Morphological and genetic diversity of maize landraces along an altitudinal gradient in the Southern Andes.

Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) is a major cereal crop worldwide and is traditionally or commercially cultivated almost all over the Americas. The North-Western Argentina (NWA) region constitutes one of the main diversity hotspots of the Southern Andes, with contrasting landscapes and a large number of landraces. Despite the extensive collections performed by the "Banco Activo de Germoplasma INTA Pergamino, Argentina" (BAP), most of them have not been characterized yet. Here we report the morphological and molecular evaluation of 30 accessions collected from NWA, along an altitudinal gradient between 1120 and 2950 meters above sea level (masl). Assessment of morphological variation in a common garden allowed the discrimination of two groups, which differed mainly in endosperm type and overall plant size. Although the groups retrieved by the molecular analyses were not consistent with morphological clusters, they showed a clear pattern of altitudinal structuring. Affinities among accessions were not in accordance with racial assignments. Overall, our results revealed that there are two maize gene pools co-existing in NWA, probably resulting from various waves of maize introduction in pre-Columbian times as well as from the adoption of modern varieties by local farmers. In conclusion, the NWA maize landraces preserved at the BAP possess high morphological and molecular variability. Our results highlight their potential as a source of diversity for increasing the genetic basis of breeding programs and provide useful information to guide future sampling and conservation efforts.

Preconcentration and post-column fluorescent derivatization for the environmental water monitoring of an antihelmintic macrocyclic drug used in livestock.

In this paper, a green analytical methodology based on fluorescence derivatization is proposed for the anti-helminthic drug monitoring ivermectin as environmental emergent contaminant. After sample clean-up, ivermectin was converted into a highly fluorescent derivative through a catalytic oxidation process followed by dehydration and tautomerization. Under optimal experimental conditions, a linear response was obtained for ivermectin within the range 0.38-600 µg L-1, with detection and quantification limits of 0.11 and 0.38 µg L-1, both values are lower than other previously reported. This method has been applied for ivermectin determination in environmental water samples at trace levels, showing its potential for contamination monitoring.

A simple and highly selective molecular imprinting polymer-based methodology for propylparaben monitoring in personal care products and industrial waste waters.

In this work, a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) proposed as solid phase extraction sorbent was developed for the determination of propylparaben (PP) in diverse cosmetic samples. The use of parabens (PAs) is authorized by regulatory agencies as microbiological preservative; however, recently several studies claim that large-scale use of these preservatives can be a potential health risk and harmful to the environment. Diverse factors that influence on polymer synthesis were studied, including template, functional monomer, porogen and crosslinker used. Morphological characterization of the MIP was performed using SEM and BET analysis. Parameters affecting the molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) and elution efficiency of PP were evaluated. After sample clean-up, the analyte was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The whole procedure was validated, showing satisfactory analytical parameters. After applying the MISPE methodology, the extraction recoveries were always better than 86.15%; the obtained precision expressed as RSD% was always lower than 2.19 for the corrected peak areas. Good linear relationship was obtained within the range 8-500ngmL-1 of PP, r2=0.99985. Lower limits of detection and quantification after MISPE procedure of 2.4 and 8ngmL-1, respectively were reached, in comparison with previously reported methodologies. The development of MISPE-HPLC methodology provided a simple an economic way for accomplishing a clean-up/preconcentration step and the subsequent determination of PP in a complex matrix. The performance of the proposed method was compared against C-18 and silica solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. The recovery factors obtained after applying extraction methods were 96.6, 64.8 and 0.79 for MISPE, C18-SPE and silica-SPE procedures, respectively. The proposed methodology improves the retention capability of SPE material plus robustness and possibility of reutilization, enabling it to be used for PP routine monitoring in diverse personal care products (PCP) and environmental samples.

[EFFECTIVENESS OF NOBECUTAN® PLASTIC DRESSING SPRAY IN REDUCING PAIN ASSOCIATED WITH PERINEAL TRAUMA AFTER VAGINAL DELIVERY]. / Eficacia del apósito plástico en aerosol Nobecutan®: EN LA DISMINUCIÓN DEL DOLOR ASOCIADO AL TRAUMA PERINEAL TRAS EL PARTO VAGINAL.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the difference in perineal pain between women with dressing spray versus no dressing spray applied after perineal repair. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, a state hospital belonging to the Community of Madrid. SAMPLE: The study involved eighty-two nulliparous women, who had undergone vaginal delivery with episiotomy or second-degree perineal laceration. METHOD: They were randomized. One group was applied the dressing spray directly on the wound (experimental group). The other group was applied the dressing spray on the skin around the wound (control group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The participants were questioned regarding the sensation of pain (0-100 scale) in repose and during different activities (such as sitting, walking, urinating and during defecation), and the use of painkillers at 24 and 48 hours postpartum. RESULTS: Women treated with plastic dressing spray on the wound had less pain at repose, sitting, walking, urinating and during defecation at 24 hours and 48 hours postpartum. Only reached statistical significance the pain in urination at 48 hours. The difference was 9.5 mm (95 %; 1.2 to 17.4) and the effect size (Cohen's d): d = 0.51). The need for analgesia was higher in the control group than in the experimental, but not significant differences being observed. CONCLUSIONS. Findings suggest that Nobecutan® plastic dressing spray can decrease perineal pain in nulliparous women in the first 48 hours after birth.