National University of La Plata

About: National University of La Plata is a education organization based out in La Plata, Argentina. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 12993 authors who have published 30013 publications receiving 495118 citations. The organization is also known as: UNLP & Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

IT in Emerging Markets

Abstract: Emerging markets represent two-thirds of the world's population, generate over 20 percent of the world's gross domestic product, and are restructuring themselves to foster further growth and socioeconomic development. Realizing that IT puts them on a progressive path, they're embracing it in novel ways in areas such as business, education, healthcare, and government. New opportunities exist for the IT industry and emerging markets to embrace each other. This special issue presents a snapshot of IT's progress and potential in such markets and the related challenges IT professionals and policy makers must address.

Solar UV-B decreases decomposition in herbaceous plant litter in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina: potential role of an altered decomposer community

Abstract: Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (55°S), receives increased solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) as a result of Antarctic stratospheric ozone depletion. We conducted a field study to examine direct and indirect effects of solar UV-B radiation on decomposition of Gunnera magellanica, a native perennial herb, and on the native community of decomposer organisms. In general, indirect effects of UV-B mostly occur due to changes in the chemical composition of litter, whereas direct effects during decomposition result from changes in decomposer organisms and/or differences in the photochemical breakdown of litter. We designed a full-factorial experiment using senescent leaves that had received either near-ambient or attenuated UV-B during growth. The leaves were distributed in litterbags and allowed to decompose under near-ambient or reduced solar UV-B during the growing season. We evaluated initial litter quality, mass loss, and nutrient release of decomposing litter, and microbial colonization of both initial litter and decomposed litter. We found that litter that decomposed under near-ambient UV-B had significantly less mass loss than litter that decomposed under reduced UV-B. The UV-B conditions received by plants during growth, which did not affect mass loss and nutrient composition of litter, affected fungal species composition but in different ways throughout the decomposition period. Before the decomposition trial, Beauveria bassiana and Penicillium frequentans were higher under reduced UV-B, whereas Cladosporium herbarum and pigmented bacteria were more common under the near-ambient compared to the reduced UV-B treatment. After the decomposition period, leaves that had grown under reduced UV-B showed higher frequency of Penicillium thomii and lower frequency of Trichoderma polysporum than leaves that had grown under near-ambient conditions. The UV-B condition received during decomposition also affected fungal colonization, with Penicillium chrysogenum being more frequent in leaves that had decomposed under reduced UV-B, while the other species were not affected. Our results demonstrate that, in this ecosystem, the effects of UV-B radiation on decomposition apparently occurred mostly through changes in the fungal community, while changes in photochemical breakdown appeared to be less important.

The globular cluster system of NGC 1399. II. Kinematics of a large sample of globular clusters

Abstract: We study the kinematics and dynamics of the globular cluster system of NGC 1399, the brightest elliptical galaxy near the center of the Fornax cluster of galaxies. The observational data consists of medium-resolution spectra, obtained at the Very Large Telescope with FORS2 and the Mask Exchange Unit (MXU). Our sample comprises 468 radial velocities in the magnitude range 20 1.6) and blue clusters (C-R < 1.6), and find velocity dispersions for these groups of 255 ± 13 and 291 ± 14 km s-1, respectively, again radially constant. Any possible rotation of either of these cluster populations is below the detection limit, with the exception of a weak signature of rotation for the blue clusters more distant than 6'. Spherical models point to a circular velocity of 419 ± 30 km s-1, assuming isotropy for the red clusters. This value is constant out to 40 kpc. The inferred dark halo potential can be well represented by a logarithmic potential. A halo of the NFW type also provides a good fit to the observations. The orbital structure of the clusters can only be weakly constrained. It is consistent with isotropy for the red clusters and a slight tangential bias for the blue clusters. Some mass profiles derived from X-ray analyses do not agree with a constant circular velocity within our radial range, irrespective of its exact value. Interpreting the extreme low radial velocities as space velocities of bound clusters near their pericentric distances would require an extension of the cluster system of at least 200 kpc. Implications for formation scenarios of the cluster system are briefly commented on.