Caracterización molecular del virus de la rabia : Sus aplicaciones al diagnóstico y vigilancia epidemiológica en Argentina

En Argentina, como consecuencia del éxito de los Programas Nacionales de Vacunación y Control, la importancia del perro doméstico como reservorio del virus de la rabia (RABV) se ha reducido sustancialmente. Esta situación, en conjunto con cambios en la demografía humana, alteraciones del medio ambiente y el aumento de prácticas recreativas que incrementan el contacto del hombre con animales salvajes, ha puesto en evidencia la importancia de otras especies de vida silvestre en la transmisión de la rabia.Trabajo publicado en Cagliada, Maria del Pilar Lilia y Galosi, Cecilia Mónica (comps.). I Congreso de Microbiología Veterinaria. Libro de resúmenes. La Plata: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, 2021.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Estructura y función del sistema glinfático: avances recientes

68 p.El sistema glinfático es una vía de eliminación de desechos, compuesta por una serie de canales perivasculares formados por los astrocitos, que en sus pies terminales expresan proteínas de membrana esenciales para el paso de agua y fluidos, las acuaporinas 4 (AQP4), que en conjunto con la pulsatilidad de las arterias facilitan el flujo del líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) a través del parénquima cerebral. Junto con ello se ve promocionado el intercambio con el líquido intersticial (LI) para finalmente drenar en los vasos linfáticos meníngeos o por la vía de la placa cribosa y los ganglios de la submucosa olfativa. Este mecanismo contribuye a la eliminación de proteínas solubles, metabolitos de desecho como el β-amiloide y la proteína tau hiperfosforilada del sistema nervioso central. Además, permite la movilización de elementos que no son de desecho, tal como la glucosa, lípidos, aminoácidos y neurotransmisores esenciales. Es importante recalcar que la actividad glinfática se ve afectada por estados de vigilia y el sueño, puesto que en el sueño la actividad glinfática se ve aumentada casi en un doble, mientras que en la vigilia disminuye casi en su totalidad. Además otros metabolitos como la noradrenalina disminuyen drásticamente su función. Dado que este sistema fue descubierto recientemente aún no se dilucida el rol que pueda tener en ciertas enfermedades neurodegenerativas, pero se conocen a grandes rasgos el rol del sistema con la enfermedad de Alzheimer, demencias y en la lesión cerebral traumática

Delayed and approved: a quantitative study of conflicts and the environmental impact assessments of energy projects in Chile 2012–2017

The Sistema de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (Environmental Impact Assessment System—SEIA) evaluates all projects potentially harmful to human health and the environment in Chile. Since its establishment, many projects approved by the SEIA have been contested by organized communities, especially in the energy sector. The question guiding our research is whether socio-environmental conflicts affect the evaluation times and the approval rates of projects under assessment. Using a novel database comprising all energy projects assessed by the SEIA, we analyzed 380 energy projects that entered the SEIA review process between 2012 and 2017 and matched these projects with protest events. Using linear and logit regression, we find no association between the occurrence of protests aimed at specific projects and the probability of project approval. We do, however, find that projects associated with the occurrence of protest events experience significantly longer review times. To assess the robustness of this finding, we compare two run-of-river plants proposed in Mapuche territory in Chile’s La Araucanía region. We discuss the broader implications of these findings for sustainable environmental decision making

A novel terrestrial rabies virus lineage occurring in south america: Origin, diversification, and evidence of contact between wild and domestic cycles

The rabies virus (RABV) is characterized by a history dominated by host shifts within and among bats and carnivores. One of the main outcomes of long-term RABV maintenance in dogs was the establishment of variants in a wide variety of mesocarnivores. In this study, we present the most comprehensive phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis, contributing to a better understanding of the origins, diversification, and the role of different host species in the evolution and diffusion of a dog-related variant endemic of South America. A total of 237 complete Nucleoprotein gene sequences were studied, corresponding to wild and domestic species, performing selection analyses, ancestral states reconstructions, and recombination analyses. This variant originated in Brazil and disseminated through Argentina and Paraguay, where a previously unknown lineage was found. A single host shift was identified in the phylogeny, from dog to the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in the Northeast of Brazil. Although this process occurred in a background of purifying selection, there is evidence of adaptive evolution-or selection of sub-consensus sequences-in internal branches after the host shift. The interaction of domestic and wild cycles persisted after host switching, as revealed by spillover and putative recombination events.Fil: Caraballo, Diego Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lema, Cristina. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio E Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbran". Departamento Virus; ArgentinaFil: Novaro, Laura. Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimento. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria; ArgentinaFil: Gury Dohmen, Federico. Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; ArgentinaFil: Russo, Susana. Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimento. Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria; ArgentinaFil: Beltrán, Fernando J.. Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Instituto de Zoonosis Luis Pasteur; ArgentinaFil: Palacios, Gustavo. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Estados UnidosFil: Cisterna, Daniel Marcelo. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio E Instituto de Salud "Dr. C. G. Malbran". Departamento Virus; Argentin

Caracterizacion del sector industrial del plastico no exportador de la Region Metropolitana : gestion de calidad.

147 p.El presente trabajo se ha llevado a cabo con el fin de reducir la incertidumbre existente acerca del sector de la industria del plastico no exportador de la Region Metropolitana y del eventual potencial exportador que dicho sector tendria en la region. El trabajo se ha dividido en dos partes. La primera, es una descripcion del sector industrial del plastico de la region metropolitana. Esta descripcion se llevo a cabo con la informacion recopilada en las primeras etapas de elaboracion de este trabajo, la cual tambien se plasma con los datos obtenidos en la aplicacion del cuestionario. La segunda parte es una caracterizacion del sector industrial del plastico no exportador de la Region Metropolitana, con base en la gestion de calidad, eficiencia, y orientacion al cliente. Utilizando el modelo de Cadena de Valor de Michael Porter(1987) se adapto y rediseño un cuestionario, empleado en el desarrollo de memorias que se enfocaron a otros sectores, como el vitivinicola por ejemplo en la memoria "Caracterizacion del sector vitivinicola no exportador de la septima region" (Calfun A. y Reinero E., 1999, FACE, Universidad de Talca, por citar alguna. Dicho cuestionario nos proporciono los datos e informacion para obtener las conclusiones acerca del sector. Con la informacion recopilada en cada una de estas partes, se logra mejorar la informacion disponible del sector industrial del plastico no exportador de la region metropolitana, entregando antecedentes importantes acerca de su tamaño, composicion y de la gestion de actividades relevantes para el negocio, haciendo hincapie en lo que es gestion de calidad de dicho sector. En adicion a lo anterior, dejamos las lineas trazadas para que futuros memoristas ahonden en la investigacion del mismo sector. Las palabras claves de nuestro estudio son: Caracterizacion, Industria Chilena del Plastico (Sector no Exportador), Bloques Genericos y gestion de: Calidad, Eficiencia y Orientacion al Cliente, Actividades Primarias y de Apoyo (Cadena Del Valor)

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 18 variants in patients with clinical manifestations of HPV related infections in Bilbao, Spain

Background:Human papillomavirus (HPV) variants differ in their biological and chemical properties, and therefore, may present differences in pathogenicity. Most authors classified variants based on the phylogenetic analysis of L1 region. Nevertheless, recombination in HPV samples is becoming a usual finding and thus, characterizing genetic variability in other regions should be essential. Objectives:We aimed to characterize the genetic variability of HPV 18 in 5 genomic regions: E6, E7, E4, L1 and the Upstream Regulatory Region (URR), working with both single infection and multiple HPV infection samples. Furthermore, we aimed to assess the prevalence of HPV 18 variants in our region and look for possible existence of recombination as well as analyze the relationship between these variants and the type of lesion. Methods: From 2007 to 2010, Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control Department analyzed 44 samples which were positive for HPV 18. Genetic variability was determined in PCR products and variants were assigned to European, Asian-amerindian or African lineage. Recombination and association of variants with different types of lesion was studied. Results: Genetic analysis of the regions revealed a total of 56 nucleotide variations. European, African and Asian-amerindian variants were found in 25/44 (56.8%), 10/44 (22.7%) and 5/44 (11.4%) samples, respectively. We detected the presence of recombinant variants in 2/44 (4.5%) cases. Samples taken from high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (H-SIL) only presented variants with specific-african substitutions. Conclusions: Multiple HPV infection, non-european HPV variants prevalence and existence of recombination are considered risk factors for HPV persistence and progression of intraepithelial abnormalities, and therefore, should be taken into consideration in order to help to design and optimize diagnostics protocols as well as improve epidemiologic studies. Our study is one of the few studies in Spain which analyses the genetic variability of HPV18 and we showed the importance of characterizing more than one genomic region in order to detect recombination and classify HPV variants properl

Molecular characterization of severe and mild cases of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 strain from Argentina

While worldwide pandemic influenza A(H1N1) pdm case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.4%, Argentina's was 4.5%. A total of 34 strains from mild and severe cases were analyzed. A full genome sequencing was carried out on 26 of these, and a partial sequencing on the remaining eight. We observed no evidence that the high CFR can be attributed to direct virus changes. No evidence of re-assortment, mutations associated with resistance to antiviral drugs, or genetic drift that might contribute to virulence was observed. Although the mutation D225G associated with severity in the latest reports from the Ukraine and Norway is not observed among the Argentine strains, an amino acid change in the area (S206T) surrounding the HA receptor binding domain was observed, the same previously established worldwide

Streptococcus Pneumoniae coinfection is correlated with the severity of H1N1 pandemic Influenza

Fil: Palacios, Gustavo. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Hornig, Mady. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Cisterna, Daniel. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Savji, Nazir. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Bussetti, Ana Valeria. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Kapoor, Vishal. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Hui, Jeffrey. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Tokarz, Rafal. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Briese, Thomas. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Fil: Baumeister, Elsa. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; Argentina.Fil: Lipkin, W. Ian. Columbia University. Center for Infection and Immunity; Estados Unidos.Background Initial reports in May 2009 of the novel influenza strain H1N1pdm estimated a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.6%, similar to that of seasonal influenza. In July 2009, however, Argentina reported 3056 cases with 137 deaths, representing a CFR of 4.5%. Potential explanations for increased CFR included virus reassortment or genetic drift, or infection of a more vulnerable population. Virus genomic sequencing of 26 Argentinian samples representing both severe and mild disease indicated no evidence of reassortment, mutations associated with resistance to antiviral drugs, or genetic drift that might contribute to virulence. Furthermore, no evidence was found for increased frequency of risk factors for H1N1pdm disease. Methods/Principal Findings We examined nasopharyngeal swab samples (NPS) from 199 cases of H1N1pdm infection from Argentina with MassTag PCR, testing for 33 additional microbial agents. The study population consisted of 199 H1N1pdm-infected subjects sampled between 23 June and 4 July 2009. Thirty-nine had severe disease defined as death (n = 20) or hospitalization (n = 19); 160 had mild disease. At least one additional agent of potential pathogenic importance was identified in 152 samples (76%), including Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 62); Haemophilus influenzae (n = 104); human respiratory syncytial virus A (n = 11) and B (n = 1); human rhinovirus A (n = 1) and B (n = 4); human coronaviruses 229E (n = 1) and OC43 (n = 2); Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 2); Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 2); Serratia marcescens (n = 1); and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 35) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, n = 6). The presence of S. pneumoniae was strongly correlated with severe disease. S. pneumoniae was present in 56.4% of severe cases versus 25% of mild cases; more than one-third of H1N1pdm NPS with S. pneumoniae were from subjects with severe disease (22 of 62 S. pneumoniae-positive NPS, p = 0.0004). In subjects 6 to 55 years of age, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of severe disease in the presence of S. pneumoniae was 125.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.95, 928.72; p<0.0001). Conclusions/Significance The association of S. pneumoniae with morbidity and mortality is established in the current and previous influenza pandemics. However, this study is the first to demonstrate the prognostic significance of non-invasive antemortem diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infection and may provide insights into clinical management

Streptococcus pneumoniae Coinfection Is Correlated with the Severity of H1N1 Pandemic Influenza

Initial reports in May 2009 of the novel influenza strain H1N1pdm estimated a case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.6%, similar to that of seasonal influenza. In July 2009, however, Argentina reported 3056 cases with 137 deaths, representing a CFR of 4.5%. Potential explanations for increased CFR included virus reassortment or genetic drift, or infection of a more vulnerable population. Virus genomic sequencing of 26 Argentinian samples representing both severe and mild disease indicated no evidence of reassortment, mutations associated with resistance to antiviral drugs, or genetic drift that might contribute to virulence. Furthermore, no evidence was found for increased frequency of risk factors for H1N1pdm disease.We examined nasopharyngeal swab samples (NPS) from 199 cases of H1N1pdm infection from Argentina with MassTag PCR, testing for 33 additional microbial agents. The study population consisted of 199 H1N1pdm-infected subjects sampled between 23 June and 4 July 2009. Thirty-nine had severe disease defined as death (n = 20) or hospitalization (n = 19); 160 had mild disease. At least one additional agent of potential pathogenic importance was identified in 152 samples (76%), including Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 62); Haemophilus influenzae (n = 104); human respiratory syncytial virus A (n = 11) and B (n = 1); human rhinovirus A (n = 1) and B (n = 4); human coronaviruses 229E (n = 1) and OC43 (n = 2); Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 2); Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 2); Serratia marcescens (n = 1); and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 35) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, n = 6). The presence of S. pneumoniae was strongly correlated with severe disease. S. pneumoniae was present in 56.4% of severe cases versus 25% of mild cases; more than one-third of H1N1pdm NPS with S. pneumoniae were from subjects with severe disease (22 of 62 S. pneumoniae-positive NPS, p = 0.0004). In subjects 6 to 55 years of age, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of severe disease in the presence of S. pneumoniae was 125.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.95, 928.72; p<0.0001).The association of S. pneumoniae with morbidity and mortality is established in the current and previous influenza pandemics. However, this study is the first to demonstrate the prognostic significance of non-invasive antemortem diagnosis of S. pneumoniae infection and may provide insights into clinical management

Revisiting Molossus (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae) diversity: Exploring southern limits and revealing a novel species in Argentina

Abstract Understanding species diversity and delineating their boundaries are crucial for effective management and conservation efforts. In the case of bats, species identification holds particular importance from an epidemiological standpoint. The genus Molossus (Chiroptera: Molossidae) encompasses 15 species distributed across the Neotropics, ranging from the southeastern United States to Argentina. This genus exhibits two contrasting patterns of variation: some species are cryptic, while others are morphologically distinct yet genetically similar. This study explores the diversity of Molossus in Argentina through a molecular phylogenetic approach. We analyzed sequences from three molecular markers (cyt b, COI, and FGB) along with morphology data obtained from a sample of 64 individuals. Uni- and multivariate analyses of external and cranial measurements were conducted, alongside comparisons of external and cranial characteristics among species. Based on molecular and morphological differences, we describe a new species within the Molossus genus. This newly discovered species exhibits a broad distribution spanning the Paraná River basin across three distinct ecoregions. It is noteworthy that this species is pseudo-cryptic with respect to similar-sized species such as M. molossus and M. melini. Additionally, it is important to mention that all species in Argentina have overlapping distribution ranges. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into the diversity and distribution of Molossus bats in Argentina, employing molecular and morphological analyses. The discovery of a new species underscores the ongoing importance of comprehensive research efforts in understanding and conserving bat populations in the Neotropics