Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Effect of density on growth and secondary production of Euvola (Pecten) ziczac juveniles, under suspended culture conditions

The effect of density on growth and secondary production of Euvola ziczac was studied under suspended culture conditions from June 1988 to January 1989. Seven different densities were examined, using juveniles from 9.6 k 0.3 mm long and 5.17 ± 0.6 mg dry weight, which were previously cultivated under hatchery conditions. The growth rate in size and biomass was relatively fast in the group containing 200 specimens/m2 (5.2 mm and 85.94 mg), followed by the lots with 400, 600 and 800 specimens/m2 (4.0 mm and 52.89 mg). The lots with 1,600, 2,400 and 3,200 specimens/m2 showed slow growth. The maximum biological load tolerated was found to be 120 ± 10 g/m2, after which individual growth slowed down and mortality increased. The highest secondary production was obtained in the group with 2,400 specimens/m2 (5.71 mg/m2/day). Density management during the nursery stage of E. ziczac is discussed

Proyecto de Vinculación: Modelo de Gestión para Comerciantes

Ecuador por su ubicación geográfica registra movimientos telúricos constantemente, el terremoto del 2016 en Manabí generó daños irreparables a varias edificaciones públicas, ante lo cual el GAD Portoviejo dentro de su plan de reconstrucción incluyó la edificación de nuevos mercados buscando que los comerciantes afectados puedan exponer sus productos en mejores condiciones bajo la supervisión de la empresa pública Portomercados; bajo este principio se procedió a diagnosticar las condiciones de los comerciantes en los mercados municipales, surgiendo la idea de implementar un Modelo de Gestión para Comerciantes que permita mejorar la gestión en dichos centros de abastos. Esta investigación fue descriptiva y explicativa para detallar situaciones y determinar la necesidad de dar sostenibilidad a los mercados, el método aplicado fue investigación-acción, la población en que se investigó la problemática fue 51 comerciantes, se aplicó las técnicas observación directa, la encuesta, entrevista y grupos de discusión para recolección de información y toma de datos. Los resultados de la investigación indican que un modelo de gestión integral debe cumplirse para elevar la calidad del servicio y la percepción de los clientes hacia el mercado, lográndose el sostenimiento del mismo en forma autosuficiente en la medida que los comerciantes mejoren sus ingresos

MOESM2 of Clonal population expansion in an outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum on the northwest coast of Ecuador

Additional file 2. Drug resistance haplotypes and pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 presence in the study samples

MOESM1 of Clonal population expansion in an outbreak of Plasmodium falciparum on the northwest coast of Ecuador

Additional file 1. Microsatellite alleles found in the study samples. Two numbers indicate two alleles detected and DNW indicates no allele amplification at that locus

A practical approach for the compassionate use of convalescent plasma in patients with severe COVID-19 in developing countries

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected 187 countries, representing a global public health problem. The increasing number of critically ill patients and deaths have fueled a desperate search for treatments that can halt the course of the disease. Currently, there are several experimental therapies with demonstrated in vitro activity against COVID-19 used in clinical practice, including hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, interleukin-6 pathway inhibitors, and convalescent plasma; however, to date no agent has proven efficacy against COVID-19. In the case of convalescent plasma, this therapy consists in obtaining neutralizing antibodies from previously infected individuals by plasmapheresis and administering them to patients with severe disease. Recently, the use of convalescent plasma has shown promising results in preliminary studies, with case series reporting a decrease in temperature, and viral load, as well as improvement in clinical parameters among patients receiving this treatment. However, there are still unmet needs regarding the safety profile, tolerability, dosage, and timing this therapy should be given. Based on this, the objective of our study was to develop and propose a practical approach for the compassionate use of convalescent plasma for the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19, given the constrains and limitations of developing countries. We encourage health professionals in developing countries to use the current evidence and approaches to experimental treatments for patients with COVID-19, adapting them to their conditions, and always based on a thorough risk-benefit evaluation for each patient, and whenever possible to design and promote the much needed research in this field