Effects of Environmental Traits and Landscape Management on the Biodiversity of Saproxylic Beetles in Mediterranean Oak Forests

This study assesses the effects of environmental traits and landscape management on the biodiversity of saproxylic beetles from “dehesas” located in Sierra Morena Mountains (Córdoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula). The dehesa is an open savanna-like landscape with mature/old trees scattered on a pasture cover where both living and dead wood are of great importance for the maintenance of macroinvertebrate fauna. The study was carried out in five plots, with different environmental features and management. A total of 137 branches belonging to the four main tree species present in the area were collected, classified, and kept under four different thermal conditions. From January to June 2019, the adult emergences were followed. A total of 466 saproxylic specimens of 31 species were obtained, 5 of them included in red lists of protected fauna. Two Bostrichidae species (Lichenophanes numida Lesne and Scobicia pustulata Fab.) and two Cerambycidae (Chlorophorus ruficornis Oliv. and Trichoferus fasciculatus Faldermann) are included in the “European Red List of Saproxylic Beetles”; and the Clerid Tillus ibericus Bahillo de la Puebla, López–Colón and García–Paris, is included in the “Red Book of Invertebrate of Andalucía”. Differences were observed regarding the diversity and abundance among the plots and among the tree species from which the beetles emerged. Simple regression analyses revealed negative relationships between tree density/Buprestidae, livestock/Bostrichidae, and land use/Cerambycidae. Multivariant logistic regression analysis did not find significant relationships among environmental traits and saproxylic diversity. Results confirmed that dry wood was a main resource for the maintenance dehesas’ biodiversity because it constitutes an ecological niche exploited by a significant set of saproxylic beetles belonging to the Bostrichidae, Buprestidae, and Cerambycidae families, in addition to other guilds of species, mainly Carabidae and Cleridae, which feed on the above-mentioned groups. Our results also support that increasing environmental temperature accelerates the development of Buprestidae, but this effect was not evident for the Bostrichidae species

Assessment and Distribution of Damages Caused by the Trunk-Boring Insects Coraebus undatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Reticulitermes grassei Clément (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) in Mediterranean Restored Cork-Oak Forests

This work assesses damage caused by Coraebus undatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Reticulitermes grassei Clément (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae) in managed cork oak forests from the southern Iberian Peninsula. Lesions were diagnosed and quantified in relation to the following features: height and orientation in the trunk, diameter at breast height, solar exposure, understory presence and orography. The distribution patterns of lesions in the study area across 12 plots and in the trunk of the trees were also analyzed. The study was performed in “Sa de Hornachuelos” Natural Park (Córdoba, Spain) and the research area encompassed 12 environmentally-restored sampling plots. Data were recorded from 2007 to 2014, with yearly sampling from late June to mid-September, corresponding to the cork extraction period, since lesions caused by these insects are well distinguishable promptly after bark removal. The results reveal that C. undatus has low population levels and a non-uniform distribution pattern in the study area as well as in the trunk of the tree. It shows preference for medium height but not by any trunk orientation. R. grassei also shows low infestation levels and a preference to affect the trunk’s base. Comparatively, C. undatus showed higher infestation levels than R. grassei. The location of damage was also different, since galleries made by C. undatus predominated at intermediate trunk heights while those of R. grassei were more frequent at lower heights. Our results further showed a low co-occurrence of both species in the same tree trunks, which could be explained in terms of overlapping in the distribution areas of both species. These results provide background information that will enable natural resources managers to detect changes and trends of these species and inform future management decisions

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

La renovación de la palabra en el bicentenario de la Argentina : los colores de la mirada lingüística

El libro reúne trabajos en los que se exponen resultados de investigaciones presentadas por investigadores de Argentina, Chile, Brasil, España, Italia y Alemania en el XII Congreso de la Sociedad Argentina de Lingüística (SAL), Bicentenario: la renovación de la palabra, realizado en Mendoza, Argentina, entre el 6 y el 9 de abril de 2010. Las temáticas abordadas en los 167 capítulos muestran las grandes líneas de investigación que se desarrollan fundamentalmente en nuestro país, pero también en los otros países mencionados arriba, y señalan además las áreas que recién se inician, con poca tradición en nuestro país y que deberían fomentarse. Los trabajos aquí publicados se enmarcan dentro de las siguientes disciplinas y/o campos de investigación: Fonología, Sintaxis, Semántica y Pragmática, Lingüística Cognitiva, Análisis del Discurso, Psicolingüística, Adquisición de la Lengua, Sociolingüística y Dialectología, Didáctica de la lengua, Lingüística Aplicada, Lingüística Computacional, Historia de la Lengua y la Lingüística, Lenguas Aborígenes, Filosofía del Lenguaje, Lexicología y Terminología

RhoA/ROCK2 signalling is enhanced by PDGF-AA in fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells : implications for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

The lack of dystrophin expression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) induces muscle fibre and replacement by fibro-adipose tissue. Although the role of some growth factors in the process of fibrogenesis has been studied, pathways activated by PDGF-AA have not been described so far. Our aim was to study the molecular role of PDGF-AA in the fibrotic process of DMD. Skeletal muscle fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells (FAPs) from three DMD treated with PDGF-AA at 50 ng/mL were analysed by quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Western-blot, immunofluorescence, and G-LISA were used to confirm the mass spectrometry results. We evaluated the effects of PDGF-AA on the activation of RhoA pathway using two inhibitors, C3-exoenzyme and fasudil. Cell proliferation and migration were determined by BrdU and migration assay. Actin reorganization and collagen synthesis were measured by phalloidin staining and Sircol assay, respectively. In an in vivo proof of concept study, we treated dba/2J-mdx mice with fasudil for 6 weeks. Muscle strength was assessed with the grip strength. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analyses were used to study fibrotic and inflammatory markers in muscle tissue. Mass spectrometry revealed that RhoA pathway proteins were up-regulated in treated compared with non-treated DMD FAPs (n = 3, mean age = 8 ± 1.15 years old). Validation of proteomic data showed that Arhgef2 expression was significantly increased in DMD muscles compared with healthy controls by a 7.7-fold increase (n = 2, mean age = 8 ± 1.14 years old). In vitro studies showed that RhoA/ROCK2 pathway was significantly activated by PDGF-AA (n = 3, 1.88-fold increase, P < 0.01) and both C3-exoenzyme and fasudil blocked that activation (n = 3, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). The activation of RhoA pathway by PDGF-AA promoted a significant increase in proliferation and migration of FAPs (n = 3, P < 0.001), while C3-exoenzyme and fasudil inhibited FAPs proliferation at 72 h and migration at 48 and 72 h (n = 3, P < 0.001). In vivo studies showed that fasudil improved muscle function (n = 5 non-treated dba/2J-mdx and n = 6 treated dba/2J-mdx, 1.76-fold increase, P < 0.013), and histological studies demonstrated a 23% reduction of collagen-I expression area (n = 5 non-treated dba/2J-mdx and n = 6 treated dba/2J-mdx, P < 0.01). Our results suggest that PDGF-AA promotes the activation of RhoA pathway in FAPs from DMD patients. This pathway could be involved in FAPs activation promoting its proliferation, migration, and actin reorganization, which represents the beginning of the fibrotic process. The inhibition of RhoA pathway could be considered as a potential therapeutic target for muscle fibrosis in patients with muscular dystrophies

Anales de Edafología y Agrobiología Tomo 46 Número 7-12

l. Suelos.-Biología La lombriz de tierra (E. Foetida sav. y L. Rubellus Hoff). Biología y usos más importantes. Por M. T. Flores y P. Alvira.-- Composición qufmico-bromatológica y proporción de aminoácidos de la harina de la lombriz de tierra (E. Foetida sav. y L. Rubellus Hoff.). Por M. T. Flores y P. Alvira.-- Génesis, Clasificación y Cartografía Estudio edáfico de la Sierra de Cazorla. (Jaén). (III). Características de suelos con epipedón mollico. Por J. González Parra, C. González Huecas y A . López Lafuente.-- Suelos de la Rioja Alavesa: l. Entisoles y Aridisoles. Por A. J. Ocio, A. Guerra, R. Jiménez Ballesta y J. Batllé.-- Suelos de la rioja Alavesa: II. Inceptisoles. Por A. J. Ocio, R. Jiménez Ballesta, J. Batllé y A. Guerra.-- Caracterización de una toposecuencia en las naves (Dunas estabilizadas) del Parque Nacional de Doñana. Por P. Siljestrom Ribed y L. Clemente Salas.-- Evolución edafo-geomorfológica de las lagunas temporales del Parque Nacional de Doñana. Por P. Siljeström Ribed y L. Clemente Salas.-- Ordenación agronómica de un área de montaña de Galicia. l. Datos del medio fÍsico Por R. Blázquez, R. Calvo y F. Macías.-- Ordenación agronómica de un área de montaña en Galicia. II. Una alternativa de planificación. Por R. Calvo, R. Blázquez y F. Macías.-- Suelos de la Sierra del Maigmo (Alicante). II. Descripción de perfiles. Datos analíticos, clasificación y distribución. Por L. J. Alfas y A. de la Torre.--II. Biología Vegetal-Nutrición Estudio del poder fertilizante de un complejo de turba. l. Ensayo de fertilidad sobre suelo arcilloso. Por F. l. Pugnaire y C. García Izquierdo.-- Efecto de la relación N03 /NJtt en la composición mineral de plantas de tomate y pimiento cultivadas en ambiente controlado. Por J. Caselles, P. Zornoza y O. Carpena.-- Influencia de la fertilización nitrogenada en la evolución foliar de algunos nutrientes, ácidos y azúcares de la V. Vinifera "Pedro Ximénez". Por C. Aceituno, J. Mérida, J. L. González y M. Medina.-- Fisiología Effect of Sesbania mosaic virus on photosynthetic production of Dhaincha leaves. Por G.P. Rao, D. N. Shukla and K. Shukla.-- Influencia de almacenamiento en frío y tratamiento hormonal sobre el reposo de estaquillas de castaño. Por E. González, l. Iglesias, T. Díaz y J. L. G. Mantilla.-- Agrobiología. Viñedos Canarios. Zona de Acentejo. l. Climatologra. Por Ma E. Figueruelo O jeda, F. Gutiérrez Jérez y Mª I. Trujillo Jacinto del Castillo.-- Viñedos Canarios. Zona de Acentejo. II. Caracteristicas fÍsicas del suelo. Por F. Gutiérrez Jérez, l. Trujillo Jacinto del Castillo, E. Figueruelo Ojeda y C. Curbelo Mújica.-- III. Trabajos recapitulativos. El cobre como nutriente de la planta. Por O. Lastra, A. Chueca. C. González, M. Lachica y J. López Gorge. l. Suelos-Química. Problemas de caracterización del complejo de cambio en suelos de Galicia. Por R. M. Calvo de Anta y E. Alvarez Rodríguez.—Biología. Uso del violeta de Genciana en un medio de cultivo sintético que permite el desarrollo de bacterias aerobias Gram negativas del suelo. Por M. T. Pérez, M. A . Gómez y M. A. Sagardoy.-- Efecto de la temperatura sobre el comportamiento cinético de la actividad fj-D-Giucosidasa en una turba del Valle del Ebro (Burgos, España). Por S. González Carcedo, M. A . Arconada Varas y M. D. Luera.-- Génesis, Clasificación y Cartografía Suelos de la Rioja Alavesa: III. Mollisoles, Alfisoles y síntesis final. Por A. J. Ocio, R. Jiménez Ballesta, J. L. Martín de Vidales y A. Guerra.-- Morfología y evolución de Jos suelos de las lagunas permanentes del Parque Nacional de Doñana. Por P. Siljeström Ribed y L. Clemente Salas.-- Evolución edáfica en la vera arcillosa del Parque Nacional de Doñana. Por P. Siljeström Ribed y L. Clemente Salas.-- Suelos con horizontes arg!licos en el macizo de Ayllón y Sierra del Alto Rey (Sistema Central): Pautas de distribución en el paisaje. Por J. J. lbáñez, J. Gallardo y R. Jiménez Ballesta.—Fertilidad. Quelación por EDDHA de micronutrientes en suelos calizos: Ecuación modificada de Freundlich. Por J. Sánchez-Andréu, M. Juárez, L. Play J. Mataix .-- Estudio de la fertilidad de los suelos y nutrición mineral de la fresa en la Isla de Tenerife. Por A. Arévalo Morales, C. Martínez Barroso y C. E. Alvarez González.-- II. Biología Vegetal.-Nutrición Producción y contenido protéico de tallo y hoja de Cynodon dactylon en clima mediterráneo. Por M. C. Bergareche, M. J. López y E. Simón.-- Factores externos y nutrición mineral del trigo. Por L. Sánchez de la Puente y R. M.3 Belda Navarro.-- Balance de N. P, K y S en trigo de la región semiárida de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Por R. A. Rosell, M. R. Landriscini, K. Ch. Sommer y A . Glave.-- Agrobiología Cinética del proceso de adsorción de TMTD sobre carbón activo y sepiolita. Por M. Socias Viciana, A. Valverde García, M. Villafranca Sánchez y E. González Pradas.-- Viñedos Canarios. Zona de Acentejo. III. Características químicas de los suelos. Por I. Trujillo Jacinto del Castillo, E. Figueruelo Ojeda, F. Gutiérrez Jérez y D. del Castillo Rodríguez.-- Relaciones suelo-pasto en superficies de tipo raña. Por A. García, J. J. lbáñez y J. Pastor.-- Estructura y distribución de bosques caducifolios sobre distintos sustratos en el Valle del V aldeón. Cordillera Cantábrica. Por A. García.-- III. Trabajos reacapitulativos. Interacción entre micorrizas VA y organismos patógenos de plantas. Por J. M. García-Garrido y J. A. Ocampo.-- Interaction of humic substances with microbes and enzymes in soil and possible implications for soil fertility. By Richard G. Burns.-- l. Suelos.Física. Osmo-Regulación en cultivares contrastantes de trigo y su relación con la etapa del desarrollo. Por N. L. García Girou y N. R. Curvetto.-- Estudio comparativo sobre diferentes métodos de valoración de la erosión hídrica en unas áreas piloto representativas de la provincia de Valencia. España. Por V. Bordas Valls y J. Sánchez Díaz.—Química. Adsorción de Malathion sobre sepiolita natural. Por E. González Paradas, M. Villafranca Sánchez, R. J. Plaza Capel, A. Valverde García, F. del Rey Bueno y A. García Rodríguez.-- Fertilidad- Nivel de fertilidad de los vertisoles de la provincia de Badajoz (España). l. Características generales de la capa arable. Por A García Navarro y A. López Piñeiro.-- Wheat soil Management and N fertilization in semiarid Argentina. Por R. A. Rosell, R. M. Martínez and K. Chr. Sommer.-- Modelos de comportamiento de la fertilidad de suelos calizos. Por l. Gómez, F. Burlo. B. Gómez y J. Mataix.-- Dinámica del fósforo en un suelo calizo. 11. Comparación de dos ritmos de abonado fosfórico y su incidencia en un cultivo de tomate. Por R. M. Cuesta, A. M. Ramón, J. J. Lucena y A. Gárate.-- Cantidades y formas de fósforo en suelos naturales de Galicia (Nw Spain). Por M.3 C. Trasar Cepeda, F. Gil Sotres y F. Guitián Ojea..-- II. Biología Vegetal. Nutrición Efectos del riego por goteo en la nutrición nitrogenada de la berenjena (Solanum melongena L.) cultivada en invernadero. Por S. Jaime, M. Casado y A. Aguilar.-- Nutrición mineral del níspero del Japón (Eriobotrya japonica L.) evolución anual de los macroelementos N, P, K, Ca y Mg. 8 años de observaciones. Por S. Jaime, J. M. Farré, J. M. Hermoso y A. Aguilar.-- Influencia de la fertilización nitrogenada en condiciones salinas en el cultivo de plantas de tomate y pepino. l. Rendimientos y calidad de fruto. Por V. Martínez y A. Cerdá.-- Influencia de la fertilización nitrogenada en condiciones salinas en el cultivo de plantas de tomate y pepino. ll. Composición mineral. Por V. Martínez y A. Cerdá.-- Distribución e interrelaciones de componentes metálicos en segmentos ecológicos. Por F. Romero, C. Elejalde y G. Gómez.-- Fisiología Germinación de semillas de Phaseolus vulgaris, L. var. Eagle. l. Papel del ácido gilberélico sobre la producción de etileno. Por l . M. Sánchez-Calle y A. J. Matilla.-- Influencia del pH del suelo sobre el desarrollo y producción de la piña tropical. II. Desarrollo vegetativo y medidas; acidez y producción del fruto. Por C. E. Alvarez González, A E. Carracedo Torres, C. García Corujo y M. Fernández Falcón.—Agro biología. Viñedos canarios. Zona de Acentejo. IV. Estudio estadístico de regresión y contraste de hipótesis de las propiedades físicas y Qufmicas de los suelos. Por l. Trujillo Jacinto del Castillo, E. Figueruelo Ojeda, F. Gutiérrez Jérez y J. Trujillo Jacinto del Castillo.-- Trabajos recapitulativos. El cloroplasto: composición, función y estructura. Por J. Val, L. Heras y E. Monge.-- IV. Bibliografía. Estudio de la producción científica española en el área de Geología. Por A. de Irazazabal Nerpell, S. Alvarez Borge, C. Ortiz González y J. Zarco Weidner.Peer reviewe

Intubation Practices and Adverse Peri-intubation Events in Critically Ill Patients from 29 Countries

Importance: Tracheal intubation is one of the most commonly performed and high-risk interventions in critically ill patients. Limited information is available on adverse peri-intubation events. Objective: To evaluate the incidence and nature of adverse peri-intubation events and to assess current practice of intubation in critically ill patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: The International Observational Study to Understand the Impact and Best Practices of Airway Management in Critically Ill Patients (INTUBE) study was an international, multicenter, prospective cohort study involving consecutive critically ill patients undergoing tracheal intubation in the intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments, and wards, from October 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019 (August 28, 2019, was the final follow-up) in a convenience sample of 197 sites from 29 countries across 5 continents. Exposures: Tracheal intubation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse peri-intubation events defined as at least 1 of the following events occurring within 30 minutes from the start of the intubation procedure: cardiovascular instability (either: systolic pressure &lt;65 mm Hg at least once, &lt;90 mm Hg for &gt;30 minutes, new or increase need of vasopressors or fluid bolus &gt;15 mL/kg), severe hypoxemia (peripheral oxygen saturation &lt;80%) or cardiac arrest. The secondary outcomes included intensive care unit mortality. Results: Of 3659 patients screened, 2964 (median age, 63 years; interquartile range [IQR], 49-74 years; 62.6% men) from 197 sites across 5 continents were included. The main reason for intubation was respiratory failure in 52.3% of patients, followed by neurological impairment in 30.5%, and cardiovascular instability in 9.4%. Primary outcome data were available for all patients. Among the study patients, 45.2% experienced at least 1 major adverse peri-intubation event. The predominant event was cardiovascular instability, observed in 42.6% of all patients undergoing emergency intubation, followed by severe hypoxemia (9.3%) and cardiac arrest (3.1%). Overall ICU mortality was 32.8%. Conclusions and Relevance: In this observational study of intubation practices in critically ill patients from a convenience sample of 197 sites across 29 countries, major adverse peri-intubation events - in particular cardiovascular instability - were observed frequently

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P &lt; 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Delayed colorectal cancer care during covid-19 pandemic (decor-19). Global perspective from an international survey

Background The widespread nature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been unprecedented. We sought to analyze its global impact with a survey on colorectal cancer (CRC) care during the pandemic. Methods The impact of COVID-19 on preoperative assessment, elective surgery, and postoperative management of CRC patients was explored by a 35-item survey, which was distributed worldwide to members of surgical societies with an interest in CRC care. Respondents were divided into two comparator groups: 1) ‘delay’ group: CRC care affected by the pandemic; 2) ‘no delay’ group: unaltered CRC practice. Results A total of 1,051 respondents from 84 countries completed the survey. No substantial differences in demographics were found between the ‘delay’ (745, 70.9%) and ‘no delay’ (306, 29.1%) groups. Suspension of multidisciplinary team meetings, staff members quarantined or relocated to COVID-19 units, units fully dedicated to COVID-19 care, personal protective equipment not readily available were factors significantly associated to delays in endoscopy, radiology, surgery, histopathology and prolonged chemoradiation therapy-to-surgery intervals. In the ‘delay’ group, 48.9% of respondents reported a change in the initial surgical plan and 26.3% reported a shift from elective to urgent operations. Recovery of CRC care was associated with the status of the outbreak. Practicing in COVID-free units, no change in operative slots and staff members not relocated to COVID-19 units were statistically associated with unaltered CRC care in the ‘no delay’ group, while the geographical distribution was not. Conclusions Global changes in diagnostic and therapeutic CRC practices were evident. Changes were associated with differences in health-care delivery systems, hospital’s preparedness, resources availability, and local COVID-19 prevalence rather than geographical factors. Strategic planning is required to optimize CRC care