The Highest Geomagnetic Storms of the Solar Cycle Observed at Ground Level

We report two ground-level observations, of geomagnetic storms of different origins; they are among the highest geomagnetic storms, in the solar Cycle 24. The first is St. Patrick’s Day storm on March 17, 2015, originated by the impact on Earth’s atmosphere of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the storm reaching the condition of G4 (severe) level, in the NOAA geomagnetic scale. The second included the major geomagnetic storm whose origin is attributed to the interaction with the Earth of a High-Speed Stream (HSS) ahead of a positive polarity coronal hole on October 7, 2015. This storm reached the condition G3 (strong) level. We give emphasis to observations detected by the New-Tupi muon telescopes, located at sea level in Brazil (22.53° S, 43.13° W). We present a study of these observations in correlation with observations reported by multipoint space-based measurements, such as the ACE at Lagrange Point L1 and the geostationary GOES weather satellite, including two global geomagnetic indices and several ground-based detectors. Some considerations on the influence of these geomagnetic storms in the Earth weather are reported

Evaluación de la fertilización fosfórica foliar y edáfica sobre el rendimiento de la variedad de papa ‘diacol capiro’ (solanum tuberosum l.)

En cuatro localidades se evaluó el efecto de la fertilización fosfórica edáfica y foliar sobre el rendimiento y la gravedad específica en la variedad de papa ‘Diacol Capiro’. La evaluación comprendió 20 tratamientos correspondientes a la combinación de dos factores: P edáfico (0, 100, 200, 300 y 400 kg· ha-1 de P2O5) y P foliar (0, 5, 10 y 15 kg· ha-1 de P2O5), junto con un tratamiento testigo de fertilización comercial. No se encontraron diferencias para la variable gravedad específica en ninguno de los tratamientos evaluados, por lo que se deduce que la variación en los niveles de P no afecta esta variable. En el rendimiento de tubérculo se encontraron diferencias para el factor P edáfico, mientras que no hubo diferencias para el factor P foliar. Dentro del  factor P edáfico, en la categoría primera, segunda y rendimiento total de tubérculo se observó que la variedad ‘Diacol Capiro’ presentó respuesta positiva sólo hasta la dosis de 200 kg· ha-1 de P2O5

Five-Year Follow-Up of the Argentine Randomized Trial of Coronary Angioplasty With Stenting Versus Coronary Bypass Surgery in Patients With Multiple Vessel Disease (ERACI II)

ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study is to report the five-year follow-up results of the ERACI II trial.BackgroundImmediate and one-year follow-up results of the ERACI II study showed a prognosis advantage of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stents over coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).MethodsA total of 450 patients were randomly assigned to undergo either PCI (n = 225); or CABG (n = 225). Only patients with multi-vessel disease were enrolled. Clinical follow-up during five years was obtained in 92% of the total population after hospital discharge. The primary end point of the study was to compare freedom from major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 30 days, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years of follow-up.ResultsAt five years of follow-up, patients initially treated with PCI had similar survival and freedom from non-fatal acute myocardial infarction than those initially treated with CABG (92.8% vs. 88.4% and 97.3% vs. 94% respectively, p = 0.16). Freedom from repeat revascularization procedures (PCI/CABG) was significantly lower with PCI compared with CABG (71.5% vs. 92.4%, p = 0.0002). Freedom from MACE was also significantly lower with PCI compared with CABG (65.3% vs. 76.4%; p = 0.013). At five years similar numbers of patients randomized to each revascularization procedure were asymptomatic or with class I angina.ConclusionsAt five years of follow-up, in the ERACI II study, there were no survival benefits from any revascularization procedure; however patients initially treated with CABG had better freedom from repeat revascularization procedures and from MACE

South American Spider Mites: New Hosts and Localities

In order to contribute to taxonomic information on Tetranychid mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) in South America, surveys were conducted in Brazil (15 States and the Federal District) and Uruguay (one Department); 550 samples of 120 plant species were collected. Tetranychid mite infestations were confirmed in 204 samples, and 22 species belonging to seven genera of the Bryobiinae and Tetranychinae subfamilies were identified on 58 different host plants. Thirty-six new plant hosts were found in Brazil, South America, and worldwide for the following species: Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor); Mononychellus tanajoa (Bondar); Oligonychus anonae Paschoal; O. mangiferus (Rahman and Sapra); Tetranychus bastosi Tuttle, Baker and Sales; T. desertorum Banks, 1900, T. evansi Baker and Pritchard; T. ludeni Zacher; T. mexicanus (McGregor); T. neocaledonicus André; and T. urticae Koch. Four new localities in Brazil were reported for Eotetranychus tremae De Leon; O. anonae; Panonychus ulmi (Koch); and T. gloveri Baker and Pritchard

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality