Santiago Del Estero Research Articles

Risks of cattle babesiosis (Babesia bovis) outbreaks in a semi-arid region of Argentina

The epidemiology of Babesia bovis was studied in terms of enzootic stability/instability and husbandry and abiotic factors influencing B. bovis transmission rate in northeastern Santiago del Estero province, Argentina. The area is of limited suitability for its only vector in Argentina, the tick Rhipicephalus microplus. The proportion of calf herds in a state of enzootic stability/instability to B. bovis was determined and husbandry practices and abiotic factors associated with variations in B. bovis transmission rates were explored using a cross-sectional observational study design. Daily probability of infection (inoculation rate, h) with B. bovis was calculated from age-specific seroprevalence via ELISAi in 58 herds of 4.5–8.5-month-old calves. Herds were considered to be in enzootic instability (EI) when h < 0.005, and therefore inferred to be at risk of babesiosis outbreaks. Husbandry practices associated with differences in B. bovis transmission were analyzed using generalized linear models. Sixty-two percent of herds were found to be in an EI situation for B. bovis. Calves raised exclusively on permanent pastures –where higher cattle density is achieved– were exposed to higher B. bovis inoculation rates (h = 0.0063, 95% CI 0.0032-0.0123) than those reared under forage combinations (h = 0.0024, 95% CI 0.0011-0.0051) (P = 0.05). In addition, calves from herds located in the area of intermediate suitability for R. microplus development were more likely to become infected with B. bovis (h = 0.0067, 95% CI 0.0037-0.0121) than those reared in the ecologically unfavorable area for the vector (h = 0.0023, 95% CI 0.0010-0.0049) (P = 0.02). Neither the frequency of treatment with acaricides nor the use of long-acting acaricides to control R. microplus influenced the inoculation rate (P = 0.99 and P = 0.26, respectively). This result indicates that current R. microplus control schemes are not effective in reducing B. bovis transmission. Enzootic instability still prevails in the study area despite the drastic changes occurred in cattle production system. However, 38% of herds did reach enzootic stability; therefore, a specific epidemiological status cannot be assumed at a regional level. Yearly determination of the immunological status of each calf cohort is considered a proper approach to decision-making in vaccination against B. bovis.

Procesos sociales prehispánicos y pericoloniales en torno a los ríos Salado y Dulce (Santiago del Estero, Argentina)

Este trabajo busca sintetizar, integrar y problematizar la información arqueológica conocida para la zona de influencia de los ríos Salado y Dulce en sus recorridos por la llanura de Santiago del Estero (Argentina). Los principales temas que se abordan son el uso del espacio y del ambiente, los modos de instalación y vida, y los procesos sociales desarrollados a lo largo del período prehispánico y principios de la Colonia. A ello se suma el papel jugado por distintas estrategias socio políticas desplegadas, según las situaciones y épocas, entre poblaciones locales y grupos de chaco adentro, incas y españoles. Un aspecto particular sobre el que se hace foco es la proyección de una nueva mirada sobre las poblaciones alfareras de la región, que plantea un modo de vida en torno a posible movilidad residencial para algunas de ellas.

Reflections on How State–Civil Society Collaborations Play out in the Context of Land Grabbing in Argentina

We examine collaborations between the state and civil society in the context of land grabbing in Argentina. Land grabbing provokes many governance challenges, which generate new social arrangements. The incentives for, limitations to, and contradictions inherent in these collaborations are examined. We particularly explore how the collaborations between the provincial government of Santiago del Estero and non-government organizations (NGOs) played out. This province has experienced many land grabs, especially for agriculture and livestock production. In response to protest and political pressure, two provincial agencies were established to assist communities in relation to land tenure issues (at different stages). Even though many scholars consider state–civil society collaborations to be introduced by nation states only to gain and maintain political power, we show how rural communities are actually supported by these initiatives. By empowering rural populations, active NGOs can make a difference to how the negative implications of land grabbing are addressed. However, NGOs and government agencies are constrained by global forces, local political power plays, and stakeholder struggles.

Pollen contamination and mating patterns in a Prosopis alba clonal orchard: impact on seed orchards establishment

Abstract: Prosopis alba (Leguminosae) is an important species from ecologic and economical points of view in arid and semi-arid regions of Argentina. In several open-pollinated species, pollen contamination from off-orchard parents and selfing have been proven to reduce orchard seed quality. In 2002, the first clonal orchard of Prosopis alba was established in Fernandez (Santiago del Estero, Argentina) with 12 trees phenotypically selected from a progeny trial, based on height, pod production per year and pod sweetness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mating patterns and pollen contamination rate in the orchard using ten SSR markers and paternity analysis. All the clones together with the progeny of a single clone (open-pollinated seeds) were genotyped. Data was processed by two different methods based on likelihood and Bayesian approaches, respectively. A high consistency (89%) of results was observed between the two methods, and pollen contamination rate was estimated between 27% and 37%. The minimum number of different pollen donors per mother plant varied from three to five and selfing occurrence was low (<1.6%). Based on the estimated status number (Ns = 4.4), the expected coancestry in the seed crop is equal to a Mendelian population with an effective size of 4-5 individuals. Genetic analyses are encouraged during the establishment and monitoring of trials in forest breeding and management programmes. It is strongly recommended to establish seed orchards in isolated areas and to guarantee equal representation of parental genotypes in the orchards.

SITE INDEX FOR PROSOPIS ALBA PLANTATIONS IN THE SEMI-ARID CHACO THROUGH MIXED MODELS

ABSTRACT The classification of sites through curves of Site Index allows to predict the yield of the planted forests at a certain age of the stand and to plan cultural treatments. The goal of this research was to compare linear and non-linear models of fixed effects vs. mixed non-linear models to estimate the site index in plantations of Prosopis alba var Griseb in the irrigated area of the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina using the guide curve method. The data used comes from temporary plots, permanent plots and growth data from the stem analysis of selected individuals based on their greater growth in height within the sampled areas. The registered variable for the evaluation of the site was the dominant Height (HD), defined as the average height of the 100 thickest trees per hectare. Considering that the source of data from repeated measurements on the same subject implies the presence of correlation and/or heteroscedasticity, it was proposed to evaluate statistical models that allow to properly representing the structure of the variance-covariance matrix, improving the accuracy in the adjustment. From the analysis of the results, it appears that the models non-linear mixed models have had better performance in the adjustment of the Site Index than linear and non-linear models of fixed effects. The most accurate model (smallest AIC and BIC) in the site index estimation was the mixed non-linear regression model of “Gompertz”, with structure of composite symmetry correlation and exponential heteroscedasticity.

Los avatares de la mancomunión. Propiedad indivisa, armonías y conflictos en las costas del río Dulce. Santiago del Estero, siglos XVIII y XIX

En Santiago del Estero, noroeste de Argentina, se denominaba «mancomún» a las propiedades indivisas gestionadas colectivamente. Este tipo de estructura agraria tuvo relativa difusión durante la colonia y el siglo XIX y puede relevarse tanto en grandes estancias como en propiedades campesinas.&#x0D; En este artículo se profundizan tres cuestiones a partir de ejemplos coloniales de la zona del río Dulce: la racionalidad, la membresía y las jerarquías de los campos comunes.

Arsenic exposure of child populations in Northern Argentina

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) is associated with numerous adverse effects. Argentina is one of the countries affected by arsenicism; however, there are few studies that evaluate inorganic As exposure and its effects on child population. The aim of this study is to evaluate exposure to As through water and food in child populations living in the provinces of Santiago del Estero and Chaco (n = 101), and to determine the impact of this exposure analysing biomarkers of exposure (urine and hair As contents) and effect [8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)]. The populations selected live in three areas with different levels of As in the drinking water (Santa Teresa de Carballo, 0.925 mg/L; Taco Pozo, 0.210 mg/L; Jumi Pozo, 0.016 mg/L). The As intakes through water and food are especially high in the areas with the greatest As exposure (Santa Teresa de Carballo, 1575 ± 8 μg/day; Taco Pozo, 386 ± 8 μg/day; Jumi Pozo, 39 ± 1 μg/day).The total As contents in most of the samples of hair (0.11–13.11 mg/kg) and urine (31–4258 μg/g creatinine) are higher than the reference values (hair: 1 mg/kg; urine: 50 μg/g creatinine). The increase in the level of As exposure alters the profile of metabolites in urine, with a decrease of dimethylarsinic acid (10%) and an increase in the percentages of monomethylarsonic acid (4%) and inorganic As (6%). The results also show high values of 8-OHdG (3.7–37.8 μg/g creatinine), a oxidative DNA damage marker, in the two areas with greater As exposure.

Demand for larger Y-STR reference databases in ethnic melting-pot countries: Argentina as a test case.

The Y chromosome behaves as a single locus. Its genetic information is useful in forensic casework, deficiency kinship testing, and population genetics studies. Continuous increases of loci number within commercial kits forced modification of worldwide reference databases. In Pan American countries, like Argentina, diverse parental ethnic groups contributed to the extant admixed urban populations. We report 509 additional haplotypes of 23 Y-STRs from donors inhabiting urban areas of six Argentinean provinces: Buenos Aires, Santiago del Estero, Santa Cruz, Rio Negro, Santa Fe, and Formosa. To better understand the demographic landscape of the admixed urban paternal lineages, structural analysis was performed using published data from other Argentinean provinces. AMOVA by Rst distance and inferred haplogroups by two predictive online software methods based on haplotypes yielded complementary results with respect to detected population structure, probably due to the different proportions of the Native American Q3-M3 haplogroup in the studied samples. This situation, which is common to most North, Meso, and South American countries, underscores the need for the additional step of typing specific SNPs for haplogroup diagnosis. We propose organizing Y-STR haplotype reference databases according to the most frequent haplogroups detected in a given admixed population.

Two new species of the sun-spider genus Gaucha from Argentina and Brazil (Solifugae, Mummuciidae).

Two new species in the South American sun-spider family Mummuciidae are herein described. Gaucha ramirezi sp. nov. is known from the Chancaní Provincial Park and Forest Reserve, Córdoba province, Argentina, and further reported for a single locality to the northeast, in Santiago del Estero province. The systematic position of this species is uncertain and it is not assigned to any species-group of Gaucha Mello-Leitão, 1924. The other species, Gaucha santana sp. nov., is only known from the Ibirapuitã Environmental Protection Area, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, and is a member of the fasciata species-group. With these descriptions, the number of known species of Gaucha is raised to eleven.

La cadena productiva de la industria de la madera de Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

Introducción: este artículo es producto de la “Investigación de mercado de la madera de especies para uso sólido. El caso de las especies forestales maderables de Santiago del Estero”, desarrollada en la Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero en el periodo 2016-2017. El objetivo del trabajo fue describir la cadena productiva de la industria forestal de la provincia de Santiago del Estero, con énfasis en la cadena de la madera y el mueble, e identificar los factores críticos para su desempeño. Metodología: para examinar la cadena productiva se aplicó el análisis diagnóstico mediante revisión bibliográfica y recolección de información en terreno; y a fin de identificar factores críticos de la cadena, se efectuó un análisis foda. Resultados: en la cadena foresto-industrial existe una estrecha conexión entre el eslabón de la producción primaria y los siguientes, dado que los eslabones de la primera y segunda transformaciones utilizan la madera de origen local como fuente principal de aprovisionamiento. Conclusiones: la cadena foresto-industrial con origen en los bosques nativos tiene continuidad en todos los eslabones productivos. El alto grado de informalidad con el que se desarrollan las actividades productivas, así como la fuerte cultura individualista en las conductas de los actores directos, no permiten generar procesos de integración. Se identifican debilidades y amenazas en todo el eslabonamiento de la cadena. No obstante, existen fortalezas y oportunidades para potenciar y capitalizar. Originalidad: no existen antecedentes de trabajos publicados sobre el tema para la provincia. Limitaciones: insuficiente información pública y privada sobre el tema.

Composición de la flora vascular en la región noreste de Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

Se estudió la composición florística del bosque semiárido en la región nororiental de la provincia de Santiago del Estero (Argentina). Se presenta el listado de la flora vascular, obtenido a partir de la revisión bibliográfica, consulta en herbarios y bases de datos digitales, y de especímenes recolectados en campo, en quince campañas entre los años 2012 y 2017. Se documentaron 72 familias botánicas, 267 géneros y 413 especies en cuatro unidades de vegetación. Del total, 347 especies son nativas, 31 son endemismos de la Argentina y de la región chaqueña, y nueve especies son novedades para la flora santiagueña. Las tres familias más diversas, Asteracee, Poaceae y Fabaceae, agrupan el 33 % de especies. El sitio resguarda un tercio de las especies conocidas para la flora de Santiago del Estero.

Material suplementario Artículo 72075. Composición de la flora vascular en la región noreste de Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

Anexo 1. Listado de la flora vascular de la región noreste de la provincia de Santiago del Estero (Argentina).

El periódico cultural "La Brasa", un espacio de intercambios en el noroeste argentino

Este estudio analiza los ocho números de un periódico editado en Santiago del Estero (Argentina) entre 1927 y 1928 por la Asociación cultural La Brasa. Se propone rastrear a través del estudio de los textos y del análisis de sus condiciones de producción, la densidad que había alcanzado la producción cultural local. Al mismo tiempo estudia la construcción de un espacio de confluencia e intercambio de relaciones con múltiples escritores, pintores, escultores, poetas y científicos, con sus grupos y sus editoriales, circulando por y desde un espacio periférico como era la ciudad de Santiago del Estero en la década de 1920. Se propone así contribuir al desarrollo de una sociología de la cultura en Argentina que esté menos condicionada en sus contenidos por la organización de la circulación y consagración de bienes y productores culturales con centro en la capital del país.

Forcipomyia (Synthyridomyia) murina (Winnertz, 1852) in South America. Synonymy and redescription (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Se redescriben ambos sexos de la hasta ahora especie Holártica, Afrotropical y Oriental, Forcipomyia (Synthyridomyia) murina (Winnertz, 1852), y la especie se registra por primera vez en Argentina (provincias de Salta, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, Corrientes, Buenos Aires y Río Negro). Forcipomyia (S.) calchaqui Spinelli &amp; Marino, 1997 y Forcipomyia (S.) soibelzoni Marino &amp; Spinelli, 2001 se reconocen como sinónimos menores. Se presenta una clave para la identificación de las cuatro especies del subgénero que habitan la región Neotropical, y se compara a F. murina con las especies más similares del Viejo Mundo.

Prevalence of intestinal parasites and the absence of soil-transmitted helminths in A\xf1atuya, Santiago del Estero, Argentina

BackgroundIntestinal parasites (IP) have been reported in point studies from different provinces of Argentina. The presence of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) was detected in many of these studies, including varied prevalences of all five species of STH in the north were the climate is more appropriate for transmission. Nonetheless, Argentina lacks a comprehensive prevalence map of STH. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites, focusing on STH, in rural and peri-urban areas of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero Province and identifying risk factors for their transmission.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey in the entire population of three rural lots located on the outskirts of the city between March and June of 2015 and among children in a peri-urban neighbourhood of Añatuya city in July 2016. Socio-economic variables, characteristics of the house and stool samples were collected from each household.ResultsA total of 470 stool samples were analysed. The prevalence of STH was extremely low, with only 2 people being positive for hookworm and no detection of other STH. The prevalence of IP was 11.7% for protozoans and 11.1% for helminths. IP were significantly more prevalent in pre-school and school-aged children than in adults (P < 0.05). The level of education of adults was also significantly associated with infection (P = 0.001), as well as the practice of informal slaughter of animals (P = 0.002) and the presence of unimproved walls (P = 0.046) and unimproved floors (P = 0.021) in the household. Nonetheless, the only significant predictors of IP in the logistic regression analysis were age (P < 0.001) and main source of electricity (P = 0.026).ConclusionsThe total prevalence of intestinal parasites in the study population was 22.6%. The intestinal parasites detected are transmitted mostly through water (Giardia lamblia) and close contact (Hymenolepis nana), evidencing the need to improve quality control in water facilities and access to improved sanitation to avoid contamination of stored water. The presence of IP was significantly associated with age (with children being more susceptible), households containing unimproved walls and those that did not have access to an electricity network.

Anatomía foliar y caulinar, y caracterización fitoquímica foliar de Flaveria bidentis y F. haumanii (Asteraceae) de Santiago del Estero, Argentina

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Flaveria es un género americano; en Argentina presenta dos especies, F. bidentis y F. haumanii. Los antecedentes anatómicos para las especies son escasos y para F. bidentis son referidos a la presencia de tricomas uniseriados, ceras epicuticulares, cristales y estructura Kranz. Químicamente estas especies poseen diversos flavonoides del grupo sulfatado. Los objetivos del presente trabajo fueron caracterizar la anatomía foliar y caulinar, así como cuantificar los componentes fenólicos de las hojas de F. bidentis y F. haumanii.Métodos: El material fue recolectado en la provincia de Santiago del Estero (Argentina), fijado en FAA y posteriormente se emplearon técnicas anatómicas y fitoquímicas convencionales para su análisis.Resultados clave: Ambos taxones presentaron lámina foliar entera, venación primaria trinervada, acródroma. En vista paradermal, en ambas especies las células epidérmicas de la lámina fueron poliédricas en ambas superficies, anfiestomáticas y de cutícula estriada. Se observaron estomas anomocíticos, hemiparacíticos, braquiparacíticos, polocíticos y tricomas glandulares pluricelulares. En corte transversal, la lámina fue dorsiventral con haz vascular colateral y estructura Kranz. El tallo en crecimiento primario presentó colénquima angular subepidérmico y vaina amilífera en la parte interna de la corteza. El crecimiento secundario temprano presentó xilema y floema continuos por la actividad del cambium. Médula parenquimática parcialmente lignificada. Se observó la presencia de conductos secretores esquizógenos en lámina y tallo. Los análisis fitoquímicos mostraron mayor contenido total de fenoles, flavonoides y ácidos hidroxicinámicos en F. haumanii comparados con F. bidentis, donde solo el contenido total de orto-dihidroxifenoles fue ligeramente superior.Conclusiones: Flaveria bidentis y F. haumanii pueden diferenciarse por la densidad de estomas y de tricomas, así como por el tamaño y ubicación de estos últimos en la lámina; mientras que en el tallo existen diferencias en la cantidad de haces vasculares y de conductos secretores. La cuantificación de compuestos fenólicos permitió establecer un perfil químico para ambas especies con escasas diferencias.

New data on the endangered Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri) link the core distribution with its recently discovered southern population

Abstract The endangered Chacoan peccary (Catagonus wagneri Rusconi, 1930) has been recorded in western Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia and northern Argentina, reaching the north of Santiago del Estero province. Recently, however, this species was found much further south in central Argentina, ca. 650 km away from the southern limit of its known distribution. In this report we provide new records in previously unsurveyed areas linking the core range with the southern population, suggesting a continuous distribution. Due to synergistic effects of hunting pressure and deforestation, we are almost certain that the Chacoan peccary is as threatened in central Argentina as in the rest of its distribution range.

Spatial analyzes of triatomine infestation indices and their association to the actions of a Chagas disease program and environmental variables during a 5-year intervention period

Vector control of Chagas disease in the past decades has been mainly based on chemical control. Fundación Mundo Sano is implementing an Integral Chagas Program in a rural area of the Argentinean Gran Chaco Region since 2002. The objective of this study was to analyze both, temporal and spatial variation of infestation indices and their relation to the actions of the Program and environmental variables as land and vegetation cover changes, during a 5 year intervention period (2010–2014).Triatoma infestans infestation data from five rural localities from the Province of Santiago del Estero (Argentina) was analyzed in order to detect spatial aggregation. Differences in control effectiveness were observed between the peridomicile and intradomicile: infestation indices were higher in the peridomicile, recurrent infestation was present only in the peridomicile while low level infestation clusters were absent in the peridomicile. Cluster zones with low intradomestic infestation had larger proportions of bare soil and thin vegetation. In contrast, cluster zones with high intradomestic infestation had higher forest vegetation proportions and smaller cultivated area proportions.Spatial statistics analysis detected differences in cluster patterns between intra and peridomestic infestation suggesting that control actions should be based on geographical areas and not on political units. This work brings together different approaches to analyze infestation levels at the fine spatial scale, which could be used as a base for risk spatial stratification.

Chagas disease panniculitis in a patient with AIDS

Background: Chagas disease is an endemic trypanosomiasis in Latin America. Trypanososma cruzi is the etiological agent of the disease. The acute illness is usually self-limited due to a cell-mediated immune response that controls parasite replication, turning to a chronic phase characterized by lifelong low-grade parasitemia. Reactivation of Chagas Disease has been described in immunocompromised hosts. In HIV-infected patients, has been most commonly associated with meningoencephalitis and myocarditis. The following is a description and analysis of an AIDS patient who presented erythema nodosum associated with a reactivation of Chagas disease. Methods & Materials: A 56-year-old woman born in Santiago del Estero, Argentina was admitted with a history of fever, weight loss, non-productive cough and dyspnea lasting 6 months. She had lesions in her right arm and leg, and her left shoulder consisting in erythematous, indurate, painful plaques and nodules compatible with erythema nodosum. The lesions evolved with central ulceration. Test for antibodies to HIV were positive. Serological tests for Chagas disease resulted positive. Molecular diagnosis was performed from skin biopsy and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The DNA was extracted using QIAGEN Mini kit and tested by T. cruzi specific PCR (Tcz1 and Tcz2 primers). Results: Cytology study from a sample of one subcutaneous nodule performed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) revealed abundant histiocytes with intracytoplasmic amastigotes. A skin biopsy using H&E showed diffuse lympho-histiocytic infiltrate, abundant bluish-gray amastigotes (Giemsa stain positive) with round to oval bodies inside and outside the histocytes cytoplasm distributed along the epidermis. PCR from skin was positive and enabled the detection of T. cruzi in cerebrospinal fluid. The patient was empirically treated with cotrimoxazole and prednisone for Pneumocystis jirovecii. She started benznidazol 5 mg/kg/12 hours and by the 14th day HAART with tenofovir/emtricitabine and darunavir/ritonavir was initiated. The patient experienced a good clinical outcome, with no new skin lesions and no drug-related adverse reactions. Conclusion: The presence of parasites in the skin is unusual for Chagas disease. Finally, immunosuppressed patients, especially in endemic areas, should be investigated for T. cruzi infection and should be closely monitored during the immunosuppression.

Dieta de Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae) en pastizales y bosques del noreste de Santiago del Estero y su relación con las hormigas

The giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla is in a vulnerable state of conservation due to alterations occurred in its habitat. Knowing its food sources, namely the ant species which are the most abundant component of its diet in the Chaco semiarid areas will help generate strategies for its conservation. This study aimed to prove the presence of the M. tridactyla in the north-west part of Santiago del Estero, determine food offer of ant in grassland and forest environments in addition to identify composition and abundance of the ants making up its diet. To attest the presence of the giant anteater, 22.4 km of transects were traversed in both environments by collecting evidences and feces. To determine ant rich- ness and abundance, samplings were done using pitfall tramps. Feces analysis showed that the diet comprised ten ant genres that equals 50% of the formicide richness in the area under study. From the total of the ants identified in feces, 95% belonged to Ectatomma sp. and Camponotus sp. According to the values of richness, abundance and similarity obtained, the ant offer for the M. tridactyla ?s diet is similar in both environments. All the above suggests that both the forest and the grasslands in the northest of Santiago del Estero are propitious for conserving the species. In general, the importance of these two environments should be considered by the policies protecting the conservation of the specie in this area.