Different Regions Of Argentina Research Articles

Integration of radiocarbon dating and paleomagnetic secular variation to date Las Brusquillas (LB4) archaeological site, Pampas region, Argentina

This article presents the first age model built with a combination of paleomagnetic data and radiocarbon dating for the Las Brusquillas 4 archaeological site (Pampas region, Argentina). The sedimentary sequence represents fluvio-lacustrine deposits where faunal remains and lithic artefacts were found in two archaeological layers separated by culturally sterile sediments. Our age model is fundamental to date the human occupation in the area during the Holocene and determine when paleoenvironmental changes occurred at a local scale. Paleomagnetic secular variations (PSV) recorded in 129 cm of this sedimentary sequence were compared to four global geomagnetic field models. Rock magnetic results suggest that the magnetic signal is carried by low-coercivity magnetic minerals like magnetite with an important contribution of antiferromagnetic minerals (hematite-type). The PSV of Las Brusquillas 4 compare well with other natural archives from different regions of Argentina but some differences were found in the declination data, showing the importance of further records from this region to better constrain the secular variation of the geomagnetic field.

A bit of medical paternalism? A qualitative study on power relations between women and healthcare providers when deciding on mode of birth in five public maternity wards of Argentina

BackgroundWhether women should be able to decide on mode of birth in healthcare settings has been a topic of debate in the last few decades. In the context of a marked increase in global caesarean section rates, a central dilemma is whether pregnant women should be able to request this procedure without medical indication. Since 2015, Law 25,929 of Humanised Birth is in place in Argentina. This study aims at understanding the power relations between healthcare providers, pregnant women, and labour companions regarding decision-making on mode of birth in this new legal context. To do so, central concepts of power theory are used.MethodsThis study uses a qualitative design. Twenty-six semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers were conducted in five maternity wards in different regions of Argentina. Participants were purposively selected using heterogeneity sampling and included obstetrician/gynaecologists (heads of department, specialists working in 24-h shifts, and residents) and midwives where available. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to inductively develop themes and categories.ResultsThree themes were developed: (1) Healthcare providers reconceptualize decision-making processes of mode of birth to make women’s voices matter; (2) Healthcare providers feel powerless against women’s request to choose mode of birth; (3) Healthcare providers struggle to redirect women’s decision regarding mode of birth. An overarching theme was built to explain the power relations between healthcare providers, women and labour companions: Healthcare providers’ loss of beneficial power in decision-making on mode of birth.ConclusionsOur analysis highlights the complexity of the healthcare provider-woman interaction in a context in which women are, in practice, allowed to choose mode of birth. Even though healthcare providers claim to welcome women being an active part of the decision-making processes, they feel powerless when women make autonomous decisions regarding mode of birth. They perceive themselves to be losing beneficial power in the eyes of patients and consider fruitful communication on risks and benefits of each mode of birth to not always be possible. At the same time, providers perform an increasing number of CSs without medical indication when it is convenient for them, which suggests that paternalistic practices are still in place.

Can infection with Trypanosoma cruzi modify the toxicological response of Triatoma infestans susceptible and resistant to deltamethrin?

Chemical control plays a central role in interrupting the vector transmission of Chagas disease. In recent years, high levels of resistance to pyrethroids have been detected in the main vector Triatoma infestans, which were associated with less effectiveness in chemical control campaigns in different regions of Argentina and Bolivia. The presence of the parasite within its vector can modify a wide range of insect physiological processes, including toxicological susceptibility and the expression of resistance to insecticides. This study examined for the first time the possible effects of Trypanosoma cruzi infection on susceptibility and resistance to deltamethrin in T. infestans. Using WHO protocol resistance monitoring assays, we exposed resistant and susceptible strains of T. infestans, uninfected and infected with T. cruzi to different concentrations of deltamethrin in fourth-instar nymphs at days 10–20 post-emergence and monitored survival at 24, 48, and 72 h. Our findings suggest that the infection affected the toxicological susceptibility of the susceptible strain, showing higher mortality than uninfected susceptible insects when exposed to both deltamethrin and acetone. On the other hand, the infection did not affect the toxicological susceptibility of the resistant strain, infected and uninfected showed similar toxic responses and the resistance ratios was not modified. This is the first report of the effect of T. cruzi on the toxicological susceptibility of T. infestans and triatomines in general and, to our knowledge, one of the few on the effect of a parasite on the insecticide susceptibility of its insect vector.

Relationship between Climate Variables and Dengue Incidence in Argentina.

Climate change is an important driver of the increased spread of dengue from tropical and subtropical regions to temperate areas around the world. Climate variables such as temperature and precipitation influence the dengue vector's biology, physiology, abundance, and life cycle. Thus, an analysis is needed of changes in climate change and their possible relationships with dengue incidence and the growing occurrence of epidemics recorded in recent decades. This study aimed to assess the increasing incidence of dengue driven by climate change at the southern limits of dengue virus transmission in South America. We analyzed the evolution of climatological, epidemiological, and biological variables by comparing a period of time without the presence of dengue cases (1976-1997) to a more recent period of time in which dengue cases and important outbreaks occurred (1998-2020). In our analysis, we consider climate variables associated with temperature and precipitation, epidemiological variables such as the number of reported dengue cases and incidence of dengue, and biological variables such as the optimal temperature ranges for transmission of dengue vector. The presence of dengue cases and epidemic outbreaks are observed to be consistent with positive trends in temperature and anomalies from long-term means. Dengue cases do not seem to be associated with precipitation trends and anomalies. The number of days with optimal temperatures for dengue transmission increased from the period without dengue cases to the period with occurrences of dengue cases. The number of months with optimal transmission temperatures also increased between periods but to a lesser extent. The higher incidence of dengue virus and its expansion to different regions of Argentina seem to be associated with temperature increases in the country during the past two decades. The active surveillance of both the vector and associated arboviruses, together with continued meteorological data collection, will facilitate the assessment and prediction of future epidemics that use trends in the accelerated changes in climate. Such surveillance should go hand in hand with efforts to improve the understanding of the mechanisms driving the geographic expansion of dengue and other arboviruses beyond the current limits. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11616.

Evaluation of antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of Minthostachys verticillata essential oils against bovine Staphylococcus aureus strains

Staphylococcus aureus is the main important mastitis pathogen. Treatment strategies using medicinal plants are novel alternatives. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity and the biofilm inhibitory effects in vitro of two Minthostachys verticillata essential oils, EO1 and EO2, collected from different regions of Argentina against bovine Staphylococcus aureus. Chemical composition and cytotoxic effects were determined. Furthermore, antimicrobial activity of EO1 was evaluated in vivo as topical application emulsion in dairy cows after milking. Chemical profile of both oils showed different percentages among the major chemical compounds. In addition, MTT reduction method showed that oils were not toxic up to the concentration of 250 μg/ml. Results obtained revealed that oils were able to inhibit the growth and reduce biofilm production, from 36.4% to 96.06%. EO1 inhibited bacterial growth at lower concentrations compared to EO2 and it was selected for the emulsion preparation. Cows were treated with EO1 emulsion, at 4 and 6 mg/ml and it was able to reduce the bacterial load, showing an antibacterial effect. Both oils exhibited antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities against test bacteria showing that Minstosthachys verticillata essential oil may have potential application as bactericidal agent against S. aureus.

The dark side of sexism in Argentina: Psychometric properties of the Short Dark Triad Personality measure and its relation with ambivalent sexism.

One of the main evaluation instruments of the dark side of personality has been the Short Dark Triad of Personality (SD3), that includes Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy traits. Although other adaptations of this scale have been made in several countries, its psychometric properties have never been tested in Argentina. Different studies addressed that dark triad scores are related to different expressions of sexist prejudice. One of the issues that have been traditionally considered to understand intimate, yet unequal relationships between men and women, is prejudice toward women. Ambivalent sexism combines two types of sexist attitudes: hostile, and benevolent sexism. While hostile sexism involves attitudes of outright intolerance towards women, benevolent sexism is defined as a set of attitudes that comprises the perception of women in a positive emotional tone. The aim of the study was to analyze the Dark Triad of Personality scale in the Argentinian context and its relationships whit ambivalent sexism. A total of 1,198 individuals residing in different regions of Argentina participated, from different genders (woman = 59.5%), from 18 to 75 years old (M = 45.17 SD = 15.08). Main results indicated adequate psychometric properties for the Short Dark Triad of Personality scale in the Argentinian context. In addition, the three traits of the dark triad were significantly related to hostile and benevolent sexism, which indicate that one of the variables to keep addressing in order to comprise and eventually reduce prejudice towards women would be the dark triad of personality. Main results are discussed, in order to strengthen the understanding of the relationships between the dark triad and ambivalent sexism.

More than a year of pandemic: Longitudinal assessment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the argentine general population during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID‐19 pandemic has radically changed daily life and the way we interact with others. It has also brought negative psychological consequences: several studies have reported increased levels of distress symptomatology at the onset of the pandemic. However, few longitudinal studies have been carried out, and even fewer in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse longitudinally the anxiety and depressive symptomatology of the Argentine general population during the first 13 months of the pandemic. The total sample included 988 adults (ages 18–77) from different regions of Argentina. Open‐access surveys were distributed via social media at five time points (March, April, May, August 2020 and April 2021). Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed through the Beck Depression Inventory‐II and the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory. Mixed repeated‐measures ANOVA were applied, with time as a within‐subjects factor, and socioeconomic status, gender, and age group as between‐subjects factors. Results showed a progressive increases in anxiety (F (27.78, 3417.60) = 62.88, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.060) and depression (F (3.42, 3373.75) = 84.78, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.079) symptoms in the general population throughout the pandemic (except for a slight decrease in anxiety in Wave 2). All of the between‐subjects factors showed significant effects on both types of symptoms: female gender, younger age and lower income were associated with greater depression and anxiety in all waves. A time‐age interaction effect was found (F (10.26, 3364.05) = 2.99, p < 0.01, ηp 2 = 0.009): after the third wave, depressive symptoms tended to decrease or stabilise in the young adult group, whereas there was a positive linear increase in the older groups. This study provided evidence that anxiety and depression symptoms tend to increase during crisis contexts, and that this effect is even more pronounced for certain vulnerable population groups. Mental health monitoring and support interventions should be included in government strategies to deal with the long‐term impact of the pandemic.

Open Tibial Fracture Treatment in Argentina: Reoperation Rates Following Surgical Management.

Background:The purposes of the present study were (1) to characterize open tibial fractures and their treatment in trauma centers located across different regions of Argentina and (2) to evaluate the rates of and indications for reoperation after the surgical treatment of such fractures.Methods:This retrospective multicenter study evaluated open tibial fractures in Argentina that were operatively treated by experienced orthopaedic trauma surgeon-members of the Argentine Association of Orthopedic Trauma (AATO) between January 2015 and June 2020. Data were collected from 13 hospital databases; 8 hospitals were designated as “interior,” and 5 hospitals were designated as “exterior.” The study included 701 skeletally mature patients, all of whom had a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Information was collected on patient demographics, injury pattern and mechanism, fracture classification, treatment modality, reoperation rates, time between definitive fixation and reoperation, and indications for reoperation.Results:Seventy-six percent of presenting injuries were the result of a high-energy mechanism. Intramedullary nailing represented the most common type of fixation (88%). One hundred and fifty patients (21%) required reoperation. Delayed union/nonunion was the most common indication for reoperation in patients who had been previously treated with intramedullary nail fixation (31%; 39 of 126), and infection was the most common indication for reoperation in patients who had been treated with plate fixation (43%; 3 of 7). The time between the injury and definitive fixation was significantly different between the interior and exterior trauma centers (13.8 versus 4.7 days; p < 0.001), as was the time between definitive fixation and reoperation (69.3 versus 25.2 days; p = 0.004). The reoperation rates for the interior and exterior trauma centers were similar (20% versus 24%; p = 0.2). Infection, delayed union/nonunion, and implant removal were the most common indications for reoperation across groups.Conclusions:An improved understanding of the factors that influence treatment may help to guide future areas for improvement, establish educational goals, and create additional nationwide guidelines for open tibial fracture treatment.Level of Evidence:Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Differential sensitivities of electricity consumption to global warming across regions of Argentina

The description of the relationship between temperature (T) and electricity consumption (EC) is key to improving our understanding of a potential climate change amplification feedback and, thus, energy planning. We sought to characterize the relationship between the EC and daily T of different regions of Argentina and use these historical relationships to estimate expected EC under T future scenarios. We used a time series approach to model EC, removing trends and seasonality and accounting for breaks and discontinuities. EC and T data were obtained from Argentine Wholesale Market Administrator Company and global databases, respectively. We evaluate the T-EC model for the period between 1997 and 2014 and two sub-periods: 1997–2001 and 2011–2014. We use modeled temperature projections for the 2027–2044 period based on the Representative Pathway Concentration 4.5 together with our region-specific T-EC models to predict changes in EC due to T changes. The shape of the T-EC relationships is quite stable between periods and regions but varies according to the temperature gradient. We find large increases in EC in warm days (from 40 to 126 Wh/cap/°C) and a region-specific response to cold days (from flat to steep responses). The T at which EC was at minimum varies between 14 and 20 °C and increase in time as mean daily T also increase. Estimated temperature projections translate into an average increase factor of 7.2 in EC with contrasting relative importance between regions of Argentina. Results highlight potential sensitivity of EC to T in the developing countries.

Telemedicine Improves Access to Hepatology Consultation with High Patient Satisfaction

Telemedicine between health care providers could be useful for improving the access to hepatology consultations, which is challenging in some regions. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of consultations that were resolved through a telemedicine program. Additionally, we evaluated patient satisfaction with this strategy. Consecutive telemedicine consultations made by non-hepatologist health care providers from different regions of Argentina to a specialty hepatology team were included. Participants and hepatologists used e-mail, teleconference systems, WhatsApp, or telephone to interact, depending on their preferences. Consultations were considered to be resolved through telemedicine when a diagnosis and an adequate follow-up were achieved without the need to refer the patient to a hepatologist or other specialist. Patient satisfaction with telemedicine was evaluated using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form and Telemedicine Satisfaction Questionnaire. A total of 200 telemedicine consultations made by 24 physicians from 10 different provinces of Argentina were evaluated, of which 145 (73%; 95% CI: 66%-79%) were resolved through telemedicine. Practitioners specialities were as follows: family physicians, internists, gastroenterologists, infectious diseases, and obstetrics. The most frequent final diagnoses for those patients whose consultation was resolved through telemedicine were non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, and benign hepatic lesions. A high degree of patient satisfaction with telemedicine was observed in both questionnaires. Our results show the effectiveness of telemedicine in hepatology, with high resolution rate of consultations and rapid access to experts' assessment. Additionally, a high degree of patient satisfaction was observed using prevalidated questionnaires.

Reproductive compatibility and morphological characterization of local populations of the larval endoparasitoid Pseudapanteles dignus in Argentina

In hymenopteran parasitoids, isolated geographic populations can show morphological variation and reproductive incompatibility that may lead to failures in biological control programs when they are intended to be used as biocontrol agents. Through a classical morphometric approach we confirm the specific identity of three local populations of the larval arrhenotokous endoparasitoid Pseudapanteles dignus (Muesebeck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), from three main tomato producing areas of Argentina. Moreover, we examined reproductive compatibility by outcrossing the three populations. Morphometric differences among P. dignus biotypes were found but no evidences of mating incompatibility among them existed. This laboratory study contributes with relevant information to the original description of the species P. dignus and has significant implications for T. absoluta biological control using this parasitoid in tomato crops from different regions of Argentina.

Propolis as a potential alternative for the control of Dekkera bruxellensis in bioethanol fermentation

Dekkera bruxellensis is one of the most important contaminant yeasts of alcoholic fermentation. The use of propolis, which can selectively target contaminating yeasts without affecting the starter one, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, could be a useful nonconventional strategy for controlling the growth of contaminant yeasts. The objective of this research was to evaluate four samples of propolis produced by Apis mellifera honeybees from different regions of Argentina as antimicrobial agents against the growth of D. bruxellensis and S. cerevisiae. Hydroalcoholic extracts of propolis were prepared with ethanol:water (70:30 v/v), and the specific absorbance and final concentration of the samples were evaluated. A qualitative in vitro assay in solid medium was performed with different propolis concentrations, and the evaluation of yeast growth was based on a qualitative scale. A quantitative in vitro assay in liquid medium was also performed to assess the yeast cell number, using two different propolis concentrations. The cell number of D. bruxellensis decreased 1.52 and 1.85 log cycles with the two propolis extracts utilised at a concentration of 4.5 mg mL-1 while the cell number of S. cerevisiae decreased 0.48 and 0.76 log cycles with the same samples of propolis. The results from both assays demonstrated the selectivity of propolis use on the yeast species, leading to a higher inhibition of D. bruxellensis growth. This indicates a good potential for using propolis at the concentration of 4.5 mg mL-1, as a nonconventional strategy to control the growth of D. bruxellensis without significantly affecting S. cerevisiae, the yeast starter of ethanol fermentation.

Assessing the Needs and the Quality of Life of Women With Advanced Breast Cancer

Background and context: Each year, 19,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Argentina, which represents 16,8% of total cancer incidence. Although most of them are diagnosed with early stage, a significant number of them have or will develop advanced breast cancer (ABC). Argentina, after Uruguay, is the country of America with the highest mortality rate for breast cancer, with 19.9 deaths each 100,000 women, and there is a significant difference in the mortality rate across regions within the country. Due to the advances in treatments, some women with ABC can live for extended periods of time. Their lives are affected by anxiety and uncertainty, and periods of well-being alternate with others affected by the reality of the cancer progression and the effects of treatments. We will survey a representative number of women with ABC from different regions of Argentina, about their quality of life. This study will provide useful data about the needs of this population in terms of information, care, and other resources, as well as about gaps and disparities in accessing of services. Aim: To generate evidence about the quality of life and needs of ABC patients, that will support a public awareness campaign, raising the voices of these patients. To recommend interventions and determine the baseline for further evaluations of their efficacy. Strategy/Tactics: The assessment of the quality of life (QOL) will be performed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 version 3.0 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 questionnaires. However, a set of questions will be added to measure some outcomes such as psychosocial and medical aspects that are not considered by these questionnaires. Authorization will be obtained from the ethics committees, and informed consent will be provided by all patients. Program/Policy process: A study based on a descriptive analysis of the data will be conducted. A sample of patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in several private/public centers/hospitals in Argentina will be surveyed. The clinical history and a script of open questions so that patients will be able to freely express their concerns will be used as instruments. The results and conclusions of the survey will be communicated to the centers. An awareness campaign through the media will be conducted. Outcomes: We expect that by means of this survey we will have evidence about the real needs of this group of patients, and in this way we will be able to raise their voices and create awareness about their situation, as well as propose interventions or new approaches to improve their quality of life.

Incidence and prevalence of aphid‐borne viruses infecting strawberry in Argentina

The incidence and prevalence of strawberry viruses were determined in surveys of randomly selected strawberry plants grown in different regions of Argentina. In 2009 and 2010, 1034 plants from 28 fields and 1060 plants from 33 fields, respectively, were collected from Lules and Coronda. The samples were analysed by double‐antibody sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to detect Strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV). In 2014, 606 plants from 43 fields in Lules, Coronda and Mar del Plata were analysed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primers specific for SMYEV, Strawberry crinkle virus (SCV), Strawberry mottle virus (SMoV) and Strawberry polerovirus 1 (SPV1). The SMYEV incidence was 4–35%, while prevalence was 60–100%, depending on the year and region sampled. Meanwhile, SMoV and SPV1 incidences were 8–17%, and prevalences were 46–62%, depending on the virus and region sampled. SCV was observed relatively low (incidence was 0.5–8% and prevalence was 8–50%), although it was more abundant in Mar del Plata than in the other analysed regions. Spearman's correlation analysis indicated that SCV and SMYEV were correlated with disease symptoms (P &lt; 0.005). A principal component analysis revealed a close relationship between SMYEV and SCV in Mar del Plata, in which the lowest temperatures were recorded. Interactions among viruses, regions and climatic conditions will need to be studied in greater detail. Accurately determining the incidence and prevalence of viruses in different regions will improve estimations of possible damages or yield decreases caused by viral infections during strawberry production.

The impact of paralog genes: detection of copy number variation in spinal muscle atrophy patients

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by dysfunction of the alpha motor neurons of the spinal cord. It is an autosomal recessive disease associated to the SMN1 gene, located in the subtelomeric region of 5q13. A paralog SMN2 gene is located at the centromeric region of the same chromosome, which apparently originated by an ancestral inverted duplication occurring only in humans. The exon sequence differs in two nucleotides in exon 7 and exon 8, which leads to an SMN2 transcript that lacks exon 7 and results in a truncated protein. Part (10%) of the SMN2 transcripts avoids the splicing of exon 7 but most of the copies are dysfunctional. In a disease scenario, the more SMN2 copies the higher possibility to restore at least partly the effects of SMN1 deficiency. Some therapeutic approaches are being developed to increase the expression of SMN2. To determine the number of SMN1 and SMN2 copies, the methodology must distinguish accurately between both genes. In this work, we present the results obtained using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) in 60 SMA suspected patients/carriers derived from different regions of Argentina. In 32 of these DNA samples we found alterations in SMN1. Among these, 16 presented a heterozygous deletion (carrier status) and 14 an homozygous deletion (patient status) in exon 7 and 8 of SMN1. In one case, exon 7 was found homozygously deleted but exon 8 presented a single copy, and in another case, exon 7 was found heterozygously deleted while exon 8 was normal. Almost half of the patients (7/15) presented a normal diploid number of SMN2 while the other half (8/15) presented an increased number. In this work we showed how a probe-based methodology such as MLPA was able to distinguish between the paralog genes and determine the amount of copies in DNA samples from suspected patients/carriers of SMA.

Diversidad de micobiota en diferentes especies de hormigas cortadoras de hojas y sitios de Argentina

Attine ants are a monophyletic group comprising more than 230 species, distributed exclusively in the New World. All higher Attini ants depend on the cultivation of fungus gardens for food, and those gardens are continuously exposed to alien microorganisms. The present work describes, for the first time, the composition, relative frequency and the richness of the fungal species comprising the mycobiota from the garden of the most abundant Acromyrmex species from different regions of Argentina. We also compared, using a multivariate approach, the mycobiota composition with the purpose of testing two hypotheses: 1) whether mycobiota is defined by the ant species, or 2) whether mycobiota is determined by the geographical region. We found that each fungal community had a particular composition and abundance: the species that were highly frequent in a community or site, could be rare or altogether absent in another community or site. Species richness, as well as the theoretical maximum richness, also changed with locations. Furthermore, we found that different ant species at the same site had similar mycobiotas, whereas the same ant species in distant locations had only a few fungal species in common. Therefore, we concluded that mycobiota composition changed considerably with geographical site and was not dependent on the ant species. Our results provide an additional understanding of the leaf cutting-ants system, confirming that the garden of leaf cutting ants nests is a complex and dynamic fungal community which is dependent on the site where it was located.DOI: https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.17.27.3.0.488

First genetic characterization of Fasciola hepatica in Argentina by nuclear and mitochondrial gene markers

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode showing genetic variation among isolates from different regions of the world. The objective of this work was to characterize for the first time F. hepatica isolates circulating in different regions of Argentina. Twenty-two adult flukes were collected from naturally infected bovine livers in different areas from Argentina and used for DNA extraction. We carried out PCR amplification and sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunits 4 and 5 (nad4 and nad5) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) genes as genetic markers. Phylogenies were reconstructed using maximum parsimony algorithm. A total of 6 haplotypes were found for cox1, 4 haplotypes for nad4 and 3 haplotypes for nad5. The sequenced ITS1 fragment was identical in all samples. The analyzed cox1 gene fragment is the most variable marker and is recommended for future analyses. No geographic association was found in the Argentinean samples.

Análisis comparativo de indices de caries dentales a partir de muestras de sitios arqueológicos del Holoceno tardío de la República Argentina

El análisis de las caries dentales en muestras bioarqueológicas permite estudiar la proporción de carbohidratos que tuvo la dieta de dichas poblaciones. La revisión de las investigaciones de este tipo realizadas en Argentina permite indicar que hay dos maneras de analizar y presentar los resultados, en función del número total de individuos y/o del total de piezas dentales por muestra. El objetivo de este trabajo es realizar un análisis de la distribución de las caries dentales en cuatro muestras bioarqueológicas del Holoceno tardío de distintas regiones de Argentina empleando estas dos maneras de procesas los datos, definidas aquí como índices, con el fin de comparar, interpretar y discutir los resultados obtenidos. Para ello, se relevaron las caries presentes y se calcularon los índices en función del número de individuos (IA) y del total de piezas dentales (IB) por muestra. Se realizaron gráficos de caja y una prueba de χ2 a para evaluar la existencia de diferencias en la distribución de los valores de caries utilizando ambos índices. Finalmente se realizaron correlaciones entre los índices y los datos provenientes de estudios isotópicos de 13C y 15N. Se pudo observar que no existen diferencias significativas en los valores de caries entre los distintos grupos cuando se considera el IA y el IB, sino que por el contrario las tendencias son las mismas. Asimismo, ambos índices se asocian con la variación de 13C, y la variación del IA se asocia con los valores de 15N. Se resalta la importancia de utilizar ambos índices complementariamente ya que estos proveen distinto tipo de información y se recomienda también que en las investigaciones se expongan los datos que permitan calcularlos para que los datos generados sean comparativos.

ESTUDIANTES ADOLESCENTES ARGENTINOS EN RIESGO SUICIDA: UNA INVESTIGACIÓN COMPARATIVA

Se presentan resultados sobre riesgo suicida en una muestra de 1567 estudiantes adolescentes de ambos sexos, con una media de edad de 15 años, residentes en distintas regiones de la Argentina: las provincias de Catamarca, Tucumán, y Buenos Aires (ciudad de Mar del Plata) y la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, capital de este país. Los datos fueron recogidos mediante la Escala para la Detección de Adolescentes en Riesgo Suicida (ISO-30) en su adaptación local. Se ha detectado entre un 11.5% y 12.8% de sujetos en alto riesgo suicida en los centros urbanos correspondientes a la metrópoli argentina y a la ciudad de San Miguel de Tucumán (capital de esa provincia), y un 5.9 % en la ciudad de Mar del Plata, que no es una capital provincial; por otra parte, se ha verificado un 15% de alumnos en riesgo en distintas localidades catamarqueñas con menor densidad poblacional. Ser mujer y vivir en pequeños centros poblacionales aparecen como factores de riesgo.

Toxicity of the venom of Latrodectus (Araneae: Theridiidae) spiders from different regions of Argentina and neutralization by therapeutic antivenoms

“Black widow” spiders belong to the genus Latrodectus and are one of the few spiders in the world whose bite can cause severe envenomation in humans and domestic animals. In Argentina, these spiders are distributed throughout the country and are responsible for the highest number of bites by spiders of toxicological sanitary interest. Here, we studied the toxicity and some biochemical and immunochemical characteristics of eighteen venom samples from Latrodectus spiders from eight different provinces of Argentina, and the neutralization of some of these samples by two therapeutic antivenoms used in the country for the treatment of envenomation and by a anti-Latrodectus antivenom prepared against the venom of Latrodectus mactans from Mexico. We observed important toxicity in all the samples studied and a variation in the toxicity of samples, even in those from the same region and province and even in the same Latrodectus species from the same region. The therapeutic antivenoms efficiently neutralized all the venoms studied.