This study describes the spatial distribution pattern of Lu. longipalpis abundance in Posadas-Garupá, Argentina, where four cases of human Visceral Leishmaniasis had been recorded. A total of 2428 Lu. longipalpis were captured in 42% of the 305 sites sampled with CDC light traps, its abundance shows spatial autocorrelation ranging up to 590 m (semivariogram model), with six downtown 'islands' of vector highest abundance (≥60 individuals). A significant association between Lu. longipalpis and the presence of chickens was observed (odds ratio 3.26). The best stepwise multiple regression using Generalized Linear Models explained 31% of the deviance for Lu. longipalpis abundance, including as explanatory variables: (a) negatively: households with 'lack of building material and with economic deprivation', (b) positively: surface covered by trees and bushes at 50 meters of the house, and households without electrical lighting. In conclusion, Lu. longipalpis in a recent settled focus of visceral leishmaniasis was urbanized with a highly heterogeneous spatial distribution within the cities, with the vectors concentrated in limited 'islands' of high abundance, in the downtown relatively more affluent and dense populated areas, but also more heterogeneous with patches that had higher tree coverage and poor urban services. These results once validated will contribute to the control strategy design through risk maps, in order to prioritize areas for prevention and control, and setting the appropriate scale for intervention.

BACKGROUND: Conventional percutaneous thermocoagulation of postgasserian fibers has shown high success rates, with significant residual morbidity. METHODS: This communication summarizes conclusions of multiple publications on our computerized ...

Norrish's equation, (a w = X w exp (-K X s 2), where a w is water activity, X w and X s molar fractions of water and solute, respectively, and K is the correlating constant), has been widely used to predict a w of aqueous non-electrolyte solutions in connection with development of intermediate moisture foods, i.e. food having a w ≥ 0.85. Present work evaluated the ability of Norrish's equation to model the water activity of solutions of sugars, polyols and some polyethylenglycols, in a wide range of concentration; i.e. from low to highly concentrated solutions. For sugar and polyols a relatively small modification of the "most accepted" literature parameters K, allowed to fit the data for the whole range of solute concentrations(range of a w 0.99 to 0.3/0.4) with high accuracy. However, a modified Norrish's model needs to be used to model the behavior of polyethylenglycols 400 and 600 up to water activities as low 0.4/0.5.

Background: Conventional percutaneous thermocoagulation of postgasserian fibers has shown high success rates, with significant residual morbidity. Methods: This communication summarizes conclusions of multiple publications on our computerized mapping method and technique, and presents new data on short-and long-term results on trigeminal pain, including an actuarial analysis, complications. Results: In TTN, 97.4% of 75 procedures produced initial pain relief without medication. In all, 84.7% of appropriate verbal responses were achieved by proper location of the needle at the chosen target, requiring an average of 1.45 tracts per procedure. Needle tip was located between 1 and 15 mm below the sellar floor in 97.0% of procedures and in an angle of 40°to 80°regarding the clivus profile projection in 99.1%. A 93% reduction of corneal analgesia and a 100% suppression of major dysesthesias and cranial nerve palsies were found. Conclusion: We have shown a significant reduction of morbidity from percutaneous thermocoagulation of postgasserian fibers with similar short-and long-term results as those shown in 11 recently selected series. Strict adherence to all details of our new method and technique is essential. Future multiinstitutional studies are needed to confirm and enrich this small series.

Norrish's equation, (a w = X w exp (-K X s 2), where a w is water activity, X w and X s molar fractions of water and solute, respectively, and K is the correlating constant), has been widely used to predict a w of aqueous non-electrolyte solutions in connection with development of intermediate moisture foods, i.e. food having a w ≥ 0.85. Present work evaluated the ability of Norrish's equation to model the water activity of solutions of sugars, polyols and some polyethylenglycols, in a wide range of concentration; i.e. from low to highly concentrated solutions. For sugar and polyols a relatively small modification of the "most accepted" literature parameters K, allowed to fit the data for the whole range of solute concentrations(range of a w 0.99 to 0.3/0.4) with high accuracy. However, a modified Norrish's model needs to be used to model the behavior of polyethylenglycols 400 and 600 up to water activities as low 0.4/0.5.

The performance of two light-emitting diode traps with white and black light for capturing phlebotomine sand flies, developed by the Argentinean Leishmaniasis Research Network (REDILA-WL and REDILA-BL traps), were compared with the traditional CDC incandescent light trap. Entomological data were obtained from six sand fly surveys conducted in Argentina in different environments. Data analyses were conducted for the presence and the abundance of Lutzomyia longipalpis, Migonemyia migonei, and Nyssomyia whitmani (106 sites). No differences were found in presence/absence among the three types of traps for all sand fly species (p>0.05). The collection mean of Lu. longipalpis from the REDILA-BL didn´t differ from the CDC trap means, nor were differences seen between the REDILA-WL and the CDC trap collection means (p>0.05), but collections were larger from the REDILA-BL trap compared to the REDILA-WL trap (p<0.05). For Mg. migonei and Ny. whitmani, no differences were found among the three types of traps in the number of individuals captured (p>0.05). These results suggest that both REDILA traps could be used as an alternative capture tool to the original CDC trap for surveillance of these species, and that the REDILA-BL will also allow a comparable estimation of the abundance of these flies to the CDC light trap captures. In addition, the REDILA-BL has better performance than the REDILA-WL, at least for Lu. longipalpis.

The effect of nitrogen (N) fertilization on yield and grain protein concentration (PC) in wheat was analyzed using a meta-analysis approach. N recovery (NR) was also calculated. We pooled 59 independent field trials containing 171 treatment means conducted on 20 different locations in the Argentinean Pampas from 1995 to 2008. Data was collected from scientific journals, technical reports and published and unpublished studies from the authors. Variables included in the database for each trail were: year, location, ecological zone, variety quality group, timing and rate of N fertilization. For grain yield and PC, treatment means were classified into four groups: early high, early low, late high and late low. For NR analysis, trials were classified into soil-applied N fertilizer, applied up to tillering stage, and foliar-applied N, applied during stem elongation or later. Early soil N fertilization increased yield by 1489 kg ha-1 and PC by 0.64% when more than 100 kg N ha-1 were applied and by 599 kg ha-1 with lower N rates, but had no effect on PC. Late foliar-applied N fertilization increased PC by 1.31% points when the N rate was equal or greater than 20 kg ha-1 , but had no effect on yield. Lower N rates increased PC by 0.50% points and slightly increased yield by 270 kg ha-1. Late foliar N fertilization showed a trend for greater NR, averaging 19.01%, than early soil-applied fertilization which averaged 12.71%. Even though a frequent recommendation in Argentina is early N application for increasing PC, here we demonstrate that foliar N fertilization after heading is more likely to increase PC than early soil-applied N.

Background: Longitudinal studies from the U.S. suggest a causal relationship between exposure to images of smoking in movies and adolescent smoking onset. Purpose: This study investigates whether adolescent smoking onset is predicted by the amount of exposure to smoking in movies across six European countries with various cultural and regulatory approaches to tobacco. Methods: Longitudinal survey of 9987 adolescent never-smokers recruited in the years 2009-2010 (mean age_13.2 years) in 112 state-funded schools from Germany, Iceland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, and the United Kingdom (UK), and followed up in 2011. Exposure to movie smoking was estimated from 250 top-grossing movies in each country. Multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regressions were performed in 2012 to assess the relationship between exposure at baseline and smoking status at follow-up. Results: During the observation period (M_12 months), 17% of the sample initiated smoking. The estimated mean exposure to onscreen tobacco was1560 occurrences. Overall, and after controlling for age; gender; family affluence; school performance; TV screen time; personality characteristics; and smoking status of peers, parents, and siblings, exposure to each additional 1000 tobacco occurrences increased the adjusted relative risk for smoking onset by 13% (95% CI_8%, 17%, p_0.001). The crude relationship between movie smoking exposure and smoking initiation was signifıcant in all countries; after covariate adjustment, the relationship remained signifıcant in Germany,

Background-Smoking scenes in movies promote adolescent smoking onset; thus, the analysis of the number of images of smoking in movies really reaching adolescents has become a subject of increasing interest. Objective-The aim of this study was to estimate the level of exposure to images of smoking in movies watched by adolescents in Argentina and Mexico. Methods-First-year secondary school students from Argentina and Mexico were surveyed. One hundred highest-grossing films from each year of the period 2009-2013 (Argentina) and 2010-2014 (Mexico) were analyzed. Each participant was assigned a random sample of 50 of these movies and was asked if he/she had watched them. The total number of adolescents who had watched each movie in each country was estimated and was multiplied by the number of smoking scenes (occurrences) in each movie to obtain the number of gross smoking impressions seen by secondary school adolescents from each country.

