Incidence of viral respiratory infections in a prospective cohort of outpatient and hospitalized children aged ≤5 years and its associated cost in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Background: Although information about the incidence of viral respiratory illnesses and their associated cost can help health officials explore the value of interventions, data are limited from middle-income countries. Methods: During 2008-2010, we conducted a prospective cohort study and followed ~1,800 Argentinian children aged ≤5years to identify those children who were hospitalized or who sought care at an emergency room with any acute respiratory infection sign or symptom (e.g., rhinorrhea, cough, wheezing, tachypnea, retractions, or cyanosis). Respiratory samples were obtained for respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, and metapneumovirus testing by immunofluorescence and for rhinovirus by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (24/1000 children-years), human metapneumovirus (8/1000 children-years), and influenza (8/1000 children-years) illnesses was highest among hospitalized children aged <6months and decreased among older children. In contrast, the incidence of rhinovirus was highest (12/1000 children-years) among those aged 6-23 months. In the emergency room, the incidence of rhinovirus was 459; respiratory syncytial virus 352; influenza 185; parainfluenza 177; metapneumovirus 130; and adenovirus 73/1,000 children-years. The total cost of hospitalization was a median of US$529 (Interquartile range, US$362-789). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that respiratory viruses, in particular rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus, and influenza may be associated with severe illness causing substantial economic burden.Fil: Marcone, Débora Natalia. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Durand, Lizette O.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Azziz Baumgartner, Eduardo. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Vidaurreta, Santiago Manuel. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; ArgentinaFil: Ekstrom, Jorge. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; ArgentinaFil: Carballal, Guadalupe. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Echavarría, Marcela Silvia. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Applying the natural capital approach to decision making for the marine environment

The aspirations for natural capital and ecosystem service approaches to support environmental decision-making have not been fully realised in terms of their actual application in policy and management contexts. Application of the natural capital approach requires a range of methods, which as yet have not been fully tested in the context of decision making for the marine environment. It is unlikely that existing methodologies, which were developed for terrestrial systems and are based on land cover assessment approaches, will ever be feasible in the marine context at the national scale. Land cover approaches are also fundamentally insufficient for the marine environment because they do not take account of the water column, the significant interconnections between spatially disparate components, or the highly dynamic nature of the marine ecosystem, for example the high spatial mobility of many species. Data gaps have been a significant impediment to progress, so alternative methods that use proxies for quality information as well as the opportunities for remote sensing should be explored further. Greater effort to develop methodologies specifically for the marine environment is required, which should be interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral, coherent across policy areas, and applicable across a range of contexts

Diffusion mechanisms of localised knots along a polymer

We consider the diffusive motion of a localized knot along a linear polymer chain. In particular, we derive the mean diffusion time of the knot before it escapes from the chain once it gets close to one of the chain ends. Self-reptation of the entire chain between either end and the knot position, during which the knot is provided with free volume, leads to an L^3 scaling of diffusion time; for sufficiently long chains, subdiffusion will enhance this time even more. Conversely, we propose local ``breathing'', i.e., local conformational rearrangement inside the knot region (KR) and its immediate neighbourhood, as additional mechanism. The contribution of KR-breathing to the diffusion time scales only quadratically, L^2, speeding up the knot escape considerably and guaranteeing finite knot mobility even for very long chains.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted to Europhys. Let

Average Structures of a Single Knotted Ring Polymer

Two types of average structures of a single knotted ring polymer are studied by Brownian dynamics simulations. For a ring polymer with N segments, its structure is represented by a 3N -dimensional conformation vector consisting of the Cartesian coordinates of the segment positions relative to the center of mass of the ring polymer. The average structure is given by the average conformation vector, which is self-consistently defined as the average of the conformation vectors obtained from a simulation each of which is rotated to minimize its distance from the average conformation vector. From each conformation vector sampled in a simulation, 2N conformation vectors are generated by changing the numbering of the segments. Among the 2N conformation vectors, the one closest to the average conformation vector is used for one type of the average structure. The other type of the averages structure uses all the conformation vectors generated from those sampled in a simulation. In thecase of the former average structure, the knotted part of the average structure is delocalized for small N and becomes localized as N is increased. In the case of the latter average structure, the average structure changes from a double loop structure for small N to a single loop structure for large N, which indicates the localization-delocalization transition of the knotted part.Comment: 15 pages, 19 figures, uses jpsj2.cl

New Natural Injection-Moldable Composite Material from Sunflower Oil Cake

Through a twin-screw extrusion process the native structure of sunflower oil cake was completely transformed (globular protein denaturation/texturization and husk fiber defibration) into a simpler matrix-fiber structure, as could be seen on SEM micrographs. Further chemical reduction of protein disulfide bridges greatly reduced the melt viscosity of the moistened composite that it could be injection-molded. The molded specimens were tested and their tensile and flexural properties and water absorption calculated. Their water resistance appeared to be particularly high, and could be enhanced further after a thermal treatment (N2, 200°C). The proteic matrix seemed to behave like a natural thermoset resin. Sunflower oil cake could be used without any additives to make biodegradable, water resistant and exceptionally cheap material

Meta-heurística Inspirada na Bioluminescência dos Vaga-lumes usando Aprendizagem Baseada em Oposição Elite

A estagnação em ótimo local é um problema frequente dos métodos meta-heurísticos, incluindo os inspirados na natureza como o Algoritmo do Vaga-lume (FA). Embora várias abordagens tenham sido propostas, o problema continua uma questão em aberto. Este trabalho apresenta uma variante do FA que utiliza Aprendizagem Baseada em Oposição Elite (EOBL), denominada FA–EOBL. A variante objetiva gerar diversidade e aumentar a velocidade de convergência do FA original. Diversos experimentos foram realizados com 12 funções de referência. Em geral, elas são usadas para validar e comparar novos algoritmos de otimização. Os resultados mostram a superioridade da FA–EOBL quando ela é comparada com o FA original

Selection of elms tolerant to Dutch elm Disease in south-west Romania

Ophoiostoma novo- ulmi continues to be one of the most dangerous invasive fungi, destroying many autochthonous elm forests and cultures throughout the world. Searching for natural genotypes tolerant to Dutch Elm Disease (DED) is one of the main objectives of silviculturists all over the northern hemisphere in order to save the susceptible elms and to restore their ecosystem biodiversity. In this regard, the first trial was established between 1991 and 1994, in south-west Romania (Padurea Verde, Timis, oara), using three elm species (Ulmus minor, U. glabra, and U. laevis) with 38 provenances. A local strain of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi was used to artificially inoculate all elm variants and the DED evolution was observed. Furthermore, in 2018–2021 the trial was inventoried to understand the local genotype reaction to DED in the local environmental conditions after almost 30 years. The outcomes of the present study proved the continuous presence of the infections in the comparative culture and its proximity, but the identified pathogen had a new hybrid form (found for the first time in Romania) between O. novo-ulmi ssp. Americana x O. novo-ulmi ssp. novo-ulmi. Wych elm (U. glabra) was extremely sensitive to DED: only 12 trees (out of 69 found in 2018) survived in 2021, and only one tree could be selected according to the adopted health criteria (resistance and vigour). The field elm (U. minor) was sensitive to the pathogen, but there were still individuals that showed good health status and growth. In contrast, the European white elm (U. laevis) proved constant tolerance to DED: only 15% had been found dead or presented severe symptoms of dieback. Overall, the results of this study report the diverse reactions of the Romanian regional elm genotypes to DED over the last three decades, providing promising perspectives for improving the presence of elms in the forest ecosystems of the Carpathian basin

The risk stratification of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (STRONG) study

Aims: To assess the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) by identifying subgroups of women at higher risk to recognize the characteristics most associated with an excess of risk. Methods: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study involving consecutive women with GDM. To identify distinct and homogeneous subgroups of women at a higher risk, the RECursive Partitioning and AMalgamation (RECPAM) method was used. Overall, 2736 pregnancies complicated by GDM were analyzed. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of adverse neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by GDM. Results: Among study participants (median age 36.8 years, pre-gestational BMI 24.8 kg/m2), six miscarriages, one neonatal death, but no maternal death was recorded. The occurrence of the cumulative adverse outcome (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.59–3.87), large for gestational age (OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.40–6.63), fetal malformation (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.00–7.18), and respiratory distress (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.33–14.12) was associated with previous macrosomia. Large for gestational age was also associated with obesity (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.00–2.15). Small for gestational age was associated with first trimester glucose levels (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.04–3.69). Neonatal hypoglycemia was associated with overweight (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02–2.27) and obesity (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.04–2.51). The RECPAM analysis identified high-risk subgroups mainly characterized by high pre-pregnancy BMI (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21–2.33 for obese; OR 1.38 95% CI 1.03–1.87 for overweight). Conclusions: A deep investigation on the factors associated with adverse neonatal outcomes requires a risk stratification. In particular, great attention must be paid to the prevention and treatment of obesity

Abundance of unknots in various models of polymer loops

A veritable zoo of different knots is seen in the ensemble of looped polymer chains, whether created computationally or observed in vitro. At short loop lengths, the spectrum of knots is dominated by the trivial knot (unknot). The fractional abundance of this topological state in the ensemble of all conformations of the loop of $N$ segments follows a decaying exponential form, $\sim \exp (-N/N_0)$, where $N_0$ marks the crossover from a mostly unknotted (ie topologically simple) to a mostly knotted (ie topologically complex) ensemble. In the present work we use computational simulation to look closer into the variation of $N_0$ for a variety of polymer models. Among models examined, $N_0$ is smallest (about 240) for the model with all segments of the same length, it is somewhat larger (305) for Gaussian distributed segments, and can be very large (up to many thousands) when the segment length distribution has a fat power law tail.Comment: 13 pages, 6 color figure

Structure and dynamics of ring polymers: entanglement effects because of solution density and ring topology

The effects of entanglement in solutions and melts of unknotted ring polymers have been addressed by several theoretical and numerical studies. The system properties have been typically profiled as a function of ring contour length at fixed solution density. Here, we use a different approach to investigate numerically the equilibrium and kinetic properties of solutions of model ring polymers. Specifically, the ring contour length is maintained fixed, while the interplay of inter- and intra-chain entanglement is modulated by varying both solution density (from infinite dilution up to \approx 40 % volume occupancy) and ring topology (by considering unknotted and trefoil-knotted chains). The equilibrium metric properties of rings with either topology are found to be only weakly affected by the increase of solution density. Even at the highest density, the average ring size, shape anisotropy and length of the knotted region differ at most by 40% from those of isolated rings. Conversely, kinetics are strongly affected by the degree of inter-chain entanglement: for both unknots and trefoils the characteristic times of ring size relaxation, reorientation and diffusion change by one order of magnitude across the considered range of concentrations. Yet, significant topology-dependent differences in kinetics are observed only for very dilute solutions (much below the ring overlap threshold). For knotted rings, the slowest kinetic process is found to correspond to the diffusion of the knotted region along the ring backbone.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figure