Predicting the potential distribution of the Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus in North Patagonia

Habitat loss is one of the main threats to wildlife, particularly large mammals. Estimating the potential distribution of threatened species to guide surveys and conservation is crucial, primarily because such species tend to exist in small fragmented populations. The Endangered huemul deer Hippocamelus bisulcus is endemic to the southern Andes of Chile and Argentina. Although the species occurs in the Valdivian Ecoregion, a hotspot for biodiversity, we have no information on its occupancy and potential distribution in this region. We built and compared species distribution models for huemul using the maximum entropy approach, using 258 presence records and sets of bioclimatic and geographical variables as predictors, with the objective of assessing the potential distribution of the species in the Valdivian Ecoregion. Annual temperature range and summer precipitation were the predictive variables with the greatest influence in the best-fitting model. Approximately 12,360 km2 of the study area was identified as suitable habitat for the huemul, of which 30% is included in the national protected area systems of Chile and Argentina. The map of potential distribution produced by our model will facilitate prioritization of future survey efforts in other remote and unexplored areas in which huemul have not been recorded since the 1980s, but where there is a high probability of their occurrence

Momentos oportunos de control con fungicidas de enfermedades de final de ciclo en soja

Entre las limitantes que presenta el cultivo de soja, se encuentran las llamadas enfermedades de fin de ciclo (EFC). En los últimos años, en la zona de Pergamino se destacaron por su prevalencia, incidencia y severidad la mancha marrón (Septoria glycines) y el tizón de la hoja y mancha púrpura de la semilla (Cercospora kikuchii, Cercospora spp.) (Distefano et al., 2017). Las EFC son causadas por hongos necrotróficos que sobreviven en semilla y rastrojo y afectan hojas, tallos, vainas y granos.EEA PergaminoFil: Pastore, M. Nueva Agronomía Chacabuco; ArgentinaFil: Couretot, Lucrecia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Samoiloff, Anabella. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Magnone, Gerardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Russián, Hernan Darío. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Labatte, Matías. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; Argentin

Fungicidas foliares en soja, eficacia en el control de enfermedades y respuesta al rendimiento en tres localidades, norte de bs as y sur de Sta. fe. Campaña 2018/19

Entre las limitantes que presenta el cultivo de soja, se encuentran las llamadas enfermedades de fin de ciclo (EFC). En los últimos años, en la zona de Pergamino se destacaron por su prevalencia, incidencia y severidad la mancha marrón (Septoria glycines) y el tizón de la hoja y mancha púrpura de la semilla (Cercospora kikuchii, Cercospora spp.) (Distefano et al., 2017). Las EFC son causadas por hongos necrotróficos que sobreviven en semilla y rastrojo y afectan hojas, tallos, vainas y granos.EEA PergaminoFil: Couretot, Lucrecia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Pastore, M. CBAGRO (Consultora Agropecuaria); ArgentinaFil: Curti, A. Nueva Agronomía Chacabuco; ArgentinaFil: Angelotti, P. Nueva Agronomía Chacabuco; ArgentinaFil: Samoiloff, Anabella. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Magnone, Gerardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Russián, Hernan Darío. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; ArgentinaFil: Labatte, Matías. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino. Fitopatología; Argentin

Path to Facilitate the Prediction of Functional Amino Acid Substitutions in Red Blood Cell Disorders – A Computational Approach

A major area of effort in current genomics is to distinguish mutations that are functionally neutral from those that contribute to disease. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are amino acid substitutions that currently account for approximately half of the known gene lesions responsible for human inherited diseases. As a result, the prediction of non-synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) that affect protein functions and relate to disease is an important task.In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of deleterious SNPs at both functional and structural level in the respective genes associated with red blood cell metabolism disorders using bioinformatics tools. We analyzed the variants in Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and isoforms of Pyruvate Kinase (PKLR & PKM2) genes responsible for major red blood cell disorders. Deleterious nsSNPs were categorized based on empirical rule and support vector machine based methods to predict the impact on protein functions. Furthermore, we modeled mutant proteins and compared them with the native protein for evaluation of protein structure stability.We argue here that bioinformatics tools can play an important role in addressing the complexity of the underlying genetic basis of Red Blood Cell disorders. Based on our investigation, we report here the potential candidate SNPs, for future studies in human Red Blood Cell disorders. Current study also demonstrates the presence of other deleterious mutations and also endorses with in vivo experimental studies. Our approach will present the application of computational tools in understanding functional variation from the perspective of structure, expression, evolution and phenotype

A flagship for Austral temperate forest conservation: an action plan for Darwin's frogs brings key stakeholders together

Darwin’s frogs Rhinoderma darwinii and Rhinoderma rufum are the only known species of amphibians in which males brood their offspring in their vocal sacs. We propose these frogs as flagship species for the conservation of the Austral temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. This recommendation forms part of the vision of the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin’s Frogs, which was launched in 2018. The strategy is a conservation initiative led by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, which in 2017 convened 30 governmental, non-profit and private organizations from Chile, Argentina and elsewhere. Darwin’s frogs are iconic examples of the global amphibian conservation crisis: R. rufum is categorized as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) on the IUCN Red List, and R. darwinii as Endangered. Here we articulate the conservation planning process that led to the development of the conservation strategy for these species and present its main findings and recommendations. Using an evidence-based approach, the Binational Conservation Strategy for Darwin’s Frogs contains a comprehensive status review of Rhinoderma spp., including critical threat analyses, and proposes 39 prioritized conservation actions. Its goal is that by 2028, key information gaps on Rhinoderma spp. will be filled, the main threats to these species will be reduced, and financial, legal and societal support will have been achieved. The strategy is a multi-disciplinary, transnational endeavour aimed at ensuring the long-term viability of these unique frogs and their particular habitat

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat