute of the reference institution that anchors in amalgamation with the mission and vision of the Bachelor of Nursing degree at the UBA were programmed. Conclusions: the process of making the proposal programmed for the VIII institutional day of the Bachelor of Nursing degree at the UBA was enhanced as in a tessellar network, as it represented an organizational, operational and collaborative logic that highlighted the unity in action, guided by the leadership and direction of the course direction and with notable support in terms of the presence of prominent authorities from the House of Higher Studies itself, the Ministry of Health of the Nation and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, of disciplinary organizations: Argentine Nursing Federation, Nursing Association of the Federal Capital, Association of University Schools of Nursing of the Argentine Republic, Argentine Nursing Networks, career directors of local universities, as well as the UBA educational community made up of students, teachers, graduates, directors, coordinators of headquarters, areas and commissions that the convergence space selected for the occasion has flourished in the imposing Aula Magna “José Arce”, with a spirit of joy commemorating on such an occasion Nursing Day in Argentina, as an anniversary declared of interest by the race managers, focused on history and innovation

Germinal Rodríguez: public health, politics and medical popularization in the first person, Argentina, 1922-1960

This article examines the career of Argentine doctor Germinal Rodríguez, situating it within the context of social history of medicine and the recent trend of medical biographies. Using a qualitative documentary analysis methodology, we analyzed various sources, including official records from the University of Buenos Aires, journalistic articles, and books by Rodríguez himself. Our analysis reveals that Rodríguez's enjoyed a successful academic career in university teaching, while concurrently engaging in active socialist activism between 1920-1930. Beyond academia, Rodríguez served as a science popularizer, a policy consultant for his party, and even a public official during the Peronist era.