Mass vegetative propagation of Ostrya carpinifolia by continual removal of axillary branches from juvenile donor plants

The propagation of ornamental standard trees by seedlings or traditional cutting methods does not allow to obtain a juvenile plants with a high degree of homogeneity. Vegetative propagation by microcutting may be a solution to attain this object. This technique is based on the construction of juvenile donor plants through frequent and regular pruning of young plants. Our experiment involved one arborescent species, Ostrya carpinifolia, using one unpruned control and two types of pruning treatments, in relation with the number of internodes of axis bearing the cuttings. The treatment with axis constituted of four internodes gave the best results, with 147 cuttings after 143 days of growing of donor plants and 83% of rooting, after 21 days of cutting. For this species, vegetative propagation using juvenile donor plants with pruning to two internodes is highly satisfactory. Therefore, this vegetative propagation by juvenile donor plant can be proposed to produce homogeneous standard tree

HDL Proteome in Hemodialysis Patients: A Quantitative Nanoflow Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Approach

Aside from a decrease in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, qualitative abnormalities of HDL can contribute to an increase in cardiovascular (CV) risk in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD). Dysfunctional HDL leads to an alteration of reverse cholesterol transport and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of HDL. In this study, a quantitative proteomics approach, based on iTRAQ labeling and nanoflow liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis, was used to generate detailed data on HDL-associated proteins. The HDL composition was compared between seven chronic HD patients and a pool of seven healthy controls. To confirm the proteomics results, specific biochemical assays were then performed in triplicate in the 14 samples as well as 46 sex-matched independent chronic HD patients and healthy volunteers. Of the 122 proteins identified in the HDL fraction, 40 were differentially expressed between the healthy volunteers and the HD patients. These proteins are involved in many HDL functions, including lipid metabolism, the acute inflammatory response, complement activation, the regulation of lipoprotein oxidation, and metal cation homeostasis. Among the identified proteins, apolipoprotein C-II and apolipoprotein C-III were significantly increased in the HDL fraction of HD patients whereas serotransferrin was decreased. In this study, we identified new markers of potential relevance to the pathways linked to HDL dysfunction in HD. Proteomic analysis of the HDL fraction provides an efficient method to identify new and uncharacterized candidate biomarkers of CV risk in HD patients

J Clin Immunol

We report a longitudinal analysis of the immune response associated with a fatal case of COVID-19 in Europe. This patient exhibited a rapid evolution towards multiorgan failure. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in multiple nasopharyngeal, blood, and pleural samples, despite antiviral and immunomodulator treatment. Clinical evolution in the blood was marked by an increase (2–3-fold) in differentiated effector T cells expressing exhaustion (PD-1) and senescence (CD57) markers, an expansion of antibody-secreting cells, a 15-fold increase in γδ T cell and proliferating NK-cell populations, and the total disappearance of monocytes, suggesting lung trafficking. In the serum, waves of a pro-inflammatory cytokine storm, Th1 and Th2 activation, and markers of T cell exhaustion, apoptosis, cell cytotoxicity, and endothelial activation were observed until the fatal outcome. This case underscores the need for well-designed studies to investigate complementary approaches to control viral replication, the source of the hyperinflammatory status, and immunomodulation to target the pathophysiological response. The investigation was conducted as part of an overall French clinical cohort assessing patients with COVID-19 and registered in clinicaltrials.gov under the following number: NCT04262921

Impact of species and antibiotic therapy of enterococcal peritonitis on 30-day mortality in critical care - An analysis of the OUTCOMEREA database

Introduction: Enterococcus species are associated with an increased morbidity in intraabdominal infections (IAI). However, their impact on mortality remains uncertain. Moreover, the influence on outcome of the appropriate or inappropriate status of initial antimicrobial therapy (IAT) is subjected to debate, except in septic shock. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether an IAT that did not cover Enterococcus spp. was associated with 30-day mortality in ICU patients presenting with IAI growing with Enterococcus spp. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of French database OutcomeRea from 1997 to 2016. We included all patients with IAI with a peritoneal sample growing with Enterococcus. Primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Results: Of the 1017 patients with IAI, 76 (8%) patients were included. Thirty-day mortality in patients with inadequate IAT against Enterococcus was higher (7/18 (39%) vs 10/58 (17%), p = 0.05); however, the incidence of postoperative complications was similar. Presence of Enterococcus spp. other than E. faecalis alone was associated with a significantly higher mortality, even greater when IAT was inadequate. Main risk factors for having an Enterococcus other than E. faecalis alone were as follows: SAPS score on day 0, ICU-acquired IAI, and antimicrobial therapy within 3 months prior to IAI especially with third-generation cephalosporins. Univariate analysis found a higher hazard ratio of death with an Enterococcus other than E. faecalis alone that had an inadequate IAT (HR = 4.4 [1.3-15.3], p = 0.019) versus an adequate IAT (HR = 3.1 [1.0-10.0], p = 0.053). However, after adjusting for confounders (i.e., SAPS II and septic shock at IAI diagnosis, ICU-acquired peritonitis, and adequacy of IAT for other germs), the impact of the adequacy of IAT was no longer significant in multivariate analysis. Septic shock at diagnosis and ICU-acquired IAI were prognostic factors. Conclusion: An IAT which does not cover Enterococcus is associated with an increased 30-day mortality in ICU patients presenting with an IAI growing with Enterococcus, especially when it is not an E. faecalis alone. It seems reasonable to use an IAT active against Enterococcus in severe postoperative ICU-acquired IAI, especially when a third-generation cephalosporin has been used within 3 months. © 2019 The Author(s)

Clay-mineral signatures of fossil and active hydrothermal circulations in the geothermal system of the Lamentin Plain, Martinique

International audienceWhereas the study of clay minerals (using parameters such as structure modifications, crystal chemistry) has proved to be an effective approach in order to mark the circulation zones and fluid temperatures in high-temperature systems, there is an important lack of data dealing with such problems in moderate- to low-temperature systems. This paper proposes to fill this lack by studying the site of the Lamentin Plain (Martinique), characterized by a low-temperature geothermal activity (50°C<T<90°C). Preliminary data acquired on the three studied exploration wells (LA01, LA02 and LA03) show that the current low-temperature geothermal activity is particularly well expressed through the LA03 well. This low-temperature activity is superimposed on evidence of a high-temperature fossil activity, particularly well expressed in the non-productive levels of the LA01 and LA02 wells. After a petrographic characterization, this work focuses on the textural and microstructural properties of the low-temperature hydrothermal clay phases utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The petrographic observations have permitted successive hydrothermal events to be recognized, which express the thermal collapse of the system, as shown by the superposition of ancient episodes, characterized by vein and pervasive alterations of high to moderate temperatures, and recent episodes, characterized by alterations associated with present-day circulations of low-temperature fluids. The fossil activity results from several hydrothermal episodes, with fluid temperatures ranging from 100 to over 200°C. Illitic phases (i.e. I/S (R=1) to illite) appear as the main markers of the fossil solution paths, due to their abundant development close to major veins and fractures, while chloritic phases (chlorite, corrensite) seem to mark a pervasive alteration, better preserved further from the fossil solution channels. On the other hand, the recent hydrothermal alteration is characterized by the massive presence of kaolinite, dioctahedral smectite and siderite. Whereas smectites are only observed abundantly farther from the current solution channels, kaolinite appears to be the dominant clay mineral in these channels, or in the surroundings of sealed fractures which do not currently drain any more hydrothermal fluids. The crystallinity estimations on XRD and FTIR patterns from the <2 μm fraction, along with SEM morphological observations, clearly show that the microstructural and textural properties of the kaolinites can be related to fluid temperatures. Indeed, kaolinites with the best crystallinity, or the best-ordered, are located in the fractures carrying the hottest fluid temperature (90°C). The comparison with the other flow paths, with fluids of lower temperature (50 and 70°C), shows that the kaolinite crystallinity decreases with temperature. As a consequence, while kaolinite appears to be the signatory clay mineral of the present-day fluid circulation in the Lamentin Plain, its crystallinity can be interpreted as a tracer of the fluid temperature

Fine-grained clay fraction (,0.2 {mu}m): An interesting tool to approach the present thermal and permeability state in active geothermal systems

We have investigated by X-ray diffraction the very fine grained secondary minerals (&lt; 0.2 {micro}m) developed in geothermal systems, in relation with their present thermal and permeability state. Because the smallest particles are the most reactive part of a rock, they are the youngest mineral phases of the geothermal fields. This study has been performed on two active geothermal fields: Milos field, Greece (130 &lt; T &lt; 320 C) and Chipilapa field, Salvador (90 &lt; T &lt; 215 C). In the Milos field, the mineralogical composition of the &lt; 0.2 {micro}m clay fraction observed in the reservoir strongly differs from the overlying altered metamorphic schists in the presence of abundant quantities of saponite and talc/saponite interstratified minerals at unusually high temperature. These phases are considered to be kinetically control-led ''metastable'' minerals which rapidly evolve towards actinolite and talc for present temperatures higher than 300 C. Their occurrence is a good indicator of discharge in highly permeable zones. In the geothermal field of Chipilapa, the mineralogical composition of the &lt; 0.2 {micro}m clay fractions fairly agrees with the temperatures presently measured in the wells, whereas several discrepancies may be pointed out from the compositions of coarser clay fractions (&lt; 5 {micro}m) which contain minerals inherited from higher temperature stages. Permeable zones may be evidenced from an increase of expandable components in the interstratified minerals and a decrease of the coherent domain of the unexpandable clay particles (chlorite)

I/S and C/S mixed layers, some indicators of recent physical-chemical changes in active geothermal systems: The case study of Chipilapa (El Salvador)

I/S and C/S mixed layers from the geothermal field of Chipilapa (El Salvador) have been studied in details in order to reevaluate their potential use as indicator of the thermodynamic conditions in which they were formed. It is funded that overprinting of clay bearing alteration stages is common. For a given alteration stage, the spatial variation of I/S and C/S mixed layer ininerals is controlled by kinetics of mixed layer transformation and not only by temperature. Clay geo-thermometers cannot give reliable results because the present crystal-chemical states of the I/S and C/S mixed layers is not their initial state, it was aquired during the overall hydrothermal history which post dated the nucleation of smectitic clay material at high temperature. Occurrences of smectites or smectite-rich mixed layers at high temperature in reservoirs is a promising guide for reconstruct the zones in which boiling or mixing of non isotherinal fluids occurred very recently or still presently

Genesis of the Loma Galena Deposit, Navidad District, Patagonia Argentina

Trabajo presentado en el XV IAGOD Meeting (International Associations Genesis Ore Deposits), celebrado en Salta (Argentina), del 28 al 31 de agosto de 2018Loma Galena (6410.8 t Ag, 997,130 t Pb) is one of the eight deposits of the world class Ag + Pb ± (Cu, Zn) Navidad district (19.670 t Ag and 1.32 Mt Pb) located in the west of the North Patagonian Massif of Argentina. The deposit was formed in an active continental rift basin during the Middle Jurassic, when subaerial volcanic activity was contemporaneous with lacustrine sedimentation. The normal faults that delimited the horsts and grabens in the deposit and the Sauzal fault, a detachment fault, acted as the main conduits for the upflow of hydrothermal fluids (Fig. 1). The deposit has a lithologic control and the the highest metal anomalies are found in highly permeable and reactive autobrecciated mafic volcanoclastic rocks interbedded in the volcano-sedimentary Cañadon-Asfalto Formation (Fig. 1). The volcanic rocks are high-K basaltic andesite to dacite in composition and they have yielded LA-ICPMS U-Pb zircon ages of 173.9 ± 1.9 Ma and 170.8 ± 3.0 Ma. Lava flows surrounded by autobrecciated carapace were dominantly extruded in subaerial conditions whereas hyaloclastite and peperite facies suggest contemporaneous subaqueous volcanism synchronous with sedimentation. Lacustrine sedimentation represented by calcareous mudstone with pisolithic and laminated limestone, sandstone, chert and coal overlies the volcanic rocks. A Sr-rich evaporite layer interbeded in the sedimentary succession indicates intermittent drying out of the lake and hypersaline conditions. The mineralization occurs in veins and hydrothermal breccias that lie on the structural hanging wall and footwall of the main faults, in mineralized autobreccia and chaotic breccia in the contact between volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and disseminated in the organic-rich sedimentary rocks. The earliest infill of veins and breccias consists of calcite I and siderite with crustiform, cockade and platy textures, followed by two main episodes of mineralization. During the first stage precipitated framboidal pyrite and colloform pyrite, marcasite, galena and sphalerite. During the second stage chalcopyrite, bornite and tennantite-tetrahedrite with minor amounts of covellite and digenite replaced the early sulfides. Colloform bands of pyrite and marcasite show the highest Ag contents, although all sulfides and sulfosalts carry Ag. They are rarely observed in situ, on the walls of veins; they are usually found as transported fragments cemented by several pulses of chalcedony with minor barite. NO ENTIENDO, QUIEN? Late infill consists of calcite II, barite II, quartz and strontianite. Hydrothermal breccias present voids with a geopetal infilling with detrital material of sand-silt size and variable composition (chalcedony, quartz, calcite, ankerite, barite, galena, pyrite, marcasite, altered volcanic and sedimentary rock fragments) with parallel lamination. Volcanic rocks next to veins and breccias are altered and replaced by adularia, calcite, celadonite, quartz, and chlorite, sulfides, chalcedony, abundant clay minerals (kaolinite and smectite with minor illite-smectite mixed layers and traces of tosudite), Fe-Mg-Mn carbonates and calcite II; there are relicts of early albite. In the sedimentary rocks, the clasts are partially to completely replace by chalcedony, kaolinite and carbonates. Calcite and chalcedony also fills micro-veinlets. The sulfur isotopic signatures of sulfides hosted in veins and hydrothermal breccias (34S -0.9 to +8.3) are more restricted than the 34S of sulfides hosted in the autobreccia, chaotic breccia and sedimentary rocks (34S -15.4 to +12.9). The sulfur isotopic signature of hydrothermal barite varies between +15.7 and +22.0. The isotopic composition of celestite from the evaporite layer in the sedimentary rocks is 35.3Peer reviewe

How do the geological and geophysical signatures of permeable fractures in granitic basement evolve after long periods of natural circulation? Insights from the Rittershoffen geothermal wells (France)

Abstract Two deep wells were drilled at Rittershoffen (Alsace, France) to produce high-temperature fluids to supply heat to a biorefinery. The GRT-2 production well was drilled to a depth of 3196 m MD and was deviated to target a permeable local fault in the granitic basement buried beneath a thick sedimentary cover. The objective of this study is to better understand the permeability of fractured reservoirs within crystalline rocks, focusing on the production well GRT-2. Based on a petrographic and mineralogical analysis of cutting samples, several granitic facies associated with hydrothermal alteration were identified on the basis of the amounts of illite, chlorite, anhydrite, secondary geodic quartz, and oxides. These observations were correlated with various geological and geophysical datasets (gamma ray, porosity, density, electrical resistivity, caliper, borehole image logs, temperature, rate of penetration, and mud losses) to localize and identify permeable fracture zones. In sections where acoustic image logs were not available, such as in the deepest part of the well, the geometries of the fracture zones were interpreted from an oriented caliper log. The caliper log interpretation detected one-third of the fractures detected by acoustic image logs. However, two major fracture sets striking N–S and dipping eastward or westward were observed. Furthermore, a synthetic resistivity log that fits the measured resistivity log relatively well was built using the Archie and Waxman and Smits models. This approach is a proxy for estimating the porosity and the mineralogical changes based on the cation exchange capacity, which is controlled by the chlorite/illite ratio, derived from electrical logs in granitic formations. The correlation of all these results allowed the identification of a resistivity signature of a permeable fracture zone that spatially fits with the temperature signature. The major contribution of this study is the identification of a hierarchy of permeable fractures based on petrophysical signatures. The geophysical signature of fracture zones with low residual permeability exhibits a broad depth extent, whereas the geophysical signature of a highly permeable fracture zone is more localized. Past hydrothermal circulation has enlarged the altered and porous zones around open fractures, and in some cases, intense illitization has plugged these fracture zones and reduced their permeabilities