Multicentre observational study on multisystem inflammatory syndrome related to COVID-19 in Argentina

Background: The impact of the pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in low- and middle-income countries remains poorly understood. Our aim was to understand the characteristics and outcomes of PIMS-TS in Argentina. Methods: This observational, prospective, and retrospective multicenter study enrolled patients younger than 18 years-old manifesting PIMS-TS, Kawasaki disease (KD) or Kawasaki shock syndrome (KSS) between March 2020 and May 2021. Patients were followed-up until hospital discharge or death (one case). The primary outcome was pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify variables predicting PICU admission. Results: Eighty-one percent, 82%, and 14% of the 176 enrolled patients fulfilled the suspect case criteria for PIMS-TS, KD, and KSS, respectively. Temporal association with SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed in 85% of the patients and 38% were admitted to the PICU. The more common clinical manifestations were fever, abdominal pain, rash, and conjunctival injection. Lymphopenia was more common among PICU-admitted patients (87% vs. 51%, p < 0.0001), who also showed a lower platelet count and higher plasmatic levels of inflammatory and cardiac markers. Mitral valve insufficiency, left ventricular wall motion alterations, pericardial effusion, and coronary artery alterations were observed in 30%, 30%, 19.8%, and 18.6% of the patients, respectively. Days to initiation of treatment, rash, lymphopenia, and low platelet count were significant independent contributions to PICU admission. Conclusion: Rates of severe outcomes of PIMS-TS in the present study agreed with those observed in high-income countries. Together with other published studies, this work helps clinicians to better understand this novel clinical entity.Fil: Vainstein, Eduardo. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Baleani, Silvia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Urrutia, Luis. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; ArgentinaFil: Affranchino, Nicolás. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; ArgentinaFil: Ackerman, Judith. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Cazalas, Mariana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Goldsman, Alejandro. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Sardella, Angela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Tolin, Ana Laura. Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza. Hospital Pediátrico Humberto Notti; ArgentinaFil: Goldaracena, Pablo. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital de Niños "Sor María Ludovica" de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fabi, Mariana. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital de Niños "Sor María Ludovica" de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, Mariana. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Magliola, Ricardo. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Roggiero, Gustavo. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic; ArgentinaFil: Manso, Paula. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic; ArgentinaFil: Triguy, Jésica. Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza. Hospital Pediátrico Humberto Notti; ArgentinaFil: Ballester, Celeste. Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza. Hospital Pediátrico Humberto Notti; ArgentinaFil: Cervetto, Vanesa. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Vaccarello, María. Sanatorio de la Trinidad; ArgentinaFil: De Carli, Domingo Norberto. Clínica del Niño de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: De Carli, Maria Estela. Clínica del Niño de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Ciotti, Ana Laura. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Sicurello, María Irene. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños "Ricardo Gutiérrez"; ArgentinaFil: Rios Leiva, Cecilia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Villalba, Claudia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Pediatría "Juan P. Garrahan"; ArgentinaFil: Hortas, María. Sanatorio de la Trinidad; ArgentinaFil: Peña, Sonia. Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza. Hospital Pediátrico Humberto Notti; ArgentinaFil: González, Gabriela. Gobierno de la Provincia de Mendoza. Hospital Pediátrico Humberto Notti; ArgentinaFil: Zold, Camila Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Murer, Mario Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Grippo, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Vázquez, H.. No especifíca;Fil: Morós, C.. No especifíca;Fil: Di Santo, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Villa, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Lazota, P.. No especifíca;Fil: Foti, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Napoli, N.. No especifíca;Fil: Katsikas, M. M.. No especifíca;Fil: Tonello, L.. No especifíca;Fil: Peña, J.. No especifíca;Fil: Etcheverry, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Iglesias, D.. No especifíca;Fil: Alcalde, A. L.. No especifíca;Fil: Bruera, M.J.. No especifíca;Fil: Bruzzo, V.. No especifíca;Fil: Giordano, P.. No especifíca;Fil: Pena Acero, F.. No especifíca;Fil: Netri Pelandi, G.. No especifíca;Fil: Pastaro, D.. No especifíca;Fil: Bleiz, J.. No especifíca;Fil: Rodríguez, M. F.. No especifíca;Fil: Laghezza, L.. No especifíca;Fil: Molina, M. B.. No especifíca;Fil: Patynok, N.. No especifíca;Fil: Chatelain, M. S.. No especifíca;Fil: Aguilar, M. J.. No especifíca;Fil: Gamboa, J.. No especifíca;Fil: Cervan, M.. No especifíca;Fil: Ruggeri, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Marinelli, I.. No especifíca;Fil: Checcacci, E.. No especifíca;Fil: Meregalli, C.. No especifíca;Fil: Damksy Barbosa, J.. No especifíca;Fil: Fernie, L.. No especifíca;Fil: Fernández, M. J.. No especifíca;Fil: Saenz Tejeira, M.M.. No especifíca;Fil: Cereigido, C.. No especifíca;Fil: Nunell, A.. No especifíca;Fil: Villar, D.. No especifíca;Fil: Mansilla, A. D.. No especifíca;Fil: Darduin, M. D.. No especifíca

Systematics of the Neotropical Genus Leptodactylus Fitzinger, 1826 (Anura: Leptodactylidae): Phylogeny, the Relevance of Non-molecular Evidence, and Species Accounts

A phylogeny of the species-rich clade of the Neotropical frog genus Leptodactylus sensu stricto is presented on the basis of a total evidence analysis of molecular (mitochondrial and nuclear markers) and non-molecular (adult and larval morphological and behavioral characters) sampled from > 80% of the 75 currently recognized species. Our results support the monophyly of Leptodactylus sensu stricto, with Hydrolaetare placed as its sister group. The reciprocal monophyly of Hydrolaetare and Leptodactylus sensu stricto does not require that we consider Hydrolaetare as either a subgenus or synonym of Leptodactylus sensu lato. We recognize Leptodactylus sensu stricto, Hydrolaetare, Adenomera, and Lithodytes as valid monophyletic genera. Our results generally support the traditionally recognized Leptodactylus species groups, with exceptions involving only a few species that are easily accommodated without proposing new groups or significantly altering contents. The four groups form a pectinate tree, with the Leptodactylus fuscus group diverging first, followed by the L. pentadactylus group, which is sister to the L. latrans and L. melanonotus groups. To evaluate the impact of non-molecular evidence on our results, we compared our total evidence results with results obtained from analyses using only molecular data. Although non-molecular evidence comprised only 3.5% of the total evidence matrix, it had a strong impact on our total evidence results. Only one species group was monophyletic in the molecular-only analysis, and support differed in 86% of the 54 Leptodactylus clades that are shared by the results of the two analyses. Even though no non-molecular evidence was included for Hydrolaetare, exclusion of that data partition resulted in that genus being nested within Leptodactylus, demonstrating that the inclusion of a small amount of non-molecular evidence for a subset of species can alter not only the placement of those species, but also species that were not scored for those data. The evolution of several natural history and reproductive traits is considered in the light of our phylogenic framework. Invasion of rocky outcrops, larval oophagy, and use of underground reproductive chambers are restricted to species of the Leptodactylus fuscus and L. pentadactylus groups. In contrast, larval schooling, larval attendance, and more complex parental care are restricted to the L. latrans and L. melanonotus groups. Construction of foam nests is plesiomorphic in Leptodactylus but their placement varies extensively (e.g., underground chambers, surface of waterbodies, natural or excavated basins). Information on species synonymy, etymology, adult and larval morphology, advertisement call, and geographic distribution is summarized in species accounts for the 30 species of the Leptodactylus fuscus group, 17 species of the L. pentadactylus group, eight species of the L. latrans group, and 17 species of the L. melanonotus group, as well as the three species that are currently unassigned to any species group.Se presenta una filogenia del género Leptodactylus, un ciado neotropical rico en especies, basada en análises combinados de datos moleculares (marcadores nuclear y mitocondriales) y no moleculares (caracteres de la morfología de adultos y larvas así como de comportamiento) se muestrearon > 80% de las 75 especies reconocidas. Los resultados apoyan la monofília de Leptodactylus sensu stricto, con Hydrolaetare como su grupo hermano. La monofília recíproca de Hydrolaetare y Leptodactylus no requiere considerar a Hydrolaetare como un subgénero o sinónimo de Leptodactylus sensu lato. Se reconocen Leptodactylus sensu stricto, Hydrolaetare, Adenomera y Lithodytes como géneros monofiléticos válidos. Los resultados en general resuelven los grupos tradicionalmente reconocidos de Leptodactylus, con excepciones de algunas especies que son reasignadas sin la necesidad de proponer nuevos grupos o alterar significativamente el contenido de los grupos tradicionales. Los cuatro grupos de especies forman una topología pectinada donde el grupo de L. fuscus tiene una posición basal, seguido por el grupo de L. pentadactylus que es el grupo hermano al clado formado por los grupo de L. latrans y L. melanonotus. Se estimó el impacto de los datos no moleculares en los resultados, comparándose los resultados de evidencia total con los de los análises de datos moleculares solamente. Los datos no moleculares representan un 3.5% de la matriz de evidencia total, pero estos datos tuvieron un impacto significativo en los resultados del análisis de evidencia total. En el análisis estrictamente molecular solamente un grupo de especies resultó monofilético, y el apoyo difirió en 86% de los 54 ciados de Leptodactylus compartidos entre los dos análises. A pesar que datos no moleculares no fueron incluidos para Hydrolaetare, la exclusión de evidencia no molecular resultó en el género estar dentro de Leptodactylus, demostrando que la inclusión de evidencia no molecular pequeña para un subgrupo de especies altera no solamente la posición topológica de esas especies, sino tambien de las especies para las cuales dichos datos no fueron codificados. La evolución de patrones de historia natural y reprodución se evalúan en el contexto filogenético. La invasión de afloramientos rocosos y la construción de cámaras de reprodución subterraneas está limitada a los grupos de Leptodactylus fuscus y L. pentadactylus, mientras que la oofagia larval está restringida al grupo de L. pentadactylus. Por otro lado, los cárdumenes larvales, la proteción del cárdumen, y otros comportamientos parentales complejos carecterizan al clado formado por los grupos de especies de L. latrans y L. melanonotus. Los resúmenes de especies incluyen información de sinonimias, etimología, morfología de adultos y larvas, cantos, y distribución geográfica para las 30 especies del grupo de Leptodactylus fuscus, 17 especies del grupo L. pentadactylus, ocho especies del grupo de L. latrans, 17 especies del grupo de L. melanonotus, así como para las tres especies que actualmente no se encuentran asociadas a ninguno de los grupos de especies.Taran Grant was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Proc. 307001/2011-3 and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo Proc. 2012/10000-5

Advanced experimental analysis of controls on microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction. 1998 annual progress report

'Understanding factors which control the long-term survival and activity of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (FeRB) in subsurface sedimentary environments is important for predicting their ability to serve as agents for bioremediation of organic and inorganic contaminants. This project seeks to refine the authors quantitative understanding of microbiological and geochemical controls on bacterial Fe(III) oxide reduction and growth of FeRB, using laboratory reactor systems which mimic to varying degrees the physical and chemical conditions of subsurface sedimentary environments. Methods for studying microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction and FeRB growth in experimental systems which incorporate advective aqueous phase flux are being developed for this purpose. These methodologies, together with an accumulating database on the kinetics of Fe(III) reduction and bacterial growth with various synthetic and natural Fe(III) oxide minerals, will be applicable to experimental and modeling studies of subsurface contaminant transformations directly coupled to or influenced by bacterial Fe(III) oxide reduction and FeRB activity. This report summarizes research accomplished after approximately 1.5 yr of a 3-yr project. A central hypothesis of the research is that advective elimination of the primary end-product of Fe(III) oxide reduction, Fe(II), will enhance the rate and extent of microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction in open experimental systems. This hypothesis is based on previous studies in the laboratory which demonstrated that association of evolved Fe(II) with oxide and FeRB cell surfaces (via adsorption or surface precipitation) is a primary cause for cessation of Fe(III) oxide reduction activity in batch culture experiments. Semicontinuous culturing was adopted as a first approach to test this basic hypothesis. Synthetic goethite or natural Fe(III) oxide-rich subsoils were used as Fe(III) sources, with the Fe(III)-reducing bacterium Shewanella alga as the test organism.

Advanced experimental analysis of controls on microbial Fe(III) oxide reduction. First year progress report

'The authors have made considerable progress toward a number of project objectives during the first several months of activity on the project. An exhaustive analysis was made of the growth rate and biomass yield (both derived from measurements of cell protein production) of two representative strains of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (Shewanellaalga strain BrY and Geobactermetallireducens) growing with different forms of Fe(III) as an electron acceptor. These two fundamentally different types of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria (FeRB) showed comparable rates of Fe(III) reduction, cell growth, and biomass yield during reduction of soluble Fe(III)-citrate and solid-phase amorphous hydrous ferric oxide (HFO). Intrinsic growth rates of the two FeRB were strongly influenced by whether a soluble or a solid-phase source of Fe(III) was provided: growth rates on soluble Fe(III) were 10--20 times higher than those on solid-phase Fe(III) oxide. Intrinsic FeRB growth rates were comparable during reduction of HF0 and a synthetic crystalline Fe(III) oxide (goethite). A distinct lag phase for protein production was observed during the first several days of incubation in solid-phase Fe(III) oxide medium, even though Fe(III) reduction proceeded without any lag. No such lag between protein production and Fe(III) reduction was observed during growth with soluble Fe(III). This result suggested that protein synthesis coupled to solid-phase Fe(III) oxide reduction in batch culture requires an initial investment of energy (generated by Fe(III) reduction), which is probably needed for synthesis of materials (e.g. extracellular polysaccharides) required for attachment of the cells to oxide surfaces. This phenomenon may have important implications for modeling the growth of FeRB in subsurface sedimentary environments, where attachment and continued adhesion to solid-phase materials will be required for maintenance of Fe(III) reduction activity. Despite considerable differences in the rate and pattern of FeRB growth with different Fe(III) forms, a roughly consistent long-term biomass yield of 5 to 15 mg protein per mmol Fe(III) reduced was observed during growth on different forms of Fe(III). These results should prove useful for quantitative modeling of FeRB growth and metabolism in various types of experimental and in situ anaerobic sedimentary systems.

Vegetative and reproductive relationships in Mexican lime trees under tropical conditions

This work was carried out to determine the influence of seasons of vegetative shoots on the time of flowering and to known the intervals from flowering to fruit harvest of Mexican lime trees. Two experiments on a seven years old Mexican lime trees budded on Sour Orange rootstock were established. In experiment 1, the number of vegetative (VS) and reproductive shoots (RS) on each one of 10 trees were registered weekly during one year, using a metallic ring of one square meter area placed on the tree 1.75 m from the ground. Minimum temperature and rainfall data were also recorded every week. In experiment 2, monthly, ten new vegetative shoots on each one of ten trees were tagged. These shoots were observed every week until they bloom. During the most important periods of blooming, five flowering shoots per tree were chosen to determine interval to harvest. In experiment 1, four VS and two RS flushes were observed. The first period of VS and RS started in autumn and was associated to the initiation of irrigation. The second and more important was registered in January when temperatures were the lowest of the year. Half RS and half VS were recorded during this period. The third and four flushes were mainly VS and occurred during summer months with highest temperatures and the rainy season. In experiment 2, from the vegetative shoots emerging in January, 52% formed reproductive shoots 60-85 days later and 25% also flowered sparsely four to six months later. The remaining shoots (23%) repeated their vegetative activity during June and July. Most of the vegetative shoots initiated in February showed again a vegetative activity during May to July, and only 20% of them changed to reproductive. New vegetative shoots appeared from March to July showed a vegetative activity during the next two to six months. From the vegetative shoots emerged from July to September very few (15%) transformed to reproductive during November-December and the majority became vegetative again, however, most of them changed to reproductive from January to April. Fruits initiating during the winter time lasted 130 to 145 days until harvest. But those fruits emerged during the late spring and summer months reached complete development 90 to 120 days later. These combined phenological characteristics explain the long period of harvest showed by the MLT under tropical semiarid conditions

Huanglongbing (HLB) disease in Mexican lime trees [Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle] and its dispersion in Colima state , Mexico [Síntomas Del Huanglongbing (HLB) en árboles de Limón Mexicano [Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle] y su Dispersión en el Estado de Colima, México]

This work was carried out in orchards of Mexican lime [Citrus aurantifolia (Christm) Swingle] affected by Huanglongbing (HLB) disease and located in the state of Colima, México. The objectives of this work were to characterize the symptoms of the disease in the trees, to evaluate the effect of HLB on the yield and other physical characteristics of the fruit, to determine its dispersion within an orchard and quantify the total orchards affected by HLB. Results showed that in this citrus species, the new vegetative shoots grow strong and healthy looking despite having emerged from symptomatic branches. The symptoms start as small yellowish spots on the leaves when the shoots are 45 to 60 days old. And they show the asymmetric diffuse mottling characteristic of HLB disease when they are 60 to 70 days old. This damage was observed in trees located inside of a structure covered with anti-aphid mesh and also in unprotected trees in the field. There was a significant yield reduction proportional to the percentage of canopy affected by the disease. In HLB symptomatic branches of diseased trees, the fruit was smaller but no misshapen fruits, inverted ripeness or an increase in the number of aborted seeds were detected. In an orchard without HLB vector control, the disease was detected in 53 % of the trees in only one year. HLB is widely spread throughout Colima state. This is the first report on HLB disease symptoms in Mexican lime and their effects on yield and fruit quality

Effects of Defect Development During Displacive Austenite Reversion on Strain Hardening and Formability

Martensite that is mechanically induced from metastable austenite can be reversed to austenite upon annealing. The reversion transformation can be either diffusive or displacive, and the defect substructure development, in either case, has mechanical consequences. Here, to better understand the effects of microstructure development during displacive phase transformations, we focus on the influence of the initial plastic deformation on the austenite reversion (α′ → γ) in a transformation-induced plasticity-maraging steel. The phase transformation kinetics and the developing defect structure within the reversed γ phase are characterized by carrying out differential scanning calorimetry measurements, electron-backscattered diffraction, and electron channeling contrast imaging analyses. The resulting mechanical behavior is investigated by uniaxial and biaxial tension experiments. These investigations demonstrate that the defect development during sequential deformation-annealing treatments can help increase the overall strain hardening capacity of the alloy, which in turn increases the accumulative uniform elongation, and the formability. While the necking can be progressively delayed to higher strain levels following such treatments, the local fracture strain apparently cannot be, due to damage accumulation