First record of Spermatozopsis similis (Chlorophyta) in a marine environment

El objetivo del presente trabajo es registrar por primera vez la presencia de Spermatozopsis similis H.R.Preisig et M.Melkonian en un ambiente marino y describir su morfología y abundancia en la Ría del Jabalí (Bahía Anegada, Buenos Aires, Argentina). Se realizaron muestreos mensuales entre los meses de junio y noviembre de 2006 y las muestras se observaron bajo microscopio óptico y electrónico de barrido. Los ejemplares de S. similis presentaron células biflageladas fusiformes y levemente espiraladas, con flagelos de largo desigual. S. similis fue un componente importante del fitoplancton en la Ría del Jabalí entre junio y agosto de 2006, alcanzando su máxima abundancia durante agosto (6770 cél.ml-1), durante este período se observaron valores muy altos y fluctuantes en la salinidad. Este trabajo constituye el primer registro de Spermatozopsis similis en un ambiente marino.The objective of the present study is to report for the first time the occurrence of Spermatozopsis similis H. R. Preisig et M. Melkonian in a marine environment, describing the morphology and its abundance in Ría del Jabalí; Bahía Anegada, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Samples were taken monthly between June and November 2006 and were observed under light and scanning electron microscope. Specimens of S. similis showed biflagellate, fusiform and slightly spiraled cells, with flagella of unequal length. S. similis was an important component of phytoplankton in Ría del Jabalí between June and August 2006, reaching its maximum abundance in August (6 770 cél.ml-1), during this period there were observed very high and fluctuating values of salinity. This paper is the first record of S. similis in a marine environment.Fil: Fernandez, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); ArgentinaFil: Gauna, Maria Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); ArgentinaFil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química (i); Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática; Argentin

Serum Albumin Is Inversely Associated With Portal Vein Thrombosis in Cirrhosis

We analyzed whether serum albumin is independently associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in liver cirrhosis (LC) and if a biologic plausibility exists. This study was divided into three parts. In part 1 (retrospective analysis), 753 consecutive patients with LC with ultrasound-detected PVT were retrospectively analyzed. In part 2, 112 patients with LC and 56 matched controls were entered in the cross-sectional study. In part 3, 5 patients with cirrhosis were entered in the in vivo study and 4 healthy subjects (HSs) were entered in the in vitro study to explore if albumin may affect platelet activation by modulating oxidative stress. In the 753 patients with LC, the prevalence of PVT was 16.7%; logistic analysis showed that only age (odds ratio [OR], 1.024; P = 0.012) and serum albumin (OR, -0.422; P = 0.0001) significantly predicted patients with PVT. Analyzing the 112 patients with LC and controls, soluble clusters of differentiation (CD)40-ligand (P = 0.0238), soluble Nox2-derived peptide (sNox2-dp; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (P = 0.0078) were higher in patients with LC. In LC, albumin was correlated with sCD4OL (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [r(s)], -0.33; P < 0.001), sNox2-dp (r(s), -0.57; P < 0.0001), and urinary excretion of isoprostanes (r(s), -0.48; P < 0.0001) levels. The in vivo study showed a progressive decrease in platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2 alpha-III formation 2 hours and 3 days after albumin infusion. Finally, platelet aggregation, sNox2-dp, and isoprostane formation significantly decreased in platelets from HSs incubated with scalar concentrations of albumin. Conclusion: Low serum albumin in LC is associated with PVT, suggesting that albumin could be a modulator of the hemostatic system through interference with mechanisms regulating platelet activation

Clinical features and outcomes of elderly hospitalised patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure or both

Background and objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) mutually increase the risk of being present in the same patient, especially if older. Whether or not this coexistence may be associated with a worse prognosis is debated. Therefore, employing data derived from the REPOSI register, we evaluated the clinical features and outcomes in a population of elderly patients admitted to internal medicine wards and having COPD, HF or COPD + HF. Methods: We measured socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics, severity and prevalence of comorbidities, clinical and laboratory features during hospitalization, mood disorders, functional independence, drug prescriptions and discharge destination. The primary study outcome was the risk of death. Results: We considered 2,343 elderly hospitalized patients (median age 81 years), of whom 1,154 (49%) had COPD, 813 (35%) HF, and 376 (16%) COPD + HF. Patients with COPD + HF had different characteristics than those with COPD or HF, such as a higher prevalence of previous hospitalizations, comorbidities (especially chronic kidney disease), higher respiratory rate at admission and number of prescribed drugs. Patients with COPD + HF (hazard ratio HR 1.74, 95% confidence intervals CI 1.16-2.61) and patients with dementia (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.06-2.90) had a higher risk of death at one year. The Kaplan-Meier curves showed a higher mortality risk in the group of patients with COPD + HF for all causes (p = 0.010), respiratory causes (p = 0.006), cardiovascular causes (p = 0.046) and respiratory plus cardiovascular causes (p = 0.009). Conclusion: In this real-life cohort of hospitalized elderly patients, the coexistence of COPD and HF significantly worsened prognosis at one year. This finding may help to better define the care needs of this population

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Growth evaluation of Gelidium cultured with algae-based biostimulants

El cultivo de macroalgas comerciales constituye la principal alternativa a la presión extractiva sobre las poblaciones naturales. Uno de los géneros de mayor valor económico es Gelidium, una macroalga de lento crecimiento que produce agar de calidad bacteriológica. A pesar de los numerosos intentos, no se ha logrado consolidar una metodología eficiente para el cultivo de especies de Gelidium a nivel mundial. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el crecimiento en cultivo de G. carolinianum mediante el uso de bioestimulantes a base de algas. Se realizaron dos ensayos de cultivo utilizando los bioestimulantes Kelpak®, Algafol y Fulltec, el medio enriquecedor formulado PES, y sus combinaciones (Kelpak®+PES, Algafol + PES y Fulltec + PES). Los ensayos se iniciaron a partir de fragmentos apicales y de 0,2 g de biomasa bajo el fotoperíodo 8:16 (L:O). La tasa de crecimiento de los fragmentos apicales fue máxima utilizando Kelpak® (p<0,0001). La formación de nuevas ramas y de hapterios fue mayor en cultivos enriquecidos con PES (1%) (p<0,0004 y p<0,0001, respectivamente). Al evaluar las tasas de crecimiento de los talos no se observaron diferencias significativas al comprar los bioestimulantes (p=0,61). Sin embargo, la mayor biomasa se registró usando Kelpak®. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que la utilización de bioestimulantes formulados a base de macroalgas, representa una alternativa además de los medios enriquecedores clásicos utilizados para el cultivo de macroalgas.Fil: Gauna, Maria Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaFil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; ArgentinaXXXIX Jornadas Argentinas de BotánicaSan Fernando del Valle de CatamarcaArgentinaSociedad Argentina de Botánica y Asociación Argentina de FicologíaUniversidad Nacional de Catamarc

Seasonal dynamic of macroalgae in intertidal pools formed by beds of Crassostrea gigas (Mollusca, Bivalvia) on the north Patagonian Atlantic coast

Intertidal pools represent restricted habitats for macroalgal assemblages, and their structure is determined by physical and biotic factors. The establishment of the exotic oyster Crassostrea gigas on the north Patagonian Atlantic coast led to the formation of intertidal pools; these provide habitats for macroalgal settlement. We aimed to determine the composition, distribution and abundance of the macroalgal assemblage inhabiting these pools, and to establish the structuring variables. Several biotic and abiotic variables were evaluated in 36 pools in winter and summer. Correlations were calculated and permutation analysis of variance and constrained redundancy analysis were conducted to determine the structuring variables. Unlike other Patagonian coasts, richness was low and pools were characterized by a dominance of red algae. Richness was higher in winter, while diversity was lower because of the dominance of Polysiphonia abscissa, which had the highest percentage of occurrence. Temperature was a putative factor determining seasonal richness and diversity. Elevation and surface area of the pools were structuring factors for assemblage biomass. We demonstrated distinct assemblage dynamics. Polysiphonia abscissa developed large populations in winter, which declined towards the summer, while Gelidium maggsiae and Gelidiella calcicola formed dense turfs during summer stress.Fil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentin

The Japanese alga Polysiphonia morrowii (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) on the South Atlantic Ocean: first report of an invasive macroalga inhabiting oyster reefs

Conspicuous tufts of the filamentous algae Polysiphonia Greville inhabit the reefs of Crassostrea gigas on the Atlantic Patagonian coast. The population was recorded for the first time in 1994 and identified as P. argentinica. This study exhaustively investigated the morphology and reproduction of specimens and the seasonality of the population. The results revealed the identity of the specimens as the invasive Japanese macroalga Polysiphonia morrowii Harvey, on the basis of several striking features: the setaceous and tufted thalli, the corymbose growing apices, the endogenous axillary branches, the urceolate cystocarps and the sharply pointed branches. Sexual reproduction was evidenced; however, fertile male gametophytes were absent in the samples. The population was found almost all year round, but its abundance became higher in autumn and winter. T he present study constitutes the first record of this invasive macroalga on the South Atlantic Ocean; the fourth record of an exotic macroalgal species on the Atlantic Patagonian coast; and the first record of an invasive species related to the establishment of C. gigas in Atlantic Patagonia.Fil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalia. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Laboratorio de Ecología Acuática; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentin

The establishment of the non-native seaweed Polysiphonia morrowii in Northern Patagonia: Size of thallus and reproduction

A population of Polysiphonia morrowii, recently introduced in the South West Atlantic Ocean, was studied to determine the degree of its establishment. Monthly variations of: thallus size, proportion of life history phases, and tetrasporangia production, were evaluated from June to October 2010. The erect thalli appeared in autumn, and decayed in spring when they became overgrown by epiphytic diatoms. Vegetative thalli were usually smaller than fertile thalli. In spring, the thalli had the maximum mean values of length (199.5 mm), thickness (52 mm) and dried weight (4 g). Although tetrasporophytes represented between 73% and 90% of the thalli collected each month, a few cystocarpic thalli were also found. Variations of thallus size and proportion of life history phases were also studied between 2010 and 2014. The inter-annual increase in the proportion of the tetrasporophytic phase and the progressive increase of the size of P. morrowii thalli indicated an ongoing establishment of the population in this habitat.Fil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Biología, Bioquímica y Farmacia; Argentin

The turf-forming alga Gelidium crinale (Florideophyceae, Rhodophyta) on Atlantic Patagonian coasts

We describe for the first time the morphology of Gelidium crinale from its natural habitat in Atlantic Patagonia with special consideration of diagnostic characters. Observations and morphometric measurements were done on fresh specimens using scanning electron and inverted light microscopy. This report is a new record for Atlantic Patagonian coasts. The thalli comprise prostrate and erect axes; they are subterete at the base and compressed to flattened at the apices. The basal parts are scarcely and irregularly branched, while the apical parts are highly ramified and subdichotomously branched. The lengths of thalli and the ramification patterns differ from previous descriptions, and were variable between seasons and life history phases. ´Brush-like´ haptera confirmed the identity of the algae as members of the Gelidiaceae. Internal rhizoidal filaments are abundant and distributed in groups throughout the medulla. The life history was of the ´Polysiphonia -type´ ; occurrences of carposporophytes and tetrasporophytes were variable.Fil: Croce, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Parodi, Elisa Rosalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentin