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(300 words) During the completion phase of an unconventional well in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), an electric-cable-equipped coiled tubing (ECE-CT) had to be cut and dropped in hole while performing a plug-and-perf campaign. The CT service provider and tool manufacturer jointly redesigned a specific fishing tool for a flat-shaped collapsed CT pipe, which allowed the latching of the U-shaped collapsed ECE-CT pipe and its safe recovery. The fish and potential solutions were analyzed by the engineering teams from operator, CT service provider, and tool manufacturer. Because of the U-shape of the fish, the existing techniques of conventional overshot for rounded profiles and flat overshot for flat-shaped profiles could not be applied. The U-shape of the fish was replicated and used to create the overshot entry guide. The prototype was manufactured and tested at surface to ensure the profile was getting inside. The tool-string included an indexing tool to allow controlled rotation, which was key to the success of that fishing operation. Upon completion of the last perforating stage in a 10-stage completion in the well, the ECE-CT pipe accidentally parted and then collapsed when it was being retrieved to surface. The CT operator activated the pipe/slips ram, but a leak was observed. The 2-in. CT pipe was cut and dropped by activating the shear/seal ram, thus leaving 8,360-ft of CT pipe in the well. A lead-impression-block (LIB) run to identify the fish profile found the U-shape fish at a depth of 6,686-ft. The electric cable did not cover the top of the fish, thus reducing the risk of the retrieval operation. Despite several attempts made with the available fishing tools for rounded profiles, even when latching was achieved, the fish was lost. Inspection of the overshot after it reached surface showed the presence of broken slips due to uneven load transmission. After analysis of both the top of fish and available fishing tools, a hybrid rounded/flat overshot was designed to allow the U-shaped CT pipe to get inside the overshot and the traveling slip to latch onto the collapsed body, allowing higher contact area and resulting in the proper latch and retrieval of the collapsed ECE-CT pipe. Because a suitable overshot was not available, the operation required designing, producing, and implementing a customized hybrid semi-rounded/flat overshot for U-shaped profiles, as well as the development of a new methodology, to successfully latch and recover the pipe. The availability of a tools manufacturer inside the country allowed a fast response, it only took 7-days to design, manufacture, and test the tool prototype, thus limiting the time the well remained idle.

(300 words) This paper describes the lessons learned during the completion phase of an unconventional well in Argentina. Where a coiled tubing was used to perform a plug drill out campaign. The article describes the procedure of how the CT service provider followed to release a stuck pipe, the well barrier regains and its recovery. The potential solutions were analyzed by the engineering teams from both CT service provider at local and headquarter levels and the local vendors. The fact of cutting the pipe after getting stuck and unsuccessful retrieval attempts result on losing the well control barriers inside the CT pipe. There was a need to regain the well control before proceeding with the retrieval process. The use of a mechanical agents to plug the pipe was assessed, it was considered internal mechanical plugs that due to logistics will result in excessive times. Therefore, the team looked into the chemical solutions, and cement plug was also visualized but discarded due to tendency of laying down in the horizontal section of the wellbore; Finally, a high viscous resin that is fast setting time was evaluated as the optimal solution to set a plug inside the CT, which was the key to success on the safe retrieval operation. The Argentinian well was completed with 57 stages isolated by 56 dissolvable plugs over 3000 m of the horizontal section. After removing all the plugs in the horizontal section down to total depth. CT pipe was being retrieved to surface performing the final wiper trip, when it got stuck. After several unsuccessful release attempts. The decision was to cut the CT pipe at surface to allow the wireline to perform the downhole cutting. Wireline (WL) rigged up on top of the injector head and performed a tubing puncher run, 3 m below the cutting depth. Then, WL perform a second run at the free point, at a depth of 3900 m, deploying a chemical cutter to release the CT pipe. Once the CT pipe was confirmed free, the resin service company, proceed to install their high-pressure lines in the top of the injector head and proceed to pump 6.7 bbls of resin at a pump rate of 1.5 bpm, displacing it with 5 bbls of gel and 30 bbls of water leaving the bottom of the plug 500 m above of the new CT end. After the thickening time, a pressure test of the plug was done up to 8000 psi for 30 minutes followed by an inflow test of 6 hours, after the successful completion of both, the retrieval of the CT pipe was followed. This project describes the design and execution process of pumping a resin plug, without previous experience within our organization at global basis, that is suitable to regain well control on CT pipes that lost the downhole safety valves after being cut due to a stuck condition.