INTRODUCTION Over the last few years, the increasing use of electronic cigarettes has become a new public health problem. Since 2011, Argentina has had a complete ban on marketing and sale of e-cigarettes. However, e-cigarettes are marketed online and can be easily bought in stores. We conducted a longitudinal study to evaluate the determinants of e-cigarette trial among Argentinean early adolescents. METHODS A school-based longitudinal study was conducted in 2014-15, in 3 large cities in Argentina. Among students who reported never smoking an e-cigarette at baseline, we assessed demographics, media use, sensation seeking, smoking behavior, network member smoking, use of other substances, and perception of e-cigarette risk as potential risk factors for e-cigarette trial at follow up (mean between-wave interval 17.1 months) using multilevel logistic regression models with random intercepts for schools. RESULTS E-cigarette trial prevalence increased from baseline (1.8%; n=57) to follow up (7.1%; n=139). Independent predictors of e-cigarette use at follow up included: higher sensation seeking (OR: 1.49 95% CI 1.21-1.84); being a current smoker (OR: 2.58 95% CI 1.38-4.83); having close friends that smoke cigarettes (OR: 1.93 95% CI 1.25-2.99) and being highly exposed to tobacco product ads online (OR: 1.87 95% CI 1.04-3.36). Attending a public school was the only protective factor (OR: 0.40 95% CI 0.22-0.73). CONCLUSION In Argentina, illicit trial of e-cigarettes among early adolescents is low but appears to be rapidly increasing. Identifying students at risk could help identify policies and programs to prevent increasing use in this population.

Tobacco, alcohol and drug use starts at an early age. It is important to identify risk factors associated with initiation. In 2014, a survey was conducted among students attending first year of secondary schools in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Tucumán. A total of 3172 students completed the survey (42% were girls); their mean age was 12.8 years old. Findings showed that 10% had smoked; 32% had consumed alcohol; 17% had a heavy drinking episode in the past month; and 8% had used at least one illegal drug once in their lifetime. A high sensation seeking index was associated with the use of tobacco (odds ratio [OR]: 4.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.2-8.1), alcohol (OR: 5.56, 95% CI: 3.73-8.31), and marijuana, coca paste or cocaine, (OR: 11.73, 95% CI: 5.81-23.69). Having friends who smoke or drink was associated with tobacco (OR: 12.6, 95% CI: 7.8-20.5) and alcohol use (OR: 5.17, 95% CI: 4.15-6.40). Having permissive parents in terms of media use was associated with tobacco use (OR:...

This study aimed to analyse changes in the spatial distribution of Lutzomyia longipalpis in Posadas, an urban area located in northeastern Argentina. Data were obtained during the summer of 2007 and 2009 through two entomological surveys of peridomiciles distributed around the city. The abundance distribution pattern for 2009 was computed and compared with the previous pattern obtained in 2007, when the first human visceral leishmaniasis cases were reported in the city. Vector abundance was also examined in relation to micro and macrohabitat characteristics. In 2007 and 2009, Lu. longipalpis was distributed among 41.5% and 31% of the households in the study area, respectively. In both years, the abundance rates at most of the trapping sites were below 30 Lu. longipalpis per trap per night; however, for areas exhibiting 30-60 Lu. longipalpis and more than 60 Lu. longipalpis, the areas increased in both size and number from 2007-2009. Lu. longipalpis was more abundant in areas with a higher tree and bush cover (a macrohabitat characteristic) and in peridomiciles with accumulated unused material (a microhabitat characteristic). These results will help to prioritise and focus control efforts by defining which peridomiciles display a potentially high abundance of Lu. longipalpis.