Modelling COVID 19 in the Basque Country from introduction to control measure response

In March 2020, a multidisciplinary task force (so‐called Basque Modelling Task Force, BMTF) was created to assist the Basque health managers and Government during the COVID‐19 responses. BMTF is a modelling team, working on different approaches, including stochastic processes, statistical methods and artificial intelligence. Here we describe the efforts and challenges to develop a flexible modeling framework able to describe the dynamics observed for the tested positive cases, including the modelling development steps. The results obtained by a new stochastic SHARUCD model framework are presented. Our models differentiate mild and asymptomatic from severe infections prone to be hospitalized and were able to predict the course of the epidemic, providing important projections on the national health system’s necessities during the increased population demand on hospital admissions. Short and longer‐term predictions were tested with good results adjusted to the available epidemiological data. We have shown that the partial lockdown measures were effective and enough to slow down disease transmission in the Basque Country. The growth rate was calculated from the model and from the data and the implications for the reproduction ratio r are shown. The analysis of the growth rates from the data led to improved model versions describing after the exponential phase also the new information obtained during the phase of response to the control measures. This framework is now being used to monitor disease transmission while the country lockdown was gradually lifted, with insights to specific programs for a general policy of “social distancing” and home quarantining.Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 79249

Forage quality and performance of sheep in Massai grass pastures managed at pre-grazing canopy heights

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasture height at pre-grazing of Massai grass on the quality of available forage, forage intake and the performance of lambs raised for meat production. The treatments consisted of four pre-grazing canopy heights (35, 40, 45 and 50 cm). Pastures were managed by the intermittent stocking method and 32 sheep were used. Dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated by Lipe® indicator. Green forage allowance was not affected by pre-grazing heights. There was no effect of heights on the chemical composition of the stem or the leaf blades, except for crude protein content of leaf blades, which showed an inverse linear effect. Grazing time had a quadratic response in function of canopy height. The minimum point was at 42.6 cm, with 502.9 min/day. DMI increased linearly with increasing pasture height. Average daily weight gain (ADG) and stocking rate (SR) responded linearly to pre-grazing heights. Weight gain per hectare was not affected by height as a result of the compensation between SR and ADG. The increase from 35 to 50 cm in Massai grass canopy height reduces its nutritional value and individual performance and increases DMI of sheep intended for meat production.Keywords: Panicum maximum, tropical pasture, voluntary intak

Search for fingerprints of disoriented chiral condensates in cosmic ray showers

Although the generation of disoriented chiral condensates (DCCs), where the order parameter for chiral symmetry breaking is misaligned with respect to the vacuum direction in isospin state, is quite natural in the theory of strong interactions, they have so far eluded experiments in accelerators and cosmic rays. If DCCs are formed in high-energy nuclear collisions, the relevant outcome are very large event-by-event fluctuations in the neutral-to-charged pion fraction. In this note we search for fingerprints of DCC formation in observables of ultra-high energy cosmic ray showers. We present simulation results for the depth of the maximum ($X_{max}$) and number of muons on the ground, evaluating their sensitivity to the neutral-to-charged pion fraction asymmetry produced in the primary interaction.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Diversity of Agaricales (Basidiomycota) in the Reserva Biológica Walter Egler, Amazonas, Brazil

A study of the order Agaricales Clements (Hymenomycetes, Basidiomycotina), occurring in the Reserva Biológica Walter Egler was carried out from December 2000 to June 2001. The area of study is situated at Road AM-010, Manaus-Itacoatiara, km 64, Latitude 02° 43' S and Longitude 59° 47' W, Rio Preto da Eva, in the State of Amazonas, with a total area of 709 ha of terra firme rain forest. The fungi collected were identified based on traditional methodology for identification of Agaricales. A total of 39 species were studied, distributed in 13 genera and six families: Polyporaceae: Pleurotus sp.; Hygrophoraceae: Hygrocybe cf. megistospora, Hygrocybe aff. miniceps, Hygrocybe occidentalis var. scarletina and eight indeterminate species of Hygrocybe; Tricholomataceae: Clitocybe sp., Hydropus sp.1 and Hydropus sp.2, Macrocystidia sp., Marasmiellus sp., Marasmius bellus, Marasmius haedinus var. haedinus, Marasmius cf. leoninus, Marasmius cf. mazatecus, Marasmius cf. ruber, Marasmius cf. setulosifolius, Marasmius tageticolor, Marasmius cf. variabiliceps var. variabiliceps, Marasmius sp.1, Marasmius sp.2, Marasmius sp.3 and Marasmius sp.4, Tricholoma sp.; Agaricaceae: Agaricus sp.1 and Agaricus sp.2, Lepiota sp., Cystoderma sp.; Entolomataceae: Entoloma cf. azureoviride, Entoloma cf. cystidiophorum, Entoloma strigosissima, Entoloma sp.; Russulaceae: Lactarius panuoides. Entoloma azureoviride, Hygrocybe miniceps, Lactarius panuoides, Marasmius cf. mazatecus, Marasmius cf. setulosifolius and Marasmius variabiliceps var. variabiliceps, apparently are here cited for the first time from Brazil. With exception of Marasmius tageticolor, all species are cited here for the first time as occurring in Egler Forest. The tables with the species occurrence, in accordance with the topographical gradient (sand bank, incline, plateau) and its respective habitat, are supplied.", 'enFoi realizado um estudo dos representantes da Ordem Agaricales Clements (Hymenomycetes, Basidiomycotina), ocorrentes na Reserva Biológica Walter Egler, situada na Estrada AM-010, Manaus-Itacoatiara, Km 64, Latitude 02° 43' S e Longitude 59° 47' W, Rio Preto da Eva, Amazonas. A área abrange 709 ha de floresta de terra firme primária. As coletas foram realizadas no período de dezembro de 2000 a junho de 2001 e seguiu-se a metodologia usual para identificação de Agaricales. Foram estudadas um total de 39 espécies, distribuídas em 13 gêneros e seis famíliasPolyporaceaePleurotus sp.; HygrophoraceaeHygrocybe cf. megistospora, Hygrocybe aff. miniceps, Hygrocybe occidentalis var. scarletina, e mais oito espécies de Hygrocybe indeterminadas; TricholomataceaeClitocybe sp., Hydropus sp.1 e Hydropus sp.2, Macrocystidia sp., Marasmiellus sp., Marasmius bellus, Marasmius haedinus var. haedinus,Marasmius cf. leoninus, Marasmius cf. mazatecus, Marasmius cf. ruber,Marasmius cf. setulosifolius, Marasmius tageticolor, Marasmius cf. variabiliceps var. variabiliceps, Marasmius sp.1, Marasmius sp.2, Marasmius sp.3 e Marasmius sp.4, Tricholoma sp.; AgaricaceaeAgaricus sp.1 e Agaricus sp.2, Lepiota sp., Cystoderma sp.; EntolomataceaeEntoloma cf. azureoviride, Entoloma cf. cystidiophorum, Entoloma strigosissima, Entoloma sp.; RussulaceaeLactarius panuoides. Destas, Entoloma azureoviride, Hygrocybe miniceps, Lactarius panuoides, Marasmius cf. mazatecus, Marasmius cf. setulosifolius e Marasmius variabiliceps var. variabiliceps, provavelmente, estão sendo aqui citadas pela primeira vez, para o Brasil. Com exceção de Marasmius tageticolor, as demais espécies são citadas pela primeira vez, para a Reserva Egler. São fornecidas tabelas com a ocorrência das espécies de acordo com o gradiente topográfico (baixio, vertente, platô) e seus respectivos habitats

Consenso colombiano de atención, diagnóstico y manejo de la infección por SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 en establecimientos de atención de la salud Recomendaciones basadas en consenso de expertos e informadas en la evidencia

The “Asociación Colombiana de Infectología” (ACIN) and the “Instituto de Evaluación de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Salud” (IETS) created a task force to develop recommendations for Covid 19 health care diagnosis, management and treatment informed, and based, on evidence. Theses reccomendations are addressed to the health personnel on the Colombian context of health services. © 2020 Asociacion Colombiana de Infectologia. All rights reserved