Search

Successfully gene editing (GE) in Prunus spp. has been delayed due to its woody nature presenting additional difficulties in both, proper regeneration protocols and designing efficient gene transfer techniques. The availability of adequate, single cell culture techniques for GE such as protoplast regeneration, is a limiting step for the genus and for this reason, the improvement of regular regeneration protocols and finding more efficient techniques for the delivery of the “editing reagents” seem to be a reasonable strategy to incorporate GE in the genus. During the last 10 years, we have focused our efforts optimizing some previous regeneration and gene transfer procedures for Japanese plum (P. salicina), sweet cherry (P. avium) and peach (P. persica) to incorporate them into a GE technology on these species. In parallel, delivery techniques for the CRISPR/Cas9 editing components, i.e., guide RNA (gRNA) and Cas9, have been developed with the aim of improving gene targeting efficiencies. In that line, using DNA virus-based replicons provides a significant improvement, as their replicational release from their carriers enables their enhanced expression. Here, we make a brief overview of the tissue culture and regeneration protocols we have developed for P. salicina, P. avium and P. persica, and then we proceed to describe the use of Bean yellow dwarf virus (BeYDV)-derived replicon vectors to express the editing reagents in vivo and to evaluate their editing capability on individuals derived from Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer experiments of these species. We show part of our characterization assays using new BeYDV-derived vectors harboring multiple gRNAs, the Cas9 gene, and the green fluorescent protein reporter gene. We also describe a dedicated genome analysis tool, by which gRNA pairs can be designed to address gene deletions of the target genes and to predict off-target sequences. Finally, as an example, we show the general results describing GE of the peach TERMINAL FLOWER 1 gene and some preliminary characterizations of these materials.

2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) is a persistent pollutant introduced in water by industrial processes and pesticides. We have studied the electrooxidation of TCP on glassy carbon (GC) electrodes drop-coated with a suspension containing Mo- and/or Co-modified zeolite, graphite, and Nafion® perfluorinated ion-exchange resin in distilled water. Three zeolites, Linde type A (ZA), Faujasite (ZY) and MFI (ZSM-5), of different hydrophilic/hydrophobic character, were modified with molybdenum and/or cobalt by the wet impregnation method and characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection and temperature programmed reduction. The electrochemical study included cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and electrolysis at controlled potential. High performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry allowed detecting the following reaction products: 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone, 2,6-dichloro-1,4-hydroquinone, 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone, and malic, maleic, picric, and acetic acids. A maximum degradation of about 90% was reached after 4 h of electrolysis at 0.83 V vs Ag/AgCl/KCl 3 M, using a GC/graphite-ZSM5Mo electrode. The electrodes modified with Mo, and especially that with ZSM5, the most hydrophobic zeolite, were active for the degradation of TCP. We conclude that the main role of the Mo species is to catalyze the hydrogen peroxide decomposition yielding reactive singlet oxygen, as evidenced by the pink color of 3,5-dichloro-2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoquinoneand confirmed by mass spectrometry.

The main motivation of this paper is to introduce the permutation Jensen-Shannon distance, a symbolic tool able to quantify the degree of similarity between two arbitrary time series. This quantifier results from the fusion of two concepts, the Jensen-Shannon divergence and the encoding scheme based on the sequential ordering of the elements in the data series. The versatility and robustness of this ordinal symbolic distance for characterizing and discriminating different dynamics are illustrated through several numerical and experimental applications. Results obtained allow us to be optimistic about its usefulness in the field of complex time-series analysis. Moreover, thanks to its simplicity, low computational cost, wide applicability, and less susceptibility to outliers and artifacts, this ordinal measure can efficiently handle large amounts of data and help to tackle the current big data challenges., L.Z. acknowledges the financial support from Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina. H.V.R. thanks for the financial support of the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq–Grants No. 407690/2018-2, No. 303121/2018-1, and No. 303533/2021-8). F.O. acknowledges the Spanish State Research Agency, through the Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu Program for Centers and Units of Excellence in R&D (MDM-2017-0711).

Resumen Introducción: Las infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud son un problema frecuente en el ambiente hospitalario. La higiene de manos es la medida más efectiva para su prevención. El uso de ciertos accesorios en las manos podría disminuir su efectividad y favorecer la transmisión horizontal de agentes infecciosos. Objetivo: Revisar los estudios publicados que evalúan el impacto del uso de anillos y uñas esmaltadas en la calidad de la higiene de manos en trabajadores de la salud. Métodos: Búsqueda no sistemática en base de datos PUBMED/MEDLINE (1978-2018) de estudios en los cuales se mide la calidad de la higiene de manos o lavado quirúrgico, mediante cultivos cuantitativos o tinciones fluorescentes. Resultados: Uso de anillos: Trece de 51 artículos cumplían los criterios de inclusión. Siete fueron realizados en unidades clínicas, y en todos ellos éste se asoció a menor calidad de la higiene de manos (la mayoría de baja calidad). Contrariamente, en tres de cuatro estudios primarios realizados en pabellón (de baja calidad), su uso no impactó en la calidad del lavado quirúrgico. Igualmente, dos revisiones sistemáticas obtuvieron similares conclusiones. Uñas esmaltadas: siete de 54 artículos fueron incluidos. En cuatro hubo resultados discordantes (la mayoría de baja calidad). En un estudio controlado se observó reducción en la calidad del lavado quirúrgico sólo cuando el esmalte estaba dañado. El esmalte gel se asoció a menor calidad de la higiene de manos en dos estudios experimentales. Conclusiones: No existe evidencia de calidad suficiente para asociar el uso de estos accesorios con reducción en la calidad de la higiene de manos. Tampoco queda demostrada su inocuidad. En base a la evidencia disponible (la mayoría de baja calidad), se observó un impacto negativo del uso de anillos en unidades clínicas y también de uñas con esmalte dañado en pabellones quirúrgicos. Se requieren estudios de mejor calidad para abordar estos relevantes tópicos.

We report a case of V. cholerae non-O1 / non-O139 bacteremia in an 81-year-old woman with abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, liquid stools, choluria and jaundice, while visiting a rural area without access to potable water. The identification was made by the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technique and subsequently the non-toxigenic non-O1 / non-139 strain was confirmed in the national reference laboratory. The molecular characterization demonstrated the absence of the cholera toxin gene (CTX), and the TCP pilus, however, presented 5 of 6 virulence genes present in an island of homologous pathogenicity named VPaI-7 of V. parahaemolyticus (vcs N2 +, vcs C2 +, vcs V2 +, toxR-, vspD +, T vopF +) and in addition it was positive for hylAy rtxA virulence genes recognized outside the island. This is the first case reported in Chile of a clinical strain of V. cholerae non-O1, non-O139 isolated from blood culture that carries in its genome a homologous segment of the pathogenicity island named VPaI-7 of V. parahaemolyticus, which codifies for a type III secretion system (TTSS) that probably contributes to his virulence.

Free-space optical communication links through the atmosphere are degraded mainly by the action of scintillation and beam wander. Both phenomena are responsible for fiber coupling misalignments at the receiver. Henceforth, the signal is corrupted by random power drops, which can be identified as extreme events, with particular statistical properties. In this work, we performed experiments and simulations to gain insight into understanding these extremes events and their relation with scintillation and wander at a receiver. Particularly, this sequence also inherits the same long term correlations of the original data.

One of the most important aspects of time series is their degree of stochasticity vs. chaoticity. Since the discovery of chaotic maps, many algorithms have been proposed to discriminate between these two alternatives and assess their prevalence in real-world time series. Approaches based on the combination of “permutation patterns” with different metrics provide a more complete picture of a time series’ nature, and are especially useful to tackle pathological chaotic maps. Here, we provide a review of such approaches, their theoretical foundations, and their application to discrete time series and real-world problems. We compare their performance using a set of representative noisy chaotic maps, evaluate their applicability through their respective computational cost, and discuss their limitations., This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 851255). Financial support has been received from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, MCI, Spain) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, UE), under the María de Maeztu Program for units of Excellence in R&D (MDM-2017-0711).

Approximately 5% of COVID-19 patients will have a severe disease requiring invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation. In this conditions, sedatives and analgesics are fundamental to promote tolerance, comfort and synchrony with the mechanical ventilator. High and unusual requirements for sedation, analgesics and neuromuscular blockers have been reported in these patients, contributing to prolonged exposure, a high rate of delirium and prolongation of mechanical ventilation. These factors, added to the progressive shortage of these drugs, a high demand for care and less capacity for personalized attention, have created an adverse scenario for their proper and rational use. This paper proposes different pharmacotherapeutic optimization strategies for a rational management of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular block in critically ill patients with COVID-19, with the therapeutic alternatives available in Chile.

The formation of planetesimals was a key step in the assemblage of planetary bodies, yet many aspects of their formation remain poorly constrained. Notably, the mechanism by which chondrules -- sub-millimetric spheroids that dominate primitive meteorites -- were incorporated into planetesimals remains poorly understood. Here we classify and analyze particle-size distributions in various CO carbonaceous chondrites found in the Atacama Desert. Our results show that the average circle-equivalent diameters of chondrules define a positive trend with the petrographic grade, which reflects the progressive role of thermal metamorphism within the CO parent body. We show that this relationship could not have been established by thermal metamorphism alone but rather by aerodynamic sorting during accretion. By modeling the self-gravitational contraction of clumps of chondrules, we show that (i) the accretion of the CO parent body(ies) would have generated a gradual change of chondrule size with depth in the parent body, with larger chondrules being more centrally concentrated than smaller ones, and (ii) any subsequent growth by pebble accretion would have been insignificant. These findings give substantial support to the view that planetesimals formed via gravitational collapse., Comment: Accepted in ApJL. 24 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, 1 appendix

