Cambios en elrango de distribución dePotentilla tucumanensis (Rosaceae), una especie críptica en peligro de extinción

Una correcta identificación taxonómica es esencial para la preservación de la biodiversidad. En este trabajo se presentan caracteres morfológicos sencillos para diferenciar la nueva especip, Potentilla tucumanensis recientemente descripta. Esta especie, cuyo período reproductivo ocupa el 10% final de su ciclo de vida, es considerada críptica debido a que puede ser confundida por su similitud en estado vegetativo, con especies con las cuales cohabita y está aislada reproductivamente. Además, se muestra que en los últimos cien años, P. tucumanensis ha sufrido una dramática retracción de su hábitat: desde 1900 a 1925 se encontraron ejemplares de esta planta distribuidos en diferentes ambientes ecológicos de la reglón del noroeste argentino, mientras que en la actualidad, esta especie es raramente encontrada y siempre confinada a un sólo tipo de hábitat. Se discuten las posibles causas de este proceso de retracción. Si P. tucumanensis no hubiese sido reconocida como una especie nueva, probablemente hubiese desaparecido sin dejar rastro de su existencia.: A correct taxonomic identification is essential for the preservation of biodiversity. In this paper we present simple morphological characters for the identification of the new species recently described, Potentilla tucumanensis. The reproductive period of this species occupies about 10% of the last part of its lifecycle, is considered cryptic because in the vegetative stage it has many morphological similarities with other cohabiting related species; it can be easily confused with them and it is reproductively isolated. Our study also revealed that for the last hundred years P. tucumanensis has suffered a dramatic habitat retraction. Possible causes of this area retraction are discussed. IfPtucumanensis had not been recognized asa new species, it would have most likely disappeared without being noticed.Fil: Arias, Marta Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Ricci, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Castagnaro, Atilio Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; Argentin

Anatomical characterization of stems of Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae). Contributions to the study of archaeological remains.

El género Chenopodium esta representado por 37 especies en Argentina. Son plantas cosmopolitas, herbáceas anuales o perennes. Tres especies son cultivadas como alimenticias, C. pallidicaule y C. quinoa Willd. en Sudamérica, y C. nuttalliae Safford en México. En este trabajo se describen anatómicamente fragmentos de tallos de ejemplares arqueológicos y se los compara con especies silvestres y cultivadas actuales de Chenopodium. Las muestras proceden de un sitio ubicado en Antofagasta de la Sierra, Puna meridional de Argentina; los especímenes actuales proceden de muestras de herbarios y de colecciones de campo. La epidermis se obtuvo empleando la técnica de Metcalfe y los cortes transversales se realizaron con micrótomo de mano. Las muestras fueron teñidas con colorantes y montadas en agua glicerina. Se describió la anatomía de los fragmentos arqueológicos y para el análisis comparativo entre aquellos y las especies silvestres y cultivadas de Chenopodium se seleccionaron caracteres diagnósticos: cutícula, forma de células epidérmicas, aparato estomático, apéndice exodérmico y cristales. Los ejemplares arqueológicos comparten más caracteres anatómicos con las variedades cultivadas de C. quinoa, por lo que se concluye que estos son una variedad de Chenopodium quinoa que no es utilizada actualmente en prácticas de cultivo en la zona.The genus Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae) is cosmopolitan and is represented by 37 species in Argentina. They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants that can be woody at the base. Three species are grown as food, C. pallidicaule and C. quinoa in South America and C. nuttalliae Safford in Mexico. In this paper we described anatomically the stem fragments of archaeological specimens that were compared with wild and cultivated species of current Chenopodium. The samples come from a site located in Antofagasta de la Sierra, southern Puna of Argentina; present specimens come from herbarium specimens and field collections. The epidermis was obtained using the technique of Metcalfe and transverse cuts were made with hand microtome. Samples were stained with dyes and mounted in glycerine water. The anatomy of archaeological fragments was described and diagnostic characters were selected by comparative analysis between archeological, wild and cultivated species of Chenopodium. The characters are: cuticle, epidermal cell shape, stomatal, exodermical appendix and crystals. The archeological specie has more anatomical characters similar to the cultivated species of C. quinua. We concluded that archaeological fragments are a variety of Chenopodium quinoa not currently used in cultivation practices in the area.Fil: Arias, Marta Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Aguirre, María Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Luque, Ana Catalina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Escola, Patricia Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Escuela de Arqueología; Argentin

Potencial relevancia etnobotánica de Lycianthes sanctaeclarae (Greenm.) D`Arcy (Solanaceae): Una revisión

Introduction: The Solanaceae family is one of the most important families of angiosperms from an economic point of view. With nearly 100 genera and 3,000 species, it includes important food, condiment, and medicinal plants. One of the three most varied and extensive genera of Solanaceae is Lycianthes. Lycianthes sanctaeclarae (Greenm.) D’Arcy, is a species native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. which is found in the rainforest at an altitude of 0 to 600 meters above sea level.  Objective: The purpose of this research is to obtain information about the species Lychianthes sanctaeclarae for the determination of the ethnobotanical potential of said species, through a bibliographic database review.  Method: A bibliographic review and an analysis of the possible ethnobotanical applications, biological activities, and chemical constitution of the Solanaceae family, specifically Lycianthes sanctaeclarae, were conducted.  Results: Solanaceae has floristic, ethnobotanical, ornamental, ritual, economic, and medical importance. They include a wide variety of phytochemicals, among which alkaloids stand out, with interesting biological properties, with anticholinergic activity being the most investigated.  Conclusions: The lack of information that exists on the species Lycianthes sanctaeclarae was determined. Even so, due to its relationship with the Solanaceae family, it is possible to consider that this species could be a striking option for the development of new drugs; However, it is necessary in the future to identify, isolate, purify, and characterize the bioactive compounds that this species has by constructing its phytochemical profile.Introducción: La familia de las Solanáceas es una de las familias de angiospermas más importantes desde el punto de vista económico. Con cerca de 100 géneros y 3.000 especies, incluye importantes plantas alimenticias, condimentarias y medicinales. Uno de los tres géneros más variados y extensos de las solanáceas es Lycianthes. Lycianthes sanctaeclarae (Greenm.) D’Arcy, es una especie nativa de Costa Rica, Nicaragua y Panamá. que se encuentra en la selva tropical a una altitud de 0 a 600 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Objetivo: El propósito de esta investigación es obtener información sobre la especie Lychianthes sanctaeclarae para la determinación del potencial etnobotánico de dicha especie, mediante una revisión bibliográfica de bases de datos.  Método: Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica y un análisis de las posibles aplicaciones etnobotánicas, las actividades biológicas y la constitución química de la familia de las solanáceas, concretamente de Lycianthes sanctaeclarae. Resultados: Las solanáceas tienen importancia florística, etnobotánica, ornamental, ritual, económica y médica. Incluyen una gran variedad de fitoquímicos entre los que destacan los alcaloides, con propiedades biológicas interesantes, siendo la actividad anticolinérgica la más investigada. Conclusiones: Se determinó la falta de información que existe sobre la especie Lycianthes sanctaeclarae. Aun así, por su relación con la familia de las solanáceas, es posible considerar que esta especie podría ser una opción llamativa para el desarrollo de nuevos fármacos; sin embargo, es necesario en un futuro identificar, aislar, purificar y caracterizar los compuestos bioactivos que posee esta especie mediante la construcción de su perfil fitoquímico

Primer informe de Duchesnea indica f. albocaput (Rosaceae) en Noroeste de Argentina

Primer informe de Duchesnea indica f. albocaput (Rosaceae) en Noroeste de Argentina. El género Duchesnea incluye dos especies originarias de India: D. indica y D. chrysantha. Durante el período 2002-2016, se realizaron monitoreos de especies silvestres relacionadas con la frutilla cultivada en el Noroeste Argentino y se encontraron numerosas poblaciones de D. indica pero ninguna de D. chrysantha. Plantas de D. indica con frutos rojos y plantas con frutos blancos fueron colectadas y conservadas ex situ, en cámaras bajo condiciones controladas y en invernaderos a campo. Se consultaron también materiales de diferentes herbarios nacionales e internacionales, y solo se encontraron reportes de ejemplares de D. indica de frutos rojos para Argentina. En el presente trabajo se reporta por primera vez para Argentina y Sudamérica, la presencia de poblaciones de D. indica f. albocaput, co-habitando con poblaciones de D. indica f. indica en sotobosques de Tucumán. Con esta cita se amplía el rango de distribución de D. indica f. albocaput, citada como endémica para Japón. Se presentan además, las características morfo-anatómicas distintivas de ambas formas botánicas de D. indica (genotipos de frutos rojos y genotipos de frutos blancos): color del fruto, número de foliolos, y forma de cristales.The genus Duchesnea includes two species originally from India: D. indica and D. chrysantha. In Northwestern Argentina the monitoring of wild strawberry-like species was carried out; during 2002- 2016, many populations of D. indica and none of D. chrysantha were discovered. Red- and white-fruited plants of D. indica were collected from disturbed areas and ex situ conserved in green-house and in nursery conditions. Were also consulted materials from different national and international herbaria, and we only found reports of D. indica with red fruit for Argentina. In the present work, we report for the first time the presence of D. indica f. albocaput in Argentina and South America, cohabiting with populations of D. indica f. indica in the underwoods of Tucumán. This finding broadens the distribution range of D. indica f. albocaput, cited as endemic to Japan by Naruhashi 1992. The morphological and anatomical charactersof the two botanical forms of D. indica (red fruit genotypes and white fruit genotypes) are also presented: fruit color, number of leaflets, and crystal form.Fil: Debes, Mario Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Orce, Ingrid Georgina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (p). Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Luque, Ana Catalina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Ricci, Juan Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Castagnaro, Atilio Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino. Provincia de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial "Obispo Colombres" (p). Instituto de Tecnología Agroindustrial del Noroeste Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Arias, Marta Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Catamarca. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentin

Argentinian multicenter study on urinary tract infections due to Streptococcus agalactiae in adult patients

Introduction: Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus, GBS) is a recognized urinary pathogen both in males and pregnant or non-pregnant women. Data regarding GBS serotypes recovered from urinary tract infections (UTIs) are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and microbiological characteristics of UTIs caused by GBS in adult patients in Argentina.Methodology: A prospective multicenter study involving 86 centers was conducted in Argentina between July 1st, 2014 and June 30th, 2015. Antimicrobial susceptibility and serotype distribution of GBS isolated from the urinary tract of adult patients were determined. Susceptibility tests were performed by the disk diffusion and/or agar dilution methods. Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the patients were considered to identify associated comorbilities.Results: Seven hundred and one GBS were sent to the reference laboratory in the above mentioned period, however, only 211 fulfilled our selection criteria (demographic data availability, underlying diseases reported, colony counts greater than 105 CFU/mL, single organism isolated from the urine sample). No penicillin-resistant GBS was found but fluoroquinolone resistance was high (12.8%), especially among GBS isolated from men and non-pregnant women. UTIs due to GBS were associated to underlying diseases in men and non-pregnant women, particularly diabetes mellitus. Most of the isolates showed serotypes Ia and III.Conclusions: GBS are still susceptible to penicillin but fluoroquinolone resistance is a growing concern, at least in Argentina. There are underlying conditions that could be associated to urinary infections caused by GBS.Fil: Vigliarolo, Laura. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Arias, Bárbara Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Van Haute, Evert. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Kovacec, Verónica Ivana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; ArgentinaFil: Lopardo, Horacio Angel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Bonofiglio, Laura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Mollerach, Marta Eugenia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentin

Fluoroquinolone-resistant streptococcus agalactiae invasive isolates recovered in Argentina

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) is an important pathogen in neonates and nonpregnant individuals. Epidemiological studies of GBS resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQs) in Latin America are scarce. This study aimed to determine the local prevalence of FQ resistance in the frame of a national, prospective multicenter study of invasive GBS infections and to investigate mechanisms of resistance, serotype distribution, and clonal relationships among resistant isolates. Methods: From July 2014 to July 2015, 162 invasive GBS isolates were collected from 86 health care centers in 32 Argentinean cities. All isolates were screened for FQ nonsusceptibility using a five-disc scheme: Levofloxacin (LVX), ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin (NOR), ofloxacin, and pefloxacin (PF). LVX minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the agar dilution method. Sequencing of internal regions of gyrA and parC genes was performed. Capsular typing and genetic characterization of nonsusceptible isolates were assessed by latex agglutination, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multilocus sequence typing. Results: Twenty-four of one hundred sixty-two GBS isolates exhibited no inhibition zones to all tested FQs with an MIC range of 16-32 mg/L for LVX, and one isolate with MIC = 1 mg/L showed no inhibition zones around NOR and PF discs. In all resistant isolates, point mutations were detected in both genes. Serotype Ib was prevalent (88%). One PFGE type accounted for 84% of the FQ-resistant isolates and belonged to serotype Ib, sequence type 10. Conclusions: The prevalence of FQ resistance was 14.8% likely to be associated with dissemination of an ST10/serotype Ib clone. The unexpected high rate of resistance emphasizes the relevance for continuous surveillance of GBS epidemiology and antibiotic susceptibility.Fil: Arias, Bárbara Soledad. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Kovacec, Verónica Ivana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Vigliarolo, Laura. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Mariana. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Tersigni, Carina Laura. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Müller, Loana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; ArgentinaFil: Lopardo, Horacio Angel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas; ArgentinaFil: Bonofiglio, Laura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Mollerach, Marta Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentin

Immigrant IBD Patients in Spain Are Younger, Have More Extraintestinal Manifestations and Use More Biologics Than Native Patients

BackgroundPrevious studies comparing immigrant ethnic groups and native patients with IBD have yielded clinical and phenotypic differences. To date, no study has focused on the immigrant IBD population in Spain. MethodsProspective, observational, multicenter study comparing cohorts of IBD patients from ENEIDA-registry who were born outside Spain with a cohort of native patients. ResultsWe included 13,524 patients (1,864 immigrant and 11,660 native). The immigrants were younger (45 +/- 12 vs. 54 +/- 16 years, p < 0.001), had been diagnosed younger (31 +/- 12 vs. 36 +/- 15 years, p < 0.001), and had a shorter disease duration (14 +/- 7 vs. 18 +/- 8 years, p < 0.001) than native patients. Family history of IBD (9 vs. 14%, p < 0.001) and smoking (30 vs. 40%, p < 0.001) were more frequent among native patients. The most prevalent ethnic groups among immigrants were Caucasian (41.5%), followed by Latin American (30.8%), Arab (18.3%), and Asian (6.7%). Extraintestinal manifestations, mainly musculoskeletal affections, were more frequent in immigrants (19 vs. 11%, p < 0.001). Use of biologics, mainly anti-TNF, was greater in immigrants (36 vs. 29%, p < 0.001). The risk of having extraintestinal manifestations [OR: 2.23 (1.92-2.58, p < 0.001)] and using biologics [OR: 1.13 (1.0-1.26, p = 0.042)] was independently associated with immigrant status in the multivariate analyses. ConclusionsCompared with native-born patients, first-generation-immigrant IBD patients in Spain were younger at disease onset and showed an increased risk of having extraintestinal manifestations and using biologics. Our study suggests a featured phenotype of immigrant IBD patients in Spain, and constitutes a new landmark in the epidemiological characterization of immigrant IBD populations in Southern Europe

Genomic Characterization of Host Factors Related to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in People with Dementia and Control Populations: The GR@ACE/DEGESCO Study

Emerging studies have suggested several chromosomal regions as potential host genetic factors involved in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease outcome. We nested a COVID-19 genome-wide association study using the GR@ACE/DEGESCO study, searching for susceptibility factors associated with COVID-19 disease. To this end, we compared 221 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 17,035 individuals in whom the COVID-19 disease status was unknown. Then, we performed a meta-analysis with the publicly available data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Because the APOE locus has been suggested as a potential modifier of COVID-19 disease, we added sensitivity analyses stratifying by dementia status or by disease severity. We confirmed the existence of the 3p21.31 region (LZTFL1, SLC6A20) implicated in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and TYK2 gene might be involved in COVID-19 severity. Nevertheless, no statistically significant association was observed in the COVID-19 fatal outcome or in the stratified analyses (dementia-only and non-dementia strata) for the APOE locus not supporting its involvement in SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology or COVID-19 prognosis

Using Interpretable Machine Learning to Identify Baseline Predictive Factors of Remission and Drug Durability in Crohn’s Disease Patients on Ustekinumab

Ustekinumab has shown efficacy in Crohn's Disease (CD) patients. To identify patient profiles of those who benefit the most from this treatment would help to position this drug in the therapeutic paradigm of CD and generate hypotheses for future trials. The objective of this analysis was to determine whether baseline patient characteristics are predictive of remission and the drug durability of ustekinumab, and whether its positioning with respect to prior use of biologics has a significant effect after correcting for disease severity and phenotype at baseline using interpretable machine learning. Patients' data from SUSTAIN, a retrospective multicenter single-arm cohort study, were used. Disease phenotype, baseline laboratory data, and prior treatment characteristics were documented. Clinical remission was defined as the Harvey Bradshaw Index <= 4 and was tracked longitudinally. Drug durability was defined as the time until a patient discontinued treatment. A total of 439 participants from 60 centers were included and a total of 20 baseline covariates considered. Less exposure to previous biologics had a positive effect on remission, even after controlling for baseline disease severity using a non-linear, additive, multivariable model. Additionally, age, body mass index, and fecal calprotectin at baseline were found to be statistically significant as independent negative risk factors for both remission and drug survival, with further risk factors identified for remission