During the completion phase of four unconventional wells in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a detailed engineering approach enabled overcoming challenges presented by the extreme conditions of pressure, temperature, and sour environment across long horizontal sections to successfully carry out cleanout activities. The methods implemented to address those conditions prioritized personnel safety and asset integrity. The unconventional wells in this campaign were characterized by a reservoir pressure of approximately 13,000 psi and a bottomhole temperature of approximately 325°F. Gas was expected as reservoir fluid. The environment was sour, with 5% mol of H2S and 5% mol of CO2. After fracturing, the shut-in pressure was approximately 8,000 psi. Those conditions triggered a new engineering approach to design a customized coiled tubing (CT) pipe that could reach depths of 20,700 ft and perform efficient cleanouts. Other considerations included the selection of the appropriate pressure control equipment (PCE), downhole tools, and intervention fluids that could withstand the harsh working conditions. The wells were completed with 5 1/2-in. fracturing strings; horizontal sections ranged from 5,000 to 8,200 ft. Each of the 95 fracturing stages was isolated by dissolvable plugs. The CT pipe design considered well trajectories, working pressures, and downhole environment. The highly engineered 22,000 ft, 2 3/8-in. CT string was manufactured with quench and tempered (Q&T) material with yield strength of 110,000 psi. A custom-fit CT string integrity program was implemented to ensure safe intervention in high-pressure sour environment. Pipe life was then monitored in real time using magnetic flux leakage. Downhole tools (CT connector and check valves) and the PCE stack were designed to hold pressures up to 15,000 psi. The PCE configuration was thoroughly reviewed, and since the wellhead stack exhibited a maximum height of approximately 120 ft, a stack stress analysis through finite-element modeling software was conducted to validate structure stability, to confirm forces and bending moments remained within safe working limits, and to determine the optimal setting for guy wires. Job execution highlighted challenges linked to the high-pressure cycling and the need to optimize the number of achievable sweeps in the horizontal section. Well trajectories also proved challenging for the cleanout, with solids accumulation in specific intervals. This operation, the first of its kind in the country for the operator, yielded lessons for design considerations and the execution process and recommendations for CT intervention in similar working environments. It also confirms that 110,000-psi yield strength Q&T CT strings can be safely deployed in a high-pressure sour environment by implementing proper risk mitigation strategies.

The aim of this work was to study the gene clusters that code for secondary metabolites within the genome of Stemphylium lycopersici and evaluate their toxicity in plant tissue since they are probably responsible for the necrotrophic symptoms provoked by S. lycopersici on plants of the Solanaceae family. We analyzed the draft genome sequences using the antiSMASH software to identify potentially toxic molecules that might be produced by S. lycopersici, and studied the activity of secreted compounds on tomato leaflet and pepper leaves. We found more than 30 gene clusters involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Stemphylium lycopersici secreted compounds that provoked necrosis on tomato leaflets as well as on pepper leaves. In conclusion, S. lycopersici have the potential to produce different secondary metabolites including host-specific and non-host-specific toxins (HST and non-HST) as well as compounds that might confer advantages for their development and survival, under certain environmental conditions. Secondary metabolite gene clusters arrangement and conservation within the genome of Stemphylium lycopersici codes the pathways for the synthesis of specific and non-specific toxins.

During the early months of 2020, the world experienced a novel, violent, and relentless pandemic era. By the end of the year more than seventy-seven million cases of COVID-19 had been reported around the globe. Due to it being a highly contagious disease, the recommended measures adopted by most nations to prevent infection include social distancing and quarantine. How did these measures affect people's relationship with alcohol consumption in cultures where alcohol plays an important social role? A questionnaire-based study, designed to follow the drinking behaviour of people before and during lockdown was applied to two different cultural groups impacted by the pandemic during the strict phase of lockdown. These are the British and Spanish populations (179 participants from each country were interviewed). Considering the frequency of consumption of the alcoholic beverages evaluated (wine, beer, cider, whisky and spirits), the results showed that a significant lockdown*country interaction was observed. Overall, Spanish participants consumed alcoholic beverages less frequently during lockdown than before, while British participants reported no change in their consumption habits. Spaniards’ decrease in alcohol consumption is related to the absence of a social contexts while Britons seems to have adapted their consumption to the modified context. Results suggest that, alcohol consumption is a central core of the British culture, while for the Spanish, socialization is more a cultural characteristic than the alcohol itself., MPSN acknowledges the Spanish National Research Agency, the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and the European Social Fund for her postdoctoral fellowship: Ramón y Cajal Program (RYC2019-027995-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). The authors warmly thank Mr. Jeremy Kerswell for his help on participants’ recruitment, Miss Dona Frost and Mister Philip Hedger for the English proof reading as well as all the anonymous participants in this study.

The coronavirus outbreak in December 2019 completely changed the dynamic of consumption in different sectors of industry. The food and beverage industries have been profoundly affected, from production, to modifications in consumers’ choices. Among the different reasons behind those modifications is confinement, which forces consumers to stay at home for an extended period and just go out to perform essential tasks, such as going to the supermarket. We hypothesized that this new dynamic of consumption could create a situation of fear that changes food choice. To test this hypothesis, two studies were conducted in three countries with a different degree of confinement: Mexico (flexible), Spain (strict), and Peru (hard). Study one consisted of a free association task with 60 participants in each country with the inductor word “coronavirus and food”. The different associations served as the basis to build a structured questionnaire, which was used in the second study focused on fear and food choice. The second study was applied to 450 participants in the same three countries. Results showed that fear can be separated into nine dimensions: social, emotional, food supply, government, basic needs, food-delivery, overeating, immunity, and family conflicts. The participants could also be clustered into four different groups that differ in their country of origin and sex, but also in their food choice. Overall, the results showed that fear influenced consumer’s food choices during a confinement period., Third author acknowledges the Spanish National Research Agency, the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities and the European Social Fund for her postdoctoral fellowship: Ramón y Cajal Program (RYC2019-027995-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).

In 2020, we developed a comprehensive methodology (henceforth, the methodology) to assess flood-related economic costs. The methodology covers direct damages, indirect effects, and losses and additional costs across 105 social, infrastructure, economic, and emergency response indicators. As a companion paper, this study presents findings from analysis of applying the methodology to investigate economic costs for major flood events between 2013 and 2017 and to assess gaps in the existing datasets across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. In addition, we conducted one case study from each country for an in-depth examination of the applicability of the methodology. Applying the methodology, Mexico showed the most complete flood indicator data availability and accessibility among the three countries. We found that most flood-related economic cost assessments evaluated only direct damages, and indirect effect data were rarely included in datasets in the three countries. Moreover, few of the records from Canada and the United States captured the losses and additional costs. Flood-related economic cost data at the municipal or county level were easily accessible in Mexico and the United States. Mexico’s National Center for Prevention of Disasters (Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres), unique among the three nations, provided access to centralized and comprehensive flood cost data. In the United States and Canada, data collection by multiple agencies that focus on different jurisdictions and scales of flood damage complicated comprehensive data collection and led to incomplete economic cost assessments. Our analysis strongly suggests that countries should aim to expand the set of data indicators available and become more granular across space and time while maintaining data quality. This study provides significant insights about approaches for collating spatial, temporal, and outcome-specific localized flood economic costs and the major data gaps across the three countries.

Global, large-scale surveys of phylogenetically diverse plant and lichen hosts have revealed an extremely high richness of endophytes in the Xylariales, one of the largest clades of filamentous fungi and a significant source of novel secondary metabolites (SMs). Endophytes may produce host protective antimicrobial or insecticidal SMs, as well as compounds that facilitate symbiotic establishment through suppression or degradation of host immune response, but the ecological roles of most SMs are unknown. Here we characterized metabolic gene clusters in 96 genomes of endophytes and closely related saprotrophs and pathogens in two clades of Xylariales (Xylariaceae s.l. and Hypoxylaceae). Hundreds of genes appear horizontally transferred to xylarialean fungi from distantly related fungi and bacteria, including numerous genes in secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGCs). Although all xylarialean genomes contain hyperabundant SMGCs, we show that increased gene duplications, horizontal gene transfers (HGTs), and SMGC content in Xylariaceae s.l. taxa are linked to greater phylogenetic host breadth, larger biogeographic distributions, and increased capacity for lignocellulose decomposition compared to Hypoxylaceae taxa. Overall, our results suggest that xylarialean endophytes capable of dual ecological modes (symbiotic and saprotrophic) experience greater selection to diversify SMGCs to both increase competitiveness within microbial communities and facilitate diverse symbiotic interactions.

During the completion phase of an unconventional well in Turkey, casing deformation represented a challenge to the operator and Coiled Tubing (CT) service provider due to the potential loss of almost 70% of the horizontal section. The deformation obstructed the path to continue the milling the remaining plugs. The implementation of bicentric mills and Multi-Cycling Circulation Valve (MCCV) incorporated in the milling assembly allowed efficient recovery of the horizontal section. The tubing condition analysis done by the engineering team showed that symmetric mills would not be beneficial. Conformance tubing was not an option. Bicentric milling approach was deemed the most viable solution. This approach consists of using offset mills where rotation causes the cutting head to cover an area larger than the mill's frontal face. However, this approach could lead the CT pipe getting stuck due to big junk left. The use of a MCCV, limiting the number of milled plugs, and performing a fishing run between milling runs were key to the success of the bicentric milling approach. The Turkish well was completed with ten stages isolated by nine aluminum plugs. During the fracturing of stage seven, an abnormal pressure drop was observed while keeping the same pump rate, indicating possible casing damage. After all the stages were fractured, the CT proceeded to mill the plugs using a 4.63-in Outside Diameter (OD) mill. After three plugs were milled, an obstruction was detected, indicated by frequent aggressive motor stalls at the same depth. A tapered mill was run to perform a tubing conformance, and after several hours of unsuccessful penetration, the tool was recovered. At the surface, the tool showed signs of wear around 4.268 in. A 4.0-in OD mill was used to drift this section, and it passed free. An analysis of both the plug anatomy and the casing condition was done to determine the most viable solution. A 4-in OD bicentric mill was designed to pass across the restriction with an adjusted eccentricity to allow higher contact area. Three bicentric milling runs were made with the limit of a maximum of two plugs per run to avoid a CT stuck situation due to the larger cuttings as a result of the mill's asymmetry. The sparsity of information on using bicentric mills for plug milling required research into unpublished practices for such scenarios. This paper documents bicentric milling approach, the use of offset mills, and the mitigation measurements taken during this project to avoid a stuck situation due to large debris generated.

This paper describes three coiled tubing (CT) applications in depleted reservoir wells, where full circulation and precise fluid placement were achievable only by using a novel solids-free loss-control system, such as abrasive perforating applications. It also describes the preparation work, such as laboratory results and mixing procedure performed to ensure successful implementation. The analysis of Ukrainian reservoir conditions by local and global engineering teams showed that in a highly depleted well, abrasive jetting through CT was the best option to efficiently perforate the wellbore. However, this approach could lead to later impairment of the gas production if the abrasive material (sand) could not be entirely recovered. Such a risk was even higher as wells were depleted and significant losses to the formation occurred. The use of solids-free fluid-loss material that was easy to mix, pump, and remove after the operation, was, therefore, critical to the success of that approach. In Ukraine, most of the brownfields have a reservoir pressure that varies between 50% and 20% of the original reservoir pressure. This is a challenge for CT operations in general and especially for abrasive jetting, which requires full circulation to remove solids. It also complicates intervention when precise fluid placement control is required, such as spotting cement to avoid its being lost into the formation. The perforation solids-free loss-control system is a highly crosslinked Hydroxy-Ethyl Cellulose (HEC) system designed for use after perforating when high-loss situations require a low-viscosity, nondamaging, bridging agent as is normally required in sand control applications. It is supplied as gel particles that are readily dispersed in most completion brines. The particles form a low-permeability filter cake that is pliable, conforms to the formation surface, and limits fluid loss. The system produces low friction pressures, which enable its placement using CT. Introduction of that system in Ukraine allowed the full circulation of sand or cuttings to surface without inducing significant damage to the formation for first time; it was also used for balanced cement plug placements. This project was the first application of the solids-free loss-control system in combination with CT operations. It previously was used only for loss control material during the well completion phase in sand formations with the use of drilling rigs.

The aim of this work was to study further the population of Fulvia fulva [syn. Cladosporium fulvum, Passalora fulva] in Argentina particularly in terms of diversity at the genetic level by means of ISSR. Also, we studied polymorphisms within avr and ecp sequences, what incidentally might lead to the development of new races. Argentinian tomato cultivars only are affected by two races of F. fulva and the data we provide here indicates that the populations of these two races are under an evolutionary process. Representatives of them had several polymorphisms within the coding sequences of effectors, but they are not constrained to avr genes, probably because, based on field data, resistant cultivars are not available. Most polymorphisms observed in avr and ecp genes were deletions or insertions (INDELs) or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Therefore, probably the environment and management practices are the most important factors driving evolution of these races in Argentina and this might explain why the pathogen population is not driven at the pathogenic or race level., Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología

The aim of this work was to characterize the secondary metabolite (SMs) profile of Stemphylium lycopersici, a necrotrophic fungus that causes the disease known as grey leaf spot. We detected twenty-four SMs in cultures of S. lycopercisi within the extracts of 19 isolates. Each of them presented a characteristic unique profile. While highly virulent isolates synthesized a high number of metabolites (15), the low virulent ones synthesized a low number of SMs (2). However, a PCA analysis could not establish the relationship between SMs and virulence. Infectopyrone was the most frequent metabolite produced by the isolates (89%)., Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología

Here we analyze the microbial community of healthy and diseased tomato plants to evaluate its impact on plant health. The organisms found in all samples mainly belonged to 4 phyla: Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. The Proteobacteria were the highest relative abundant within the endophytic communities of different plant organs of diseased tomato. Among endophytic bacteria of tomato, only a few taxa could be cultured. Here we showed that only a few taxa of bacteria inhabiting tomato plants could be cultured and that all plant organs have a highly diverse endophytic bacterial, whose activity might affect plant growth and development as well as health. The roots seem to be an important barrier for microbes and leaves appear to be the organs with the higher diversity which is incidentally related to plant health. Fruits also contain a complex bacterial community that appeared to be unaffected by foliar diseases such as gray leaf spot at least under the conditions studied., Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología

A metabarcoding approach was performed aimed at identifying fungi associated with Delphacodes kuscheli (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), the main vector of “Mal de Río Cuarto” disease in Argentina. A total of 91 fungal genera were found, and among them, 24 were previously identified for Delphacidae. The detection of fungi that are frequently associated with the phylloplane or are endophytes, as well as their presence in digestive tracts of other insects, suggest that feeding might be an important mechanism of their horizontal transfer in planthoppers. This study draws the baseline for future research regarding mutualistic associations present in D. kuscheli as well as their physiological role in the life cycle of this important pest that might lead to developing new management strategies to keep insects populations under control., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología, Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini", Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales

Mitochondrial genomes (mt-genomes) are characterized by a distinct codon usage and their autonomous replication. Mt-genomes encode highly conserved genes (mt-genes), like proteins involved in electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation but they also carry highly variable regions that are in part responsible for their high plasticity. The degree of conservation of their genes is such that they allow the establishment of phylogenetic relationships even across distantly related species. Here, we describe the mechanisms that generate changes along mt-genomes, which play key roles at enlarging the ability of fungi to adapt to changing environments. Within mt-genomes of fungal pathogens, there are dispensable as well as indispensable genes for survival, virulence and/or pathogenicity. We also describe the different complexes or mechanisms targeted by fungicides, thus addressing a relevant issue regarding disease management. Despite the controversial origin and evolution of fungal mt-genomes, the intrinsic mechanisms and molecular biology involved in their evolution will help to understand, at the molecular level, the strategies for fungal disease management., Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología, Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales

This paper presents the procedures, best practices and results of a coiled tubing project on the first unconventional completion using the multistage fracturing technique onshore in the United Kingdom, to achieve commercial gas flow rates from the inland shale formations. The main goal of the coiled tubing operations was to deliver multiple hydraulic fracturing stages through the CT/tubing annulus in a single run; but the versatile technology was used for a wide range of intervention activities during the project.

This work seeks to assess the effects of micro-oxygenation (MOX) on the present and potential levels of Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs) of wine. With such purpose, three red wines with a tendency to develop sulfury off-odors were subjected to three different MOX conditions (4.4–20 mg/L delivered at 0.05 or 0.2 mg/L/day). Samples were further subjected to Accelerated Reductive aging (AR) and analyzed for free and Brine Releasable (BR) VSCs and redox potential. Although MOX induced strong decreases in the levels of all free VSCs, hardly affected the ability of the wine to release back hydrogen sulfide and other mercaptans during AR-aging. During aging BR-levels of MOX samples became in most cases similar or higher than non-oxygenated controls. BR-levels and the fractions free/BR follow characteristic sigmoid plots when represented versus redox potential suggesting that all changes are the result of reversible equilibria between free, metal-complexed and oxidized forms of VSCs.

Melanin is a secondary metabolite made up by complex heterogeneous polymers. Several classes of fungal melanins have been described like γ-glutaminyl-3,4-dihydroxy-benzene (GDHB)-, L-DOPA-(eumelanin), DHN-, catechol-melanin, pyomelanin, p-aminophenol (PAP)-melanin, heterogeneous melanins as well as two others based on 5-deoxybostrycoidin and aspulvinone E. They have been mostly localized in cell walls of different structures of fungi, which suggest that they play a different biological role. They have been related mostly with morphogenesis, stress resistance, virulence and energy transduction. However, an enormous amount of work remains to be done to clarify, among other things, the role melanins play in fungi., Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología, Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini"

La mancha gris de la hoja del tomate es una enfermedad causada por tres especies del género Stemphylium: S. botryosum, S. solani y S. lycopersici. De amplia distribución mundial, fue reportada por primera vez en Argentina en 1990. Desde entonces, no solo ha aumentado en las áreas endémicas, sino que también se ha diseminado a nuevas regiones de cultivo. En base a la premisa que la patogenicidad de Stemphylium en plantas de tomate se debe a la expresión de efectores que vulneran los mecanismos de defensa del hospedador, en la presente tesis se indagó sobre la biología y genómica del agente etiológico con particular énfasis en el repertorio de efectores. Como primer paso, se comprobó que S. lycopersici es el principal agente causal de la mancha gris de la hoja del tomate en Argentina. Los aislados exhibieron una gran diversidad según lo evaluado mediante su morfología, genética y agresividad en tomate. Luego, se seleccionó un representante a partir del cual se generó el primer genoma borrador de S. lycopersici mediante secuenciación de segunda generación. Se utilizó al genoma mitocondrial para inferir la historia evolutiva de este fitopatógeno. El mitogenoma reveló una estructura dinámica, rica en secuencias repetitivas y elementos móviles, con algunas particularidades como la ausencia de los genes atp8 y atp9 y la fusión de los genes cox1 y cox2. Finalmente, el genoma borrador fue utilizado como insumo en la identificación y caracterización del secretoma in silico y de los clusters de genes de metabolitos secundarios. De esta manera, se determinó que el secretoma de S. lycopersici está compuesto por 1005 proteínas (11,12 % del proteoma), 363 de las cuales presentan características de efectores. En general, se encontró un repertorio de proteínas típico al de un hongo necrótrofo; variedad y cantidad de enzimas que degradan la pared celular, efectores LysM y enzimas que intervienen en la eliminación de las especies reactivas del oxígeno. Por otra parte, se identificaron 36 clusters de genes de metabolitos secundarios, con predominio de clusters de genes biosintéticos de policétidos. Se encontró que el genoma de S. lycopersici contiene genes claves para la biosíntesis de melanina vía 1,8-dihidroxinaftaleno y L-dihidroxifenilalanina. Asimismo, posee el gen codificante de la 4-hidroxifenilpiruvato dioxigenasa, enzima clave en la biosíntesis de piomelanina. Estos datos sientan bases sólidas para el desarrollo de estudios funcionales dirigidos a caracterizar tanto el metabolismo secundario como así también el secretoma in vivo de S. lycopersici bajo cualquier condición fisiológica, siendo de particular interés durante su interacción con el tomate. El conocimiento de las moléculas intervinientes en esta interacción será clave para el diseño racional de estrategias para el manejo de la mancha gris de la hoja del tomate., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo

Recombination mediated through a parasexual cycle is a potential source of genetic diversity among mitosporic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana. Knowledge of this diversity is critical to understand the structure of the population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity within 36 Argentinean isolates of B. bassiana collected from different geographical regions and insect hosts; and to assess by means of ITS sequences the preliminary taxonomic position of the isolates that might be related to the phenotypic and genotypic differences. The results demonstrate that the fingerprints generated with four ISSR markers were enough to detect significant genetic diversity among Argentinean isolates, which was unrelated neither with the geographical origin nor with insect hosts., Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología

Fulvia fulva (syn. Cladosporium fulvum, Mycosphaerellaceae) is a dematiaceous fungus that causes tomato leaf mould. It is characterized by its biotrophic lifestyle and the synthesis of the bianthraquinone secondary metabolite, cladofulvin. The aim of the study was to characterize the dark pigment photochemically synthesized by F. fulva and to elucidate its biochemical pathway. We isolated a black pigment from in vitro cultures of the fungus. We determined the pigment to be 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN)-melanin based on its chemical and photochemical characteristics, as well as the presence of flaviolin, when fungal reductases were inhibited by tricyclazole. Furthermore, the pks1 gene involved in pigment synthesis has a KS domain already associated with DHN-melanin. Our findings support the relevance of studying melanization in F. fulva., Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas, Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini"

Assessing the true economic costs of floods is central to addressing their impacts, allocating adequate resources for monitoring and preparedness, assessing their changes over time, and building resilient communities. Considerable variability exists in the choice and implementation of methods used in Canada, Mexico, and the United States at national and sub-national levels for estimating the direct damages and indirect losses caused by floods. This inter- and intra-national variability leads to information gaps when prioritizing development investments, for example, for infrastructure renewal, institutional development, or community enhancements. This paper provides an overview of the range of approaches used in the three countries and analyzes their strengths and weaknesses. It then presents a proposed comprehensive and inclusive methodology that has been developed in close collaboration with a range of stakeholders and domain experts. This methodology builds on existing approaches and offers a comprehensive accounting of costs related to flooding. We offer insights into potential challenges for implementing this methodology across the three countries, particularly related to data availability, access, quality, and spatial coverage. We recommend enhanced gathering data and metadata, and storing it in an information warehouse for their timely dissemination. We also identify the need for further investigation into the definition for “extreme flooding” that incorporates hydrological, societal and economic thresholds, in collaboration between government agencies and the research community.

Using data collected at a world wine trade fair, we study how the country-of-origin impacts wine traders’ mental representation about wines. In the analysis we use traditional exporters in Old (France) and New (Argentina) world wine countries in comparison to non-traditional exporters in Old (Switzerland) and New (Brazil) world wine countries. Three main findings are reported. First, the country-of-origin of wines was more important on guiding participants’ representations, than the category of countries the traders came from. Second, participants’ evocations were more precise and specific for traditional wine-exporting countries than for less traditional wine exporting countries. Finally, the lack of traders’ knowledge of wines from non-traditional wine-exporting countries produced associations and beliefs related to the image of the country itself. Our findings have important implications for the marketing and export activities of the wine industry., This work was funded by the University of St. Gallen & the Swiss Leading House for Latin America, Switzerland and by The Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil (Finance Code 001). Authors want to warmly thank IBRAVIN (Diogo Bortolini and the Diretor Sr. Carlos Paviani), EMME Brazil (Rico Azeredo) and Professor Carlos Eugenio Daudt for all logistical support. EFL acknowledges the financial support of Fundación Alfonso Martín Escudero for his postdoctoral fellowship. MPSN acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) for her contract (project AGL2017-87373-C3).

Scale buildup due to water production can choke oil production and require repetitive scale treatments across entire fields. In subsea wells, the common solution employs a deepwater rig to conduct either workover operations or large-volume scale inhibitor squeezes. Less frequently, coiled tubing (CT) is used from a moonpool vessel. However, current oil prices required a custom solution for subsea well treatments that was more cost effective than either a rig or a moonpool vessel. Similar previous operations successfully used 1 ¾-in. and 2-in. (44.4 mm. and 50 mm.) CT at the same time from a moonpool vessel. A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the open water connected the CT to the subsea safety module (SSM) through a dynamic conduit and connected the SSM to the wellhead. An engineered solution to change to 2 7/8-in. CT and use high-rate stimulation pumps was planned to deliver subsea treatments at up to 15 bbl/min. The equipment layout was designed for a multipurpose supply vessel with chemical storage tanks; to increase the available selection of vessels, the CT was designed to run overboard rather than through a moonpool. This project was initiated after accelerated scale buildup occurred because of a pressure decrease close to the bubble point, which happened when the drawdown was increased for aggressive production targets. To effectively inhibit scale in this environment, treatments required thousands of barrels of inhibitor. For wells with more-severe scale conditions, acid treatments were planned. These treatments were delivered with one complete CT package, stimulation pumping fleet, and subsea equipment, which were all installed on the spare deck space of the available vessel. A custom overboard CT deployment tower was designed. The new tower improved the dynamic bend stiffener (DBS) placement, which allowed the clump weights to be deployed with the bottomhole assembly (BHA) and simplified the rig-up. The chosen vessel worked well for the operation; however, the equipment layout and the local weather conditions combined with the response amplitude operator (RAO) of the vessel shortened the projected fatigue life of the CT. CT integrity monitoring with magnetic flux leakage (MFL) measurement was introduced here, and the vessel’s motion reference unit (MRU) provided an input to a fatigue calculator, based on the global riser analysis (GRA). The measurements and the analysis were utilized successfully to prevent CT pipe failures in the open water and deliver the required well treatments. To allow further improvements in deepwater operations, the new engineering work-flow was carefully documented.

We report here the 6,092,003-bp draft genome sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis strain m401, a tetracycline-resistant isolate recovered from honey. The isolate contained three plasmids of 8,307 bp, 9,934 bp, and 69,561 bp and a tetracycline resistance gene with high homology to tet45 in a contig of 236,180 bp.

This paper summarizes, discusses, and complements recent findings about the fate of H2S and methanethiol (MeSH) during wine storage. Analytical assays to determine free volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) and brine-releasable (BR-) VSCs in combination with accelerated reductive (AR) aging and micro-oxygenation (MOX) assays allow characterizing the different categories of species able to produce H2S and MeSH and the processes of interconversion. Each wine seems to contain a specific total amount of H2S and MeSH distributed into free, metal-complexed, and oxidized forms (di and polysulfides) interconnected through reversible redox equilibria whose external expression is wine redox potential. Oxidation transforms all mercaptans likely into nonvolatile disulfides and hydrodisulfides. In anoxia, these molecules are spontaneously and quantitatively reduced back. The concomitant accumulation of major wine thiols would provoke complex dissociation and the release of free H2S and MeSH. Additionally, total amounts can increase due to the metal-catalyzed desulfhydration of cysteine and methionine.

Stemphylium lycopersici (Pleosporales) is a pathogenic fungus found on a broad range of plant hosts. It is one of the causal agents of gray leaf spot disease in tomato that causes severe yield reductions and economic losses worldwide. Here, we present the draft genome sequences and the gene annotations of two strains of S. lycopersici, nonsporulating strain CIDEFI-212 and sporulating strain CIDEFI-213., Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Instituto de Botánica "Dr. Carlos Spegazzini", Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología

The purpose of this work was to study further two Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains with high nitrogen-fixing capacity that were identified within a collection of approximately 200 isolates from the soils of Argentina. Nodulation and nitrogen-fixing capacity and the level of expression of regulatory as well as structural genes of nitrogen fixation and the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase gene of the isolates were compared with that of E109-inoculated plants. Both isolates of B. japonicum, 163 and 366, were highly efficient to fix nitrogen compared to commercial strain E109. Isolate 366 developed a higher number and larger biomass of nodules and because of this fixed more nitrogen. Isolate 163 developed the same number and nodule biomass than E109. However, nodules developed by isolate 163 had red interiors for a longer period, had a higher leghemoglobin content, and presented high levels of expression of acdS gene, that codes for an ACC deaminase. In conclusion, naturalized rhizobia of the soils of Argentina hold a diverse population that might be the source of highly active nitrogen-fixing rhizobia, a process that appears to be based on different strategies., Funding Funding was provided by Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Grant No. Subsidio Incentivos 2015), Comision de Investigaciones de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (Subsidio 2015) and Jefatura de Gabinete de Ministros de la Nación (Grant No. BECAR2014).

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is probably the most important vegetable consumed around the world, and like other produce is affected by stresses and diseases that reduce the yield and production. The purpose of this work was to study the phytobiome of the tomato seeds of two hybrids in order to understand first of all whether tomato cultivars host similar groups of organisms, as well as their effect on the community structure, particularly of those microbes with the potential to promote growth and/or control plant pathogens. Different cultivars of tomato (genotypes) host significantly different endophytic communities, which is also reflected at the order level. These communities are particularly rich in spore-forming bacteria that have the ability either to promote plant growth or synthetize antimicrobial compounds that deter plant pathogens. We conclude that the seeds of the tomato cultivars Elpida and Silverio are sources of endophytic bacteria capable of synthetizing antifungal substances that could potentially be used for biocontrol against plant-pathogenic fungi., Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is widely consumed around the world is mostly affected by stresses and diseases that reduce yield and production. Research on sustainable technologies like the use of beneficial microorganismsis crucial to development sustainable management strategies. Endophytic bacteria might increase production as well as plant health.. In this work we studied the endobiome of tomato seeds of different cultivars since the plant genotype might affect the microbial community structure in terms of plant growth promoters as well as organisms for biocontrol. The conditions prevailing within seeds along the maturation period might have affected bacterial survival. This is such that seed endophytes share features, which are different from those of bacteria from other plant tissues. The community associated with different cultivars reflects the different resources available in the seed and its potential to prevent the attack of pathogens and to promote plant growth.

Mediante los conservatorios de variedades y la colaboración ciudadana se han identificado más de un centenar de variedades minoritarias procedentes de las regiones que rodean los Pirineos. Con 78 de dichas variedades identificadas se han realizado más de 200 microvinificaciones que han permitido, por una parte, evaluar su potencial enológico y, por otra, caracterizar sensorial y químicamente dichas variedades.

The Regulatory Council of the DOP Campo de Borja (Spain) promoted a zoning study aimed at knowing the geographical environment and its effect on the quality of wines, in order to delimit the space in Units of Terroir (UT) base to apply a model Productive and commercial reasoned following the concept terroir. It was to seek the specialization and recognition of wine values linked to the territory of origin. The study of the medium, reflected in a map of cartographic soil units (SMU) to scale 1:25.000, was accompanied by an oenological study carried out during three vintages to know the variability of the oenological capacities of the SMU. The results indicate that in the DOP have obtained different types of units of terroir depending on the characteristics of the mistelas used to classify and delimit territorially Units of Terroir.