Hydrogeological features affecting spatial distribution of glyphosate and AMPA in groundwater and surface water in an agroecosystem. Córdoba, Argentina.

The study area is located in the eastern slope of Las Peñas Mountain and its adjacent oriental fluvio-aeolian-plain. Agriculture is the main activity (soybean, maize, wheat, peanuts and alfalfa) with no-tillage farming and intensive use of agrochemicals (pesticides-fertilizers). Glyphosate (N-phosphono-methylglycine) is the most common used herbicide which suffers microbial biodegradation giving aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), its main metabolite. The objective of this work is to evaluate hydrogeological features which influence the presence of glyphosate and AMPA in waters. In the study area, the main flow direction of surface and groundwater is NW-SE. The unsaturated zone thickness decreases in the same direction from 60 to 0 m, so groundwater surges in low areas in the eastern sector. From the total water samples collected, glyphosate was detected in 66% of surface water samples (0.2 to 167.4 µg/L), in 15.8% of the groundwater samples (1.3 to 2 µg/L) and in the harvested precipitation sample (0.2 µg/L). AMPA was found in 33% of surface water and 15.8% of groundwater. The herbicide detection was related to areas with the shallowest water table (< 4 m), low hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer (K = 1.5 m/d), low hydraulic gradient (i = 0.16%) and very low flow velocity (0.02 m/d). The most outstanding result is that the groundwater presents higher values in comparison with the surface water samples, which can be explained by the greater dilution capacity of streams. The detection of glyphosate and AMPA in the unconfined aquifer shows that the application for decades under the prevailing agricultural model exceeds the degradation potential of the soil and the unsaturated zone, causing groundwater contamination.

Demonstration of Single-Barium-Ion Sensitivity for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence Imaging.

A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double-beta decay of ^{136}Xe is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba^{++}) resolution at a transparent scanning surface is demonstrated. A single-step photobleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with superresolution (∼2 nm), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9σ over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double-beta decay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers.

Tailoring gas-phase CO2 electroreduction selectivity to hydrocarbons at Cu nanoparticles.

Copper-based surfaces appear as the most active catalysts for CO2 electroreduction to hydrocarbons, even though formation rates and efficiencies still need to be improved. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the continuous gas-phase CO2 electroreduction to hydrocarbons (i.e. ethylene and methane) at copper nanoparticulated-based surfaces, paying attention to particle size influence (ranging from 25-80 nm) on reaction productivity, selectivity, and Faraday efficiency (FE) for CO2 conversion. The effect of the current density and the presence of a microporous layer within the working electrode are then evaluated. Copper-based gas diffusion electrodes are prepared by airbrushing the catalytic ink onto carbon supports, which are then coupled to a cation exchange membrane (Nafion) in a membrane electrode assembly. The results show that the use of smaller copper nanoparticles (25 nm) leads to a higher ethylene production (1148 µmol m-2 s-1) with a remarkable high FE (92.8%), at the same time, diminishing the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction in terms of FE. This work demonstrates the importance of nanoparticle size on reaction selectivity, which may be of help to design enhanced electrocatalytic materials for CO2 valorization to hydrocarbons.

First clinical experience with levodopa/carbidopa microtablets in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Levodopa is the most effective symptomatic treatment throughout the course of Parkinson's disease, but as the disease progresses, there may be a need for individualized, fine-tuned treatments. AIM: To evaluate individualized levodopa/carbidopa dosing using microtablets dispensed with a dose dispenser, with respect to efficacy and usability as perceived by patients. METHODS: Patient records and dose dispenser reports from patients previously or currently treated with microtablets and a dose dispenser were reviewed, and a patient questionnaire concerning effect and usability was sent to patients. RESULTS: Eleven patient records, four dose dispenser reports and nine survey responses were obtained. The treatment effect was considered to be improved by six of nine patients. One-third found their bradykinesia to be improved, and the non-troublesome dyskinesia was unchanged according to a majority of patients; however, some experienced the duration and magnitude of troublesome dyskinesia to be worse. The usability was generally rated as good. The four dose dispenser reports obtained showed 97(±5)% total adherence. CONCLUSIONS: The experienced effect of treatment can, for some patients, be improved by the use of microtablets, and the dose dispenser was considered user-friendly. Further studies with a larger study population and prospective design are needed to confirm the results.

Clasificación en subtipos moleculares de tumores de mama de pequeños animales mediante métodos inmunohistoquímicos / Classification in molecular subtypes of breast tumors of small animals through immunohistochemical methods

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Aplicar un panel de anticuerpos (anti -receptor de progesterona, -receptor de estrógenos, -receptor del factor de crecimiento epidérmico humano 2 y -citoqueratina 14) utilizando métodos inmunohistoquímicos en tumores mamarios de pequeños animales para analizar su clasificación en subtipos moleculares y su asociación con la invasión, el grado y el tipo histológico de las neoplasias. Material y Métodos: Muestras de tumores mamarios malignos, 10 de la especie canina y 3 de la felina. Control positivo interno: glándula mamaria no tumoral adyacente a las neoplasias. Resultados: El 23% (3/13) de los tumores fueron del subtipo luminal B, el 23% (3/13) fueron HER2 positivos, el 46% (6/13) fueron basales y el 7,6% (1/13) no se pudieron clasificar porque no expresaron ninguno de los marcadores tumorales analizados. Ningún caso fue del subtipo luminal A. Los 6 tumores basales fueron de grado II o III y presentaban o infiltración de solo el estroma o también invasión vascula Dos tercios de los tumores HER2 positivos presentaban infiltración del estroma y 1/2 tumores resultó ser de grado II. Los tumores luminal B, 2/3 fueron de grado II o III. Todos los controles internos fueron positivos. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la distribución de los subtipos moleculares entre los diferentes grupos de las variables invasión (p-valor=0,26), ni grado de malignidad (p-valor=0,42). Sí hubo diferencias en el límite de la significación estadística en la distribución de los subtipos moleculares entre los diferentes grupos de la variable tipo histológico (p=0,08). Conclusiones: La aplicación del panel de anticuerpos ha permitido descubrir 4 (luminal B, HER2, basal y sin clasificar) de los 5 subtipos moleculares posibles (AU)

Antecedents and objectives: to apply an antibodies panel (anti-progesterone receptor -estrogen receptor, -human epi-dermal growth factor receptor 2 and cytokeratin 14) using immunohistochemical methods in mammary tumors of small animals to classify them in molecular subtypes and their association with the invasion, grade and histological type of the malignancies. Material and Methods: samples of malignant mammary tumors, 10 from canine species and 3 from feline ones. Internal positive control: non-tumoral mammary gland adjacent to the malignancy. Results: 23% (3/13) of the tumors were of the luminal B subtype, 23% (3/13) were HER2 positive, 46% (6/13) were basal types and 7,6% (1/13) were unclassifiable because they did not express any of the tested tumor markers. None of the cases belonged to the luminal A subtype. The 6 basal tumors were grade II or III and presented only stromal infiltration or vascular invasion as well. Two thirds of the HER2 positive tumors presented stromal infiltration and hal he tumors were grade II. Two thirds of luminal B tumors were grade II or III. All internal controls were positive. There were no signifi-cant differences in the distribution of the molecular subtypes among the different groups of the invasion (p-value=0.26) and malig-nancy grade variables (p-value=0.42). There were differences of borderline statistical significance in the distribution of the molecular subtypes among the different groups of the histological type variable (p-value=0.08). Conclusions: the application of the antibodies panel has allowed to find 4 (luminal B, HER2, basal and unclassified) out of 5 possible molecular subtypes (AU)

Measurement of the ßß decay half-life of 130Te with the NEMO-3 detector.

We report results from the NEMO-3 experiment based on an exposure of 1275 days with 661 g of (130)Te in the form of enriched and natural tellurium foils. The ßß decay rate of (130)Te is found to be greater than zero with a significance of 7.7 standard deviations and the half-life is measured to be T(½)(2ν) = [7.0 ± 0.9(stat) ± 1.1(syst)] × 10(20) yr. This represents the most precise measurement of this half-life yet published and the first real-time observation of this decay.

Long-range magnetic ordering in magnetic ionic liquid: Emim[FeCl4].

Up to now most of the magnetic ionic liquids containing tetrachloroferrate ion FeCl(4) have evidenced a paramagnetic temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility, with only small deviations from the Curie law at low temperatures. However, we report on the physical properties of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate Emim[FeCl(4)], that clearly shows a long-range antiferromagnetic ordering below the Néel temperature T(N)≈3.8 K. In addition, the field dependence of the magnetization measured at 2 K is characterized by a linear behaviour up to around 40 kOe, while above this field the magnetization becomes saturated with a value of 4.3 µ(B)/Fe, which is near the expected fully saturated value of 5 µ(B)/Fe for an Fe(3+) ion.

Myopathy with respiratory failure and typical myofibrillar lesions.

16 patients representing 7 different pedigrees exhibited an unusual, adult onset limb-girdle myopathy with typical clinical hallmarks. In a majority of cases there was evidence of an autosomal dominant inheritance. A prominent early finding in all cases was respiratory muscle weakness, and in many of these an acute respiratory incapacity was the reason for the first neurological examination. Neck flexor and sometimes foot extensor weakness were other early symptoms. The clinical picture seems to be at variance with that of the more well known hereditary myopathies. Electrophysiological analysis confirmed a myopathy and serum muscle enzyme concentrations were normal or slightly elevated. Muscle biopsy findings revealed myofibrillar changes which, at the light microscopy level, included plaques that stained strongly with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin, a specific marker for F-actin. At the ultrastructural level, these plaques were observed to be composed of moderately dense, thin filaments and were related to splitting of Z-discs or formed extensions from Z-discs. We believe that the muscle biopsy changes revealed by cytochemical and ultrastructural observations indicate defective myofibrillogenesis, and the possibility of defective actin polymerization is discussed. A conclusive answer requires further immunocytochemical and immunoelectrophoretic studies and possibly the application of molecular genetics.

The allelopathic potential of Erica scoparia L.

The phytochemical action of Erica scoparia L. upon its environment was studied. The toxicity of biogenic heath products on red clover seedlings was demonstrated by biological tests. Ten phenolic hydrosoluble compounds were identified; p-Hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, caffeic, ferulic, p-coumaric, protocatechuic, genetisic, and 2-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid, as well as 2,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetonitrile.The suppression of herbs, especially grasses, in heathlands can be explained, at least partially, by the allelopathic effects of E. scoparia L.