The Obukhov-Kolmogorov (OK) theory has provided us with the very well- known –11/3-power spectrum; widely assumed as a valid model for the refractive index fluctuations in the whole atmosphere. Within its reach, the strength of the fluctuations are conveyed by the structure constant, C n 2 . Yet, the OK model presupposes the existence of statistical isotropy and homogeneity–both for the velocity and refractive index fluctuations. In this work, we show that this is a rare occurrence in turbulent airflow above the ocean. Therefore, we need to re-evaluate the physical meaning of C n 2 measurements.

International audience; This paper aims at introducing the Lempel-Ziv permutation complexity vs. permutation entropy plane (EC-plane) as a tool to analyze time series with diverse dynamical nature. These two quantities use the Bandt and Pompe representation to quantify a continuous-state time series. The main strength of this approach lies in the fact that this plane combines two different perspectives to study a signal, one being purely statistic (the permutation entropy) and the other being algorithmic (the Lempel-Ziv complexity). The results allow us to conclude that the EC-plane constitutes an appropriate framework for: (i) characterizing non-linear chaotic maps, (ii) distinguishing deterministic from stochastic processes and (iii) to discriminate between fractional Brownian motion, fractional Gaussian noise and K-noise.

Approximately 5% of COVID-19 patients will have a severe disease requiring invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation. In this conditions, sedatives and analgesics are fundamental to promote tolerance, comfort and synchrony with the mechanical ventilator. High and unusual requirements for sedation, analgesics and neuromuscular blockers have been reported in these patients, contributing to prolonged exposure, a high rate of delirium and prolongation of mechanical ventilation. These factors, added to the progressive shortage of these drugs, a high demand for care and less capacity for personalized attention, have created an adverse scenario for their proper and rational use. This paper proposes different pharmacotherapeutic optimization strategies for a rational management of sedation, analgesia and neuromuscular block in critically ill patients with COVID-19, with the therapeutic alternatives available in Chile.

During the first pandemic wave Covid-19 reached Latin America cities.AimTo report clinical features and outcomes associated to Covid-19 in a group of patients admitted during the first wave in a regional reference Center in southern Chile designated to severe and critical cases.MethodsCases were identified by a compatible clinical picture associated to positive RT-PCR or serological testing. A standard protocol was applied.Results21 adult patients (20 diagnosed by PCR, one by serology) were admitted between epidemiological weeks 13 to 20, involving 8.8% of total regional cases. Hospitalization occurred at a median of 11 days after symptoms onset. Patients ≥60 years old predominated (57.1%). Hypertension (61.9%), obesity (57.1%) and diabetes mellitus 2 (38.1%) were prevalent but 19% had no comorbid conditions nor were elderly. Two cases involved second-trimester pregnant women. Positive IgM or IgM/IgG results obtained by rapid serological testing were limited (19% at 1st week; 42.9% at 2nd week). Nine patients (42.9%, critical group) were transferred to ICU and connected to mechanical ventilation due to respiratory failure. By univariate analysis admission to ICU was significantly associated to tachypnea and higher plasmatic LDH values. One pregnant woman required urgent cesarean section given birth to a premature neonate without vertical transmission. Two patients died (in-hospital mortality 9.5%) and length of stay was ≥ 14 days in 57.9% of patients.ConclusionIn our regional Center, Covid 19 was associated to known risk factors, had a prolonged stay and in-hospital mortality. Tachypnea ≥30/min is predictive of transfer to ICU.

Background: During the first pandemic wave, Covid-19 reached Latin America cities. Aim: To report clinical features and outcomes of a group of patients with Covid-19 admitted to a Chilean regional reference Center. Material and Methods: Cases were identified by a compatible clinical picture and a positive PCR or serological test. Clinical features of patients were retrieved from medical records. Results: Forty-seven adult patients (45 diagnosed by PCR, 2 by serology) were admitted between epidemiological weeks 13 to 33, corresponding to 4.4% of total regional cases. Hospitalization occurred at a median of 10 days after onset of symptoms. Fifty one percent of patients had 60 years or more. Hypertension, obesity and diabetes mellitus were present in 57, 45 and 32 % of cases, respectively. Nineteen percent of patients had no comorbid condition nor were elderly. Two cases were women in their second trimester of pregnancy. Positive IgM or IgM/IgG results obtained by rapid serological testing, had limited sensitivity during the first week (67%). Seventeen patients (36.2%) were transferred to an intensive care unit (ICU) due to respiratory failure. Chest imaging demonstrated a classical COVID-19 pattern in 87%. By univariate analysis, admission to ICU was significantly associated with tachypnea and higher CALL (comorbidity, age, lymphocyte count and lactate dehydrogenase) score. Four patients died (rendering a hospital mortality of 8.5%) and length of stay was ≥ 14 days in 46.8% of patients. By univariate analysis, mortality was associated with immunosuppression and ICU admission. Conclusions: In our regional Center, patients admitted with COVID-19 had usual risk factors and had a prolonged stay. Hospital mortality was associated with immunosuppression and ICU admission.

Cold storage of fruit is one of the methods most commonly employed to extend the postharvest lifespan of peaches ( Prunus persica (L.) Batsch). However, fruit quality in this species is affected negatively by mealiness, a physiological disorder triggered by chilling injury after long periods of exposure to low temperatures during storage and manifested mainly as a lack of juiciness, which ultimately modifies the organoleptic properties of peach fruit. The aim of this study was to identify molecular components and metabolic processes underlying mealiness in susceptible and nonsusceptible segregants. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR profiling were applied to individuals with contrasting juiciness phenotypes in a segregating F2 population. Our results suggest that mealiness is a multiscale phenomenon, because juicy and mealy fruit display distinctive reprogramming processes affecting translational machinery and lipid, sugar, and oxidative metabolism. The candidate genes identified may be useful tools for further crop improvement.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an opportunistic infection (OI) in immunosuppressed patients. However, there are no clear cut-off values available for quantitative plasmatic CMV measures (viral load [VL]) to discriminate those with CMV illness from those infected suffering a transient viral reactivation. Aim: To estimate a CMV VL cut-off point that discriminates infected patients and those with CMV related diseases, and to clinically characterize AIDS patients with this OI. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of AIDS patients admitted by any reason between years 2017 and 2019 and who had a positive plasma CMV VL at any titer. Cases were categorized with illness or infected using accepted criteria and the cut-off value was obtained by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Results: Twelve patients were identified as having a CMV-associated illness and seven with CMV infection. A CMV VL of 3,800 copies/mL had a sensitivity of 91.6% and 100% specificity to discriminate both states. Of the 12 patients with CMV illness, all were in AIDS stage and only five were receiving HIV therapy. Predominant clinical presentations were gastrointestinal (50%), followed by liver involvement (25%) and CMV disease (25%). All patients were treated with ganciclovir or valganciclovir. Ten patients had a favorable response (83.3%), one patient only had a laboratory improvement (8.3%) and one died during treatment (8.3%). Drug toxicity was recorded in nine patients but in only three cases, a dose adjustment was necessary. Conclusions: The predominant clinical manifestation in our series was gastrointestinal. A CMV VL cutoff level of CMV VL of 3,800 copies / mL is useful to discriminate infected patients from those with CMV related disease.

Spectral observations of the type-IIb supernova (SN) 2016gkg at 300-800 days are reported. The spectra show nebular characteristics, revealing emission from the progenitor star's metal-rich core and providing clues to the kinematics and physical conditions of the explosion. The nebular spectra are dominated by emission lines of [O i] λλ6300, 6364 and [Ca ii] λλ7292, 7324. Other notable, albeit weaker, emission lines include Mg I] λ4571, [Fe ii] λ7155, O I λ7774, Ca II triplet, and a broad, boxy feature at the location of Hα. Unlike in other stripped-envelope SNe, the [O i] doublet is clearly resolved due to the presence of strong narrow components. The doublet shows an unprecedented emission line profile consisting of at least three components for each [O i]λ6300, 6364 line: a broad component (width ∼2000 km s⁻¹), and a pair of narrow blue and red components (width ∼300 km s⁻¹) mirrored against the rest velocity. The narrow component appears also in other lines, and is conspicuous in [O i]. This indicates the presence of multiple distinct kinematic components of material at low and high velocities. The low-velocity components are likely to be produced by a dense, slow-moving emitting region near the center, while the broad components are emitted over a larger volume. These observations suggest an asymmetric explosion, supporting the idea of two-component ejecta that influence the resulting late-time spectra and light curves. SN 2016gkg thus presents striking evidence for significant asymmetry in a standard-energy SN explosion. The presence of material at low velocity, which is not predicted in 1D simulations, emphasizes the importance of multidimensional explosion modeling of SNe., Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas, Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plata

In the context of time series analysis considerable effort has been directed towards the implementation of efficient discriminating statistical quantifiers. Very recently, a simple and fast representation space has been introduced, namely the number of turning points versus the Abbe value. It is able to separate time series from stationary and non-stationary processes with long-range dependences. In this work we show that this bidimensional approach is useful for distinguishing complex time series: different sets of financial and physiological data are efficiently discriminated. Additionally, a multiscale generalization that takes into account the multiple time scales often involved in complex systems has been also proposed. This multiscale analysis is essential to reach a higher discriminative power between physiological time series in health and disease.