Humoral response and neutralising capacity at 6 months post-vaccination against COVID-19 among institutionalised older adults in Argentina

The COVID-19 pandemic has particularly affected older adults residing in nursing homes, resulting in high rates of hospitalisation and death. Here, we evaluated the longitudinal humoral response and neutralising capacity in plasma samples of volunteers vaccinated with different platforms (Sputnik V, BBIBP-CorV, and AZD1222). A cohort of 851 participants, mean age 83 (60-103 years), from the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina were included. Sequential plasma samples were taken at different time points after vaccination. After completing the vaccination schedule, infection-naïve volunteers who received either Sputnik V or AZD1222 exhibited significantly higher specific anti-Spike IgG titers than those who received BBIBP-CorV. Strong correlation between anti-Spike IgG titers and neutralising activity levels was evidenced at all times studied (rho=0.7 a 0.9). Previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and age <80 years were both associated with higher specific antibody levels. No differences in neutralising capacity were observed for the infection-naïve participants in either gender or age group. Similar to anti-Spike IgG titers, neutralising capacity decreased 3 to 9-fold at 6 months after initial vaccination for all platforms. Neutralising capacity against Omicron was between 10-58 fold lower compared to ancestral B.1 for all vaccine platforms at 21 days post dose 2 and 180 days post dose 1. This work provides evidence about the humoral response and neutralising capacity elicited by vaccination of a vulnerable elderly population. This data could be useful for pandemic management in defining public health policies, highlighting the need to apply reinforcements after a complete vaccination schedule.Fil: Rodriguez, Pamela Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Andrea Paula. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Miglietta, Esteban Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Rall, Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales Para Jubilados y Pensionados; ArgentinaFil: Pascuale, Carla Antonela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ballejo, Christian Adrian. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: López Miranda, Lucía. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Rios, Antonella Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ramis, Lila Yanina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Marro, Jimena. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Poncet, Verónica. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Mazzitelli, Bianca. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Salvatori, Melina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Ceballos, Ana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: González López Ledesma, María Mora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ojeda, Diego Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Aguirre, María F.. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud; ArgentinaFil: Miragaya, Yanina. Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales Para Jubilados y Pensionados; ArgentinaFil: Gamarnik, Andrea Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, Andrés Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Presumed killers? Vultures, stakeholders, misperceptions, and fake news

Vultures and condors are among the most threatened avian species in the world due to the impacts of human activities. Negative perceptions can contribute to these threats as some vulture species have been historically blamed for killing livestock. This perception of conflict has increased in recent years, associated with a viral spread of partial and biased information through social media and despite limited empirical support for these assertions. Here, we highlight that magnifying infrequent events of livestock being injured by vultures through publically shared videos or biased news items negatively impacts efforts to conserve threatened populations of avian scavengers. We encourage environmental agencies, researchers, and practitioners to evaluate the reliability, frequency and context of reports of vulture predation, weighing those results against the diverse and valuable contributions of vultures to environmental health and human well-being. We also encourage the development of awareness campaigns and improved livestock management practices, including commonly available non-lethal deterrence strategies, if needed. These actions are urgently required to allow the development of a more effective conservation strategy for vultures worldwide

Novel Effects Of Guanidine On The Neuromuscular Junction.

1. The effects of guanidine on the isolated mouse phrenic nerve diaphragm (MPND) and chick biventer cervicis (CBC) neuromuscular preparations were determined by myographic and electrophysiological methods. 2. Guanidine at concentrations of 5-10 mM induced an initial facilitation followed by neuromuscular blockade in both preparations. In the isolated MPND such blockade was associated with the abolition of miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs), but in the CBC the acetylcholine-induced contracture remained unimpaired. After guanidine removal, a heretofore undescribed pronounced facilitation of neuromuscular transmission associated with an increase in MEPP frequency was observed. Simultaneously, the muscular contractions exhibited delayed relaxation and aftercontractions. 3. The K+ channel opener, cromakalim (100-200 microM) inhibited both the well-described initial and the novel postremoval facilitatory effects of guanidine in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings are consistent with the proposal that guanidine blocks K+ channels in motor nerve endings. 4. The guanidine-induced NMB was reverted by increasing the Ca2+ concentration (1.8-5 mM) in the nutritive solution. 5. Tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1.56 microM) did not influence the increase in MEPPS frequency induced by guanidine (10 mM) but did reduce the rise in MEPPS frequency observed after guanidine removal. 6. The present findings indicate that the effects of guanidine on the neuromuscular junction are more complex than currently described because they include a neuromuscular blockade and a post-removal facilitation previously unreported in the literature.28599-60

Taphonomy and dispersion of bones scavenged by New World vultures and caracaras in Northwestern Patagonia: implications for the formation of archaeological sites

Scavenger birds can feed on large- to small-sized vertebrates and may contribute in the formation of archaeological sites. To evaluate the modifications and dispersal patterns of bones produced by New World vulture and caracara from Northwestern Patagonia, samples of adult sheep, young sheep, and hare carcasses were offered and subsequently analyzed. New World vultures and caracaras quickly fed on the samples. Taphonomic and bone dispersal patterns suggest two types of accumulations: (1) open-air sites with large and medium-sized vertebrates represented by complete, fractured, scratched, notched, and punctured elements and (2) rock shelter or cave sites dominated by small vertebrates represented by broken, corroded, fractured, and digested elements.Fil: Ballejo, Fernando. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Fernando Julián. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Montalvo, Claudia Inés. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: De Santis, Luciano J. M.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentin